How to Write a Persuasive Speech

Speech writing is a common academic assignment that tutors assign college students. It is a vital skill that involves gathering relevant information for public presentation. The writer must persuade the readers to agree with a particular perspective using logic and proper thought articulation.

Composing a persuasive speech may seem easy to most learners, but it is pretty challenging since people have different viewpoints. Few might agree with your opinion because not all opinions can sway readers to your side. Thus, most students feel stuck on how to write persuasive speeches since they differ from standard essays.

This article offers persuasive speech guidelines to help you understand how to compose an impeccable speech that will convince your readers on any topic you choose.

What Is a Persuasive Speech

As the name suggests, persuasive speeches influence the intended audience to agree with your perspective as the speechwriter. Speeches can be used as part of academic assignments, corporate or political presentations. Whatever the purpose, the speech needs to deliver the message effectively while expressing a comprehensive understanding of the central subject.

In this presentation, the primary goal is to convince the readers to support your school of thought through supporting evidence and adequate research on the specific subject matter.

Writing a speech involves piecing factual data and relevant ideas to form a convincing presentation. Thus, you must select debatable topics with sufficient content to persuade the audience to accept your standpoint.

In an academic setting, most learners find it difficult to choose appropriate topics, resulting in unsuccessful communication. The trick is to understand the content and realize that the target audience wants to listen to the speech and not read through it. Therefore, the speechwriter must have a proper structure that aligns with the goal.

How to Start a Persuasive Speech

No matter how long or short your speech is, knowing how to start is essential since it will determine the paper’s success. The fundamental aspect in composing an excellent speech is organization, clear articulation and extensive research of the subject in question.

First and foremost, you need to pick a controversial topic that will arouse intense debates despite your viewpoint. Choose a subject you are familiar with to give you more confidence when presenting your arguments. Furthermore, ensure your topic is neither too broad nor too narrow, one that has good research sources for your specific angle argument.

It is vital to hook your readers from the beginning of the paper. Who wants to listen to a boring speech? Thus, ensure you begin with a memorable quote, an exciting but brief story, or a captivating statistic. The introductory sentences should capture the readers and invoke curiosity about what the speech entails.

Introduce the research topic by establishing a common ground with the target audience so that they can feel a connection to the issue you want to present. Are there any shared values, experiences, or problems with your targeted listeners? Ensure the subject matter is relatable to your speech topic to avoid confusing the audience.

Don’t forget to include a thesis statement that reveals why you are writing about the issue. Make it brief and clear since it allows the audience to understand what you intend to achieve in your paper.

If you feel overwhelmed, we can offer top-notch speechwriting help to assist you in submitting an impressive paper to your tutor.

How to Structure a Persuasive Speech

Many learners are not aware of the fundamental importance of a proper structure. It plays a massive role in maintaining the necessary emphasis you need to deliver a top-notch document.

It comprises an attention-grabber in the introductory parts and a concrete thesis. The main body consists of a few paragraphs where the writer explains their essential points. Finally, the conclusion section ends the paper with a recap of central ideas.

Below is a snippet of how to structure a persuasive speech.

Hook Sentence

The introduction needs to capture the attention of the audience. Use an interesting quote, statistic, or short story.

Common ground

Establishing a subject matter familiar to the audience is one way of convincing the readers about the issue in question.

Main Arguments

Research extensively and have significant points with supporting evidence. Explain each point in its paragraph to avoid mixing up ideas.

Conclusion section

The structure must have an ending that reveals the primary purpose of the speech.

How to End a Persuasive Speech

Your closing remarks in a persuasive speech are critical in determining whether you have achieved your goal of convincing the audience or not. Most students usually concentrate on the introduction and the main body without considering the conclusion. It is equally essential since it leaves the audience with the final words about your speech.

Thus, you must recap the significant points you mentioned in the body to refresh your readers’ minds. It is also imperative to restate the thesis statement to reveal the significance of the speech. Finally, drive your point home by introducing a call for action statement that discloses the solution.

Persuasive Speech Outline with Example

Creating an outline is crucial in guiding the writer during planning and research. It acts as a map to guide you through the speech creation process.

If you want to know how to write a persuasive speech, example outline below will help you craft a meticulous speech.

Example

Purpose: To encourage people to abstain from social media indulgence to boost mental wellbeing

Main Agenda: Social media fasting increases your mental wellness

Introduction

Hook Sentence– There is no ounce of doubt that social media has a massive influence on different people.

Common ground– Everyone enjoys the convenience of technological advancements, and social media helps us connect and engage with friends instantly.

Thesis statement – However, taking a break from social media can assist in boosting mental wellness immensely.

Preview: Let us first understand why overindulgence in social media networks is a growing global concern and why it a severe mental health risk and ultimately establish lasting solutions.

Main Body

Problem: People wasting time browsing aimlessly on social sites are at risk of getting depression.

Cause: Idleness due to unemployment, addiction, or comparing your life to others.

Solution: Technology detox for an extended period.

Supporting evidence: Research reveals excessive use of social media results in anxiety disorders and depressive episodes.

Conclusion

Ultimately, overindulgence in social sites causes people to compare their lives to others, resulting in inferiority thoughts and depressive episodes.

But frequent detoxing from social media is necessary to prevent depression and improve mental wellness.

Call for action: As I close, I urge you to abstain frequently from social platforms to rejuvenate your mind on more constructive issues and prevent mental illnesses.

Persuasive Speech Introduction with Example

As mentioned above, the introduction is a critical section that determines the quality and success of your speech. It would be best to start with an attention-grabber to captivate the listeners. It is imperative to set the pace with a captivating quote, statistic, or story. Proceed to add a thesis statement that shows your goal and state the significant ideas.

Example

“Today, I want to speak against the death penalty and its inhuman depiction of our rights. My stand remains that capital punishment is a direct abuse of human life, and I will discuss all the pertinent issues in my speech.

I will talk about justice denial and penance to evaluate the significance of death penalty abolition in all nations.”

Persuasive Speech Body: Main Paragraphs

The body is the main section of a speech since it has all the significant points. It is much lengthier than the introduction and the conclusion because of the arguments you will incorporate in the paper.

It has several body paragraphs, depending on the topic and assignment parameters. Each paragraph includes a claim, factual information, counter-arguments, if any, and supporting evidence. You can include quotes and examples from reliable research sources to persuade the audience more.

Furthermore, you have to develop your arguments to flow in a transitional and logical manner. Ensure you write correct grammar, proper sentence structures while using appropriate words to drive your point home.

Persuasive Speech Conclusion

The conclusion is an important section since it leaves the intended audience with the final thoughts. Besides, you need to incorporate a summary of the main points you mentioned in the main body. Not forgetting to paraphrase the thesis statement to remind the readers of your objective.

However, do not introduce new arguments or alter your perspective in this section. It will confuse the audience and weaken the speech.

Since you are wrapping up, make your document memorable and compel the intended readers to advance your recommendations.

Final Word

Speech writing is not everyone’s forte since it is different from typical essays. Quality and proper idea articulation determine the document’s effectiveness. Thus, you have to plan and choose a suitable topic before gathering relevant information.

Expressing ideas without adequate planning will prevent you from attaining your primary goal. It is imperative to note that listeners require an attention-grabber to keep them hooked.

Below are pointers to help you ace your speech:

• Choose a debatable topic with a specific angle
• Understand your primary goal
• Evaluate your intended listeners
• Create an effective outline with significant points
• Develop persuasive strategies to build your arguments upon
• Make your speech memorable with a striking conclusion

Ultimately, writing a speech is involving due to the specifics. Hence, it is wise to hire a professional essay writer to help you prepare a top-notch speech at your convenience.