A convincing speech requires a combination of strong communication skills, persuasion strategies, and thoughtful preparation. A persuasive speech aims to convince the audience to change their minds and agree with your viewpoint. Following are some important steps to write an effective convincing speech:
1. Know your audience
One should be fully aware of the interests, values, knowledge, and demographics of his audience. If you understand your audience properly, then you become able to resonate with them. For example if you want to make your audience aware of “Plantation” then you need to know about their age groups and whether they have basic scientific knowledge or they are illiterate. You have to reach their mental level and then you sit to prepare your speech.
Set a clear goal
When your mind is clear about a specific goal, you will be focused and make wise decisions. To avoid confusing speech, set a clear goal and then be specific. For example, if your topic is “plantation”, it's important to know a lot about it, and your speech will need to reflect exactly what you hope the audience will do. Also, read about the Helpful Ways To Make Your Speech Longer.
3. Choose a strong topic
Choose a subject your audience will find attractive, relevant, and meaningful. Make sure it is in line with your goal.
4. Research Thoroughly
Gather credible information and evidence to support your points. This could include statistics, personal stories, expert opinions, or case studies. Even if your argument is based largely on pathos (feeling) and you write a commencement speech, adding factual facts will strengthen it. For example, in the discussed example one may say, "Each year, 40,000 acres of beautiful forests are destroyed to make paper, according to a study from the American Recycling Institute."
5. Develop strong arguments
Use persuasive techniques such as
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Pathos (emotion) for example: "Think of the animals who lose their homes every day because of unavailability of trees.
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Ethos (credibility) such as plantation is necessary because trees absorb harmful gases and it is immoral if we are not taking part in the betterment of the environment.
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Logos (logic) to appeal to your audience. For instance, It is obvious how trees are cut down rapidly to meet every day's needs so we should take steps. Any one, or a combination of them, is effective.
Respond to counter arguments. This offers you the chance to address any potential objections from your audience and demonstrates your dedication to your research and your confidence in your viewpoint. You may start by stating that "opponents of plantation are concerned that the effort and cost might be much higher than benefits," and then continue with a justification for why planting is required.
6. Organize your speech
Speech should have a clear and logical structure. Firstly, make an outline that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Introduce your topic so interestingly that it should grab the audience's attention such as a shocking statistic, a picture, a compelling story, a rhetorical question, or a quote.
For example, you might start with information (or pictures) showing how species are homeless and becoming extinct due to the cutting down of trees.
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Write the main points and preview the main arguments. The body should consist of arguments and their pieces of evidence. Put these ideas in order. Avoid jumping from one point to another and then returning. Rather, complete one argument before moving on to the next one that follows logically from it. Lastly, conclude your speech by summarizing your main points and giving a strong memorable closing statement. Furthermore, leave your audience with a call to action. Specify the action you want your audience to do after hearing your speech.
For instance: "To summarize, I've demonstrated (points a, b, and c)." The most logical and moral action we can take to contribute to developing a more sustainable future is to implement a city-wide plantation program, as shown by these three undeniable facts. Please join me in November and vote 'yes' on this program.
7. Engage the Audience
Use engaging language such as descriptive language so that a picture can be painted in their minds and make an emotional connection. Rhetorical devices like metaphors, anecdotes, and similes can be used to make your points memorable. Moreover, engage your audience by asking rhetorical questions, encouraging involvement, or, where appropriate, using humor. To emotionally engage your audience, use personal stories.
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Even an argument based in logic and facts (logos) should be relevant to the audience's interests and way of life. Create a link with the audience. If you are a parent, for instance, you can emphasize your concern for your own children's future when interacting with other parents. If you and your audience have similar interests or political positions, you can emphasize that.
8. Maintain Clarity and Conciseness throughout the speech
Prevent confusing your viewers with jargon or overly sophisticated terminology. Be direct and concise. Remove any unnecessary filler text or material. Once I came across Woodrow Wilson’s reply to a speaking request: “If you’d like me to speak for five minutes, I’ll need a month to prepare. If you’d like me to speak for 20 minutes, I’ll need two weeks. But if you’d like me to speak for an hour, I’m ready right now.” As he knew, it’s harder to be concise.
So the simple key is, don’t confuse your viewers with jargon or overly sophisticated terminology. Be direct and concise. Remove any unnecessary filler text or material. Keep in mind that the Gettysburg Address, perhaps the best speech in American history, is only a little over 300 words long. Set a goal to reduce the number of words in each sentence while maintaining the sense of the line.
9. Rehearse and Practice
Practicing multiple times will help you to memorize your lines, boost your confidence, and aid in a smooth delivery. You might try practicing in front of a mirror so you can watch your delivery. Even better, use a video camera to film your performance and then watch what you recorded. This may help you in identifying (and hearing) areas for improvement in your delivery. To further improve your speech, ask your peers or mentors for their input. Finally, review your speech for punctuation, grammar, and spelling mistakes.
Not only should you persuade your audience, but you should also build their trust and credibility and make an emotional connection with them. To maximize the effect of your speech, modify your strategy depending on the situation and the requirements of your audience.
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Remember, the most important thing is to be genuine and to believe in your message. If you are passionate about what you are saying, your audience will be more likely to be persuaded.
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