How to Write a Persuasive Speech

The main objective of writing a persuasive speech is to build up a solid argument that will make your audience agree with you and accept your point of view. Nothing persuades the audience better than a well-sounded argument supported by credible and reliable sources. So, be sure to come through with an extensive and throughout research before getting down to the actual writing part.

The majority of persuasive speeches follow the standard writing outline:

  • Introduction – the priority here is to intrigue your audience and involve them in the discussion while stating the purpose of the speech with a concise thesis statement;
  • Main body - here you present your argumentation and back it up with supporting materials;
  • Conclusion – the final part of the speech gives you the opportunity to sum up the arguments, restate your main idea and provoke your audience to take your side.

    • The stickiest part of persuasive speech writing process is preparation.

    • First of all, you need to decide on (if not already assigned) the topic of your speech. Keep it short, simple, up-to-the-point, so that people know from the beginning what you’re arguing for.
    • Study your audience – try to find out the age range and the educational or social background. It’ll help you choose the most appropriate wording and references that will appeal to the majority of the targeted audience.
    • Once the topic is chosen, come up with 3-4 arguments that would speak in favor of your subject. Make them short and simple as you’ll have time to elaborate on each and every one of them separately when presenting your supporting material.
    • Use credible and reliable sources when gathering evidence. A good idea is to cite experts in a particular area to build up the credibility of your arguments.
    • Arrange a logical flow of ideas – don’t jump from one point to another and back. State the central argument, then present the supporting materials and only then move to the next argument in question.
    • Be sure to use statistical data and facts while staying away from assumptions.
    • Use real-life examples and associations – make the speech come to life instead of boring our audience to death.
    • Build a strong conclusion – avoid vague sentences or ideas in this part of the speech. It’s your final frontier that should be used to deliver your point of view loud and clear.

    All in all, writing successful persuasive speech takes time and practice. However, it’s also important to remember that the success of the speech depends on the delivery as well. Even an outstanding speech can fail to persuade the audience if the speaker is boring and inattentive to non-verbal communication with the audience.