Read our full list of 75 persuasive speech topics and ideas<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with any speech, preparation is crucial. Before you put pen to paper, think about what you want to achieve with your speech. This will help organise your thoughts as you realistically can only cover 2-4 main points before your audience get bored<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also useful to think about who your audience are at this point. If they are unlikely to know much about your topic then you\u2019ll need to factor in context of your topic when planning the structure and length of your speech. You should also consider their:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The factors above will all determine the approach you take to writing your speech. For example, if your topic is about childhood obesity, you could begin with a story about your own children or a shared concern every parent has. This would suit an audience who are more likely to be parents than young professionals who have only just left college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three main approaches used to persuade others:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ethos approach appeals to the audience\u2019s ethics and morals, such as what is the \u2018right thing\u2019 to do for humanity, saving the environment, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pathos persuasion is when you appeal to the audience\u2019s emotions, such as when you tell a story<\/a> that makes them the main character in a difficult situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The logos approach to giving a persuasive speech is when you appeal to the audience\u2019s logic – ie. your speech is essentially more driven by facts and logic. The benefit of this technique is that your point of view becomes virtually indisputable because you make the audience feel that only your view is the logical one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The opening and closing of speech are the most important. Consider these carefully when thinking about your persuasive speech outline. A strong opening<\/a> ensures you have the audience\u2019s attention from the start and gives them a positive first impression of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll want to start with a strong opening<\/strong> such as an attention grabbing statement, statistic of fact. These are usually dramatic or shocking, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat – Jamie Oliver<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Another good way of starting a persuasive speech is to include your audience in the picture you\u2019re trying to paint. By making them part of the story, you\u2019re embedding an emotional connection between them and your speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could do this in a more toned-down way by talking about something you know that your audience has in common with you. It\u2019s also helpful at this point to include your credentials in a persuasive speech to gain your audience\u2019s trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obama would spend hours with his team working on the opening and closing statements of his speech.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n You should pick between 2 and 4 themes<\/strong> to discuss during your speech so that you have enough time to explain your viewpoint and convince your audience to the same way of thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important that each of your points transitions seamlessly into the next one so that your speech has a logical flow. Work on your connecting sentences<\/a> between each of your themes so that your speech is easy to listen to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your argument should be backed up by objective research and not purely your subjective opinion. Use examples, analogies, and stories so that the audience can relate more easily to your topic, and therefore are more likely to be persuaded to your point of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any balanced theory or thought addresses and disputes counter-arguments<\/strong> made against it. By addressing these, you\u2019ll strengthen your persuasive speech by refuting your audience\u2019s objections and you\u2019ll show that you are knowledgeable to other thoughts on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When describing an opposing point of view, don\u2019t explain it in a bias way – explain it in the same way someone who holds that view would describe it. That way, you won\u2019t irritate members of your audience who disagree with you and you\u2019ll show that you\u2019ve reached your point of view through reasoned judgement. Simply identify any counter-argument and pose explanations against them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your closing line of your speech is your last chance to convince your audience about what you\u2019re saying. It\u2019s also most likely to be the sentence they remember most about your entire speech so make sure it\u2019s a good one!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most effective persuasive speeches end with a call to action<\/a><\/strong>. For example, if you\u2019ve been speaking about organ donation, your call to action might be asking the audience to register as donors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Ideas](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/persuasive-speech-ideas.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPreparation: Consider your audience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Remember the 3 main approaches to persuade others<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Ideas for your persuasive speech outline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1. Structure of your persuasive speech<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Speech](\"https:\/\/vs-static.virtualspeech.com\/img\/blog\/speech_argument.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n2. Stating your argument<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Addressing counter-arguments<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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4. Closing your speech<\/h4>\n\n\n\n