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Have you ever convinced your parents to let you stay up beyond your bedtime? Have you ever convinced your friend to stay longer at a party? Have you ever convinced a group of professionals at a meeting of your ideas? If your answer is yes to any or all of these questions, then you’ve successfully engaged in persuasive speaking.
These persuasive speech examples indicate that we influence and convince people of our thoughts, ideas and suggestions more frequently than we realize. Persuasive speech is an important quality that the corporate world values. Curious to know more? Read on!
What Is A Persuasive Speech?
Before we explore the meaning of persuasive speech, let’s first understand what is persuasive speaking. As the name suggests, persuasive speaking is the art of convincing someone of your viewpoint. Persuasive speech is a type of speech that helps convince the audience of a certain view. We tend to believe that we have a positive influence over others, but in reality, exerting influence isn’t always easy. Persuasive speaking skills help us become more convincing and create a true impact when we speak.
There are three elements of a persuasive speech, namely:
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Ethos
It refers to your character, attitude, behavior, ethics and credibility when you speak. Establishing trust with your audience and building credibility improves the likelihood of your audience accepting your viewpoints and taking necessary action.
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Logos
Logos is the Greek word for logic. Your persuasive speech should have a structure, flow and logic. Choosing words wisely and backing your arguments with well-founded reasons can help in creating coherent statements that convince your audience. There should be a beginning, a middle and an end, where you conclude your viewpoints smartly.
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Pathos
It’s the emotional aspect of your persuasive speech. It’s only when you influence people on an emotional level that you can motivate them to see your point of view. An emotional impact is necessary for the listeners to change their thoughts and follow a particular action.
It was Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher, who introduced these elements of persuasive speaking several centuries ago. They continue to hold relevance and are essential to navigate personal as well as professional relationships.
Tips For Persuasive Speaking At Work
The power of persuasive speech isn’t possessed by many. However, it’s not impossible to master the art over time. Here are some key techniques that’ll help you brush up your persuasive speaking skills and win your audience over:
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Have A Goal In Mind
As we’ve already established, the main motive of persuasive speaking is to convince someone of something. This is why having a goal in mind helps. It provides you with an ultimate objective and guides you in preparing your speech. For example, if you want someone to change certain workplace policies, you need to identify ways to achieve that goal. A call to action at the end of your speech can speed things up.
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Know Your Audience
It’s important to identify your target audience before your speech or presentation. It’s no secret that in any group of people there will always be someone who disagrees with your suggestions. Considering multiple factors and audience expectations can help you prepare better. For example, if someone presents a counter-argument and negates your entire idea, you can respond appropriately if you are prepared.
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Add Examples And Emotions
Ethos or emotional connection is a crucial aspect of persuasive speech. If you want to establish a positive connection, use anecdotes or real-life examples that help you build credibility. Appealing to the emotions of your audience also establishes trust, that is, people believe in you and think you’re reliable.
Whether it’s sharing your ideas in a brainstorming session or pitching your business idea to an investor, you need strong persuasive speaking capabilities to establish rapport and create a positive impact on your listeners. Preparation and continuous practice are instrumental in building confidence, polishing communication skills and strengthening interpersonal relationships.
Speak Effectively With Harappa
It’s no secret that communication is a catalyst for establishing trust and long-term relationships. Employers value employees with strong communication and interpersonal skills as they’re helpful in navigating day-to-day exchanges with internal and external stakeholders. To do so, strong persuasion skills alone won’t suffice. You need to speak concisely and exhibit confidence.
Harappa’s Speaking Effectively course will teach you how to deliver ideas with precision, use empathy and logic to connect with others and stand out as an effective speaker. Aristotle’s Appeals framework will teach you about ethos, logos and pathos. The Non-Verbal Cues framework will help you pay attention to your body language. Learn to speak with confidence, with Harappa!
Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics such as Types Of Speeches, What Is Impromptu Speech, Improve Speech Writing and How To Give Good Speech to deliver ideas with precision.
