Table of Contents |
A persuasive speech is a specific type of speech in which the speaker has the goal of convincing the audience to accept their point of view.
The speech is arranged in such a way as to hopefully cause the audience to accept all or part of the expressed view. Though the overarching goal of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience to accept a perspective, not all audiences can be convinced by a single speech, and not all perspectives can persuade the audience.
The success of a persuasive speech is often measured by the audience's willingness to consider the speaker's argument.
An example of a persuasive speech is a sales pitch. During a sales pitch, the speaker is trying to convince the audience to buy his or her product or service. If the salesperson is successful, the audience (the person being sold to) will choose to purchase the product or service.
However, salespeople understand that just because someone does not make a purchase after the first sales pitch does not mean the pitch failed. Persuasion is often a process. People may need multiple persuasive pitches and a lot of outside information before they are ready to accept a new view.
In a previous unit, you learned about ethos, pathos, and logos—the rhetorical components of a persuasive speech.
While ethos is an essential part of a persuasive speech, pathos and logos are usually combined to form the best possible argument.
While a speaker can attempt to establish ethos, or credibility, with an audience, it is ultimately assigned to them based on the audience's perception. If the audience does not perceive the speaker as a credible source on the topic about which they are speaking, they will ultimately have a hard time considering the speaker's argument.
The use of logos in a speech, or logical appeals, are arguments that present a set of information and show why a conclusion must rationally be true. For example, arguments heard in court are logical arguments.
Pathos, or emotional appeals, are appeals that seek to make the audience feel a certain way so that they will accept a conclusion. Negative political ads, for example, often incorporate emotional appeals by juxtaposing an opponent with a negative emotion such as fear.
Using an attention-grabbing device is a powerful way to begin a persuasive speech. If can you tell an anecdote that makes your audience laugh or think about a personal experience, they will be more likely to listen to the details of your argument. Additionally, keeping a speech within 6–8 minutes makes the audience less likely to let their mind wander away from what you are saying.
The effectiveness of a persuasive speech also depends on factors beyond the words of the speech. The willingness of the audience to accept a new view, the body language of the speaker, and the environment in which the speech is given can all affect the success of a persuasive speech.
A successful speaker will do their best to establish strong ethos with their audience, and combine pathos and logos to form the best possible argument. Audience analysis is an important factor when giving a persuasive speech.
EXAMPLE
If a speaker is trying to convince the audience not to tell their children about Santa Claus, using arguments that relate and resonate with them, such as encouraging them to remember how they felt when they discovered he wasn't real, will be more successful than if the speaker shared a negative personal experience of their own.The overall goal of a persuasive speech is for the audience to accept your viewpoint as the speaker. However, this is not a nuanced enough definition to capture the actual goals of different persuasive speeches. Persuasive speeches can be designed to convince, actuate, or stimulate the audience.
A convincing speech is designed to cause the audience to internalize and believe a viewpoint that they did not previously hold. In a sense, a convincing argument changes the audience's mind.
EXAMPLE
Suppose you are giving a persuasive speech claiming that Coke is better than Pepsi. Your goal is not just for the audience to hear that you enjoy Coke more, but for Pepsi lovers to change their minds.An actuation speech has a slightly different goal. An actuation speech is designed to cause the audience to do something or to take some action. This type of speech is particularly useful if the audience already shares some or all of your views.
EXAMPLE
At the end of presidential campaigns, candidates begin to focus on convincing their supporters to actually vote. They are seeking to actuate the action of voting through their speeches.Persuasive speeches can also be used to enhance how fervently the audience believes in an idea. In this instance, the speaker understands that the audience already believes in the viewpoint, but not to the degree that they would like.
As a result, the speaker tries to stimulate the audience, making them more enthusiastic about the view.
EXAMPLE
Religious services often utilize stimulation. They are not trying to convince those of another religion to switch religions necessarily; there is an understanding that the congregation already accepts part or all of the religion. Instead, they are trying to enhance the degree of belief.Informative (or informational) and persuasive speaking are related but distinct types of speeches. The difference between the two lies in the speaker's end goal and what the speaker wants the audience to leave with.
Informative speeches are probably the most prevalent variety of speech. The goal is always to supply information and facts to the audience. This information can come from statistics, facts, or other forms of evidence. Informational speeches do not tell people what to do with the information; their goal is for the audience to have and understand the information. Academic lectures are often informational speeches because the professor is attempting to present facts so the students can understand them.
Informational speeches may have a tendency to become overdrawn and boring. Their goal is not to excite the audience members but rather to provide them with knowledge they did not have before the speech.
Like informational speeches, persuasive speeches use information. However, persuasive speeches are designed for the audience to not only hear and understand the information but to use it to be convinced of a viewpoint. The end goal of a persuasive speech is not for the audience to have information but rather for them to have a certain view. Persuasive speeches may use some of the same techniques as informational speeches but can also use emotions to convince the audience. A sales pitch is one example of a persuasive speech.
A common cry against certain persuasive speeches is that they rely too much on emotion and not enough on facts. A persuasive speech that succeeds in convincing the audience to accept a view but is based on faulty or misleading information is unethical.
Source: THIS TUTORIAL HAS BEEN ADAPTED FROM "BOUNDLESS COMMUNICATIONS" PROVIDED BY BOUNDLESS.COM. ACCESS FOR FREE AT oer commons. LICENSED UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION-SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL.
