Public persuasive speech is a kind of art, when you use words with the purpose to influence the audience. It must involve directing and guiding, appealing to thinking, emotions and logic of a person or an audience.
The purpose is to push listeners to accept your attitude, idea or action presented by you. Plus, the position and idea should be supported by confirming arguments, reasons and supportive information.
The main goal of your persuasive speech is to receive your “most wanted response”. To reach the goal, you need to look at your audience: who they are, what they want and everything else you need to know about your listeners to persuade them successfully.
Like any other speech or writing, the persuasive speech must contain introduction, body text and the conclusion. Speech is characterized by more personal attitude to the problem or topic discussed. Your personality will play the major role, sometimes it will influence even more than words.
Starting the speech you need to say something to attract your listeners’ attention. It can be just a sentence or two. It may be startling, controversial or novel – anything that can make the audience interested.
When you get the attention, you can explain, what is going to be discussed in your speech next. You can point out several lines that will give them general idea of what they are about to hear.
For example, you can use the following model:
First of all, explain to the audience what you meant in the first attention-taking statement.
Second, start from this point (and it should be the key point of the entire speech) and outline the overall theme of your speech.
After that you set out the “need”. You show the problem to be solved or a misconception to be cleared up. In this step you appeal and call for active actions. Here you use the persuasion itself.
The model is rather easy-to-follow and can really bring a lot of positive feedbacks on your speech. Also remember to be confident in your words and you will definitely achieve your goals.