Influence and Inspire: Mastering the Art of Persuasive Speaking

When was the last time you had to convince someone to see things from your perspective? It could have been a co-worker, a friend, or even a family member. Whatever the situation, one thing is for sure: persuasive speaking is an essential skill to have in life. Being able to persuade someone to agree with you or take action can make a huge difference in your personal and professional life. For me, it’s become a part of what I do and public speaking is one of the things I love to do as well. This is true when I can influence my audiences to become a better version of themselves.

“Persuasive communication involves enthusiasm, animation, audience participation, authenticity and spontaneity.” -John C. Maxwell

One thing I’ve learned is that the ability to persuade through speaking is an important skill that has many benefits! I’m sure you will embrace this skill more once you understand what it can do for you…

Speak Persuasively and Reap the Benefits

Speaking to influence and inspire can have a range of benefits, including:

Inspiring Action: When you speak persuasively, you have the power to inspire action. You can motivate people to take action based on your message, whether that means buying a product, donating to a cause, or voting for a candidate. By inspiring action, you can create real change in the world.
Building Stronger Relationships: Persuasive speaking can help you build stronger relationships with others. When you speak persuasively, you show that you understand and care about your audience’s needs and concerns. This can help build trust and rapport, leading to stronger relationships.
Advancing Your Career: Persuasive speaking is a valuable skill in many professions. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, management, or politics, the ability to speak persuasively can help you advance your career. By communicating effectively and persuasively, you can achieve your professional goals and stand out from the crowd.
Improving Your Personal Life: Persuasive speaking can also benefit your personal life. By communicating effectively and persuasively with your friends, family, and loved ones, you can build stronger relationships and create more fulfilling connections.
Making a Difference: Ultimately, speaking persuasively can help you make a difference in the world. By sharing your message with others and inspiring action, you can contribute to positive change and make a lasting impact.

Speaking persuasively is a skill that can be developed and rightly so. It’s something I learned how to do through studying, reading books, taking classes and finally testing what I learned into the real world. I also learned deeper by teaching what I learned, especially as an Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) Trainer. You too can learn to become a persuasive speaker. Let’s begin…

But what is persuasive speaking, and how can you master it? In this article, I’ll explore the art of convincing others through speech, drawing on a range of sources to provide you with some tips and techniques to help you become a more persuasive speaker.

What is Persuasive Speaking?

Persuasive speaking is the art of using language and delivery to influence people’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. It’s about convincing your audience to see things from your point of view and take action based on your message. Persuasive speaking can be used in a variety of contexts, from sales pitches to political speeches to everyday conversations. As noted by Carnegie and Esenwein (2009), persuasive speaking is all about “winning the hearts and minds of the audience” (p. 210).

What’s it Like to be a Persuasive Speaker?

Persuasive speaking can be likened to a chef preparing a delicious dish. Just as a chef needs to carefully choose the right ingredients, season them appropriately, and cook them to perfection, a persuasive speaker needs to establish credibility, understand their audience, craft a clear message, and use emotional appeals and evidence to make their message more persuasive. And just as a chef’s dish needs to be visually appealing and appetizing to the senses, a persuasive speaker’s message needs to be clear, compelling, and memorable to achieve the desired outcome. In both cases, the key is to know your audience, be creative, and use the right techniques to achieve success. More on how this works, read on…

Establishing Credibility, Understanding Your Audience, and Crafting a Compelling Message

To be an effective persuasive speaker, you need to master a few key elements. These include:

Establishing Credibility: Your audience needs to trust you and believe that you have their best interests at heart. This means presenting yourself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy source of information. As noted by Grant (2018), establishing credibility is essential for building rapport with your audience and making them more receptive to your message.
Understanding Your Audience: To persuade your audience, you need to understand their needs, values, and beliefs. This will help you tailor your message to their specific interests and concerns. Cialdini (2008) notes that by taking the time to understand your audience, you can “create a message that appeals to their wants, needs, and desires” (p. 32).
Crafting a Clear and Compelling Message: Your message needs to be clear, concise, and memorable. It should be easy for your audience to understand and remember, and should motivate them to take action. Zinsser (2006) emphasizes the importance of clarity and simplicity in communication, noting that “the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components” (p. 11).
Using Emotional Appeals: People are often motivated by their emotions, so incorporating emotional appeals into your message can be an effective way to persuade your audience. Lakhani (2012) notes that “emotional appeals can create a sense of urgency or need, and can help your audience connect with your message on a deeper level” (p. 74).
Providing Evidence: Your message needs to be backed up by evidence to be convincing. This could include statistics, personal stories, or expert testimony. According to Cialdini (2008), “evidence is essential for building credibility and persuading your audience to take action” (p. 63).

Mastering Techniques for Persuasive Speaking

Now that you know the key elements of persuasive speaking, let’s look at some techniques that can help you become a more persuasive speaker. These include:

Using Power Words: Power words are words that evoke strong emotions or create a sense of urgency. Examples include “urgent,” “critical,” and “important.” Incorporating these words into your message can make it more persuasive. As noted by Grant (2018), power words can “create a sense of urgency or importance, and can make your message more memorable” (p. 97).
Using Repetition: Repetition can help reinforce your message and make it more memorable. Repeating key phrases or ideas can help drive your message home. Carnegie and Esenwein (2009) note that “repetition is a powerful tool for enhancing the impact of your message and making it more memorable” (p. 236).
Telling Stories: People are often more engaged by stories than by facts and figures. Incorporating personal stories or anecdotes into your message can help you connect with your audience and make your message more persuasive. Zinsser (2006) notes that “stories are a powerful way to communicate complex ideas in a simple, memorable way” (p. 97).
Using Visual Aids: Visual aids, such as charts, graphs, or images, can help make your message more persuasive. They can help illustrate your points and make your message more memorable. Carnegie and Esenwein (2009) note that “visual aids can enhance the impact of your message and help your audience better understand your ideas” (p. 259).
Using Metaphors: Metaphors are a powerful way to communicate complex ideas in a simple, memorable way. They can help your audience understand your message and remember it more easily. Lakhani (2012) notes that “metaphors can help your audience connect with your message on a deeper level and make it more memorable” (p. 89).

Note: I used an analogy earlier in this article where I compared speaking persuasively to what a chef does. Both metaphors and analogies are effective persuasive devices.

Take Action and Speak Persuasively

Persuasive speaking is an essential skill to have in life. Whether you’re trying to sell a product, convince a friend, or make a political argument, being able to persuade others through speech can make all the difference. By mastering the key elements of persuasive speaking and using the techniques we’ve outlined, you can become a more persuasive speaker and increase your chances of success.

Remember, persuasive speaking is not about manipulating or deceiving your audience. It’s about presenting a clear and compelling message that motivates people to take action. By establishing credibility, understanding your audience, crafting a clear message, using emotional appeals, and providing evidence, you can make your message more persuasive and increase your chances of success.

So, the next time you find yourself in a situation where you need to convince someone of something, remember these tips and techniques, drawing on the work of Carnegie and Esenwein (2009), Grant (2018), Cialdini (2008), Zinsser (2006), Lakhani (2012), and others. With a little practice, you can become a more persuasive speaker and achieve your goals. Good luck!

References:

Carnegie, D., & Esenwein, J. B. (2009). The art of public speaking. Simon and Schuster.

Cialdini, R. B. (2008). Influence: The psychology of persuasion. HarperCollins.

Grant, A. (2018). Speak With Persuasion. McGraw Hill Professional.

Lakhani, D. (2012). Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want. Wiley.

Zinsser, W. (2006). On Writing Well. HarperCollins.

Further Reading:

“The Art of Public Speaking” by Dale Carnegie and Joseph Berg Esenwein – a classic book on public speaking that includes tips and techniques for persuasive speaking.
“Speak With Persuasion” by Anett Grant – a book that provides insights and strategies for effective communication and persuasive speaking.
“Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want” by Dave Lakhani – a book that explores the psychology of persuasion and provides practical tips for becoming a more persuasive communicator.
“The Elements of Style” by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White – a classic guide to writing that emphasizes the importance of clarity, brevity, and simplicity in communication.
“On Writing Well” by William Zinsser – a book that provides practical advice and insights for improving one’s writing and communication skills.
“Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini – a book that explores the science of persuasion and provides insights into the principles and techniques that make messages more persuasive.
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie – a classic book on interpersonal communication and persuasion that provides practical advice for building relationships and achieving success.
“Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear” by Frank Luntz – This book focuses on the power of language and offers strategies for choosing the right words to persuade your audience.
“Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal” by Oren Klaff – This book provides a framework for crafting and delivering powerful presentations that grab the attention of your audience.
“The Power of Persuasion: How We’re Bought and Sold” by Robert Levine – This book explores the many ways that people try to persuade us and offers insights into how we can resist these efforts.
“Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath – This book provides a framework for creating messages that are memorable and persuasive.
“The Science of Influence: How to Get Anyone to Say “Yes” in 8 Minutes or Less!” by Kevin Hogan – This book provides practical techniques for influencing others, based on research in the fields of psychology and neuroscience.
“Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery” by Garr Reynolds – This book offers tips for designing and delivering persuasive presentations that engage and inspire your audience.
“Speak to Win: How to Present with Power in Any Situation” by Brian Tracy – This book provides a step-by-step guide for delivering persuasive presentations that get results.
“Confessions of a Public Speaker” by Scott Berkun – This book provides insights into the art of public speaking and offers practical tips for delivering persuasive speeches that resonate with your audience.

By drawing on these resources and others, we can better understand the art of persuasive speaking and become more effective communicators. Most important is that you put into action what you read to help gain a deeper understanding.

“Real persuasion comes from putting more of you into everything you say. Words have an effect. Words loaded with emotion have a powerful effect.” – Jim Rohn

Note: I used an analogy earlier in this article where I compared speaking persuasively to what a chef does. Both metaphors and analogies are effective persuasive devices.