Persuade Like A Pro
Author: Kirstin Carey

Why are some speeches more persuasive than others? Are the speakers simply more convincing, or do they know secrets to giving a speech that the rest of us don’t? Well, in most cases, convincing speakers use special elements within their speeches to help increase their persuasiveness. These elements are not heavily guarded secrets, though they are not commonly discussed in general conversation either.

Two of the most overlooked and forgotten elements to a persuasive speech are: 1) the Visualization Step and 2) the Call-to-action. Each element is easy to create, but incredibly persuasive if done well.

A Visualization Step is a sentence or two which helps the audience visualize what would happen if they did, or did not, do what you are trying to persuade them to do. For example, if you are giving a speech about blood donation, you obviously want the members of the audience to be persuaded to give blood. The Visualization Step should cause the audience to think about all the wonderful things that would happen if they did give blood, or all of the terrible things that would happen if they did not give blood. The visualization could sound something like, “Think about your mother… brother… daughter… niece…. What if they were in an accident and badly needed blood for a life saving operation, but there wasn’t enough donated blood available for them to have this operation because too few people donated blood? Donating blood could save the life of someone you care about.” OK. Let’s look at a less dramatic example by looking at a Visualization Step for a speech about a new product (SuperPrint) which greatly reduces printing costs. “Imagine how much better your life will be if you use the new SuperPrint product to handle all your printing needs; not only could you reduce your printing budget by up to 68%, you could also cut your printing time in half! What would you do with all the extra money in your budget or the additional time in your day?” This example helps encourage the audience to envision their lives if they do what you want them to do-buy the SuperPrint product. It makes it personal to the audience member. If they use the new SuperPrint product, they’ll have more money and more time. If they don’t donate blood, perhaps someone close to them may die. How can you use a Visualization Step to help persuade your next audience?

In addition to a Visualization Step, you also need a “Call-to-action” in your persuasion speech. The easiest, yet most forgotten part of a persuasion speech, a Call-to-action is simply telling the audience exactly what you expect them to do once you finish your speech. It should be simple, unambiguous statement which causes the audience to act. For example, referring back to the blood donation speech, a Call-to-action could sound something like, “So, go to your nearest blood bank and donate blood today.” Or, referring to the SuperPrint product speech, the Call-to-action could be, “Call the phone number listed on your handouts today to order your SuperPrint product and start saving money and time!”

Each of these speech elements usually works best toward the end of the speech, just before the final closing of the speech. They also work well when used together. Generally, getting the audience to visualize what their life would be like if they did (or did not) do what you want them to do, then hitting them with the Call-to-action works very effectively. Try these elements in your next persuasive speech so you too can become one of the pros of persuasion







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Kirstin Carey is an award-winning professional speaker and trainer who brings more than 10 years of marketing communications experience to her position as principal of Orange Tree Training & Speaking Group. Based within the Philadelphia-metro area, Carey has given seminars and conducted training sessions for all levels of corporate management – from CEOs to sales associates – and provided one-on-one counsel to entrepreneurs, attorneys and business leaders. Continuing to adapt to an ever-changing world, her company’s offerings have focused on mastering communications techniques, marketing and sales, powerful negotiating, effective presentation skills, and, most recently, on gender and sales.

www.ottsg.com

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