Speak Persuasively from Successfully Speaking
Speaking persuasively is important in nearly ever aspect of your life. Whether you’re trying to convince your boss to give you a raise, making a whole room feel a powerful emotion, or simply getting your partner to do the dishes, you’ll spend time speaking persuasively. Being able to convince people to see things your way will make your life easier in many aspects.
There are a few things that people who have mastered the art of speaking persuasively know how to do.
1. Speak with confidence
No matter what you’re saying, make sure that you say it confidently. Avoid using any fillers such as “like,” “uh,” or “uhm,” when you’re trying to persuade someone. If you’re not confident and strong, your audience won’t be able to take you seriously. Check our video on eliminating word fillers.
2.Pay attention to body language
Piggybacking off of speaking confidently, you also need to present yourself strongly. If you’re giving a speech or presentation, practice doing some power stances before you start. Remember...your posture will tell the audience how you feel. You should also wear something in which you feel comfortable, yet professional. Check out our video on posture
3.Make eye contact
This can be really nerve wracking if you’re uncomfortable talking in front of people or have social anxiety. However, with a couple of tricks, you can give the appearance of eye contact. When speaking to an audience, you don’t have to make eye contact with anyone for more than a few seconds; look at sections of the audience, but make sure not to dart your eyes back and forth. If you’re talking one-on- one, try to match your eye contact to theirs. If you are still uncomfortable, look at the bridge of their nose. Check out our video on eye contact
4.Speak conversationally
One of the hardest things to master when you’re speaking in front of a group is simply acting like you’re carrying on a conversation. This encompasses a few things: First, you need to anticipate the questions that your audience will have so you can answer them. Second, you’ll need to use the same types of speech patterns that you’d use when talking to someone with whom you're comfortable. This may include using contractions to sound less formal, e.g., can't, didn't, I've.
5. Put some emotion into it
Making your audience feel an emotion can be difficult. Adding a statistic or talking about why something should be emotional is a good start, but it isn’t enough. You’ll need to incorporate some emotion into your delivery. Speak powerfully and put feeling behind your words to persuade your audience. No one wants to listen to monotone. Storytelling can be compelling to the audience and make your speech more memorable. Check our video to see how pausing and stress can change the delivery.
6.Deliver a clear and concise message
Know what your objective is and craft your speech so that the audience understands your plan of action. Tailor your speech to the needs of your unique audience.Check our video to help you organize your message.
Convincing someone to do something or to believe you can be difficult. These tips will help you get your point across. However, if you’re still uncomfortable or would like to learn more about speaking persuasively, give us a call at 410.356.5666 and we can help! Visit www.successfully-speaking.com or schedule a free 15-minute consultation.