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Focus on Motivation

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Success in persuasive speaking requires attention to human psychology—to what motivates listeners. Audience analysis is therefore extremely important in persuasive appeals.

Research confirms that you can increase the odds of achieving your persuasive speech goal if you:

Use information gleaned through audience analysis to make your message personally relevant to listeners.¹
Demonstrate how any change you propose will benefit the audience.²
Establish your credibility. Audience members’ feelings toward you strongly influence their receptivity toward the message.
Set modest goals. Expect minor rather than major changes in your listeners’ attitudes and behaviors.
Demonstrate how an attitude or a behavior might keep listeners from feeling satisfied and competent, thereby encouraging receptivity to change.
Expect to be more successful when addressing an audience whose position differs only moderately from your own.

Quick Tip

Expect Modest Results

Regardless of how thoroughly you have conducted audience analysis, or how skillfully you present your point of view, don’t expect your audience to respond immediately or completely to a persuasive appeal. Persuasion does not occur with a single dose. Changes tend to be small, even imperceptible, especially at first.