Persuasive speech topics

Finding persuasive speech topics that you are interested in can be a struggle. This can happen because our heart often isn't in it and we have been given this task by someone else. According to Aristotle, the heart or pathos, is an essential element of persuasion. So let start our search for a persuasive speech topic there.

You can always go with potentially controversial topics like global warming, fox hunting, abortion, death penalty, euthanasia, etc. But if the topic is not directly affecting your audience and if you are not that passionate about it, it will be very hard to persuade your audience to act any different.

Brainstorming for potential persuasive speech topics

Start by asking yourself questions:

• What are the things that matter to you?
• What do you care about?
• What are your passions?
• Why is 'x' important?
• What activities does my audience regularly engage in? Or should they engage in but don't?
• What activities do I enjoy? Why?
• Why was the 'good old days' so good and what can the youth of today do about it?
• What is wrong with ... the world / parents of today / legal system / health care / customer service, etc.?
• What can be done about it?

By asking yourself these questions you start to get a feel for those things that you care strongly about. It is this element more than any other (logic and authority being the other) that will make or break your persuasive speech topic. If you are not passionate about this, how can you expect your audience to care, no matter how logical your argument. So start by brainstorming a list of about twenty topics or interests that you are passionate about.

Also consider how relevant the topic or concern is to your audience. You might feel strongly about euthanasia (assisted suicide) for the infirm, but if your audience is young college students, they might not have to deal with it for the foreseeable future. In such a case, you might for example, want to convince them to move to the big city to further their careers rather than staying a local. Your audience might also already be involved with the subject you want to persuade them about, in which case you might be preaching to the choir. Select things you think should be done or approached differently.

Crafting your persuasive speech

Once you have a list of potential persuasive speech topics that you are passionate about and that are relevant to your audience, it is time to start constructing your persuasive argument. This is done through the two elements of logic (logos) and authority/credibility (ethos). You might not even be an authority on a subject, but if you are passionate about it you gain credibility (but do do your research to support your case).

You'll first need to convince your audience that there is a problem. A personal experience or anecdote around the topic is often a good way to start your speech. Use this as the launch pad of your argument. You might point out causes, but let that not be the focus of the speech. We want the you to convince your audience to think differently and then to persuade them to act on their changed beliefs. Create a sense of urgency that should be addressed now!

Once you've identified the problem, introduce your solution that your audience can act upon. The solution should be actionable but also appropriate to the audience, e.g. Don't try to persuade college graduates to invest $100k in your startup business.

At this point you need to appeal to their emotions and their logic. For example "Donating blood may be scary, but the blood bank has shortages all over the nation. And you might think it is not your problem, but it might your kid that will need a transfusion tomorrow so donate now." Creating a proper sense of urgency and relevance will show the audience that the solution is in their hands, all they need to do is act.

In our Toastmasters club, we've had some very interesting persuasive speech topics presented by the members. In most instances the person would not be considered an authority, but by being passionate about the subject, they were credible spokespersons for the topic. A person's own experience might be sufficient authority if they are passionate about it. Below is more resources to help you further with brainstorming persuasive speech topics.

List of potential persuasive speech topics, solutions and reward:

• Voting - Vote for your local council tomorrow - Community contributions.
• Care for the elderly - Donate to local hospice - Feel good and care about other people.
• Fox hunting - Sign this petition for a ban - Feel good about being kind to animals.
• Recycling - Sorting garbage before disposal - Potential recycling income.
• Blood shortage - Donate blood at your clinic - Save someone's life.
• Bad debts - Enroll in money management class - Save and make money, get out of debt.
• Male grooming - Buy a grooming kit - Look better, feel better.
• Global warming - Buy suntan lotion today - Good tan.
• Drunk driving at college - Sign up for 'Befriend-a-Geek' program and let them be the designated driver - Befriend a geek, help with homework, still attend parties.
• Accidents at school - First aid training for teachers and students - Less serious accidents.

Persuasive speech topic resources

• Funny persuasive speech topics
• Interesting persuasive topics
• Even more good persuasive topics
• Crafting your Toastmaster speech around your persuasive speech topics.