3 Ways You Can Persuade Your Audience

Whether you’re delivering a speech, or offering training via a webinar, there is normally a message that needs to be conveyed to your audience. It could be a message that details the benefits of your product, or it could be a vision that requires the audience to take action. In this regard, it is important that you have the participation of the audience during your presentation. Speakers use a collection of methods to achieve participation from their audience, most of which can be summed up using three rhetorical appeals know as ethos, logos and pathos.

The ethos appeal focuses on persuading your audience using your credibility. For example, you may have many testimonials that can account for the content you are delivering. In this regard, the audience is more likely to listen and absorb what you have to say if you’re a trusted figure. In order to build up a reputation that people trust, it is import than you know what you’re talking about. This means understanding both sides of an argument and being able to present them clearly. If you’re confident in what you are saying, your audience will follow suit.Of course, credibility doesn’t occur overnight. So if you are still building up your reputation, look at other ways that your audience can be persuaded. For example, citing information from experts within your field can be a good way to back up your arguments and viewpoints.

The Logos Appeal – LogicalUsing logic within your presentations is vital. However, you shouldn’t just read out a list of facts or data and expect the audience to understand what they mean. You should instead use logic as a foundation for the message or argument you are trying to make. Using logic within your presentation can give your message some momentum as it’s hard to argue with logic. However, ensure that your whole presentation isn’t based on logic alone, as some people require an emotional connection in order to trust their host.The Pathos Appeal – Emotional

Creating an emotional connection with your audience is something that should be at the forefront of your plans. The emotion doesn’t always have to be a happy one. For example, if you’re hosting a presentation on how the actions of humans are affecting the environment, then you may receive more serious responses, with the audience keen to know what can be done to resolve this problem.

Storytelling is another sound method to build emotional connections with your audience. You could tell a story of how a business was changed for the better when applying the very same marketing tactics that you are speaking about today. Similarly, you may wish to tell a story of how a business suffered by not implementing the strategy. Both guises will gain an emotional reaction, you just need to tailor your story to match the content of your presentation.

Emotional connections can also be built by the speaker interacting with the audience directly. This could be via a question and answer session, or by simply directing your questions at particular attendees and asking for their feedback. Depending on the nature of your presentation, different approaches can evoke different emotions.

Using the ethos, logos and pathos appeals together will give you what’s required to deliver a presentation that is not only rich in information and backed by testimonials and fact, but it will also reach out to the audience on an emotional level. If all appeals are implemented correctly, you should find that your presentations are a success moving forwards.