Analysis of persuasive presentation techniques and effectiveness

¶ … deliver a presentation on the merits of acquiring a traditional ground-based education over attending an online college. The speech will be given to an audience of high school students. In the course of the presentation I will use several points to persuade them to eschew the online college option in favor of a ground-based option. I will hit upon several key talking points where I feel that traditional college is superior.

A face-to-face presentation is the most effective for this topic for several reasons. The first is that it will allow me to convey the benefits of traditional learning better, because the presentation style should match the style of education that is to be received. A remote presentation or other form of remote media would be more conducive to arguing in favor of online education, but would be inappropriate for a presentation advocating traditional education.

One of the main benefits of operating face-to-face is that it gives me the opportunity to establish a rapport with the audience. As a speaker, I can make eye contact, and I can respond to both verbal and nonverbal feedback from the audience. I intend to build a rapport quickly. It is imperative that I capture the audience's attention early and I will do so with an emotional appeal. I can build that around statistics that illustrate the inferiority of online colleges. What this accomplishes is to create a problem in the minds of the students. They may not realize that this problem exists, so I need to create it in order for my proposal to be viewed as a solution. Additionally, this approach will engage the audience emotionally, allowing them to better absorb what I have to say.

Before I create this problem, I will first spend 30 seconds to a minute introducing myself, engaging in some banter and otherwise establishing rapport. This will give more credence to my words when I present the problem.

It is important that I maintain a continual feedback loop with the audience. Analyzing the audience is crucial, because once they start to drift, the point of the presentation can be easily lost. I intend to maintain a constant rapport with the audience by asking rhetorical questions, or soliciting input from them at key junctures along the way. Another component of this strategy is to continually clarify my purpose. Not only will this continually reinforce the problem in their minds, but it will allow the message to penetrate further. I want to repeat the problem in a few different ways, essentially the frame that I build around a key phrase.

Another important aspect of audience analysis is the preparatory work. A persuasive presentation is not solely about having a strong message. That message must be communicated. To do that, the audience must be understood. Not all high school students are created equally. It is my job to, as part of the preparatory process, study the demographics of the school at which I will be speaking. This will help me prepare a speech that is tailored to cultural factors unique to each student body.

In designing the speech, I will focus on three main points. I will select these points on the basis of the most important, the most emotionally powerful, and the most intellectually appealing. This will help spread my message to different parts of the audience. Moreover, it helps to appeal to both the heart and the head. The basic structure of the speech once the problem has been introduced is to make a main point, support it with three supporting points and then make the next main point. After the main points have all been made, I will summarize them. In the conclusion I will ratchet up the emotional appeal by revisiting the problem. I will then show them two different futures - one if they choose online college and the other if they choose traditional education. I will then make a call to action in my closing remarks.

Equally important to the content of the speech will be the non-verbal cues presented. In designing my appearance I will need to focus on two things - my audience and my message. My appearance must appeal to my audience but also help to convey my message. Given that the audience consists of high school students, my appearance cannot be too formal. This is especially important considering that part of the dynamic I am discussing is formal vs. informal forms of education. I need to look clean and manicured. Details are important. I would wear something casual yet stylish. It is important to dress for success, too, since success is part of what I am selling. I cannot look too casual - I must look like I have achieved something in life because of my educational track.

This attitude should also be reflected in non-verbal behaviors. I would focus my nonverbal cues on energy and enthusiasm. I want my audience to be excited about traditional education. Part of what I am presenting in an educational track that will give students power and control over their life, so I need to move in a way that shows those two attributes. Movements should not be too exaggerated, but I cannot be stiff either. Audience sizes will probably range from dozens to hundreds, sufficient that nonverbal cues such as an expressive face and vocal inflections can have significant impact. Elimination of unwanted nonverbal behaviors is just as important as building in desirable behaviors. Unwanted nonverbal behaviors can include perspiration, pauses, tics, stiffness and restlessness. Many of these can be dealt with before the presentation. I must know my material by rote, which requires ample practice. I should feel comfortable with my clothing and my knowledge of the audience. It is important to appear comfortable even if I am not. I should be well-rested, well-groomed and energized. I will also give practice speeches before an audience, so that I can receive feedback about nonverbal behaviors I may not be aware of.

Part of persuading the audience is to engage them - they must listen actively. Encouraging active listening is done several ways. These include making eye contact with the audience, using positive body language, repeating the key phrases, asking rhetorical questions. It also helps to play on the personal rapport you have built with the audience. I will need to flexible enough to incorporate some of that day's or that speech's experiences in the process, to show the audience that I am speaking specifically and directly to them.