Persuasive Speech Topics

The right persuasive speech topics should ignite your passions, which - in turn - should ignite the emotions of your audience members.

I have LOTS of ideas for you to think about - choose from the categories below to see my suggestions, then read on for some great tips in helping you make your selection.

Find Your Ideal Topic

Sixty (60) good persuasive speech topics - a range of ideas to fire your imagination

Fun ideas for a compelling speech - ideal if you wish to go for something a little more light-hearted. Try to give a fresh perspective on the issue of your choice.

Fifty (50) easy persuasive speech ideas - subjects about which most of us have a pretty strong opinion and LOTS to say!

Five Persuasive Topics for Valentines - excellent ideas to debate about the commercialization, emotions, or origins of holidays such as Valentine's Day.

Should You Use 'Hot' Subjects As Persuasive Speech Topics?

Before you decide on your topic area, it's important to understand the fundamental concept of a persuasive speech.

The goal of any good persuasive speech is to help listeners decide on a topic. You want to influence your audience members to take action, whether that action is to change their beliefs on an issue or engage in some activity.

Most of us tend to look to the day's 'hottest' topics in the headlines for this type of speech - but if you consider these the only viable persuasive speech topics, you may be overlooking some of the most critical aspects of delivering this type of presentation.

When you think through possible speech ideas, keep in mind that almost any speech topic considered for an informative speech can work quite well for a persuasive one too.

The difference is that your persuasive speech will have to recognize ideas on the OTHER side of the issue. You must then conclusively state ideas that support YOUR side of the argument, leading your audience to see that YOUR point of view is the correct one!

If you are a little too 'fanatical' about a particular topic, you may not be able to weigh both sides of the issue enough to satisfy the curiosity of audience members. As a result, focusing only on the most highly discussed aspects of the day - about which many of your audience members may already have strong opinions - may not be the best idea.

What's more, when you remember that the goal of a persuasive speech is to get audience members to take action, choosing hotly debated topics like state-sponsored executions - about which 99% of your listeners will have firm views - may only set you up for failure concerning your goal.

Start your persuasive speech topics list with your areas of interest

For example, if you enjoy reading in your spare time, think about convincing audience members to pick up a text by the author of your choice.

Move on to some of your recent experiences. If you went on an exotic vacation before the start of the last term, try to persuade your listeners to visit the same area.

If you want to choose important persuasive speech topics, think about those that are so frequently ignored by the media. Most people often overlook issues like food stamps and speed limits that have been a part of our society for years.

Once you have made your list of potential persuasive speech topics, you are ready to make a final selection.

My advice is to pick a topic with available resource material, as any good speech needs a bit of research to make it perfect! Once you've got your topic, create your persuasive speech outline, and you'll be well on your way to giving a great speech!

Have you heard of Alan H. Monroe's motivated sequence? It's a technique used to present a persuasive speech in a way that galvanizes people into taking action, and it's WELL worth putting into practice when you create your presentation.

You can learn more about the technique here on Wikipedia.

Watch for the use of the technique in the sample speeches and use these speeches as a 'framework' for creating your own.

Don't forget - I LOVE to share both my speeches and yours with visitors to this website... so if you've written a killer speech that the world deserves to see (or any address you're happy with!), please do send it into me!

Return to the Top of the Page

Recommended pages: