persuasive speech topics
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120 PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

In today’s post we will be sharing tips on what you should consider before choosing a persuasive speech topic, and give you over a hundred and twenty persuasive speech topics and ideas you can explore across different niches such as business, health care, college, and high school education, government, politics and policy, religion, technology and much more. I hope you’ll be getting some sweet ideas for your next speech.

Why do we use Persuasive Speeches?

A persuasive speech is meant to educate, inform, incite, and motivate an audience to/into doing a thing or taking on a particular task or activity. The primary purpose of a persuasive speech is to nudge an audience into seeing the valid points behind your opinions concerning a specific subject.

Persuasive speech topics are typically thought of as brain-teasing, thought-provoking, insightful, and very concise about its position on the matter at hand. As a result, you are advised to only make persuasive speeches on topics you are quite conversant and knowledgeable about, so you can hold down a solid argument and be always ready to field questions that crop up.

How to choose a persuasive speech topic?

There are several types of speech you can deliver to an audience, however choosing a persuasive speech topic is not always an easy thing to do as there are a ton of factors, other than you being conversant with the topic, that usually comes into play when trying to come up with a compelling topic. Some of these factors, we will be addressing below. (If you are curious about the other kinds of speech, please visit this other post).

1. Choosing A Topic Of Interest

A great way to select a topic is researching an area you have the most interest in. This is because the mind is more attuned to what it naturally enjoys doing, and as such, you will find out that the process because very easy and flows smoothly. You will most likely feel a rush of ideas when you are passionate about a particular subject, that coming up with bullet point topics will be in a timely order.

When you stick to only topics that fancy your interest, the audience will naturally see and share your enthusiasm too when you are making your presentation, which ultimately makes your speech more convincing.

2. Visualize The Topic

Now you might want to consider picking out topics that let you spread your tentacles and be as expressive as possible. What this means is, you will need a topic that allows you to be very descriptive. This way, you can communicate your presentation to the audience properly.

Visual presentations like PowerPoint slide presentations add a special touch to your public addresses. That is like the proverbial icing on the cake! A visual representation will help explain the topic at hand better as the brain processes pictorial depictions easier, which will consequently pick the interest of the audience better.

3. Have The Audience’s Interest In Mind

This is a strong point to consider before giving a persuasive speech. Every speech you will ever make will undoubtedly be targeted to a class of people. The audience must be interested in the topic in question. The attention of your audience is critical, so come up with a topic you know they will be interested in hearing about. Lay out your questions in a logical manner that will be captivating to the audience.

4. Touch On Emotional topics

One of the greatest catalysts for making a successful public speech is building up emotions. Being able to sway the emotions of an audience is a great skill, because emotions act as deep motivators, so much that the audience is incited and is more likely to be sentimentally tilted towards your standpoint or request.

5. The Topic Should Be Relatable

Generally, people are often endeared to issues that happen around or affect them and their local environment or community. They connect better to hearing topics that are very relatable and not farfetched. Before coming up with persuasive speeches, try to find topics that center around local issues within a small group and discuss more on them.

6. Avoid Being Generic

Most time when people get exposed to the same subject over and over again, there is the likelihood they might tune off as there is nothing fresh and unique being added to what they already know before. Always consider this when drafting persuasive speech topics, so you do not come off as too generic or cliché.

Of course, they can be a few exceptions in this case. Where the topic of discussion is one that has been over flogged, you can add a little twist by coming up with a fresh idea from your own personal understanding of the topic. Ensure that you are adding something new and unique to what is already established. Otherwise, steer clear of such subjects. 

7. Have A Goal In Mind

Finally, it would be best if you had a goal in mind. This should entail what you expect of your audience after listening to your speech. Come up with a call-to-action conclusion. Like when convincing people to adopt eco-friendly habits to curb climate change, you can point them towards adopting new small but conscious day-to-day habits that are beneficial to the environment, like recycling plastic, using energy saving bulbs, taking a walk instead of driving, or opting for a more vegan diet, etc

120 Persuasive Speech Topics You Can Use

Below is a list of persuasive speech topics broadly spaced out across different niches.

BUSINESS & WORK PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • The advantages and importance of niche marketing.
  • Advertising can be deceptive.
  • Should advertising be subjected to be stricter guidelines?
  • Owning a Business will toughen you.
  • You should not mix business and pleasure.
  • Reasons introverts are great leaders.
  • Owning a business can make you drop some friends and acquaintances.
  • You must learn to be coordinated as an entrepreneur.
  • Why it is very essential that a business must have a brand identity?.
  • Why going into business with family is a recipe for disaster?

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION

  • Should teachers be required to pass a test every decade to renew their certifications?
  • High school kids must be made to complete mandatory community service in order to graduate high school?
  • Should a new set of tests be introduced to ascertain students skill level just before they graduate high school?
  • Do you think cyberbullies should be expelled from school?
  • Do you think high school tuition should be free to poor kids?
  • High school students should not be allowed to use smartphones during school hours?
  • Only students with good grades should be let to participate in sports.
  • Art and music programs should be made an integral part of public school education.
  • Students should be subjected to periodic search in order to fight drugs.
  • Should students not be permitted to play music during class hours?

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURE

  • Stricter laws should be passed concerning endangered species
  • Should native plants only be grown in gardens?
  • Why we should avoid making use of disposable diapers.
  • Should people be more compelled to use public transport?
  • Hybrid vehicles are great for the environment.
  • The use of natural resources should be limited
  • Why pollution is hurting human life.
  • Why keeping our community clean should be compulsory.

GOVERNMENT PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • Why there must be stricter federal laws pertaining to content found on the internet?
  • The government should be tasked to make shelter available for homeless individuals.
  • Zoning laws are rather common sense.
  • The nation’s justice system needs to be overhauled.
  • Should the government interfere with our type of diets?
  • Should the state be allowed to raise fund for schools run by religious bodies?
  • Whose national hero do you think should be printed on the latest currency?
  • The federal government should increase funding for Amtrak.
  • Repairing potholes should be the responsibility of local government.
  • Has the war on drugs been a failure?
  • Should people be tested for drugs in order to get aid from the state?
  • The military budget must be reduced.
  • What are the best ways to increase gun control?
  • We should push the government for more transparency on how they use taxpayers contributions?
  • Sovereign debts should only be approved if 75% of parliament agrees to it.
  • Why African leaders need to combat corruption more fiercely?

COLLEGE STUDENTS & LIFE PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

College persuasive speech topics
  • Students should be acquainted with other students.
  • Is it wise to always have tougher lectures early in the day before simpler ones?.
  • Should student’s phones be turned off during lectures?
  • Should attendance during lectures be made part of the continuous assessment?
  • Should summer classes be made compulsory for college students?
  • Taking notes in class should be made mandatory.
  • Should tablets be used in learning in place of textbooks?.
  • Students should not be made to study what they have no passion for.
  • Students should be wary of excessive student loans.
  • Will the current college education system be enough to prepare our future leaders in ways that the world needs?
  • How sufficient are the entrepreneurial electives in preparing students for becoming successful business owners?

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON POLITICS & POLICY

  • Is it legal for politicians to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists?
  • Why do we vote?
  • Abusive language should be banned in elections.
  • Central Asian states are becoming a threat.
  • America should be made to refrain from always playing “big brother.”
  • Globalization is good for world politics.
  • We should know more about Bernie Sanders.
  • Term limits need to be honored and respected.
  • Give Kurdistan back to the Kurds.
  • Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.
  • How to end with elections fraud in Africa?

RELIGION & FAITH PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

Religion and Faith Persuasive Speech Topics
  • Should religion be taught in public schools?
  • Students should be free to practice their religion in school.
  • Why are religious cults dangerous?
  • Faith should be protected.
  • Why is Islam a peaceful religion?
  • Should religious leaders who extort their followers be allowed in the country?
  • The Islamic faith has never been associated with terrorism for 14 centuries.
  • Should women be made priests?
  • Religious conflicts must be avoided.
  • How much is too much when it comes to freedom of religion?

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON FUNDRAISING

  • More funding is needed for public television and radio.
  • Should high school football programs receive less funding?
  • Should college sports teams receive more funding?
  • Can religions run state fund schools?
  • Let us all take a small % of our income to help war displaced orphans.

TECHNOLOGY-RELATED PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • Will artificial intelligent take away many jobs?
  • What age should children be let to own a cell phone?
  • Should new buildings be made energy efficient?
  • Is Net Neutrality a good or bad thing?
  • Should libraries be replaced with more access to e-books?
  • How has technology helped to connect people or isolate them?
  • Should self-driving cars be made legal?
  • Do violent video games encourage negatively affect players in real life?

TV & MEDIA PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

  • Freedom of the press has gone too far?
  • Should some T.V. shows have age restrictions?
  • Is the media to be blamed for eating disorders?
  • How can we make the Media accountable for Teenage behavior?
  • Should advertising be aimed at children?
  • Bad parenting is the cause of disastrous teenagers; the media is not to blame.
  • How is low self-esteem being fueled by the Media’s portrayal of certain beauty standards?
  • Why promoting specific beauty standards on TV negatively affects people.
  • More funding is required for public television and radio.
  • Should the Russian have beat Rocky?
  • Cable TV monopolies destroy the competition.
  • Should violence on television be regulated?
  • There are benefits in reading comic books.
  • Some TV shows are quite educational.
  • TV should be made more educational.

PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS ON HEALTH CARE

  • Should the US change to a single-payer health care system?
  • Should healthy people be required to donate blood regularly?
  • Should birth control be permitted for underage kids without their parent’s approval?
  • Disclosing your HIV status to a sexual partner must be made illegal?
  • Should governments tax soda and other sugary drinks and use the revenue for public health?
  • Should schools contribute to sexual diseases education and prevention by distributing condoms?
  • Should there be a medical insurance package for every old and retired individual covered by the Government?

MOTIVATIONAL PERSUASIVE SPEECH TOPICS

Motivational persuasive speech topics
  • Set realistic and achievable goals and take action to make them happen.
  • How to overcome performance anxiety and unleash your potential?
  • Having a moral standard set for kids under 18 years old.
  • Be straightforward about what project you hope to undertake, and review your progress in between milestones achieved.
  • How to help reduce the high levels of depression in our country.
  • Why are we afraid of pursuing our dreams, and how can you do it.
  • What keeps most of us from following our heart when it comes to what we love?
  • Why being prudent is a value we all forsake, yet need in our lives.
  • Moral imagination is an ingredient for intellectual and spiritual development.
  • Why should we pay no heed to naysayers?

CONCLUSION

There are a ton of other persuasive speech topics ideas that we could add to the list, and hopefully, I will be doing that in the future. Please remember that the value of a great speech is in it being able to move, touch, and spur emotions that lead to action from the audience, and you can not achieve that without proper audience analysis, and ensuring that your topic of choice connects with the audience.

The second thing I want you to remember is that more than any other type of speech, the persuasive speeches must be prepared very carefully in order not to cause any unintended offense. Be selective with your choice of words, write your speech opening and speech ending with that in mind, and mix in some great stories (related to the topic) to increase the effectiveness of your speech .

The last thing I want you to take from this post, and it is related to my other post on persuasive speech techniques (which I highly recommend that you go and check), is that delivering persuasive speeches is hard. I mean, convincing people to change their minds, and buy into your idea is the most amazing skill you can have when it comes to communicating and delivering speeches.

This is one of our posts on the types of speech series, should you be interested in learning about other types of speeches, please click on of the links below when you are done reading this article.

The 14 Speech Types Series of Posts

Part I. 8 Persuasive Speech Techniques & Topics

Part II. 9 Tips for Writing and Amazing Informative Speech and 120+ Topic Ideas

Part III. 5 Quick Tips on how to Give an Effective Motivational Speech

Part IV. 15 Demonstration Speech Ideas and Techniques

Part V. How to Give an Effective Special Occasion Speech?

Part VI. 6 Key Tips for a Memorable Entertaining Speech + Topics and Ideas

Part VII. Explanatory Speech: 7 Key Tips to Help You Deliver an Effective Speech

Part VIII. 5-Step Strategy for an Effective Debate and Speech Delivery

Part IX. 7 Oratory Secrets: How to Deliver Effective Oratorical Speeches

Part X. Public Speaking Contests: 7 Ways to Nail at Forensic Speech Competitions

Part XI. 80+ Impromptu Speech Topics & 7 Ways to Nail One

Part XII. 13 Ways to Effectively Deliver Pitching Presentations

Part XIII. Farewell Speech – An 8-step guide to help you deliver a Memorable one

Part XIV. Eulogy Guide: How to Give a Heartfelt Funeral Speech (with 4 Eulogy examples)

REFERENCES & FURTHER READING

Chief Essays. List of 200 Persuasive speech topics. https://chiefessays.net/200-persuasive-speech-topics/ . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

Christine Sarikas. 105 Persuasive Speech Topics for Any Project. https://blog.prepscholar.com/good-persuasive-speech-topics . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

Virtual Speech. 75 Persuasive Speech Topics and Ideas. https://virtualspeech.com/blog/persuasive-speech-topics-and-ideas . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

My Speech Class. 434 Good Persuasive Speech Topics. http://www.myspeechclass.com/persuasivetopics2.html . Accessed on 05/07/2019.

ThoughtCo. 100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students. https://www.thoughtco.com/list-of-persuasive-speech-topics-for-students-1857600 . Accessed on 07/07/2019.

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