Speaking Persuasively

JOHN W. VAUDREUIL
FORMER UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

 The Art of Persuasion
2

THE QUESTION:

How do you
speak persuasively
as you think on your feet?
 The Art of Persuasion
3

THE ANSWER:
You Coordinate
Your Body
Your Brain
Your Voice

And you Practice

 Your Body
4

Adrenaline
Breathe
Stand/Move
Gesture
Focus
 Your Body
5

Breathe deeply and slowlyuse

adrenaline for positive energy

Plant your feet and stand still

Focus on the entire audience

Have your hands prepared to move

 Your Body
6

Gestures
Keep hand movements in the natural zone
Keep hand movements descriptive
The Giveuse open palms to build audiences trust
Big Pointsuse big, open gestures
Small Pointsuse the pinch
Numbersbelow 5, show with your hand
The Chopfor emphasis
Show contrastsone hand for benefits, the other for
downsides
 Your Brain
7

Adrenaline
Silence
Thinking Time
Echo Sounds
 Your Brain
8

Release nervous energy by speaking

Speak to individuals, not the entire group

Silence is goldentime to think

Do not fill silence with speaking noises

Tell your audience where you are going

 Your Brain
9

Structured Improvisation

Talkdont read or recite

BIG NOTES

Distance from the podium for viewing notes

 Your Voice
10

Breathe deeply for voice power

Vary your pace and rhythm for emphasis

Chunks of information to the audience

 Practice, Practice, Practice
11

Strive to be better, not perfect

Practice improvising

Practice on your feet

Practice speaking aloud and often

 Nonverbal Speaking Distractions
12

The pen waiver

The reader

The caged-animal pacer

The pocket juggler

The messy dresser

The person with wild gestures or no gestures