Persuasive speaking techniques

Technique	Definition
Power pauses	Deliberately leaving a moment of silence for your words to sink in
Hand gestures	Punctuating your speech with relevant movements to mirror your meaning (e.g. ‘on one hand… on the other hand’) or to emphasise certain words (e.g. this is the ONLY way throw your hands out in front in desperation)
Shift in tempo (faster)	Implies build-up, tension, enormity, or chaos as your voice gets faster and faster
Shift in tempo (slower)	Draws the audience’s attention to key words and phrases
Tone	The emotions that are expressed by your voice, often most effective as a tonal shift (e.g. sounding angry when describing a problem, but hopeful when you introduce a solution)

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