Persuasive presentation

Define the goal of your persuasive presentation

Decide what you want your audience to think, approve, or do by the end of the presentation. If the goal remains unclear, the presentation can turn into a list of information about the topic instead of helping people make a decision. To get started, write one sentence: “By the end of this presentation, [audience] will consider making [a specific decision].”

Narrow the scope of the decision, too. Instead of “Let’s make our workplace better,” you could choose a clearly defined proposal such as “Let’s try a week without weekly meetings in one team next month.” This does not mean it is the best solution in every situation; it creates an option the audience can discuss. Persuading is not about suppressing disagreement, but about clearly showing why a proposal may be important and reasonable.

Understand your audience and the prerequisites

Consider what your audience already knows about the topic, the criteria they use to make decisions, and any concerns they may have. For example, managers may focus on feasibility, while team members may focus on the effect on their day-to-day workflow. Treat these as possibilities to verify, not as firm assumptions. Where appropriate, clarify needs before the presentation through brief conversations or questions on the agenda.

When preparing evidence, distinguish verified data, personal observations, assumptions, and things that are not yet known. If you do not have information to support a claim, do not present it as a definite conclusion. If the proposal’s effects may vary by context, suggesting a limited trial is more measured than guaranteeing an outcome. Adapting your message to the audience and the presentation’s purpose, explaining the topic’s importance at the outset, and keeping the main idea visible are also among the presentation recommendations Harvard Medical School offers for clinicians and researchers (Harvard Medical School).

Build an argument that supports a decision

For a short presentation, the following flow may help:

• Situation: Explain the problem or opportunity your audience recognizes.
• Proposal: State early and clearly what you want them to do.
• Rationale: Explain what need the proposal addresses.
• Evidence: Describe the data, example, or observation that supports your claim; note its limitations.
• Implementation: Suggest the first step, who will be responsible, and when it will be reviewed.
• Decision: Restate the specific response you expect from the audience.

This is not a required formula, but a framework you can use to organize your thoughts. Check how each section connects to the proposal. If there is more than one main claim, present them as separate reasons. Use brief transitions between sections to help the audience follow the flow. Providing important context at the beginning, reminding the audience of the main idea throughout, and offering a roadmap are also recommended ways to guide them through complex content (Harvard Medical School).

Example: proposing a change to the weekly meeting routine

Entirely hypothetical example: A team leader wants to reduce the weekly status meeting and ask the team to provide written updates instead. One audience member is concerned that the change will disrupt coordination. The goal is not to secure permanent acceptance of the method, but to ask for approval of a limited trial.

• Slide 1 — Decision: “Should we try written updates instead of the weekly meeting for four weeks?”
• Slide 2 — Current situation: Share examples you have of topics that recur in meetings. If you have no measurements, do not give a number; describe the observation qualitatively.
• Slide 3 — Proposal: Explain when and under what headings updates will be shared. Also specify how urgent matters will be handled.
• Slide 4 — Concern and safeguard: Acknowledge the question, “Could important matters be missed?” and suggest a safeguard, such as assigning someone to follow up or adding a regular check-in.
• Slide 5 — Trial and review: Specify the duration, who is responsible, and the criteria to review at the end. For example, work tracking or team feedback could be assessed; agree on the criteria as a team before making the decision.
• Slide 6 — Decision requested: Ask for a decision on approval of the trial, the person responsible, and the start date.

The duration, method, and criteria in this example are hypothetical planning details only, not research findings. Addressing a differing view fairly instead of ignoring or attacking it is consistent with a persuasive speaking approach (UC Cooperative Extension).

Simplify slides and evidence

Giving each slide one main idea is a practical principle you can use when reviewing your content. Rather than merely naming the topic, a heading can also show how the slide contributes to the main point. Use short phrases instead of long paragraphs, and, where appropriate, clear charts, diagrams, or visuals. If you present a chart, provide the source and context the audience needs to interpret it; do not use a chart to support a conclusion the data does not justify.

Slides should not replace your spoken presentation. Instead of putting the entire presentation script on a slide, you can keep details in your speaker notes. When presenting research findings, also include the information needed to understand the method or context. Recommendations in IE University’s guide to student presentations include using slides to support the message, reducing unnecessary detail, and maintaining visual consistency (IE University). If the focus is on providing information, see the guide to preparing an informative presentation; if you need a brief handout for the audience, read preparing a presentation handout.

Rehearse and troubleshoot

Rehearse the presentation out loud and check whether you can stay within the time limit. For each slide, ask, “Which claim does this information support?” If the answer is not clear, consider removing the slide, moving it, or explaining why it is needed. In one rehearsal, try presenting the argument using only the slide headings; if the flow breaks down, review the order or transitions. Keeping speaker notes as brief prompts can help you follow the main ideas without reading a script from beginning to end. The IE University guide also recommends rehearsing out loud and not turning notes into a complete script.

If an audience member raises an objection, briefly restate the question in your own words. Distinguish between the evidence you know, assumptions, and points that remain uncertain. If you need more information to answer, make a note of it rather than guessing, and explain how you will verify it. Depending on the situation, you can also slow down your explanation, pause, or take questions in response to the audience’s reactions (Harvard Medical School).

Final checklist

• Is the decision you are asking for clear in one sentence?
• Is the content organized around the audience’s knowledge and needs?
• Is each main claim based on evidence, an example, or an explicitly stated assumption?
• Are the source and limitations of the evidence clear?
• Is an important opposing view addressed fairly?
• Are the proposal’s first step and approach to evaluation clear?
• Are the slides readable and do they contribute to the main idea?
• Is the action you want from the audience clearly stated in the final section?

How many slides should a persuasive presentation have?

There is no basis in these sources for recommending a fixed number. Consider the duration, the complexity of the decision, and the information the audience needs. Ask whether each slide contributes to the main proposal; consider removing any that do not.

Should you include an opposing view in the presentation?

If an important concern could affect the decision, it may be helpful to address it. Explain the concern without belittling it; support your response with evidence and do not conceal what remains uncertain. The goal is not to win an argument, but to help the audience make an informed decision.