20 Speeches on Persuasion

These speeches on persuasion offer great advice for persuading people in a number of different situations. Good persuasion skills are not only necessary for business -- whether you're pitching a product or trying to sell a service -- but they are also necessary for encouraging employees and motivating people to adapt your mindset. Hearing from speakers who are communications experts, pitching experts and psychologists, these presentations dive deep into the psychological and social elements of persuasion.

Alex Laskey explores the ways peer pressure can change people's behavior and ultimately persuade them to do something differently. Referencing an experiment he did in a small town to reduce energy consumption, he suggests that moral and financial persuasion aren't enough to make people do something -- it has to come from societal pressure.

Jim Cathcart argues in favor of including memorable and personal anecdotes to attract someone to a product or service during a pitch; this will make a lasting connection and impression.

The keynote by Jeni Cross, however, offers a standout piece of advice amongst these speeches on persuasion. She believes that in order to really capture someone's attention and to persuade them of something, you need to show them what they are missing out on. People don't want to feel like they are missing out on something while others are not. This tactic proves especially accurate and effective in business pitching.