The point of view you adopt for the purpose of the essay needs to be clearly defined with a thesis statement. Some cases have a simpler delineation between your stance and the opposing argument while others include nuanced differences. Present the thesis statement and the rest of the essay in the clearest terms possible so the audience is clear on your position and how you are attributing the included facts to support it.
Gathering credible and supportive facts gives strength to your argument. Your persuasive essay needs to target an audience that may not be disposed to your argument. The reader may not have enough information to have an opinion prior to reading your essay, or he may be of an opposing ideological persuasion. A complete list of facts from varied sources lends credibility to your argument and leaves your points unimpeachable against a charge of citing slanted resources.
After clearly defining your position and gathering a varied assortment of facts to back up your assertion, prioritize the facts for greatest effect. Present your most powerful argument or most compelling evidence either first or last in your essay. The arrangement of the essay should flow in a format to match your supporting facts with the major points you are attempting to elucidate. An example of poor prioritizing is sandwiching the health risks of smoking between cost of cigarettes and the fact that smokers can lose their voices. The health risks are significantly more powerful than the other two facts and therefore should be positioned appropriately. One reason to position the strongest point or most powerful evidence last is when a call to action is the goal of your essay. The final, strongest argument should lead into the appeal for action; otherwise, placing the predominant point first is prudent.
Keep in mind the counter arguments to your thesis. You may elect to not address them explicitly but you would do well to provide evidence counter to the opposing position. Learning the ways that your argument could be challenged will not only help in constructing a more persuasive essay, it will lead your research in a direction that may uncover additional facts to support your assertion. An example of dispelling counter arguments would be to include facts about the economy when taxes were raised in an effort to make the argument for lower taxes. You can imagine the counter to your essay would suggest a certain outcome in an economy with lower taxes, so you could dispel that argument by offering facts of your own or a less frequently explored aspect of the counter argument.