Persuasive Communications

Dr. G C Mohanta, BE, MSc(Engg), MBA, PhD(Mgt)

Professor
 Persuasion and Persuasive
Communication
The term ‘persuasion’ means to force someone
into something.
The art of persuasion is the art of finding the
best available means of moving a specific audience
in a specific situation to a specific decision.
Persuasive communication means, persuading
others to understand what one is trying to
communicate.
Persuasive communication has one core
purpose: get the readers to support, believe, and
act in favour of presenter.
 Designing Persuasive
Communications
First, establish communications objective.
Create awareness
Promote image
Message retention
Stimulate action
 Designing Persuasive
Communications (Contd.)
Second, choose media strategy.
Which Media does your target audience listen to
or read?
Consumer profile - specific media consumers
read or watch.
Audience profile - descriptions of audiences that
listen to/watch specific media.
 Designing Persuasive
Communications (Contd.)
Third, decide on message strategy.
Goal of the message strategy is to be
persuasive relative to the communications
objective.
Issues to be considered:
Words vs. pictures
Vividness
Repetition
Semantics
 Inoculation Theory

Presenting refutational arguments to

consumers before they hear it from others
makes the message appear more credible.
Inoculates consumers from competitors’ ads
that will be negative.
 Comparative Advertising
Messages that directly compare a brand to a
competing brand.
Comparison in terms of one or more specific
attributes.
Most effective when they help consumers
differentiate between two brands.
Disadvantages: Consumers may not be able to
differentiate false claims.
 Emotional Appeals
Fear appeals
Used in over 15% of TV ads
Used to either encourage or discourage certain
behaviors
The intensity of the fear appeal is related to its
effectiveness - moderate levels of fear appear to
be most effective.
 Humor Appeals
Humor Appeals
Most effective when:
Clearlyidentifies brand and humor does
not overwhelm the product
Distracts attention away from counter
argument
Appropriate to brand’s image

Used with existing products

Used with low-involvement products

 Humor Appeals (Contd.)
Most effective when:
Audience is younger, better educated,
upscale, professional
Ads are shown in action-adventure
environment rather than sitcoms
(contrast effect, Gestalt)
 Abrasive Advertising
An unpleasant ad that antagonizes
listeners
Agony commercials that show graphic
detail upsetting to consumers
 Sex Appeals
Effective when sex is related to the
advertised product.
Ineffective, if it is used just to attract
attention - may interfere with message
comprehension and cognitive processing.
 Language
It’s very important to use language that fits the
audience and the purpose you want to achieve.
Inappropriate language uses can damage your
credibility, undermine your argument, or alienate
your audience
The following sums up the aspects of language:
1. Levels of Formality
2. In-Group Jargon
3. Slang and idiomatic expressions
4. Deceitful language and Euphemisms
5. Biased language
 Levels of Formality
The level of formality should be determined by
the expectations of your audience and your
purpose
Formal (To an unknown audience
Semi-formal (To a well-known individual or
audience)
Informal (Incorrect)
Distinguish between formal and semi formal
depending on purpose
 Group Jargon
Jargon or specialized language used by small
groups of like-minded individuals.
 Avoid using in-group jargon in general audience without
explanations.
 Use group-specific jargon, if you want to address in-group
audience.
Not using the jargon when it is expected by your
audience can
 Signal to the audience that you are not a member of
that group
 Mean you have not mastered the group's terminology
Can damage your credibility
Interfere with your purpose in presentation.
Slang and Idiomatic Expressions
Avoid using slang or idiomatic
expressions ("pull someone's leg", "spill
the beans", and "something smells
fishy“).
These words make one sound
informal, and hence, less credible.
 Deceitful Language &
Euphemisms
Avoid using any language whose purpose is deceitful
i.e. seems to mislead or cheat.
Euphemisms are terms that attempt to cover up that
which is wrong, unethical, taboo, or harsh.
Language can also be deceitful if it is overly complex
or confusing.
 Confusing language is deliberately created and is
used to downplay the truth or to evade
responsibility.
 Stereotypes and Biased
Language
Avoid language that is stereotypical or biased in
any way.
Biased language occurs with gender, can also
offend groups of people based on sexual
orientation, ethnicity, interest, or race.
 Stereotyped Language
Stereotyped language assumes a stereotype about a group of
people.
 Non-Sexist language
Non-sexist, non-biased way is both ethically sound and
effective.
Uses-Generic- Humankind instead of Mankind
Occupation – Firefighter instead of Fireman
 Processes to Persuade by A
Communication
There are four kinds of processes that determine the
extent to which a person will be persuaded by a
communication.
1. Attention: One must first get the intended audience to
listen to what one has to say.
2. Comprehension: The intended audience must
understand the argument or message presented.
3. Acceptance: The intended audience must accept the
arguments or conclusions presented in the
communication; this acceptance is based on the rewards
presented in the message.
4. Retention: The message must be remembered, have
staying power.
 Variables for Persuasive
Communication
1. Source: What characteristics of the speaker
affect the persuasive impact?
2. Communication: What aspects of the
message will have the most impact?
3. Audience: How persuadable are the
individuals in the audience?
4. Audience Reactions: What aspects of the
source and communication elicit counter arguing
reactions in the audience?
 The Persuader
1. There will be more opinion change in the
desired direction if the communicator has high
credibility.
2. The credibility of the persuader is less of factor
in opinion change later on than it is immediately
after exposure.
3. A communicator's effectiveness is increased if
he/she initially expresses some views that are also
held by the audience
4. What an audience thinks of a persuader may
directly influence their thinking about the message.
5. Communicator characteristics, irrelevant to the
topic of the message, can influence acceptance of
its conclusion.
 How To Present the Issues
1. Present one side of the argument when the
audience is generally friendly.
2. Present both sides of the argument when the
audience starts out disagreeing with you,
3. When opposite views are presented one after
another, the one presented last will probably be
more effective.
4. There will probably be more opinion change in
the direction you want if you explicitly state your
conclusion than if you let the audience draw their
own.
 Audience as Individuals
1. The level of intelligence of an audience
determines the effectiveness of some kinds of
appeals.
2. Successful persuasion takes into account the
reasons for underlying attitudes as well as the
attitudes themselves.
3. Individual's personality traits affect his/her
susceptibility to persuasion.
4. There are individuals who are highly
persuadable and who will be easily changed by any
other influencing attempt.
5. Ego-involvement with the content of the
communication increases the acceptance of its
conclusion
 Persistence of Opinion Change
a) A communication from a positive source leads to
more rapid decay of attitude change over time than
one from a negative source.
b) A complex or subtle message produces slower
decay of attitude change.
c) Attitude change is more persistent over time if the
receiver actively participates in.
2. Repeating a communication tends to prolong its
influence.
3. More of the desired opinion change may be found
some time after exposure to the communication than
right after exposure .