Persuasive

Persuasive Messages
Messages
Purposes
• Primary
– To have reader act in a certain way

• Secondary
– To build good image of the communicator
and/or communicator’s organization
– To cement a good relationship between
communicator and audience
– To overcome any objections that might
prevent/delay action
Being Persuasive
• Follow the 3 x 3
• Check Reasonableness of Message/Request
• Establish Credibility – either GIVEN or ACQUIRED
• Remember AIDA
– A TTENTION
– I NTEREST
– D ESIRE
– A CTION

3 Persuasive Patterns of Organization

Direct Request
Problem Solving
Sales
For a Direct Request Message …
 Ask immediately for the information or service you want
 Give reader all the information needed to act on request
 Ask for the action you want
 Subject line
– Request itself
– Topic of request

For a Problem Solving Message …

 Define shared problem
 Explain solution to problem
 Show that advantages outweigh negatives
 Summarize additional benefits
 Ask for action you want
 Subject line:
– Omit request or use neutral
– Use common ground/audience benefit
For a Sales Message …

 Have a strong opener

– Questions
– Narration, stories, anecdotes
– Startling statements
– Quotations
 Answers reader’s questions
 Overcomes reader’s objections
 Involves reader emotionally
 Content should include
– Information any reader can use
– Stories about history of product/organization
– Stories about people who use product
– Readers enjoying the benefits offered
To Have Readers Act Promptly …

• Put time and money in context of benefits

• Show that
– time limit is real
– acting now will save time or money
– the cost of delaying action
• Highlight benefit about audience’s values
• Urge the need for sacrifice to achieve larger goals
• Turn a disadvantage into opportunity
• Built Emotional Appeal
– Story telling
– Psychological appeal
Some other Persuasive Messages

• Performance Appraisals
– Cite specific observations, not inferences
• For both work and personality
– Identify areas for improvement – step by step

• Recommendation Letters
– Be specific
– Tell how well/long you know the applicant
– Give details about applicant’s work
– Comment on applicant’s strong personal traits
– Remark on how useful this job/course can be for applicant
– Say whether you would rehire applicant