lecturer: gareth jones class 8: persuasive messages

Business CommunicationLecturer: Gareth Jones

Class 8: Persuasive Messages

Business Communication (BUS-101) 2

Persuasive Messages◦ Complaint◦ Reference Request

Today

8th December 2009


Used to change an Audience’s beliefs, attitudes, and actions

Present an argument that readers will agree with and support

Persuasive Messages

8th December 2009


Used when:◦We are trying to sell something◦ Asking people to support an idea◦ Asking for an increase in salary◦ Asking your boss to use your ideas

Persuasive Messages

8th December 2009


Longer and more complicated than routine messages Require much more planning

Persuasive Messages

8th December 2009


Planning Writing Completing

3 Step Writing Process

8th December 2009


Analyse your purpose Analyse your audience Establish Credibility Be ethical

Planning

8th December 2009


Purpose

Difficult because:◦ Audiences are busy◦ There are competing requests

Planning

8th December 2009


For these reasons, purpose must be clear, necessary and appropriate for the written channel

Planning

8th December 2009


Audience◦ Search for common ground◦ Find points of agreement◦ Show how you can satisfy their needs

Planning

8th December 2009


Ask◦Who is my audience?◦What do they need?◦What do I want them to do?◦ How might they resist?◦What other offers exist?

Planning

8th December 2009


Appeal to your audiences needs! Find out their age, gender, occupation, income, etc. Change your message around this info

Planning

8th December 2009


Credibility This is your capability for being believed because

you’re reliable and worthy of confidence. Credibility = believability

Planning

8th December 2009


Support your message with facts. ◦ Documents, statistics, research results

Name your sources◦Where did this information come from?◦ If audience respects your sources, this is very effective

Getting Credibility

8th December 2009


Be an expert◦ Clearly demonstrate your knowledge of the subject

Establish common ground◦ Highlight the beliefs that you share with the audience.

Getting Credibility

8th December 2009


Be enthusiastic◦ Be excited about your subject

Be objective◦ Show all sides of the issue to present fair arguments

Getting Credibility

8th December 2009


Be trustworthy◦ Earn audiences trust with honesty and dependability

Have good intentions◦ Keep audience’s interest at heart

Getting Credibility

8th December 2009


Be ethical◦ To be ethical is to do things in an honest, moral way.◦ Are morals universal (普遍的 )？

Planning

8th December 2009


Do not try to manipulate or trick your audience. Persuade your audience, but keep their needs at heart Why?

Planning

8th December 2009




8th December 2009


Direct? Indirect? Based on audience’s reaction

Writing

8th December 2009


When to use Direct approach◦When audience is objective◦When a message is long◦When audience has little time

Writing

8th December 2009


Since the purpose is to convince or to change our audience’s mind, we should usually use:

The Indirect Approach

Writing

8th December 2009




8th December 2009


Use the same techniques Edit for style, content and readability Correct Errors

8th December 2009

Completing


4 strategies in successful persuasion◦ Framing your argument◦ Balancing your appeals◦ Reinforcing your position◦Overcoming audience resistance

Persuasive Strategies

8th December 2009


4 strategies for successful persuasion◦ Framing your argument◦ Balancing your appeals◦ Reinforcing your position◦Overcoming audience resistance


8th December 2009


Framing your argument Similar to indirect approach, but even more involved. Use the AIDA approach


8th December 2009


AIDA – 4 step argument

◦ Attention (Opening)◦ Interest (Body)◦ Desire (Body)◦ Action (Closing)

AIDA approach

8th December 2009


Attention Begin persuasive messages with an attention getting

statement that is:◦ Personalised◦ ‘You’ oriented◦ Straightforward◦ Relevant

AIDA approach

8th December 2009


Interest◦ Explain relevance of message◦ Give more details

AIDA approach

8th December 2009


Desire Second part of your body

Provide evidence Explain how change will help audience Answer possible questions in advance

AIDA approach

8th December 2009


Action Closing◦ Suggest action for readers to take◦ Repeat audience benefits◦Make the action easy

AIDA approach

8th December 2009


Perfect for indirect messages Save main idea for action phase Can be used in direct messages Use main idea as attention getter

AIDA approach

8th December 2009


To be successful, narrow your focus◦Why?

Stick to one goal or objective One action we want the audience to perform

AIDA approach

8th December 2009


Used when:◦We are trying to sell something◦ Asking people to support an idea◦ Asking for an increase in salary◦ Asking your boss to use your ideas

Persuasive message

8th December 2009


Analyse your purpose Analyse your audience Establish Credibility Be ethical

Strategy

8th December 2009


Credibility◦ This is your capability for being believed because you’re

reliable and worthy of confidence.◦ Credibility = believability

Credibility

8th December 2009


Use Facts Name sources Be an expert Find common ground Be enthusiastic Be honest

Credibility

8th December 2009


Be ethical To be ethical is to do things in an honest, moral way Do not try to trick your audience

Ethics

8th December 2009


AIDA – 4 step argument◦ Attention (Opening)◦ Interest (Body)◦ Desire (Body)◦ Action (Closing)

AIDA approach

8th December 2009

Persuasive Strategies 4 strategies for successful persuasion◦ Framing your argument◦ Appealing to the audience◦ Supporting your argument◦ Dealing with Resistance

Audience Appeal In order to persuade our audience, we must appeal to

them in some way We can appeal to the heart and to the mind

Audience Appeal Appealing to the audience’s heart is called an:◦ Emotional Appeal◦ This is when we try to persuade our audience by using their

feelings

Audience Appeal Emotional appeals◦ Use words like: success, free, savings, value◦ This will make your audience comfortable

Audience Appeal Emotional appeals◦Make your audience think your idea is the right thing to do

Audience Appeal Appealing to the audience’s mind is called a:◦ Logical appeal◦ This is when we use evidence and facts to convince our

audience

Audience Appeal Logical Appeals◦ Have plenty of evidence◦ Don’t attack your opponents◦Make sure your claims are true

Supporting your argument Increase your credibility with strong language Use words that are strong and direct

Supporting your argument Ask for small changes Prepare for opposition Be specific Create a “win-win” situation Use stories to make your points

Dealing with Resistance Present all sides of your argument◦ The good◦ The bad

This will increase credibility

Dealing with Resistance Think about possible objections and think of ways to

answer them This will help make your audience believe you

Persuasive Strategies These are the four components of a successful

persuasive message:◦ Framing your argument◦ Appealing to the audience◦ Supporting your argument◦ Dealing with Resistance

Types of Messages Persuasive Requests Sales Letters

Persuasive Requests When asking for something small, use routine message

strategy When asking for something larger, use the AIDA plan

Persuasive Requests Keep the request specific and possible Say the direct and indirect benefits

Persuasive Requests Begin with an attention grabbing device.

Show the readers that you are concerned and have a reason for making the request

Persuasive Requests Interest and Desire sections Gain credibility for you and your request Make readers believe helping you will solve a problem

Persuasive Requests Action Section Once the idea has been shown, provide a specific

action including dates, times, etc.

Types of Messages Persuasive Requests Sales Letters

Sales Letters Your purpose is to sell your product To do this we must highlight features and benefits,

obvious right?

Sales Letters Features = something our product has Benefits = advantages the user will get

Sales Letters

Features LCD Screen 100 free text messages Prints 30 pages per minute Wireless controllers

Benefits You won`t hurt your eyes Communicate with friends Get work done fast Play games from anywhere

in the house

Sales Letters Use the AIDA approach Remember the other strategies as well◦ Appealing to the audience◦ Supporting your argument◦ Dealing with Resistance

Sales Letters Attention: We want to use an attention getter that gets our

reader to read the whole message

Attention An interesting question A sample of the product A solution to a problem Your product`s best feature

Anything to get the audience to read the message!

Attention “How would you like to travel the world?” “Here is your free sample of Chanel perfume”

Attention “Tired of being alone? We have the answer to your

problem!” “New software types what you say!”

Interest In the interest section, we must highlight the best

feature of our product

Interest To determine this, ask:◦What does the competition offer?◦What are buyers looking for?

Interest Describe the product in detail, focusing on all positive

features

Desire Mention the main benefit of your product Mention other benefits as well (price, convenience,

etc.)

Action Ask your readers to do what you want Convince them to act quickly

Sales Letters If you are successful, readers will want your product

and do what you ask!

Business Ethics In persuasive messages, as in all kinds of business, we

must be ethical and honest This means following the rules of business

Bad ethics In sales messages◦ Lying about your competition◦Making false promises◦ Lying about your product

Bad Ethics in Western Business Lying Bribery Stealing information Giving gifts Accepting gifts Plagiarism Selling bad goods

Ethics We must follow the ethics of business and do business

in an honest way.

Business Ethics We will look at some ethical dilemmas Dilemma = a difficult choice