Persuasive Messages

Persuasive Messages
By
ASEEM M. RIZVI
Persuasive Messages

 Definition
 The attempt to change an audience’s attitudes,
beliefs, or actions
 The nature of persuasion is to convince your
audience or to change their attitudes,beliefs, or
actions.
Persuasive Messages

 Effective persuasion is the ability to present a

message in a way that will lead others to support it.
 Persuasive messages aim to influence audiences
who are inclined to resist, therefore, persuasive
messages are generally longer, are usually more
detailed, and often depend more heavily on strategic
planning tasks.
Persuasive messages
 Analyzing Audience
 Who is my audience?
 What are their needs?
 What do I want them to do?
 How might they resist? [By covering all aspects, explaining the
pros & cons of each. It will increase your credibility.]
Avoid following common Mistakes:
 Using an Upfront Hard Sell: Setting out a strong position at the
start.
 Resisting Compromise: You cannot persuade if you don’t
change.
 Relying Solely on Great Arguments: Arguments matter but they
are not the only thing. Mutually beneficial framework, vivid
language, and right emotional level are equally important.
 Assuming Persuasion is a One Shot Effort: Persuasio5n is a
process not a one time event.
Persuasive Messages
 Are there alternative positions I need to examine?
 What does the decision maker consider the most
important issue?
 How might the organization's culture influence my
strategy?
• Demographics: Age, Gender, Occupation, Income,
Education and other quantifiable characteristics of the
people you are trying to persuade.
• Psychographics: Personality, Attitude, Lifestyle, and
other psychological characteristics of an individual.
Persuasive messages
 Cultural Differences
 Understanding of this will help satisfy the
needs of audience
 In France, Hard-sell techniques cannot be
used
 In Germany, people tend to focus on technical
details.
 In Sweden, people tend to focus on
theoretical questions.
 In U.S.A, people concerned with more
practical matters.
 Persuasive messages
Credibility:
 To persuade skeptics, you must convince them that
you know what you are talking about

 Your credibility is your capability of being believe

because you are reliable and worthy of confidence

 Some of the best ways to gain credibility are to

 Support your messages with facts: Testimonial,
documents , Guarantee, Statistics
Persuasive Messages-Credibility

 Name your resources: tell your audience where

your information comes from

 Be an Expert: Knowledge of message’s subject

area help you give your audience the quality
information necessary to make decisions

 Establish common ground: Those beliefs,

attitudes, and background experiences that you
have in common will help them identify with you.
 Persuasive Messages-Credibility

 Be enthusiastic: Your excitement about your subject
can infect your audience.
 Be Objective: Your ability to understand and
acknowledge all slides of an issue helps you present
fair and logical arguments in your persuasive
messages.
 Be Sincere: Your concern, genuineness, good faith
help you focus on your audience’s needs.
 Be trustworthy: Your honest and dependability help
you earn your audience’s needs [Use of proper
words, meaning of which say more than dictionary
meaning.
Persuasive Messages-Credibility
(Reinforcing your Position)
Instead of Use this

I think we should attempt Let’s get immediate

to get approval on this approval on this
before it’s too late
It seems to me that… I believe…
This plan can work if we With our support this plan
really push it. will work
I’ve been thinking lately After careful thought over
that may be someone the past two months, I’ve
could… decided that…
 Persuasive Messages-Credibility
(Reinforcing your Position)
 Be Moderate: Request for little changes instead of all at a
time.
 Use Simple Language: Audience will be cautious, watching
for fantastic claims, emotional manipulation. Use plain and
simple language.
 Be Specific: Back up your claims with evidence, and when
necessary cite actual facts and figures.
 Create a Win-Win Situation: Make it possible for you and
your audience to gain something. Audience will find it easier
to change if they stand to benefit.
 Time you message appropriately: The time to sell fans is
appropriate in summer.
 Use Anecdotes and Stories to make your point: Don’t tell
directly to audience what will happen to him? Instead tell
them about Ali what happened when his hard disk crashed.
From Beginning to End

 OPENING PARAGRAPH: Attract Attention

 MIDDLE PARAGRAPH: Build Interest

Encourage Desire.

 LAST PARAGRAPH: Call for Action

AIDA persuasive strategy

 A = Attention --Get the reader‘s attention, make them

want to hear your problem or idea. Write a brief and
engaging opening sentence, with no extravagant
(excessive) claims or irrelevant points. Be sure to find
some common ground on which to build your case

 I = Interest--Build the reader interest by further

explaining benefits and appealing to his or her logic or
emotion. Explain the relevance by continuing the theme
you started with, paint a more detailed picture with
words. Get your audience thinking.

AIDA persuasive strategy

 D = Desire--Build desire by showing how your offer can

really help reader. Reduce resistance by thinking up
answering in advance any questions audience might
have. If your idea is complex, explain how would you
implement it.

 A = Action--Give a strong and simple call to action and

provide a convenient means for the reader to take the
next step. Make it more than a statement. This is
opportunity to remind readers of the benefits of taking
action. Make the action easy.
 OPENING PARAGRAPH: Attract Attention
Successful Openings include
 Open-ended, thought-provoking Question
 Agreeable Statement
 Compliment
 An Immediate Request
 A Piece of Genuine News
 A Personal Appeal to Reader’s Emotions and
Values
 Product’s Most attractive Feature alongwith the
Associated Benefits
 A sample of the Product
 A Concrete Illustration with Story Appeal.
 A Solution to A Problem
Open Ended, thought-provoking
Question

 It encourages receiver to read further.

 Open ended means more than yes or no
response.
Examples:
“what would you do if you were under fire?”
“How many life will you save today?”
Agreeable Statement
 A statement which creates common
ground between you and the receiver.

Examples:
“Summer vacations are for spending time with
family and friends”
“You will find no shortage of advice on how to
run the business”
Compliment
 It acknowledges the receiver’s expertise and
actions.
Example
“You have maintained an enviable credit record”
“Your Creativity has made all the difference in our firm”
An Immediate Request
Example:

“Make a promise”
“Stop in today to win a Rs. 10,000 prize,”
 Opening Para
 A Piece of Genuine News:
 In the past 11 months, inflation has risen to 23%,
history highest.
 A Personal Appeal to Reader’s Emotions and
Values:
 The only thing worse than paying taxes is paying
taxes when you don’t have to…
 Product’s Most attractive Feature alongwith the
Associated Benefits:
 New Biometric system ends attendance problems
and bunking
 Opening Para

 A sample of the Product:

 Here’s your free sample of the new Palmy bath soap.

 A Concrete Illustration with Story Appeal:

 In 2008, stock trading was on boom, Ali invested almost all his
money in stocks. He used to keep records in his laptop….

 A Solution to A Problem:
 Tired of scorching sunbeam making roofs oven preset at 300
deg F. Stay cool and save electric bill upto 25%
MIDDLE PARAGRAPHS: Build Interest Encourage Desire

 Create interest and desire by implying.

1. Receive benefits
2. Using concrete, descriptive words
3. Addressing receivers concerns
4. Using appropriate appeal.
Receivers benefits

 Receivers benefits are direct or indirect.

 Direct benefits are expressly stated: reduced
workload, monetary compensation etc
 Indirect Benefits: include personal satisfaction
or enhanced reputation.
Cont…
Examples:

 The membership entitles you to:

 Free admission
 Gift shop discounts
 Educational workshop discounts
 Guest passes
Addressing receiver’s Concerns

Determine the possible concerns of the reader and

offer positive information
Example:
Mention of schools, hospitals and shopping malls
nearby a new build housing scheme.
Using appropriate appeal
 Emotional appeals
 Rational appeals
 Combination of appeals
Emotional appeals

Example:
“Prompt payers like you are the exception, and your
excellent credit records enabled you to receive
additional credit”
“Each year more 17000 in Pakistan are diagnosed
with Lung Cancer. We have chosen to fight the
battle. Will you join us?”
Rational appeals
Example

“Since 1997 more than Rs. 40 00 000 has been

denoted to 5 cancer research, Screening and
treatment.”
Combination of appeals

Example:
Each year more than 17000 in Pakistan are
diagnosed with Lung Cancer. The cancer
centers require your donations for cancer
research, screening and treatment.
LAST PARAGRAPH: Call for Action

 Make a confidence request

 Include contact numbers, email address
website etc
 State a time period.
Example
“This is your chance to be heard! Register your
opinion on 1st May between 9am and noon by
calling the Opinion Hotline at 0900-78601.
Techniques Used in
Motivating Action
 A postage paid reply card / a stamped and
preaddressed envelope
 A toll free telephone number
 An easy website
 Promise of a follow up call

 For an extra push:

 Extra Push Motivating Action
 Offer a gift: You’ll receive a free cell phone with the
purchase of any new car
 Promise an incentive: With every new, paid subscription,
we’ll donate one rupee to ---
 Limit the offer: Only the first one hundred customers
receive free cheques.
 Set a deadline: You must act before December 1 to get
these low prices.
 Guarantee Satisfaction: We’ll return your full payment if
you’re not entirely satisfied – no questions asked.
PERSUASIVE APPLICATION
 Non routine Request
Request for donation of Money, Time,
Knowledge, Or support.
 Request for Cooperation
• Claim Messages
• Collection Messages.
• Sales Letters