Persuasive_Messages

							Persuasive Messages
Persuasive Messages
   Appeal to reader’s interests
    through:
     Credibility/Expertise (Ethos)
     Logic/Facts (Logos)

     Emotion (Pathos)
Motivation
(Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs)
Survival Needs
(Physiological Needs)

   Food                Applies to:
   Water                Unemployed

   Air                  Homeless

   Reproduction         Environmentalists
Security and Safety
   Safe shelter or       Applies to:
    neighborhoods          Parents
   Personal safety        Women
   Routines and habits    Children from

   Job security            dysfunctional homes
Love and Affiliation
   Relationships       Applies to:
   Organizations and    Teens and
    clubs                 adolescents
   Friendships          People with high

                          social needs
Esteem
   Respect and        Applies to:
    admiration          Those who have
   Academic success     satisfied lower level
   Career success       needs
                        People with low self-

                         esteem
Self-Actualization
   Accomplishment         Applies to:
   Fulfillment             Financially

   “Be all you can be!”     successful
                            Empty-nesters

                            People with high
                             self-esteem
    Gardner’s Seven Factors of
         Mental Change
   Reason (Logic, Analogy, Classification)
   Research (Statistics, Experiment Data)
   Resonance (Feels right, Fits situation, Convincing)
   Redescription (Described in different forms: linguistic,
    spatial, numeric)

   Rewards (Resources, Reinforcement)
   Real world events (Natural, Political, Economic)
   Resistance (Opposition, Inertia)
Arguments (Ethos)
   CREDIBILITY - Proof of superiority or
    benefit
       Statistics
       Features
       Expert opinions
       Testimonials
Arguments (Logos)
   What are reader’s objections?
   Answer/refute these objections
   Data/Statistics (overlap)
Argument (Pathos)
When facts or logic don’t apply or are not effective…

   Happy Families              Sex Appeal
   Humor                       Science and Statistics
   Exotic Places               Health/Nature
   Something for Nothing       Patriotism
   Bandwagon                   Fears and Insecurities
   Plain Folks                 Positive Effects
   Celebrity Endorsement
Happy Families
   Plays on needs for
    affiliation and
    affection.
Humor
           Associate product
            with positive feelings
           May be subtle or
            slapstick
      Exotic Places
   Make us want to be
    there
   We would be beautiful,
    glamorous, and sexy if
    we were there
Something for Nothing

   Coupons,
    giveaways,
    premiums.
         Bandwagon
   “Everybody’s doing it”
   We’d all like to be as
    attractive and
    popular as these
    people.
Plain Folks
   Trust and
    credibility
      Celebrity Endorsements
   “Be Like Mike”
   Use sports and
    entertainment figures
Sex Appeal
   You’ll be attractive if
    you do/have this
Science and Statistics
   Science supports
    this
Health and Nature
   This is good for your
    health or the
    environment
Patriotism
   National
    allegiance
   “Proud to be
    an American”
Fears and Insecurities
   Personal
    characteristics
   Future
      Positive Effects
   Tobacco & Oil
    advertising – but
    we do good
    things!
   NFL participation
    in the United Way
Additional Appeals
   Humanitarian
       Your action will help others
   Individual responsibility
       It’s your “job” to do this
   Personal experience
       You are unique OR you may have had a
        similar experience
Indirect Persuasion (AIDA)
   Attention
   Interest
   Desire
   Action
        AIDA
   Attention                         Desire
       Show benefit to audience          Supply proof of audience
                                           benefits
       Show need or problem
                                          Answer potential
                                           questions
   Interest                              Downplay any negative
                                           points or obstacles
       Expand on benefit
       Show relevance to
        audience                      Action
       Appeal to logic or                Motivate audience to
        emotions                           immediate action
                                          Make action easy
Critical Points
   Benefits must appeal to audience
   Connection between benefits and
    request must be clear
   Action should be easy and immediate
Attention Devices
What kinds of persuasive messages get
 your attention?
     Medium
          Mail
          Telephone
          TV/Radio
     Interest vs. Annoyance
Establishing Credibility (Ethos)
   Use simple language (KISS)
   Evidence
       Research, facts, testimonials
   Credible Sources
       Verifiable
       Qualified
   Knowledge
       Background
       Research
Credibility (overlap?)
   Common Ground
       Shared experience, similar beliefs
   Enthusiasm & Sincerity
       Care about the subject & audience
   Objectivity
       Fair and balanced
   Trustworthy
       Honest and factual
Knowledge Needed (TAP)
   Know your Topic
       Features, competitors, market
   Know your Audience
       Who they are (age, characteristics, etc.)
       What they want or need
       What will interest them? Turn them off?
       What do they know? What do I want them to
        know?
   Know your Purpose
Goals
   Define your purpose
   Get audience to read/listen to/watch
    entire message
   Get audience to react positively
    Central Point


   What piece of information is most
    likely to motivate the audience to
    buy in?
Your Ads (Analysis)
In groups, try to identify:
 Product/Topic

 Target audience

 Persuasion strategies being used



BE SPECIFIC!