Chapter Nine Persuasive Messages McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

9-2 Learning Objectives LO9.1 Describe the relationship between credibility and persuasion. LO9.2 Explain the AIM planning process for persuasive messages and the basic components of most persuasive messages. LO9.3 Explain how the tone and style of persuasive messages impact their influence.

9-3 Learning Objectives (cont.) LO9.4 Create compelling internal persuasive messages. LO9.5 Compose influential external persuasive messages. LO9.6 Construct effective mass sales messages. LO9.7 Evaluate persuasive messages for effectiveness and fairness.

9-4 The Importance of Credibility in an Era of Mistrust and Skepticism  The importance of credibility is heightened for persuasive messages  If audience members question your credibility, they are unlikely to carefully consider your ideas, requests, or recommendations.

9-5 Applying the AIM Planning Process to Persuasive Messages  Analyzing your audience to understand their needs, values, and how they are influenced  Developing your ideas as you wrestle with the complicated business issues at hand  Creating a message structure that most effectively reduces resistance and gains buy-in

9-6 Understand Methods of Influence  Reciprocation  a principle of influence based on returning favors  Consistency  based on the idea that once people make an explicit commitment, they tend to follow through or honor that commitment

9-7 Understand Methods of Influence  Social proof  a principle of influence whereby people determine what is right, correct, or desirable by seeing what others do  Liking  a principle of influence whereby people are more likely to be persuaded by people who they like

9-8 Understand Methods of Influence  Authority  a principle of influence whereby people follow authority figures  Scarcity  a principle of influence whereby people think there is limited availability of something they want or need, so they must act quickly

9-9 Persuade through Emotion and Reason  Savvy business communicators understand the importance of injecting emotion into their persuasive messages  Effective communicators find ways to appeal to the core emotional benefits of products, services, and ideas

9-10 Components of Persuasive Messages Gain attention Raise a need Deliver a solution Provide a rationale Show appreciation Give counterpoints Call to action

9-11 Set Up the Message Structure  Direct  you begin with a main idea or argument and then provide the supporting reasons  Explicit  nothing is implied  statements contain full and unambiguous meaning

9-12 Set Up the Message Structure  Indirect  they provide the rationale for a request before making the specific request  Implicit  the request or some of the rationale for the request may be implied  the reader needs to read between the lines to grasp the entire meaning

9-13 Effective Attention-Getters

9-14 Guidelines for Tone for Persuasive Messages Apply the personal touch Use action-oriented, lively language Write with confidence Offer choice Show positivity

9-15 Voice in Persuasive Messages Table 9.2

9-16 Voice in Persuasive Messages Table 9.2

9-17 Making Tangible Statements

9-18 Using Action-Oriented and Lively Language

9-19 Writing with Confidence

9-20 Emphasizing Choice

9-21 Statements to Avoid in the Post-Trust Era

9-22 Avoiding Exaggeration and Superlatives

9-23 Components of Internal and External Persuasive Messages Table 9.9

9-24 Less-Effective Internal Persuasive Message Figure 9.3

9-25 Composing Mass Sales Messages  Mass sales messages  messages sent to a large group of consumers and intended to market a particular product or service.

9-26 Composing Mass Sales Messages  Even when consumers do not respond with immediate purchases, these messages can raise a company’s brand awareness

9-27 Composing Mass Sales Messages  Effective sales messages contain a central sales theme  Messages are strongest when they contain a coherent, unified theme that consumers can recognize quickly

9-28 A Mass Sales Message with a Strong Logical Appeal Figure 9.9

9-29 Reviewing Persuasive Messages  Persuasive messages can potentially provide you with more professional opportunities and enhanced credibility, or they can close off future opportunities and diminish your credibility.

9-30 Apply the FAIR Test  Manipulation  involves attempting to influence others by some level of deception so you can achieve your own interests  By applying the FAIR test, you can avoid sending persuasive messages that manipulate others

9-31 Are Your Persuasive Messages FAIR?