Principles of effective persuasion for marketing, PR, advertising, interpersonal communication

1. Persuasion
John Couper, Ph.D.
ReachAcademic
www.reachacademic.com

2. Persuasion is…
 A reflection of I and Other
 the effort or success at influencing the
attitudes of others
 a form of change
• No change, no persuasion
 a way to reach goals
 amoral: not inherently good or bad

3. Persuasion involves
 Information
 Emotion
 Social and symbolic alignment
(cognition)
 Repetition

4. Context
 The conditions surrounding persuasion
should support it
• E.g., people are more receptive in a relaxed
and non-threatening situation, whose
associations are positive and motivating

5. Order
 Frame the persuasive message as less of an
issue than a previous, larger request?
 A better order: acknowledge weakness to
create empathy (“self-deprecation”)
• Followed by suggesting strength
 Scarcity: if the resource is accepted as
scarce, it might be more desirable

6. Credibility
 The greater the credibility and authority of
the persuader, the more likely people are
to accept their persuasion
• Two main kinds: identification and authority
 Cues: clothing, speech patterns, accent...
• people are 350 percent more likely to follow
you across a busy street if you wear a business
suit than a construction uniform

7. Identification
 People are much more likely to believe
someone who seems to be like them
• We are social and group-oriented
 So find and convey similarity codes
 Better: be 10% “better” to increase the
desire to follow

8. Consistency
 Elements that seem to belong together
are more persuasive
 This includes consistency between
• the audience and client,
• the client and expected norms
• Words and actions
• What we ask of clients and what they do (i.e.,
asking them to commit to something
strengthens their attitudes toward the
relationship)

9. Likeability
 Audiences believe, trust and remember
socially attractive people
• Even more when publics believe the client would or
does like them in return (e.g., smiling)
 Factors
• Interest in their concerns and lives
• Praise
• Similarities
• Confidence without pride
• Physical normalcy (including mirror)

10. Reciprocity
 Audiences believe those who they
perceive will help them in return
• This is even stronger when the persuader
does something first

11. Selective Exposure
 Audiences tend to
• seek information that supports their opinions, beliefs,
values, behaviors, decisions, and
• avoid information that contradicts their existing
opinions, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, etc.
 Thus, association with “congruent” meanings is
attractive (but not always possible)
• So start with a congruent message if the public is
likely to agree, or with messages if they are likely to
be skeptical

12. “Inoculation”
 Acceptance of a message reflects previous
exposure and response
• If they have a number of prepared positions that work
against your client, persuasion is almost impossible
• So re-frame the message to avoid a well-developed
set of negative attitudes
 To strengthen existing positive attitudes,
include secondary counterarguments
• Such as that your product lasts longer

13. Degree of Change
 Why ask for no change? Or too much
change?
 Audiences want more reasons and
evidence before making important
decisions, but are easier to persuade,
with less evidence, about minor issues
 So find an argument that involves the
maximum comfortable amount of change

14. Motivation
 Audiences believe what is best linked to their
own motivators (desires, hopes, needs)
 Examples: status, financial gain, affection,
love, individuality, attraction, friendship, sex,
self-esteem, independence, social competition
and so on
• The balance of these depends on the public’s
characteristics

15. Participation
 Audiences believe something more if they
• Do it instead of hearing about it
• Talk about it instead of thinking about it
• Even imagine themselves doing it
 Doing something leads to belief about it
 So vivid, active, physical language or
something can be more persuasive

16. Using these factors
 When writing copy or designing events or
displays, go down the list and select the
ones that best relate to your audience
 Decide how to adapt the concept to your
programming
 Don’t tell co-workers or clients about the
principles– let them think it is magic

17. Thank You!
 John L. Couper, Ph.D.
 Visit ReachAcademic
 The new, best way to support all your
work and development goals
 www.reachacademic.com