Consumers are alert to the intentions of marketers. As people grow up, they learn to recognise the persuasive attempts of marketing, developing what we call persuasion knowledge. Persuasion is the act of trying to modify a person’s attitude and beliefs toward a certain topic. In marketing, persuasion theory suggests attitude measurement predicts consumer behaviour. Persuasion Knowledge is how consumers “cope” with these persuasion attempts, and “beliefs about the tactics that advertisers and marketers use to try to persuade them” (Boush, Friestad & Rose, 1994) It is important for marketers to understand persuasion and how the customer reacts to persuasive efforts.

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PERSUASION & PERSUASION KNOWLEDGE
Persuasion is the act of trying to modify a person’s attitude and beliefs toward a certain topic.
Persuasion Knowledge is how consumers “cope” with these persuasion attempts, and “beliefs about
the tactics that advertisers and marketers use to try to persuade them” (Boush, Friestad & Rose,
1994)
Because attitudes exert a strong influence on behaviour, attitude research offers a potentially
useful device for explaining and predicting consumer behaviour.” (Udell, 1965)

3. 3
PERSUASION DEFINED
Persuasion is the process of convincing someone to do or believe something. Research orginates in
psychology in the 1950s, from a time when it measured the persuasiveness of propaganda - political
or advertising. Messages subtly tried to change the attitudes of receivers of the communication.
Influencing attitudes is most commonly explored metric in persuasion research.
“…Because attitudes exert a strong influence on behaviour, attitude research offers a potentially
useful device for explaining and predicting consumer behaviour.” (Udell, 1965)

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THE PERSUASION PROCESS
Four factors important in facilitating the persuasion process.
• Communicator’s credibility and reputation. The persuasion possibility is the communicator is not
reliable or credible.
• Order of statements and there are two approaches here, primacy or recency.
• Completeness of statements. Cover the topic holistically, with a complete argument.
• Announcement of intentions. Be specific with your message and intentions as it builds trust.

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INFLUENCING ATTITUDES
• Creating Uncertainty: If an audience strongly opposed
to their view, ask questions around their view’s
legitimacy.
• Reducing Resistance: If the resistance in the audience is
moderate, it is possible to influence their view from
negative to neutral.
• Change Attitude: If an audience is neutral, there is a
good opportunity to persuade their attitude to your
favour.
• Amplify Attitude: Where the audience is already
favourable, a message reinforcing your point of view is
beneficial here to stay strong.
• Gain Behaviour: When your audience is strongly on
your side, the goal is to get these people to act.
Values, Beliefs and Motivations influence a person’s attitude, and this attitude then influences their
behaviour. Value + Beliefs + Motives = Attitudes → Behaviour. Five persuasion tactics are:

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PERSUASION KNOWLEDGE
Marketing is everywhere in our environments containing persuasive messages. “One of a consumer's
primary tasks is to interpret and cope with marketers' sales presentations and advertising” (Friestad
& Wright, 1994).
A theory of persuasion would not be complete without understanding how a person’s recognition of
persuasion alters what occurs. Consumers activate the persuasion knowledge to cope with
persuasion attempts, and encompasses their experiences and beliefs about the goals and tactics
marketers use to persuade them. This includes the extent to which they find these techniques
effective and appropriate, but also personal beliefs about how to cope with these tactics.

7. 7
Credibility, expertise and trustworthiness are key to being able to persuade an audience online. Social
media allows brands to reach their target audience in an obtrusive way than traditional media.
In entertainment contexts such as social media posts or videos/movies, many consumers who engage do
not expect to find promotional motives within that context.
They become less likely to recognize something as having commercial intent such as a product
placement, as their persuasion knowledge is disengaged. For example, People may not recognise a
fitness influencer posting photos of a product they “use” as having persuasive intent.
PERSUASIVE CONTENT ONLINE

8. Daniel Hopper
Marketing Specialist, BYB MARKETING
#50WEEKSOFMARKETING
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