PERSUASION

1. PERSUASION

2. What is Persuasion? • Persuasion is the process of creating, reinforcing, or changing people’s beliefs or actions. ~ Stephen Lucas, author The Art of Public Speaking

3. Types of Persuasive Speeches • Motivational Speech • Goodwill Speech • Proposal • Sales Presentation

4. Motivational Speech • Attempts to generate enthusiasm for the topic being presented. • Ex. High school pep rally, fundraiser

5. Goodwill Speech • Aims to create a favorable impage of the speaker’s cause in the mind’s of the audience. • Ex. Corporate recruiter addressing graduating seniors

6. Proposal • Advocating that your audience take specific action. • Ex. Starting a recycling program at work • Use problem/solution outline format, most of the time

7. Sales Presentations • One party presents remarks aimed at persuading another to purchase a product or service.

8. Sales Presentations Guidelines • Establish client relationships BEFORE your presentation • Put the client’s needs first • Listen to the client • Emphasize benefits not features • Features-qualities of a product or service that make it desirable & distinguish it from competition • Benefits-what the client will reap by using this product • Use an effective closing strategy

9. Coercion • Using threats of punishment or unpleasant consequences to influence the behavior of others to get what you want. • Those threatened often dig their heels in • It makes the instigator look bad

10. Manipulation • Tricking the other party into thinking or acting in the desired way. • “Boomerang effect”-faced with the discovery of manipulation, people will often change their attitudes in the direction opposite of that advocated by the speaker

11. Persuasive Strategies • Credibility • Competence • Trust • Common ground

12. Credibility • Aristotle called this ethos • Defined as the persuasive force that comes from the audience’s belief in and respect for the speaker. • Initial • Derived • Terminal

13. Competence • The speaker’s qualifications • Demonstrating knowledge of the subject • Making your credentials known • Demonstrating your abilities

14. Trust • Honesty ~ telling the truth • Impartiality ~ not having a vested interest in persuading the audience • If your motives are suspect confess them before doubts can be raised. • If you are not impartial present information from impartial third parties that support your position.

15. Common Ground • Audience’s are most willing to listen and accept ideas from a speaker whose attitudes and behaviors are similar to their own. • Establish early in presentation • Creates goodwill

16. Logical Appeal • Aristotle called this logos • The two major components are evidence and reasoning • Evidence is the logical appeal of the speaker • Reasoning is the process of drawing a conclusion on the basis of evidence

17. Emotional Appeal • Aristotle called this pathos • These are intended to make listeners feel sad, angry, guilty, afraid, happy, proud, sympathetic , etc. Some of the most common emotions evoked by public speakers are: • Fear • Compassion • Pride • Anger • Guilt • Reverence

18. Generating Emotional Appeals • Use emotional language • Develop vivid examples • Speak with sincerity and conviction • Persuasive speaking requires the use of both logical and emotional appeals to be successful.

19. Fallacies • A fallacy is an error in reasoning. • ~Ad Hominem • ~ Reduction Ad Absurdum • ~Either-Or • ~Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc • ~Argumentum Ad Populum • ~Red Herring

20. Ad Hominem • Also known as Personal Attack • Attacks the integrity of a person in order to weaken the argument he or she is presenting. • Ex. The governor has a number of interesting economic proposals, but let’s not forget that she comes from a very wealthy family.

21. Reduction Ad Absurdum • Reduction to the absurd • Attacks an argument by extending it to such extreme lengths that it looks ridiculous. • Ex. “If we allow developers to build homes in one section of town, soon we will have no open space available.”

22. Either-Or • Sets up false alternatives, suggesting that if the inferior alternative is rejected, then the other alternative must be accepted. • Ex. The government must either raise taxes or reduce services for the poor

23. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc"After this , therefore because of this" • Also called False Cause • This fallacy mistakenly assumes that one event causes another because the happen sequentially. • Ex. “I won the bingo game while wearing my green shirt, therefore my green is lucky and I should wear it when I go play bingo again. “

24. Argumentum Ad Populum • Bandwagon Appeal-is based on the notion that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable. • Ex. The President must be correct in his approach to healthcare; after all, polls show that 75% of the population support him.

25. Red Herring • A fallacy that introduces an irrelevant issue to divert attention from the subject under discussion. • Ex. “Why should we worry about endangered animal species when thousands of teenagers are killed in automobile accidents every year?”

26. Organizing Persuasive Messages • Problem-Solution • Comparative Advantages • Criteria Satisfaction • Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

27. Problem-Solution • The most basic of persuasive organizational patterns. • Persuades the audience that something is wrong with the present situation and then suggests how to remedy the situation

28. Comparative Advantages • This approach lists several alternatives side by side and shows why the approach you choose is the best possible solution.

29. Criteria Satisfaction • A strategy which sets up a list of criteria for a plan that the audience will accept and then shows how your idea or product meets them. • This pattern does not consider alternative ideas.

30. Monroe's Motivatede Sequence • Developed in the 1930’s by Alan Monroe, a professor of speech at Purdue University. Useful for speeches that seek immediate action. This approach has 5 steps: • 1. Attention • 2. Need • 3. Visualization • 4. Satisfaction • 5. Action

31. Attention • First you gain the attention of your audience. You do this in the introduction using one of these methods: relating to the audience, showing the importance of the topic, using a startling statement, arousing curiosity, telling a dramatic story, or asking a rhetorical question.

32. Need • Once you have gained the attention of your audience, the next step is to make them feel a need for change. You show that there is a serious problem with the existing situation. Clearly illustrate with the use of strong supporting materials the need for change. Use statistics, examples, and testimony to do so.

33. Satisfaction • Having shown a need for change, you satisfy it by providing a solution to the problem. You present your plan and show it will work. Be sure to offer enough details about the plan, so that listeners have a clear understanding of the plan.

34. Visualization • Having presented your plan, you intensify desire for it by visualizing its benefits. The use of vivid imagery is key to this step. It will show your listeners how they will benefit from your plan. Make them see how much better conditions will be once your plan is put into action.

35. Action • Once you have convinced your audience your plan is beneficial, you are ready for the final step-ACTION. Tell the audience exactly what you want them to do and how to do it. Once you have done this, conclude with a final appeal that reinforces the commitment of action.