Lesson 9: Writing Persuasive Messages

Overview

The purpose of this lesson is to help understand that persuasive message require a special form of indirect plan—attention, interest, desire, action (AIDA)—and particular attention to the needs of the audience. As you read and study this lesson, think about how reader needs, benefits, and appeals are linked in persuasive messages. When you have completed the lesson, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of some of the persuasive messages you have received and then try improving those that are weak.

Objectives

After reading and studying Chapter 8 you will be able to:

1. list the components of a well developed persuasive message.

2. discuss several ways to establish credibility in persuasive messages.

3. describe the AIDA organization plan for persuasive messages.

4. list several tools that can help reinforce your position in a persuasive message.

5. discuss four common mistakes people make when putting together persuasive arguments.

6. identify some of the key ingredients of a god persuasive claim or request for adjustment.

The components of an effective persuasive message include establishing your credibility, framing your argument, using logic and emotional appeals to connect with your audience, and reinforcing your position with vivid language and compelling evidence.

You can establish credibility by supporting your claims with facts, sources, and testimonials, by demonstrating expertise and enthusiasm, and by being objective, sincere, and trustworthy.

You open by getting attention with a reader benefit, a problem, a stimulating question, a piece of news, or an unexpected statement. You build interest with facts, details, and additional reader benefits. You increase desire by providing more evidence and reader benefits and by anticipating and answering possible objections. you conclude by motivating a specific action, emphasizing the positive results of that action, and making it easy for the reader to respond.

Use semantics, metaphors, anecdotes, timing, moderation, simple language, and facts to reinforce your position. In addition, try to create a win-win situation and stay focused on your goal.

They resist compromise, focus too much on crafting a great argument instead of creating a win-win situation, go for the hard sell, and assume that persuasion is a one-shot effort.

You should include all the necessary facts and details, be logical, appeal to the audience’s sense of fair play, calmly express your feelings, stick to the issues at hand, focus on the benefits of solving the problem, and state a specific and reasonable request for action.

Assignment

Read and study Chapter 9 paying particular attention to Focusing on Ethics on page 298 and Keeping Pace with Technology on pages 314-315. Complete the self-study quiz to determine if you understand the concepts presented. To reinforce the concepts learned answer the Critical Thinking Questions on page 321, email your responses to your instructor.