Principles for Powerful Persuasion

1. Principles for Powerful Persuasion

2. What is Persuasion? The art of persuasion is the art of finding the best available means of moving a specific audience in a specific situation to a specific decision Corollary: You can�t expect to persuade the same people in the same way in different situations. New situations require new tactics. Corollary: You can�t expect to persuade the same people in the same way in different situations. New situations require new tactics.

3. The Persuasion Triangle Classical persuasion techniques are based on three primary elements: Ethos � How trustworthy is the presenter (you) and does your audience like you? Pathos � What are the values of the audience and what motivates them? Logos � How reasonable, straightforward, and well-documented is your argument?Classical persuasion techniques are based on three primary elements: Ethos � How trustworthy is the presenter (you) and does your audience like you? Pathos � What are the values of the audience and what motivates them? Logos � How reasonable, straightforward, and well-documented is your argument?

4. Persuasion in the Real World Each of the three elements is complicated by the constantly changing backgrounds in each unique situation. Presenter � You come to the table with your own personal and professional needs and interests. You must focus on the specific decision that will be made on this occasion (the subject). Audience � They come distracted by their own personal and professional needs and interests. Your job is to help them relate your subject to their needs and interests, to convince them that this decision will help meet their needs as well as yours. Subject � Your program comes with its own history and needs to continue or grow. Here you want to put a set of human faces on your program: it is not what you do�it is who you affect that sells your program.Each of the three elements is complicated by the constantly changing backgrounds in each unique situation. Presenter � You come to the table with your own personal and professional needs and interests. You must focus on the specific decision that will be made on this occasion (the subject). Audience � They come distracted by their own personal and professional needs and interests. Your job is to help them relate your subject to their needs and interests, to convince them that this decision will help meet their needs as well as yours. Subject � Your program comes with its own history and needs to continue or grow. Here you want to put a set of human faces on your program: it is not what you do�it is who you affect that sells your program.

5. Persuading is like making a candle Melt Mold Harden & Ignite! The �Forest Gump� principle of persuasion: You must melt the natural resistance every person has to change. You must mold opinion to move your audience toward the decision you desire. You must harden that opinion into a firm decision and ignite them into acting on it.The �Forest Gump� principle of persuasion: You must melt the natural resistance every person has to change. You must mold opinion to move your audience toward the decision you desire. You must harden that opinion into a firm decision and ignite them into acting on it.

6. Melting Resistance To Melt Resistance Be honest Find common ground Use humor carefully Appreciate what they are already doing Give realistic pros and cons Ask them to make your case To Raise Resistance: Be insincere Shout �You�re wrong!� Use weak humor Guilt trip them Use improbable threats Lecture them

7. Molding Opinion:Know your Audience They are concerned about local issues and local people Make local arguments They make decisions with both their minds and hearts Appeal to both They feel financially pressured Show how your programs save money or bring new money into the community You can quote national figures but make local applications. Facts and figures for their minds/illustrations and stories for their hearts (pictures?) You can quote national figures but make local applications. Facts and figures for their minds/illustrations and stories for their hearts (pictures?)

8. Molding Opinion: Know what moves your Audience What do they all commonly want? They want happy & healthy constituents They want the respect of others They want to be responsible leaders They want a successful community They want to hear success stories They want to avoid pain and failure Show your programs meets their needs Among many other things, they are motivated by obligation, common sense, and fear. Obligation � they want to do what is right, to fulfill the commitments they have made Common sense � they want to do what is possible Fear � they do not want to fail or be rejected (= not elected) Among many other things, they are motivated by obligation, common sense, and fear. Obligation � they want to do what is right, to fulfill the commitments they have made Common sense � they want to do what is possible Fear � they do not want to fail or be rejected (= not elected)

9. Molding Opinion:Present Professionally To trust you, your audience must believe you are a competent person, a professional Present information accurately The data The names The spelling & grammar If you cannot be trusted to get the small things (the details) right, how can you be trusted to get the big things (the funded programs) right?If you cannot be trusted to get the small things (the details) right, how can you be trusted to get the big things (the funded programs) right?

10. Molding Opinion:Present Personally Never talk down to or over the heads of your audience Tell your story simply Use short simple sentences Show rather than tell Illustrate with short stories of success Treat your audience as people should be treated�with respect.Treat your audience as people should be treated�with respect.

11. Molding Opinion:Make your argument clear Answer basic questions (5W�s & H) Show the real, positive results achieved by your program to meet real needs Show what your program has done Show what your program will do Show what your program cannot do if not funded and what the cost will be to the community Who, what, where, when, why, and how and never forget the �So what?�Who, what, where, when, why, and how and never forget the �So what?�

12. In Closing, IGNITE! People may feel for you and agree with you, but if they do not act on your behalf, your presentation fails its purpose Mind, emotions, and will diagramMind, emotions, and will diagram

13. Harden & Ignite!:Believe in your cause To ignite others to support your cause, first YOU should be on fire Why should others care if you do not? You show your convictions by your Passionate presentation Confident presentation Positive presentation People will not care what you know until they know that you care.People will not care what you know until they know that you care.

14. Harden & Ignite!:Summarize & Seek a Decision Summarize what you already agree on Smile Assume the best Make a specific request Be thorough but . . . Be brief Close the deal. You can�t sell if you never ask people to buy. Don�t leave your audience wondering what they should do next.Close the deal. You can�t sell if you never ask people to buy. Don�t leave your audience wondering what they should do next.

15. Principles for Powerful Persuasion Melt Resistance Mold Opinions Know your audience well Make your argument clear Present personally & professionally Harden & Ignite! Believe in your cause Summarize & make a specific request Know your audience well (pathos) Make your argument clear (logos) Present personally & professionally (ethos)Know your audience well (pathos) Make your argument clear (logos) Present personally & professionally (ethos)

16. Does it always work? Of course not! Some people come equipped with closed minds (They�ve already decided) Some people come with busy minds (They aren�t really listening to you) Some people will not agree with you (so if you can�t convince them, at least help them be sorry they can�t agree with you) Remember there will be other times and other decisions. Burn no bridges!Remember there will be other times and other decisions. Burn no bridges!

17. Remember�. The people expect us to be accountable � to show the positive results of our land-grant programs So inform the people about the difference you are making in people�s lives Show the people that your services are vital to growing communities Ask the people for active financial support without apology You don�t have to apologize for asking others to help you do what is right.You don�t have to apologize for asking others to help you do what is right.

18. Where can you go for additional help? You are welcome at the Purdue University Writing Lab Heavilon Hall, Room 226 Grammar Hotline: (765) 494-3723 Check our web site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu Email brief questions: owl@owl.english.purdue.edu You can always come to the Writing Lab for extra help with any writing tasks you are working on. You can always come to the Writing Lab for extra help with any writing tasks you are working on.

19. Questions? Thank you for listening; Now put these principles to work in your programs.Thank you for listening; Now put these principles to work in your programs.