Principles for Principles for Powerful PersuasionPowerful Persuasion

What is Persuasion?What is Persuasion?

The art of persuasion is the art The art of persuasion is the art of finding the best available of finding the best available means of moving a specific means of moving a specific audience in a specific audience in a specific situation to a specific decisionsituation to a specific decision

The Persuasion TriangleThe Persuasion Triangle

Subject(Logos)

Presenter(Ethos)

Audience(Pathos)

Persuasion Persuasion in the Real Worldin the Real World

Presenter

Subject

Audience

Your Needs & Interests

Their Needs & Interests

Your Program’s Needs & Accomplishments

Persuading is like Persuading is like making a candlemaking a candle

MeltMelt

MoldMold

Harden & Ignite!Harden & Ignite!Adapted from E.M. Griffin. The Mind Changers. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale Publishers, 1976.

Melting ResistanceMelting Resistance

To Melt ResistanceTo Melt Resistance Be honestBe honest Find common groundFind common ground Use humor carefullyUse humor carefully Appreciate what they Appreciate what they

are already doingare already doing Give realistic pros Give realistic pros

and consand cons Ask them to make Ask them to make

your caseyour case

Try to melt resistance before meetings

To Raise Resistance:To Raise Resistance: Be insincereBe insincere Shout “You’re Shout “You’re

wrong!”wrong!” Use weak humorUse weak humor Guilt trip themGuilt trip them Use improbable Use improbable

threatsthreats Lecture themLecture them

Molding Opinion:Molding Opinion:Know your AudienceKnow your Audience They are concerned about local issues They are concerned about local issues

and local peopleand local people Make local argumentsMake local arguments

They make decisions with both their They make decisions with both their minds and heartsminds and hearts

Appeal to bothAppeal to both They feel financially pressuredThey feel financially pressured

Show how your programs save money or Show how your programs save money or bring new money into the communitybring new money into the community

Molding Opinion: Know Molding Opinion: Know what moves your Audiencewhat moves your Audience

What do they all commonly want?What do they all commonly want? They want happy & healthy constituentsThey want happy & healthy constituents They want the respect of othersThey want the respect of others They want to be responsible leaders They want to be responsible leaders They want a successful communityThey want a successful community They want to hear success storiesThey want to hear success stories They want to avoid pain and failureThey want to avoid pain and failure

Show your programs meets their needsShow your programs meets their needs

Molding Opinion:Molding Opinion:Present ProfessionallyPresent ProfessionallyTo trust you, your audience must believe To trust you, your audience must believe

you are a competent person, a you are a competent person, a professionalprofessional

Present information accuratelyPresent information accurately The dataThe data The namesThe names The spelling & grammar The spelling & grammar

Molding Opinion:Molding Opinion:Present PersonallyPresent Personally

Never talk down to or over the heads of Never talk down to or over the heads of your audienceyour audience

Tell your story simplyTell your story simply Use short simple sentencesUse short simple sentences Show rather than tellShow rather than tell Illustrate with short stories of successIllustrate with short stories of success

Molding Opinion:Molding Opinion:Make your argument clearMake your argument clearAnswer basic questions (5W’s & H)Answer basic questions (5W’s & H)Show the real, positive results achieved Show the real, positive results achieved

by your program to meet real needsby your program to meet real needs Show what your program has doneShow what your program has done Show what your program will doShow what your program will do Show what your program cannot do if not Show what your program cannot do if not

funded and what the cost will be to the funded and what the cost will be to the communitycommunity

In Closing, In Closing, IGNITE!IGNITE!

People may feel for you and People may feel for you and agree with you, but if they do not agree with you, but if they do not act on your behalf, your act on your behalf, your presentation fails its purposepresentation fails its purpose

Harden & Ignite!:Harden & Ignite!:Believe in your causeBelieve in your cause

To ignite others to support your cause, To ignite others to support your cause, first YOU should be on firefirst YOU should be on fire

Why should others care if you do not?Why should others care if you do not?You show your convictions by yourYou show your convictions by your

Passionate presentationPassionate presentation Confident presentationConfident presentation Positive presentationPositive presentation

Harden & Ignite!:Harden & Ignite!:Summarize & Seek a DecisionSummarize & Seek a Decision

Summarize what you already agree onSummarize what you already agree on SmileSmile Assume the bestAssume the best

Make a specific requestMake a specific request Be thorough but . . .Be thorough but . . . Be briefBe brief

Principles for Principles for Powerful PersuasionPowerful PersuasionMelt ResistanceMelt ResistanceMold OpinionsMold Opinions• Know your audience wellKnow your audience well• Make your argument clearMake your argument clear• Present personally & professionallyPresent personally & professionally

Harden & Ignite!Harden & Ignite!• Believe in your causeBelieve in your cause• Summarize & make a specific requestSummarize & make a specific request

Does it always work?Does it always work?Of course not!Of course not!Some people come equipped with closed Some people come equipped with closed

minds (They’ve already decided)minds (They’ve already decided)Some people come with busy minds Some people come with busy minds

(They aren’t really listening to you)(They aren’t really listening to you)Some people will not agree with you (so if Some people will not agree with you (so if

you can’t convince them, at least help you can’t convince them, at least help them be sorry they can’t agree with you)them be sorry they can’t agree with you)

Remember….Remember….The people expect us to be accountable – The people expect us to be accountable –

to show the positive results of our land-to show the positive results of our land-grant programsgrant programs

So inform the people about the difference So inform the people about the difference you are making in people’s livesyou are making in people’s lives

Show the people that your services are Show the people that your services are vital to growing communitiesvital to growing communities

Ask the people for active financial Ask the people for active financial support without apologysupport without apology

Where can you go for Where can you go for additional help?additional help?

You are welcome at the You are welcome at the Purdue University Purdue University Writing LabWriting Lab

Heavilon Hall, Room 226Heavilon Hall, Room 226 Grammar Hotline:Grammar Hotline:

(765) 494-3723(765) 494-3723 Check our web site: Check our web site:

http://owl.english.purdue.eduhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu Email brief questions: Email brief questions:

owl@owl.english.purdue.eduowl@owl.english.purdue.edu

Purdue University Writing Lab

Questions?Questions?