PR truyền thông - Chapter 11: Crafting persuasive messages

Chapter 11Crafting Persuasive MessagesPurposes PrimaryTo have audience act or change beliefsSecondaryTo build good image of the communicatorTo build good image of communicator’s organizationTo cement a good relationshipTo overcome any objectionsTo reduce or eliminate future messages on subjectChoosing a Persuasive Strategy What do you want people to do?What objections will audience have?How strong a case can you make?What kind of persuasion is best for the situation?What kind of persuasion is best for organization and culture?Three Aspects of PersuasionArgument—reasons or logic communicator offersCredibility—audience’s response to communicator as source of messageExpertise, image, relationshipsEmotional appeal—making audience want to do as communicator asksPersuasive PatternsDirect RequestAudience will do what you ask without resistanceYou need response only from people who can easily do as you askAudience may not read all of the messageProblem-SolvingAudience may resist doing what you askYou expect logic to be more important than emotion in the decisionSalesAudience may resist doing what you askYou expect emotion to be more important than logic in the decisionWhy Threats Don’t PersuadeDon’t produce permanent changeMay not produce desired action May make people abandon actionProduce tensionPeople dislike/avoid one who threatensCan provoke counteraggressionOrganizing Direct RequestsAsk immediately for the information or service you wantGive audience all the information they need to act on your requestAsk for the action you wantOrganizing Problem-Solving MessagesCatch audience’s interest by mentioning common groundSuggest you and audience have mutual interest in solving problemAnalyze audience to understand biases, objections, and needsIdentify with audience to find common goalsDefine problem you share with audienceExplain solution to problemShow that advantages outweigh negatives Summarize additional benefits of solutionAsk for action you want Dealing with Objections Specify time, money required to actPut time, money in context of benefits Show that money spent now will save money in long runShow that doing as you ask will benefit something audience cares aboutShow audience need for sacrifice to achieve larger, more important goal Show that advantages outweigh the disadvantagesEncourage audience to act promptlySales and Fund-Raising PurposesPrimaryTo motivate audience to act (send donation, order a product)SecondaryTo build good image of communicator’s organizationTo strengthen commitment of audiences who actTo make audiences who do not act more likely to act next timeOrganizing Sales/Fund-Raising Messages: OpenerMakes audience want to read entire messageUse of these main typesQuestionsNarration, stories, anecdotesStartling statementsQuotationsSets up transition to letter bodyOrganizing Sales/Fund-Raising Messages: BodyAnswers audience’s questionsOvercomes audience’s objectionsInvolves audience emotionallyLong letters work best: 4 pages ideal Short letters, e-mail work tooOrganizing Sales/Fund-Raising Messages: Body ContentInformation audience can useStories about history of product or organizationStories about people who use product Word pictures of audiences enjoying benefits offeredOrganizing Sales/Fund-Raising Messages: Action CloseTells audience what to doMakes action sound easyOffers audience reason to act nowEnds with positive pictureMay recall central selling pointUse a postscript to highlight the central selling point and get people to act promptly!Strategy in Sales Messages: Satisfying Need and PricingSatisfying NeedTell people of need product meetsProve that product satisfies that needShow why product is better than similar onesMake audience want to have productDealing with PriceLink price to product’s benefitLink price to benefits your company offersShow how much product costs each day, week, or monthAllow customers to charge sales or pay in installmentsStrategy in Fund-Raising Appeals: Vicarious ParticipationUse we to talk about the causeAt end, use you to talk about what audience will be doingShow how audience’s dollars help solve the problemFund-Raising MessagesProvide lots of information toPersuade audiencesGive evidence to use with othersGive image of strong, worthy cause to non-supporters Suggest other ways audiences can helpLink gift to what it will buyOffer a premium for givingAsk for a monthly pledgeLogical Proof in Fund-Raising MessagesBody must prove that—Problem deserves attentionProblem can be alleviated or solvedYour group is helping to solve problemPrivate funds are neededYour organization will use funds wiselyWriting StyleMake text interestingTightConversationalUse psychological description: vivid word picturesDescribe audience benefitsDescribe problem product solvesMake message sound like a letter, not an adOne person talking to anotherInformal: short sentences and words, even slangCreate a persona—character who writes the letterTechnology and PersuasionTelevision is traditional method to reach wide audienceMany organizations are now using social networking and websitesSmart organizations are getting people outside the company to be sales force