Principles for Powerful Persuasion: Principles for Powerful Persuasion What is Persuasion?: 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 The Persuasion Triangle: The Persuasion Triangle Subject (Logos) Presenter (Ethos) Audience (Pathos) Persuasion in the Real World: Persuasion in the Real World Presenter Subject Audience Your Needs andamp; Interests Their Needs andamp; Interests Your Program’s Needs andamp; Accomplishments Persuading is like making a candle: Persuading is like making a candle Melt Mold Harden andamp; Ignite! Adapted from E.M. Griffin. The Mind Changers. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale Publishers, 1976. Melting Resistance: 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 Try to melt resistance before meetings To Raise Resistance: Be insincere Shout 'You’re wrong!' Use weak humor Guilt trip them Use improbable threats Lecture them Molding Opinion:Know your Audience: 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 Molding Opinion: Know what moves your Audience: Molding Opinion: Know what moves your Audience What do they all commonly want? They want happy andamp; 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 Molding Opinion:Present Professionally: 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 andamp; grammar Molding Opinion:Present Personally: 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 Molding Opinion:Make your argument clear: Molding Opinion: Make your argument clear Answer basic questions (5W’s andamp; 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 In Closing, IGNITE!: 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 Harden & Ignite!:Believe in your cause: Harden andamp; 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 Harden & Ignite!:Summarize & Seek a Decision: Harden andamp; Ignite!: Summarize andamp; Seek a Decision Summarize what you already agree on Smile Assume the best Make a specific request Be thorough but . . . Be brief Principles for Powerful Persuasion: Principles for Powerful Persuasion Melt Resistance Mold Opinions Know your audience well Make your argument clear Present personally andamp; professionally Harden andamp; Ignite! Believe in your cause Summarize andamp; make a specific request Does it always work?: 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….: 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 Where can you go for additional help?: 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: [email protected] Purdue University Writing Lab Questions?: Questions?