KIBABIIUNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

UNIT CODE: JMC324
UNIT NAME: PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION
LECTURER: DR IRENE SIMIYU
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 20th FEBRUARY 2023

NAME REGISTRATION NUMBER SIGNATURE

ANNETTE BELINDA BJM/0068/20

MORGAN OLOO BJM/0027/20

PATIENCE OMONDI BJM/0083/20

EPAPHRUS BARASA BJM/----/--

HILDA SAWE BJM/0036/20

TITUS WEKESA BJM/----/--

CAROLYNE ATIENO BJM/0077/20

DENNIS GAMBO BJM/0007/20

ANNETTE BARAZA BJM/0500/19

DERRICK ONZERE BJM/----/--

VELMA AVUGWE BJM/0074/20

VIVIAN SIFUNA BJM/0067/20

MAURICE CHIKAMAI BJM/----/--

Identify and discuss with real life examples, the components and characteristics of
Persuasive Transaction.
Definitions
 Persuasion – It is the deliberate attempt made to change the opinion, attitude, belief of a
person (or group) toward some event, idea, object or other person through information and
arguments.
 Transaction – is a process in which communicator generates social realities within social,
relational and cultural context. (Messages)
 Persuasive Transaction (Message) – is any message that is intended to shape, reinforce or
change the responses of another. Such responses are modified by symbolic transactions
(messages) which are sometimes but not always linked with coercive force (indirectly
coercive) and which appeal to the reason.

Components of Persuasive Transaction

1. Source – When the source or the person who is sending the communication is
trustworthy, highly credible, likeable, attractive or shares a similarity with the person of
whom the message is directed then persuasion tends to be successful.

Example: When a sick patient goes to a doctor, he/she is persuaded when the doctor is
presentable (i.e. he/she is wearing a lab coat, decent clothes and a stethoscope), the
patient will be convinced with everything the doctor will say compared to a qualified
doctor who is shabby looking.

2. Message – For a message to be effective, its structuring is important. Care should be

taken with regard to the contents that go into the making of the message.

Example: For the teaching of Persuasive Communication to be important and relevant,

Dr Irene Simiyu has to give detailed information about the terms ‘persuasion’,
‘communication’, and ‘persuasive communication’.
After that, she has to take her class through the components of Persuasive
Communication, the characteristics and finally give examples about the topic.
By her taking these into consideration, the message being passed to her class will be fully
understood.

3. Receiver – The personality of the receiver, his or her expectations, their pre-existing
attitudes, their intelligence will greatly determine whether the persuasive message will
have an impact on the receiver or not.

Example: If Caroline doesn’t love drinking milk, and she happens to see an advert on TV
of people drinking and enjoying milk while being energized: the advert is most likely to
convince her to start taking milk despite her current attitude towards milk.
4. Channel – The medium used for persuasion also determines the extent of impact on the
receiver. Sometimes when the persuasive message is given in person, it has a tremendous
impact on the receiver than if it was seen on the TV, heard on the radio or seen in print.
Therefore, the selection of the channel is very important.

Example: If a person sees an advert on TV about Bata shoes being advertised, he/she
won’t believe much as compared to if he/she visited Bata shop, saw many people buy the
shoes as they praise the brand for being legit for decades. Then will he/she be convinced
that the shoe brand is worth giving a try.

Characteristics of Persuasive Transaction

1. LIKING
In order for persuasion to be effective, the one influencing should be more transparent
when engaging with the audiences or communities.
This means that the influencer must reveal more details in order to gain trust and
persuade the audiences that the information is factual and that even the product
advertised is safe. This makes the information authentic. The more the people that like
your brand, the greater the chance of the marketers increasing social proof.

Example: Food adverts like Ajab Maize Flour usually involve the family eating together,
thus showcasing the product as safe for consumption and in accordance to standards set
by Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).

2. RECIPROCITY
Reciprocity is the giving of a little something to get a little something in return i.e. to
return favours and treat others as they have treated you.
In order for persuasion to have more audiences and easily convince them, a company or
brand uses influencers to collaborate with the marketing teams on campaigns. This is
because the influencers promote the content or introduce more of their fans that may be
interested in the product or the brand. When marketers successfully position their brand
in line with credible experts and sources, this too enables an element of social proof and
therefore boosts persuasion.

Example: Tanzanian singer, Naseeb Abdul Juma popularly known as Diamond

Platinumz was used by Coca Cola company to promote its brand which saw the product
soaring even higher in the market after the popular song ‘Sikamatiki’ which was
purposefully made for the drink went viral. Many of his fans embraced the drink which in
turn boosted the company.

3. CONSENSUS
Consensus is the tendency of an individual to follow the lead of the group or peers. Mass
adoption of strategies in persuasion happen with consensus. If many people use a certain
 product after a successful persuasion, the groups around them that don’t use the product
will most likely be influenced to use the product.
Example: If most girls from second to fourth years in a university have a certain dressing
code which is considered trendy and flashy, most of the fresher girls will most likely be
influenced to have those clothes which in turn is a major boost to the cloth brand.

4. SCARCITY
Time constraints, expiring discounts, remaining seats and contests are all strategies used
in persuasion to persuade the audience to move from the current moment to the next.
With kind and sweet words, the influencer can accelerate the customer journey by
playing on scarcity.

Example: Most TV and radio adverts on car brands, motorcycles among others will tend
to use this phrase, ‘Hurry while stocks last’ to gently push the audiences to clear the old
stock.

5. CONSISTENCY
Is a characteristic that asserts that people want to be and (to be) seen consistent with their
existing commitment. Consistency is important in persuasion because it helps build a
customer base (group of clients to whom a business markets and sells their goods and
services). This helps improve persuasion as it shows that the customers can rely on you
for a consistent (or possibly improved), end product. In order to offer high customer
experiences, one needs to exceed expectations and not just meet them.

Example: Coca Cola company has always s been consistent in their adverts in the TV.
This is because they want to have as much customer base as possible. This is achieved by
countless adverts they have done so far for the last five years. To be noted, their adverts
keep surpassing the previous ones which makes them even more popular.

6. AUTHORITY
Content that is shared helps the owner company to gain recognition. This is the brick and
mortar of thought leadership. Industries all have few leaders and plenty of followers. The
perception of authority in a topic is a proven characteristic of persuasive transaction.
Authority is attained over time and requires momentum as the most recent frequent and
relevant content you’ve produced is shared and recognized.

Example: In beverage company, according to a 2022 survey conducted in Kenya showed

that Coca Cola was the most preferred brand for carbonated drinks. A share of 87% of
respondents said that they preferred Coca Cola making the drink have authority over
beverage company in Kenya.
 REFERENCES
Gass, Robert H. Seiter, John S. (2010). Persuasion, social influence, and compliance
gaining (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. P.33

Cialdini, R.B. (2007). “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” New York:

HarperCollins Publishers.

Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Richard E. Vatz, The Only Authentic Book of Persuasion, Kendall Hunt, 2013