23.06.

2023, 12:40 Four Audiences

How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

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Four Audiences
 
Techniques > General Persuasion > Articles on Persuasion > Four Audiences
Hostile | Critical | Uninformed | Sympathetic | See also
 

 
There are four different types of audience you may have to persuade, who have quite different
attitudes towards you and who hence are persuaded by different methods.

Hostile
Sometimes an audience is openly hostile or generally tends to disagree with you. Perhaps they do
not want to be there. Perhaps they do not like your or what you represent.

Work harder than usual on developing trust.

Carefully construct your presentation, either form an area of agreement or from a point of
disagreement.
Establish basic principles before moving on to specific proposals.
Challenge them. Show that they may be wrong or have incomplete evidence. Create tension.
Use reference sources and evidence that they find acceptable and cannot deny.
Use humor to disarm them.
Show what does not work, leaving an inescapable conclusion.

Critical
Critical audiences consider themselves intelligent and probably more intelligent than you. They
will thus pick holes in what you say and disbelieve your assertions.

Use copious evidence with strong references.

Do not exaggerate anything. If anything, play on the safe side.
Use rational argument, revealing premises and avoiding fallacies.
Argue both sides of the case with pros-vs-cons reasoning.
Be fair and reasonable.
Respond to criticisms evenly and with rational argument.

Uninformed
People who do not have all the facts before them may well be open to argument, particularly if it
makes sense.

Question them to find out what they know and do not know.
Give basic facts to fill in the detail.
Use rational argument to explain the logic.
Use references and respected people to lend weight.

Sympathetic
People who are sympathetic have an emotional attachment to you and are easiest to persuade.
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Build a bond with them by showing how you are they are similar in some way.
Make personal appeals, asking for their help.
Trigger their emotions (positive ones!).
Just ask nicely (which may be all that is needed).
In a group argument, get them on your side (which they may do anyway just to balance
things up).

See also
Public Speaking and Presentation
 

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23.06.2023, 12:40 Four Audiences

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Site Menu
| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook |

Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

Search
 
 

Please help and share:

Quick links

Disciplines Principles
* Argument + Principles
* Brand management
Explanations
* Change Management
* Coaching * Behaviors
* Communication * Beliefs
* Counseling * Brain stuff
* Game Design * Conditioning
* Human Resources * Coping Mechanisms
* Job-finding * Critical Theory
* Leadership * Culture
* Decisions
https://changingminds.org/techniques/general/articles/four_audiences.htm 4/5
23.06.2023, 12:40 Four Audiences

* Marketing * Emotions
* Politics * Evolution
* Propaganda * Gender
* Rhetoric * Games
* Negotiation * Groups
* Psychoanalysis * Habit
* Sales * Identity
* Sociology * Learning
* Storytelling * Meaning
* Teaching * Memory
* Warfare * Motivation
* Workplace design * Models
* Needs
Techniques
* Personality
* Assertiveness * Power
* Body language * Preferences
* Change techniques * Research
* Closing techniques * Relationships
* Conversation * SIFT Model
* Confidence tricks * Social Research
* Conversion * Stress
* Creative techniques * Trust
* General techniques * Values
* Happiness
* Hypnotism Theories
* Interrogation * Alphabetic list
* Language * Theory types
* Listening
And
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling – About
* Propaganda – Guest Articles
* Problem-solving – Blog!
* Public speaking – Books
* Questioning – Changes
* Using repetition – Contact
* Resisting persuasion – Guestbook
* Self-development – Quotes
* Sequential requests – Students
* Storytelling – Webmasters
* Stress Management  
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

Search
© Changing Works 2002-2023
Massive Content — Maximum Speed

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