UNIT 3 PERSUASION

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SECTION 1

READING TIME

Let’s discuss

Have a look at these images. Which quote best matches all of

them? Why?

a. "If you wish to win a man over to your ideas, first make him your
friend." (Abraham Lincoln).
b. "He who wants to persuade should put his trust, not in the right
argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always
been greater than the power of sense." (Joseph Conrad)
c. “We must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in
ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something
and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” (Marie
Curie)

A
B C

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 You may want to use these phrases to express your opinions and perhaps
include some of the ideas suggested in the section called “Food for thought”.

Phrases to express your ideas

I´d say that …
It's difficult to say, but I'd guess that …
I honestly feel that …
I'm convinced that …
In a case/situation like this, …
It may seem that … but in fact/actually, …

Communication skills

Speaking with intent and confidence can help you persuade others
effectively. Speak clearly to avoid confusion, and only use non-verbal
gestures that the other person can understand easily. Use vocabulary that is
simple and positive. Focus on building credibility, rather than intimidating
listeners.

While sharing ideas, be engaging and use a tone that appeals to the listener.
List the positive features of your idea and refrain from demeaning theirs. For
example, if you are selling a product, talk extensively about how your product
is better and sparingly about the shortcomings of the product they already

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own. Honouring and respecting a customer's purchasing decisions can help
build trust.

2. Read the title of the text. What is the connection between these images
and the title of the following article?

3. Can you think of a possible definition of “persuasion”?

Persuasion refers to … / can be defined as … / means that …

READING TIME

1. Read the text quickly and spot a paragraph that defines

“persuasion.” Is it similar or different from your definition?

2. Read the text again and match these subtitles with the corresponding
section (see dotted lines …).

a. How can I be more assertive?

b. How to be persuasive
c. How do you use the principles of persuasion?
d. What are the principles of persuasion?
e. How can I deter someone from their current belief?

The Principles of Persuasion

The cornerstone of the psychology of persuasion is a set of six principles

delineated by pioneering researcher Robert Cialdini, professor emeritus at
Arizona State University.

…………………………………………………………………………………………
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…………………….. The psychologist Robert Cialdini developed
six principles of persuasion which have been used in business schools
as well as in boardrooms. They are:
• Reciprocity: People feel the need to give back to someone who
provided a product,
service, or information.
• Scarcity: People want items that they believe are in short supply.
• Authority: People are persuaded by a credible expert on a particular
topic.
• Consistency: People strive to be consistent in their beliefs and behaviors.
• Likability: People are influenced by those who are similar,
complimentary, and
cooperative.
• Consensus: People tend to make choices that seem popular among
others.

……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………. Choosing the right principle for persuasion depends on
the context. Imagine what may happen in a political campaign, if a
political candidate doesn´t use an authority figure, such as a
recognized physician, economist, or scientist, to support his/her
arguments. In this context, a political adviser - unlike other private firms -
hoping to get more votes may apply the authority principle by securing
an expert’s endorsement. In a social context, an individual may deepen
a relationship by inviting an acquaintance to a birthday party; due to
the reciprocity principle, the acquaintance may then return the favor
another time.

..…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………… While persuasion is a science, it’s also an art. It’s
a balance between pushing your perspective without being aggressive
and being assertive but not dismissive. But with the right combination, a
thoughtful and persuasive message can help you personally or
professionally.

People can experiment with various strategies to become more

convincing. One important concept is that people are more likely to be
persuaded by those they like. Spending time with a colleague to get to

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 know each other or simply offering a friendly smile and nod can help
you become more persuasive. Another tactic is to have someone else
vouch/corroborate for you, lending credibility to your belief or decision
without seeming too pushy.

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………….. Assertiveness is about standing up for yourself, rather
than putting anyone else down. You can become more assertive by
being clear and concise about what you’d like, and repeating yourself
if necessary. You can also offer solutions to potential barriers and explain
that you understand the other person’s point of view.

………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………..
Telling someone not to do something is often the best way to get them to
do it - what
is colloquially referred to as “reverse psychology.” Research finds that
when people are told they must do something, they are quickly and
strongly motivated to do the opposite.
Implementing the right principle of persuasion means establishing
credibility and trust with the audience.

Adapted for pedagogical purpose from:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/persuasion

GROUP WORK

1. Spot examples of each of the principles of persuasion and explain

why the example relates to the principle.

● Reciprocity:

● Authority:

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 ● Likability:

2. According to the description given above about "assertiveness", say

which expression reflects it and perhaps include some of the ideas
suggested in the section called “Food for thought”.

a. Sorry to bother you, but can I have the report by this evening?
b. I need the report this evening.
c. Could you prepare the report for this evening?

3. The article refers to "reverse psychology" as one of the strategies of

persuasion. Have you ever used it or have you ever been persuaded by
means of it? How? Why?

You may want to use these expressions to give your opinion.

You are welcome to include these expressions and also the ones seen in the
previous units.

Phrases to express your ideas

I perceive that …
I'm quite sure that
According to their performance/work, they could have …
From my perspective …
As far as I understand …
I might be wrong but …
I'm of mixed opinions about …

RECALLING TIME

Have a look at these sentences taken from the text.

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 What do the phrases in bold type have in common?

a. In a social context, an individual may deepen a relationship by

inviting an acquaintance to a birthday party; due to the
reciprocity principle, the acquaintance may then return the favor
another time.

b. But with the right combination, a thoughtful and persuasive

message can help you personally or professionally.

c. Research finds that when people are told they must do something,
they are quickly and strongly motivated to do the opposite.

MODAL VERBS

✔ These phrases contain: modal verb + infinitive.

As you may remember, we often use modal verbs when we want to

express an opinion or attitude about a fact. All modal verbs are about
the speaker’s or writer’s point of view.

✔ Which ideas do they express?

In a and b, may and can: near possibility

In c, must: obligation

✔ Other modal verbs

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Could and might: remote possibility
Potential clients could/might build a network of experts.

Will: prediction or promise

The pitcher will probably do his/her best. (prediction)
We will provide you with the latest technology. (promise)

Should: advice
You should take advantage of the persuasive strategy.

Would: hypothesis
How would you persuade your potential clients?

TO WORK ON YOUR OWN

1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate modal. The intended meaning is
given in the parenthesis.

Using Persuasion in Marketing

Principles Examples

1. Consensus You .............. show your client list to your potential

clients. (near possibility)

2. Consistency You …………… ask your potential clients to agree to

try your samples. (near possibility)

3. Scarcity You …………… tell your potential clients what they’ll

lose by not choosing your product. (advice)

4.Authority Our trustworthy expert ………….. promote your

product successfully. (promise)

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 5. Reciprocity …………… you send free samples to make your
potential clients feel the need to give back?
(hypothesis)

6. Likability Manager to employee: you ………….. make your

potential clients more familiar with our company or
sales force. (obligation)

2. Choose the appropriate modal verb.

Pitcher Prototypes

Pitchers ………………. 1(may/must) be categorized by catchers into one of

three prototypes: the showrunner, the artist, and the neophyte. Showrunners
come off as professionals and ………………. 2(will/might) combine creative
inspiration with production know-how. Artists appear to be quirky and
unpolished and ……………….. 3(might/will) prefer the world of creative ideas
to quotidian reality. Neophytes ……………….. 4(will/might) be—or act as if they
were—young, inexperienced, and naïve. By successfully projecting yourself as
one of the three creative types and getting your catcher to view himself or
herself as a creative collaborator, you ……………….. 5(would/can) improve
your chances of selling an idea. My research also has implications for those
who buy ideas: catchers ……………….. 6(could/should) beware of relying on
stereotypes. It’s all too easy to be dazzled by pitchers who ultimately can’t get
their projects off the ground, and it’s just as easy to overlook the creative
individuals who ……………….. 7(can/would) make good on their ideas. That’s
why, catchers ………………. 8(should/might) test every pitcher´s expertise,
experiences, or finished products. In a meeting with a showrunner, for example,
the catcher ……………….. 9(will/can) ask how the pitcher ………………..
10(would/should) react to various changes to his or her ideas.

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 SPEAKING TIME

Elevator Pitch - an innovative strategy to give a successful speech

How to persuade others about your proposal as a possible solution

In Unit 2, we worked on the first two parts of a PITCH: the CONTEXT and the
PROBLEM STATEMENT. Now, we are going to deal with the third part: the
SOLUTION, and the last one: the ADVANTAGES.
In the SOLUTION, you will explain to your interlocutors the way you can solve
the problem successfully. To do that, you need to include the proposal
which describes the solution for the problem and tells the decision-maker
how you believe the problem will be solved, that is to say, what change/s
should be implemented.

Now, to close a pitch it is important to state the ADVANTAGES of the

SOLUTION to highlight that it will work satisfactorily, focusing on its positive
aspects.

To do so, it is useful to consider these structures.

POSSIBLE STRUCTURE OF A PITCH

SOLUTION

You can present the solution by describing the proposal and telling the
decision-maker how you believe it will be fixed.

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The solution can be presented as a question or a statement and it may
contain information about:
● the proposal,
● the key differentiator.

You can express your ideas using the following tenses and grammar
structures:
● Simple Present
● Present Continuous
● Present Perfect
● Modal verbs
● Passive Voice
● Conditional Sentences: generally type 1
● Relative Pronouns / Connectors

You can try these frequently used expressions:

● I/We think that I/We can help you to solve ... (define the problem they
experience) by providing ... (present your solution)
● I/we think that I/we can address this problem…. (connector) I/we need
…. (solution).
● I/we might also need …. (details).
● With help of/from …
● I'm not sure if you are aware …. .

ADVANTAGES

The advantages can be presented as a statement and you may include the
following aspects:
● Why it is the best moment to carry out the solution.
● A wide range of opportunities your interlocutor can seize by
mentioning figures and/or percentages.
● Underline how your solution can stand out from other proposals or
outperform the competition.

You can express your ideas using the following tenses and grammar
structures:
● Simple Future

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 ● Present Continuous
● Present Perfect
● Modal verbs
● Passive Voice
● Conditional Sentences: generally type 1
● Relative Pronouns / Connectors
● Adverbs

You can try these frequently used expressions:

● If we/you work hard on …(this/the idea/proposal/…), /we/ you will … ,

*¹
● My/Our/The new project will boost .... (this field/area/aspects) *¹
● If we/you get this, we/you will instantly … (see the changes/), *¹
● If you compare … (the proposals/all the models/the samples/…), this is
much better *¹
● Introducing this new tendency, everything will be better *¹
● I/we believe I/we can …. (outline key differentiator) that will provide
(customer´s/client's goal) *¹
●
*¹ To complete the idea you can use the following: because I/we/you can
(get better results/ improve sales/make money by revenue streams) as I/we
have already achieved (key growth metrics, product development, market
validation, strategic clients or partnerships, etc.).

GROUP WORK

A. Re-read the example pitch # 1 and complete the following chart with the
possible structures (see the previous chart) and content of a pitch. In this pitch,
the SOLUTION is done as an example.

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Example # 1 Speaker: Harrison Smith, UP School of Marine Science & Policy
Master’s student

We've all heard that robots are taking over the job market but what if I told
you that retail and manufacturing aren't the only industries where robots are
making a splash?
Oceanography has been revolutionized with the advent of high-tech

observatories that allow people like you and me to see the ocean in ways

that people 50 years ago could only dream about. Today we have robots

that dive thousands of meters below the ocean surface and robots that can

see a centimeter from an orbit thousands of miles away.

Now, we don't always think of satellites as robots but they are and for

oceanography, they provide an unparalleled daily global snapshot of the

world's oceans. But when it comes time to validate the data from these

multi-million-dollar taxpayer-funded ventures, we fill a boat with people, fuel,

and scientific instruments. We send it to the middle of the ocean to repeat the

satellite's measurements. Sounds expensive, or tedious?

I think there's a better way, one that uses the tools we already have. My

research explores using underwater robots, called gliders, to validate data

from ocean-observing satellites. Now gliders are already taking all the same

measurements that are taken on a satellite validation cruise at a fraction of

the cost.

If we can use the resources we already have more efficiently, satellite

oceanography can rocket forward and leave the tedious jobs to the robots.

Thank you.

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 ELEVATOR STRUCTURE CONTENT
PITCH
Statement I think there's a better way, one
SOLUTION
that uses the tools we already
have. My research explores using
key differentiator underwater robots, called gliders,
to validate data from
ocean-observing satellites. Now
gliders are already taking all the
same measurements that are
taken on a satellite validation
cruise at a fraction of the cost.
(Simple Present: explores / have
Present Continuous: are taking
Passive Voice: are taken
Relative Pronoun: that
Expressions: I think / Now)
If we can use the resources we
ADVANTAGES …
already have more efficiently,
satellite oceanography can rocket
forward and leave the tedious jobs
to the robots.
…

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