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Persuasive Message

Lecture Slides
To supplement the PPT given a week ago.
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Pair work (5 min):

Choose only one topic to share with your partner.
Listen to your partner.
TOPIC 2
TOPIC 1
Recall the last
Recall the last time
time someone
you persuaded
someone. persuaded you.
Did you succeed? Did he/she
Why? (2.5 min to succeed? Why?
share with (2.5 min to share
partner)
with partner)
It worked because It didn’t work because
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• 1. mahjong-short of one: grab fare

• 1. time to do work grab fare
• 2. sleepover: fun, soju, swim,  yes
• 3.Cook, coffee, save $ • 2. lack credibility, not known
• 4. 30% off: $32/person • 3. time, no concrete plan
• 5. convinced colleagues—mutual, win-win
• 4. weird proposal– drink at his
• 6.Insurance: potential risk—
house [security]
negative experience
[problem] • 5. no benefit
7. Common ground– audience’s concern • 6.Unaware of audience’s habit
8. Extend deadline: additional sales, addressing
clients’ needs
9. Giving audience what she needs: bubble tea
10. Showed calculations- convincing, from his point of
view – he is the one paying
11. promotions, opportunity
 What makes a message persuasive?
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OPENING PARA: Get attention Increase DESIRE [SOLUTION]

• What it takes/describe/list and
Request for
explain. – visualize HOW it works resources- funds,
NEED FOR SOLUTION
• Benefits: ……sub headers,Here?
manpower, facilities-
Build interest [PROBLEM/ current situation] approval, review of
bullet point, positive
• Raise awareness of topic: peers (choose words policy, change,
more relatable ones): trend, peers, current enhancement or
policies + evidences are relatable • Concerns– do NOT Here? upgrading,
list/audience’s yes but partnership/collabora
then..…[addressing tion, allow access)
• An issue/problem/negative potential concern] – WHERE TO POSITION
effects/identify what is relevant to the anticipate and include REQUEST?
reader – common ground + evidences are WHAT DOES THE
how to overcome – major AUDIENCE NEED TO
relatable. Avoid explaining the need for ones Here? KNOW TO BE
something that is already a policy, e.g. no
RECEPTIVE?
cats in HDB or let’s go zero waste Instead,
focus on why/ the rationale for this
solution. Identify the root cause/lack of
something. CLOSING PARA (Action)
 Organization: Indirect vs Direct approach
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Audience is receptive. Audience is resistant.

Main point (request/bottom Main point (request/bottom

line/solution/recommendation) line/solution/recommendation)
comes BEFORE comes AFTER
rationale/evidence. rationale/evidence/explanation of
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Four parts of a persuasive message (A-I-D-A)

Get Increase Call to Action
Build Interest
Attention Desire
ATTENTION
Explain what your idea is and how your
idea [SOLUTION] works or how to State what’s next or
Increase audience’s give a clear and
In the opening para, implement your idea (help audience
interest /build VISUALIZE and feel POSITIVE) specific first step or
• look for common awareness of the action [the type of action is
ground to build your
current situation: Explain the PROS (i.e. how your idea will dependent on the
case organizational context,
• show understanding of BENEFIT them/their cause/organization). audience, and purpose, e.g.
audience’s concern. -conditions or trends read proposal or complete the
Anticipate audience’s doubts and donation form attached or
• include an interesting or government policy read an article or meeting]
statement, question, overcome their resistance by addressing
problem, case, news, their potential questions/objections
-PROBLEM/negative [CONS].
Use positive
etc [aim for relevance effects/root cause emphasis: vision to
and effectiveness] inspire, forward-
Include your request (the positioning
depends on what audience needs to looking statement,
know before they are receptive) key benefit, goodwill
statement
Note: (1) Make relevant statements and give supporting evidences to convince the audience.
(2) There are various interpretations of ‘call to action’. To ensure clarity, I use terms such as idea (or solution), request (or
bottom line) and action para (or CLOSE or CLOSING).
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Writing the subject line Request for

• What if I omit the subject line? development budget
Reader will delete the email/read with a sense of
irritation
to add automated
• How many words max? response system
Some say 50 characters or 5-8 words max.

What subject line is appropriate for a reluctant

Reducing the cost audience?
of customer If you are persuading your boss to pay for
support something, and you know he is not interested and
not willing, it is wise to choose a subject line that
(a) interests him and yet (b) does not reveal your
request (see example in green box; the example in
the red box will irritate him and he is likely to
delete the email.
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Selecting an attentionAudience
getter.

Situation Audience
Is it customized (relevant) for the audience?
Is it appropriate for the
Will it interest and engage the audience?
context/timing/situation?
Will the audience be keen to listen to the rest of
your message?
4
considerations Purpose (Writer’s)
Message Is it suitable for the purpose of
Will it prepare the audience to accept the writing?
next point (in the INTEREST para)?
Will it enhance the writer’s credibility?
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Types of attention getter: Some examples to consider

Important: Choose carefully. See 4 considerations in the previous slide.

Question/Rhetorical question

Startling fact and Anecdote/story/case study

figures/detail
Statement of
Reference to current opinion/quotation Hypothetical situation
trend/event/historical
event/product &
service/audience/occasion
Make a statement of a common belief
Prediction News and then oppose it.