INDIRECTNESS IN

PERSUASIVE MESSAGES
CH8
BUS-EMB500
Mhb

Indirectness in Persuasive
Messages
Everything you write on the job will have some kind of persuasive

purpose.

But, in some situations, persuasion will be your central goal where

your readers will hold a certain position.

Because you are proposing something that your reader probably

does not already agree with or want to do, it is often best to
organize persuasive messages in an indirect order.

Preparing the reader to accept your idea is a much better strategy

than blurting out the idea from start and then having to argue
uphill.

Sometimes you may want to use direct approach, if you know your
reader prefers directness or you believe your reader will discard
your message unless you get to the point early.

General Advice About

Persuasion

Know Your Reader

Choose and Develop Targeted Reader Benefit.

Make Good Use of Three Kinds of Appeals.

Make it Easy for Your Readers to Comply

Know Your Reader

In persuasive message, thinking about your subject from readers

point of view is critical.

You need to know as much as you can about their values,

interests and needs.

Companies use varieties of research techniques to gather

demographic information (such as age, gender, income,
geographic location etc. ) and psychographic information (such
as social, political, and personal preferences) on their target
audience.

Good persuasion depends on knowledge as well as imagination

and logic.

Choose and Develop Targeted Reader

Benefit

People can be motivated either tangible or intangible

rewards.
- tangible or measurable rewards: save money, save time or
acquire some desired object.
- intangible: make life easier, peace of mind, prestige, more
freedom or helping a better cause (helping poor, protecting
environment etc.)
- Do not underestimate the power of intangible benefits.

Prefer intrinsic benefits over extrinsic benefits

- Let intrinsic benefit do the main work of your persuasive effort.

Turn your product features into readers benefit.

Use scenario painting to help readers visualize

themselves enjoying the benefits of the product.

Make Good Use of Three Kinds of

Appeals
Aristotle
identified three kinds of persuasive

appeals:
Logos based on logic

Pathos based on emotion

Ethos based on character of the speaker

All three kinds come into play in every persuasive

message.

Make it Easy for Your Readers to

Comply

Be sure to make the requested action clear and

easy.
- if you want people to give money, or buy your product,
tell them where and how to do it. (preaddressed mailing
envelope, web address)
- If you want employees to give suggestion for
improvement, tell them exactly where and how to submit
their ideas and make it easy for them to do it.

Some Types of Persuasive

Messages

Persuasive Requests
Sales Messages
Proposals

Persuasive Requests

Fund raising
Request for staff
Request for a equipment
Requesting a potential client for a meeting
Requesting employees to change certain behavior.

Requests that are likely to be resisted require a slow

and
deliberate approach. You must present facts and logical
reasoning that supports your case.

Example: Persuasive
Request

Page 197 & 201

Persuasive Requests

Determining the Persuasive Plan

Planning your strategy involves three interrelated

tasks:
- Considering your own goal for the message.
- Considering your readers needs and interests.
- and then deciding upon a persuasive plan.

A special persuasive plan is the problemsolution strategy, which uses the commonground technique

Persuasive Requests

Gaining Attention in the Opening

The opening sets up the strategy and gains

attention.

Opening should make the reader receptive to your

message.

An effective attention getter is both creative and

adapted to your reader.

The opening of a problem-solution message

describes a problem that you and readers share.

Persuasive Requests

Developing the Appeal

Following the opening your task here is a logical

and orderly presentation of the reasoning you
have selected.

Present the points convincingly ( selecting words

for positive effect, using you view point and the
like)

You need to use logic and emotion appropriately

and project an appealing image.

Persuasive Requests

Making the Requests Clearly and

Positively

After you have done your persuading, move to

the action you seek.

If you prepare the reader well, the reader should

be ready to accept your offer.

Be Positive. Do not use a negative tone.

Ending with a reminder of the appeal is also

good.

Exercise : Sales Message

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