A radio or TV commercial selling a product, a political ad urging a vote, and the President of the United States touting the value of his policies are all verbal presentations of persuasion that were written first. A flyer placed on a car, a direct mail letter offering a product, columns in the editorial section of newspapers, magazines or blogs, and business plans are all designed to affect either behavior or belief are examples of written persuasion. Putting together a persuasive presentation is vital to forming successful teams.
Effective persuasion through the written word, results from a formula that can be followed whether the medium is aural, visual or printed. Written with a quill pen or with a computer keyboard the skills needed are the same.
Whether the writing is a persuasive essay, persuasive advertising or persuasive speech, persuasive writing follows a particular format. It has an introduction, a body where the argument is developed, and a conclusion. Here is a guide to constructing a successful piece to motivate action or change opinions.
An Introduction Must Grab Audience Attention Immediately
At the very beginning of a persuasive piece the audience decides to devote attention to the information that follows or find something else of interest. Thus, the introduction should be attention grabbing and impressive enough to induce continued consideration. The first words will determine success or failure and should make clear the presentation’s purpose. Get the audience’s attention and provide a preview of what’s to come.
To gain interest of the audience try one of the following strategies:
- Start with an extraordinary detail
- Make a controversial statement
- Quote a famous person
- Introduce a short and relevant anecdote
- Utilize a startling statistic or fact
- Ask a thought provoking, relevant rhetorical question
The Body of the Piece Must Develop and Support the Argument
The body of the presentation is the critical part which presents evidence and develops the reasons a person should act upon or believe the premise of the writer. It is crucial to support an argument and to dispel the arguments of competition. The evidence presented must be reasonable and reliable.
The body is constructed in a straight forward simple manner that is easily understood. This construction is as follows:
- A statement of facts that outlines the issues involved in the persuasion
- Apply those facts to support action or belief
- Summarize how the facts undercut opposing views
Create a Memorable Conclusion Summarized With a Tag Line
An audience, a reader or a listener will remember little detail of what they read or hear. The point of the persuasion is to ultimately get someone to do or believe something. The introduction and body are designed to get the audience favorably disposed to the conclusion.
A short, quick restatement of the introduction and summary of the body will remind a person of why he spent his valuable time considering a presentation. The conclusion must be memorable.
There are strategies for making the conclusion memorable. These include:
- A question with an expected answer
- A suggestion that the action or belief is a solution to a problem
- An implication that the solution is really the idea of the listener
A repeat of a famous quote giving credibility to the desired action or belief
In other words:
- Tell them what you are going to tell them
- Tell them.
- Tell them what you told them.
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