Archive: Persuasion

Persuasive Writing Tip: Express Displeasure Politely

Persuasive Writing Tip: Express Displeasure Politely

Oct 24, 2017 | Persuasion

Learning to express displeasure politely invites a civilized discussion and increases the likelihood that the other person will accept your point of view. This was a lesson that a Harvard Business School professor apparently did not consider before sending a series of...
Public Relations Writing Tip: Use Flattery to Persuade

Public Relations Writing Tip: Use Flattery to Persuade

Sep 11, 2017 | Persuasion

If you want someone to comply with your request, try using flattery to persuade.   Flattery, compliments and exaggerated tributes, are among numerous ingratiation tactics that people use to induce someone to perform a particular behavior. Flattery brightens a...
Persuasive Writing Tip: Focus on the Number of Readers

Persuasive Writing Tip: Focus on the Number of Readers

Jul 10, 2017 | Persuasion

If you send a persuasive message to a group, consider two important factors: the strength of your argument and the number of people who will process it. For persuasive writing to be effective, an audience needs to be motivated to read the message (or hear it). And one...
Persuasive Writing Tip: It’s Not Just About the Message

Persuasive Writing Tip: It’s Not Just About the Message

Jun 27, 2017 | Persuasion

If you sit down to write a persuasive message, you probably focus on carefully selecting the right words and emphasizing the appropriate points. But the success of your message might depend on something else. People often decide how to respond to your persuasive...
To Move Someone to Yes, Push Your Request into the Future

To Move Someone to Yes, Push Your Request into the Future

Mar 6, 2017 | Persuasion

If you want someone to help you with a task, one way to persuade them is to ask far in advance, because people usually don’t think clearly about future obligations. The issue is psychological distance. People have a different perspective if something needs to be done...
Persuasive Writing Tip: Buzzwords are Risky

Persuasive Writing Tip: Buzzwords are Risky

Feb 27, 2017 | Persuasion

The trendy words and phrases that we know as “corporate speak” tarnish any communication, but using them in a persuasive appeal can be particularly risky. For a persuasive message to influence an audience, people need to see or hear concrete language,...