Taking a Stand: How to Tell a Story for Maximum Affect
Starting my Stand for the Sick Series this week, I wanted to go over some advocating basics.
Believe it or not, there is a certain way to say certain points for maximum effectiveness.
This is why the advertising industry makes billions. Advertising understands, combines, and can fund research into both the art and science of persuasion.
This has contributed to American’s “I-have-to-have-it” culture. Have you ever watched a commercial, or seen an add in a magazine, and then while shopping for jeans you just could not resist that sweater in this seasons style or color?
There is a reason for that. It is not because you alone decided you needed that exact color or style for that exact time of year.
Well, not always.
Here’s the basics of making a persuasive point.
1. State your problem. In general, make your comments clear and concise. Do not leave room for confusion or interpretation.
2. Site a specific example.
3. Refer to the general problem the situation exemplifies and why it is important to remedy this and the possible adverse effects in terms of all residents.
4. Maybe give another example. Be brief. Don’t explain that the person is your wife’s half brother’s mother’s cousin. That is too complicated. Say acquaintance or friend. Make the person a personal contact.
5. Summarize what you’ve said. Use one or two sentences. Maybe ask a thought provoking, hypothetical, rhetorical question.
High fear messages are generally only cause an action if people clearly see the behavioral means for fixing the problem (Yes. 50 Scientifically proven methods of persuasion, p. 43). In fact, scaring people can have the opposite effect of paralyzing them into inaction if achievable steps aren’t given.
Just thought you should know if anybody ever felt like taking this route as an effective path to advocating or teaching.
Believe it or not, there is a certain way to say certain points for maximum effectiveness.
This is why the advertising industry makes billions. Advertising understands, combines, and can fund research into both the art and science of persuasion.
This has contributed to American’s “I-have-to-have-it” culture. Have you ever watched a commercial, or seen an add in a magazine, and then while shopping for jeans you just could not resist that sweater in this seasons style or color?
There is a reason for that. It is not because you alone decided you needed that exact color or style for that exact time of year.
Well, not always.
Here’s the basics of making a persuasive point.
1. State your problem. In general, make your comments clear and concise. Do not leave room for confusion or interpretation.
2. Site a specific example.
3. Refer to the general problem the situation exemplifies and why it is important to remedy this and the possible adverse effects in terms of all residents.
4. Maybe give another example. Be brief. Don’t explain that the person is your wife’s half brother’s mother’s cousin. That is too complicated. Say acquaintance or friend. Make the person a personal contact.
5. Summarize what you’ve said. Use one or two sentences. Maybe ask a thought provoking, hypothetical, rhetorical question.
High fear messages are generally only cause an action if people clearly see the behavioral means for fixing the problem (Yes. 50 Scientifically proven methods of persuasion, p. 43). In fact, scaring people can have the opposite effect of paralyzing them into inaction if achievable steps aren’t given.
Just thought you should know if anybody ever felt like taking this route as an effective path to advocating or teaching.
1 comment:
It's true. I do training occasionally at work, and I scare the people there into bending to my will. The only problem is we server coffee and donuts during training, so right after, the sugar rush drops and they fall asleep. Then they forget about them bending to my will. So sad.
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