What is Persuasion? Introduction, Meaning, and Steps

Introduction to Persuasion is an important objective of communication. This article about Persuasion explains with their topics – Introduction, Meaning, Definition, and Steps. It may define as an effort “to influence the attitudes, feelings, or beliefs of others, or to influence actions based on those attitudes, feelings, or beliefs”. Buyers have often to persuade to buy a particular article available with the seller in place of the one they wanted to buy.

Persuasion: Introduction, Meaning, Definition, Steps, and Elements.

In the office or the factory, the lazy, the incompetent and the disgruntled workers have to persuade to do their work. It is better to use them than compulsion. But even persuasion seeks to change beliefs and attitudes, which people do not like at all. So to be successful, they have to be indirect and suggestive.

The buyers and the workers should so manipulate that they change their mind without getting conscious of the change, or if they are conscious, they believe that the change is to their advantage. After introduction, it conforms – Persuasion is an art, which has to learn with great care.

Meaning of Persuasion:

Meaning – Persuasion needs conviction on your part. You should genuinely convince that the alternative course of action suggest by you is in the interest of the organization as well as in the receiver’s interest. You must not try to persuade others from a purely selfish motive. Do not impose yourself on the receiver of your communication. Give indirect hints and subtle suggestions.

Bring yourself to the level of the other person. Try to look at the issue from his point of view and mold your arguments accordingly. They refer to various deliberate methods that people use to change other people’s attitudes and thoughts. This is a technique that is widely used in speech-making and advertising as a means of convincing the listener of the correctness or desirability of the ideas or goods involved. In our everyday lives, we’ve all known people that are very good at convincing others to do things for them. This is persuasion in action.

Definition of Persuasion:

There are many definitions of persuasion. Some emphasized the internal motive of the audience more than using logic.

Birembeck and Howell said,

“Persuasion is the conscious attempt to modify thought and action by manipulating the motives of men towards predetermined ends.”

Fotheringham affirmed,

“Persuasion is that body of effects in receivers that have been caused by persuader’s message.”

Scheidel began nearer to the type of persuasion we are familiar to, he defined as:

“The activity in which the speaker and the listener are conjoined and in which the speaker consciously attempts to influence the behavior of the listener by transmitting audible and visible symbolic.”

Central to this definition is the notions of conscious internet, message transmission, and behavioral change. They also include sender and receiver which make the components of definition resembling the components of communication.

Persuasion, from this point of view, depends upon two main aspects:

• Communication.
• Intending planning of persuader to affect the audience.

Depending on previous clarification, we can define as:

“The intended use of communication to form a desired response from receivers to their social environment.”

Steps of Persuasion:

The art of persuasion consists of four important steps:

Analyzing the situation:

This is the preparatory step. The communicator analyses the situation to find out why they need for persuasion has arisen and what will be the advantages and disadvantages of the new course of action being suggested. He also studies the psychology of the man to persuade to plan a suitable strategy.

Preparing the receiver:

It is but natural that people resent being persuaded to change their views or behavior. The receiver has to prepare for it. This can do by putting him in a pleasant frame of mind. He may compliment on some of his outstanding qualities and achievements. An appeal may make to his adaptability and open-mindedness.

Delivering the message:

The third step is to deliver the message. The message should deliver stage by stage, with the help of forceful arguments, beginning with those parts of the message, which are easier to accept and delaying the unpleasant parts as much as possible.

Prompting action:

If the first steps have been taking carefully, the receiver of the message will easily persuade to adopt a different course of action (or hold a different view).

Elements of Persuasion:

We can underline four elements of persuasion:

Credibility:

• Credibility is built on trust and expertise, and it must earn.
• People will believe you have the expertise and are worthy of their trust if you exercise sound judgment and demonstrate a history of success.

Understand Your Audience:

• Identify the decision-makers and centers of influence.
• Determine their likely receptivity and personal agendas.

Ensure your argument is concrete:

What is perfectly sensible to you may elude others — especially those who are already opposed to your ideas and prepared to resist.

You can improve your chances of persuading them when your case:

• Is logical and consistent with facts and experience.
• Strikes an emotional cord.
• Favorably addresses the interests of the parties you hope to persuade.
• Neutralizes competing alternatives.
• Recognizes and deals with the politics of the situation.
• Comes with endorsements from objective and authoritative third parties.

Successful Communication Skills:

• Don’t mistakenly think that logic and rationality will win out and persuade people to your side.
• You may inadvertently trigger confirmation bias, a situation in which people become further entrenched in their ideas.
• Effective communication appeals to people’s emotions, tapping into universal human values and desires.
• Appeal to both hearts and minds if you want to build and sustain a commitment to your strategic plans.