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Persuasion Definition, Meaning, and Ethics

Harness the power of rhetorical influence.

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Explore the perยญsuaยญsion definยญiยญtion, meanยญing, and ethics.

Persuasion is a funยญdaยญmentยญal pubยญlic relaยญtions (PR) concept, serving as the cornerยญstone of many PR strategies and campaigns. 

Persuasion is the art and sciยญence of influยญenยญcing peopleโ€™s attiยญtudes, beliefs, and behaยญviours towards a parยญticยญuยญlar idea, cause, or product. 

Here we go:

Persuasion Definition

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Persuasion Definition

Persuasion is a term with negยญatยญive conยญnotaยญtions. However, we must all be perยญsuasยญive to get our mesยญsage across.

Persuasion = the delibยญerยญate effort to influยญence attiยญtudes, beliefs, behaยญviours, or decisions through reasยญonยญing, emoยญtionยญal appeal, or othยญer straยญtegic comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion methods.

Please note: Persuasion is not about coaxยญing anyยญone into comยญpliยญance because thatโ€™s manipยญuยญlaยญtion or coerยญcion, not persuasion.

Learn more: Persuasion Definition, Meaning, and Ethics

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Persuasion Meaning

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Persuasion Meaning (With Examples from PR)

Persuasion in pubยญlic relaยญtions (PR) is not about manipยญuยญlaยญtion or decepยญtion; instead, itโ€™s about presentยญing comยญpelยญling arguยญments and informยญaยญtion that resยญonยญate with the tarยญget audiยญence, encourยญaging them to see things from a parยญticยญuยญlar perยญspectยญive. Itโ€™s about creยญatยญing an engaยญging and conยญvinยญcing narยญratยญive that aligns with the audienceโ€™s valยญues and interests while advanยญcing an organisationโ€™s goals.

PR proยญfesยญsionยญals employ perยญsuaยญsion as a critยญicยญal tool to influยญence pubยญlic opinยญion. We careยญfully craft mesยญsages that appeal to the emoยญtions, valยญues, and needs of our stakeยญholdยญers, influยญenยญcers, and pubยญlics. We use storytelling, comยญpelยญling visuยญals, and othยญer perยญsuaยญsion techยญniques to make these mesยญsages more impactยญful. We also leverยญage the power of social proof, showยญcasยญing endorseยญments from respecยญted figยญures or testiยญmoยญniยญals from satยญisยญfied cusยญtomยญers to enhance the credยญibยญilยญity of our message. 

Moreover, PR proยญfesยญsionยญals use straยญtegic timยญing and placeยญment to ensure that our mesยญsages reach the audiยญence when they are most receptยญive. By skillยญfully applyยญing these and othยญer perยญsuasยญive techยญniques, we can sway pubยญlic opinยญion in favour of an organยญisaยญtion, enhanยญcing its repuยญtaยญtion and influence.

Example: โ€œReal Beautyโ€ by Dove

One of the most sucยญcessยญful PR camยญpaigns that effectยญively used perยญsuaยญsion is Doveโ€™s โ€œReal Beautyโ€ camยญpaign. Launched in 2004, the camยญpaign sought to chalยญlenge the traยญdiยญtionยญal beauty standยญards porยญtrayed in the media and proยญmote a more inclusยญive definยญiยญtion of beauty. 

By feaยญturยญing women of difยญferยญent sizes, ages, and ethยญniยญcitยญies in their advertยญiseยญments, Dove appealed to the emoยญtions (pathos) of the audiยญence and sparked a globยญal conยญverยญsaยญtion about body posยญitยญivยญity and self-esteem. 

The camยญpaign also demonยญstrated Doveโ€™s comยญmitยญment to its brand valยญues (ethยญos) and presenยญted a comยญpelยญling arguยญment (logos) for redeยญfinยญing beauty.

The sucยญcess of the โ€œReal Beautyโ€ camยญpaign can be attribยญuted to sevยญerยญal factors:

  • Appeal to emoยญtion. The camยญpaign resยญonยญated with the audiยญence on an emoยญtionยญal level by addressยญing a wideยญspread conยญcern about body image and self-esteem.
  • Corporate social responsยญibยญilยญity (CSR). The camยญpaign estabยญlished Dove as a socially responsยญible brand that cares about its cusยญtomยญersโ€™ well-being, enhanยญcing its credยญibยญilยญity and trustworthiness.
  • Smart minorยญity. The camยญpaign presenยญted a perยญsuasยญive arguยญment for redeยญfinยญing beauty, which chalยญlenged the status quo and encourยญaged the audiยญence to view beauty in a new light.

Example: โ€œShare a Cokeโ€ by Coca-Cola

Another notยญable example is the โ€œShare a Cokeโ€ camยญpaign by Coca-Cola. 

Launched in 2011 in Australia and later rolled out globยญally, the camยญpaign involved replaยญcing the Coca-Cola logo on bottles and cans with famยญous names, invitยญing conยญsumers to โ€œShare a Cokeโ€ with someone they know. This camยญpaign effectยญively used pathos by creยญatยญing a perยญsonยญal conยญnecยญtion with conยญsumers and logos by encourยญaging sharยญing, which aligns with the brandโ€™s valยญues of bringยญing people together.

The โ€œShare a Cokeโ€ camยญpaign was sucยญcessยญful due to its innovยญatยญive and perยญsonยญalยญised approach:

  • Personalisation. By putยญting conยญsumersโ€™ names on their products, Coca-Cola made them feel unique and recogยญnised, fosยญterยญing a solยญid emoยญtionยญal conยญnecยญtion with the brand. 
  • Social capยญitยญal. The camยญpaign also tapped into the uniยญverยญsal human desire for conยญnecยญtion and sharยญing, which made it relatยญable and appealยญing to a broad audience
  • Bandwagon effect. The camยญpaign genยญerยญated buzz on social media, with conยญsumers sharยญing picยญtures of their perยญsonยญalยญised Coke bottles and cans, thereby ampยญliยญfyยญing the reach and impact of the campaign.

Persuasion and Professional Integrity

To sucยญceed with perยญsuaยญsion techยญniques in pubยญlic relaยญtions, abide by these principles:

  • Tell the truth. Be transยญparยญent and honยญest in your comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion to build trust and credยญibยญilยญity. Avoid makยญing exagยญgerยญated or false claims in your PR efforts. This can damยญage your credยญibยญilยญity and trustยญworยญthiยญness, posยญsibly leadยญing to legยญal issues. Always strive for honยญesty and transยญparยญency in your communications.
  • Know your audiยญence. When it comes to using perยญsuaยญsion in PR, underยญstandยญing your audiยญence is paraยญmount. Tailor your mesยญsage to resยญonยญate with their valยญues, needs, and conยญcerns. Use ethยญos, pathos, and logos to build a comยญpelยญling narยญratยญive. Ethos estabยญlishes credยญibยญilยญity and trust, pathos appeals to emoยญtions, and logos provides logicยญal reasยญonยญing. Remember, authenยญtiยญcity is critical. 
  • Monitor the media. Monitor and evalยญuยญate the effectยญiveยญness of your PR efforts regยญuยญlarly. Use anaยญlytยญics tools to track key metยญrics and gain insights into your audienceโ€™s behaยญviour and prefยญerยญences. Listen to your audienceโ€™s feedยญback and conยญcerns, and respond to them promptly and respectยญfully. This will help you refine your PR strategies and make them more effective.
  • Respect the conยญtext. Be mindยญful of culยญturยญal difยญferยญences and sensยญitยญivยญitยญies when comยญmuยญnicยญatยญing with a diverse audiยญence. What works in one culยญture may not work in anothยญer, and speยญcifยญic mesยญsages may be perยญceived as offensยญive or inappropriate.
  • Connect through storยญies. Leverage storytelling to make your mesยญsage more engaยญging and memยญorยญable. Stories are inherยญently perยญsuasยญive and can help you conยญnect deeply with your audience.
  • Stay conยญsistยญent. Itโ€™s cruยญcial to mainยญtain a conยญsistยญent brand voice across all comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion chanยญnels. This helps reinยญforce your brand idenยญtity and makes your mesยญsage more recogยญnisยญable and impactยญful. One of the most comยญmon misยญtakes is not havยญing a clear and conยญsistยญent mesยญsage. Ensure all comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtions align with your brand valยญues and objectยญives to avoid this.
  • Speak through action. Donโ€™t ignore negยญatยญive feedยญback or crises. Address them promptly and proยญfesยญsionยญally, and use them as opporยญtunยญitยญies to demonยญstrate your comยญmitยญment to cusยญtomยญer serยญvice and conยญtinuยญous improvement.

The power of perยญsuaยญsion lies in its abilยญity to conยญnect, engage, and influยญence. The tool transยญforms mesยญsages into comยญpelยญling narยญratยญives, brands into trusยญted names, and audiยญences into loyยญal communities. 

Learn more: Persuasion Definition, Meaning, and Ethics

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Persuasion Ethics

To Spin Or Not To Spin - Inception - Spinning Top
To spin or not to spin. Thatโ€™s the question.
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Persuasion Ethics

Persuasion is about getยญting someone to comยญply because they want to. A manipยญuยญlatยญor always has his best self-interest in mind, whereยญas a perยญsuader must see the world through the eyes of others. 

โ€œPR means telling the truth and workยญing ethยญicยญallyโ€‰โ€“โ€‰even when all the media want is headยญlines and all the pubยญlic wants is scapeยญgoats. Public relaยญtions fails when there is no integยญrity.โ€
โ€” Viv Segal

Please note: Persuasion is not about coaxยญing anyยญone into comยญpliยญance because thatโ€™s manipยญuยญlaยญtion or coerยญcion, not persuasion.

Be a perยญsuader. Not a manipulator.

Learn more: Persuasion Definition, Meaning, and Ethics

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The Golden Rule of Persuasion

The Golden Rule of Persuasion

The golden rule for being perยญsuasยญive is straightforward:

The golden rule of persuasion.
The golden rule of persuasion.

You have to put in the work, period.

  • The golden rule of perยญsuaยญsion is to lay the groundยญwork; nevยญer sugยญgest anyยญthing to anyยญone who isnโ€™t ready to comยญplyโ€‰โ€”โ€‰yet.

Learn more: The Golden Rule of Persuasion

Persuasion Techniques

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Persuasion Techniques

Persuasion techยญniques can be applied in variยญous conยญtexts, includยญing pubยญlic relaยญtions, marยญketยญing, sales, politยญics, and interยญperยญsonยญal comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion, to perยญsuade othยญers effectively.

Here are examples of perยญsuaยญsion techniques:

  • Norm of reciยญproยญcity: Capitalising on the social norm that indiยญviduยญals feel obligยญated to repay favours or kindยญness, leadยญing them to be more receptยญive to persuasion.
  • Artificial scarcity: Creating a sense of urgency or limยญited availยญabยญilยญity to make someยญthing more desirยญable. 1Silfwer, J. (2019, July 26). The Power of Artificial Scarcity. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹aโ€‹rโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹fโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹iโ€‹aโ€‹lโ€‹-โ€‹sโ€‹cโ€‹aโ€‹rโ€‹cโ€‹iโ€‹ty/
  • Authority: Leveraging the influยญence of respecยญted or authorยญitยญatยญive figยญures to endorse or supยญport a parยญticยญuยญlar mesยญsage, product, or course of action.
  • Consistency (or Commitment): Encouraging small comยญmitยญments that lead to larยญger ones by emphasยญizยญing past actions or stateยญments. See also the foot-in-the-door techยญnique and the sunk cost fallacy.
  • Social proof: Demonstrating that othยญers simยญilยญar to the tarยญget audiยญence have adopยญted the desired behaยญviour or belief.
  • Liking: Building rapยญport and trust by findยญing comยญmon ground or highยญlightยญing simยญilยญarยญitยญies between oneยญself and the audience.
  • Attractiveness (the halo effect): Physically attractยญive indiยญviduยญals tend to be rated more favourยญably regardยญing perยญsonยญalยญity traits. 2Silfwer, J. (2023, December 17). The Halo Effect: Why Attractiveness Matters in PR. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹hโ€‹aโ€‹lโ€‹oโ€‹-โ€‹eโ€‹fโ€‹fโ€‹eโ€‹ct/
  • Framing: Presenting informยญaยญtion in a way that influยญences perยญcepยญtion or decision-makยญing. 3Silfwer, J. (2023, December 3). Framing in PR: How To Bypass Confirmation Bias. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹fโ€‹rโ€‹aโ€‹mโ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹gโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pr/
  • Priming: Proactively introยญduยญcing subtle cues or stimยญuli to influยญence subยญsequent behaยญviour or attiยญtudes. 4Silfwer, J. (2023, December 3). Priming in PR: The Subtle Art of Pre-Suasion. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹pโ€‹rโ€‹iโ€‹mโ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹gโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pr/
  • Anchoring: Introducing an iniยญtial refยญerยญence point (anchor) to influยญence subยญsequent judgยญments or decisions.
  • Emotional appeal: Evoking emoยญtions such as hapยญpiยญness, fear, or sadยญness to sway opinยญions or actions.
  • Contrast prinยญciple: Highlighting difยญferยญences to make options seem more favourยญable or unfaยญvourยญable in comparison.
  • Verbal perยญsuaยญsion: Using lanยญguage and rhetยญorยญic to conยญvince othยญers of a parยญticยญuยญlar viewยญpoint or course of action.
  • Association: Connecting a product, idea, or perยญson with posยญitยญive or desirยญable attributes.
  • Strategic storytelling: Communicating perยญsuasยญive mesยญsages through narยญratยญives that engage and resยญonยญate with the audiยญence. 5Silfwer, J. (2013, February 7). 10 Storytelling Elements (Found in Almost All Great Stories). Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹sโ€‹tโ€‹oโ€‹rโ€‹yโ€‹tโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹gโ€‹-โ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹eโ€‹mโ€‹eโ€‹nโ€‹ts/
  • Flattery: Complimenting or praisยญing indiยญviduยญals for winยญning their favour or coรถperation.
  • Fear appeal: Warning of negยญatยญive conยญsequences to motivยญate action or compliance.
  • Foot-in-the-door techยญnique: Starting with a small request or comยญmitยญment before makยญing a larยญger one.
  • Door-in-the-face techยญnique: Making a large request that is likely to be refused, folยญlowed by a more minor, more reasยญonยญable request.
  • Bandwagon effect: The perยญcepยญtion that a parยญticยญuยญlar action or belief is favoured or widely accepยญted. 6Silfwer, J. (2023, December 4). The Bandwagon Effect: Momentum Is Everything | PR Theory. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹bโ€‹aโ€‹nโ€‹dโ€‹wโ€‹aโ€‹gโ€‹oโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹eโ€‹fโ€‹fโ€‹eโ€‹ct/
  • Reverse psyยญchoยญlogy: Encouraging someone to do the opposยญite of what is sugยญgesยญted, knowยญing they may rebel against the suggestion.
  • Inoculation theยญory: Preemptively addressยญing counยญterยญarยญguยญments or objecยญtions to strengthen resยญistยญance to perยญsuaยญsion attempts.
  • Battle of wits: Using wit or comยญedy to disยญarm resยญistยญance and make a mesยญsage more memorable.
  • Repetition: Reinforcing a mesยญsage or idea through repeated exposure.
  • Self-perยญcepยญtion theยญory: Influencing behaยญviour by leadยญing indiยญviduยญals to believe that their actions are conยญsistยญent with their self-image.
  • Mirroring: Subtly imitยญatยญing the behaยญviour, lanยญguage, or manยญnerยญisms of the perยญson youโ€™re tryยญing to perยญsuade to creยญate a sense of rapยญport and connection.
  • Pacing and leadยญing: Matching the pace of comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion with the tarยญget audiยญence before graduยญally guidยญing them towards the desired outcome.
  • Authority jarยญgon: Using techยญnicยญal lanยญguage or terยญminยญoยญlogy assoยญciยญated with expertยญise to enhance credยญibยญilยญity and influence.
  • Contrast prinยญciple: Presenting options in a sequence that highยญlights their difยญferยญences, makยญing the preยญferred option appear more favourable.
  • Urgency: Creating a sense of immeยญdiยญate necesยญsity or time presยญsure to prompt swift action or decision-making.
  • Salience: Emphasizing speยญcifยญic aspects or feaยญtures of a mesยญsage or product to make it stand out and capยญture attention.
  • Identity appeal: Aligning a mesยญsage or product with the tarยญget audiยญenceโ€™s valยญues, beliefs, or idenยญtity to foster a sense of belongยญing or affiliation.
  • Exclusivity: Positioning a product, offer, or opporยญtunยญity as limยญited or exclusยญive to a select group enhances its perยญceived value and desirability.
  • Embedded comยญmands: Subtly embedยญding dirยญectยญives or comยญmands withยญin senยญtences to influยญence behaยญviour without overtly statยญing them.
  • In-group/out-group bias: Exploiting the tendยญency of indiยญviduยญals to favour memยญbers of their group (in-group) over those outยญside the group (out-group) to garner supยญport or compliance.
  • Linguistic fluยญency: Presenting informยญaยญtion clearly, conยญcisely, and fluยญently to enhance perยญsuasยญiveยญness and credibility.
  • Emotional conยญtaยญgion: Eliciting speยญcifยญic emoยญtions in indiยญviduยญals and leverยญaging their conยญtaยญgious nature to influยญence attiยญtudes, opinยญions, or behaviours.
  • Foot-in-the-mouth techยญnique: Intentionally makยญing a small error or conยญcesยญsion in an arguยญment or negoยญtiยญation to build trust and rapยญport with the othยญer party.
  • Endowment effect: Emphasizing ownยญerยญship or posยญsesยญsion of a product or idea to increase its perยญceived value and desirability.
  • Mystery: Generating curiยญosยญity or intrigue by withยญholdยญing informยญaยญtion or details, promptยญing indiยญviduยญals to seek furยญther engageยญment or information.

Learn more: Persuasion Techniques

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Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Persuasion

Ethos Pathos Logos - Persuasion - Doctor Spin - The PR Blog
Classical perยญsuaยญsion.
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Ethos, Pathos, and Logos: Three Classical Modes of Persuasion

โ€œAristotleโ€™s three modes of rhetยญorยญicยญal perยญsuaยญsion are ethยญos, pathos, and logos, which are based on morยญal comยญpetยญence, emoยญtionยญal appeal, and reasยญon.โ€
Source: Sino-US English Teaching 7Lin, W. (2019). Three Modes of Rhetorical Persuasion. Sino-US English Teaching. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹7โ€‹2โ€‹6โ€‹5โ€‹/โ€‹1โ€‹539โ€‰โ€“โ€‰8072โ„2019.03.003

Ethos, pathos, and logos are three modes of perยญsuaยญsion recogยญnised since ancient Greece, and they play an essenยญtial role in pubยญlic relations. 

  • Ethos. This mode of perยญsuaยญsion refers to the credยญibยญilยญity or ethยญicยญal appeal of the comยญmuยญnicยญatยญor, which can be estabยญlished through demonยญstratยญing expertยญise, integยญrity, and goodwill.
  • Pathos. This mode of perยญsuaยญsion perยญtains to emoยญtionยญal appeal, which involves stirยญring the audienceโ€™s feelยญings to sway their opinยญions or actions.
  • Logos. This mode of perยญsuaยญsion is the logicยญal appeal, which relies on presentยญing sound arguยญments and evidยญence to conยญvince the audience.

In PR, these three modes of perยญsuaยญsion are often comยญbined to creยญate comยญpelยญling mesยญsages that resยญonยญate with the audiยญence on mulยญtiple levels. 8Modes of perยญsuaยญsion. (2023, September 27). In Wikipedia. https://โ€‹enโ€‹.wikiโ€‹peโ€‹diaโ€‹.org/โ€‹wโ€‹iโ€‹kโ€‹iโ€‹/โ€‹Mโ€‹oโ€‹dโ€‹eโ€‹sโ€‹_โ€‹oโ€‹fโ€‹_โ€‹pโ€‹eโ€‹rโ€‹sโ€‹uโ€‹aโ€‹sโ€‹ion

By underยญstandยญing and applyยญing the prinยญciples of ethยญos, pathos, and logos, PR proยญfesยญsionยญals can craft mesยญsages that resยญonยญate deeply with their audiยญence, drivยญing action and fosยญterยญing lastยญing relationships.

Learn more: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Public Relations

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Robert Cialdini: Six Principles of Persuasion

Influence

Robert B. Cialdini pubยญlished โ€œInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasionโ€ in 1984, and his prinยญciples of influยญence are widely cited. They provide a frameยญwork for underยญstandยญing how people are perยญsuaded, and pubยญlic relaยญtions, advertยญising, and sales proยญfesยญsionยญals often use them. 9Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: The psyยญchoยญlogy of perยญsuaยญsion (Rev. ed.). HarperCollins.

Influence-New-and-Cialdini-Expanded-The-Psychology-of-Persuasion
โ€œInfluenceโ€ by Robert B. Cialdini.

Here are Cialdiniโ€™s six principles:

  • Reciprocity. This prinยญciple is based on the idea that people feel obligยญated to give back when they receive it. If a comยญpany gives someยญthing to its cusยญtomยญers (like a free sample or a disยญcount), those cusยญtomยญers may feel comยญpelled to purยญchase in return.
  • Scarcity. People tend to want things that are limยญited or hard to get. Marketers often use this prinยญciple by creยญatยญing a sense of urgency around a product or serยญvice, such as a limยญited-time offer or a limยญited-ediยญtion product.
  • Authority. People tend to folยญlow the lead of credยญible experts. In PR and marยญketยญing, this can be achieved by havยญing an expert endorse a product or demonยญstrate expertยญise and credยญibยญilยญity in the field.
  • Consistency (or Commitment). People like to be conยญsistยญent with the things they have preยญviยญously said or done. This prinยญciple is often used in marยญketยญing by getยญting a small iniยญtial comยญmitยญment from a cusยญtomยญer, which increases the likeยญliยญhood that they will make a more sigยญniยญficยญant comยญmitยญment later.
  • Liking. People are more likely to be perยญsuaded by people they like. Physical attractยญiveยญness, simยญilยญarยญity, comยญpliยญments, and coรถperยญaยญtion can influยญence this.
  • Consensus (or Social Proof). People often look to the actions and behaยญviours of othยญers to determยญine their own. If a product or serยญvice is popยญuยญlar or endorsed by othยญers, people are likeยญliยญer to deem it good or trustworthy.

These prinยญciples are powerยญful tools for perยญsuaยญsion and can be used indiยญviduยญally or in comยญbinยญaยญtion to influยญence perยญcepยญtions and behaviours.

Learn more: Public Relations Books

Jonah Berger: Word-of-Mouth Concepts

Contagious

Jonah Berger, a marยญketยญing proยญfessยญor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, proยญposed six key conยญcepts in his book โ€œContagious: How to Build Word of Mouth in the Digital Ageโ€ (also known as โ€œContagious: Why Things Catch Onโ€) that make ideas or products go virยญal or โ€œstick.โ€ 10Berger, J. (2014). Contagious: How to build word of mouth in the digitยญal age. Simon & Schuster.

Jonah Berger - Contagious
Contagious by Jonah Berger.

These conยญcepts are:

  • Social curยญrency. People share things that make them look good or help them comยญpare favourยญably to othยญers. It has social curยญrency if a product or idea can make someone appear brightยญer, more relaxed, or more in the know.
  • Triggers. Ideas that are top of mind spread. Things easยญily memยญorยญable and regยญuยญlarly triggered in everyยญday envirยญonยญments are more likely to be discussed.
  • Emotion. When we care, we share. Messages that evoke strong emoยญtions (posยญitยญive or negยญatยญive) are more likely to be shared.
  • Public. If someยญthing is built to show, it grows. The more pubยญlic someยญthing is, the more likely people will imitยญate it.
  • Practical value. People share informยญaยญtion to help othยญers. Useful informยญaยญtion gets shared because the sharer wants to assist others.
  • Stories. People do not just share informยญaยญtion; they tell storยญies. Stories are the vesยญsel through which informยญaยญtion travels. If people are engaged in the narยญratยญive, theyโ€™re more likely to share.

These conยญcepts can be used to craft mesยญsages and camยญpaigns more likely to be shared and spread, leadยญing to more effectยญive comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion and marยญketยญing efforts.

Learn more: Public Relations Books

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Annotations
Annotations
1 Silfwer, J. (2019, July 26). The Power of Artificial Scarcity. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹aโ€‹rโ€‹tโ€‹iโ€‹fโ€‹iโ€‹cโ€‹iโ€‹aโ€‹lโ€‹-โ€‹sโ€‹cโ€‹aโ€‹rโ€‹cโ€‹iโ€‹ty/
2 Silfwer, J. (2023, December 17). The Halo Effect: Why Attractiveness Matters in PR. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹hโ€‹aโ€‹lโ€‹oโ€‹-โ€‹eโ€‹fโ€‹fโ€‹eโ€‹ct/
3 Silfwer, J. (2023, December 3). Framing in PR: How To Bypass Confirmation Bias. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹fโ€‹rโ€‹aโ€‹mโ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹gโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pr/
4 Silfwer, J. (2023, December 3). Priming in PR: The Subtle Art of Pre-Suasion. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹pโ€‹rโ€‹iโ€‹mโ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹gโ€‹-โ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹pr/
5 Silfwer, J. (2013, February 7). 10 Storytelling Elements (Found in Almost All Great Stories). Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹sโ€‹tโ€‹oโ€‹rโ€‹yโ€‹tโ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹lโ€‹iโ€‹nโ€‹gโ€‹-โ€‹eโ€‹lโ€‹eโ€‹mโ€‹eโ€‹nโ€‹ts/
6 Silfwer, J. (2023, December 4). The Bandwagon Effect: Momentum Is Everything | PR Theory. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โ€‹docโ€‹torโ€‹spinโ€‹.net/โ€‹bโ€‹aโ€‹nโ€‹dโ€‹wโ€‹aโ€‹gโ€‹oโ€‹nโ€‹-โ€‹eโ€‹fโ€‹fโ€‹eโ€‹ct/
7 Lin, W. (2019). Three Modes of Rhetorical Persuasion. Sino-US English Teaching. https://โ€‹doiโ€‹.org/โ€‹1โ€‹0โ€‹.โ€‹1โ€‹7โ€‹2โ€‹6โ€‹5โ€‹/โ€‹1โ€‹539โ€‰โ€“โ€‰8072โ„2019.03.003
8 Modes of perยญsuaยญsion. (2023, September 27). In Wikipedia. https://โ€‹enโ€‹.wikiโ€‹peโ€‹diaโ€‹.org/โ€‹wโ€‹iโ€‹kโ€‹iโ€‹/โ€‹Mโ€‹oโ€‹dโ€‹eโ€‹sโ€‹_โ€‹oโ€‹fโ€‹_โ€‹pโ€‹eโ€‹rโ€‹sโ€‹uโ€‹aโ€‹sโ€‹ion
9 Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: The psyยญchoยญlogy of perยญsuaยญsion (Rev. ed.). HarperCollins.
10 Berger, J. (2014). Contagious: How to build word of mouth in the digitยญal age. Simon & Schuster.
Jerry Silfwer
Jerry Silfwerhttps://doctorspin.net/
Jerry Silfwer, alias Doctor Spin, is an awarded senior adviser specialising in public relations and digital strategy. Currently CEO at Spin Factory and KIX Communication Index. Before that, he worked at Kaufmann, Whispr Group, Springtime PR, and Spotlight PR. Based in Stockholm, Sweden.

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