I’ve outlined persuasion strategies and when to use them.
Based on the work of Lars Palm, I’ve placed certain situational variables into a matrix to understand better which persuasion strategies might work best — and provide a hint as to why. 1Palm, L. (1994). Övertalningsstrategier — Att välja budskap efter utgångsläge. Studentlitteratur. 88 – 92.
Here we go:
Persuasion Strategies
Of all public relations objectives, changing minds should be regarded as the pinnacle of all our professional challenges. It’s the most potent of strategies but also the most difficult.
Any targeted public will have pre-existing opinions, ideologies, belief systems, reasoning frameworks, etc. What’s your targeted public’s baseline?
Supporting. The targeted public will likely agree with the persuader’s basic premise.
Opposing. The targeted public will likely disagree with the persuader’s basic premise.
However, there are also different kinds of support and opposition.
Lars Palm suggests four variables affecting the success of various persuasion attempts: 2Palm, L. (1994). Övertalningsstrategier — Att välja budskap efter utgångsläge. Studentlitteratur. 88 – 92.
Topic involvement. How engaged and knowledgeable is the targeted public with the issue — according to themselves?
Decision involvement. How much does the decision matter to the targeted public — according to themselves?
Proclivity for discovery and identification. How likely is the targeted public to discover and identify with the message?
Proclivity for elaboration. How inclined is the targeted public to learn more and assimilate new information about the issue?
To make the number of situational persuasion strategies practically manageable, I’ve chosen to simplify Palm’s framework into two variables:
Involvement (topic/decision). What level of personal involvement does the targeted public have with the issue?
Proclivity (discovery/identification/elaboration). What level of proclivity does the targeted public have to find and process new information about the issue?
Situational Variables for Persuasion
Depending on the starting point for the persuasion attempt, the persuading party can choose between the following persuasion strategies:
Attitude
Involvement
Proclivity
Persuasion Strategy
Supporting
High
High
Reinforce
Supporting
High
Low
Simplify
Supporting
Low
High
Encourage
Supporting
Low
Low
Affirm
Opposing
High
High
Challenge
Opposing
High
Low
Clarify
Opposing
Low
High
Question
Opposing
Low
Low
Dissuade
Situational Persuasion Strategies
The eight persuasion strategies shown in the table above are based on three situational variables: attitude, involvement, and proclivity.
Let me outline each strategy from a PR perspective:
Reinforce (supporting, high involvement, high proclivity). When working with highly engaged publics who already support your cause or product and are predisposed to agree with you, your focus should reinforce their beliefs or behaviours. This could be achieved by showcasing testimonials, highlighting successful case studies, or creating content that resonates with their values. It’s about solidifying their loyalty and deepening their commitment.
Simplify (supporting, high involvement, low proclivity. When your publics are highly involved but less inclined to act or believe in your message, it’s critical to simplify it. Clear, concise communication is key. Using straightforward language, visuals, or easy-to-digest content like infographics or videos can help lower the perceived complexity, making it easier for your audience to understand and take action.
Encourage (supporting, low involvement, high proclivity). You should focus on encouragement for publics that already favours your cause but isn’t deeply involved. This strategy aims to boost their motivation to take action. You might use positive reinforcement, encourage participation via social proof, or create campaigns that evoke a sense of urgency. The goal is to make them feel more confident and excited about getting involved, whether signing up, sharing, or engaging with the brand in other ways.
Affirm (supporting, low involvement, low proclivity). When your publics are not profoundly involved or particularly inclined to support your message, you’ll want to affirm their existing views and gently encourage them to stay on your side. This could involve creating affirming content that reassures them about their current behaviour or choices. For example, this could be as simple as thanking them for their past actions or reinforcing the value they already see in your brand without asking too much from them upfront.
Challenge (opposing, high involvement, high proclivity).When your publics are deeply invested but opposed to your message, the strategy should be to challenge them — engage in a respectful but firm way to address their objections and present strong counterarguments. PR campaigns could focus on presenting compelling data, conducting debates, or engaging in public discourse that forces the audience to reconsider their stance. The goal here is to spark a shift in mindset and push for reevaluating their perspective.
Clarify (opposing, high involvement, low proclivity). In this case, your publics are deeply involved but not likely to support you just yet. The best approach is to clarify any misconceptions and provide detailed explanations that break down the nuances of your position. This might involve FAQs, white papers, expert opinions, or customer education campaigns addressing their concerns and clarifying your position. By providing clarity, you make it easier for them to move toward agreement.
Question (opposing, low involvement, high proclivity). When dealing with publics that are not highly engaged but predisposed against your message, you can use questioning as a strategy. Instead of directly confronting their stance, you can provoke critical thinking through thought-provoking questions that challenge their assumptions or open them up to new perspectives. PR campaigns can utilise polls, surveys, or open-ended dialogues that gently ask questions, inviting the audience to reconsider their position or beliefs.
Dissuade (opposing, low involvement, low proclivity). When publics are neither deeply engaged nor inclined to agree, the strategy should be to dissuade them from forming negative opinions or taking harmful actions. This could involve softening their resistance through reassurance or offering counter-narratives that explain why the opposing view may not be as valid or helpful. PR campaigns might focus on diffusing misinformation or reducing negative sentiment to prevent the opposition from gaining momentum.
Each strategy allows PR professionals to tailor persuasive activities based on their public’s attitude, involvement, and proclivity to create more effective, targeted activities that maximise persuasion.
The Enemy of My Enemy
At a glance, persuading a supporting group to take action seems easier. However, studies have shown that opposing powerful opposers can have significant outcomes. 3Silfwer, J. (2016, August 25). The Stupid Majority PR Strategy. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://doctorspin.net/stupid-majority-pr-strategy/
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 Whispr Group NYC, Springtime PR, and Spotlight PR. Based in Stockholm, Sweden.
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