how to sell your story to broader audience durhane wong-rieger, phd consumer advocare network
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How to Sell Your Story to Broader Audience
Durhane Wong-Rieger, PhDConsumer Advocare Network
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Two kinds of PR Messages
• Content Messages: Give Information– “Evidence-based” information– Given or Endorsed by Expert– Effective if perceived as logical, accurate– “Two all beef patties, special sauce, and a sesame bun.”
• Emotional Messages: Create Impact– Evokes emotional response– Delivered by those affected– Effective if personally relevant to receiver– “I’m loving it.”
June 2007 Selling Your Story
There Is No Such Audience as “General Public”
• Who is your Target Audience?– What do you need them to do as a result of
hearing your message?– What “message” will convince them
something needs to be done?– What “impact” does message need to make to
compell action?
Remember:• Peanut Butter Theory of Public Relations:
– “The wider you spread it, the thinner it gets.”
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Start with Strategic Plan
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Right Message to Right Audience At Right Time
• “We try harder.” PR Campaign = part of strategic plan
• "Soon there will be 2 kinds of people. Those who use computers, and those who use Apples.” Right message depends on who is buying
• “You’re in good hands”: Good PR builds relationships
• “Did somebody say McDonalds?” Best PR may occur when you least expect it
June 2007 Selling Your Story
KEY INFLUENCE FACTORS
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Credibility: Do I Believe You?
• Credibility is in the eyes of the beholder• Credibility based on:
– Expertise– Trustworthiness– Goodwill (cares about other)
• Credibility depends on situation and context (no one is believable all the time)
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Credibility Rule (Trust trumps substance)
• If the person is credible, the substance of the message is less important
• Credibility based on feelings of trust, sincerity, likeability– Content is information, logically processed– Credibility is emotional (trust, like) and has
indirect impact
• Limit to rule: if person is highly involved and message is highly relevant
June 2007 Selling Your Story
How to Increase Your CQ (Credibility Quotient)
• Be prepared (know your subject mater)• Cite evidence and sources for position• Cite own or sources’ qualifications and
expertise on topic• Build trust; be honest and sincere• Display goodwill (desire to help)
June 2007 Selling Your Story
How to Communicate Credibility
• Use language and style which fit audience• Communicate with conviction (be assertive;
avoid hesitancies)• Emphasize similarity to audience (“You can
believe me because I’m just like you/”)• Involve audience; make your message relevant
so they’ll pay attention to content• Borrow credibility; get endorsement from
someone trusted by audience (especially if seemingly unsolicited)
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Know What Your Audience Already Believes
• Everyone has an starating point “anchor judgment” and zone of influence (range of opinions that could be influenced)– Everyone has an anchor, or preferred opinion
about a topic– Zone of influence = latitude of acceptance =
range of opinions that are somewhat close to own
• If too different, will reject• If somewhat similar, will assimilate to own position (and
therefore feel no need to change own)
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Capitalize On Audience Characteristics
– Cultural characteristics (individualistic or group orientation)
– Anxiety, self-esteem, ego-involvement, authoritarianism (dogmatism)
– Audience expectations of communicator and risks of “violating” expectations
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Structuring and Ordering Persuasive messages
• Hard sell, Explicit conclusion (Tell what to believe) vs. Soft sell, Implicit (let audience draw own conclusions)– Explicit:
• Straightforward message but people may resent being told• If lack knowledge or motivation, drect message more effective
– Implicit• Valued because engaged but may draw wrong conclusion• If personally relevant, then implicit more effective• If already knowledgeable
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Structuring Messages
• Quantity versus quality– Quantity: many weak messages more
persuasive if audience not involved– Quality: few strong messages more effective if
audience scrutinizing (central route)• Mere and repeated exposure makes
messages more likable, acceptable but only if messages were personally relevant (paid attention to by receiver, central route)
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Structuring Messages
• Primacy versus recency effects– If motivated, will pay attention to most recent
(last) information; consolidate as go along– If unmotivated, will be most persuaded by first
information (not pay attention to later)
• Two-sided messages more persuasive– If two-sided were refutational (undesirable
presented, then arguments presented against undesirable side)
– Presenters perceived as more credible
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Motivational appeals
• Logical or emotional mainly in eyes of receiver (prior beliefs, mood)
• Compliance increases with reason given and size of request
– When small request, reason not that important
– When large request, reason (even if only semblance of reason), increases compliance
• Fear or anxiety: greater fear, greater persuasion (under some circumstances)
– Danger control (solution to situation) more effective than fear control (dealing with emotion)
• Perceived efficacy: appeal to action effective if receiver perceives effective response and feels capable of carrying out response
– So, use fear with workable, practical action
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Motivational Appeals
• Appeal to pity and guilt: Jerry Lewis Telethon– Used in fundraising; if remove the pity or guilt
(victim) factor, may not be able to succeed– Caution: if feel you have wronged other, may
want to avoid further interaction; save face– If “stigma” was perceived as “uncontrollable”
(disability) more effective than controllable (obesity)
June 2007 Selling Your Story
Motivational Appeals
• Humorous: not change behaviour but can be useful adjunct– Capture attention with humor or joke– Distraction: divert from content of message
and ability to scrutinize– Increase liking for presenter– Related to appeal– May or my not increase credibility
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