Persuade Me!

This article is the first of a series addressing the topic of persuasion and building effective messages for public and private communications programs. To read more, click here.

The essence of persuasion is the delivery of a message that is memorable, is meaningful and that stirs people to act. Most of us aren’t trying to persuade people to take actions quite as consequential as those championed by Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. However, we do lead communications or marketing initiatives that require changing the minds and behaviors of large numbers of people.

Motivation research fosters deep understanding of an audience’s approach to specific decisions and is fueled by means-end theory. It helps leaders build persuasive messages that stimulate action.