Chapter 7: Persuasion Strategy Choices doc

Persuasion Strategies & Definitions The text pages 95-99 lists sixty-four conceptually distinct strategies developed by Kellerman & Cole 1994 Communication Theory  Also known as comp

Chapter 7

Persuasion Strategy Choices

 Persuasion Strategies & Definitions

 Role of Introductions

 Credibility & Evidence

 Role of Trust

Persuasion Strategies &

Definitions

The text (pages 95-99) lists sixty-four

conceptually distinct strategies developed by

Kellerman & Cole (1994 Communication

Theory)

 Also known as compliance-gaining strategies – how to get people to do things they might not otherwise choose to do

 Strategy categories are typically developed to reduce complexity and simplify choice

• Threat, orders, rigidity, caution,

ACE Model

 Simplify strategies by categorizing in terms of type of appeal

• Emotional

• Reasoning

 Types of Reasoning Appeals (ACE)

• Appropriateness

• Consistency

• Effectiveness

Appropriateness Appeals

 Involve the application of social

pressure

• Example - One of your friends

calls you to meet her at a bar

later this evening You tell her

you have too much work to

complete and need to study for a

test

• She says, “But…all of our friends

will be there…you have to go!”

 May be more effective with

younger people – those who want

to be liked and admired by

others.

Consistency Appeals

 Pertain to what a person like

himself (or like the type of person

he aspires to be) would do.

• Example – You are shopping with a

friend who needs to purchase a suit

for an upcoming interview with a

company Your friend is torn

between two suits – one more trendy

or contemporary and one that is more

traditional.

• You attempt to persuade saying, “I

think you should buy the more trendy

suit – after all, it really reflects your

artistic and creative side and will

help you be distinctive.”

 May be more effective with

people who are more

individualistic and have “minds of

their own”

Effectiveness Appeals

 Relate to actions that will help

bring about a result the person

desires

• Example – A sales rep with Office

Depot presents a plan to your

university purchasing group to enable

their administrative staff to place

orders for office supplies on-line

rather than using the catalog and

purchase orders The purchasing

manager says “I feel more comfortable

with our current system.”

• He responds, “I really think this option

will enable you to cut costs In

addition, your departments will

receive their products quicker and you

can track all purchases on-line Why

don’t we try it?”

 Work best when the larger issue is

less personal, more focused on

attaining the desired result.

Role of Introductions

 Once a negotiator has determined the type or category of

appeal to utilize, they must decide whether to use an

introduction or provide some type of post-appeal explanation.

• Progressive strategy – lead up to a request with a

“pre-solicitation sequence that unearths or deflects sources of

resistance”

• Regressive strategy – persuader follows a direct request with

explanations for the request and inducements for compliance

 Achievers may be more likely than Mediators to take a

regressive approach

 Motivators may lead with encouragement and attractive images

 Analyticals may be inclined to lead with data

Planning for Obstacles

 Identify possible obstacles or objections

to appeals and utilize this knowledge to select strategies

 Adapt your appeal in anticipation of the obstacle or objection you expect to

encounter

Potential Obstacles

 Inadequate resources –

“Our staff doesn’t have

the capabilities”

 Possession – “We don’t

have the funding right

now”

 Imposition – “We’re too

busy to do that”

 Inappropriateness – “It’s

unethical for you to

request that”

 Source responsibility –

“That’s not our problem”

 No incentive – “What’s

in it for me?”

 Recalcitrance – “I won’t

do that”

 Postpone – “We’re not ready right now”

 State of mind – “I’m too stressed to do that”

Responses to Obstacles

 Acknowledge the Obstacle (Objection)

 Assess – ask a question to learn more about the counterparts’ concern

 Respond – use proof statements,

testimonials, benefits, etc.

 Seek agreement that you’ve addressed the concern before you proceed

Managing Obstacles

• Watch out for cues that obstacles are emerging

• Pause

• Identify the source of the obstacle

• Redirect the process before they loom large

 Skilled negotiators seek to avoid or manage obstacles

Communication Issues

The type of medium with which to communicate is

an important consideration The more significant the issue, the more negotiators should rely on media

which allow both verbal and visual interaction

 Use of e-mail

• Consider cultural differences – preference for face-to-face interaction

 Face-to-face and/or video conferencing

• Provide more cues than fax, telephone or e-mail

 If negotiations are of the distributive form, it’s more important to have multiple communication cues

Credibility & Evidence

 Objective Criteria

• Information that informs a choice but is

independent of the will of either side

• Present only your strongest evidence

• Plan for most appropriate timing

 Subjective Criteria

• Useful when counterparts are emotionally

involved and may discount objective criteria or other rational arguments

Role of Trust

 Trust - the willingness

to rely or depend on a

relationship partner in

the context of

uncertainty

• Based on the actions of

the other relationship

partner in the early

stages of relationship

development

Dissolution

Exploration Expansion Commitment Awareness

Threats to Trust

 Breach of trust or defection – one or more parties

violate a trust

 Miscommunication – interpret words differently or

misread nonverbal cues

 Dispositional attributions – refer to a person’s

character and intentions

 Poor pie expansion – failure to expand the pie or seek

a “win-win”

 Egocentrism – viewing one’s own actions as good and worthy and the tendency to view others in less

favorable terms

Maintaining Face

 Face defined: “the positive social value a person effectively claims for himself by the line others

assume he has taken during a particular encounter”

 Facework – communication that supports or

challenges a particular line

 Negotiators should try to maintain the other side’s face

 If negotiations are threatened by loss of face, it will

be difficult to move toward an effective outcome

Strategies to Recover Face

 Admissions of fault or shared fault

 Denials of intention to harm

 Acts of omission rather than

commission

 Blaming slippage on lack of sleep or

misunderstanding

 Silence or delaying tactics