How to Deliver a Persuasive Message

Sofema Online (SOL) www.sofemaonline.com considers optimising techniques to get your message across and accepted. 

Introduction

Delivering a Persuasive Message requires focus and the ability to follow a clear path to ensure a call to action. At all costs to avoid any vague or weak references, your message must be clear concise, and compelling.

Start by ensuring you have thought through your message and have a clear understanding of how you are going to deliver this message, in a way that will resonate with your audience.

You need to be able to share in a logical way the strategic, personal, or business benefits of following your recommended action.

By the same token, you should consider the likely obstacles or barriers which might prevent them from following your recommendation and be able to rationalize them in an acceptable way.

The Benefit of Doubt

It is correct to start with the assumption the audience is on your side, which means they will be receptive to your point of view (however not believe it will be a pushover).

Be able to annunciate both sides of the argument including a summary of risks and obstacles as well as being able to provide reassurance concerning real and practical solutions.

Getting Our Message Across

There are a variety of techniques that can be employed including the following:

» Logical, Rational Validations
» Personal Experience (carries a lot of weight if sincere)
» Ethical What is right & why
» Emotional (be careful with emotion)
» Use of Subject Matter Expert Testimony
» Data – Statistics
» Examples from the wider world

No Substitute for Preparation

Preparing in advance will help you answer questions with knowledge and confidence.

The Majority of your presentation should focus on Benefits (Around 80% benefit-focused is good).

Build your Tower of Persuasion – A successful message is typically built on a well-defined and trusted structure

Start by engaging your audience

» Tell a short story
» Ask a Leading Question
» Share a Statistic that will raise eyebrows (It must be true)
» Share a thought-provoking quotation or another meaningful statement.

After that provide a clear and unambiguous one-line statement that is “selling” your idea

Next, provide 3 reasons why the audience should buy into your proposal

» Share the knowledge
» Share the Passion
» Share the Ability (You need to be seen as a subject matter expert to be fully accepted)

Important Note – Always Focus on Benefits over Features

Summary & Call to Action

Here you have the important task of clearly providing a Call to Action (CTA).

The stronger is this message the more likely you will be successful with your objective, do not weaken the message by making it over long and make sure you connect to your original one-line statement.

Next Steps - Are Leaders Born or Made?

Behavioural Theorists believe that people can become leaders through the process of teaching, learning, and observation. Leadership is a set of skills that can be learned by training, perception, practice, and experience over time. Leadership learning is a lifetime activity. 

The Sofema Online Aviation Leadership and Management Skills Development Diploma brings together 16 separate courses (each one is certificated) on completion of all 16 courses the student is awarded a hard copy diploma. Please see here or email us at team@sassofia.com