THE ART OF PERSUASION

-Tips for Using the Language of Persuasion

1. Identify your audience:

This will help to determine your approach and tone.

2. Create an attention-grabbing opening: This provokes a reaction, keeps the audience interested, appeals to the emotions and tugs on the heartstrings.

3. Use rhetorical questions: Rhetorical questions help to directly engage your audience; they appeal to the emotions and encourage the audience to question their own stance.

For example:

“Do you think it is right that billions of people are starving in the world, while everyday others are dumping perfectly good food into bins?”

“Is this the type of society we want to create?”

“Are you happy to accept this situation?”

4. Use emotive language/imagery/adjectives: This helps to convince the reader of the author’s point of view, sways them in favour of the argument and evokes strong feelings in the audience.

5. Use personal pronouns:

The use of pronouns such as I, We, and Our, makes your appeal personal, includes the audience and makes listeners feel emotionally involved or responsible.

6. Use facts and statistics: Supporting claims and showing that points are well researched helps to convince the reader that the author is knowledgeable.

7. Use anecdotes/personal experience: This helps to bring the piece to life and makes it authentic, appealing, interesting and engaging.

8. Use slogans and rhyming:

The use of slogans, repetition, rhyming and humour provokes reaction in the reader.

9. Acknowledge other points of view:

This creates a well-balanced piece and makes your own point of view more convincing.

10. Use varied sentence structure:

Varied sentence length adds life to a piece and creates drama, rhythm and suspense.