What Are Types of Persuasive Techniques?
- While is may seem simple, repetition alone can prove a powerful persuasive force. When trying to persuade individuals to buy a product or complete an action, advertisers often use repetition, repeating the name of the product or activity again and again to ensure that it sticks with the viewer. By doing this, persuaders hope to ensure that when the individual thinks of that product or service, the brand name they are pushing pops immediately to mind.
- If everyone is doing it, you will feel like you should, too. At least that is the hope of those who employ the bandwagon persuasive technique. This technique consists of making listeners or readers feel as if everyone is on board. In making the object or activity seem popular, users of this technique hope to lead others to join in. Those using a bandwagon appeal will highlight an object or activity's popularity by saying things like, "Everyone is doing it," or "Nine out of 10 people choose this product."
- Emotions are powerful and can lead you to do an assortment of things, including buying a product or joining in a cause. When television advertisers attempt to persuade others create emotional appeals, they pull at the heart-strings of viewers, often presenting them with messages or images designed to elicit emotions. For example, they may show pictures of sad-looking animals to encourage viewers to give money to a local animal shelter.
- By obtaining an expert endorsement, persuaders make their argument more sound and prove that those in the know agree with them. The type of expert most appropriate to endorse a product or activity depends greatly upon what product or activity the individual is trying to push. For example, if the persuader is trying to convince people to give a certain medicine a chance, he may seek endorsements from doctors, as these are the people others trust when making health-related decisions. Similarly, if trying to encourage people to join a certain gym or take part in a boot camp program, the persuader may seek the endorsement of a professional athlete who could speak to the effectiveness of the program in question.
