SYG 2010
Hurley
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The first rule of persuasion is to establish rapport with the audience/reader. The following
Techniques often work to facilitate the development of rapport. You may successfully use up to
four or five of these at any time, but don't over do it.
1. Be courteous and generous with your acknowledgements and introductions.
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Some topic have greater appeal that others. Even the topics which most people are not terribly
interested in can be made more appealing if you work to arouse the interest and attention of the
audience/reader. All of the following techniques can be effective. You may successfully use
three or four of these strategies at a time, but don't employ too many or you'll undermine your
own credibility.
1. Relate your topic to the special interests/needs of the audience/reader.
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There are several analytical processes that can contribute to your evaluation and advocacy of a
particular point of view. The following questions should be addressed as a means of helping you
prepare your case. A substantial basis for validating your opinions and beliefs can be generated
by using the following review questions (without falsifying the data, evidence, or facts).
1. Do present conditions demand a change?
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There are a few pitfalls that need to be avoided of your attempts at persuasion are going to be
most effective. Please check to make sure that you don't fall into these traps. Just remember
that you need to prepare yourself to defend every claim that you make.
1. Don't stray from the point. Too much complexity or too many diversions will weaken your
argument.
2. Don't use humor that is not germane to your topic. Relevant humor is priceless. Irrelavant
humor often has the effect of being a "Red Herring" that detracts from your argument.
3. Don't extend the opponent's argument to the point of absurdity. You may extend another's
argument only if you do so reasonably.
4. Don't label and dismiss your opponent's claims without explanation. [This is the Rush
Limbaugh oral disease of pettifogging.]
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Be responsible and treat everyone else with respect. In so doing you are most likely to be
respected by others.
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2. Begin with a compliment to the audience/reader.
3. Refer kindly to previous speakers or other authors on this topic.
4. Use sincere expression of pleasure.
5. Refer to matters of local interest.
6. Respond to the mood of the audience/occasion/topic.
7. Refer to the special interests or characteristics of the audience/reader.
8. Use a casual comment on a local or trifling matter of which the audience/reader is aware.
9. Always be friendly and engaging. You must make the audience/reader your ally.
2. Interpret your subject in concrete terms that are familiar to the audience/reader.
3. Create curiosity.
4. Introduce your topic by laying down a barrage of questions (if you can answer them,
otherwise this may backfire).
5. Use a narrative description of a related story or adventure -- if you can tell it well.
6. Open your discussion with a series of striking facts. OR
7. Use an amusing anecdote. OR
8. Use a familiar historic incident, quotation, character or book. OR
9. Use visual aids.
2. If change is necessary, is this proposal the best change that is possible?
3. Is this proposed change theoretically sound?
4. Is the proposed change practical?
5. Do the advantages of this proposal outweigh its disadvantages?
6. What concerns does this proposal exclude as irrelevant?
7. What limitations does this proposal admit to? What concessions are waived?
8. Who benefits the most from this proposal? Who is most disadvantaged?
9. Is this idea likely to make a difference for the majority of those in the community, state,
region, or nation?