This document provides guidance on how to effectively target an audience when conveying a message. It discusses understanding the audience's needs based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Key aspects include learning about the audience's attitudes, motivations, and biases. The goals should guide the message and language used. Different organizational structures for persuasive arguments are outlined such as identifying a problem and solution or highlighting advantages over the status quo. Tailoring the message and arguments to the specific audience is emphasized to help ensure the message is received and persuasive goals are achieved.
2. When we want to convey a message to an audience we want to be prepared. We want to be motivational, persuasive, and successful in reaching the results we want. So we begin by knowing who our audience is, and what we need. When the needs of the audience are met, the message can be conveyed more effectively and clearly. In the following slide is Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs which is a good starting point when targeting an audience. Learning your audiences Needs
4. Audience Analysis Know your audience. Do they love their job, or cant wait to get out? Are they positive thinkers or negative? Find out what they are like. Awareness & Sensitivity. Are they motivated? Do they like teamwork? Finding how the audience feels about your topic and how to reach them. Know the Attitudes & Biases of your audience Know what motivates & persuades your audience
5. Talk to the audience not at the audience. Build on what the audience knows, don’t assume or guess what their interest are, ask instead. Be Consistent & Keep Goals. Stay on track, It is the audience, their needs, goals, and desires, which will make the decision as to what is or is not significant. Lack of significance is grounds for audience rejection of your persuasion. Find their interest & be clear. The more you know about the audience the better focus you have on what matters to them. Language choice is very important, word choice, proper definition, and much more can make or break your persuasion.
6. The goal of persuasion is to get someone to do something you want them to do, that they are not currently doing. We use this in everyday life. When we negotiate a deal, ask a teacher for a higher grade, or write a research or persuasive paper. It is also used on us ever more constantly. Advertisements, television, and coupons. They are intended to make us do or buy something that we are not doing at the moment. How we learn to use persuasion is critical thinking in its self, for we must break down our argument or message so that it can clearly be taken in by our target audience. Defining Persuasion
7. Organizing your persuasion for the pro side suggest that a problem exist in the status quo, and there is one solution that will solve it for them. This approach is very clear, well defined, and understandable System analysis says that some program model is being used to run an interconnected system, and that the system is not functioning as it should. A proposal would then be designated to correct any flaw(s) in the system in order to make it operational. Another type of system for problems & solutions is called goals/criteria. This approach suggest that the currently defined goal of the target audience is not being met, and cannot be met, using current criteria (policies, beliefs, values, or institutions).
8. Advantages case approach. This choice suggest that while there may be nothing wrong with the status quo, something exist that will be better than that which already exists. This approach works best when the pro side cannot really find fault with the policies, beliefs, or institutions in the present system, but feels that their claim is better than what currently exist. In trying to determine an appropriate advantages case is to examine the priorities of the target audience. The pro side would need to prove that the claim it is advancing deserves higher priority status than any other competing claim. The case approach called residues says that a certain number of alternatives exist to deal with any problem, meet any goal, or make any problem work. Of these alternatives, all but one are unacceptable. Since this one is the only one left, it should be accepted.
9. Organizing your persuasion for the con side by refuting 1. The problem and/or solution, 2. denying all advantages from a change in the status quo, or 3. arguing the alternative presented in the residues case approach. Another approach would be the defense of the status quo with just minor repairs. This approach is that the status quo is generally doing an effective job. If there is a problem, minor changes or repairs are made, but no need for major changes. Last comes the counterproposal. The con side admits that the overall goals of the pro side’s case are good, but the way to reach them is not. The con side, does not agree with the way the pro side wants to remedy the weakness and offers a better plan of attack thus proposing a counterproposal.
10. If you want people to listen; learn to speak persuasive and to identify the needs of your audience This power point explores how to effectively convey messages and present points of view. Every Critical thinker beside refining the ability to validate points and sort information must develop communication skills to successfully make a stand for his point of view. A receptive audience is one that has found a benefit for their continue attention. Even when the arguments are a contest to what they believe a persuasive speaker can turn contestations into interesting debates that could lead to new perspectives or validations of the existing arguments. Learning how to effectively deliver a message is as important as the content of the message: By focusing in the needs of the audience and by using tailored persuasive arguments, the speaker will be able to makes his point of view clearer. His arguments will encounter less resistance. The audience will be more prone to accept his validations and verdict, and more importantly, by tailoring the arguments and speaking persuasively the speaker will retain the audience attention. SUCCESS in capturing your audience attention !! . Critical Thinking Skills + the ability to tailor a message & speaking persuasively =
