Persuasion is an essential component of all human communication as it is concerned with any message that is intended to shape, reinforce, or change the responses of another, or others. (Stiff and Mongeau, p4). This makes persuasive communication a key tool in any business communicator’s toolbox. From sales pitches to tough negotiations and visionary speeches, being able to persuade others is a forceful skill that can put you ahead of the pack.
As with any other 21st Century skill, persuasion is not a skill we are born with. It takes time, dedication and practice to perfect this age-old art. Classical scholars have grappled with the intricacies of oration (public speaking) from the earliest times. For example, Aristotle (Greek philosopher, 384–322 BC) specified the following 3 types of persuasive appeals in his work Art of Rhetoric.
Over the centuries, Persuasive Communication has been fine-tuned to become the scholarly discipline that it is today. But theory alone won’t get you ahead. As an English Second Language speaker, you have to build up your own library of persuasive phrases that you can use at the right time with the right audience.
To this extent, Business Jam has developed a PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION PRIMER, that matches persuasive techniques with effective and powerful communication phrases.
References
Aristotle. Aristotle's Art of Rhetoric. The University of Chicago Press. Kindle Edition.
Stiff, James B.; Mongeau, Paul A. (2016) Persuasive Communication. Guilford Publications. Kindle Edition.
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