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Persuasive Requests vs. Sales Messages

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Persuasive Requests versus Sales Messages The public is always free to make independent choices regarding what goods and services to purchase or what businesses and causes to support. Both sales messages and persuasive requests are intended to influence the behavior of a targeted audience. The main difference is that the sales message persuades by convincing the prospect that it is in his or her interest to buy. A persuasive message does this as well, but it usually attempts a broader appeal to other kinds of motivations such as personal interests, altruistic feelings, humanitarian efforts or the desire for personal profit or gain. Both tangible and intangible benefits are stressed in both sales messages and persuasive requests. Persuasion is the attempt to influence the attitudes, beliefs, or actions of members of a particular audience. Persuasive messages are designed to target audiences who are inclined to resist (Hirsh et al, 2012). They are generally longer and more detailed than sales messages and require more strategic planning. To persuade a skeptical or hostile audience, it is important to establish credibility. Persuasive request messaging seeks to appear reliable and worthy of confidence. Information aids understanding and communicates the benefits of a specific course of action. Persuasive requests tend to make three types of appeals emotional, rational, and character-based (Hirsh et al, 2012). Emotional appeals often center on the five human senses or

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