What is Persuasive Writing?
Persuasion is the art of making an offer that others can’t refuse. Persuasive writing uses words to convince the reader to listen to what you have to say and to act in a certain way ‒ it has to sway your reader intellectually and emotionally.
We all need to use it in our everyday business writing. Great business writers use persuasive writing in advertising materials, social media marketing, proposals, articles, newsletters, blog posts, memos, emails, requests for meetings, speeches and reports. In each situation, your goal is to persuade your readers that what you have to say is relevant and valuable and that it is in their best interest to take the action you have requested.
3 Pillars of Persuasive Writing
1. Be credible
By appealing to credibility, writers make their claims more believable. The writer builds on his or her credibility by writing with confidence, clarity and accuracy. You and your business will be more credible if there are no errors in your written material, as well as no errors in the subject matter.
Incorporate some personal work-related information and some comments about your customers’ experiences with your business in your writing to bolster your credibility. You can support the validity of your customers’ feedback with testimonials and personal recommendations.
2. Be logical
By appealing to logic, writers persuade their readers through coherent arguments. A successful appeal to the reader’s reasoning requires tangible evidence, e.g., a quote from a reliable source, a case study, or a testimonial. You appeal to the rationality of your reader, using your evidence to persuade the reader to agree with you, convincing them that your argument is viable and likely to result in the obtainment of benefits and goals.
3. Appeal to emotions
By appealing to emotions, writers persuade by evoking feelings and swaying emotions rather than by using valid logic. If you judge a mood, or correctly address feelings about the subject, you can win over a reader. Trigger positive emotions by highlighting desirable benefits and outcomes, and negative emotions by indicating what might occur if your products and/or services are not used.
This is possibly the most important of the appeals but the most frequently abused. Be careful not to appeal to the prejudices of readers instead of offering a fair and sober assessment of a situation, product or service.
Most persuasive writing techniques use all three appeals.
10 Techniques used in Persuasive Writing
1. Focus on the reader
‘It’s all about you’ is the most important technique used in persuasive writing. This technique, which produces goodwill and favourably influences people, is crucial in business writing. You must emphasise the reader’s importance and put their interests first.
If you want to get your point of view across, convey information or persuade readers, focus on them and see things from their perspective. Adapt what and how you write in terms of their interests, problems, needs and preferences. Present your products and services in light of what’s important to the readers rather than yourself, and what your business can do to benefit them.
2. Have clear goals
Answer the following questions to help you select the right content, format, tone and structure for your writing:
- What is important, original or exciting about what you want to convey?
- Who do you want to read this?
- What action are you trying to inspire?
- How will it benefit your readers?
- Where will it be read? On a website, in print, in an email?
3. Warmth
You can make all sorts of mistakes in your writing and the messages you want to get across yet still leave your readers with a good feeling ‒ if you can convey the intangible quality of personal warmth. Warmth is more difficult to convey in writing than it is in verbal communication.
You should demonstrate concern for the reader’s circumstances, show interest in their attitudes and values, and be honest and genuine about the ways in which your products and/or services are going to be helpful to them. Make the reader feel comfortable and confident in dealing with you.
4. Engagement
The first paragraph of your writing must be well crafted to engage the reader right from the start. It should grab the reader’s attention, provide an overview of the whole story, and set the tone of what they are about to read. Provide a compelling reason for the reader to continue reading.
Concentrate on three key messages – It is tempting to cover a lot of material in your writing as you want to provide the reader with as much information as possible. But you should focus on key messages you want the reader to take away and how you want them to feel after reading the material.
5. Focus on benefits
When it comes to writing persuasively, make the case for why and how the features of your products and/or services lead to benefits, and how they can help the reader address a particular problem or need. Show and tell the reader why they are making the correct decision in choosing your products and/or services rather than any other.
Write your material not only to ‘sell with benefits’ but also to create a compelling vision of a desired future state that will attract and please the reader if they do business with you. Also consider what your readers’ questions might be and have the answers ready to work into your document.
6. Parallel experience
One way of touching the right spots with your reader is to draw on a parallel situation in your own experience, creating a sense of insight and empathy. Build your writing around this experience or use what you have learned as a basis for your writing. By developing a sympathetic bond between yourself and your reader, you enhance the person-to-person connection and help your reader to become more open to what you are saying.
7. Good manners
If you want to persuade your reader, you must show impeccable manners. In other words, be nice, be polite and be truthful. If you are rude or pushy, your reader will shut down to your ‘marketing argument’ and turn elsewhere. When in doubt, put yourself in their shoes and ask, “How would I feel if this was directed at me? Would I be offended, or would I be open to listening to more?”
8. Tone
The tone of your writing goes beyond the content of your words. It offers the reader an overall feeling, an indication of your intention and attitude toward them and the subject you are talking about. The general tone of your message will depend on what is being covered and how you want to convey your message, but a useful guideline is to stay positive and approachable.
Suggest to your reader that you are interested in their problems and in solving them. A good tone is ruined by using slang, harsh words, sloppy phrases, and a lack of respect for your readers.
9. Use the right structure
Choose a structure that complements what you have to say and the persuasive technique you have chosen. Plan the structure of your writing to persuade effectively ‒ don’t try to construct an argument on the fly. There are several ways to structure a document and argument, such as:
- The ‘inverted pyramid’ in which the most important information is presented first.
- A profile or case study which highlights the significance of a single experience.
- The traditional pyramid structure which leads the reader gently to a persuasive conclusion.
10. Have a strong finish
The closing paragraph is the second most important thing you’ll write, after the opening paragraph. It should encapsulate and reiterate your central idea and explicitly state what action you want your reader to take. Avoid introducing a new idea when you’re writing the conclusion. Be sure to leave a memorable impression with your final words.
Final words
Persuading isn’t about manipulation or pushy sales tactics; it’s about getting buy-in for your offer. If you need assistance fine-tuning your business documents, please call Renell for an appointment.
