How does one persuade?
In today’s society, media has a very significant role in
persuasion, whether it be in advertising or public relations. It’s not very
difficult for business’s today to get their ideas across to the general public
and make them aware of their products and services that they offer. Businesses
need persuaders and PR experts to operate efficiently to keep a positive image
of their business and attract consumers to buy their products and services that
they offer. Credibility and trust are the key aspects involved in persuasion.
And in media today, almost every advertisement you see works to establish
credibility with the viewers. Advertising and exposure to products are not
nearly enough for persuasion. Only when the business or company that is selling
the product is very well known and has solid credibility is solely advertising
and exposing a product enough for persuasion. However, when those two factors
are not present, then that is where PR comes into play. One of the first parts of media’s
influence on persuasion today is the approach. A business or company must
approach the way it persuades society with a very careful and particular
method. The business to consumer relationship is key in persuasion. The
approach to establishing good ties is almost as important as the ties
themselves.
Everyone from advertisers and politicians to our friends and colleagues seek to
gain our support for their ideas, products, or services. In today's world,
persuaders use increasingly sophisticated ways of exerting influence over the
attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of their audiences. There is an emphasis
throughout on how persuasion has been changed by electronic media. Advertising is
the easiest starting point: most ads are relatively simple in structure, easily
available, and in their original format. Media literacy beginners are
encouraged to learn the language of persuasion by examining ads. Keep in mind
that many media messages, such as television commercials, use several
techniques simultaneously. Persuasion through communication has changed
with social media. In the past with traditional media we were persuaded through
sending out a one way communication where we talked, they acted. When we communicate, we are persuading. We are
persuading them to listen, accept, comprehend and act. If they do not accept
the message they act by either voicing their opinion or ignoring. When you have
their attention, the stages of persuasion tend to emulate the stages of brand
perception and acceptance. We will not buy from people we do not trust.
We buy from people/a brand that we hear, listen, accept and trust when we have
a need and feel that they are talking to us. For many
groups today, the media is as essential as oxygen, without it they suffocate
and fade away. Not only do they need the media to highlight their cause and
influence decision makers, but more importantly they need it to build support
for their actions and propagate their message. In other words, it is for
advertising the cause and intimidating the competition. Because digital media is so significant and relevant in society today, persuasion through media is much easier than it used to be. People are so connected through the media that they have become to rely heavily on it, so persuasion is obtained a bit easier. Shopping online today is extremely popular, and people will purchase items online or over the phone that they have never seen in person before. This commitment takes trust in the product. All in all, media plays a very large role in persuasion. Society places a lot of trust in the media today, so companies and businesses must be on point with their attempts for persuasion.
