Chapter 7
Persuasion Strategy Choices

Outline

Persuasion Strategies & Definitions

ACE Model

Role of Introductions

Planning for Obstacles

Communication Issues

Credibility & Evidence

Role of Trust

Maintaining Face

Persuasion Strategies & Definitions
The text (pages 95-99) lists sixty-four
conceptually distinct strategies developed by
Kellerman & Cole (1994 Communication
Theory)

Also known as compliance-gaining strategies –
how to get people to do things they might not
otherwise choose to do


Strategy categories are typically developed to
reduce complexity and simplify choice
•
Threat, orders, rigidity, caution,

ACE Model

Simplify strategies by categorizing in terms of type of
appeal
•
Emotional
•
Reasoning

Types of Reasoning Appeals (ACE)
•
Appropriateness
•
Consistency
•
Effectiveness

Appropriateness Appeals

Involve the application of social
pressure
•
Example - One of your friends
calls you to meet her at a bar
later this evening. You tell her

you have too much work to
complete and need to study for a
test.
•
She says, “But…all of our friends
will be there…you have to go!”

May be more effective with
younger people – those who want
to be liked and admired by
others.

Consistency Appeals

Pertain to what a person like
himself (or like the type of
person he aspires to be) would
do.
•
Example – You are shopping with a
friend who needs to purchase a suit
for an upcoming interview with a
company. Your friend is torn
between two suits – one more trendy
or contemporary and one that is more
traditional.
•
You attempt to persuade saying, “I
think you should buy the more trendy
suit – after all, it really reflects your

artistic and creative side and will
help you be distinctive.”

May be more effective with
people who are more
individualistic and have “minds of
their own”

Effectiveness Appeals

Relate to actions that will help
bring about a result the person
desires
•
Example – A sales rep with Office
Depot presents a plan to your
university purchasing group to enable
their administrative staff to place
orders for office supplies on-line
rather than using the catalog and
purchase orders. The purchasing
manager says “I feel more comfortable
with our current system.”
•
He responds, “I really think this option
will enable you to cut costs. In
addition, your departments will
receive their products quicker and you
can track all purchases on-line. Why
don’t we try it?”


Work best when the larger issue is
less personal, more focused on
attaining the desired result.

Role of Introductions

Once a negotiator has determined the type or category of
appeal to utilize, they must decide whether to use an
introduction or provide some type of post-appeal explanation.
•
Progressive strategy – lead up to a request with a “pre-
solicitation sequence that unearths or deflects sources of
resistance”
•
Regressive strategy – persuader follows a direct request with
explanations for the request and inducements for compliance

Achievers may be more likely than Mediators to take a
regressive approach

Motivators may lead with encouragement and attractive images

Analyticals may be inclined to lead with data

Planning for Obstacles

Identify possible obstacles or objections to appeals
and utilize this knowledge to select strategies


Adapt your appeal in anticipation of the obstacle or
objection you expect to encounter

Potential Obstacles

Inadequate resources –
“Our staff doesn’t have
the capabilities”

Possession – “We don’t
have the funding right
now”

Imposition – “We’re too
busy to do that”

Inappropriateness – “It’s
unethical for you to
request that”

Source responsibility –
“That’s not our
problem”

No incentive – “What’s
in it for me?”

Recalcitrance – “I won’t
do that”


Postpone – “We’re not
ready right now”

State of mind – “I’m too
stressed to do that”

Responses to Obstacles

Acknowledge the Obstacle (Objection)

Assess – ask a question to learn more about the
counterparts’ concern

Respond – use proof statements, testimonials,
benefits, etc.

Seek agreement that you’ve addressed the concern
before you proceed

Managing Obstacles

Managing Obstacles
•
Watch out for cues that obstacles are emerging
•
Pause
•
Identify the source of the obstacle
•
Redirect the process before they loom large


Skilled negotiators seek to avoid or manage
obstacles

Communication Issues
The type of medium with which to communicate is an
important consideration. The more significant the
issue, the more negotiators should rely on media
which allow both verbal and visual interaction

Use of e-mail
•
Consider cultural differences – preference for face-to-face
interaction

Face-to-face and/or video conferencing
•
Provide more cues than fax, telephone or e-mail

If negotiations are of the distributive form, it’s more
important to have multiple communication cues

Credibility & Evidence

Objective Criteria
•
Information that informs a choice but is
independent of the will of either side
•
Present only your strongest evidence

•
Plan for most appropriate timing

Subjective Criteria
•
Useful when counterparts are emotionally
involved and may discount objective criteria or
other rational arguments

Role of Trust

Trust - the willingness
to rely or depend on a
relationship partner in
the context of
uncertainty
•
Based on the actions of
the other relationship
partner in the early
stages of relationship
development
Dissolution
Exploration
Expansion
Commitment
Awareness

Threats to Trust


Breach of trust or defection – one or more parties
violate a trust

Miscommunication – interpret words differently or
misread nonverbal cues

Dispositional attributions – refer to a person’s
character and intentions

Poor pie expansion – failure to expand the pie or seek
a “win-win”

Egocentrism – viewing one’s own actions as good and
worthy and the tendency to view others in less
favorable terms

Reputation

Maintaining Face

Face defined: “the positive social value a person
effectively claims for himself by the line others
assume he has taken during a particular encounter”

Facework – communication that supports or
challenges a particular line

Negotiators should try to maintain the other side’s
face


If negotiations are threatened by loss of face, it will
be difficult to move toward an effective outcome

Strategies to Recover Face

Admissions of fault or shared fault

Denials of intention to harm

Acts of omission rather than commission

Blaming slippage on lack of sleep or misunderstanding

Silence or delaying tactics