CXL’s Digital Psychology and Persuasion Minidegree review [part-11]

Photo by dylan nolte on Unsplash

Today I am going to talk about Modes of Persuasion.

The whole purpose of any marketing activity is to convert a person into a paying customer. As a marketer it is our job to make this process seamless, taking a person from uninformed state to a paying customer state.

This involves many stages like making a person aware about a product or service or even brand, converting these people into interested leads, attracting them to offers that help them in converting, helping them in their buying journey, and many more such steps.

Between all these activities, one thing is common and repeating again and again, and that is communication. We need to communicate our message rightly and timely to the right audience for success.

Here comes the role of modes of persuasion. These modes are sometimes also referred to as ethical strategies or rhetorical appeals. The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 b.c.e.) classified properties or modes of persuasion in Aristotle’s Rhetoric (“the art of rhetoric”). He initially identified 3 mode, which are regarded as the foundation stones of the art of public speaking, they are as follows:

• Logos
• Pathos
• Ethos

But, over a period of time another mode was surfaced which is known as Kairos. These are all Greek terms which was used to identify and breakdown the rhetoric situations. Although, these are ancient philosophies, but are perfectly stands in the 21st century. I am going to discuss these in brief and with that I also try to discuss the use of these principles in marketing context. We can use these concepts of communication or public speaking, if we use advertisements in the form of arguments.

Let’s get some insights on these 4 modes of persuasion.

Modes of persuasion

Logos

Logos stands for “word” in Greek language, and it refers to some logical appeal. The term logic is derived from this word. This mode is mostly used to present facts and stats as a support for the arguments or claims of the presenter/speaker.

You can think of logos as “logic,” because something that is logical “makes sense” and it can be “reasoned”.

This helps in convincing the audience easily, but it can also leads to mistrust if the information presented is not correct or is manipulated. Logos helps us understand how the writer or speaker is developing a logical argument by analyzing the proof that is given to convince the reader or listener to agree with the writer or speaker’s position.

The logos mode helps a person in:

• Focusing the attention of the audience on the message
• Supports clarity of the argument
• Gives facts to the audience to reason
• Often called a “logical appeal,” or an “appeal to reason.”

How to Identify or implement Logos in advertisements:

1. Based on logic
2. Lots of words and information
3. Use of Stats & Percentages
4. Use of Facts
5. Display Figures and Charts

Pathos

Pathos is more focused on the emotional aspect of the audience. Pathos stands for “suffering” or “experience” in Greek language and the terms pathetic, sympathy, and empathy are derived from it. Because it deals with the emotions of the audience, the argument becomes especially effective if the author or speaker display agreement with an underlying value of the reader or listener.

You can think of pathos as “empathy” or “sympathy”, which can be related to the experience of or sensitivity toward someones emotion.

Pathos helps us understand how the author or speaker is making his audience respond based on the emotions. Also, helps in understanding author or speakers tactic of making the audience passionate.

The Pathos mode helps in:

• Focusing the attention on the values and belief system of the intended audience
• Appealing to the audience’s capacity of empathy, mostly with the help of some kind of real or imaginable emotional story.
• Giving an overview of the benefits or damage of a situation while appealing the emotions of the audience.

How to Identify or implement Pathos in advertisements:

1. Based on Emotions like fear, anger, desire, sympathy, empathy, etc
2. Fear: Fear of missing out, now or never deals, time limited offer
3. Desire: Luxurious offers, relationship connections, success dreams
4. Empathy: Cuteness or sadness related ads
5. Hunger: Awesome looking desserts, delicious food items in ad pictures.

Ethos

The Ethos stands for “character” in Greek language, the word “ethics” is derived from it and it appeals to credibility of the speaker or author. It helps a person in communicating his authority to his audience. It helps in focuses or diverting the attention on the writer’s or speaker’s trustworthiness.

You can think of ethos as related to “ethics,” or the moral principles of the writer or speaker. Ethos is the author’s or speakers way of establishing trust with his or her audience.

The ethos mode helps us understand the why of a communication. Why the reader listen to or read an authors content and why they believe in it. It also helps in understanding the author or speakers techniques which helps him in establishing the credibility.

The Ethos mode helps in:

• Determining, why someone read or listen to someone else.
• Determining someone’s trustworthiness.
• Demonstrating someone’s mastery or expertise on a subject/field.
• Often called as “appeal to character” or “appeal to credibility.”

How to Identify or implement Pathos in advertisements:

1. Based on character or authority.
2. Endorsed by professional looking person.
3. By someone in uniform
4. Or by some celebrity

Kairos

Kairos refer to “right time”, “season” or “opportunity” in Greek language and it is related to time, most appropriately to right time in context of a event, like saying or doing something.

You can think of kairos as the type of persuasion that relates to “the right place and the right time.”

You can use this mode of communication to your advantage to persuade someone to perform a particular act like offering a ad at the right spot and at the right time, which maximizes its effectiveness.

It not only helps us in adjusting our timing or situation but tone of the communication. For example, if you need to raise same complaint through email to a politician, your boss, your mom or your friend, you’ll adjust the tone, timing and level of formality based on who is going to read your complaint.

Kairo helps us in:

• understanding a author or speakers intent of the communication, based on the context of the communication.
• deciding on what to communicate, when to communicate and how to communicate.
• making the communication relevant to the audience based on timing, tone and other features of the communication.

Photo by Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash

Try understanding these principles and using them in your marketing efforts to enhance your marketing and communication skills. Make your message hit the right spot on right time.

Thanks!!! for reading till end. Have a great day. :)