How to Coach Yourself and Others How to Influence, Persuade and Motivate | Page 400

substance of your message, their brains will not accept your message —
there is no clear message to accept.
At one time or another, you have probably been in a classroom where the
teacher has completely lost you. You had no idea where the topic was
going or where it had been. When this happens, your mind stalls and the
learning process stops. Confusion is a state of mind that creates tension.
We hate to be confused. When we create this mental confusion as
persuaders, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. Most uneducated "onenote persuaders" follow Harry Truman's advice: "If you can't convince
'em, confuse 'em."
Before we jump into the meat of this topic, remember as you prepare your
persuasive message that you want to focus on one defined issue. You are
not there to persuade on ten different points. Stay focused and steer clear
of sensitive issues that aren't on your original agenda. In other words,
don't inadvertently offend your audience on one issue when your focus in
on another. The structure of your persuasive message should follow the
pattern discussed below.
1. Create Interest
You have to generate an interest about your chosen topic. Your audience
needs a reason to listen: Why should they care? What's in it for them?
How can you help them? A message that starts with a really good reason
to listen will grab the attention of the audience, enabling you to continue
with the message. Without this attention, there is no hope of getting your
message across.
2. State the Problem
You must clearly define the problem you are trying to solve. The best
pattern for a persuasive speech is to find a problem and relate how it
affects the audience. In this way, you show them a problem they have and
why it is of concern to them. Why is this a problem to your audience?
How does this problem affect them?
3. Offer Evidence
This is the support you give to your argument. Evidence validates your
claims and offers proof that your argument is right. It allows your
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