Insight Into Persuasive Messaging
There's a fascinating article titled "The Psychology of Persuasive Messaging" (subscription req) in this month's issue of Campaigns & Elections written by Jim Kitchens that is worth checking out. (But reading the rest of this will give you the gist.)
According to Kitchens, there are “Four Pillars of the American Psyche” that must be understood and used to effectively appeal to an audience. Because the article is in a professional rag geared to pols, the target audience is of course voters; but his tactics could similarly be used by any advocacy group.
These pillars, or attitudinal anchors, consist of four psychological states: fear, narcissism, consumerism and religiosity.
Fear: Perhaps the most dominant pillar. Americans are full of fear. 60% of people living in New England fear a hurricane will devastate their coasts in the next ten years. People are afraid of losing thier jobs and of Social Security failing. And of course Republicans used fear in 2004 to propel President Bush to a second term. Personally, I find alarmist messaging trite, but properly delivering a message that hits close to home can be a powerful motivator.
Narcissism: Narcissism encompasses extreme patriotism, self-involvement and self-importance. Consider the evolution from JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country" to Reagan's "Are you better off than you were four years ago." Kitchens' advice to us is "Campaign messages should come from this mindset, relating on a micro level to the voters. National campaigns should incorporate messaging at a community level, while messages for grass-roots campaigns should speak to voters on a personal level."
Consumerism: From an economic standpoint consumer spending strengthens the economy, and as American's we want big houses, fancy cars, trendy cloths and expensive vacations. And because of this, voters have continued to support politicians that put more money in their pockets to buy these things. As campaign managers and message developers, we need to remember that people want material possessions; they want wealth. Frame your message from that perspective. Will your plan increase property values? Diminish government spending? Increase personal income? These messages persuade voters.
Religiosity: Beliefs based on religion shape the debate about many of the current issues in America, including abortion, gay rights and medical research. So when going about developing campaign messages, religion, especially as it pertains to morality, is a significant influencing factor. If you have examples of how your organization has implemented any of these four pillars, please comment below...
Michael L.
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