Persuasive Message Outline

The simplest understanding and approach to persuasive messages is to determine how likely the receiver is to comply with the sender’s wishes. If the audience is positive, then follow that outline. For negative audiences you need to use a different approach.

It is helpful to overlay these structures with the marketing concept of Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action (AIDA).

This strategy starts with the opening of a positive or negative message. The opening should include an attention grabbing opening, such as a fact, question, or something to catch the receiver’s interest. Next, direct your writing to discuss more details to interest the receiver in this situation. The desire is about how the receiver’s help or action matters. Finally, the closing includes the specific action requested of the receiver.