Persuade Your Way

Speak softly and carry a big stick. I take that literally.

Dear Friend,

Spin doctors. Cherry pickers. Flacks. These are some degrading names that refer to public relations professionals. Talk about name-calling for grown-ups! Often public relations professionals receive a bad rep for their profession. However, these names resulted from a few bad cherries. Just like every cheerleader is not a ditz, not every public relations specialist is a sneaky manipulator.

One of the things public relations boils down to is honest persuasion. If you think about it, everyone persuades on a daily basis: persuading the jury or judge, media or potential clients, your kids to eat their vegetables (maybe the hardest one of all). Persuasion also can involve changing negative opinions and encouraging positive ones. There are a number of things you should remember when persuading your way through life.

Know who you're persuading
Would you talk to your clients or the media the same way you talk to your mother? Would you pitch the editor of Horses and More about your dog-grooming company? Sure, these are blatantly obvious questions, but it highlights the point that you should always consider your audience when attempting to persuade. Men, women, oldies, young-ies, liberals, conservatives-all have different beliefs, attitudes, concerns and interests. Consider using different angles and arguments depending upon what will resonate with those you're trying to reach.

Know how to persuade
Audiences can vary, so naturally there are various ways to appeal to each. Interesting statistics and figures can be effective in receiving attention (media folk especially like this one). Knowing important or impressive statistics places you in the "expert" seat, which will greatly assist you in your persuading ways. People listen to experts. Emotional appeals are effective as well because they strike a chord with our human instincts. Think "speaking from the heart, to the heart." You can also establish a need, by explaining who your company is and what your company does to help people. Client testimonials are great to use in this case (those third party endorsements really take the cake).

Know when to persuade
You can persuade anytime and anywhere! If people sense your passion for what you do, they will be naturally persuaded. Think about all the opportunities to respond to local or national news. Say you own a window company. Since it's hurricane season (will Gustav, Ike and Hanna please stand up?), you would want to spread the word about your 90-mile-per-hour-proof windows and offer advice on how to protect your home. Also, if there is ever negative news circulating about your business, you should definitely comment on it and counter it in the hopes of turning it positive.

Our agency prides itself on practicing ethical methods of persuasion and communication, and so should you! Maintaining ethics is a must in any profession. Don't be the bad cherry. It is in your best interest to be honest, truthful and genuine at all times. There is someone out there who would benefit from the services or products you offer, and it should be your mission to help them.

And remember, when persuading youngsters on the importance of vegetables, make sure to mention that eaten or not-eaten vegetables are directly related to whether or not Santa brings presents. Did I mention the "fear factor" is also an effective persuasion tactic?

Howdy Bill!

Bill Moller comes to TC Public Relations with a rich background in the broadcast media. He currently is host of The Money Show on WGN Radio. Bill previously worked at Chicagoland's cable news station, CLTV, from its launch in 1993 until February 2006. For his writing, reporting and anchoring he has won three Emmys, two Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism from the Society of Professional Journalists, and two first place Associated Press awards. He has also been an adjunct professor at Columbia College and was the first Annenberg Scholar at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois where he taught for two quarters in 2008.

A firm believer in community involvement, Bill loves to visit classrooms with an inspirational message about self-discipline. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees at the Fox River Country Day School in Elgin. He is a regular emcee at various events.

Bill is married and has three children. When not spending time with family, he enjoys playing the piano (he was once a teacher of jazz), walking, bike-riding and reading newspapers and nonfiction. Bill brings an abundance of energy and determination to the office and will be a valuable addition to the team.