Timing and Context

Your message must arrive at a time when it can conveniently be considered. If it is too early, your audience may not be ready to think about it. April is not the time to talk about winter sports or sports equipment, but October might be just right. Information about income taxes is especially interesting just before the tax deadline, but it's "old hat" a few days later. News about a cure for male baldness gets full attention from middle-aged bald-headed men at almost any time.

Symbols, Slogans, and Acronyms

The Red Cross is the best-known humanitarian organization in the world. The name is totally unenlightening, but the symbol is recognized and associated with the care and help given by the organization. Flags are symbols. The Christian cross, the Jewish Star of David, and the Muslim crescent are familiar symbols around the globe. You aren't likely to produce a world-famous symbol, but if at all possible, you should try to find something graphic that helps individualize and identify a given organization. Trademarks and logos are examples, but even unregistered visual symbols can help.

Slogan can be highly persuasive. They state something important in a few memo­rable and easily pronounceable words. If you can coin a slogan that expresses the basic idea of what you are trying to promote, it will help you attain that objective.

Acronyms range from the good and effective to the ridiculous. Coined from the initial letters of the name of some organization or cause, an acronym can in some cases be highly useful. A good acronym is NOW, for the National Organization for Women. It is pronounceable and memorable, and it makes a succinct political point. These women are striving for equality, and they want it "NOW". Another good reason for acronyms is the shortening of a lengthy name. AIDS is much easier to comprehend and write about than "acquired immune deficiency syndrome".

Semantics

The dictionary definition of words may be clear and concise, but there is another dimension to words — their connotative meaning to various individuals and groups of people. The meaning given to words and the changes that occur in these meanings as time goes on is the branch of linguistics called semantics.

To write persuasively and to influence target audiences, you must be sensitive to semantics. Words trigger images and feelings. Some words create very positive impres­sions in people's minds. Persuasive messages often contain the following words: discov­ery, ease, guarantee, health, love, money, new, proven, results, safety, save, you.

Suggestions for Action

Persuasive writing must give people information on how to take action, and the suggestion must be practicable.

A campaign by a utility provides a good example. If the company really wants people to conserve energy, it must provide information on how to do so. The sugges­tions may be as simple as turning the thermostat down to 68 degrees, wearing sweaters in the house during the winter months, or purchasing a roll of weather stripping to place around the windows and doors. All these suggestions are within the capability of the utility's customers.

However, if the suggestion is to insulate your house thoroughly, this may not be feasible for consumers with limited incomes. In this case, the utility may accompany the suggestion with a special program of interest-free loans or a discount coupon to make it easier for customers to take the recommended action. In this way, the sugges­tion becomes feasible to thousands more homeowners.

Environmental organizations, to use another example, make a point of providing information on how to write to your legislator. They provide not only the legislstor's address but also a sample letter that you can copy. Greenpeace simply mails its mem­bers postcards with preprinted messages. All you have to do is sign the postcard and affix a stamp.