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9.12: Targeting Strategy

  • Page ID
    68256
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    To persuade someone or some group, we want to relate our argument to the need level of our audience. We want to demonstrate that our position or argument will help them satisfy their need level.

    Politicians are experts at this strategy. If a politician believes that his audience is worried about national security, that their security need is unmet, he or she will argue for increase for defense. This way if the person votes for them, then their need level of security will be met.

    Targeting involves two steps:

    • First, clearly identify which need level your audience is on, or at what need level the audience is most vulnerable.
    • Second, create a line of reasoning that will appeal directly to that need.

    Remember that no two audiences are necessarily on the same level at the same time, and that one type of reasoning will work with one audience and not with another. If your appeal is targeted to one level, and your audience is on another level, the appeal will fail.


    This page titled 9.12: Targeting Strategy is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jim Marteney (ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI)) .

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