AUDIENCE TYPE
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POSSIBLE PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES
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Hostile or strongly disagreeable
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Address opposing viewpoints with the refutation pattern.
Emphasize points of agreement.
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Seek only a minor change in audience attitude.
If you must ask your audience to do something, hold off until the very end of your speech.
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Skeptical or conflicted
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Address opposing viewpoints with the refutation pattern.
Present strong arguments supported by unbiased evidence.
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Receptive
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Consider a narrative organization.
Reinforce audience sympathies with emotional appeals.
Stress commonality with the audience.
Clearly offer a call to action.
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Uninformed or apathetic
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Capture the audience’s attention.
Emphasize the topic’s relevance to the audience.
Emphasize speaker credibility.
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