communication and persuasion tactics
The PATH Engagement Protocols represent an array of communication strategies and tactics tailored to the health and behavioral orientation of each of the nine Patterns of Adapting to Health (PATH). The various communication tactics and strategies are described below. This section can be referred to for more understanding of the strategy or tactic in the context of any specific PATH.
The Adaptive Health Behavior Inventory (AHBI) – Health Goal Semantics
Insight into the health and behavioral orientation of each PATH is represented by the actual agree-disagree responses that an adult gives to the battery of statements making up the Adaptive Health Behavior Inventory (AHBI) used to identify their PATH. The AHBI provides insight into the health-related goal semantics of each PATH in the form of health care priorities, behaviors, and adaptive response to several distinct health-related contexts.
The AHBI content covers areas such as:
Goal Semantics
The response levels to the statements of the AHBI determine their role as goal semantics. ABHI statements with rated very high or strongly agree or very low or strongly disagree are those most indicative of goal semantics. These statements should be given priority in terms of themes to tailor on. AHBI statements with somewhat high or somewhat agree or somewhat low or somewhat disagree are the next most likely to indicate goal semantics. These AHBI statements should form the basis of core trigger statements and visual triggers employed when targeting specific PATH. The response levels to these statements are used to infer the cognitive dynamics of the target audience, such as degree of priming and habit-based response, as well as the decision criteria that are the most likely to operate. These dynamics guide the communication and advertising tactics to most likely to reach, engage, and persuade the targeted segments.
Visual Triggers
The visual triggers consist of four types: portraying the customer, customer activity, image theme, and image type. Customers are generally portrayed using specific demographic, life stage, socioeconomic, or health status traits. For example, a young woman with an infant is describing a specific customer. The customer activity refers to describing customer behaviors that are in line with the specific content of the health themes. A young woman with an infant buying baby formula is an example of showing customer activity. Image theme refers to images that display specific themes such as family, exercise, nutrition, and so forth. The image theme will relate directly to the content of the core statement or statement trigger. For example, a theme of price concern might include background images of discount coupons, sale signs, or a hand holding on to money. The image type refers to whether the image is intended to capture and hold attention without reference to the actual topic of the advertisement, or to support and refer to the actual topic of the advertisement. For example, a beer commercial that emphasizes attractive women is not really focusing on the beer. But, a beer commercial that shows images of the brewing process is.
Cognitive Dynamics
Cognitive dynamics refers to the psychological responses that can be expected toward a communication directed towards consumers with specific mind sets.
Perceptual Bias and Response
Perceptual bias refers to those things that we have an inherent interest in and those things that we don’t. One person may have an inherent interest in rock-n-roll music, while another may prefer jazz. That is perceptual bias—the recognition of relevance or irrelevance. The person who prefers jazz becomes aroused and listens when they hear it; while that same person tunes out rock-n-roll. That is perceptual response. Perceptual bias makes our ears perk up or tune out. Perceptual response is our increase in attention because we have in inherent interest in the topic, or a decrease in attention because the topic has little relevance to us. One goal of any communication is to generate the perceptual response of attention by leveraging knowledge of the consumer’s perceptual bias.
Learning Style
Learning style comprises a range from passive learning to active learning. In passive learning, the recipient learns through absorption—by hearing messages over and over again. The recipient makes no real effort to learn. With active learning the recipient takes interest and exerts effort to get information.
The learning style of a recipient is not static but variable depending on the subject matter. Learning style is related to perceptual bias. In fact, active or passive learning is a component of or one type of perceptual response. The learning style of a recipient can change depending on the topic, just as their perceptual response can change depending on the stimulus. The tactics used in advertising and communication must consider the learning style of the recipient within the context of the subject matter being communicated.
Contemplation Activity
Contemplation activity represents the time spent thinking about a subject or topic. The greater the amount of contemplation an adult engages in the greater the effect on recall, remembering, and a greater likelihood the information will be acted on. Conversely, without contemplation an adult is less likely to recall or remember information, and therefore less likely to act on it. The level of contemplation an adult engages in is positively related to both perceptual bias and response.
Message Retention
The level of message retention can vary from low, short-term retention to high, long-term term retention. The level of message retention is related to the direction of perceptual bias (relevance or irrelevance), whether the learning was active or passive, and the degree of contemplative activity (high or low).
Contemplation Valence
While contemplation activity represents the amount of time spent thinking about a topic, subject matter, service or product, contemplation valence refers to how the subject matter is contemplated—positively or negatively. A person can think about a topic and reach negative conclusions about it. This kind of negative valence results in dislike, bad perceptions, and a decreased likelihood of adoption. A person can likewise think about a subject, product or service and reach a positive conclusion about it. This represents positive contemplation valence. This is more likely to result in favorable feelings, liking, and a greater likelihood of adoption.
Cognitive Response
The cognitive response to a stimulus, subject, product or service generally falls into forming three outcomes: a supportive argument, ambivalence, or mounting a counter-argument. Supportive arguments generally support the message position and results in greater liking and preference. Counter-arguments are the result of negative contemplative valence and result in greater dislike and avoidance.
Decision Criteria
Consumers with different mind sets use different criteria to make use or purchase decisions. The cognitive dynamics that make up a consumer’s mind set influences the role various decision criteria can have.
Satisfaction
The amount of satisfaction desired differs from consumer to consumer. Those consumers who don’t particularly want a service or who don’t display a lot of involvement in the choice generally look for an acceptable level of satisfaction. All they really want is to not be dissatisfied. Other consumers, however, seek to maximize their potential satisfaction. This need to maximize the potential for satisfaction is associated with greater consumer involvement in the choice.
Involvement
High involvement consumers spend more time comparing products and services with one another. Their decision is based on the evaluation of multiple attributes and looking for the best combination for their needs. This activity is right in line with their desire to maximize their potential satisfaction with the product or service. Therefore, high involvement consumers need in depth information. In contrast, low involvement consumers take the easy route; they only consider a few attributes or go with what they are familiar with. They are more susceptible to being influenced by things like brand or price (see below).
Brand Evaluation
Brand evaluation refers to when the consumer forms their opinion of the product or service brand—either before or after the purchase or use. Low involvement consumers generally form their opinion of the product or service brand after using it. This is because they don’t do a lot of investigation prior to purchase. High involvement consumers more often form their opinion of the product or service brand before the purchase of the product. Again, this is directly the result of the in-depth information review they typically engage in before the purchase.
Resistance to dissatisfaction
It is generally the rule that high involvement consumers are more resistant to dissatisfaction than low involvement consumers. This is because high involvement consumers expend more time and effort comparing options before the decision. That involvement gives them an expectation of satisfaction that they have a stake in proving. This response is predicted by self-attribution theory. Self-attribution theory predicts that the more a decision is attributed to self, the more the responsibility for the outcome of that decision the consumer takes. This makes the high involvement consumer more resistant to admitting dissatisfaction. In contrast, low involvement consumers are less resistant to dissatisfaction because the choice of a product or service is less attributed to themselves and more attributed to some other factor like price or brand.
Personality/Lifestyle
Personality and lifestyle considerations play a much greater role in product or service choice among high involvement consumers. When high involvement consumers take time comparing and evaluating products or services across multiple attributes, the value of those attributes are more likely to be judged in relation to the consumer’s current personality and life-style needs. Thus, the more a product or service addresses a segment’s personality or lifestyle needs, the more likely it will be judged favorably. For low involvement consumers, personality and lifestyle play a lesser role for the opposite reasons. Because product or service attributes are given little consideration, there is little opportunity to judge them in relation to the current lifestyle or personality of the purchaser.
Price
Low involvement consumers are more sensitive to price differences because they typically only seek an acceptable level of satisfaction and only consider a few attributes when making a choice. That is why price is considered a low involvement decision factor. Because high involvement consumers look to maximize their potential for satisfaction and evaluate multiple attributes before making a purchase, they are less sensitive to price differences alone.
Brand
For low involvement consumers brand familiarity and perception play a significant role. Because they typically only seek an acceptable level of satisfaction and only consider a few attributes when making a choice brand is an easy one to use. That is why brand is considered a low involvement decision factor. Because high involvement consumers look to maximize their potential for satisfaction and evaluate multiple attributes before making a purchase, they are less likely to base their decision on brand considerations alone.
Advertising and Promotion TacticsAppeal Style
The appeal style ranges between the two extremes of hedonic versus utilitarian. Hedonic refers to messages that stress emotional content or fantasy. They attempt to generate feelings. Utilitarian appeals focus on use of the product or service and the specific benefits that such use can provide. Utilitarian appeals focus on what the customer wants done, and how the product can deliver on those wants. Generally, high involvement consumers will gravitate towards utilitarian appeals and low involvement consumers will gravitate towards hedonic appeals.
Repetitions
High repetitions versus low repetitions. For a high involvement consumer who can be expected to attend to and take in a relevant message, low repetitions are called for. These consumers will not require frequently repeated messages. High repetitions are called for when the consumer is expected to be in low involvement mode. In this case, frequent repetitions are needed so that the un-involved consumer can absorb the message.
Duration
Long duration versus short duration. For high involvement consumers, a message of longer duration can be effective. Attention can be expected to be maintained so more detailed information can be communicated. For un-involved consumers, the shorter duration is called for. A short message communicating a few key points is the best tactic.
Complexity
A few key points versus broad based information. Communications directed at low-involvement consumers should be simple and uncomplicated. The focus should be on communicating just a few key points. For high involvement consumers, greater complexity can be tolerated and more information can be communicated.
Peripheral vs. Central Topic Emphasis
Active visuals and non-message elements as opposed to information about product or service performance and benefits. Low involvement consumers must be attracted by using novel, interesting, or active visuals that are entertaining. They need to be attention grabbing and engaging. The focus of the content for low involvement consumers is generally unrelated to the actual product or service. Again, a focus on hedonic factors. For consumers who have active involvement, on the other hand, the focus needs to be on the product or service, how it performs, and the benefits it can solve. The utilitarian approach is called for.
Primary Medium
Print and Internet versus television and radio. The choice of primary media again is determined by the level of involvement of the customer. High involvement consumers generally require and look for information. This suggests print or internet where more feature based information can be presented. Low involvement consumers, on the other hand, will be more responsive to the entertainment value of radio or television, where emotional appeals are more effectively delivered.
Fear Appeals
Use of light fear appeals versus no fear appeals. Because low involvement consumers generally care less, they can also be expected to know less about a specific low-involvement issue. In this situation, the use of light fear appeals—such as letting them know about the problems that could result through inattention to a specific issue—can be an effective technique to spark motivation and action. On the other hand, fear appeals are unlikely to spark more motivation or action among high involvement consumers who know more because the down-side risk is already known, and the consumer has already made a decision about its relevance.
Humor
Use humor or don’t use humor. Humor is best used to attract and hold attention of low involvement consumers. In this situation, the entertaining value of humor is what keeps the consumer engaged—not the information about the product or service provided. The use of humor can be considered a tactic of the hedonic approach.
Explicit conclusions
Draw explicit conclusions versus letting the customer arrive at their own conclusion. It is generally better for a communication to draw explicit conclusions for those consumers who are expected to have low involvement. A low involvement, inattentive consumer cannot be expected to sufficiently contemplate a message they’d just assume ignore. High involvement consumers, on the other hand, will generally respond better if they are allowed to draw their own conclusions based on the information and “the facts.”
Type of Argument
Two-sided versus one-sided argument. A two-sided argument is best employed when you know members of the target audience hold pre-existing opinions about a product or service that may be unfavorable. If this is the case, then agreeing with and recognizing the negatives will get the audience on your side. It will generate agreement among them. This must be followed, however, by the positive argument in favor of the product or service that either overshadows the negative perception or solves it. Of course, the one-sided argument is appropriate when there is little chance that the audience holds any negative perceptions. In this case, the message can directly address the positive aspects of the product or service.
Authority Appeals
Use of a recognized authority figure versus peer testimonial. Appeals to authority can be persuasive techniques if used correctly. When trust in a recognized authority figure, such as physician, is high, then messages delivered by such an authority figure can be persuasive. However, if trust in this recognized authority figure is low, the ability of this authority to deliver a persuasive message is hampered. When trust in an authority figure is low, then a better approach would be to use a peer testimonial. This means that the message is delivered by someone who could easily be considered part of the consumers’ peer group. A peer of the customer who can speak knowledgeably about their experience with the product or service is generally more persuasive than the distrusted authority figure.
Spokespersons
Use of celebrity or well-known spokesperson versus someone unknown. For low involvement consumers, the use of a well-known celebrity spokesperson can work to an advantage in terms of getting their attention. This does not necessarily translate into positive feelings about the product or service. For high involvement consumers, the use of a celebrity spokesperson is not necessary and may, in fact, detract from a message were the focus needs to be placed on product features or benefits.
One-on-One Communications/InterventionsEmpathy building statements
Empathy building statements are used to show the person that their particular viewpoints, priorities, or attitudes are understood and accepted. The use of empathy building statements encourages more openness and trust. Information contained in the core statement triggers provides the clinician or counselor a wide variety of potential empathy building avenues.
Targeted self-disclosure
Self-disclosure can be an effective technique to encourage the person to reveal their true attitudes or intentions. The content derived from the battery of questions used to identify an adults’ pattern is the first level of self-disclosure the patient or person provides. Clinicians and/or counselors can use the person’s responses to the questionnaire and knowledge of the person’s pattern to immediately identify potential areas of resistance or non-compliance. Once areas of resistance or non-compliance are identified the techniques described for conveying information, negotiating compliance, use of peripheral topics and others can be more efficiently applied.
Negotiating compliance
The underlying health consumer pattern reveals the person’s pre-existing readiness and preparedness to engage in the health-related activities that are being encouraged. That level of preparedness is what dictates the level of negotiation. For adults with poor preparedness, the objective is to negotiate a level of minimum compliance the person can reasonably expected to do. For adults with better preparedness, the objective is to negotiate a higher level of compliance or leave things as they are with the expectation that the desired behavior or activity will be carried out.
Conveying information
The health consumer pattern describes the person’s Intrinsic Motivation with respect to health-related information, whether it be potentially receptive, ambivalent, or resistant. This pre-existing state will define the optimum approaches for conveying health information. The options for health information will vary across dimensions such as the amount of information, the depth or complexity of information, and the duration of the information exchange.
Peripheral topics
The health consumer pattern information can identify the potential need to resort to applying peripheral topics in one-on-one communications. As described above, peripheral topics are generally not on the key topic of the clinical or counseling session. They are in another area of known interest to the adult being communicated with. Because peripheral topics focus on an area of known interest to the adult being communicated with, they can generate greater interest and engagement in the conversation and prevent the natural pre-disposition to “tune-out” the clinician or counselor.
Overseeing
Overseeing applies to how much time is spent in direct participation with the adult being counseled or communicated with in making sure a given task is accomplished. The goal of overseeing is to reduce the risk of postponement, forgetting, and/or other indications of resistance or non-compliance. Increased levels of overseeing are appropriate when the pre-disposition of the adult towards the activity shows little in the way of complimentary behaviors or pre-existing motivation or experience.
Using fear
Use of light fear appeals versus no fear appeals. Because adults who are less involved with their health generally care less, they can also be expected to know less about a specific low-involvement issue. In this situation, the use of light fear appeals—such as letting them know about the problems that could result through inattention to a specific health issue—can be effective to spark some motivation and action. On the other hand, fear appeals are unlikely to spark more motivation or action among adults who are more highly involved and who know more because the down-side risk is already known, and the adult has already decided about its relevance.
Persuasion: Type of Argument
A two-sided argument is best employed when you know the adult holds pre-existing opinions about a behavior or activity that may be unfavorable, or reports little engagement in complimentary behaviors. If this is the case, then agreeing with and recognizing the negatives will get the adult on your side. It will generate agreement from them. This must be followed, however, by a positive argument in favor of the activity or behavior that either overshadows the negative perception or solves it. Of course, the one-sided argument is appropriate when there is little chance that the adult holds any negative perceptions, or shows that they already engage in behaviors or activities that are similar or complimentary to the one sought. In this case, the communication can directly address the positive aspects of the behavior or activity.
Persuasion: Authority Appeals
Appeals to authority can be persuasive techniques if used correctly. When trust in a recognized authority figure, such as physician, is high, then messages delivered by such an authority figure can be persuasive. However, if trust in this recognized authority figure is low, the ability of this authority to deliver a persuasive message is hampered. It will meet with resistance. This is a dynamic that many health care practitioners and/or counselors fail to recognize or account for. When trust in an authority figure is low, a better approach is to use a peer testimonial. This means that the message is delivered by someone who could easily be considered part of the adult’s peer group, or a person who has shared the same experience. A peer is someone who can speak knowledgeably about their experience with the activity or behavior is generally more persuasive than the distrusted authority figure. What this means for the clinician or counselor is what aspects of the relationship with their client do they emphasize—the one of professional to client, or the one from person to person.
The Adaptive Health Behavior Inventory (AHBI) – Health Goal Semantics
Insight into the health and behavioral orientation of each PATH is represented by the actual agree-disagree responses that an adult gives to the battery of statements making up the Adaptive Health Behavior Inventory (AHBI) used to identify their PATH. The AHBI provides insight into the health-related goal semantics of each PATH in the form of health care priorities, behaviors, and adaptive response to several distinct health-related contexts.
The AHBI content covers areas such as:
- Level of health care information seeking
- Level of price concern
- Level of being health proactive
- Involvement in health care decision-making
- Involvement in family health
- Propensity to avoid health care based on cost
- Level of health emphasis and involvement
- Propensity to avoid health care
- Trust in medical professionals
- Quality concern
- Receptivity to health care advertising
Goal Semantics
The response levels to the statements of the AHBI determine their role as goal semantics. ABHI statements with rated very high or strongly agree or very low or strongly disagree are those most indicative of goal semantics. These statements should be given priority in terms of themes to tailor on. AHBI statements with somewhat high or somewhat agree or somewhat low or somewhat disagree are the next most likely to indicate goal semantics. These AHBI statements should form the basis of core trigger statements and visual triggers employed when targeting specific PATH. The response levels to these statements are used to infer the cognitive dynamics of the target audience, such as degree of priming and habit-based response, as well as the decision criteria that are the most likely to operate. These dynamics guide the communication and advertising tactics to most likely to reach, engage, and persuade the targeted segments.
Visual Triggers
The visual triggers consist of four types: portraying the customer, customer activity, image theme, and image type. Customers are generally portrayed using specific demographic, life stage, socioeconomic, or health status traits. For example, a young woman with an infant is describing a specific customer. The customer activity refers to describing customer behaviors that are in line with the specific content of the health themes. A young woman with an infant buying baby formula is an example of showing customer activity. Image theme refers to images that display specific themes such as family, exercise, nutrition, and so forth. The image theme will relate directly to the content of the core statement or statement trigger. For example, a theme of price concern might include background images of discount coupons, sale signs, or a hand holding on to money. The image type refers to whether the image is intended to capture and hold attention without reference to the actual topic of the advertisement, or to support and refer to the actual topic of the advertisement. For example, a beer commercial that emphasizes attractive women is not really focusing on the beer. But, a beer commercial that shows images of the brewing process is.
Cognitive Dynamics
Cognitive dynamics refers to the psychological responses that can be expected toward a communication directed towards consumers with specific mind sets.
Perceptual Bias and Response
Perceptual bias refers to those things that we have an inherent interest in and those things that we don’t. One person may have an inherent interest in rock-n-roll music, while another may prefer jazz. That is perceptual bias—the recognition of relevance or irrelevance. The person who prefers jazz becomes aroused and listens when they hear it; while that same person tunes out rock-n-roll. That is perceptual response. Perceptual bias makes our ears perk up or tune out. Perceptual response is our increase in attention because we have in inherent interest in the topic, or a decrease in attention because the topic has little relevance to us. One goal of any communication is to generate the perceptual response of attention by leveraging knowledge of the consumer’s perceptual bias.
Learning Style
Learning style comprises a range from passive learning to active learning. In passive learning, the recipient learns through absorption—by hearing messages over and over again. The recipient makes no real effort to learn. With active learning the recipient takes interest and exerts effort to get information.
The learning style of a recipient is not static but variable depending on the subject matter. Learning style is related to perceptual bias. In fact, active or passive learning is a component of or one type of perceptual response. The learning style of a recipient can change depending on the topic, just as their perceptual response can change depending on the stimulus. The tactics used in advertising and communication must consider the learning style of the recipient within the context of the subject matter being communicated.
Contemplation Activity
Contemplation activity represents the time spent thinking about a subject or topic. The greater the amount of contemplation an adult engages in the greater the effect on recall, remembering, and a greater likelihood the information will be acted on. Conversely, without contemplation an adult is less likely to recall or remember information, and therefore less likely to act on it. The level of contemplation an adult engages in is positively related to both perceptual bias and response.
Message Retention
The level of message retention can vary from low, short-term retention to high, long-term term retention. The level of message retention is related to the direction of perceptual bias (relevance or irrelevance), whether the learning was active or passive, and the degree of contemplative activity (high or low).
Contemplation Valence
While contemplation activity represents the amount of time spent thinking about a topic, subject matter, service or product, contemplation valence refers to how the subject matter is contemplated—positively or negatively. A person can think about a topic and reach negative conclusions about it. This kind of negative valence results in dislike, bad perceptions, and a decreased likelihood of adoption. A person can likewise think about a subject, product or service and reach a positive conclusion about it. This represents positive contemplation valence. This is more likely to result in favorable feelings, liking, and a greater likelihood of adoption.
Cognitive Response
The cognitive response to a stimulus, subject, product or service generally falls into forming three outcomes: a supportive argument, ambivalence, or mounting a counter-argument. Supportive arguments generally support the message position and results in greater liking and preference. Counter-arguments are the result of negative contemplative valence and result in greater dislike and avoidance.
Decision Criteria
Consumers with different mind sets use different criteria to make use or purchase decisions. The cognitive dynamics that make up a consumer’s mind set influences the role various decision criteria can have.
Satisfaction
The amount of satisfaction desired differs from consumer to consumer. Those consumers who don’t particularly want a service or who don’t display a lot of involvement in the choice generally look for an acceptable level of satisfaction. All they really want is to not be dissatisfied. Other consumers, however, seek to maximize their potential satisfaction. This need to maximize the potential for satisfaction is associated with greater consumer involvement in the choice.
Involvement
High involvement consumers spend more time comparing products and services with one another. Their decision is based on the evaluation of multiple attributes and looking for the best combination for their needs. This activity is right in line with their desire to maximize their potential satisfaction with the product or service. Therefore, high involvement consumers need in depth information. In contrast, low involvement consumers take the easy route; they only consider a few attributes or go with what they are familiar with. They are more susceptible to being influenced by things like brand or price (see below).
Brand Evaluation
Brand evaluation refers to when the consumer forms their opinion of the product or service brand—either before or after the purchase or use. Low involvement consumers generally form their opinion of the product or service brand after using it. This is because they don’t do a lot of investigation prior to purchase. High involvement consumers more often form their opinion of the product or service brand before the purchase of the product. Again, this is directly the result of the in-depth information review they typically engage in before the purchase.
Resistance to dissatisfaction
It is generally the rule that high involvement consumers are more resistant to dissatisfaction than low involvement consumers. This is because high involvement consumers expend more time and effort comparing options before the decision. That involvement gives them an expectation of satisfaction that they have a stake in proving. This response is predicted by self-attribution theory. Self-attribution theory predicts that the more a decision is attributed to self, the more the responsibility for the outcome of that decision the consumer takes. This makes the high involvement consumer more resistant to admitting dissatisfaction. In contrast, low involvement consumers are less resistant to dissatisfaction because the choice of a product or service is less attributed to themselves and more attributed to some other factor like price or brand.
Personality/Lifestyle
Personality and lifestyle considerations play a much greater role in product or service choice among high involvement consumers. When high involvement consumers take time comparing and evaluating products or services across multiple attributes, the value of those attributes are more likely to be judged in relation to the consumer’s current personality and life-style needs. Thus, the more a product or service addresses a segment’s personality or lifestyle needs, the more likely it will be judged favorably. For low involvement consumers, personality and lifestyle play a lesser role for the opposite reasons. Because product or service attributes are given little consideration, there is little opportunity to judge them in relation to the current lifestyle or personality of the purchaser.
Price
Low involvement consumers are more sensitive to price differences because they typically only seek an acceptable level of satisfaction and only consider a few attributes when making a choice. That is why price is considered a low involvement decision factor. Because high involvement consumers look to maximize their potential for satisfaction and evaluate multiple attributes before making a purchase, they are less sensitive to price differences alone.
Brand
For low involvement consumers brand familiarity and perception play a significant role. Because they typically only seek an acceptable level of satisfaction and only consider a few attributes when making a choice brand is an easy one to use. That is why brand is considered a low involvement decision factor. Because high involvement consumers look to maximize their potential for satisfaction and evaluate multiple attributes before making a purchase, they are less likely to base their decision on brand considerations alone.
Advertising and Promotion TacticsAppeal Style
The appeal style ranges between the two extremes of hedonic versus utilitarian. Hedonic refers to messages that stress emotional content or fantasy. They attempt to generate feelings. Utilitarian appeals focus on use of the product or service and the specific benefits that such use can provide. Utilitarian appeals focus on what the customer wants done, and how the product can deliver on those wants. Generally, high involvement consumers will gravitate towards utilitarian appeals and low involvement consumers will gravitate towards hedonic appeals.
Repetitions
High repetitions versus low repetitions. For a high involvement consumer who can be expected to attend to and take in a relevant message, low repetitions are called for. These consumers will not require frequently repeated messages. High repetitions are called for when the consumer is expected to be in low involvement mode. In this case, frequent repetitions are needed so that the un-involved consumer can absorb the message.
Duration
Long duration versus short duration. For high involvement consumers, a message of longer duration can be effective. Attention can be expected to be maintained so more detailed information can be communicated. For un-involved consumers, the shorter duration is called for. A short message communicating a few key points is the best tactic.
Complexity
A few key points versus broad based information. Communications directed at low-involvement consumers should be simple and uncomplicated. The focus should be on communicating just a few key points. For high involvement consumers, greater complexity can be tolerated and more information can be communicated.
Peripheral vs. Central Topic Emphasis
Active visuals and non-message elements as opposed to information about product or service performance and benefits. Low involvement consumers must be attracted by using novel, interesting, or active visuals that are entertaining. They need to be attention grabbing and engaging. The focus of the content for low involvement consumers is generally unrelated to the actual product or service. Again, a focus on hedonic factors. For consumers who have active involvement, on the other hand, the focus needs to be on the product or service, how it performs, and the benefits it can solve. The utilitarian approach is called for.
Primary Medium
Print and Internet versus television and radio. The choice of primary media again is determined by the level of involvement of the customer. High involvement consumers generally require and look for information. This suggests print or internet where more feature based information can be presented. Low involvement consumers, on the other hand, will be more responsive to the entertainment value of radio or television, where emotional appeals are more effectively delivered.
Fear Appeals
Use of light fear appeals versus no fear appeals. Because low involvement consumers generally care less, they can also be expected to know less about a specific low-involvement issue. In this situation, the use of light fear appeals—such as letting them know about the problems that could result through inattention to a specific issue—can be an effective technique to spark motivation and action. On the other hand, fear appeals are unlikely to spark more motivation or action among high involvement consumers who know more because the down-side risk is already known, and the consumer has already made a decision about its relevance.
Humor
Use humor or don’t use humor. Humor is best used to attract and hold attention of low involvement consumers. In this situation, the entertaining value of humor is what keeps the consumer engaged—not the information about the product or service provided. The use of humor can be considered a tactic of the hedonic approach.
Explicit conclusions
Draw explicit conclusions versus letting the customer arrive at their own conclusion. It is generally better for a communication to draw explicit conclusions for those consumers who are expected to have low involvement. A low involvement, inattentive consumer cannot be expected to sufficiently contemplate a message they’d just assume ignore. High involvement consumers, on the other hand, will generally respond better if they are allowed to draw their own conclusions based on the information and “the facts.”
Type of Argument
Two-sided versus one-sided argument. A two-sided argument is best employed when you know members of the target audience hold pre-existing opinions about a product or service that may be unfavorable. If this is the case, then agreeing with and recognizing the negatives will get the audience on your side. It will generate agreement among them. This must be followed, however, by the positive argument in favor of the product or service that either overshadows the negative perception or solves it. Of course, the one-sided argument is appropriate when there is little chance that the audience holds any negative perceptions. In this case, the message can directly address the positive aspects of the product or service.
Authority Appeals
Use of a recognized authority figure versus peer testimonial. Appeals to authority can be persuasive techniques if used correctly. When trust in a recognized authority figure, such as physician, is high, then messages delivered by such an authority figure can be persuasive. However, if trust in this recognized authority figure is low, the ability of this authority to deliver a persuasive message is hampered. When trust in an authority figure is low, then a better approach would be to use a peer testimonial. This means that the message is delivered by someone who could easily be considered part of the consumers’ peer group. A peer of the customer who can speak knowledgeably about their experience with the product or service is generally more persuasive than the distrusted authority figure.
Spokespersons
Use of celebrity or well-known spokesperson versus someone unknown. For low involvement consumers, the use of a well-known celebrity spokesperson can work to an advantage in terms of getting their attention. This does not necessarily translate into positive feelings about the product or service. For high involvement consumers, the use of a celebrity spokesperson is not necessary and may, in fact, detract from a message were the focus needs to be placed on product features or benefits.
One-on-One Communications/InterventionsEmpathy building statements
Empathy building statements are used to show the person that their particular viewpoints, priorities, or attitudes are understood and accepted. The use of empathy building statements encourages more openness and trust. Information contained in the core statement triggers provides the clinician or counselor a wide variety of potential empathy building avenues.
Targeted self-disclosure
Self-disclosure can be an effective technique to encourage the person to reveal their true attitudes or intentions. The content derived from the battery of questions used to identify an adults’ pattern is the first level of self-disclosure the patient or person provides. Clinicians and/or counselors can use the person’s responses to the questionnaire and knowledge of the person’s pattern to immediately identify potential areas of resistance or non-compliance. Once areas of resistance or non-compliance are identified the techniques described for conveying information, negotiating compliance, use of peripheral topics and others can be more efficiently applied.
Negotiating compliance
The underlying health consumer pattern reveals the person’s pre-existing readiness and preparedness to engage in the health-related activities that are being encouraged. That level of preparedness is what dictates the level of negotiation. For adults with poor preparedness, the objective is to negotiate a level of minimum compliance the person can reasonably expected to do. For adults with better preparedness, the objective is to negotiate a higher level of compliance or leave things as they are with the expectation that the desired behavior or activity will be carried out.
Conveying information
The health consumer pattern describes the person’s Intrinsic Motivation with respect to health-related information, whether it be potentially receptive, ambivalent, or resistant. This pre-existing state will define the optimum approaches for conveying health information. The options for health information will vary across dimensions such as the amount of information, the depth or complexity of information, and the duration of the information exchange.
Peripheral topics
The health consumer pattern information can identify the potential need to resort to applying peripheral topics in one-on-one communications. As described above, peripheral topics are generally not on the key topic of the clinical or counseling session. They are in another area of known interest to the adult being communicated with. Because peripheral topics focus on an area of known interest to the adult being communicated with, they can generate greater interest and engagement in the conversation and prevent the natural pre-disposition to “tune-out” the clinician or counselor.
Overseeing
Overseeing applies to how much time is spent in direct participation with the adult being counseled or communicated with in making sure a given task is accomplished. The goal of overseeing is to reduce the risk of postponement, forgetting, and/or other indications of resistance or non-compliance. Increased levels of overseeing are appropriate when the pre-disposition of the adult towards the activity shows little in the way of complimentary behaviors or pre-existing motivation or experience.
Using fear
Use of light fear appeals versus no fear appeals. Because adults who are less involved with their health generally care less, they can also be expected to know less about a specific low-involvement issue. In this situation, the use of light fear appeals—such as letting them know about the problems that could result through inattention to a specific health issue—can be effective to spark some motivation and action. On the other hand, fear appeals are unlikely to spark more motivation or action among adults who are more highly involved and who know more because the down-side risk is already known, and the adult has already decided about its relevance.
Persuasion: Type of Argument
A two-sided argument is best employed when you know the adult holds pre-existing opinions about a behavior or activity that may be unfavorable, or reports little engagement in complimentary behaviors. If this is the case, then agreeing with and recognizing the negatives will get the adult on your side. It will generate agreement from them. This must be followed, however, by a positive argument in favor of the activity or behavior that either overshadows the negative perception or solves it. Of course, the one-sided argument is appropriate when there is little chance that the adult holds any negative perceptions, or shows that they already engage in behaviors or activities that are similar or complimentary to the one sought. In this case, the communication can directly address the positive aspects of the behavior or activity.
Persuasion: Authority Appeals
Appeals to authority can be persuasive techniques if used correctly. When trust in a recognized authority figure, such as physician, is high, then messages delivered by such an authority figure can be persuasive. However, if trust in this recognized authority figure is low, the ability of this authority to deliver a persuasive message is hampered. It will meet with resistance. This is a dynamic that many health care practitioners and/or counselors fail to recognize or account for. When trust in an authority figure is low, a better approach is to use a peer testimonial. This means that the message is delivered by someone who could easily be considered part of the adult’s peer group, or a person who has shared the same experience. A peer is someone who can speak knowledgeably about their experience with the activity or behavior is generally more persuasive than the distrusted authority figure. What this means for the clinician or counselor is what aspects of the relationship with their client do they emphasize—the one of professional to client, or the one from person to person.