How can persuasive communication best be defined?

Persuasive communication is fundamentally about influencing the beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors of an audience. This involves employing various communication techniques that are designed to change how an audience thinks or acts in relation to a particular topic. By focusing on influencing beliefs, persuasive communication goes beyond merely presenting information or expressing personal opinions; it actively seeks to engage with the audience to reshape their perspectives.

While emotional appeals can be a part of persuasive communication, they are not the sole defining characteristic. Persuasive communication can also involve logical reasoning, credible evidence, and appeals to ethics, which are foundational techniques that contribute to effectively influencing the audience. In contrast, presenting facts without bias centers on conveying information rather than swaying opinions or beliefs, which is not the primary purpose of persuasive communication. Encouraging team discussions is more about fostering collaboration and dialogue rather than influencing individual beliefs or attitudes, which again misses the essence of persuasion. Thus, defining persuasion specifically around the use of techniques to influence beliefs captures the comprehensive goal of this type of communication.