Topic: Structuring a persuasive message
The Civil Liberties Union for Europe guide “How to talk about civic space” suggests structuring a narrative around four basic elements. All of these elements are important, as is the order in which they are introduced:
Values statement: remind your audience of shared values and trigger empathy
A values statement can refer to some kind of shared experience, or a reminder of what kind of treatment or situation your target audience wants for themselves and people like them. Also, a values statement helps you connect to the values behind abstract legal standards.
Explain the problem: who is doing what to cause or allow the problem to happen and why. What is the impact of this?
The second step of the narrative explains what the problem is. From the way you explain the problem your audience should already start to identify the appropriate solution. There are two parts to explaining the problem. First, showing the ‘harm’. Second, explaining the agency behind the harm.
Explain the solution: show how your recommendations bring the situation back in line with their values.
When explaining the solution, it’s important to break down how your proposed solution can bring the situation back into line with the values you previously set out – whether that’s related to the particular values you promote or to making sure the government works for its citizens.
Remind people of past successes and call for action: counter defeatist thinking and tell your audience how to show their support.
Although your solution is structural in nature, your call to action is meant to show people what they can do to make that solution happen. It’s also helpful to point to past examples of where people have achieved major change by working together. This overcomes scepticism amongst your audience that ‘nothing ever changes’.