ABSTRACT
Book Title: Strategic Planning for Public Relations
Chapter Author: Ronald D. Smith
orcid.org/0000-0002-9757-8399
Chapter Number and Title: Strategy. Step 6: Developing the Message Strategy
This step begins with the flow of communication within an organization and the role of persuasion as an ethical attempt to influence people, with a focus on the rhetorical tradition of persuasive communication. It also presents the concept of dialogue as the quest for understanding between organizations and publics. This step focuses on the three-fold approach too effective communication (ethos (dealing with the message source and its elements of credibility, charisma, and control), logos (the appeal to reason with a basis in fact and evidence), and pathos (the appeal to sentiment with positive or negative emotional appeals). This step also deals with verbal communication including message structure and content and nonverbal communication including body language, eye contact, social space, touching, language cues, and timing—many of which are culturally based. The step offers insight into communication for sight and sound. It ends with information on message branding.
