October 11, 2025

Persuasion and Positive Social Change

Persuasion and Positive Social Change

In this course so far, you have begun to engage with the idea of persuasion as it applies to marketing. In the Week 5 Discussion, you reflected upon a buying experience in which you were persuaded, through marketing efforts, to make a purchase. Now think back to leaders you have known or observed who were particularly good at persuading others toward a shared vision or common goals. What was it about their persuasive approach that made it particularly compelling? Were there ever any negative consequences of them employing persuasion?

As you continue to develop your own skills of persuasion, consider how you might use those skills most effectively to make a positive impact through your life and work. In this Discussion, you will consider the risks and benefits of using persuasion to influence others and will share with your colleagues how you might use your own skills of persuasion to bring about positive social change.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the following videos on persuasion. As you watch, consider that persuasion is an important employability skill that empowers individuals to influence outcomes, build relationships, and drive positive change in the workplace. Persuasion facilitates effective leadership and management by enabling individuals to convey ideas with clarity and conviction, facilitating mutually beneficial outcomes, and inspiring teams to rally behind a shared vision.

Walden University, LLC. (2021). Persuasion [Video]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com
Consider how you have exhibited persuasion within a business setting.

Post a summary of the role of persuasion in a business context to promote positive social change, to include the following:

Describe at least two ways in which you have used persuasion in a business environment. Be specific in your response.
Identify at least two benefits of using persuasion to influence others at work. Identify at least one potential risk of utilizing persuasion in a business environment and how a person can work to overcome those risks.
Explain how you, as a business professional and leader, will use your own skills of persuasion to be an agent of positive change.

Marketing for Competitiveness

Week 8 Learning Resources

Digital Marketing Basics

Digital marketing refers to the type of marketing that utilizes online channels and their associated technologies and platforms to promote products and services for a business. Digital marketing is important because it helps to drive more qualified traffic to a business because of the interest generated. Through these resources, you will explore some of the basic ideas related to digital marketing.

· Alexander, L. (2021, March 16). The who, what, why, & how of digital marketingLinks to an external site. . HubSpot. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-digital-marketing

· Erhart, A. (2019, August 1). What is digital marketing? And how does it work? Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvgJ2mPWHX8

Persuasion and Marketing

If marketing is the process of promoting an organization’s products or services, then one of the key foundations of that process is the ability to persuade others to have an interest in those products or services. Using these resources, you will consider what persuasion is and the role it plays in marketing.

· Communication Coach Alex Lyon. (2020, August 25). What is persuasion ?Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAxMdswA_-s Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.

· CrashCourse. (2018, April 3). Influence & persuasion: Crash course media literacy #6 Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXhLmkrN0-I Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 10 minutes.

· Emerald Works Limited. (n.d.). Powers of persuasion Download Powers of persuasion . MindTools. https://www.mindtools.com/community/pages/article/PowersofPersuasion.php MindTools.com. Powers of Persuasion. Management Training and Leadership Training – Online. https://www.mindtools.com/community/pages/article/PowersofPersuasion.php Reprinted by permission of Mind Tools Ltd. via the Copyright Clearance Center. Licensed in 2021. Time Estimate: 7 minutes

· Grant, A. (2021, March 1). Persuading the unpersuadable . Harvard Business Review , 99 (2), 131–135.

· Schillewaert, N. (2021, February 17). 6 principles of persuasive marketing: How to influence peopleLinks to an external site. . InSites Consulting . https://insites-consulting.com/blog/6-principles-of-persuasive-marketing-how-to-influence-people/

· SciShow Psych. (2017, September 18). How ads (and people) persuade you Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzevRHUEnVI

Tactical Marketing Tools and Techniques

Tactical marketing tools and techniques are used to execute a marketing strategy to meet the business’s objectives. When developing a product or service, the design focuses on specific people groups that are likely to need it and use it (i.e., the target market(s)); therefore, the tactical marketing tools and techniques are employed in ways that let those groups know about the product or service and how it will be delivered to them. Using these resources, you will consider the use of tactical marketing tools and techniques.

· Frasier, R. (2020, January 30). Persuasive techniques to use in marketing with Robert Cialdini Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jvcIanyPfU

· Pietrzak, L. (2019, October 26). It’s not manipulation, it’s strategic communication Links to an external site. [Video]. TEDxGeorgetown. https://www.ted.com/talks/lukas_pietrzak_it_s_not_manipulation_it_s_strategic_communication

· Tracy, B. (2015, January 29). Using the law of reciprocity and other persuasion techniques correctly Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1zNwA61Y7g

Module 2 Assignment: Marketing Strategy for Good

Prepared by: Replace this text with your name.

Date: Replace this text with the submission date.

Walden University

MBAX 6060: Marketing for Competitiveness

Part 1: Laying the Foundation for Persuasive Marketing Tactics

Replace this text with introductory information. Add or remove headings as necessary.

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