Profile for Persuasion: Farmers

My grandpa is a real Idaho Farmer

Main characteristics and values
One who owns or manages a farm, is very hardworking. Farmers are self-motivated and disciplined. They till the earth and are also down to earth.  They don't have time or tolerance for idleness.  Things that are important to them include efficiency, responsibility and family. Being a farmer requires resourcefulness and physical capability.

Likely/unlikely to persuade
Farmers prefer efficiency over elegance. Since a farmer's time is his money, equipment that is reliable, easily maintained and operated, and familiar will be more beneficial and appealing to him.  A farmer would say, "Why buy the new fancy, souped-up Ford if it guzzles more gas and hauls less hay?" Load capacity trumps luxury.  A farmer says it like it is. They like it direct, honest, and straight foward.  They see no need for beating around the bush or adding fluff to your speech.  Good morals and manners appeal to them.  Idleness and irresponsibility are a put-off for them.

Test Case: Hi-ho the dairy-o, get the farmer to the play
Getting a farmer to a play might be as hard as getting a cow to milk herself. But the following ideas might help.  A play that is low-key, put on by the community where family or friends are cast members might appeal to a farmer's love of family values.  They may be more likely to attend if proceeds go to a good local cause and the play has a lighthearted, uplifting message.  The plot should be straight-forward and simple, humerous, and teach a good moral.  Another way you could get a farmer to a play is assuring them the play will be over before 10pm so they can get to bed.

Profile for Persuasion: Dancers

• Main characteristics and values: 

• Dancers are conformed individualists; they demand precision in the ensemble but they also value creative self-expression. They value hard work and sacrifice, for they must rehearse multiple hours each day in order to achieve desired skill levels. Many aspire to perfection in and personal appearance and athletic ability. Suffering mental and physical pain for the sake of the art is a praiseworthy pursuit. Passion is their driving life-force. 
• Likely / unlikely to persuade
• As people who value beauty over logic, dancers are unlikely to be persuaded by scientific and mathematical arguments. Reasoning steeped in emotional appeals (pathos) would be more convincing to dancers, since their entire world revolves arounds sentiment and sensation.

• Test case: attending a play 
•  Dancers would attend a play before they even receive an invitation! Even more so if it were a musical. They love the performing arts in all of its forms.

Profile for Persuasion: The Tweens

Main characteristics and values:

In the business world we know that there are generational cohorts that have purchasing power in the market. There are the baby boomers, generation x, generation y, and of course there are the tweens. The tweens, nowadays, are those kids from 10 to 12 years old that aren’t quite teenagers but try to act like them. They are the preadolescent kids that try to be as cool as possible, when really they haven’t even made it to the middle school yet. Girl tweens spend most of their time asking their parents to take them to the mall to look at makeup. Guy tweens spend the majority of their time curling 5 pound weights and looking at girls pictures in their school yearbooks. One thing that tweens all have in common is that they have the mindset of a teenager trapped in a little kid’s preadolescent body. In other words, they think they are older than they really are.

Likely/Unlikely to persuade:

Although it is up for debate, it is quite possible that the tweens are the most easily persuaded people ever. They are the whole reason that the phrase “peer pressure” is coined. When you are a tween, the ultimate goal is extreme popularity. This means that tweens will do whatever it takes to become part of the popular clique. 

Test case: Attending a play:

Tweens are only likely to go to a play if it seems like the “cool” thing to do. If everyone else decides to go a play, the rest of the tweens will go to the play as well. The attendance and the type of play have literally no correlation. It only matters if it is the popular trend. The tweens just want to do what they think makes them look the best in front of others so that they can take new steps into their quest of ultimate popularity. 

Profile for Persuasion: Texans

Main Characteristics and Values:

After living in Texas for 5 years, I came to realize that Texan’s are unique. One of the first phrases that comes to mind is “everything is bigger in Texas.” If one amended that phrase to “everything is better in Texas,” I think we would have a very accurate reflection of how Texans view the non-Texan world. Their pride comes from many sources. Firstly, Texas was the only state that was its own independent sovereignty before its annexation by the US. Secondly, the state as a whole shares many strong values. The people are generally (with Austin being a glaring exception) very conservative and anti what some would call “progressive thinking.” As the recitation of the state pledge every morning in public schools will attest, Texans are from Texas and they are very proud of that fact.

Likely/Unlikely:

Texans will be attracted to anything patriotic. Despite their obvious preference in states, they definitely love America.  The will do anything to keep this country free. More soldiers enlist from Texas than almost any other state. Furthermore, many Texans will be persuaded by the allure of football and tailgating. If there’s a game involved and someone’s “grillin’ ” there will surely be a crowd of eager Texans not too far behind.

Test Case: Attending a Play:

In this regard, I do not think Texans fit super well into a particular mold. However, I would say that given the choice, a play would not be at the top of their list. They could be persuaded to go if a BBQ dinner were involved beforehand and if it was the football offseason. That being said, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat could easily be interrupted as appropriate evening attire and any argument to the contrary would likely fall on deaf ears.

profile for persuasion: Studio C Fans

Main Characteristics and Values:

The majority of Studio C fans are Latter-Day Saints simply because Studio C is an LDS group, however non-LDS viewers are not uncommon. Most Studio C fans love to laugh and enjoy a cleaner type of humor than the general population. Fans can be found in all age groups, but are usually younger than middle-aged. The main demographic would probably be high school and college aged people of both genders. Usually Studio C fans can be found in groups, whether this is because they are more social or because the people who like Studio C also tend to have friends that like similar shows. However, I have often heard someone in one group say a reference to Studio C that gets commented on by someone in an entirely different group and the two groups will share a laugh over the exchange. This may be due to a type of extroverted trend that can be found in Studio C audiences or it just may be more prominent amount extroverted people.

Likely/Unlikely to persuade:

Clean humor would be the main source of appeal to a Studio C fan, but other appeals would also be an appearance of a cast member on Studio C or a show put on by Studio C crew members and writers. If it is the case that Studio C fans are social people then another motivation would be to get a group of people to persuade them. They would probably not be persuaded by people who do not have the same sense of humor.

Test Case: Attending a Play:

If the play was a comedy then Studio C fans would not have to be persuaded very long to go see it. A straight play or tragedy would take a little more effort, but if they could go as a group then they would probably be willing. Since Studio C is a media production, the people who enjoy watching the cast perform would probably not be opposed to any production in general but they may be more excited to go to certain plays over others.

Profile for Persuasion: Oregonians

• Main characteristics and values: When one thinks of Oregonians, there are a few things that come to mind (especially thinking of people from the Portland and Corvallis areas). Tree-huggers, hippies, hipsters, environmentalists, and feminists. As you can see, Oregonians can be quite the activists. They are strong in their values, including the need to recycle and love everyone. They are keen to ride bicycles around town, wear strange fashions, sing and play guitar on the street, and be very free… this may or may not have to do with the drug intake there. They are pro-“Mom and Pop” businesses, even to the point of banning the building of a Walmart in some counties. Overall, Oregonians are very laid back and open to others. Oregonians aim to help everyone and create equality. They love the green and the rain and frankly, have as much pride for their state as Texans (in my opinion).
  
  

  

  If you ever want to get a taste of what Portland is like,
  watch Portlandia. Just be careful of some of the more
  sketchy episodes....

• Likely / unlikely to persuade. Oregonians are likely to be persuaded by anything that gives people more freedom. They are likely to be persuaded with words like “rights” and “help.” They would be persuaded by anything that means a cleaner atmosphere and protects their beautiful land. They are also persuaded by natural emotions and personal choices. They would be unlikely to be persuaded by someone “in it for the money” or for big business. They also wouldn’t be easily persuaded by someone who didn’t enjoy nature and the outdoors, or someone who scoffed at recycling.
• Test case: attending a play: Oregonians are likely to attend a play because they love the arts and enjoy peoples’ artistic outlets. They would be even more persuaded to attend a play if the central theme encouraged openness and freedom. If it had a slightly more controversial or liberal point of view, all the better! Even more, if it was playing outside, at a community amphitheater, and was a charity event, Oregonians would come by the thousands.

Profile for Persuasion: Grandmas

Main characteristics and values
Grandmas are older women who have children with children. They love their families and cherish opportunities to connect with the younger generations.  They typically have gray hair and are not very good at using technology.  They value older forms of communication, such as letters and cards and phone calls. They value helping younger people, either by giving advice by telling stories from their lives when they learned lessons, or by giving financial help.  They love to have clean homes and collect photos of their family members.  They value routine and do not appreciate unexpected changes to their bedtime or hair appointments.  Grandmas appreciate good manners and proper customer service.

My Grandma with all of her great-grandchildren. My nephew Nash is the only one crying.

Likely / unlikely to persuade
Grandmas are likely to be persuaded by invitations to calm, organized activities.  They are also likely to be persuaded if approached by a clean-shaven young man or a preppy looking young woman. They are unlikely to be persuaded by anything flashy or loud and exciting.  Grandmas could be persuaded if they are given plenty of time in advance of something to plan and prepare for it.

Test case: Grandmas and attending a play
Grandmas could be convinced to attend a play if it were a matinee, so they would not have to stay out late.  They could also be convinced if it were a month away, so that they have time to purchase tickets and arrange their calendar accordingly to be able to attend. If the play were new or edgy or had to do with rebellion, they would not likely go.

Profile for Persuasion: The Brotherhood Plus One

Main Characteristics and Values:

My three brothers, Winnie, and I (there is no picture with everyone in it yet) make up one of the tightest and close-knit packs on the planet.  We do everything together, but our kinship stemmed from one key component: videogames.  Four, almost five years ago, we all met playing on a Ragnarok Online server and have been together since.  Initially, my brothers and I were sworn enemies to Winnie and her guild, but we brought her into the light.  The five of us all enjoy playing cooperative games together, always seeking to demolish the PVP (player versus player) environment...and collect all the cool hats.  Offending one of us is a direct attack on the whole, and we are not so quick to forgive. 

Likely/Unlikely to Persuade:

Spending the summer together was a bonding of epic proportions.

Anything that is based in competition or seeking aesthetic perfection definitely draws the group in.  My brothers and I are more attracted to the concept of besting another human being, but Winnie is more interested in making her character look nice.  Even so, both sides contribute to the other to make a finely balanced group with eyes set upon beauty in destruction.  If ever there was to be something ineffective in persuading the five of us, it would be in attempting to divide the whole into separate parts.  Anything and anyone trying to divide the group will only make us cling that much tighter to the rest of the crew, and unite us in indignation.  The idea of teamwork unites while that of flying solo or pitting us against one another turns our heads the other way. 

Test Case: Attending a Play:

This poor sap was stuck in Japan eating pastry turtles
while the rest of us were at an amusement park.

In all likelihood, our group would probably never go and see a play unless one of us played a role in the production.  We would all just rather play videogames together or goof around outside.  If invited and the tickets were provided for free, the five of us would probably go, simply for the fact that it would be a group experience.  With regard to that, a play focusing on the bond of family and friendship, especially if it was of a comic or epic theme, would more than likely capture our full attention.  Whatever would benefit or bind the group tighter together is something that we would straightaway indulge.  

Profile For Persuasion: The Middle Child (As Understood By the Oldest)

Main Characteristics and Values

Sandwiched between the shock-and-awe effect of the oldest and lacking the eternal cuteness and perpetual innocence of the baby, the middle child stands defensively. The middle child is completely self-sufficient with an overly developed id; which is both for their gain and demise. Self- preservation is the ultimate benefit from their determination to cast the shadow that dwarfs the shadows they feel they are in. But, such thorough independence is often destructive through making isolation comfortable, negative emotional outputs increasingly more negative, and projecting personal thought processes on the world itself rather than being open to different trains of thought. Often times, they carry with them a warped understanding of justice, believing they are always justified in a world that is inherently unjust to them (at least when they are younger). However, they also have large, compassionate hearts, sensitive to the beautiful and artistic things of this world. Furthermore, they are usually the more talented individuals, but fail to recognize themselves as such because the value of anything is determined via comparison to something or someone else rather than determined as individual unit.

Likely/ Unlikely to Persuade

“See how your sister is doing it? Do it like her.” This will never persuade a middle child! They want to be an individual that exists separately from the image of their siblings. They want to be innovative and different, but secretly aspire to the same good outcomes that come to their siblings. Appreciation and recognition are the means to the ultimate persuasion for a middle child.

Test Case: Attending a Play

The middle child could be persuaded to see a play for several reason. First, if there is a choice between a play and an orchestral performance, and the siblings want to go to hear the orchestra, the middle child will seize the opportunity to go against the grain and will therefore select the play. A second means to persuasion would be if the play exposed the plight of the middle child, and sided with them, justifying their cause. (For example, maybe a dramatization of Malcolm in the Middle?) They seek this understanding and self-concept, so a portrayal of such would be very persuasive.