Chapter 8

Why Must I Know How to Influence and Persuade Others?

After a long career in marketing communications and public relations, Robert has learned that influence can be hard to exert, but when done so properly has wide-ranging impact. One memorable experience he had while working for the Independent Bankers Association of America (IBAA) in the middle 1990s, was trying to influence public opinion regarding ATM fees. Robert turned to the media, helping to place bankers on financial news programs and being interviewed himself by National Public Radio’s Jim Zarolli.

The message that IBAA was sending to the public, through the media, was that small, independent banks didn’t gouge customers on ATM fees the way the megabanks did. The wire services ...

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