Americans pay attention to who is trying to persuade them, not just what they’re saying. Source credibility—expertise, trustworthiness, and likability—affects whether persuasion succeeds. The same message from a credible source may convince while from a non-credible source it fails.
If you want to persuade American audiences, establish your credibility. Demonstrate expertise in your subject matter; build trust through honest, reliable behavior; develop likability through genuine connection. Credibility takes time to build but can be leveraged once established. Americans also evaluate credibility cues quickly—credentials, reputation, appearance, and communication style all factor in. If you lack established credibility with an audience, consider bringing in sources who have it, or invest in building your own before making important persuasive attempts.
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