1 Chapter 10 Sales and Persuasive Messages David Gadish, Ph.D.

Ch. 10, Slide 2 Analyzing purpose What do you want the receiver to do or think? Anticipating reaction Does the receiver need to be persuaded? Adapting to the audience How can you adapt your message to appeal to this receiver? Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process

Ch. 10, Slide 3 Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process Researching data What information do you need? Where can you locate it? Organizing data What strategy is best – direct or indirect?

Ch. 10, Slide 4 The Indirect Pattern for Persuasion Gain attention Build interest Reduce resistance Motivate action

Ch. 10, Slide 5 Making Persuasive Requests

Ch. 10, Slide 6 Gaining Attention In requesting favors, begin with a compliment, unexpected fact, stimulating question, reader benefit, summary of the problem, or candid plea for help. For claims, consider opening with a review of action you have taken to resolve the problem.

Ch. 10, Slide 7 Building Interest Prove the accuracy and merit of your request with facts, figures, expert opinion, examples, and details. Avoid sounding high-pressured, angry, or emotional. Suggest direct and indirect benefits for the receiver.

Ch. 10, Slide 8 Building Interest Direct Benefit: If you accept our invitation to speak, you will have an audience of 50 potential customers for your products. Indirect Benefit: Your appearance would prove your professionalism and make us grateful for your willingness to give something back to our field.

Ch. 10, Slide 9 Reducing Resistance Identify possible obstacles; offer counter arguments. Demonstrate your credibility by being knowledgeable. In requesting favors or making recommendations, show how the receiver or others will benefit.

Ch. 10, Slide 10 Reducing Resistance Example: Although your gift to the Neonatal Center is not tax deductible, it would help us purchase an Intensive Care Ventilator that would be put to use immediately in caring for critically ill and premature newborn infants.

Ch. 10, Slide 11 Motivating Action Ask for specific action confidently. Include an end date, if appropriate. Repeat a key benefit. Example: Please respond by May 1 so that we may add your photograph to our announcement.

Ch. 10, Slide 12 Ineffective Persuasive Invitation Activity 10.1 “Before” Version

Ch. 10, Slide 13 Dear Dr. Thomas: Because you’re a local Atlanta author, we thought it might not be too much trouble for you to speak at our GSU Management Society banquet May 5. Some of us business students here at Georgia State University admired your book Beyond Race and Gender, which appeared last spring and became such a hit across the nation. One of our professors said you were now the nation’s diversity management guru. What exactly did you mean when you said that America is no longer a melting pot of ethnic groups–it’s an “American mulligan stew”? Dear Dr. Thomas: Because you’re a local Atlanta author, we thought it might not be too much trouble for you to speak at our GSU Management Society banquet May 5. Some of us business students here at Georgia State University admired your book Beyond Race and Gender, which appeared last spring and became such a hit across the nation. One of our professors said you were now the nation’s diversity management guru. What exactly did you mean when you said that America is no longer a melting pot of ethnic groups–it’s an “American mulligan stew”? Persuasive Invitation: “Before” Version

Ch. 10, Slide 14 Because we have no funds for honoraria, we have to rely on local speakers. The Reverend James R. Jones and Vice Mayor Rebecca A. Timmons were speakers in the past. Our banquets usually begin at 6:30 with a social hour, followed by dinner at 7:30 and the speaker from 8:30 until 9 or 9:15. We can arrange transportation for you and your guest, if you need it. We realize that you must be very busy, but we hope you’ll agree. Please let our advisor, Professor Alexa North, have the favor of an early response. Sincerely yours, Because we have no funds for honoraria, we have to rely on local speakers. The Reverend James R. Jones and Vice Mayor Rebecca A. Timmons were speakers in the past. Our banquets usually begin at 6:30 with a social hour, followed by dinner at 7:30 and the speaker from 8:30 until 9 or 9:15. We can arrange transportation for you and your guest, if you need it. We realize that you must be very busy, but we hope you’ll agree. Please let our advisor, Professor Alexa North, have the favor of an early response. Sincerely yours, Persuasive Invitation: “Before” Version

Ch. 10, Slide 15 Critical Thinking Questions 1. What is the purpose of the previous letter? 2. How do you think the reader would react to the message? 3. What could be used to attract the attention of the reader in the opening? Write an appropriate opening. 4. What information could be used to build interest in the body? 5. What are some of the arguments the receiver might offer to resist the invitation? Could any counter arguments be offered?

Ch. 10, Slide 16 Critical Thinking Questions 6. What could you use to motivate the reader to accept? 7. Should an end date be used in the closing? What information could be added to the closing to make it easier for the receiver to respond? Write an appropriate closing.

Ch. 10, Slide 17 Improved Persuasive Invitation Activity 10.1 “After” Version

Ch. 10, Slide 18 Dear Dr. Thomas: Your book Beyond Race and Gender stimulated provocative discussion across the nation and on our campus when it appeared last spring. Business students at Georgia State University now consider you the nation’s diversity management guru, and for that reason they asked me to use all my powers of persuasion in this invitation. Because we admire your work, we’d like you to be our keynote speaker at the GSU Management Society banquet May 5. As students at an urban campus in a metropolitan area, we’re keenly aware of diversity issues. In your words, Dear Dr. Thomas: Your book Beyond Race and Gender stimulated provocative discussion across the nation and on our campus when it appeared last spring. Business students at Georgia State University now consider you the nation’s diversity management guru, and for that reason they asked me to use all my powers of persuasion in this invitation. Because we admire your work, we’d like you to be our keynote speaker at the GSU Management Society banquet May 5. As students at an urban campus in a metropolitan area, we’re keenly aware of diversity issues. In your words, Persuasive Invitation: “After” Version

Ch. 10, Slide 19 America is no longer a melting pot of ethnic groups; it is now an “American mulligan stew.” We’d like to hear more about the future workforce and how managers can maximize the contribution of all employees. Although we can’t offer you an honorarium, we can promise you a fine dinner at the GSU Faculty Club and an eager and appreciative audience of over 100 business students and faculty. Speakers in the past have included the Reverend James R. Jones and Vice Mayor Rebecca A. Timmons. The evening includes a social hour at 6:30, dinner at 7:30, and your remarks from 8:30 until 9 or 9:15. So that you America is no longer a melting pot of ethnic groups; it is now an “American mulligan stew.” We’d like to hear more about the future workforce and how managers can maximize the contribution of all employees. Although we can’t offer you an honorarium, we can promise you a fine dinner at the GSU Faculty Club and an eager and appreciative audience of over 100 business students and faculty. Speakers in the past have included the Reverend James R. Jones and Vice Mayor Rebecca A. Timmons. The evening includes a social hour at 6:30, dinner at 7:30, and your remarks from 8:30 until 9 or 9:15. So that you Persuasive Invitation: “After” Version

Ch. 10, Slide 20 won’t have to worry about transportation or parking, we will arrange a limousine for you and your guest. Please make this our most memorable banquet yet. Just call our adviser, Professor Alexa North, at before April 1 to accept this invitation. Sincerely yours, won’t have to worry about transportation or parking, we will arrange a limousine for you and your guest. Please make this our most memorable banquet yet. Just call our adviser, Professor Alexa North, at before April 1 to accept this invitation. Sincerely yours, Persuasive Invitation: “After” Version

Ch. 10, Slide 21 Writing Complaint Letters

Ch. 10, Slide 22 How to Write a Good Complaint Letter Begin with a compliment, point of agreement, statement of the problem, or brief review of the action you have taken to resolve the problem. Provide identifying data. Prove that your claim is valid; explain why the receiver is responsible.

Ch. 10, Slide 23 How to Write a Good Complaint Letter Enclose copies of documents supporting your claim. Appeal to the receiver’s fairness, ethical and legal responsibilities, and desire for customer satisfaction. Describe your feelings and your disappointment.

Ch. 10, Slide 24 How to Write a Good Complaint Letter Avoid sounding angry, emotional, or irrational. Close by telling exactly what you want done.

Ch. 10, Slide 25 Writing Sales Letters

Ch. 10, Slide 26 Gaining Attention Offer something valuable, promise a significant result, or describe a product feature. Present a testimonial, make a startling statement, or show the reader in an action setting.

Ch. 10, Slide 27 Gaining Attention Example: How much is sex costing your company? An incident of sexual harassment can cost millions of dollars unless preventive measures are taken.

Ch. 10, Slide 28 Gaining Attention Describe a problem. Six of our computers were recently infected with the “Hacker” virus, and we lost at least 25 work hours trying to repair the problem. Present an unexpected statement. If you checked carefully, you’d probably find that 20 percent of your customers account for 80 percent of your profits.

Ch. 10, Slide 29 Building Interest Describe the product in terms of what it does for the reader. Show how the product or service saves or makes money, reduces effort, improves health, produces pleasure, or boosts status.

Ch. 10, Slide 30 Building Interest Example: Our computer-based training program teaches your employees what behavior is acceptable and unacceptable, while showing you steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of employer liability.

Ch. 10, Slide 31 Building Interest Suggest reader benefits. Now you can immediately protect all your computers from the latest viruses with our online anti-virus program. Pay a compliment. Because no one generates as much audience enthusiasm as you do in your presentations, we are asking you to speak....

Ch. 10, Slide 32 Building Interest Supply facts and figures. Currently 30,000 known computer viruses are in existence, and the number increases by 300 to 400 each month. Give examples. One company lost valuable data and had no recent backup disks to replace infected files.

Ch. 10, Slide 33 Building Interest Cite expert opinion. “Hostile code can hit without warning,” says virus specialist Dr. Tony Timm, “so companies must have a virus antidote or they risk all their operations.” Provide specific details. In a test comparing six of the leading anti- virus programs, our program was flawless in virus detection, easy to use, and low in ownership cost.

Ch. 10, Slide 34 Building Interest Mention direct benefits. Our anti-virus program can protect you from subtle corruptions of data that may go unnoticed for months. Mention indirect benefits. Your company continues to be a pacesetter in the health care industry by setting an example for other organizations who are bewildered by the growing number of viruses.

Ch. 10, Slide 35 Reducing Resistance Counter reluctance with testimonials, money-back guarantees, attractive warranties, trial offers, or free samples. Build credibility with results of performance tests, polls, or awards.

Ch. 10, Slide 36 Reducing Resistance Example: This important investment in sexual harassment prevention comes with a money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied, your entire training costs are returned.

Ch. 10, Slide 37 Motivating Action Close with repetition of the central selling point and clear instructions for an easy action to be taken. Prompt the reader to act immediately with a gift, incentive, limited offer, or deadline. Put the strongest motivator in a postscript.

Ch. 10, Slide 38 Motivating Action Example: Sign up now and you receive a free 60-day trial. Call, fax, or us today to receive a free demo disk. You can’t lose!

Ch. 10, Slide 39 Composing Successful Sales Messages Send only those who “opt in to.” Craft a catchy subject line. Place main information “above the fold.”

Ch. 10, Slide 40 Composing Successful Sales Messages Keep it short, conversational and focused. Convey urgency. Sprinkle testimonials throughout. Provide a means for opting out.

Ch. 10, Slide 41 Persuasive Press Releases Open with attention-getting lead or summary of important facts. Include answers to who, what, when, where, why, how. Appeal to audience of target media. Present most important information early. Make the release visually appealing. Look and sound credible.

Ch. 10, Slide 42 End