© 2002 SOUTH-WESTERN EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING 9th Edition Brantley & Miller Effective Communication for Colleges Persuasive Messages CHAPTER 7

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 2 Learning Objectives  Identify and discuss situations when persuasion may be necessary.  Discuss the importance of ethical persuasion and credibility in persuasive messages.  Explain receiver benefits, descriptive language, and appropriate appeals as they relate to the persuasive strategy AIDA. Continued on next slide.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 3 Learning Objectives  Identify and discuss unique characteristics of donation requests and sales messages and how those characteristics encourage a favorable response.  Implement the CBO approach and the persuasive strategy AIDA and incorporate the six Cs of effective messages to plan and complete persuasive messages. Continued

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 4  Attracts the receiver’s favorable attention.  Builds the receiver’s interest.  Encourages the receiver's desire.  Requests and motivates the receiver's action. A I D A Persuasive Strategy AIDA

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 5 Persuade Ethically  Be objective. Provide information that will enable your receivers to make informed decisions.  Choose words that are clear and straightforward. Do not set out to trick someone.  Show knowledge or sincere concern about the subject of your message so that your audience can identify with what you are saying.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 6 The CBO Approach The CBO (Communication-by-Objectives) Approach  Plan a message.  Compose a draft.  Complete a message.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 7 Plan a Message  Identify the objective.  Visualize the audience.  Gather supporting information.  Organize the information.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 8 Organize the Information The combination of the indirect pattern of organization and the persuasive strategy AIDA:  Provides an explanation before the actual request.  Attracts the receiver’s favorable attention.  Builds the receiver’s interest.  Encourages the receiver’s desire.  Requests and motivates the receiver’s action.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 9 Compose a Draft  Choose words.  Construct sentences.  Assemble paragraphs.  Choose paragraph locations. Continue the CBO approach by applying the AIDA strategy to:

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 10 AIDA  Attention  Interest  Desire  Action

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 11 Attract Attention Open with:  An open-ended, thought-provoking question.  An agreeable statement.  A compliment.  An immediate request.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 12 Build Interest and Encourage Desire  Explain receiver benefits.  Use descriptive, concrete words.  Address receiver concerns.  Choose an appropriate appeal.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 13 Call for Action  Make a confident request.  Make a response easy.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 14 Complete a Message  Proofread.  Edit.  Revise.  Finalize.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 15 A nonroutine request asks the receiver to do something out of the ordinary.  Requests for donations of time, money, or knowledge  Requests to support an activity or a cause  Requests for cooperation in resolving an issue  Requests for cooperation in collecting money Types of Persuasive Messages Nonroutine Requests Examples

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 16 Apply the persuasive strategy AIDA Requests for Donations or Support  Begin with an attention-getting statement that encourages further reading.  Choose an appropriate appeal.  Lead to the main idea.  Close by stating what you want; provide a way for the receiver to respond easily.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 17 Requests for Donations Examples of Key Sentences Create interest and desire with an appropriate appeal. Suits Me! provides gently worn business attire for women who are trying to get their lives back on track. Begin with an attention-getting statement. Clean out your closet! State what you want. Make it easy for the receiver. Please drop off your donations in the employee dining room during business hours on March 3 and 4.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 18 Requests for Cooperation  Claim messages  Collection messages

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 19 Apply the persuasive strategy AIDA Claim Messages  Begin with a courteous opening that attracts the receiver’s attention.  Provide details in chronological order, accurately and calmly. Continued on next slide.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 20 Apply the persuasive strategy AIDA Claim Messages  Make reasonable requests, and help the receiver understand the benefits of complying.  Close with a dated action statement. Continued

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 21 Claim Message Examples of Key Sentences Provide details. The floral bouquet delivered to Nora Kiley on April 2 did not meet my expectations. The flowers were wilted and drooping when they arrived and had to be discarded the following day. Make a reasonable requests, and close with a call for action. Please send Ms. Kiley a replacement bouquet on April 23. Begin with a courteous opening. The Flower Shop on Elm is my first choice when ordering flowers for business and social occasions.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 22 Steps for Preparing an Effective Claim Message Check message for grammar, spelling, and facts. Consider the details. Make your demands reasonable. State the problem, and present the facts. Gather and organize relevant documents. Apply the CBO approach and persuasive strategy AIDA. Begin with the source of the problem.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 23 Collection Messages Collection messages have two objectives:  Collecting money  Maintaining goodwill

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 24 Collection Message Objectives  Assume that the receiver intends to pay.  Follow the collection laws of your state.  Send collection messages at regular intervals.  Use a courteous but firm tone.  Use an appropriate organizational pattern and message strategy for each stage of collection.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 25 Collection Message Initial Stage  Use direct pattern.  Choose an appropriate format. Brief form letter Collection card Stamped message or sticker on a statement

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 26 Collection Message Middle Stage  Use indirect pattern and the persuasive strategy AIDA.  Open with an attention-getting statement that neutralizes the information that follows.  Explain objectively without accusation. Continued on next slide.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 27 Collection Message Middle Stage  Point out receiver benefits to complying with the request.  Offer alternate payment options if possible.  Provide a friendly ending with detailed contact information. Continued

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 28 Middle-Stage Collection Message Examples of Key Sentences Explain objectively. Point out receiver benefits. The balance of your account is $580 and 45 days past due. Bringing your account up to date will allow us to continue providing the communication services you need to operate your business. Offer payment options. Provide contact information. Please use the enclosed envelope to send your check, or call Tariq Sanders at to make arrangements to use a credit card. Open with an attention-getting statement. Your history of prompt payments has made you a valued client.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 29 Collection Message Final Stage  Use direct pattern.  Begin with the main idea of nonpayment.  Briefly restate details leading up to the final collection attempt. State specific negative consequences.  End with a neutral closing.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 30 Final-Stage Collection Message Examples of Key Sentences Briefly restate details leading up to the final collection attempt. State specific negative consequences. Your account balance of $580 is 120 days past due. We have contacted you six times about this matter. Unless we receive full payment by May 15, your account will be turned over to LRQ Collection Agency. End with a neutral closing. To ensure continued service and avoid involving a collection agency, send your check for $580 by May 15. Begin with the main idea of nonpayment. Communication services that are vital to your business are in jeopardy.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 31 Sales Messages  The main objective of sales messages is to persuade receivers to buy something.  Sales messages are either solicited or unsolicited. Solicited sales messages are responses to inquiries. Unsolicited sales messages are initiated by the sender.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 32 Sales Messages Techniques and Writing Style Sales messages and donation requests may differ from other business messages in these ways:  Length  Inclusions  Print mechanics  Casual writing style

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 33  Age  Education  Occupation Sales Messages Target Audience Identify receiver characteristics to have a better understanding of how to market your product or services. Examples  Cultural background  Interests

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 34 Sales Messages Gathering Information About Target Audience  Conduct surveys.  Purchase information.  Buy mailing lists.

Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller Chapter 7 Slide 35 Sales Messages Online  Use the six Cs of effective messages.  Use the AIDA strategy.  Make these adjustments: Send you-oriented messages to select customers. Keep messages short. Give the receiver an opportunity to be removed from the mailing list.