1. Making Your Case with Persuasive Messages and Proposals Chapter Nine

2. - Persuasion is the ability to use an argument or a discussion to try to change an individual’s beliefs or actions - Because you will propose something that your reader reader doesn’t already agree with, you need careful analysis, strategic thinking and skillful writing - Ideally, you can employ an indirect approach Learning to Be Persuasive

3. General Advice About Persuasion Know your readers -Do some research -Demographic information -Psychographic information Choose and Develop Targeted Readers -Tangible -Intangible -Intrinsic benefits -Extrinsic benefits

4. General Advice About Persuasion (cont.) Make use of 3 kinds of appeals -Those based on logic (e.g. saved time? Saved money?) -Those based on emotion (e.g. higher status, more popularity) -Those based on character of the readers Make it Easy for your readers to comply - Sometimes the writers focus so much on creating persuasive appeals that they put insufficient thought into making the requested action as clear

5. Kinds of Persuasive Messages Persuasive Requests Sales Messages Proposals

6. Persuasive Requests Determine the strategy -Analyze the purpose (what do you want?) -Figure out your reader’s likely reaction -Decide upon a persuasive strategy Gaining attention in the opening -Lead into your central strategy -Gain attention by developing curiosity -Gain attention by offering or demonstrating reader’s benefits -Example, while you and I denied heartily last night, 31 orphans at San Pablo Mission had only dried beans to eat

7. Persuasive Requests (cont.) Develop the Appeal -Following the opening, you should proceed with your goal of persuading - Since you are trying to penetrate a natural or resistant mind, you need to use “you view-point” appropriately -Use logical and emotional appeal carefully Make the Request Clearly and Positively -Move to action you seek -Your reader is more likely to accept the request if you have developed the appeal well

8. “Before”—Ineffective Request Dear Chan Kim: Because you know Bashundhara and live here in our town, we thought about asking you to speak at our NSU Business Awards Dinner on April 28. A few students on campus have read and admired your book Blue Ocean Strategy, which appeared last spring and became a bestseller across the nation. We were amazed that a local author is now the nation’s diversity management guru. But what exactly did you mean when you said that the companies need to break out of the red ocean of bloody competition- do they need to avoid the intensity of competition? NSU doesn’t have any funds for honorarium, so we can invite only local speakers. Our awards dinner gets started at 6 p.m. with a social hour, followed by dinner at 7 and the speaker from 8:30 until 9. If you require, we can arrange transportation for you and your guest. Although you are a very busy person, we hope you will agree to this invitation. Thank you in advance. Please notify our advisor, Professor Alexa North. Sincerely yours, Dear Chan Kim: Because you know Bashundhara and live here in our town, we thought about asking you to speak at our NSU Business Awards Dinner on April 28. A few students on campus have read and admired your book Blue Ocean Strategy, which appeared last spring and became a bestseller across the nation. We were amazed that a local author is now the nation’s diversity management guru. But what exactly did you mean when you said that the companies need to break out of the red ocean of bloody competition- do they need to avoid the intensity of competition? NSU doesn’t have any funds for honorarium, so we can invite only local speakers. Our awards dinner gets started at 6 p.m. with a social hour, followed by dinner at 7 and the speaker from 8:30 until 9. If you require, we can arrange transportation for you and your guest. Although you are a very busy person, we hope you will agree to this invitation. Thank you in advance. Please notify our advisor, Professor Alexa North. Sincerely yours,

9. Critical Thinking Questions 1.What is the purpose of the letter? 2.How do your think the reader will 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 could be used to motivate the reader to accept? 6.What should be the closing? 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?

10. “After”—Improved Request Dear Mr. Chan Kim: Your book The Blue Ocean Strategy stimulated provocative discussion across the nation and on our campus when it first appeared last spring. Business students at NSU 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 would like you to be our keynote speaker at the NSU Business Awards Dinner on April 28. Although we can’t offer you an honorarium, we can promise you a fine dinner at the NSU Faculty Club and an eager and appreciative audience of over 100 business students and faculty. The evening includes a social hour at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m., and your remarks from 8:30 until 9. So that you won’t have to worry about transportation or parking, we will ensure relevant facilities for you and your guest. Please make this our most memorable dinner yet. Just call our adviser, Professor Alexa North, at 356-9910 before April 5 to accept this invitation. Sincerely yours, Dear Mr. Chan Kim: Your book The Blue Ocean Strategy stimulated provocative discussion across the nation and on our campus when it first appeared last spring. Business students at NSU 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 would like you to be our keynote speaker at the NSU Business Awards Dinner on April 28. Although we can’t offer you an honorarium, we can promise you a fine dinner at the NSU Faculty Club and an eager and appreciative audience of over 100 business students and faculty. The evening includes a social hour at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m., and your remarks from 8:30 until 9. So that you won’t have to worry about transportation or parking, we will ensure relevant facilities for you and your guest. Please make this our most memorable dinner yet. Just call our adviser, Professor Alexa North, at 356-9910 before April 5 to accept this invitation. Sincerely yours,

11. Example (cont.) Daer Mr. Sam: Will you please donate the local junior Achievement program? We have set $50 as a fair minimum for businesses to give. But larger amount would be appreciated. The organization badly needs your support. Certainly, about 900 young people will not get to participate Junior Achievement activities unless more money is raised. If you don't already know about junior achievement, let me explain. Junior achievement is an organization for high school students. They work with local business executives to form small business and then operate the businesses. In the process, they learn about our economic system. This is a good thing and it deserves our help. Hope to receiving you generous donation.

12. Writing Sales Messages  Preparation  You must know all you can about the product  Profile your audience - Demographic and Psychographic analysis - How will this product or service benefit this audience?  Decide what you want the audience to do at the end of your message.

13. 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 Analyzing the Structure of Sales Messages

14. Writing Sales Messages (cont.)  Before the message begins -An attention getter on the envelope -An offer of the gift (Your gift is enclosed) -With email, the attention begins with the from, to and subject line -Subject line should be designed effectively -Don’t: Solid caps, exclamation points, dollar signs and free offers -Don’t: “How to earn $60,000 in the first month” -Don’t: You have to read this! -Do: Make your restaurant more profitable Gain Attention

15. Writing Sales Messages (cont.)  In the opening of the message -The first word of your message should gain attention - Attention should be converted into action - Consider this- “Free chocolates for the rest of your life” -A good opening is a statement that or question that introduces a need the product will satisfy Gain Attention

16. Writing Sales Messages (cont.)  the opening of the message -Create a logical or emotional atmosphere -Emotional- appearance, texture, aroma and taste of product -Logical- Save money, do a better job and get better use from a product -Example: we are slashing the regular rate of $40 a year down to only $28, saving you a full 22 percent Gain Attention

17. Writing Sales Messages (cont.)  You establish a need here  Present the product or service fulfilling the need  Focus on the details of your main appeal (emotional or logical)  Tie facts to direct and indirect benefits  Include all the relevant features of the product or service that can create the develop the interest of the reader Build Interest and Encourage Desire

18. Writing Sales Messages (cont.) 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.

19. Writing Sales Messages (cont.)  Drive for the sale by arguing the action  Recall the main point here  Make a confident request  Make an easy response Call for Action

20. Example Subject: offer from a student Hello! My name is Zach Miller, and I’m a business student here at North South University. I’ve been learning business not only in the classroom but on the job, by running my own house-painting operations. If you would like to have your house painted in this summer, Can I do it for considerably less than what you’d pay a professional service. I would carefully prepare your house for painting, I use good quality paint. My two friends and I will also guarantee to complete the within three days (weather permitting). Please e-mail me if you’d like an estimate. Sincerely, Zack Miller

21. Features of the Previous Message Starts with a dull and vague subject line The first statement talks only about the writer and it doesn’t grab the attention The second statement starts to hint at the topic, but it is still writer focused Doesn’t talk about the service in details The final statement doesn’t call for an action

22. Example Subject: A professional-Quality Paint job for Less Would you like a great deal on having your house painted this summer while supporting NSU students? My name is Zach Miller, and I am a junior business major here at NSU, in the BBA program. I have been running my own house painting-businesses for three years. I employ two other NKU, students Jeff and Alex, who are also business students. We are fully fully licensed and insured. We use only plastic paints from two manufacturers like Berger and Roxy Paint. We will power wash all surfaces of your house and do any needed repairs before we paint. The work comes with a two-year guarantee and combined with our low rates, is an excellent value. If you would like a free estimate, just fill out the online estimate request form. The attached flyer tells more about me and also include a coupon for 10% off if you schedule your paint job the day you receive your estimate. Zech Miller email: Cellular:

23. Next lecture will focus on proposals I will show you how to write a proposal We are done! Thanks!