1. CHAPTER 8
Persuasive Messages

2. Writing Plan for a Persuasive Request
Opening
Body
Closing
Capture the reader’s attention.
Describe a problem, state something unexpected, suggest reader benefits, offer praise or compliments, or ask a stimulating question.

3. Writing Plan for a Persuasive Request
Opening
Body
Closing
Build interest.
Explain logically and concisely the purpose of the request.
Prove its merit.
Use facts, statistics, and expert opinion.
Reduce resistance.
Anticipate objections.
Offer counterarguments.
Establish credibility.
Demonstrate competence.
Show the value of your proposal.

4. Writing Plan for a Persuasive Request
Opening
Body
Closing
Motivate action.
Ask for a particular action.
Make it easy to respond.
Show courtesy, respect, and gratitude.

5. Requesting Favors and Actions
When is persuasion necessary?
Requests for time, money, information, special privileges, and cooperation require persuasion.
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6. Requesting Favors and Actions
Why are requests granted?
Requests may be granted because the receivers
are genuinely interested in your project.
see benefits for others.
expect goodwill potential for themselves.
feel obligated as professionals to contribute their time or expertise to "pay their dues."

7. Persuasive Favor Request Before Revision
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.

8. Persuasive Favor Request After Revision
Open revised letter by clicking
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9. Persuading Within Organizations
Persuading subordinates
Instructions or directives moving downward usually require little persuasion. However, persuasion may be necessary to
generate “buy-in”
ask workers to perform outside their work roles
accept changes not in their best interests.

10. Persuading Within Organizations
Persuading the boss
In requests moving upward
provide evidence.
don’t ask for too much.
use words such as “suggest” and “recommend.”
Sentences should sound nonthreatening, for example, “It might be a good idea if....”

11. Persuasive Memo Before Revision
Open memo
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12. Persuasive Memo After Revision
Open revised memo by clicking
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13. Good and Bad Openings for Persuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
To the vice president: As an employee who can never find a parking place, I want you to know that we must change the method of assigning spaces.
To all employees: Because of our concern for the health and wellbeing of employees, we are considering a wellness program with considerable incentives to those who participate.
About 15 months ago your smooth-talking salesperson seduced us into buying your Model RX copier, which has been nothing but trouble ever since.

14. Good and Bad Openings for Persuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
We need a speaker for our graduation ceremony, and your name was suggested.
We realize that you are an extremely busy individual and that you must be booked up months in advance, but would it be possible for you to speak at our graduation ceremony June 7?
You were voted by our students as the speaker they would most like to hear at graduation on June 7.

15. Ineffective Favor Request
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16. Improved Favor Request
Open revised letter by clicking
icon at left.

17. Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments (Complaint Letters)
Avoid sounding angry, emotional, or irrational.
Begin with a compliment, point of agreement, statement of the problem, or a brief review of action you have taken to resolve the problem.
Provide identifying data.
Explain why the receiver is responsible.

18. Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments (Complaint Letters)
Enclose document copies supporting your claim.
Appeal to the receiver's fairness, ethical and legal responsibilities, and desire for customer satisfaction.
Describe your feelings and your disappointment.
Close by telling exactly what you want done.

19. Examine This Effective Claim Request (Complaint Letter)
Open letter
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20. Ineffective Complaint Letter
Open letter
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21. Improved Complaint Letter
Open revised letter by clicking
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22. AIDA Writing Plan for a Sales Letter
Opening
Body
Closing
Capture the ATTENTION of the reader.
Offer something valuable, promise a benefit, ask a question, provide a quotation, and so forth.

23. Gaining Attention Offer
Take your old cell phones to one of our collection centers, and we'll recycle it and donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.
Benefit
You'll help our environment and help your neighbors in the process.

24. Gaining Attention Question Microsoft has evolved. Have you?
Quotation or proverb
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
Related fact
A virus is a computer program written to perform malicious tasks.

25. Gaining Attention Testimonial
"I never stopped eating, yet I lost 107 pounds."—Tina Rivers, Greenwood, South Carolina
Startling Statement
Drunk drivers injure or cripple more than 500,000 victims every year.

26. AIDA Writing Plan for a Sales Letter
Opening
Body
Closing
Build INTEREST.
Emphasize a central selling point. Make rational and emotional appeals.
Build INTEREST.
Emphasize a central selling point. Make rational and emotional appeals.
To learn more, click icon:

27. AIDA Writing Plan for a Sales Letter
Opening
Body
Closing
Elicit DESIRE.
To reduce resistance, use testimonials, money-back guarantees, free samples, performance tests, or other techniques.
Elicit DESIRE.
To reduce resistance, use testimonials, money-back guarantees, free samples, performance tests, or other techniques.
To learn more, click icon:

28. AIDA Writing Plan for a Sales Letter
Opening
Body
Closing
Motivate ACTION.
Offer a gift, promise an incentive, limit the offer, set a deadline, or guarantee satisfaction. Include a P.S. with a special inducement.

29. Checklist for Analyzing a Sales Letter
At what audience is the letter aimed?
Is the appeal emotional or rational? Is the appeal effective?
Is the opening effective?
What techniques capture the reader's attention?
Is a central selling point emphasized?
Does the letter emphasize reader benefits?

30. Checklist for Analyzing a Sales Letter
How does the letter build interest in the product or service?
How is price introduced?
How does the letter anticipate reader resistance and offer counterarguments?
What action is to be taken and how is the reader motivated to take that action?
What motivators spur the reader to act quickly?

31. Examine This Effective Sales Letter
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.

32. Writing Successful Online Sales Messages
Communicate only with those who have given permission!
Craft a catchy subject line.
Keep the main information "above the fold."
Make the message short, conversational, and focused.
Convey urgency.
Sprinkle testimonials throughout the copy.
Provide a means for opting out.

33. END