1. LECTURE 13: MAKING YOUR CASE WITH PERSUASIVE MESSAGES AND PROPOSALS
BUS 251
CHAPTER 9

2. GENERAL ADVICE ABOUT PERSUASION
Know your readers well.
Demographic information
Psychographic information

3. GENERAL ADVICE ABOUT PERSUASION
Choose and develop targeted reader benefits.
Tangible rewards
Intangible rewards
Reader benefits
Intrinsic benefits
Extrinsic benefits
Scenario painting

4. GENERAL ADVICE ABOUT PERSUASION
Make good use of three kinds of appeals.
Logos – based on logic
Pathos – based on emotion
Ethos – based on character
Make it easy for your readers to comply.

5. PERSUASIVE REQUESTS Determining your strategy
Common-ground persuasion technique
Gaining attention in the opening
Developing the appeal
Making the request clearly and positively

6. SALES MESSAGES
Sales messages are controversial area of business communication.
Many sales messages are unwanted, e.g., Junk mail, spam.
Use your conscience and your ability to put yourself in the readers’ shoes to create ethical persuasive messages.

7. GENERAL PLAN-SALES MESSAGES
The traditional plan-
The opening gains attention and sets up the sales strategy.
The body builds your persuasive case.
It develops the appeals you have chosen.
It uses punchy writing and techniques for visual emphasis (white space, color, and other visual elements).

8. GENERAL PLAN-SALES MESSAGES
Emotional Selling
The words establish an emotional atmosphere and build an emotional need for the product or service.
Rational Selling
Appeals to reason by using facts and logic.

9. GENERAL PLAN-SALES MESSAGES
Character-based Selling
Build trust and invite identification with the company.
The message uses appealing language and the you-viewpoint throughout.
Appropriate visual elements support the persuasive text.

10. GENERAL PLAN-SALES MESSAGES
Drive for the sale
It may be a strong drive, even a command, if a strong sales effort is used.
It may be a direct question if a milder effort is desired.
In either case, the action words are specific and clear, frequently urging action now.

11. PROPOSALS
Proposals resemble reports but differ in their fundamental purpose.
They are intentionally persuasive.
They can be categorized in two ways.
Internal or external

12. PROPOSALS They vary widely in terms of format and formality.
As with reports, proposal formats can range from short s to long, elaborate documents.
Their levels of formality vary as well.

13. PROPOSALS The contents of a proposal
The writer’s purpose and the reader’s need.
The background.
The need.
The description of the plan.
The benefits.
The particulars (e.g., methods, schedule, costs, performance standards).
Your ability to deliver.
Concluding comments.