2010 Thomson South-Western

Instructor Only Version

CHAPTER 8
Persuasive
Messages
Chapter 8, Slide 2 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Writing Plan for a
Persuasive Request
Body Closing
Capture the readers attention.
Describe a problem, state something
unexpected, suggest reader benefits,
offer praise or compliments, or ask a
stimulating question.
Opening
Chapter 8, Slide 3 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening Closing Body
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.
Writing Plan for a
Persuasive Request
Chapter 8, Slide 4 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening Body
Motivate action.
Ask for a particular action.
Make it easy to respond.
Show courtesy, respect, and
gratitude.
Closing
Writing Plan for a
Persuasive Request
Chapter 8, Slide 5 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Requesting Favors and Actions
When is persuasion necessary?
Requests for time, money, information,
special privileges, and cooperation
require persuasion.
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / ZSOLT NYULASZI
Chapter 8, Slide 6 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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."
Chapter 8, Slide 7 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Persuasive Favor Request
Before Revision
Chapter 8, Slide 8 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at right.
Persuasive Favor Request
After Revision
Chapter 8, Slide 9 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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.

Chapter 8, Slide 10 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Persuading Within Organizations
Persuading the boss

In requests moving upward
provide evidence.
dont ask for too much.
use words such as suggest and
recommend.
Sentences should sound nonthreatening,
for example, It might be a good idea if....
Chapter 8, Slide 11 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Persuasive Memo
Before Revision
Open memo
by clicking
icon at right.
Chapter 8, Slide 12 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Open revised
memo by clicking
icon at right.
Persuasive Memo
After Revision
Chapter 8, Slide 13 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. About 15 months ago your smooth-talking
salesperson seduced us into buying your Model RX
copier, which has been nothing but trouble ever
since.
Good and Bad Openings for
Persuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
Chapter 8, Slide 14 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
4. We need a speaker for our graduation ceremony,
and your name was suggested.
5. 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?
6. You were voted by our students as the speaker
they would most like to hear at graduation on
June 7.
Good and Bad Openings for
Persuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
Chapter 8, Slide 15 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Ineffective Favor Request
Open letter
by clicking
icon at left
Chapter 8, Slide 16 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Improved Favor Request
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at left.
Chapter 8, Slide 17 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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.
Chapter 8, Slide 18 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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.
Making Claims and Requesting
Adjustments (Complaint Letters)
Chapter 8, Slide 19 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Examine This Effective
Claim Request (Complaint Letter)
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Chapter 8, Slide 20 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Ineffective Complaint Letter
Open letter
by clicking
icon at left
Chapter 8, Slide 21 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Improved Complaint Letter
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at left.
Chapter 8, Slide 22 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
AIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Letter
Body Closing
Capture the ATTENTION of the reader.
Offer something valuable, promise a
benefit, ask a question, provide a
quotation, and so forth.

Opening
Chapter 8, Slide 23 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Gaining Attention
1. 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.

2. Benefit
You'll help our environment and help
your neighbors in the process.
Chapter 8, Slide 24 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Gaining Attention
3. Question
Microsoft has evolved. Have you?

4. Quotation or proverb
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.

5. Related fact
A virus is a computer program written to
perform malicious tasks.
Chapter 8, Slide 25 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Gaining Attention
6. Testimonial
"I never stopped eating, yet I lost 107
pounds."Tina Rivers, Greenwood,
South Carolina

7. Startling Statement
Drunk drivers injure or cripple more than
500,000 victims every year.

Chapter 8, Slide 26 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening Closing
Build INTEREST.
Emphasize a central selling point.
Make rational and emotional appeals.
Body
AIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Letter
Build INTEREST.
Emphasize a central selling point.
Make rational and emotional appeals.
To learn more, click icon:
Chapter 8, Slide 27 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening Closing Body
AIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Letter

Elicit DESIRE.
To reduce resistance, use testimonials,
money-back guarantees, free samples,
performance tests, or other techniques.
To learn more, click icon:

Elicit DESIRE.
To reduce resistance, use testimonials,
money-back guarantees, free samples,
performance tests, or other techniques.
Chapter 8, Slide 28 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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.
AIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Letter
Opening Body Closing
Chapter 8, Slide 29 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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?
Chapter 8, Slide 30 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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?
Checklist for
Analyzing a Sales Letter
Chapter 8, Slide 31 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Examine This Effective
Sales Letter
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Chapter 8, Slide 32 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
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.
2010 Thomson South-Western
Instructor Only Version
END