chapter
seven
© 2015 McGraw-Hill Education.
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chapter
seven
Writing Persuasive
Messages and Proposals
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Learning Objectives
 Describe strategies for
persuasive messages.
 Write persuasive requests.
 Discuss ethical concerns.
 Compose sales messages.
 Write persuasive proposals.
Persuasion Advice
 Know your readers.
 Choose and develop
targeted reader
benefits.
 Make good use of
persuasive appeals.
 Make it easy for
readers to comply.
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Know Your Readers
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


Especially important with
persuasion
Can use formally
gathered information
(marketing reports, surveys,
focus groups)
Can gather information
informally (customer notes, talk
with service personnel and
other employees, look at other
successful messages)
Identify Benefits
 Winning reader
benefits can be
– tangible
– intangible
 They can also be
– intrinsic
– extrinsic
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Win with Appeals
 Logic based (logos)
 Emotion based (pathos)
 Character based (ethos)
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Make It Easy
 Don’t neglect the action part of
the message.
 Make the desired
action clear.
 Make the desired
action as easy as
possible to perform.
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Persuasive Requests
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 Your goal is to ask
for something the
reader is likely to
oppose.
 You must develop
a strategy that will
convince the
reader to comply.
Persuasive Requests
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 Open with words that
− set up the strategy and
− gain attention.
 Present the strategy (the persuasion), using
persuasive language and you-viewpoint.
 As a logical follow-up, make the request
clearly and without negatives.
 End the message with the request or with
words that recall the appeal.
Sales Messages
Sales techniques are
useful:
 in writing other
messages,
 in actual sales
work,
 in selling
yourself.
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Sales Writing Steps
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 Learn the product or
service you sell.
– How it is made
– How it works
– What it will do
 Learn about the
prospective customers.
– Their economic status
– Their nationalities
– Their ages
– Etc.
The Central Appeal
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 Logical
− appeals to the thinking mind (saving money,
making money, doing a better job, getting better
use)
 Emotional
− appeals to the senses (feeling, tasting, smelling,
hearing)
 Character based
− uses the writer or spokesperson’s voice and
projected image to win trust and invite readers to
identify with the speaker
Conventional Plan
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 Begin with words that set up the sales
presentation and gain attention.
 Present the sales message using
imagination, persuasive language, and
you-viewpoint.
 Include sufficient information to convince.
 Drive for the sale, making it clear, and
using appropriate strength.
 Urge immediate action.
 May recall basic appeal in final words.
Proposals
 Like reports, are usually
well researched.
 Like reports, can range
widely in format, length,
and formality.
 Like reports, can be
direct (if invited) or
indirect (if uninvited).
 Unlike reports, are overtly
persuasive.
Source: Copyright © 2005 Ted Goff.
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