CHAPTER 8
Persuasive
Messages
Instructor Only Version
© 2010 Thomson South-Western
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 2
Writing Plan for a
Persuasive Request
Opening
Body
Closing
Build interest.
Reduce resistance.
 Explain logically and
concisely the purpose
of the request.
 Prove its merit.
 Use facts, statistics,
and expert opinion.





Anticipate objections.
Offer counterarguments.
Establish credibility.
Demonstrate competence.
Show the value of your
proposal.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 3
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 4
Requesting Favors and Actions
When is persuasion necessary?
Requests for time, money, information,
special privileges, and cooperation
require persuasion.
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / ZSOLT NYULASZI
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 5
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."
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 6
Persuasive Favor Request
Before Revision
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 7
Persuasive Favor Request
After Revision
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at right.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 8
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 9
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....”
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 10
Persuasive Memo
Before Revision
Open memo
by clicking
icon at right.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 11
Persuasive Memo
After Revision
Open revised
memo by clicking
icon at right.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 12
Good and Bad Openings for
Persuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 13
Good and Bad Openings for
Persuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 14
Ineffective Favor Request
Open letter
by clicking
icon at left
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 15
Improved Favor Request
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at left.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 16
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 17
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 18
Examine This Effective
Claim Request (Complaint Letter)
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 19
Ineffective Complaint Letter
Open letter
by clicking
icon at left
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 20
Improved Complaint Letter
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at left.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 21
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 22
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 23
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 24
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 25
AIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Letter
Opening
Body
Closing
Build INTEREST.
Emphasize a central selling point.
Make rational and emotional appeals.
To learn more, click icon:
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 26
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.
To learn more, click icon:
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 27
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 28
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?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 29
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?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 30
Examine This Effective
Sales Letter
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 31
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.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Chapter 8, Slide 32
END
Instructor Only Version
© 2010 Thomson South-Western