Persuasive
Messages
Chapter 7 – Slide 1
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Learning Objectives
Discuss situations when persuasion may be
necessary.
Discuss and incorporate ethics into persuasive
messages.
Determine persuasive appeals based on analysis
of the product and audience and on the message
objective.
Chapter 7 – Slide 2
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Learning Objectives (continued)
Identify the unique characteristics of nonroutine
requests and sales messages that promote
favorable responses.
Analyze persuasive messages to verify that they
reflect the six Cs of effective messages and
acceptable message formats.
Apply the CBO approach and the persuasive
strategy AIDA to prepare effective persuasive
messages.
Chapter 7 – Slide 3
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Section 1: The Persuasive Strategy
Persuasive Messages
Nonroutine Requests
Donate time, money, or knowledge
Support an activity or a cause
Cooperate to resolve an issue or to pay a bill
Sales
Chapter 7 – Slide 4
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
The AIDA Strategy
Effective persuasive messages apply the persuasive
strategy called AIDA.
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
Chapter 7 – Slide 5
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Persuade Ethically
Use clear, straightforward words.
Provide information that can be verified.
Give quality information.
Be enthusiastic and sincere.
Be objective.
Chapter 7 – Slide 6
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Develop the Appeal
Emotional appeals relate to ego, status, and selfsatisfaction and arouse feelings.
Rational appeals relate to logic and intellect and
provide tangible information.
Chapter 7 – Slide 7
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Build Images
Positive descriptive words create interest and a
desire to hear your message.
Negative descriptive words emphasize the
seriousness of the situation and hasten action.
Chapter 7 – Slide 8
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Plan a Message
Compose a Draft
Identify the objective.
Attract Attention.
Visualize the audience.
Build Interest.
Gather supporting
information.
Stimulate Desire.
Organize the information.
Chapter 7 – Slide 9
Call for Action.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Apply the AIDA Strategy
A
Gains favorable attention by drawing the receiver into the
“conversation” of the message with a topic-relevant opening.
Encourages further reading or listening.
I
Introduces information to create and maintain receiver
interest using an emotional, logical, or combination appeal.
D
Offers details focusing on receiver benefits to stimulate the
desire to respond favorably.
A
Motivates receiver action by providing an easy, dated
response or some other incentive.
Chapter 7 – Slide 10
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Finalize
Proofread, edit, and revise.
Use the checklist.
Revise until satisfied.
Chapter 7 – Slide 11
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Section 2: Persuasive Applications
Types of Persuasive Messages
Nonroutine requests ask people to do something out
of the ordinary.
Request support with donations or actions.
Request cooperation in claims and collections.
Sales messages persuade receivers to buy a product
or service.
Chapter 7 – Slide 12
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Nonroutine
Requests for Support
Requests for support ask the receiver to act on an
important situation or to donate time, money, or
knowledge to an important cause.
Begin with an attention-getting statement.
Choose an appropriate appeal.
Present details that lead to the request.
Close with a call for action.
Chapter 7 – Slide 13
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Requests for Cooperation
Nonroutine
Claim messages ask for an adjustment resulting
from dissatisfaction with a product or service.
Provide chronological details calmly and precisely.
Gather supporting information and documents.
Appeal to the receiver’s sense of fairness.
Make a reasonable request.
Include a response deadline.
Pay attention to the details.
Chapter 7 – Slide 14
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Requests for Cooperation
Nonroutine
Collection messages have two goals: to collect
money that is owed and to preserve goodwill.
Follow federal and state collection regulations.
Send messages at regular intervals: initial stage,
middle stage, and final stage.
Use an appropriate organizational pattern and
message strategy for each collection stage.
Chapter 7 – Slide 15
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Nonroutine
Collection Messages
An initial-stage collection message is a routine
reminder written in the direct pattern.
Assume that the receiver intends to pay.
Send a reminder immediately after the payment
deadline.
Send one or two friendly reminders.
Call the customer to determine the problem.
Chapter 7 – Slide 16
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Nonroutine
Collection Messages
A middle-stage collection message is a persuasive
message written in the indirect pattern.
Open with a positive or neutral statement.
Explain objectively without accusation.
Point out the benefits of complying.
Make a courteous request for action.
Chapter 7 – Slide 17
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Nonroutine
Collection Messages
A final-stage collection message is an ultimatum
prepared in the direct pattern.
Open with your course of action.
Restate the details of the money owed and the
collection attempts made.
Close with an assertive request for payment.
Chapter 7 – Slide 18
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Draft a Sales Message
Sales
Sales messages persuade receivers to buy a
product or service.
Grab the receiver’s attention in the opening.
Appeal to your target audience.
Create mental images.
De-emphasize the price.
Motivate the receiver to act favorably and quickly.
Chapter 7 – Slide 19
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Tips for E-mail Sales Messages
Sales
Write a short one-topic message to be skimmed.
Incorporate the six Cs.
Personalize the message.
Create a “must open” subject line.
Begin with a headline to keep receivers reading.
Get to the important information quickly and concisely.
Incorporate eye-catching graphics.
Chapter 7 – Slide 20
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©
Sales
Tips for E-mail (continued)
Use headings and indents to aid message scanning.
Offer something special to online users only.
Provide a link or toll-free number to obtain more
detailed information.
Add a contact name to personalize the message.
Give the receiver an option to be removed from the
mailing list.
Respond to customers within 24 hours.
Chapter 7 – Slide 21
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©