Persuasive Messages
Answer these Questions:
1. What is a persuasive message?
A persuasive message is a request for action when you believe the receiver may be unaware,
disinterested, or unwilling to comply with a request or a communication to try to change the opinion
of a receiver. These messages will be viewed as neither positive nor negative by the receiver and
may be used in both internal and external communication. The supporting facts of persuasive
messages must convince receivers that taking the requested action is in their best interest.
Persuasive messages should almost always be presented using an indirect approach.
2. What are the two primary goals of persuasive messages?
The two primary goals of persuasive messages are to get the receiver to read or listen to the
entire message and to have the receiver take the requested action.
3. Describe the four parts of the Indirect Plan for persuasive messages.
The four parts of the indirect plan for persuasive messages are:
attention – the receiver's attention must be captured in the opening to ensure the entire
message is read or listened.
interest – benefits must be conveyed to hold the receiver's interest because the receiver will
maintain interest when seeing benefits for himself or herself.
desire – showing proof of the benefits will motivate the receiver to take the requested action.
action – make it easy to act for the receiver and ask him or her to take immediate action
directly and also in positive manner.
4. What are some of the different types of persuasive messages?
There are complex or persuasive requests, recommendations, special claims, sales messages,
and some collection messages.
5. List and describe the three stages normally used in collection messages.
The three stages normally used in collection messages are reminder, appeal, and warning:
The reminder stage is used to remind customers who intend to pay but customers just simply
forgot about it. It must be direct and friendly message to the receiver.
The appeal stage must be selected carefully by selecting the type of appeal. Which are
appealing to the customer’s pride, credit rating, morality or reputation to persuade the customer to
pay.
The warning stage. Messages in the warning stage are constructed using the direct plan;
stresses the importance of the message and create a sense of urgency.
TASK: Answer the following questions and improve the texts by rewriting them using the
techniques examined in this chapter. Post this to your wiki page as “Assignment #3.”
1. Explain why the following paragraph would be ineffective as the opening of a letter to
Dawn trying to persuade her become the membership committee chairperson for the SIFE
organization.
The local SIFE chapter at Belmont College needs someone to serve as membership committee chair
for this school year. You know a lot of business students on campus, so you should take this
position.
It would be ineffective as the opening of a letter because this message informed Dawn in a
harsh way by telling her that she should take this position. It may gained her attention but in a
negative way. The paragraph is impersonal and somehow not official by using the word “someone”
is making the offered position seems to be less important. She may hesitate to say yes to the offer
since the writer couldn't ensure her ability to get the position.
2. Rewrite the message above to make it more effective.
Your accomplishments and understandings of many business students on campus has been
outstanding therefore, the local SIFE chapter at Belmont College would be honored to recruit you
as a membership committee chairperson. Your exceptional ability would definitely benefit to our
organization.
3. Explain why the following paragraph would be ineffective in closing a persuasive request
message.
If you are willing to participate in the marketing survey of consumer products, read the brochure
that is enclosed and let us know of your interest so we can mail the surveys to you.
It would be ineffective because it is ambiguous to let the receiver to follow the instructions
that stated and it doesn't contain anything to motivate or persuade the receiver to do the requested
action. The message is negative.
4. Rewrite the message above to make it more effective.
Your participation in the marketing survey of consumer products will be highly appreciated.
Moreover, your participation will definitely make an important contribution to the future success of
new innovations. Please read the brochure and kindly e-mail your response to us within December
20 at survey@marketingproducts.com and you will receive the surveys and if you have any
questions ,feel free to contact us.
5. Correct the errors in the following letter that was written by Kim Loft, a wedding planner
with Precious Memories, to Matt and Bua. Kim coordinated Matt and Bua’s wedding seven
months ago. Matt and Bua still owe 50,000 THB for her services.
It has been seven months since I coordinated your wedding and I am still waiting to receive
payment for the outstanding balance of 50K THB. I am very disappointed that you haven’t honored
the contract you signed and paid for the serviced that I provided.
When we started working together on the wedding plans, I paid the bills as they were incurred and
sent you an itemized statement of the vendors’ charges. You paid those bills promptly. However,
some of the bills were submitted by the vendors after the wedding while you were away on your
honeymoon. I sent statements to you with the details of the bills and a request for payment. Since
your wedding I have not even received an acknowledgment that these statements reached you.
if I don’t receive at least a partial payment of your outstanding balance by April 20, I will have to
take additional steps to correct this situation.
We hope you two have had a great time on your honeymoon after your memorable wedding
with Precious Memories.
Because you have been our valued customers and paid past bills promptly, we were
surprised to find that you have not paid the balance of 50,000 THB which were submitted by the
vendors after the wedding. We sent you reminders of missed payments on July 7 and September 7.
Your balance is now three months overdue.
By paying the rest of your balance (50,000 THB) by December 7, you can avoid breaking
the contract which could result in a 50 percent late fee for each missed payments.