Unit 8: Persuasive Messages
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EN3165/ Essential English Communication Skills for Business
Unit 8: Persuasive Messages
Tutorial Activity 8.1: Business Letter for Analysis (Hongkong Bank Promotional
Letter)
Directions:
A. Read the attached letter.
B.
1) Identify purpose;
2) Identify key words or phrases that help establish the purpose; and
3) Identify a possible structure and label the different stages.
C.
Refer to your notes and the handout on AIDA, and decide whether:
1) the AIDA approach is used; and
2) the AIDA approach has been used successfully or not.
Pay particular attention to the following:
1. Is the purpose clearly stated?
2. Is a reader-friendly approach used which addresses the audience’s needs?
3. Is the choice of vocabulary and sentence structure suitable and do they help the writer
achieve the overall purpose?
Be prepared to explain your decision by referring to particular examples in the text and
give suggestions for improvement, if any.
EN3165/ Essential English Communication Skills for Business
Unit 8: Persuasive Messages
Tutorial Activity 8.1: Business Letter for Analysis (Hongkong Bank Promotional
Letter) (page 2)
Hongkong Bank
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Area Management Office: 1 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
Ref:
July 1986
Dear Customer,
How would you like to have a super account that gives you credit when you don’t
have funds and pays you interest when you do?
Now you can – without having to apply!
How would you like to have a credit line that’s always available? With this credit line, you don’t have to
put up any collateral; you can borrow as often as you like within your credit limit; and you repay when
you’re ready. What’s more – you don’t even have to apply!
Yes, because we value your relationship with HongkongBank, we’ve made available for your immediate use
a special account with all these benefits – the Super ETC account.
Super ETC lets you draw cash against a credit line, any time you like, hassle-free. And when you have
funds to spare, Super ETC pays you interest at savings rate. That’s financial flexibility that’s hard to match.
With Super ETC, you stand to enjoy the following:



Recurrent, continuous credit of up to $50,000, depending on your financial standing. This means a
source of funds you can use again and again to smooth your cashflow and meet unexpected expenses.
When you use your credit line, you can pay us back the principal and interest when you’re ready, as
long as your total outstanding balance is within your credit limit. You don’t have to stick to a fixed
repayment schedule.
Any savings in your account earn full interest at savings rate.
Now would you say “no” to such a super offer? It is valid only through August 31, so why not accept today?
Just fill in the enclosed acceptance form and mail it to us postage-free, or drop it off at HongkongBank
branch near you.
We look forward to welcoming you as a Super ETC customer.
Sincerely yours,
Veronica Bourke
Manager Retail Marketing
P.S. Remember, this is a special offer available to select customers only.
exclusive opportunity, you must reply before August 31.
P.P.S.
To take advantage of this
For inquiries, please call our Hotline at 5-212361.
Incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability
GPO Box 64, Hong Kong.
Please address all letters to The Manager
EN3165/ Essential English Communication Skills for Business
Unit 8: Persuasive Messages
Tutorial Activity 8.2: Writing a Persuasive Sales Letter (Mary Lo Case)
Directions:
Write a persuasive sales letter for the following situation:
You are Mary Lo, Sales Director of MegaTrim, a company specializing in clothes for
larger women. You have got a mailing list of regular customers, and you want to draw
their attention to your winter catalogue. This features the latest designs from Europe. Its
special attraction is that it includes adaptations of the latest Paris fashions for larger sizes so
that bigger women no longer need to feel left out and behind the times. Write a letter
inviting your customers to write in for the catalogue. You need to make them feel good
about their size – while appealing to their desire to be like smaller women.
Source: Adapted by NML
EN3165/ Essential English Communication Skills for Business