C
H
9
A
P
T
E
R
Letters and Memos that
Persuade
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Learning Objectives
Use the indirect strategy to persuade.
Write convincing claim request letters.
Request favours persuasively.
Present new ideas in persuasive memos.
Analyze techniques used in sales letters.
Compose carefully planned sales letters.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Persuasive
Requests
Opening - obtains the reader’s attention and
interest.
Persuasion - explains logically and concisely
the purpose of the request and proves its
merit.
Closing - asks for a particular action and
shows courtesy and respect.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Persuasive
Requests
Study the following effective persuasive letter
to see how it applies the writing plan.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Persuasive
Requests
Dear Mr. Dmytriw:
SUBJECT: VISA ACCOUNT NO. 5039-0164
Because of the wide acceptance of the Visa
credit card and because of your bank’s
attractive interest rate, I was eager to become
a cardholder two years ago. Recently,
however, we experienced a charge to our
account that we would like to discuss with
you.
Gains
attention
with
favourable
comments
about the
company.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Persuasive
Requests
Between the period of April 5 and May 27, I
made 12 purchases. Ten of the purchases received
telephone approval. When I received the last
statement, a copy of which is enclosed, I was
surprised to see that I was charged $5 each for
these purchases because my account was over my
limit. The total charge was $60.
Explains
events in
orderly,
logical
fashion.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Persuasive
Requests
Of course, I should have been more aware of
the limit and the number of charges that I was
making against my account. I assumed,
however, that if my purchase received
telephone approval from your credit
processors, I was still within my credit limit.
Argues
convincingly
that the
charge is
unjustified.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Persuasive
Requests
Please examine my account, Mr. Dmytriw, and
reconsider this penalty. Since I have never
exceeded my credit limit in the past and since I
received telephone approval for most of the
charges in question, I feel that the $60 charge
should be removed.
Closes
with action
request
that ties in
with
opening.
Sincerely,
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Favour
Requests
Compare the following ineffective favour
request with an improved version.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Favour Request
Ineffective:
Dear Ms. Lejarzo:
Would you be interested in speaking to the
students at Foothill College?
If you will be in town on April 16, our
Associated Student Organization is having a
Career Awareness Day. Many of our 15,000
students (and most are registered voters in your
district) will be attending this function where
three major speakers have been invited.
Starts out
directly with
question
that could
be
answered
negatively.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Favour Request
Ineffective:
Dear Ms. Lejarzo:
Would you be interested in speaking to the
students at Foothill College?
If you will be in town on April 16, our
Associated Student Organization is having a
Career Awareness Day. Many of our 15,000
students (and most are registered voters in your
district) will be attending this function where
three major speakers have been invited.
Provides
easy excuse
for refusal in
second
sentence.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Favour Request
Ineffective:
Dear Ms. Lejarzo:
Would you be interested in speaking to the
students at Foothill College?
If you will be in town on April 16, our
Associated Student Organization is having a
Career Awareness Day. Many of our 15,000
students (and most are registered voters in
your district) will be attending this function
where three major speakers have been
invited.
Fails to
emphasize
reader
benefits
(opportunity
to influence
15,000
voters).
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Favour Request
Let me know by March 15 if you’d like to be
one of our speakers. We’d enjoy having you
and it could be good for you, too. If you let
me know early enough, we can get some
publicity out.
Closes
without
making it
easy for the
reader to
grant favour.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Effective Favour Request
Over 15,000 students attend Foothill College, and many are registered
voters in your district.
On Thursday, April 16, you will be able to introduce yourself to these
potential voters at the Associated Student Organization’s Career
Awareness Day. On this day we plan to have three major speakers
representing industry, education, and politics. Our Career Awareness Day
features information booths where students may learn more about specific
careers. The program culminates with the major address given in the
Campus Center at 12 noon.
As one of the three featured speakers, you would have 30 minutes to
describe a career in politics and its rewards and possible drawbacks. You
were selected by our ASO as the politician they would most like to hear.
To give Foothill students an opportunity to meet you and to learn about
a career in politics, please call me at 555-5832 to confirm this speaking
engagement. We will need your approval by March 15 so that appropriate
publicity may be prepared.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Sales Letters
Opening - capture the attention of the reader.
Body - emphasize a central selling point,
appeals to the needs of the reader, creates a
desire for the product, and introduces price
strategically.
Closing - stimulate the reader to act.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Sales Letters
Attention-getters as openings for sales letters:
 Offer
something the reader values.
 Highlight a product feature.
 Use an inside-address opening.
 Include a startling statement.
 Begin with an engaging story.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Sales Letters
Offer:
Follow my entry instructions, and you could
be the sole winner of ONE MILLION
DOLLARS.
Use the enclosed coupon to get $100 off on
your next Air Canada air fare.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Sales Letters
Product Feature:
Six Alberta steak filets from fine, corn-fed
beef can be yours for only $62.95.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Sales Letters
Inside Address Opening:
We need your help,
Mrs. Lee, in a national
Consumer survey of car owners.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Sales Letters
Startling Statement:
Did you realize that drunk drivers injure more
than 50,000 victims every year?
“I’ve just received the test results ... it’s
cancer.”
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Sales Letters
Story:
Billy G. doesn’t live in your neighbourhood.
He grew up in a neighbourhood of boarded up
houses and street gangs. If only he could go to
camp, he’d see how beautiful life can be.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Writing Plan for Sales Letters
Body:
emphasize a central selling point
appeal to the needs of the reader
create a desire for the product
introduce price strategically
Closing:
stimulate the reader to act
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Checklist for Analyzing Sales
Letters
1. At what audience is the letter aimed?
2. Is the appeal emotional or rational? Is the
appeal effective?
3. Is the opening effective?
4. What techniques capture the reader’s
attention?
5. Is a central selling point emphasized?
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Checklist for Analyzing Sales
Letters
6. Does the letter emphasize reader benefits?
7. What are some examples of concrete
language?
8. How is confidence in the product or service
developed?
9. How is price introduced?
10. What action is to be taken, and how is
the reader motivated to take that action?
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Try Your Skill
Use the checklist to analyze the sales letter on
the next screen.
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Try Your Skill
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Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning
Essentials of Business Communication Third Canadian Edition by Mary Ellen Guffey and Brendan Nagle Copyright 2000 Nelson Thomson Learning