Business Communication, Chapter - 09.ppt

© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
9-1
Chapter 9
Making Your Case
with Persuasive
Messages and
Proposals
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material
solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or
distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied,
scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a
website, in whole or part.

Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Prefer Short, Familiar Words
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner. This document
may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
LO9-1 Describe important strategies for writing any persuasive
message.
LO9-2 Write skillful persuasive requests that begin indirectly,
develop convincing reasoning, and close with goodwill and action.
LO9-3 Discuss ethical concerns regarding sales messages.
LO9-4 Describe the planning steps for direct mail or email sales
messages.
LO9-5 Compose sales messages that gain attention, persuasively
present appeals, and effectively drive for action.
LO9-6 Write well-organized and persuasive proposals.
Learning Objectives

9-3
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner.
This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
Persuasive Messages
• A lot of the messages we write about in our jobs will have
some kind of persuasive purpose.
• To convince the reader of your professionalism, convey
an appealing company image, promote good relations,
and the like.
• Your readers will hold a certain position, and your task
will be to move them from this position to another one
that is more favorable to you and/or your company.
• It is often best to organize persuasive messages in an
Indirect format.

9-4
Persuasive Messages
• Preparing the reader to accept your idea is a much better
strategy than blurting out the idea from the start and then
having to argue uphill through the rest of the message.
• Although indirectness works for many kinds of persuasive
messages, sometimes you will want to use a direct
approach.
• Example - If you know your reader prefers directness or if
you believe your readers will discard your message unless
you get to the point early, then directness is in order.

9-5
General Format for Persuasion
1. Know your readers
–For any kind of persuasive message, it is critical to
think about your subject from your readers’ point
of view.
–Demographic information
• (age, race, gender, income)
–Psychographic information
• ( social, political, personal preferences)

9-6
2. Choose and develop targeted reader benefits
– No one is persuaded to do something for no reason.
– People can be motivated by either Tangible (save
money, gain a product) or Intangible (Prestige,
status) rewards.
– Also consider benefits. Intrinsic benefit (The
pleasure of attending an event), Extrinsic benefit (A
gift at the door).
–Be sure the readers can see exactly how the
benefits will help them.

9-7
3. Make good use of persuasive appeals.
– Greek philosopher Aristotle identified three kinds of
persuasive appeals.
I. Logical appeals - What kind of logical appeals might you use
(saved money, saved time, a more dependable or effective
product?).
II. Emotional appeals to the senses (higher status, increased
popularity, feeling, tasting, smelling, hearing).
III. Character based appeals – An image of yourself and your
company will resonate with the reader. (get a celebrity or expert to
endorse your product or to serve as the spokesperson).

9-8
4. Make it easy for readers to understand.
– Sometimes writers focus so much on creating
persuasive appeals that they put insufficient
thought into making the requested action as clear
and easy to perform as possible.
– Make the desired action as easy as possible to
perform.
– Example: If you want people to give money or buy
your product, tell them where and how to do it.

9-9
Types of Persuasion Messages
Three main types of persuasive writing in
business:
1.Persuasive Requests
2.Sales Messages, and
3.Proposals

9-10
Writing a Persuasive Requests
Write a fund-raising message, ask your management for another
staff position or for special equipment, and write a potential
client to join you in a meeting so that you can demonstrate the
benefits of your products.
•Developing your persuasive plan involves three interrelated
tasks that will overcome the reader’s objections and evoke a
positive response.
1.considering your own goals for the message
2.considering your readers’ needs and interests
3.and deciding upon a persuasive plan

9-11
• You need to draw your reader’s attention at the opening of
your persuasive message because the reader has not invited
your message and may not agree with your goal.
Example –
 A message requesting contributions for orphaned children:
“While you and I dined heartily last night, 31 orphans at San
Pablo Mission had only dried beans to eat.”
 A message seeking the cooperation of business leaders in
promoting a fair: “What would your profits be if 300,000 free-
spending visitors came to our town during a single week?”

9-12
• Following the opening, you should proceed with your goal of
persuading.
• Since you are trying to penetrate a neutral or resistant mind, you
need to make good use of the you viewpoint and selecting words
for a positive effect.
• You need to use logic and emotion appropriately and project an
appealing image.
• Because your reader may become impatient if you delay your
objective, you need to make every word count.
• After you have done your persuading, move to the action you
seek. You have tried to prepare the reader for what you want.

9-13
• Do not use a negative tone.
Example – “I am aware that businesspeople in your position
have little free time to give, but will you please consider
accepting an assignment to the board of directors of the
Children’s Fund?”
Positive: “Because your organizing skills are so desperately
needed, will you please serve on the board of directors of the
Children’s Fund?”
• Ending with a reminder of the appeal is also good. You may
want to follow the request with one last appeal.

9-14
Writing a Sales Messages
• Before you can begin writing a sales message, You must know
all you can know about your product or service you are
selling.
• Study your readers. Gather all possible information that will
help you find out why your reader might buy your product.
Think about how the buyer will use your product.
• First words of your message must also gain attention and
motivate the reader to keep reading.
• One of the most attention-grabbing opening is a statement or
question that introduces a need that the product will satisfy.

9-15
With reader’s attention now you proceed with the
planned strategy. Decide on what appeal you are going
to use and pick a central selling point.
•A Logical appeal for a retailer:
– Here is a proven hot-seller with a 12% greater profit.
•An Emotional appeal:
– Don't get caught with too little insurance. (fear)
– You're part of the family (belongingness)
•A Character-based appeal:
– Be like Mike (Michael Jordan)

9-16
• You viewpoint is very important for sales messages.
• Successful sales messages are built on readers’ interest.
• Be liberal in your use of the pronoun ‘you’ throughout the
sales message as it presents the reader’s benefits.
• You may also want to make use of scenarios, putting the
reader in a simulated context that brings out the product’s
appeal.
• People also buy products when they feel good to identify
themselves with the company.

9-17
Choose your words and sentences carefully
Original Wording
•Tasty ice cream has 9 grams
of fat per serving.
•Our new laser paper keeps
the paper wastage from
smudged copies to less than
2%.
•We make aristocrat cutleries
in three designs
Positive Wording
•Tasty ice cream is 91% fat-
free.
•Out new laser paper
ensures smudge-free copes
over 98% of the time.
•We make aristocrat
cutleries for you in three
designs

9-18
• After you have developed your reader’s interest in your
product or service, the final step is to drive for the sale.
• The drive for action must be specific and clear.
• Make the actions easy for readers.
• Urge for immediate action
– Just check your preferences on the enclosed order card and drop
it in the mail today.
– To start enjoying House and Garden, just call 1-888-888-000. Be
sure to have promo code 3333 handy to receive your 40%
discount.
Driving for the sale

9-19
• If a paper-based mail use an attention grabbing envelop.
• With email no envelop but attention grabbing starts with
the subject line.
- How to earn $60,000 in the first month
- You have to read this!
- Hurry! Save while this special money-saving offer lasts

9-20
Writing Proposals
• Proposals can be either internal or external. (written for others
within your organization or for readers outside your
organization)
• Internal proposals help you get what you need for you or your
department to do your work.
• External proposals acquire business for the company or external
funding for a project.
• Every proposal is unique, but some generalizations can be made.
• The simplest proposals resemble formal email messages (Internal
proposals).

9-21
Writing Proposals
• The more complex proposals may take the form of full-dress,
long reports, including prefatory pages (title pages, letter of
transmittal, table of contents, executive summary), text, and an
assortment of appended parts.
• First, review the readers’ needs and your own ability to meet
them.
• Then develop your central argument.
• When you have figured out what to propose and why, you need
to figure out how to propose it.
• You should consider including the eight topics listed below.

9-22
Writing Proposals
• Writer’s purpose and the reader’s need: An appropriate
beginning is a statement of the writer’s purpose (to present a
proposal) and the reader’s need (such as reducing turnover of
field representatives).
• Background: A review of background information promotes an
understanding of the problem.
• Need: Closely related to the background information is the need
for what is being proposed. Background information may well be
used to establish need.
• Description of plan: The heart of a proposal is the description of
what the writer proposes to do.

9-23
Writing Proposals
• Benefits of the proposal: Your proposal should make it easy
for your readers to see how your proposed action will benefit
them.
• Cost and other particulars: Clearly state the costs schedules,
time, performance standards, equipment and supplies
needed, and anything else that needs to be settled up front.
• Evidence of ability to deliver: The proposing organization
must sometimes establish its ability to perform.
• Concluding comments: In most proposals, you should urge or
suggest the desired action.

Business Communication, Chapter - 09.ppt

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