2. Chapter 8, Slide 2Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Writing Plan for aWriting Plan for a
Persuasive RequestPersuasive Request
Body Closing
Capture the reader’s attention.
Describe a problem, state something
unexpected, suggest reader benefits,
offer praise or compliments, or ask a
stimulating question.
Opening
3. Chapter 8, Slide 3Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening ClosingBody
Build interest.
Explain logically and
concisely the purpose
of the request.
Prove its merit.
Use facts, statistics,
and expert opinion.
Reduce resistance.
Anticipate objections.
Offer counterarguments.
Establish credibility.
Demonstrate competence.
Show the value of your
proposal.
Writing Plan for aWriting Plan for a
Persuasive RequestPersuasive Request
4. Chapter 8, Slide 4Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening Body
Motivate action.
Ask for a particular action.
Make it easy to respond.
Show courtesy, respect, and
gratitude.
Closing
Writing Plan for aWriting Plan for a
Persuasive RequestPersuasive Request
6. Chapter 8, Slide 6Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Requesting Favors and ActionsRequesting Favors and Actions
Why are requests granted?
Requests may be granted because the
receivers
• are genuinely interested in your project.
• see benefits for others.
• expect goodwill potential for themselves.
• feel obligated as professionals to contribute
their time or expertise to "pay their dues."
7. Chapter 8, Slide 7Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Persuasive Favor RequestPersuasive Favor Request
Before RevisionBefore Revision
Adobe Acrobat
Document
8. Chapter 8, Slide 8Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at right.
Persuasive Favor RequestPersuasive Favor Request
After RevisionAfter Revision
Adobe Acrobat
Document
9. Chapter 8, Slide 9Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Persuading Within OrganizationsPersuading Within Organizations
Persuading subordinates
Instructions or directives moving downward
usually require little persuasion. However,
persuasion may be necessary to
• generate “buy-in”
• ask workers to perform outside their work
roles
• accept changes not in their best interests.
10. Chapter 8, Slide 10Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Persuading Within OrganizationsPersuading Within Organizations
Persuading the boss
In requests moving upward
• provide evidence.
• don’t ask for too much.
• use words such as “suggest” and
“recommend.”
Sentences should sound nonthreatening,
for example, “It might be a good idea if....”
11. Chapter 8, Slide 11Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Persuasive MemoPersuasive Memo
Before RevisionBefore Revision
Open memo
by clicking
icon at right.
Adobe Acrobat
Document
12. Chapter 8, Slide 12Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Open revised
memo by clicking
icon at right.
Persuasive MemoPersuasive Memo
After RevisionAfter Revision
Adobe Acrobat
Document
13. Chapter 8, Slide 13Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
1. To the vice president: As an employee who can
never find a parking place, I want you to know that
we must change the method of assigning spaces.
2. To all employees: Because of our concern for the
health and wellbeing of employees, we are
considering a wellness program with considerable
incentives to those who participate.
3. About 15 months ago your smooth-talking
salesperson seduced us into buying your Model RX
copier, which has been nothing but trouble ever
since.
Good and Bad Openings forGood and Bad Openings for
Persuasive RequestsPersuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
14. Chapter 8, Slide 14Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
4. We need a speaker for our graduation ceremony,
and your name was suggested.
5. We realize that you are an extremely busy
individual and that you must be booked up months
in advance, but would it be possible for you to
speak at our graduation ceremony June 7?
6. You were voted by our students as the speaker
they would most like to hear at graduation on
June 7.
Good and Bad Openings forGood and Bad Openings for
Persuasive RequestsPersuasive Requests
Which of the following openings are effective?
15. Chapter 8, Slide 15Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Ineffective Favor RequestIneffective Favor Request
Open letter
by clicking
icon at left
Adobe Acrobat
7.0 Document
16. Chapter 8, Slide 16Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Improved Favor RequestImproved Favor Request
Adobe Acrobat
7.0 Document Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at left.
17. Chapter 8, Slide 17Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Making Claims and RequestingMaking Claims and Requesting
Adjustments (Complaint Letters)Adjustments (Complaint Letters)
Avoid sounding angry, emotional, or
irrational.
Begin with a compliment, point of
agreement, statement of the problem, or a
brief review of action you have taken to
resolve the problem.
Provide identifying data.
Explain why the receiver is responsible.
18. Chapter 8, Slide 18Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Enclose document copies supporting your
claim.
Appeal to the receiver's fairness, ethical and
legal responsibilities, and desire for customer
satisfaction.
Describe your feelings and your
disappointment.
Close by telling exactly what you want done.
Making Claims and RequestingMaking Claims and Requesting
Adjustments (Complaint Letters)Adjustments (Complaint Letters)
19. Chapter 8, Slide 19Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Examine This EffectiveExamine This Effective
Claim Request (Complaint Letter)Claim Request (Complaint Letter)
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Adobe Acrobat
Document
20. Chapter 8, Slide 20Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Ineffective Complaint LetterIneffective Complaint Letter
Open letter
by clicking
icon at left
Adobe Acrobat
Document
21. Chapter 8, Slide 21Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Improved Complaint LetterImproved Complaint Letter
Open revised
letter by clicking
icon at left.
Adobe Acrobat
Document
22. Chapter 8, Slide 22Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
AIDA Writing Plan forAIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Lettera Sales Letter
Body Closing
Capture the ATTENTION of the reader.
Offer something valuable, promise a
benefit, ask a question, provide a
quotation, and so forth.
Opening
23. Chapter 8, Slide 23Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Gaining AttentionGaining Attention
1. Offer
Take your old cell phones to one of our
collection centers, and we'll recycle it
and donate a portion of the proceeds to
charity.
2. Benefit
You'll help our environment and help
your neighbors in the process.
24. Chapter 8, Slide 24Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Gaining AttentionGaining Attention
3. Question
Microsoft has evolved. Have you?
4. Quotation or proverb
Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
5. Related fact
A virus is a computer program written to
perform malicious tasks.
25. Chapter 8, Slide 25Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Gaining AttentionGaining Attention
6. Testimonial
"I never stopped eating, yet I lost 107
pounds."—Tina Rivers, Greenwood,
South Carolina
7. Startling Statement
Drunk drivers injure or cripple more than
500,000 victims every year.
26. Chapter 8, Slide 26Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening Closing
Build INTEREST.
Emphasize a central selling point.
Make rational and emotional appeals.
Body
AIDA Writing Plan forAIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Lettera Sales Letter
Build INTEREST.
Emphasize a central selling point.
Make rational and emotional appeals.
To learn more, click icon:
Microsoft Office
PowerPoint 97-2003 Pres
27. Chapter 8, Slide 27Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Opening ClosingBody
AIDA Writing Plan forAIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Lettera Sales Letter
Elicit DESIRE.
To reduce resistance, use testimonials,
money-back guarantees, free samples,
performance tests, or other techniques.
To learn more, click icon: Microsoft Office
PowerPoint 97-2003 Pres
Elicit DESIRE.
To reduce resistance, use testimonials,
money-back guarantees, free samples,
performance tests, or other techniques.
28. Chapter 8, Slide 28Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Motivate ACTION.
Offer a gift, promise an incentive, limit
the offer, set a deadline, or guarantee
satisfaction. Include a P.S. with a
special inducement.
AIDA Writing Plan forAIDA Writing Plan for
a Sales Lettera Sales Letter
Opening Body Closing
29. Chapter 8, Slide 29Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Checklist forChecklist for
Analyzing a Sales LetterAnalyzing a Sales Letter
At what audience is the letter aimed?
Is the appeal emotional or rational? Is the
appeal effective?
Is the opening effective?
What techniques capture the reader's
attention?
Is a central selling point emphasized?
Does the letter emphasize reader benefits?
30. Chapter 8, Slide 30Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
How does the letter build interest in the
product or service?
How is price introduced?
How does the letter anticipate reader
resistance and offer counterarguments?
What action is to be taken and how is the
reader motivated to take that action?
What motivators spur the reader to act
quickly?
Checklist forChecklist for
Analyzing a Sales LetterAnalyzing a Sales Letter
31. Chapter 8, Slide 31Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Examine This EffectiveExamine This Effective
Sales LetterSales Letter
Open letter
by clicking
icon at right.
Adobe Acrobat
Document
32. Chapter 8, Slide 32Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Writing SuccessfulWriting Successful
Online Sales MessagesOnline Sales Messages
Communicate only
with those who have
given permission!
Craft a catchy
subject line.
Keep the main
information "above
the fold."
Make the message
short, conversational,
and focused.
Convey urgency.
Sprinkle testimonials
throughout the copy.
Provide a means for
opting out.
