seven

Writing Persuasive Messages + Proposals

chapter

The art of persuasion can be one of your most valuable assets.

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Overview
Advice about persuasion Persuasive requests Sales messages Proposals

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Advice about Persuasion

Know your readers. Choose and develop targeted reader benefits. Make good use of persuasive appeals. Make it easy for readers to comply.

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Know Your Readers

Especially important with persuasion Can use formally gathered information (marketing reports, surveys, focus groups) Can gather information informally (study customer notes, talk with service personnel and other employees, look at other messages that have succeeded)

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Choose Winning Reader Benefits

These can be
Tangible Intangible

They can also be

Intrinsic Extrinsic

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Use Winning Appeals

Logic based (logos)

Emotion based (pathos)

Character based (ethos)

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Make It Easy for Readers to Comply

Dont neglect the action part of the message. Make the desired action clear. Make the desired action as easy as possible to perform.

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Preliminary Considerations in Writing Persuasive Requests

Your goal is to ask for something the reader is likely to oppose. You must develop a strategy that will convince the reader to comply.

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Procedure for Writing a Persuasive Request

The message plan: Opening Open with words that set up the strategy, and gain attention. Body Present the strategy (the persuasion), using persuasive language and you-viewpoint. As a logical follow-up, make the request clearly and without negatives. Closing End the message with the request or with words that recall the appeal.

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Good Strategy in a Persuasive Request

Opening Dear Ms. McLaughlin:

Im sure youd agree that business communication teachers need to be in touch with business experts in the field. Experienced professionals like you can give teachers the realistic input that is so important to their practical coursework.

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Good Strategy in a Persuasive Request

Body For this reason, I believe that you could make an important contribution to the national meeting of the Association for Business Communication, which will be held in New Orleans at the Marriott Hotel, November 4-7. This conference brings together about 300 business communication professors from around the US and the world who are looking for ways to keep their teaching abreast of current practice. Your perspective could be especially valuable to them.
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Good Strategy in a Persuasive Request

Body continued Could you join us on Friday afternoon from 2:00 to 2:45 pm to tell us about how the current financial crisis has affected communication at Publix? What communication challenges have you faced, and what do you think we should be doing to help our students prepare for such challenges? Any insights you could share on these and related topics would be much appreciated.

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Good Strategy in a Persuasive Request

Body continued You would not need to prepare a formal presentation. In fact, anecdotes and examples from your work would be preferred. You could speak for about 30 minutes, leaving 15 minutes for discussion. Since your talk would be one of several break-out sessions, it would be attended by 30-40 people, making for a relaxed, conversational atmosphere.

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Good Strategy in a Persuasive Request

Closing

Will you please share your experiences and advice with us? By doing so, you will help us help hundreds of business-communication students. Since I will be compiling the final program on the 15th, please let me know by the 10th if you can join us.
Sincerely,

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Why Write Sales Messages?

Sales techniques are useful in your other activities:
in writing other messages in actual sales work in selling yourself

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Questioning the Acceptability of Sales Messages

Sales messages can be unwanted.
Junk mail SPAM

Sales messages can use unfair tactics.

Deceptive wording Deceptive or manipulative visuals

Put yourself in the readers shoes and let your conscience be your guide.
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Preliminary Steps to Sales Writing

Learn the product or service you sell.
how it is made how it works what it will do

Learn about the prospective customers.

their economic status their nationalities their ages etc.

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Determining the Central Appeal

Three kinds:
Emotional
appeals to the senses (feeling, tasting, smelling, hearing)

Logical
appeals to the thinking mind (saving money, making money, doing a better job, getting better use)

Character based
uses the writer or spokespersons voice and projected image to win trust and invite readers to identify with the speaker

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Determining the Makeup of the Mailing

Sales messages can have many pieces:
Main message Cover envelope Return envelope Payment form Brochures/attachments Free gift, etc.

As you plan your contents,

Plan which pieces you will use Plan how they will work together

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Organization of the Sales Message

Many variations are used.
whatever works

But there is this conventional pattern:

gain attention create desire (with evidence, you-viewpoint, careful word choice) cover all necessary information drive for the sale possibly add a postscript
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Conventional Pattern of the Sales Message

The message plan: Opening Begin with words that set up the sales presentation and gain attention. Body Present the sales message using imagination, persuasive language, and you-viewpoint. Include sufficient information to convince. Closing Then drive for the sale, making it clear, and using appropriate strength. Urge immediate action. May recall basic appeal in final words. Add a PS to urge reader to act or to emphasize a major point. In email, offer to remove reader from mailing list to comply with legal requirements.
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A Logic-Based Sales Message

Opening Would you like to save up to 12 cents a gallon on your bill for fuel oil? Does your monthly oil bill make you wince? Wouldnt you like to beat the high cost of heating--cut your annual fuel bill by as much as 30-40 percent? Then I think youll be interested in our Catalytic Carburetor Assembly.

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A Logic-Based Sales Message

Body Installed on your present oil burner, the Catalytic Carburetor Assembly permits burning of the present type of catalytic fuel oil at highest efficiency . . . and with a clean fire. Whats more, it easily pays for itself in fuel oil savings and brings your burner completely up to date. A little simple arithmetic with your current oil bill will show you how substantial these savings are. Figure you might save up to 12 cents on every gallon, and see what a difference that makes.
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A Logic-Based Sales Message

Body continued
But theres no need to take our say-so about the savings you can make--because we back our Catalytic Carburetor Assembly with a written money-back guarantee. You cant lose--you either get the savings we guarantee, or the assembly is removed and your money refunded in full.
Scores of satisfied users throughout the state are enjoying more efficient, more economical heating--thanks to the Catalytic Carburetor Assembly. We believe that you, too, would benefit by installing this device on your oil burner.

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A Logic-Based Sales Message

Closing To receive full information on the Catalytic Carburetor and how it can save fuel dollars, just check the enclosed postage-paid card for correctness and drop it in the mail. Ill see to it that you get complete details right away . . . without cost or obligation.

Sincerely,

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Opens with reader benefit

Links and buttons make action easy Uses youviewpoint to put reader in action.

Color and visuals add interest

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Closes with success-conscious words

Includes opt-out options

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Opens with strong reader benefit

Bullet list emphasizes reader benefits

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Color and photos add interest

Call for action is clear and easy

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Proposals
Like reports, are usually well researched. Like reports, can range widely in format, length, and formality. Like reports, can be direct (if invited) or indirect (if uninvited) Unlike reports, are overtly persuasive.

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Types of Proposals
Internal or external Solicited or unsolicited

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Typical Proposal Contents

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Writers purpose and readers need Background Need (elaborated) Description of plan Benefits of the proposed plan Particulars (logistics) Evidence of ability to deliver (credentials) Concluding comments

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A Solicited Letter Proposal

References the invitation, indicates expertise, establishes the main line of argument, and sets up the plan.

Introduction Thank you for inviting Mind-Body Connections to propose a solution to the stress in your workplace. We have 17 years experience helping companies like yours identify sources of stress and find cost-effective ways to eliminate them. Below we describe our two-phase plan for . . . .

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A Solicited Letter Proposal

Before describing the plan, goes into more detail about the need for the proposed solution.

Body: Needs Section The Costs of Stress Your company is being robbed by stress and you are certainly not alone. According to Pew Research, stress is costing American business $80 billion to $100 billion a year. The cost to companies comes in the form of low productivity, absenteeism . . . .

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A Solicited Letter Proposal

Goes into detail Body: Part I of the Plan about Proposed Analysis proposed The first step toward finding a solution is research to identify the main sources of stress in methods, showing that your workplace. . . . they are valid Our research will take three forms: . . . . and efficient.

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A Solicited Letter Proposal

Lists possible solutions, gives evidence that they work, and spells out the likely benefits of each.

Body: Part II of the Plan Effective Solutions We tailor our recommendations to each clientthat is what makes our solutions both effective and economical. Depending on the results of our research, we may advise any of the following proven stress-reduction methods: . . . .

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A Solicited Letter Proposal

Comes after the persuasive plan, makes costs easy to read and understand, shows that costs are low in light of likely savings. Body: Cost/Budget Section

Estimated Cost The following table shows . . . Given the information you provided, it is likely that you are losing as much as $3050 thousand a year to stress-related expenses . . . .

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A Solicited Letter Proposal

Final effort to differentiate this proposer from the competition; final reminder of the central argument: saving money. Credentials/Conclusion

Why Mind-Body Connections? Our solutions work. We . . . [main qualifications]. We would welcome the opportunity to make Pros-on-Demand a more productive business.

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Sample Opening of an Unsolicited Internal Proposal

Expanding our clientele, having good relationships with our current clients, and making profit doing it: These are the factors that determine our success in this industry. With very little investment, we can improve all three of these areas at Lakeside Fitness Club. We are currently using a simple database program to store client information. This system, though effective, does not have the tools necessary to allow this business to operate at its full potential. In fact, it is most likely costing the club not only revenue, but customer loyalty. After doing some research, I believe that subscribing to e-Customer, a customer relationship management (CRM) system, would help improve these concerns drastically. Using this application will allow us to keep in touch with our customers needs, therefore improving customer relationships and adding value to the Lakeside name.

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What Might Be the Major Sections in the Rest of This Proposal?

The Need for a New System The Capabilities of e-Customer The Benefits of e-Customer for Lakeside The Cost Implementation Plan Request for Approval (conclusion)

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What Might Be Persuasive Points to Make in a Response to this RFP?

The University of X is soliciting nominations for its universitywide Outstanding Teacher Award. Criteria used by one school: 1. Is committed to teaching 2. Demonstrates creative approaches to teaching 3. Shows respect for diversity of opinions and experiences of students 4. Maintains high but attainable standards of performance 5. Stimulates independent work by students that leads them to be creative, self-directed learners 6. Establishes a classroom atmosphere that fosters self-confidence, a positive self-concept, and mutual respect.
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