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Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
1. To overcome resistance most effectively, a message should directly address every possible objection your reader might
have.
a. True
b. False
2. If you expect resistance or need to educate the reader, use the direct approach for your persuasive message.
a. True
b. False
3. An effective way of dealing with price is to delay mentioning it until after you’ve created a desire for the product or
service.
a. True
b. False
4. A P.S. (postscript) is an effective location for your strongest motivator in a sales message.
a. True
b. False
5. An advantage of attempting to persuade through writing (vs. face to face) is that you can think through your purpose
and prepare a more thoughtful and controlled message.
a. True
b. False
6. E-mail marketing is less expensive than direct-mail marketing.
a. True
b. False
7. Paul wants to convince the members of his staff to participate in the company wellness program. He should use an
indirect organizational pattern to persuade the staff.
a. True
b. False
8. The first step in applying the indirect (AIDA) strategy for persuasive messages involves overcoming any resistance the
reader might have.
a. True
b. False
9. Our fuel-efficient tires can reduce your gasoline expenses is an example of an emotional appeal.
a. True
b. False
10. AIDA applies to persuasive messages that are written using a direct organizational strategy.
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b. False
11. To receive complimentary breakfast each morning of your stay, please complete your booking by April 30 effectively
motivates action in the closing of a sales letter.
a. True
b. False
12. Persuasive techniques in the digital age involve the use of flattery, empathy, nonverbal cues, and likability appeals.
a. True
b. False
13. Anticipating resistance from your audience is unnecessary for most persuasive messages.
a. True
b. False
14. Businesses should send e-mail marketing messages only to recipients who have given permission.
a. True
b. False
15. In a practical sense, effective persuasion shows how you can help solve a problem or make life easier for your
audience.
a. True
b. False
16. An effective press release aims to appeal to a wide audience rather than focusing on a targeted audience.
a. True
b. False
17. The first step in planning a persuasive message is determining the purpose.
a. True
b. False
18. Direct-mail (vs. e-mail) sales messages are shown to have higher customer response rates.
a. True
b. False
19. The direct pattern is best when a past claim has been refused or ignored or if you anticipate reluctance to your claim.
a. True
b. False
20. Would you like to reduce your daily commute time? is an effective approach for the opening paragraph of a sales
message.
a. True
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b. False
21. In the digital age, businesses have moved toward stricter corporate hierarchies and clearer lines of authority.
a. True
b. False
22. Managers trying to persuade employees should use words such as should and must to make their messages more
powerful.
a. True
b. False
23. Social media are well suited for overt selling.
a. True
b. False
24. A manager who persuades employees to accept pay cuts because of low profits but fails to reveal executive bonuses is
demonstrating unethical behavior.
a. True
b. False
25. Amanda is writing a claim letter about unsatisfactory service she received at a recent business dinner. She should
enclose a copy of her restaurant receipt.
a. True
b. False
26. In a sales letter promoting its new hybrid vehicle, a car company stated: Our new hybrid model will save you hundreds
of dollars annually on gas. This sentence focuses on direct benefits.
a. True
b. False
27. A claim message should close with a clear statement of what you want done (a refund, replacement, or credit to your
account, for example).
a. True
b. False
28. Rational appeals are generally appropriate when a product is expensive or important to health, security, or financial
success.
a. True
b. False
29. A local lending corporation supports the community would be an effective opening statement for a press release.
a. True
b. False
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30. A successful persuasive message typically takes more space than a direct informational message.
a. True
b. False
Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
31. Which of the following statements about complaint messages is most accurate?
a. Complaint messages should not include attachments; the body of your message alone must make your case
effectively.
b. An effective complaint message makes a reasonable and valid request and presents a logical case with clear facts.
c. Anger and emotion are effective persuaders in complaint messages.
d. Complaint messages should open by stating exactly what you want done.
32. Alisha is writing a sales message to advertise the services provided by the day spa she manages. In the letter she
mentions rest, relaxation, and spoiling oneself for the day. Alisha is using what type of appeal?
a. Rational appeal
b. Emotional appeal
c. Dual appeal
d. Logical appeal
33. Which of the following would be an effective persuasive technique for a manager attempting to persuade employees to
take part in a wellness program?
a. Telling employees that participation in suggested company programs is considered in promotion decisions.
b. Making employees feel guilty for not using the benefit.
c. Using warm words and a conversational tone.
d. Organizing social events only for those employees participating in the program.
34. Which of the following approaches to submitting a recommendation to your boss focuses on a direct benefit?
a. Backing up your suggestions with facts and evidence.
b. Emphasizing how your idea saves the company money.
c. Stating your suggestions confidently and fairly.
d. Anticipating reasons for resistance.
35. Heather wants to convince her supervisor to invest in new smartphones for the sales staff. What is the best thing
Heather can do in her proposal?
a. Tell her supervisor that the cost of the new smartphones is a good deal.
b. Tell her supervisor how happy she and the others on the sales staff would be with new smartphones.
c. Show how the smartphones will improve the ability of sales staff to stay in touch with clients, resulting in greater
productivity and higher sales.
d. Outline some of the features of the new smartphones.
36. Which of the following statements about building interest in persuasive messages is most accurate?
a. After capturing attention, a persuasive request must retain that attention and convince the audience that the request
is reasonable.
b. In a persuasive message, the section that builds interest should be no longer than one paragraph.
c. Persuasive requests are likely to be shorter than direct requests.
d. Indirect benefits are rarely successful in building reader interest.
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37. When price is an obstacle, the most effective sales messages reduce resistance by ________.
a. mentioning the price right away to show that you have nothing to hide
b. showing the price in smaller units
c. not mentioning the price at all
d. sending your readers to your competitors’ websites to compare prices
38. Nicole wants to ask her boss if she can telecommute two days a week, but she’s afraid her boss will oppose her
request. What should she do first in her written request?
a. Reduce resistance
b. Gain attention
c. Motivate action
d. Build interest
39. The best press releases ________.
a. concentrate only on advertising a company’s products
b. emphasize the most important information by placing it near the end
c. use the journalistic approach by answering the five Ws and one H in the first sentence
d. focus on information that appeals to a target audience
40. Effective, ethical persuasion involves _______.
a. the ability to coerce
b. manipulation of others
c. ignoring reasons for resistance
d. allowing others to self-influence
41. In persuading the owner of your company to allow you to telecommute, which of the following illustrates an indirect
benefit to the reader?
a. The time I save commuting would be spent working on company business.
b. Because I’ll be working in my quiet home environment, my productivity will increase.
c. Because I will not require an on-site office or company equipment, the company will experience a reduction in
expenses.
d. My working from home will reduce carbon emissions and help to protect the environment.
42. Haitao has an espresso maker that stopped working properly within the warranty period. He plans to write a claim
letter to the company. Because he feels his request to have his espresso maker repaired at no cost is justified and will be
granted, he should use ________.
a. the indirect strategy
b. the direct strategy
c. a passionate appeal
d. both direct and indirect appeals
43. Which of the following is true about persuasion in the digital age?
a. The volume and reach of persuasive messages have become limited.
b. Persuasion is less complex and personal.
c. Persuaders play on emotions by using flattery, empathy, nonverbal cues, and likability appeals.
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d. Only organizations with dedicated sales teams are in the persuasion business.
44. A “limited-time offer” is an example of which psychological trigger that influences people to act or believe?
a. Commitment
b. Social proof
c. Scarcity
d. Authority
45. Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the AIDA strategy?
a. The AIDA strategy consists of four separate steps that must be carried out separately.
b. The steps in the AIDA strategy must always be carried out in order.
c. Counterarguments should never be presented in a persuasive message because doing so will remind the reader of
other options.
d. Facts, figures, expert opinions, examples, specific details, and direct and indirect benefits will build reader
interest.
46. Which of the following situations would require indirect organization of a claim or complaint letter?
a. Melanie noticed that the charger cord for her Samsung Galaxy smartphone that she purchased last month is
starting to split.
b. Gus ordered business cards that were printed on the wrong color of cardstock.
c. Chelsea’s transmission failed two months after her car warranty expired.
d. Mike’s December credit card statement contains a $65 charge that he didn’t make.
47. Which of the following is an effective way for persuasive writers and speakers to establish credibility with an
audience?
a. Establish their expertise.
b. Offer counterarguments.
c. Request a response from the receiver.
d. Suggest new ideas, directives, or recommendations for change that will be of interest to the audience.
48. Which of the following messages moving downward from superiors to subordinates will most likely require
persuasion?
a. Telling employees that they must follow a new procedure for submitting expense claims
b. Telling employees to change their passwords every six weeks
c. Telling employees that they must learn how to operate the new copy machine
d. Requesting that employees participate in a charity 5K run that takes place outside of work hours
49. Corinne is writing a persuasive message to her staff and includes the opening sentence Your hard work in planning
last month’s trade show made it the most successful we have ever had. She is gaining her reader’s attention by using what
type of opening statement?
a. A description of the problem
b. A compliment
c. A reader benefit
d. A stimulating question
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50. AIDA, the indirect strategy for persuasive messages, seeks to gain the attention, interest, ________, and action of the
audience.
a. direction
b. desire
c. deduction
d. discernment
51. Which of the following would be a direct benefit to an author for accepting an invitation to speak at an event?
a. Building goodwill with the event planner
b. “Giving back” to loyal readers
c. Sharing an inspiring message
d. Selling and signing books at the event
52. Which of the following sentences best motivates action in a persuasive message?
a. We know that you’ll want your employees to complete our ethics training program, so we’ll drop by tomorrow to
finalize the contract.
b. If you think that our ethics training program might benefit your employees, we hope you’ll consider hiring us.
c. The ethics training we provide will help your employees effectively resolve workplace-related ethical dilemmas.
Please call me by August 1 so that your training sessions can begin by August 15.
d. Our new ethics training program has been very well received by your competitors.
53. In identifying a “best-selling” item, advertisers are hoping to appeal to which psychological trigger?
a. Reciprocation
b. Social proof
c. Authority
d. Commitment
54. The statement A Kodak all-in-one printer may cost a little more, but you’ll pay far less for replacement ink than you
will with other printers ________.
a. builds interest in a product
b. gains attention by describing a problem
c. reduces resistance
d. motivates action
55. Adam is writing a proposal to the board of directors about an idea he has for a new product line. Which of the
following would be most effective in persuading the board members to adopt his idea?
a. Avoid using facts and figures as it may bore or confuse his readers.
b. Show how his proposal will increase company revenues.
c. Avoid mentioning any risks involved because doing so might scare the audience.
d. Include a list of every reason a reader may have for resistance to show he has analyzed his audience.
56. In a letter advertising its recycling services, The Greenfield Recycling Company stresses that customers will feel the
satisfaction of knowing that they have helped to preserve the environment. This persuasive technique relies on ________.
a. direct benefits to the reader
b. expert opinion
c. facts and statistics
d. indirect benefits to the reader
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57. The key ingredient of a press release is ________.
a. advertising
b. research
c. news
d. company benefits
58. Which of the following situations requires use of the AIDA (indirect) strategy?
a. An invitation to a local politician to speak at your professional organization’s awards banquet
b. An e-mail message asking for information about membership in a professional organization
c. A letter requesting a copy of your credit report
d. A refund request for an item that you never received
59. Which of the following will most likely require persuasion within an organization?
a. A supervisor tells her staff that they must work overtime to complete a project by the deadline.
b. A team leader tells other team members how to upload information to the company website.
c. An employee proposes a tuition reimbursement program to the company’s board of directors.
d. The CEO invites all employees to a holiday party.
60. Which of the following sequences works best for most persuasive messages?
a. Motivate action, gain attention, build interest, request order
b. Gain attention, build interest, elicit desire and reduce resistance, motivate action
c. Build interest, gain attention, motivate action, elicit desire and reduce resistance
d. Gain attention, build interest, motivate action, request order
61. Colton has analyzed his purpose and his audience and has considered how he will adapt his message to meet his
audience’s needs. What should he do next according to the 3-x-3 writing process?
a. Collect data and organize it.
b. Start writing his final draft.
c. Edit what he’s done so far.
d. Call audience members to confirm his approach.
62. Which message would be most effective when organized indirectly?
a. An e-mail message informing employees about a change in summer work hours
b. An announcement about management training seminars being offered to employees
c. An e-mail message asking employees to donate to a local charity through payroll deductions
d. An e-mail message telling employees that carpools are being organized
63. Which of the following would be the best way to begin a persuasive claim or complaint letter?
a. Open with an objective statement of the problem.
b. Open with a detailed chronology of what happened.
c. Open with a statement that clearly shows your frustration with the situation.
d. Open with a passive voice construction such as The wrong item was received.
64. In which of the following situations is the writer being unethical?
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a. Phillip convinces his employees that they will need to take a 3 percent pay cut but truthfully promises them that it
will only be temporary.
b. Taylor writes an e-mail message focusing on a small perk offered in the new health coverage, but she deliberately
de-emphasizes a reduction in total coverage.
c. Shane interviews four people but cites only the three who have the necessary qualifications in her
recommendation report.
d. Instead of writing a standard e-mail message, a CEO releases a video that explains major changes in the company.
65. Sheila is writing a persuasive message to potential customers and opens with this sentence You can reduce your
monthly energy bill by 30 percent or more. She is gaining the reader’s attention by using what type of opening statement?
a. A description of the problem
b. A compliment
c. A reader benefit
d. A stimulating question
66. Which of the following statements would be the best closing for a persuasive claim or complaint letter?
a. If my claim is not granted, I will leave negative reviews on every social media site that I can find.
b. Please credit my account for $256 by August 31, which is when my next billing cycle begins.
c. My attorney is eagerly waiting to see whether my claim is granted.
d. Please get back to me at your earliest convenience.
67. Showing customers how your product or service solves a problem, achieves a personal or work objective, or makes
life easier is accomplished by ________.
a. adapting the message to the audience
b. organizing your message
c. collecting information for your message
d. analyzing the purpose of the message
68. To start your home water delivery service immediately, call us at 1-800-555-1111 is an example of ________.
a. reducing resistance
b. motivating action
c. gaining attention
d. building interest
69. The manager of a bookstore plans to use e-mail to send an online sales message announcing a special sale. What is the
best advice to make this e-marketing campaign successful?
a. Leave the subject line blank so that readers will be curious enough to open the message.
b. Build interest by placing the most important information near the end of the message.
c. Send the e-mail sales message only to those who have given permission.
d. Include at least eight to ten central selling points to overcome any resistance.
70. Candace is writing a proposal for her board of directors to request that her company implement a wellness program.
The first thing she should do is to ________.
a. decide on the purpose of her proposal.
b. prepare an outline.
c. compose a rough draft of the proposal.
d. gather information to include in the proposal.
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71. Messages flowing downward such as information about procedures, equipment, or customer service generally use
________.
a. the indirect strategy
b. the direct strategy
c. monetary bribes
d. skillful appeals to indirect benefits
72. The most effective sales messages follow which pattern?
a. Gain attention, build interest, elicit desire and reduce resistance, motivate action.
b. Gain attention, motivate action, elicit desire and reduce resistance, build action.
c. Gain attention, elicit desire and reduce resistance, build interest, motivate action.
d. Build interest, gain attention, elicit desire and reduce resistance, motivate action.
73. When promoting products and writing sales letters, which of the following is legal?
a. Including a “puffery” statement such as We offer the best service in the industry.
b. Using a celebrity’s name or likeness in a sales message without the celebrity’s permission.
c. Telling people they are sweepstakes winners or finalists when they really aren’t.
d. Not disclosing that online reviews were submitted as part of a paid partnership between the company and the
reviewer.
74. When writing a claim letter to a company, you’re more likely to be successful if you ________.
a. appeal to the company’s sense of responsibility and pride in its good name
b. threaten to picket the company with signs describing your complaint
c. mention the discussion you had with your attorney regarding this claim
d. provide a long, fact-filled account of all your dealings with the company concerning the claim
75. Which of the following statements about direct mail marketing is most accurate?
a. With the increasing popularity of e-marketing, direct mail marketing has become obsolete.
b. Sales letters are usually part of multichannel marketing campaigns.
c. In terms of response rates, e-mail marketing is more effective than direct-mail letters.
d. Virtual mail appears to have a greater emotional impact than tangible mail.
76. Which is the most accurate statement about corporations in the current digital age?
a. The lines of authority are blurry in today’s information-age workplaces, and the roles of executives are changing.
b. Today’s rank-and-file employees rely on their managers to be information providers.
c. The direct pattern of persuasion should always be used when communicating with your immediate supervisor.
d. Today’s executives will likely rely on the power of position when issuing commands to subordinates.
77. In persuading a busy executive to visit a college class, which of the following illustrates a direct benefit to the reader?
a. You will be helping students learn about the finance field.
b. You will receive a $500 honorarium.
c. We would appreciate your giving up your time, and we are grateful for your efforts.
d. You would earn the respect of all your colleagues.
78. Generally, the length of a press release should be ________.
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a. one or two double-spaced pages
b. half a single-spaced page
c. a minimum of three double-spaced pages
d. limited to one page and one paragraph
79. Byron has ended a sales message with the sentence Book your vacation by May 15 to receive a seventh night free.
What technique is he using to motivate action?
a. Guaranteeing satisfaction
b. Limiting the offer
c. Setting a deadline
d. Promising an incentive
80. Effective persuaders may choose from different organizational strategies to get the results they want. Which of the
following is the most accurate statement about organizational patterns?
a. When writing a persuasive message, always use the indirect organizational strategy.
b. If you are asking for something that you know will be approved, use the indirect organizational strategy.
c. When you expect resistance or when you need to educate the receiver, use the indirect organizational pattern.
d. The organizational strategy used is unimportant in persuasive messages.
81. Displaying the names of salient people who serve on their boards might be an organization’s attempt to _______.
a. avoid doublespeak
b. omit key information
c. present counterarguments
d. establish credibility
82. The statement Did you know you can select five family members to enjoy free access to our newspaper with your
online subscription? ________.
a. builds interest with an expert opinion
b. motivates action
c. gains attention by asking a question that focuses on reader benefits
d. presents an indirect benefit
83. The use of words, signs, and images infused with meaning is evidence that persuasion is a(n) _______ process.
a. manipulative
b. symbolic
c. unethical
d. nonverbal
84. The best persuasive requests ________ .
a. offer a product more cheaply than all other competitors
b. anticipate audience resistance
c. focus solely on direct benefits
d. are spoken rather than written
85. When you are writing to complain about something and you’re worried that your reader might be reluctant to grant
your claim, you should use ________.
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a. the indirect strategy
b. the direct strategy
c. both direct and indirect appeals
d. passionate appeals
86. Which of the following sentences conveys the best tone for a persuasive request within an organization?
a. You should start following the new procedure immediately.
b. You must approve my travel expenses by Friday.
c. Please see your supervisor to have all supply purchases preapproved.
d. Management demands that all new employees attend an orientation session.
87. A strong motivator that encourages ethical behavior in business is the desire to ________.
a. convince someone to change a belief or to perform an action
b. make more money
c. maintain one’s reputation and credibility
d. prompt litigation
88. Dillon wants to adapt his sales message to his target audience. What question is his audience likely to ask while
reading his message?
a. Is this the direct approach?
b. What’s in it for me?
c. Where else can I purchase this product or service?
d. Is this approach ethical?
89. The most important information in a press release should be ________.
a. saved for the last paragraph for dramatic effect
b. focused totally on selling the writer’s company and its products
c. presented early
d. highlighted briefly in the middle paragraphs
90. On a website advertising its LSAT preparation classes, The Princeton Review includes this sentence: Since 1998, more
than 99% of our surveyed students have said they would recommend Law Preview to entering law students. This
persuasive technique relies on ________.
a. indirect benefits to the reader
b. expert opinion
c. facts and statistics
d. problem description
Enter the appropriate word(s) to complete the statement.
91. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Persuasion becomes ________ when facts are distorted, overlooked, or manipulated with an intent to deceive.
92. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
________ appeals used to build interest in sales messages relate to status, ego, and sensual feelings.
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93. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
What if? scenarios can help you develop ________ to address receiver resistance to your message.
94. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
The goal of a persuasive message is to convert the receiver to your ideas and motivate ________.
95. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
To establish ________, show your reader that you are truthful, experienced, and knowledgeable.
96. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
If a previous claim letter has been refused or ignored, then a more persuasive approach using the ________ organizational
pattern might be appropriate.
97. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Many charities rely in large part on ________ benefits to promote their causes, such as the feeling of helping those in
need.
98. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
The best persuasive requests anticipate and attempt to counter audience ________.
99. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
The main theme of your _______ in a sales letter is your central selling point.
100. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
If you are asking for something that you know will be approved, use the ________ organizational pattern.
101. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Language that attempts to manipulate by distorting or twisting the meaning is called ________.
102. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
When you expect your reader to resist your request, it’s best to use the ________ organizational pattern.
103. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
________ appeals related to reason and intellect are often translated into making money and increasing efficiency.
104. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Because managers are just as resistant to change as others are, subordinates should use the ________ organizational
pattern when convincing management to adopt a procedure or to invest in a product or new equipment.
105. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
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According to the AIDA strategy, the opening paragraph of a persuasive request should gain the ________ of the reader.
106. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
A claim message should be developed ________; that is, it should open with an objective statement of the problem before
explaining precisely what happened or why your claim is legitimate.
107. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
The use of _______, which are quotes from satisfied customers praising a product or service, are popular in sales
messages.
108. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Use facts, figures, expert opinions, and examples in a persuasive message to build __________ in your product or idea.
109. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
The most important ingredient of a press release is ________; articles that merely plug products often get thrown away or
remain unread.
110. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Persuasion is defined as a ________ process in which communicators try to convince other people to change their
attitudes or behaviors regarding an issue through the transmission of a message in an atmosphere of free choice.
111. You would like to invite a local Digital Marketing Specialist to speak at the next monthly meeting of your student
business organization. Write a persuasive request letter extending the invitation. Write only the body of the letter; you can
omit the address, salutation, complimentary close, and enclosure line.
112. All the effort you put into a sales message goes to waste if the reader fails to act. Identify three types of motivators
that you might include to give the reader an extra “push” and provide an example of each.
113. Describe the difference between rational appeals and emotional appeals and explain when you would use each. Then
write an example of each type of appeal as it might appear in a sales message.
114. The chapter discusses several techniques to gain the attention of your reader in the opening of a persuasive message.
List three of these techniques and write an original example of each.
115. Successful business communicators create persuasive memos, letters, e-mail messages, reports, and presentations
that get the results they want. List and explain four techniques discussed in the chapter that can help you persuade your
colleagues, superiors, and clients.
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Answer Key
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