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1. Persuasion is the process of motivating people to do or believe something despite their initial resistance.
a. True
b. False
2. Few business letters or email messages involve persuasion.
a. True
b. False
3. Sales letters are considered a form of persuasive writing.
a. True
b. False
4. Before you begin writing, you should always ask yourself, "What is my purpose for writing?"
a. True
b. False
5. Form letters are appropriate as persuasive messages sent to thousands of readers.
a. True
b. False
6. Determining whether a reader might be resistant to your message, and why, helps you prepare a more persuasive
message.
a. True
b. False
7. To overcome resistance, you must show how your argument benefits the reader.
a. True
b. False
8. When you write a persuasive message, be sure to address the reader's position of "What's in it for me?"
a. True
b. False
9. The first thing a writer must do before writing is to ask: "Who is my primary audience?"
a. True
b. False
10. By stressing the "you attitude," the writer's focus in on the reader.
a. True
b. False
11. The direct organizational plan is appropriate when you anticipate that a reader will initially have no interest in your
persuasive message.
a. True
b. False
12. When you write a persuasive message to your superiors, you should use the direct organizational plan.
a. True
b. False
13. Your message will be more persuasive if you put the main idea in the middle of a proposal.
a. True
b. False
14. Always avoid opening a persuasive message with a rhetorical question unless you are positive the audience will
know the answer.
a. True
b. False
15. To attract reader interest, you should preview your recommendation in the subject line of a persuasive message
when using the indirect organizational plan.
a. True
b. False
16. In a persuasive letter, an irrelevant opening sentence can create confusion or risk losing the reader's goodwill.
a. True
b. False
17. Persuasive messages are typically shorter than other types of messages because you are using pathos or ethos to
carry the weight of your argument.
a. True
b. False
18. Providing credible evidence such as current statistics is a positive way to influence the reader.
a. True
b. False
19. When using the indirect organizational plan in a persuasive message you must give the main idea immediately.
a. True
b. False
20. When addressing obstacles in a persuasive request, you should subordinate them.
a. True
b. False
21. When using the direct or the indirect organizational plan, clarify the specific action you want the reader to take.
a. True
b. False
22. Proposing to your supervisor that the company decentralize the reimbursement of travel expenses is an example of
selling an idea.
a. True
b. False
23. In the textual content of your persuasive message you must explain your rationale for presenting a new procedure
or idea.
a. True
b. False
24. Because routine requests are granted fairly easily, they require less persuasion than favors.
a. True
b. False
25. The difference between advertising and persuasion is that persuasion is more personalized.
a. True
b. False
26. It is appropriate to apologize when giving bad news.
a. True
b. False
27. All business communication involves persuasion.
a. True
b. False
28. To be successful when writing a persuasive message you must overcome resistance.
a. True
b. False
29. To overcome a reader's resistance, you must show how your argument benefits the reader.
a. True
b. False
30. A routine complaint letter requires an attention-getting opener and more evidence than a persuasive claim letter.
a. True
b. False
31. You should not open a persuasive complaint letter by stating the problem.
a. True
b. False
32. If your routine complaint letter failed to get the desired response despite strong evidence, use a more emotional tone
in your persuasive complaint letter.
a. True
b. False
33. If you demonstrate understanding and request a reasonable adjustment in a persuasive complaint, the reader is
more likely to do what you ask.
a. True
b. False
34. You should present as much convincing evidence as possible before requesting a specific adjustment in a
persuasive complaint letter.
a. True
b. False
35. In persuasive requests, the opening of a sales letter should be interesting, short, and original.
a. True
b. False
36. When possible, incorporate the central selling theme into your opening and avoid irrelevant, obvious, or overused
statements.
a. True
b. False
37. The two keys for succeeding with a central selling theme are introducing the theme early and repeating it often.
a. True
b. False
38. When writing a sales letter, you should make the product and its benefits the subject of most of the sentences.
a. True
b. False
39. For sales letters you must provide evidence to show why or how the product is great.
a. True
b. False
40. An attention-getting opener is more important in an unsolicited sales letter than in a solicited sales letter.
a. True
b. False
41. In a sales letter, you may offer an incentive to motivate the reader to respond by a due date.
a. True
b. False
42. Readers will perceive a hard-sell approach if you use action-packed, positive language to discuss a product's
features and benefits.
a. True
b. False
43. Sales letters are effective when specific evidence is used to support your statements about how great the product
is.
a. True
b. False
44. By stressing the "you attitude," writers show that the focus is on the reader.
a. True
b. False
45. To show that you are thinking of the reader and being polite, you may say, "If you do not want to do this I
understand," and it will help sway your reader to believe in your idea.
a. True
b. False
46. The specific request in a sales letter should be presented late in the message.
a. True
b. False
47. When using a sales letter to promote a high-priced item, one idea is to involve the reader in a demonstration.
a. True
b. False
48. When an author uses passive voice and only implies what the message may be, it is called the "indirect
organizational plan."
a. True
b. False
49. If you use a postscript (P.S.) in a sales letter, repeat the central selling theme here to reinforce information that has
already been presented.
a. True
b. False
50. Which of the following is not considered a persuasive message?
a. convincing a potential customer to contract for your company's services
b. requesting a meeting with your superior so you can recommend changes to company policy
c. writing another claim letter when the first one was denied
d. asking a company to replace a defective product within the warranty period
e. asking a supervisor to approve a complex project you are proposing
51. The essence of persuasion is
a. overcoming the reader's initial resistance.
b. selling your product to a reader.
c. convincing a reader to take a specific action.
d. motivating your reader to believe something.
e. stressing reader benefits.
52. Your credibility with the reader of a persuasive message will not be enhanced by
a. explaining how you, as the writer, will benefit.
b. discussing your knowledge as an authority on the topic.
c. mentioning that you hold a position in which you deal with the topic quite often.
d. providing factual evidence and statistics that the reader can verify.
e. discussing your prior experience with the topic.
53. Which of the following is not something you should do when conducting an audience analysis?
a. Determine what the audience already knows about the topic.
b. Determine what the audience's predisposition toward the topic is.
c. Ask how your proposal will affect the audience.
d. Find out whether the audience finds you credible.
e. Make a simple list of features and advantages of the product or service.
54. If your reader is predisposed against the idea you are promoting, you should do all of the following except
a. provide sufficient objective, verifiable evidence about the topic.
b. offer more supporting reasons than you would if the reader's attitude were neutral.
c. use the direct organizational plan to show how the topic is relevant to the reader.
d. analyze the reader's resistance so you can write a counterargument.
e. use the "you" attitude to tailor the letter based on audience analysis.
55. A persuasive message selling an idea will be more effective if you
a. show how the reader will benefit, directly or indirectly, from doing what you suggest.
b. provide extensive background information without including specifics.
c. reinforce background facts and figures in the first and last paragraphs.
d. focus on the proposal you're promoting, not on the reader.
e. ignore or downplay any reader objections when making your case.
56. When writing a persuasive message you must
a. motivate the reader.
b. overwhelm the reader with current statistics.
c. tell the reader you are right and other comparisons are wrong.
d. flatter the reader to gain their attention.
