69) Keeping in mind FTC regulations, which of the following statements must be added to the
message to best support the claim made in the message?
A) See results in two weeks or get your money back!
B) Martin Lane from Illinois says that the “Essentials” diet helped him lose two pounds in just
one week—just in time for his high-school reunion.
C) 80% of customers who tried the “Essentials” diet reported that they were happy with the
results.
D) This diet is the only weight-loss program supported by Total Foods.
E) This diet program has been launched in markets in Europe, Asia, and South America.
70) Which of the following statements would be illegal to use in the message?
A) Only the “Essentials” diet will help you lose weight.
B) The “Essentials” diet can give you a head-start on your fitness goals.
C) See results in two weeks or get your money back!
D) Our online community will support you in your mission to get fit.
E) For best results, the diet should be supplemented with an exercise routine.
71) Which of the following information, if true, would make Total Foods vulnerable to being
penalized by the FTC?
A) The price of “Essentials” cereal is significantly higher than that of other low-fat, fortified
cereals.
B) Weight-loss plans other than the “Essentials” diet plan have shown better results.
C) Kendra regained the pounds she lost shortly after she stopped having the cereal.
D) “Essentials” cereal has an FDA-approved appetite suppressant.
E) Kendra quit the “Essentials” diet in a few weeks.
72) What is bait-and-switch advertising?
A) It involves an attempt to persuade customers to buy a certain product by offering huge
discounts to undercut the competition.
B) It involves offering customers baits in the form of money-back guarantees and offers to
exchange the product if customers are not satisfied.
C) It involves using unsubstantiated claims and false customer testimonials to sell a product.
D) It involves an attempt to attract buyers by advertising a product that you don’t intend to sell
and then trying to sell them another product.
E) It involves the use of implied claims to attract customers and then refusing to accept
responsibility for the claim.
73) Persuasive messages ask audiences to give something of value or take substantial action.
74) The first task in planning persuasive messages is to gather information.
75) If you are an employee writing to the CEO of the company, your persuasive message should
use the direct approach.
76) When trying to persuade a skeptical or hostile audience, you should use complex and
technical language to demonstrate your competence in the area.
77) Identifying your sources will help you to establish credibility.
78) High pressure hard-sell tactics are especially useful in persuasive business messages.
79) The AIDA model can use either a direct or an indirect approach.
80) Logical appeal uses one of three types of reasoning—analogy, induction, and deduction.
81) Analogy refers to a logical fallacy in which you try to support your claim by reinstating it in
different words.
82) When making a persuasive claim, assume that the person handling the claim has complete
information about the case at hand and avoid outlining or reviewing the information.
83) Close persuasive claims on a respectful note that reflects how a successful resolution of the
situation will repair or maintain a mutually beneficial working relationship.
84) Marketing messages usher potential buyers through the purchasing process without asking
them to make an immediate decision.
85) Unlike other business messages, successful marketing and sales messages start with an
analysis of the competition.
86) “This bike has four gears and a built-in GPS system.” This statement describes the selling
features of the bike.
87) Avoid the use of words like “economical” or “luxurious” to prepare readers for the price of a
certain product; it is always more effective to just state the price.
88) The use of “advertising speak” is not effective in promotional messages for social media.
89) Companies should use fake blogs as a creative and effective way to initiate and manage
conversations on social media.
90) In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other federal, state, and local
authorities have the authority to penalize advertisers that violate standards for truthful advertising
and other regulations.
43
91) According to the FTC, offering a money-back guarantee or providing letters from satisfied
customers constitutes evidence for claims made in a persuasive message.
92) Marketing and sales messages are considered binding contracts in many states in the United
States.
93) Identify six ways to establish your credibility in persuasive messages.
94) Describe the four steps of the AIDA model for persuasive messages.
95) What guidelines should be remembered when developing the subject line of your AIDA
message that uses the indirect approach and is delivered by memo or email? Rewrite the
following email subject line following these guidelines: “Rejection of your proposal for a four-
day workweek”
96) As CEO of your company, you are drafting an email to persuade your managers of the need
to minimize wastage of paper, power, and other resources in order to reduce the company’s
carbon footprint. What format would you choose to convey this message and why? Would you
use the direct approach or the indirect approach in organizing this message? Justify your choice.
Draft the message using your chosen format and approach.
97) How would you increase the emotional appeal of the following persuasive message?
“Our soup kitchen provides food to over a hundred homeless people every day. We get no funds
for this from the government, and our funding comes exclusively from private individuals and
corporations. Please consider contributing time and/or money to our group to help us run these
soup kitchens. To make a contribution, call 123-4567.”
98) What are the guidelines for developing an effective persuasive claim?
99) Briefly explain the difference between selling points and benefits, giving an example of each.
100) Describe ways in which you can minimize the importance of price in a sales letter. Also
outline ways in which you can address audience objections to the price of your product.
101) You are a manager at “Indigo,” a company that manufactures and retails stylish, affordable
office-wear for men and women. The company has over 50 retail stores across the country and
an online store. You wish to announce the launch of your new Fall-Winter collection to
customers. Craft a message using the AIDA model for this purpose and then adapt the same
message for use in social media.
49
102) Outline at least four legal aspects that must be considered when developing marketing and
sales messages.