978-0073403267 Chapter 8 Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises

Type

Quiz

Book Title

Business Communication: Building Critical Skills 6th Edition

ISBN 13

978-0073403267

April 6, 2019

Module 08 Reader Benefits

Module 8

Reader Benefits

LO 8-1 Explain functions of reader benefits.

LO 8-2 Identify reader benefits for messages.

LO 8-3 Apply strategies for reader benefits creation.

LO 8-4 Select reader benefits for messages.

LO 8-5 Apply strategies for reader benefits and audience harmony.

LO 8-6 Support reader benefits with you-attitude.

Module Overview

Along with you-attitude and positive emphasis, reader benefits complete the three ingredients of

building goodwill. Not all documents use reader benefits—negative messages and direct

requests do not, for instance.—but they are useful for many business messages.

In particular, students will find reader benefits helpful when composing job application letters

and résumés, showing the reader how employing the student can help the organization. As many

of your students either will be entering the workforce or hope to secure a better job, teaching

them reader benefits in preparation for the job application process is an excellent idea.

As PP 8-3 shows, reader benefits are benefits or advantages the reader gets

Using your services.

Buying your products.

Following your policies.

Adopting your ideas.

Reader benefits must be tangible; that is, they must be quickly and easily identifiable by the

audience. They should be expressed in clear language.

As PP 8-4 and PP 8-5 suggest, good reader benefits are

Adapted to the audience.

Based on intrinsic advantages.

Supported by clear logic and explained in adequate detail.

Phrased in you-attitude.

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Module 08 Reader Benefits

Because different audiences will find different qualities to be beneficial,

knowing the audience is important. Students should also review Module 2

for more information on audience.

 Teaching Tip: Bring in “real world” examples to show reader

benefits. Credit card offers are a good example of using

reader benefits. Many suggest reader benefits verbally (e.g.,

low interest rates; no annual fee) as well as nonverbally (e.g., photos of smiling

“customers” making purchases). Ask students to analyze the offers, listing them as

well as examining the language used to describe reader benefits.

What’s in This Supplement

This supplement is organized around the major questions posed in Module 8. It covers

Part 1: Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises Page 112

Part 2: Answers to Textbook Assignments Page 121

Part 3: Appendixes of Handouts/Transparency Masters Page 122

PowerPoint presentations can be found at our Web page at www.mhhe.com/bcs6e.

Questions (with answers) suitable for quizzes are in the Instructor’s Test Bank. For student

practice quizzes with answers, see our Web page.

Part 1: Key Lecture Points, Teaching Tips, and In-Class Exercises

Why do reader benefits work? LO 8-1

Reader benefits improve the audience’s attitudes and actions.

Students sometimes wonder just why reader benefits work. A key factor is expectancy theory,

which suggests people try their best only when they believe they can succeed and see rewards

from their success.

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Module 08 Reader Benefits

Students probably don’t need to know all the particulars of expectancy theory, but they should

understand that reader benefits address an underlying psychological need. Moreover, they help

readers to see benefits they otherwise might not, as well as the connection between these benefits

and the readers’ needs.

 Teaching Tip: Ask students to consider how their behavior as children might have

changed just prior to a holiday or birthday when they expected a gift. If students

altered their behavior, why? How did their behavior change after the holiday or

birthday passed? What did this suggest about motivation?

In-Class Exercise: For 10-15 minutes, let students share what motivates them both

in school and on the job. In terms of school, do they treat classes they see as being

beneficial to their careers as better or worse than others? Have they or will they

choose entry-level jobs that they view(ed) as beneficial to reaching later career

goals? How did those feelings compare to jobs they did “just for the money”?

How do I identify reader benefits? LO 8-2

Brainstorm!

To generate a list of possible reader benefits, students should use invention techniques, such as

brainstorming (described in Module 4). As PP 8-6 describes, students should brainstorm in two

steps:

1. Think of feelings, fears, and needs that may motivate the reader.

2. Identify the objective features of the product or policy.

In-Class Exercise: Figure 8.1 (p. 114)/PP 8-7 shows

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This widely

published model describes human motivation and is adapted

here for a business environment. To help students better

understand the model, have them locate where on the

hierarchy they believe they are. What steps are they taking to

reach the next level? At what level might they see themselves

in two years? Five? Ten? As they climb, what tangible

rewards will they expect, if any? Ask students to share their

findings with the class.

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Module 08 Reader Benefits

How detailed should each benefit be? LO 8-3

Use strong, vivid details.

Typically, three to five sentences are required to give enough detail in a

business message about a benefit (as described on PP 8-8). If two or

three benefits are developed fully, then a sentence or two can be used for

the remaining benefits.

Students skilled with language will have a distinct advantage over those

who don’t. Benefits must be phrased in language that is not only

descriptive, but also clear. Examples throughout this section of the

module compare weak with stronger descriptions of reader benefits.

Psychological description (PP 8-9) is a technique to use to develop

vivid, specific benefits. It involves techniques often used by creative

writers to create a scenario rich with sense impressions. Therefore, using

examples from creative writing to help students see the advantages of

vivid description can be helpful in discussing psychological description.

 Teaching Tip: Students who read literature regularly have a distinct advantage over

those who don’t. Help students to see the value of reading by showing examples of

passages from well-written texts that are strongly descriptive. Ask students to bring

in samples from their own collections. What words or phrases do they find

particularly descriptive? How is the language powerful? Vivid? (Bear in mind Fair

Use Act principles that govern how such materials may be used in the classroom.)

In-Class Exercise: Bring an object to class large enough for everyone to see easily

—a stuffed animal, a basketball, a poster or work of art—and have students spend

5-10 minutes using psychological description to write down every word, thought, or

idea that comes to mind about the object. When they are finished, spend 5-10

minutes making a master list of descriptions. Try separating these into categories

that fit the five senses, as well as emotions and abstract concepts.

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Module 08 Reader Benefits

How do I decide which benefits to use? LO 8-4

Use the following three principles to decide.

As described on PP 8-10 through PP 8-12, three principles can guide

students in deciding which benefits to use:

Use at least one benefit for each part of your audience.

Use intrinsic benefits.

Use the benefits you can develop most fully.

 Teaching Tip: Help students to better understand the

differences between intrinsic and extrinsic benefits by

having them brainstorm about the benefits of their

education. What extrinsic benefits can they list (e.g., a

degree; preparation for a job or profession)? What

intrinsic benefits are there (e.g., increased confidence)?

Which are more important to students now? Which do

they think will be more important over the course of their

lives?

In-Class Exercise: Have students get into groups of 3-5

and do Exercise 8.10 on p. 121. Use Appendix 8-A

through Appendix 8-E to show students how to develop

reader benefits for people getting advice about interior decorating. Use the first

transparency master to introduce the problem. Let students brainstorm possible

audiences, needs, and benefits for 10 minutes. Then show them the remaining

transparency masters. How do their benefits compare?

Matching the benefit to the audience LO 8-5

Despite the temptation to use the same benefits with different

audiences, most writers will recognize that benefits should be tailored

individually, as different audiences may have different expectations.

PP 8-13 and PP 8-14 show strategies to effectively match the benefit

to the audience:

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Module 08 Reader Benefits

When you communicate with different audiences, you

may need to stress different benefits.

Look for intrinsic as well as extrinsic benefits.

Even in your own organization, different

audiences may care about different things.

Use audience analysis to see what benefits

would appeal to your intended audience.

The best benefits match the audience’s

expectations.

In-Class Exercise: Most students will have had experiences where they were limited

significantly in their choices: the menu at a fast food restaurant, selection of

over-the-air television channels, or colors for a shirt or other clothing item. Ask them

to choose a particular product or service that they can all relate to and spend 10-15

minutes brainstorming on the effectiveness of the choices they have. Are they

satisfied? What would they change if they could? Why? Do they believe the

company is serving the customers as well as they could? What benefits are being

overlooked by the company, as well as what audiences?

What else do reader benefits need? LO 8-6

Check for you-attitude.

Students may want to re-familiarize themselves with Module 6. In particular, they should

remember that benefits must appeal to the reader. Therefore, you-attitude is critical in expressing

them.

Last Word: Students will revisit reader benefits in future modules. Make sure they

understand the concepts in this module clearly before moving on to new modules. In

particular, students should feel confident that they will be able to create reader

benefits in the documents they compose. Therefore, assign homework to give them

practice.

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Module 08 Reader Benefits

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