Business Communication Chapter 9 Writing Persuasive Messages Writing Persuasive Messages Summary Focuses Writing

9: Writing Persuasive Messages

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CHAPTER 9: Writing Persuasive Messages

CHAPTER SUMMARY

Chapter 9 focuses on writing effective persuasive messages by applying the three-step writing

process introduced in earlier chapters. The messages addressed in this chapter are often more

suitable for the indirect approach, but most persuasive messages go beyond the indirect approach

used for negative messages. This chapter introduces the AIDA model, a more intense plan for

persuasive messages in which a writer grabs the audience’s attention and proceeds to develop

interest and desire before the close motivates the audience to take action. Readers also learn how

to distinguish between emotional and logical appeals and how to balance them in their writing.

Common mistakes in persuasive writing are also discussed. Whether the employee needs to write

a persuasive request for action or a persuasive claim for adjustment, this chapter provides

guidance for writing messages effectively. Guidelines for writing promotional messages for

social media and mobile devices are also addressed. Finally, the chapter provides strategies for

maintaining high ethical and legal standards in persuasive and marketing messages. Studying and

applying the suggestions in this chapter will assist writers in creating effective persuasive

messages.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Persuasive Messages

Step 1: Planning Persuasive Messages

Analyzing the Situation

Gathering Information

Selecting the Right Combination of Medium and Channel

Organizing Your Information

Step 2: Writing Persuasive Messages

Step 3: Completing Persuasive Messages

Developing Persuasive Business Messages

Framing Your Arguments

Balancing the Three Types of Persuasive Appeals

Reinforcing Your Position

Anticipating Objections

Avoiding Common Mistakes in Persuasive Communication

Common Examples of Persuasive Business Messages

Persuasive Requests for Action

Persuasive Presentation of Ideas

Persuasive Claims and Requests for Adjustments

Developing Marketing and Sales Messages

Planning Marketing and Sales Messages

Writing Conventional Marketing and Sales Messages

Writing Promotional Messages for Social Media

Creating Promotional Messages for Mobile Devices

Maintaining High Ethical and Legal Standards

The Future of Communication: Gestural Computing

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What’s Your Prediction?

Chapter Review and Activities

TEACHING NOTES

Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Persuasive Messages

Persuasion is the attempt to change your audience’s attitudes, beliefs, or actions.

It may seem like a specialized skill that is required only by salespeople or marketing specialists,

but virtually all business professionals can benefit from knowing how to apply persuasive

Many good ideas go unnoticed and good products go unsold simply because the messages meant

to promote them aren’t compelling enough to be heard above the competitive noise. Creating

successful persuasive messages in these challenging situations demands careful attention to all

four tasks in the planning step:

1. Analyzing the Situation

The best persuasive messages are closely connected to your audience’s desires and

interests. Consider these important questions when planning your message:

• Who is my audience?

• What are my audience members’ needs?

• What do I want them to do? How might they resist?

• Are there alternative positions I need to examine?

• What does the decision maker consider to be the most important issue?

• How might the organization’s culture influence my strategy?

2. Gathering Information

When you’ve finished analyzing your situation, the next step is to gather the necessary

3. Selecting the Right Combination of Medium and Channel

Media choices are always important, of course, but these decisions are particularly

4. Organizing Your Information

Most persuasive messages use an indirect approach. Explain your reasons and build

interest before asking for a decision or action. The choice of approach is influenced by

your position (or authority within the organization) relative to your audience’s.

When writing your message you should:

Persuasive messages are often unexpected or even unwelcome, so the “you” attitude is crucial.

Some of the best ways to gain credibility include:

• Using simple language

• Providing objective evidence for the claims and promises you make

When completing persuasive messages, you must make sure that you:

• Judge your argument objectively and try not to overestimate your credibility.

• Carefully match the purpose and organization to audience needs.

Developing Persuasive Business Messages

One’s success in business is related to an ability to convince others to accept new ideas, change

old habits, or act on your recommendations.

Persuasive business messages are designed to elicit a preferred response in a nonsales situation.

Effective persuasion involves four strategies:

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When framing a persuasive argument, effective businesspeople use the AIDA model:

• Attention. Your first objective is to encourage your audience to want to hear about your

problem, idea, or new product—whatever your main idea is. Be sure to find some

common ground on which to build your case.

When using the AIDA model, you can:

• Use either the indirect or the direct approach (though it is tailor-made for the indirect

approach).

• Make subject lines interesting without revealing your proposal.

There are two limitations to the AIDA model:

Persuasive communication is based on three types of appeals:

Ethos—the ethical dimension, particularly your credibility as the writer.

Pathos—appeals to emotion.

Logos—argumentation based on logic and evidence.

The ethos element of persuasion depends on how much trust your readers or listeners have in

your expertise, character, and reliability. Within the message itself, you have the task of

balancing emotional and logical appeals.

An emotional appeal calls on feelings or audience sympathies.

Remember that people need to find rational support for an attitude they’ve already embraced

emotionally; therefore, to be truly effective, emotional appeals should be accompanied by logical

appeals.

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• Deduction: reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion.

• Analogy: reasoning from specific evidence to specific evidence.

Be sure to avoid faulty logic, especially the following:

• Hasty generalizations: have plenty of evidence before drawing conclusions.

• Circular reasoning: supporting claims by restating them using different words.

After the basic elements are complete, consider how you can reinforce your position. If you

choose to use vivid language and abstractions, do so carefully and honestly. You also should

consider using metaphors and other figures of speech.

If you’re addressing a hostile audience, be sure to present all sides of the situation and present

other options before your own. Try to involve your audience in the design of your solution.

When developing your persuasive message, avoid these common mistakes:

• Using a hard sell

• Resisting compromise

Common Examples of Persuasive Business Messages

When writing persuasive requests for action, you want to:

• Begin with an attention-getting device (showing readers you know something of their

concerns).

• Give facts, explain benefits, and enhance your appeal in the interest and desire sections.

When writing persuasive requests for action, your goals are to gain credibility (for yourself and

your request) and make your readers believe that helping you will indeed help solve a significant

problem.

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Some persuasive messages aren’t action-oriented; you might need to change attitudes or beliefs

about particular topics. At times, you may need to be persuasive in presenting your ideas to get

audiences to change attitudes or beliefs immediately without asking them to decide or do

• Introducing new brands to the public

• Encouraging customers to visit websites for more information

Sales messages make a specific request for people to place an order for a particular product or

service.

Basic strategies to consider when planning marketing and sales messages:

• Assessing audience needs

As with every other business message, successful marketing and sales messages start with an

understanding of audience needs.

When writing conventional marketing and sales messages, the AIDA model (or some variation

of it) is often used. Here are the key points of using the AIDA model for these messages:

• Getting the reader’s attention

Writing Promotional Messages for Social Media

Conversation marketing occurs when companies initiate and facilitate conversations in a

networked community of customers, journalists, bloggers, and other interested parties.

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To write persuasive messages for social media, follow these guidelines:

• Facilitate community building.

• Listen at least as much as you talk.

Creating Promotional Messages for Mobile Devices

Companies today are emphasizing mobile marketing because mobile devices play such a large

role in consumer buying behavior. Smartphone owners use their devices to search for product

reviews, find stores/services, look for coupons/promotions, do in-store price comparisons.

Successful promotional messages aimed at mobile audiences should be:

Maintaining High Ethical and Legal Standards

Because the concept of persuasion is often associated with dishonesty and unethical practices,

you must strive for high ethical standards to overcome this stigma.

The best businesspeople make persuasion a positive activity, influencing the members of their

audience by:

Pay close attention to the following legal aspects of marketing and sales communication:

▪ Marketing and sales messages must be truthful and nondeceptive.

▪ You must back up your claims with evidence.

▪ “Bait and switch” advertising is illegal.

Before launching a marketing or sales campaign, make sure you are up to date on the latest

regulations on spam (unsolicited bulk mail), customer privacy, and data security.

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THE FUTURE OF COMMUNICAITON: GESTURAL COMPUTING

The aim of gestural computing is to let users control computers and other digital devices through

OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES STUDENTS OFTEN FACE

The limited business experience of many students will increase the challenge of writing effective

persuasive messages. Conducting a careful audience analysis will be essential as students prepare

to write the messages that this chapter focuses on. Remind students again of the importance of all

establish their own credibility. Discuss with students why credibility becomes important in

persuasive messages, and refer them to some of the ways the chapter suggests to do this.

Most students will have experience with persuasive arguments that focus almost entirely on

emotional appeals. However, they will need to modify this approach when writing persuasive

messages. Emphasize that most persuasive messages need a balance between emotional and

closing paragraph should motivate the audience to action. Provide plenty of examples of

ineffective and effective persuasive messages to illustrate your points.

Assist students in differentiating between selling points (for example, product or service

features) and benefits (that is, advantages the audience will realize). Point out the differences in

sample chapter documents or in documents you pull from your files.

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Students will often question how persuasive claims and requests for adjustment differ from the

claim letters they prepared as routine letters (Chapter 7). When discussing these letters, point out

differences in the examples.

Legality and ethics issues always present challenges in the study of persuasive writing. Involve

students in a discussion of how consumers can be deceived and what legal and ethical

responsibilities the advertiser has. Emphasize the fact that sales letters are considered legally

binding documents in many states.

SUGGESTED CLASSROOM EXERCISES

1. Examining persuasive sales messages. A week before you present this chapter, ask students

to bring in samples of persuasive advertising materials they receive in the mail. Also be sure

2. Learning how business writers prepare successful persuasive messages. Invite someone from

an advertising firm to visit the class and share insights on the art of persuasion in written

3. Writing an ineffective persuasive message. Invite students to come up with a product or

service they can write about. Instruct them to write the worst persuasive message they can

4. Critiquing persuasive requests for action and persuasive claims. Provide students with

examples of persuasive messages that are not well organized. Guide students through a

5. Writing effective message components. Students often benefit from exercises requiring them

to write only a portion of a complete message. Provide a variety of scenarios. Instruct

6. Writing persuasive messages. Assign students to write persuasive requests, persuasive

claims, and sales letters. Provide your own scenarios or select from the cases at the end of the

chapter. Students should work at computers (if available) to facilitate writing, rewriting, and

7. Some quick research on spam. Ask students to check the laws in the state they reside in

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

9-1. Demographics include characteristics such as age, gender, occupation, income, and

9-3. Emotional appeals address human feelings by basing the argument on audience needs or

9-4. Three types of reasoning that work in logical appeals are analogy (reasoning from specific

9.2; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)

9-6. Promotional messages aimed at mobile audiences need to be short, simple, and easy to

respond to. The mobile experience needs to be fast and straightforward. Mobile users are

often time-constrained, and they will quickly abandon websites that don’t load quickly or

are confusing to navigate. (LO 9.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)

APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE

9-7. Persuasive messages are sent to people who are displeased, uninterested, unwilling, and

even hostile; therefore, identifying audience needs and having a specific purpose are

9-8. Answers to starred discussion items not provided.

9-9. Starting a promotional message immediately with a call to action would not result in the

best possible outcome. Promotional messages should include planning steps to ensure that

9-11. Answers to starred discussion items not provided.

PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS

Exercises for Perfecting Your Writing

9-12. The email gets the reader’s attention with a provocative question. (LO 9.2; AACSB Tag:

Written and oral communication)

9-14. The subject line is relevant and effective because it addresses the issue of competing with

9-15. The writer establishes credibility by using simple language and supporting his claims. (LO

9-16. The writer appeals on an emotional level by focusing on the frustration the company is

9-17. The reader benefits are gaining a unique value proposition and getting out of bean

sourcing.(LO 9.2; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)

9-18. The writer reinforces his position with strong word choices (the endless challenges, its

9-20. Imagine, a Meal That Everyone Likes! (LO 9.2; AACSB Tag: Written and oral

communication)

9-22. Original sentence focuses on features. Revision to focus on benefits: Clean-up is easy

9-23. Original sentence focuses on benefits. (LO 9.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral

9-24. Original sentence focuses on benefits. (LO 9.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral

communication)

Activities

9-25. Whatever suggestions the students offer, they should specifically reference guidelines for

effective persuasive messages and the advice in Chapter 6 on successful podcasting. (LO

9-26. The message is vague and unprofessional overall. In addition, it exhibits the following

problems:

2. The last sentence of the first paragraph insults the reader.

4. The writer’s general complaints have nothing to do with the claim.

6. The point of the message is almost entirely lost.

Here is a revised version of the message:

Dear Customer Service Representative:

On June 1, 2015, I purchased a multimedia PC display (model KX-4200) from you.

9-27. This message suffers from poor organization. The writer has used a threatening phrase in

the subject line and bluntly finds fault with the reader’s company in the second paragraph

and elsewhere in the letter. The rude tone evident throughout the letter will not convince

the reader to take action. The writer needs to follow the basic AIDA model. The action the

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presenting hard-hitting facts about the dangers of ETS. Detail specific costs to CMSI, both

human and financial, which could become Kukyendahl’s liability. Be careful not to make

threats, but mention legal precedents as one of the strongest benefits of compliance.

Request specific action with a tone of positive expectation. Provide contact information,

and end with another cost benefit.

Here is a revised version of the letter:

CMSI

Contract Management Services, Inc.

3638 University Blvd., Suite 302, Houston, Texas 77005-3396

(832) 768-3899 fax: (832) 768-3803 www.cmsi.com

March 22, 2019

Mr. Robert Bechtold, Manager

Kukyendahl Joint, Inc.

88 North Park Road

Group A toxins is safe. ETS is linked to many forms of cancer, including lung, breast,

cervical, and endocrine.

We lost one of our top-producing employees last week when she had to quit because the

smoke was reactivating her childhood asthma. This loss is a serious blow to our bottom

line. Another of our employees is in a high-risk category for heart attack, which has also

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related court cases in which landlords and owners were held responsible for providing

toxin-free air for their tenants. In most of these cases, owners were also required to

reimburse rents and pay damages for the harm done before the problem was remedied.

Please resolve this problem immediately. Please provide us with healthy air, refund the

9-28. This message reflects poor organization and a “we” attitude. The following problems are

also evident:

2. The second sentence is blunt, as is the tone of the rest of the letter.

4. Imperative sentences are rude when making requests.

6. Writing may not be the most effective way to get the needed information.

Here is a revised version of the letter:

We appreciate your business this past year. As any of our repeat customers will tell you,

your satisfaction is our goal. To help us serve you even better, please take a moment to