Transcript Lecture 8: Persuasive Messages

Lecture 7:
Persuasive Messages
Persuasive Messages
I. Preparing to write a persuasive message
A. Appealing to the audience’s needs
B. Appealing to emotion and logic
C. Appealing to the credibility
II. Organizing the message
A.
B.
C.
D.
Attention
Interest
Desire
Action
(A)
(I)
(D)
(A)
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Persuasive Messages
III. Writing a successful persuasive
request
A.
Sample letter
IV. Writing sales letters
A.
B.
C.
Stage I: Prewriting
Stage II: Preparing the copy
Stage III: Writing persuasive messages
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Appealing to the Audience’s Needs
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:
Self-actualization
Esteem and status
Social
Safety and security
Physiological (survival)
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Appeal to Emotion and Logic

People respond emotionally when their needs
are not being met.

Persuasion aims to arouse desirable
emotions and diminish undesirable ones.

Logic provides justification for and reinforces
emotional decisions.
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Appeal to Credibility
Appeal to credibility
through facts
Testimonials
 Documents
 Guarantees
 Statistics
Research results
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
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Organizing the Message
Attention (A)
Spark audience’s curiosity
Avoid extravagant claims and irrelevancies
Interest (I)
Relate message to audience’s needs
Provide factual description of item or service
Mention benefits to audience
Desire (D)
Provide evidence to back claims
Draw attention to enclosures
Build audience’s willingness to take action
Action (A)
State desired action
Summarize benefits
Make action easy
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Writing A Successful Persuasive
Request
Has your company ever lost a valued
employee to another organization that offered
20 percent more in salary for the same
position? Have you ever added a unique job
title but had no idea what compensation the
position demanded?
Gains attention with
two short questions
that suggest problems
the reader knows
To remain competitive in hiring and to retain
qualified workers, companies rely on survey
data showing current salaries. My
organization collects such data, and we need
your help. Would you be willing to complete
the enclosed questionnaire so that we can
supply companies like yours with accurate
salary data?
Discusses a benefit
that lead directly to
the frank request for
help. Notice that the
request is coupled with
a reader's benefit.
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Writing A Successful Persuasive
Request (cont’d)
Your information, of course, will be treated
confidentially. The questionnaire takes about
a few moments to complete, and it can
provide substantial dividends for professional
organizations that need comparative salary
data.
Anticipates and
counters resistance to
confidentiality and
time/ effort objections
To show our gratitude for your participation,
we will send you comprehensive salary
surveys for your industry and your
metropolitan area. Not only will you find basic
salaries, you'll also learn about bonus and
incentive plans, special pay differences,
expense reimbursements, perquisites such as
a company car and credit card, and special
payments like beeper pay.
Offers free salary data
as a direct benefit.
Describes the benefit
in detail to strengthen
its appeal.
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Writing A Successful Persuasive
Request (cont’d)
Comparative salary data are impossible to
provide without the support of professionals
like you. Please complete the questionnaire
and return it in the prepaid envelope before
November 1, our fall deadline. You will no
longer be in the dark about how much your
employees earn compared with others in your
industry.
Appeals to
professionalism.
Motivates action with
a deadline and a final
benefit that relates to
the opening questions.
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Writing Sales Letters
Stage 1: Prewriting Stage
1. Determining selling points and benefits
 Identify selling points and the potential buyers
 Selling points: the most attractive features
 Consumer benefits: particular advantages
 Identify product features:
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Product identity: Performance features
Product life span: Effectiveness
Competing products: Manufacturing process
Packaging; Product history
Product image; Distribution; Market position
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
2. Defining audience
 Demographic characteristics: age, gender,
occupation, income, education
 Psychographic characteristics: personality, attitude,
life-style
3. Planning format and approach
 Letter, brochure, sample, response card
 Graphics: type style, color, logos
 Number of pages in sales letter
 Overall makeup of campaign: Mailing, telephone
or in-person follow-up
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
Stage 2: Preparing the Copy
1. Attention-getting format devices
 Genuine news: In the past 60 days, auto
manufacturers’ inventories have shrunk by 12
percent.
 Emotions & values: The only thing worse than
paying taxes is paying taxes when you don’t have
to.
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
2. Emphasizing the central selling point
(Application Letter)
 Focus on the single most important feature
 Determine the central selling point by asking:



What does competitor offer?
What is special about your product?
What are potential buyers really looking for?
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
3. Highlighting the consumer benefits
Selling points + “you” attitude = Benefits
 Mention the most important benefit near the
beginning and end of the letter
 Refer to other benefits throughout the body of the
letter
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
4. Using action terms
 The XYZ desk chair is designed to support…
 The XYZ desk chair supports…
5. Talking about the price
 Prices for similar products
 Pave the way for your price -- "economical" or
"luxurious" before mentioning the specific price
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
6. Supporting your claims
 If the price is low, compare features to the
competitor's to show relative value.
 If the price is high, stress features and benefits to
justify it.
 To de-emphasize price:
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Bury actual figures in the middle of a paragraph, near the
end of letter; after explaining selling points
Break quantity price into units
Compare favorably to some other product or activity
Types of support for product claims: samples; Brochures
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
7. Motivating action
 Mention deadline, if appropriate.
 Offer discounts, prizes, and special offers for early
orders.
 Offer free trial, unconditional guarantee.
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)
Examples (Source: Guffey, M. (1994). Business communication: Process and
product, pp. 245-246).
Stage 3: Writing Persuasive Messages

Gaining Attention (A)
 Offer: A free trip to Hawaii is just the beginning!
 Promise: Now you can raise your sales income by
50 percent or even more with the proven
techniques found in…
 Product feature: At last – a collection of
personnel forms help you both hire and manage
employees, while complying with government
regulations.
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)

Building Interest (I)
 Rational Appeal: You can buy the things you
need and want, pay household bills, pay off
higher-cost loans and credit card – as soon as you
are approved and your Credit Line account is
opened.
 Emotional Appeal: Leave the urban bustle
behind and escape to sun-soaked Bermuda! All
you need is your bathing suit, a little suntan lotion,
and your Credit-Line card to recharge your
batteries with an injection of sun and surf.
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)

Building Interest (I)
 Dual Appeal: New Credit-Line cardholders are
immediately eligible for a $ 1000 travel certificate
and additional discounts at fun-filled resorts. Save
up to 40 percent while lying on a beach in
picturesque, sun-soaked Bermuda, the year-round
resort island.
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Writing Sales Letters (cont’d)

Motivating Action (D & A)
 Offer a gift: You will receive a free calculator with
your first order.
 Promise an incentive: With every new, paid
subscription, we will plant a tree in one of
America’s Heritage Forests.
 Limit the offer: Only the first 100 customers
receive free checks.
 Set a deadline: You must act before June 1 to get
these low prices.
 Guarantee satisfaction: We will return your full
payment if you are not entirely satisfied – no
questions asked.
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~ The End ~
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