Session06: Persuasive Messages & 5-Year Plans Dr. Mark H. Mortensen Sections 213 and 212 M & W2:00 to 3:15 3:30 to 4:45 Manning School of Business

Session06:Persuasive Messages & 5-Year Plans

Dr. Mark H. MortensenSections 213 and 212M & W 2:00 to 3:15

3:30 to 4:45

Manning School of Business

Mortensen Consulting Group

Session 6

Bring Assignment 5 (you in 5 years) to class (turn in at the end).

Have Read: Anything in HBR Guide to Better Business Writing you did not read yet.

Workshop: Reading our “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years” pieces

Discussion: Persuasive writing and speaking


Writing Plan for a Persuasive RequestWriting Plan for a Persuasive Request

Body Closing

Capture the reader’s attention.

Describe a problem, state something unexpected, suggest reader benefits, offer praise or compliments, or ask a stimulating question.

Opening


Build interest. Explain logically and

concisely the purpose of the request.

Prove its merit. Use facts, statistics,

and expert opinion.

Reduce resistance. Anticipate objections. Offer counterarguments. Establish credibility. Demonstrate competence. Show the value of your

proposal.


Opening Body Closing


Opening Body

Motivate action. Ask for a particular action. Make it easy to respond. Show courtesy, respect, and

gratitude.

Closing



Requesting Favors and Actions

When is persuasion necessary?

Requests for time, money, information, special privileges, and cooperation require persuasion.

© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / ZSOLT NYULASZI


Requesting Favors and Actions

Why are requests granted? Requests may be granted because the

receiversare genuinely interested in your project.see benefits for others.expect goodwill potential for themselves. feel obligated as professionals to contribute

their time or expertise to "pay their dues."


Persuasive Favor RequestBefore and After Revision

Adobe Acrobat Document


Original Letter RevisedLetter


Persuading Within Organizations

Persuading subordinates Instructions or directives moving downward

usually require little persuasion. However, persuasion may be necessary togenerate “buy-in”ask workers to perform outside their work

rolesaccept changes not in their best interests.


Persuading Within Organizations

Persuading the boss

In requests moving upwardprovide evidence.don’t ask for too much.use words such as “suggest” and

“recommend.” Sentences should sound nonthreatening,

for example, “It might be a good idea if....”


Persuasive Memo Before Revision

Open memoby clicking

icon at right.



Open revised memo by clicking

icon at right.

Persuasive MemoAfter Revision



1. To the vice president: As an employee who can never find a parking place, I want you to know that we must change the method of assigning spaces.

2. To all employees: Because of our concern for the health and wellbeing of employees, we are considering a wellness program with considerable incentives to those who participate.

3. About 15 months ago your smooth-talking salesperson seduced us into buying your Model RX copier, which has been nothing but trouble ever since.

Good and Bad Openings for Persuasive RequestsWhich of the following openings are effective?


1. To the vice president: As an employee who can never find a parking place, I want you to know that we must change the method of assigning spaces.

2. To all employees: Because of our concern for the health and wellbeing of employees, we are considering a wellness program with considerable incentives to those who participate.

3. About 15 months ago your smooth-talking salesperson seduced us into buying your Model RX copier, which has been nothing but trouble ever since.



4. We need a speaker for our graduation ceremony, and your name was suggested.

5. We realize that you are an extremely busy individual and that you must be booked up months in advance, but would it be possible for you to speak at our graduation ceremony June 7?

6. You were voted by our students as the speaker they would most like to hear at graduation on June 7.



4. We need a speaker for our graduation ceremony, and your name was suggested.

5. We realize that you are an extremely busy individual and that you must be booked up months in advance, but would it be possible for you to speak at our graduation ceremony June 7?

6. You were voted by our students as the speaker they would most like to hear at graduation on June 7.



Ineffective Favor Request

Open letterby clickingicon at left

Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Document


Improved Favor Request

Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Document Open revised

letter by clicking icon at left.


Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments (Complaint Letters)Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments (Complaint Letters)

Avoid sounding angry, emotional, or irrational.

Begin with a compliment, point of agreement, statement of the problem, or a brief review of action you have taken to resolve the problem.

Provide identifying data. Explain why the receiver is responsible.


Enclose document copies supporting your claim.

Appeal to the receiver's fairness, ethical and legal responsibilities, and desire for customer satisfaction.

Describe your feelings and your disappointment.

Close by telling exactly what you want done.

Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments (Complaint Letters)Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments (Complaint Letters)


Examine This EffectiveClaim Request (Complaint Letter)

Open letter by clicking

icon at right.



Ineffective Complaint Letter

Open letterby clickingicon at left



Improved Complaint Letter

Open revised letter by clicking

icon at left.



AIDA Writing Plan for a Sales LetterAIDA Writing Plan for a Sales Letter

Body Closing

Capture the ATTENTION of the reader.

Offer something valuable, promise a benefit, ask a question, provide a quotation, and so forth.

Opening

Attention Interest Desire Action


Gaining AttentionGaining Attention1. Offer

Take your old cell phones to one of our collection centers, and we'll recycle it and donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.

2. BenefitYou'll help our environment and help your neighbors in the process.


Gaining AttentionGaining Attention3. Question

Microsoft has evolved. Have you?

4. Quotation or proverbOpportunity seldom knocks twice.

5. Related factA virus is a computer program written to perform malicious tasks.


Gaining AttentionGaining Attention6. Testimonial

"I never stopped eating, yet I lost 107 pounds."—Tina Rivers, Greenwood, South Carolina

7. Startling Statement

Drunk drivers injure or cripple more than 500,000 victims every year.


Opening Closing

Build INTEREST.

Emphasize a central selling point. Make rational and emotional appeals.

Body


Build INTEREST.

Emphasize a central selling point. Make rational and emotional appeals.

To learn more, click icon:Microsoft Office

PowerPoint 97-2003 Pres



Elicit DESIRE.

To reduce resistance, use testimonials, money-back guarantees, free samples, performance tests, or other techniques.

To learn more, click icon: Microsoft Office PowerPoint 97-2003 Pres

Elicit DESIRE.

To reduce resistance, use testimonials, money-back guarantees, free samples, performance tests, or other techniques.



Motivate ACTION.

Offer a gift, promise an incentive, limit the offer, set a deadline, or guarantee satisfaction. Include a P.S. with a special inducement.




Checklist for Analyzing a Sales LetterChecklist for Analyzing a Sales Letter

At what audience is the letter aimed? Is the appeal emotional or rational? Is the

appeal effective? Is the opening effective? What techniques capture the reader's

attention? Is a central selling point emphasized? Does the letter emphasize reader benefits?


How does the letter build interest in the product or service?

How is price introduced? How does the letter anticipate reader

resistance and offer counterarguments? What action is to be taken and how is the

reader motivated to take that action? What motivators spur the reader to act

quickly?

Checklist for Analyzing a Sales LetterChecklist for Analyzing a Sales Letter


Example of an Effective Sales Letter

Open letter by clicking

icon at right.



Writing Successful Online Sales Messages Communicate only

with those who have given permission!

Craft a catchy subject line.

Keep the main information "above the fold."

Make the message short, conversational, and focused.

Convey urgency. Sprinkle testimonials

throughout the copy. Provide a means for

opting out.


Next Class (Monday)Session 7

7 Oct.

Bring Assignments 6 and 7 to class (turn them in at the end). Have Read: HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations – pages 1-18 Workshop: Reading out loud Assignment 6. Discussion: Public speaking basics.

Write one page on your long-term career aspirations. Turn in a hard copy. Due next class. Dream a little, but keep away from complete flights of fancy, please. This is a typical question that a recruiter would ask you during a job interview.

Assignment 6

Assignment 7 Find an article in a business magazine or news web site that you thought was interesting. Summarize the article in a few paragraphs for your peers in this class. E-mail your summary to me at [email protected] before the next class. It will be shared with the class.


ProfComm – Fall 2013

Documents

Session06: Persuasive Messages & 5-Year Plans Dr. Mark H. Mortensen Sections 213 and 212 M & W2:00 to 3:15 3:30 to 4:45 Manning School of Business