BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER 8: PERSUASIVE MESSAGE

Instructor: Tram Nguyen
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

• Outline the structures of a persuasive message

• Write effective persuasive messages to (1) request favors and
action, (2) make reasonable claims and write successful
complaints and (3) announce information within organizations.
• Apply the persuasive strategy and AIDA model to sales letters
• Understand how businesses embrace social media to
communicate with their stakeholders
 TIME FOR TEAMWORKING WITH LEO!

1. Watch it again from 0:00 – 0:40

- What idea was used to begin the speech?
- Why did Leo choose to start the speech that way?
- Which problem was introduced after that?
2. Watch it again from 0:42 – 2:15
- Why did he talk about China, India, America, Greenland and the
Artic?
- How did he relate the problem of climate change to his
audience?
3. Watch the last part from 2:15 – 3:40
- What techniques did he use to involve the audience into taking
action?
- What did he say to establish a sense of urgency?
 WHEN DO YOU NEED TO BE
PERSUASIVE?

believe accept act

WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGE: 6 PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES

1. Establish credibility 2. Make a reasonable, specific 3. Tie facts to benefits

• Show that you are truthful,
experienced, and
knowledgeable.
• Use others’ expert opinions and
research to support your
position.
request • Line up plausible support such as
• Make your request realistic, statistics, reasons, and analogies.
doable, and attainable. • Convert the supporting facts into
• Be clear about your objective. specific audience benefits.

4. Recognize the power of loss 5. Expect and overcome
• Show what others stand to lose if resistance
they don’t agree. • Anticipate opposition from
• Know that people dread losing conflicting beliefs, values, and
something they already possess attitudes.
• Be prepared to counter with
well-reasoned arguments and
facts.
6. Share solutions and
compromise
• Be flexible and aim for a solution
that is acceptable to all parties.
• Listen to people and incorporate
their input to create buy-in.
WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGE: INDIRECT APPROACH

OPENING BODY CLOSING

ATTENTION
• Describe the problem
• Make an unexpected statement
• Suggest reader’s benefits
• Offer praise or compliments
• Ask a stimulating questions
EFFECTIVE OPENING FOR A PERSUASIVE REQUEST

1. We need a speaker for our graduation ceremony, and your

name was suggested.
2. 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
November 23?
3. You were voted by our students as the speaker they would
most like to hear at their coming graduation ceremony.
WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGE: INDIRECT APPROACH

OPENING BODY CLOSING

INTEREST
• Explain the purposes
• Prove its merit
• Use evidences
• Focus on the readers’ benefits
• Reduce resistance and objections,
offer counterarguments
• Establish credibility and values
WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGE: INDIRECT APPROACH

OPENING BODY CLOSING

ACTION
• Ask for a particular action, with
deadline if possible
• Make it easy to take
• Show courtesy, respect and gratitude
 Subject: Saving time and money on copying
Dear Mr. Samuel,
Example: Message to persuade your manager

1. Subject describes topic without revealing

the request
2. The first paragraph summarizing the
problems to catch attention
3. The message proves credibility of request
with facts and figures
4. The third paragraph provided more
benefits
5. Office space and the staff was mentioned
to counter possible resistance
6. Being helpful + repeating main benefits
with motivation to act quickly
Example: Message to persuade Mr. Mosher to complete a survey on salary
BUSINESS LETTER
- Letterhead
- Dateline
- Inside address
- Message’s content
- Complementary close
- Signature
STRATEGY FOR PERSUASIVE SALES MESSAGE: AIDA MODEL
STRATEGY FOR PERSUASIVE SALES MESSAGE: AIDA MODEL

ATTENTION (A):
• Spark audience’s curiosity
• Offer something valuable,
benefits
• Ask an open-ended suggestive
questions
• Startling statements

Opener should be short, honest,

relevant and stimulating.
Make it eye-catching and
provocative
STRATEGY FOR PERSUASIVE SALES MESSAGE: AIDA MODEL

INTEREST (I):
Rational appeal:
Reason, intellect, practical benefits

Emotional appeal:
Status, ego, sensual feeling

Dual appeal
= Rational appeal + emotional appeal
STRATEGY FOR PERSUASIVE SALES MESSAGE: AIDA MODEL

DESIRE (D):
Elicit desire in the receivers and
overcome resistance

Testimonials
Name of satisfied users
Money-back guarantee or warranty
Free trial or sample
Performance test, polls, awards
When price is an obstacle, translate it
into key selling points
STRATEGY FOR PERSUASIVE SALES MESSAGE: AIDA MODEL

ACTION (A):

Make the reader take action

Offer a gift
Promise an incentive
Limit the offer
Set a deadline
Guarantee satisfaction
REQUESTING FAVOURS AND ACTIONS

- Requests for time, money, information, special privileges,

and cooperation require persuasion.

- Requests may be granted IF the receivers

• Are 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."
PERSUADING WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION

GAIN ATTENTION
▪ Use one of the following techniques:
▪ Make the reader aware of a problem.
▪ Use a startling statement.
▪ Provide a significant fact related to the request.
▪ Describe possible benefits.
▪ Ask a stimulating question.
▪ Offer compliments.
▪ Establish credibility but don’t pull rank.
PERSUADING WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION

BUILD INTEREST
▪ Use facts, statistics, examples, and details to build a solid
foundation for your request.
▪ Strive for a personal but professional tone.
▪ Soften your words when persuading upwards.
PERSUADING WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION

GENERATE DESIRE
▪ Recognize any weakness in your proposal and suggest well-
reasoned counter-arguments.
▪ In requests flowing downward, avoid sounding preachy,
parental, or overly authoritarian.
PERSUADING WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION

MOTIVATE ACTION
▪ State a specific request including a deadline, if appropriate.
▪ Suggest ways to make the response effortless and painless.
▪ Repeat a major benefit.
▪ Include an incentive or reason to act.
▪ Express appreciation, if appropriate.
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES IN HIGH-CONTEXT CULTURES

Indirectness

Collectivist Politeness
view
High-Context
Cultures

Relationship Soft-Sell
appeal, long-term Approach
goal
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES IN LOW-CONTEXT CULTURES

Directness

“You” Superlatives
view
Low-Context
Cultures

Short-term Hard-Sell
goal Approach