What is Persuasion?- Persuation can be defined as the abiltiy to use argument or discussion in attempting to change and individuals beliefs or actions.
Successsful persuasion results from a reasonable request, a credible soudce, and well-presented argument.
Effective Persuasion Techniques
- Establish credibility
- make a reasonable, precise request
- tie facts to benefits
- recognize the power of loss
- expect and overcome resistance
- share solutions and compromise
The Importance of Tone
- Avoid soundings preachy or parental
- don’t pull rank
- avoid making threats
- soften your words when persuading upward
- be enthusiastic
- be positive and likeable
Analying the Purpose
Persuasive messages require careful analysis of the purpose for writing. By identifying your purpose up front, you can shape the message to point towards it.
Adapting to the Audience
Effective persuasive messages focus on audience needs or goals. Concentrate on the reciever. You will be seeking to show how your request helps the reciever achieve some of lifes major goals or fulfills key needs, such as money power, comfort, confidence, importance, friends, etc.
Reasearching and Orgainizing Data
- Gain attention
- Build interest
- reduce resistance
- motivate action
Blending the Components of a Persuasive Message
The key components of a persuasive request are gaining attention, showing the worth of the proposal, overcoming resistance, and motivating action.
Gaining Attention-to grab attention, the opening statement in a persuasive request should be brief, relevant, and engaging.
- Problem description
- unexpected statement
- reader benefit
- compliement
- related fact
- stimulating questions
Building Interest
The body of a persuasive request may require several paragraphs to build interest and reduce resistance.
- Facts, statistics
- Expert opinion
- direct benefits
- examples
- specific details
- indirect benefits
Reducing Resistance
Persuasive requests reduce resistance by addressing wat if questions and establishing credibility.
Unless you anticipate resistance, you will give the reciever an easy opportunity to dimsiss your request. Another factor that reduces resistance is credibility. Recievers are less resistant if your request is reasonable and if you are believable. When the reciever does not know you, you may have to establish yoru expertise, refer to your credentials, or demonstarte your compoetence.
Moving Action
You need to inspire the reciever to act.
- Too general
- Too Timid
- Too Pushy
- Effective
Persuasive requests motivate action by specifying exactly what should be done.
Being Persuasive but Ethical
Ethical business communictors maintain credibility and respect by being honest, fair, and objective. If readers suspect that they are being manipulated or mislead or if they find any part of the argument untrue, the entire argument fails.
Persuasion becomes unethical when facts are distorted, overlooked, or manipulated with intent to decieve.
Requesting Favours and Actions
Indirect pattern is appropriate when requesting favors and action. Many individuals and companies are willing to grant requests for time, money, information, special privileges, and cooperation. They grant these favors for many reasons. They might just be interested n your project, or they may see goodwill potential for themselves. They may often comply because they see that others will benefit from the request.
Persuading Withing Organizations
Internal persuasive memos persent honest arguements detailing specific reader benefits. When selling an idea to management, writers often are successful if they make a strong case for saving money.
Remember that a successful persuasive message will typically take more space than a direct message because proving a case requires evidence. Memos begins with an attention-getter (frank description of problem), builds interest (with easy to read facts and figures), provides benefits, and reduces resistance. Conclusion tells what action is to be taken, makes it easy to respond, and repeats the main bebefit to motivate action.
Complaint Letters: Writing Persuasive Claims
Effective complaint/adjustment letters make reasonable claims backed by solid evidence.
Anger and emotion are not effective persuaders.
You should use:
- Logical Development-you might open with a sincere praise, an objective statement of the problem, a point of agreement, or a quick review of what you have done to resolve the problem. Explain percisely what happened and why your claim is legitimate. Be sure to include relavent invoices, shipping orders, warrenties, and payments.
- Moderate Tone-adjustment requests should adopt a moderate tone, appeal to the recievers sense of responsiblity, and specify needed acitons.
Tips for Writing Claim Letters and Making Complaints
- Begin with a compliment, point of agreement, statement of the problem, or a breif review of action you have taken to resolve the problem
- provide identifying data
- prove that your claim is valid; explain why the reciever is responisble
- enclose document copies supporting your claim
- appeal to the receiver fairness, ethical and legal responsibilities, and desire for customer satisfaction.
- describe your feelings and disappointment
- avoid sounding angry, emotional, or irrational
- close by telling exactly what you want done
Planning and Composing Effective Sales Messages
Write effective yet ethical sales and marketing messages.
Direct Sales Messages
Sales letters are a part of direct-mail marketing. Mail allows a personalized, tangible, three-dimensional message that is less invasive than telephone solicitations and less reviled than unsolicitated e-mail. We recieve many direct mail packages, often called “junk mail”
Studying marketing messages helps consumers become more perceptive in understanding sales strategies. Learning the techniques of sales writing helps you be more successful in any communication that requires persuasion and promotion.
Applying the 3 x 3 Writing Process to Sales Messages
Analyzing the Product and Purpose- before writing the letter, you must study the product carefully. What you can learn about the design, construction, raw materials, and manufacturing process, and about its ease of use, efficiency, durability, and applications. Be sure to consider warranties, service, price, premiums, exclusivity, and specail appeal.
Successful sales messages require research on the product or service offered and analysis of the purpose for writing.
Make sure you state the exact purpose of your letter.
98% of recievers usually toss direct mail sales letters. Response rate can be increased dramatically by targeting the audience through selected database mailing lists.
Your Primary goal i n writing a sales message is to get someone to devote a few moments of attention to it. The most effective message will a)gain attention, b) build interest c)reduce resistance d)motivate action.
Openers for sales messages shoud be brief, honest, relevant, and proactive.
Gaining Attention
- offer
- promise
- question
- quotation or proverb
- fact
- product feature
- testimonial
- starling statement
- personalized action setting
Building Interest
you should describe clearly the product or service. Use simple language. Rational appeals relfect reason and intellect. Emotional appeals reflect status, ego, and sensual feelings. Dual appeals combine reason and emotion.
Reduce Resistance
- delay mentioning price until after you have created a desire for the product
- show the price in small units, such as the price per issue of magazine
- demonstrate how the reader saves money by, for instance, subscribing for two or three years
- compare your prices with those of a competitor
- testimonials
- names of satisfied customers(with persmission)
- money back guarentte, or warranty
- free trial or sample
- performance tests, polls or award
Motivating Action
- Offera gift
- Promise an incentive
- limit the offer
- set a deadline
- guarentee satisfaction
Techniques for motivating action include offering a gift or incentive, limiting an offer, and guarenteeing satisfaction.
The final paragraph of the sales letter carries the punchline. This is where you tell the readwers what you want them to do and give them reasons for doing it. Most sales letters include postscripts because they make irresistible reading. (p.s)
Putting it all Together
Because direct mail is an expensive way to advertise, messages should present complete information in a personalized tone for specific audiences.