BSBWRT501 Learner Guide

Learner Guide:
BSBWRT501 Write persuasive copy

BSB50215 Diploma of Business
Learner Guide: BSBWRT501 Write persuasive copy
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Date Modified: July 2020
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Learner Guide: BSBWRT501 Version: v20.0 Page 2 of 62
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Contents
1. Analyse and interpret a creative brief................................................................................. 4

1.1 Analyze and confirm technique/s for expressing central idea or creative concept ..........................14
1.2 Identify and check content and supporting information for accuracy and completeness ...............35
1.3 Confirm schedule and budgetary requirements for creating copy ...................................................40
1.4 Identify legal and ethical constraints impacting copy to be developed ............................................42
2. Evaluate creative options ................................................................................................. 45

2.1 Evaluate design and copy options against requirements of the creative brief.................................47
2.2 Select option/s enabling required information and images to be communicated within time and
budgetary requirements ..........................................................................................................................49
3. Prepare persuasive copy .................................................................................................. 51

3.1 Create an original copy with impact, which sets product, service or idea being communicated
apart from the competition and competitor s promotional material.....................................................53
3.2 Create copy which communicates a required image, and features and benefits of the product,
service or idea ..........................................................................................................................................56
3.3 Create copy which meets the requirements of creative brief in terms of information, format,
language, writing style, and level of detail ..............................................................................................57
3.4 Produce copy on time and within budget .........................................................................................60
3.5 Produce copy which complies with legal, organisational and ethical requirements ........................61
1. Analyse and interpret a creative brief
Long story, short. Managers are busy, and your rambling presentation gets ignored or buried in their
daily information stream. You must understand the best methods to communicate the information to
whoever you want to communicate.
What you will learn?
If you write something for someone else to read, you will likely achieve a result. In other words, you
would like to convince the reader to do as you like. This also appears to apply to a number of
documents, such as emails, resumes, reports, advertisements and employment adverts.
The art of understanding what you want is persuasive writing, why someone else would give you it and
then ask it as efficiently and effectively as possible. This learner guide provides you with the most useful
insights into concise writing and decision-making theory.
You will learn how to:
● understand why you write, for whom you write and what answer you need to find what you
want.
● Use reason, logic and emotion to persuade your reader to tell your audience stories even in your
corporate documents.
● Understand why we make illogical decisions and how to best use these reasoning errors.
● Cut the fat off your writing and use a seven-step process to create punchy and efficient text.
● Use verbs to give your writing energy.
● Avoid common errors, including orthodoxy, punctuation and poor word choice.
● Plan and structure your writing to simplify and improve readability.
● Improve your document's look and feel via font selection, bullets, headings and graphics.
● Master types of common documents such as emails, web pages, CVs and grant offers.
● Master the dark arts of persuasion to manipulate and secure your readers when everything else
fails.
Whether it is for business or pleasure; whether you are writing the longest report or the shortest email;
this learner guide will help you to achieve the outcomes, you expect.
History of persuasive writing
Most fundamental principles are old and characterised by their

simplicity. The Ancient Greeks codified the three key elements
of persuasive appeal. Aristotle called the elements logos (logic),
pathos (emotion), and ethos (character and credibility). He
taught that effective persuasion must incorporate all three
elements. Most of the literature on persuasion today draw from
Aristotle’s work.
Aristotle said that the goal of persuasion is to…
● Convince an audience that your point is valid

● Or that your point is more valid than another’s
Aristotle described three main tools for persuasion: LOGOS, PATHOS, and ETHOS.
"Of the modes of persuasion furnished by the spoken word there are three kinds. The first kind
depends on the personal character of the speaker [ethos]; the second on putting the audience
into a certain frame of mind [pathos]; the third on the proof, or apparent proof, provided by the
words of the speech itself [logos]. Persuasion is achieved by the speaker's personal character
when the speech is so spoken as to make us think him credible." ~ Aristotle
Logos means logic (appeal to logic). It is a way of persuading an audience with reason, using facts and
figures.
● Facts
● Numbers
Example: Pesticides contain chemicals, like arsenic, that destroy the nervous system.
Other examples:
Using logos means reasoning with your audience, providing them with facts and statistics, or making
historical and literal analogies:
● "The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even
in spite of market declines in other areas."
● "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: we have not only the fingerprints, but the lack of an alibi, a
clear motive, and an also expressed desire to commit the robbery… We also have video of the
suspect breaking in. The case could not be more open and shut."
● "It's a matter of common sense that people deserve to be treated equally. The Constitution calls
it 'self-evident.' Why, then, should I have been denied a seat because of my disability?"
● "More than one hundred peer-reviewed studies have been conducted over the past decade, and
none of them suggests that this is an effective treatment for hair loss."
● "History has shown time and again that absolute power corrupts absolutely."
● "Private demand for the product has tapered off for the past three years, and this year's sales
figures are at an all-time low. It's time to research other options."
● "The algorithms have been run in a thousand different ways, and the math continues to check
out."
● "You won't find any deer along this road. In 25 years of driving the same route, I haven't seen a
single one."
● "He has a track record of success with this company, culminating in some of our most acclaimed
architecture to date and earning us Firm of the Year nine times in a row."
● "Research compiled by analysts from NASA, as well as organizations from five other nations with
space programs, suggests that a moon colony is viable with international support."
● "Veterinarians say that a German Shepherd will are the perfect match for people with active
lifestyles."
● "Doctors all over the world recommend this type of treatment."
Pathos means emotion (appeal to emotion). It is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by
creating an emotional response to an impassioned plea or a convincing story.
● Feelings/emotions
● Biases (prejudice or stereotypes)

Example: A teenager tries to convince his parents to buy him a new car, as the old one continually
breaks down, by saying if they cared about their child's safety they'd upgrade him.
Other examples:
Examples of pathos can be seen in the language that draws out feelings such as pity or anger in an
audience:
● "If we don't move soon, we're all going to die! Can't you see how dangerous it would be to
stay?"
● "I'm not just invested in this community - I love every building, every business, every hard-
working member of this town."
● "There's no price that can be placed on peace of mind. Our advanced security systems will
protect the well-being of your family so that you can sleep soundly at night."
● "Where would we be without this tradition? Ever since our forefathers landed at Plymouth Rock,
we've celebrated Thanksgiving without fail, making more than cherished recipes. We've made
memories."
● "They've worked against everything we've worked so hard to build, and they don't care who
gets hurt in the process. Make no mistake, they're the enemy, and they won't stop until we're
all destroyed."
● "Don't be the last person on the block to have their lawn treated - you don't want to be the
laughingstock of your community!"
● "You should consider another route if you leave later. I heard that that street is far more
dangerous and ominous at night than during the daytime."
● "You'll make the right decision because you have something that not many people do: you have
a heart."
● "After years of this type of disrespect from your boss, countless hours wasted, birthdays
missed… it's time that you took a stand."
● "Better men than us have fought and died to preserve this great nation. Now is our turn to
return the favour. For God and country, gentlemen!"
● "You will never be satisfied in life if you don't seize this opportunity. Do you want to live the rest
of your years' yearning to know what would have happened if you just jumped when you had
the chance?"
Ethos (sometimes called an appeal to ethics), then, is used as a means of convincing an audience via the
authority or credibility of the persuader, be it a notable or experienced figure in the field or even a
popular celebrity.
Other examples:
Ethos can be shown in your speech or writing by sounding fair and demonstrating your expertise or
pedigree:
● "As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you that this course of treatment will likely generate the best
results."
● "My three decades of experience in public service, my tireless commitment to the people of this
community, and my willingness to reach across the aisle and cooperate with the opposition,
make me the ideal candidate for your mayor."
● "If my years as a Marine taught me anything, it's that caution is the best policy in this sort of
situation."
● "You know me - I've taught Sunday School at your church for years, babysat your children, and
served as a playground director for many summers - so you know I can run your preschool."
● "Our expertise in roofing contracting is evidenced not only by our 50 years in the business and
our staff of qualified technicians but in the decades of satisfied customers who have come to
expect nothing but the best."
● "He is a forensics and ballistics expert for the federal government - if anyone's qualified to
determine the murder weapon, it's him."
● "Based on the dozens of archaeological expeditions I've made all over the world, I am confident
that those potsherds are Mesopotamian in origin."
● "If my age doesn't convince you that I know what I'm talking about, at least consider that I am
your grandfather and I only want the best for you."
● "If you're still unsure, please consider that my advanced degree and fieldwork speak for
themselves."
ASSESS YOURSELF
Have you ever wanted to be more charming? You know, like someone who knows instinctively how to
get the right people right at the right time?
The reality is that we must all get along with people, be it at work or at home–so it really pays off to
persuasively express your opinions if necessary.
Take work, for example–you may not know it, but irrespective of your official job title–it is likely that you
will often have to sell your' sights' or yourself for this purpose. Simple things such as "asking for a day
off" or "to update your boss" require a selling component.
And the most important part of sales is the ability to be' persuasive,' to present your case in a
favourable light that will bring you the best result. Let's face it–the more people around you can'
influence' the more they can achieve in life.
The report is one of the most underused persuasion methods. Many people do it naturally, while others
unwittingly act in ways that "break" relationship and create adverse reactions. A large element of the
relationship is the language of the body. Our body language will subconsciously build deeper
relationships with those we naturally watch and weaken links to others with which we may or may not
be intimidated. How can you gain skills in order to be more persuasive?
Be Persuasive
Understanding the different aspects of rhetoric will make you more aware of what goes into creating a
persuasive argument. The examples of ethos, logos, and pathos above should also help you construct
your own arguments or appeals.
Creative brief
A creative brief is a document that explains the

ins and outs of a project for the creative team,
agency, or designer who'll be working on it.
Think of it as a blueprint for your project that
not only helps the creative team but also will
help you as you shape the overall strategy and
goals for the project.
Although it takes a while for a solid creative

brief to develop, it will be worth helping to
ensure that the products you receive meet your
expectations and business needs. To say
nothing, it will also make the entire process
easier and more efficient and will most likely
save you money in the long term. So take time
to carefully reflect on your project and goals
before you start work on the creative brief.
The brief can be created for format purposes in

various types of files: Word, PowerPoint presentation, PDF, Google document or Google presentation.
While you can always use the same template, you will want to create a new brief for each project and
ensure that each time you have covered and considered the critical details.
Although it's a good idea to go into details, be careful not to go in so much detail that your brief is
overwhelming. Make it informative but easy to digest.
It is also important to note that a project should not begin until you and the creative team have both
discussed and understood everything outlined in the short. It is a good idea to have a kick-off meeting to
discuss the briefing and any issues.
Key elements of the creative brief can include:
● Production needs
● Distribution channels
● SWOT analysis
● Competition
● Consumer profile
● Schedule
● Deliverables
● Market insights
● Business objectives
Analyse and interpret a creative brief
You can analyse and interpret a creative brief through several methods, few of the most important are
described below:
1. Analyse and interpret if it covers all the most important ingredients, such as:
● A short brand statement
● A brief overview of the campaign’s background and objectives.
● Key challenges that the campaign aims to resolve.
● The target audience for the campaign.
● Chief competitors.
● A primary message describing the brand’s values and market positioning.
● Communication channels on which the campaign will run.
2. Analyse and interpret if it covers all the other reasons to create a creative brief, such as:
● Ensure that all creative messages are on-brand.
● Give the creative team a broad vision of the brand, the business, and the product.
● Offer inspiration and give your team a starting point to brainstorm ideas.
● Give third-party contributors a quick understanding of the brand and its background.
● Reduce client-creative conflict by ensuring they're on the same page
● Align the client's budget and expectations with your creative media strategy
It’s always good to ask yourself:
“Are you confident that this brief will inspire a solution to our problem?”
Tools for persuasive writing
● Ethos, Logos, Pathos

● Using emotive language
● You, We, I
● FABU
● Storytelling:
● the seven basic plots
● the seven basic needs
● A persuasive writing example.
Example of a creative brief
1.1 Analyze and confirm technique/s for expressing central idea or

creative concept
OVERVIEW
Do you ever have to talk to an audience–one or several–and persuade them that what you say is worth
considering? If you do, this section of the book will provide you with the tools and techniques to assist
you.
To be most persuasive, you must have authority, show strong support and appeal to your audience's
emotions and values. Firstly, engage them, then deliver your point-of-view clearly, simply and easily. Use
some of the tricks: psychology, sound bites and visual aids to analyse, confirm and present ideas or
creative concept.
CONTEXT
If you want to advance in a career, you must mainly move from a person who does to a person who
knows. The large skill gap for successful workers who fail to make this leap is rare knowledge, ideas or
insight; it is the ability to convince others to take care of their knowledge, ideas or insights.
Persuasion is the most effective communication. It opens the minds of others to a different viewpoint. If
you can, the world is your oyster: the quality of your thought and not just how you communicate it will
begin to determine your success. You are going to be judged on your true substance... and is not that
what you really want?
WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME THAT?
If you want to persuade me, the first thing you have to persuade me is about you. I must feel you are
someone to whom I want to listen, whose ideas may be interesting and whose suggestions might be
sensitive. You must therefore quickly and effectively establish your character. If I know you already, it
can be easy–I may have an opinion, or just remember who you are. But you have to make a steady start
if I don't know you.
How do you come across?
First impressions count. Maybe they are incorrect, maybe they are shallow, maybe they should not but
we have to live the world, and the reality of our world is that people make instant judgements about all
of us. They notice any evidence that reinforces this judgment. It will take an enormous amount of
contradictory evidence to change your mind.
The best thing you can do is to lead me from the beginning to a positive assessment of you. You have to
make a strong impression on me that makes me feel sound. Many factors can contribute to this, but
especially in the toolbox of persuaders: suitable clothing that your audience will view as "just right": this
usually means that their dressing styles are broadly aligned with the same level of formality or
accidentality. Ideally, you should dress up in status half a year "above" your audience–while we love
people who are like us, we look to people who are as we want to be.
An upright, open position will send a message of trust, honesty, and authority: you should be
comfortable but not so laid back that you don't seem to worry.
Add a smile and keep a close eye on members of the audience and you will find yourself charismatically,
the indefinable trust and magnetism that draws people to you. Take a moment to pause and scan the
room and keep an eye on the members of the public. Don't be hurried to begin. This "power pause" will
make your audience feel in control and expect them to pay attention before you begin.
Your pause also contributes to your second important impact: gravitas. Silence and your willingness to
take your time will give the weight of your words. Emphasize this by deliberately slowing and calming
your voice in the most important parts of your speech. You find this is one of your greatest assets if you
can also learn to be comfortable with silence.
Another tip–which will give both charisma and gravity–is not to introduce yourself. Have someone else
introduce you instead. They will thus be the one who confirms your credibility by giving you their
backing. Thank you for your introduction, shake your hand, take the stage and then pause. Scan the
room, make eye contact and wait until everyone pays attention to you. They are now ready to be
convinced.
TIP Confidence is an important part of persuasion: if you do not seem convinced of yourself, no-one will
be influenced by you. So be sure that you know what you're talking about, have done and are prepared
for your homework. The fluency of language and natural body language that flows from good
preparations will give people trust in you... and thus in what you say.
ASSESS YOURSELF
Look in the mirror: take a moment to go to the bathroom nearest you. Stand before the mirror and look
at the person before you. Look as objective as you can. So objective. How do you see this person? What
is the manner in which they are dressed? Look at their clothes and how they hang on them: is they
crisply ironed, fully clean and fit? Now look at your posture, your eyes and your care. Finally, are they
relaxed, smiling, tense, nervous or fringing? How does the person in the mirror feel?
Are you trustworthy?
The next thing people need to know about you before they decide if they can trust you. You don't have
to do much more if you've been fortunate enough to secure an introduction from someone your
audience already trusts. But if you are to have confidence, then the best way to do that is to show your
audience that you're at their side or, better yet, that you're one: part of their tribe.
The easiest way to achieve this is to observe or tell a story that resonates strongly with your experience
at an early stage. You can see something commonplace, for instance, and then draw a conclusion. Or
can you find a trend that makes people thinking:' Yes, I thought, that's right.' Another approach might
be to tell a past story that makes a great number think:' Yes, it happened to me, too.' It could be a story
from your past.
Are you credible?
Credibility is an essential criterion for your audience, like trustworthiness, to take your ideas or
suggestions seriously. Again, the ideal situation with your credentials presented by someone else is to
be introduced. It never hurts preparing your host for a short introductory script. They may have their
own, but if they do not, they will feel more confident, covering what they see as the most important
aspects of your history or as the basis of your authority.
There are two basic approaches to establishing your authority: the upfront and the incidental.
• The up-front approach:

The first step involves providing a brief summary of your relevant experience or expertise:'
Hello, I'm William Webb. I have written a number of communication books and given seminars
to SMEs, public authorities and voluntary organisations across Australia.' You have to stay short
and sweet with this approach–this was not what your audience heard, so do not get them bored
by your history. The other trap to avoid is the temptation of going from a fair description to
outright praise of the relevant authority.
• The incidental approach:

Alternatively, in the first quarter of your speech, you must include some relevant references to
your expertise and history. Again, avoid the temptation of overdoing it and sound like a
disgraceful nameless man. This can make your audience think,' There–another! This can
happen! And all they're going to remember is that you've talked a lot about yourself.
• The in-between approach:

There is another successful approach between these two basic approaches: the story. It is very
successful if you can tell a relevant story that has an interest and relevant insight, but that also
highlights your trial record and credibility.
ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE
A vital element of persuasion will always be attention/consideration. You will not just have to attract the
attention of your public to anything but the simplest ideas and suggestions, but keep it long enough to
make your points and build it so that you can engage in a genuine dialogue. Without first testing and
challenging the case and its proponent, people rarely accept a complex, difficult or controversial
argument. So let us look at techniques that you can use to get attention, to take care of them and build
them and deepen them.
Get their attention
In the previous section, we saw the' power pause' on how you come across. This is a valuable way to get
your audience's attention. Three other things will help you to get your attention and start building a
connection with them: the way you smile, how you greet them and how you open up your speech,
speech or comment.
TIP: A calm attitude is a strong convincer. If you take time and feel controlled, so you can smile,
welcome your audience and open yourself with a prepared remark, you will show that you can trust
your audience.
Smiling
Smiling is a strong social signal of comfort and trust in the presence of others. When you smile, it's
easier to like you–and we have confidence in the people we love. Before you begin to interact with an
audience, allow yourself to think about your ideas, and convince them to accept your suggestions. Relax,
and naturally, let yourself smile. Think of them as a long-lasting friend when you meet a small group or
individual and let your pleasure show them again.
Greeting
The aim of a greeting is to announce your presence definitively and force them to engage with you. The
most efficient way to do this will depend a lot on your audience and their culture. But if you don't greet
them and move straight to your opener, some of them will not give you full attention. You may be
unable to greet your audience if you're using your power-break effectively, but for me, there is one
compelling reason to do it: when I say' hello,'' good morning' or' good afternoon,' I wait. I'm waiting for
a reply. And if I get a response, I know that my audience is not just listening to me, it is ready to respond
to me as the convention dictates. They're committed.
Opening
There are many ways to open your ideas or talk – to a large audience or to an individual. Three of them
are most appropriate:
1. Question: the first is to ask a question. This may be a real question to answer and wait for one
member of the audience, or the entire audience. The' hand show ' approach is a special
example:' How many of you...? It can also be a rhetorical question that you intend to answer.
Whatever you choose, let your audience always think about their own answers. What happens
when you ask a question? Oh yes, your audience is looking for a response: your brain is
engaged. Once you have a reply, you want to know if you are right (or if you are extremely
confident if you are right). But what if your audience can't find a reply? That's even better, they
want to know the answer now. Issues attract attention.
2. Story: stories also receive attention because people are creatures telling stories. We prefer to
tell and hear stories, and the conventional structures of stories have developed to capture and
hold an audience. Stories, of course, follow the same gross structure of introducing characters
and a situation, raise a question and then resolve the issue. Not only can a well-chosen story
attract attention, but it also can create an emotional response that begins to make your
audience agree with the key points you are making. You didn't do anything open yet to convince
them; the power of a story is to make something real without any direct advocacy.
3. Provocation: In the most direct way, a provocation attracts attention by turning your audience
onto a statement or action they react to automatically. You could say anything outrageous or
extraordinary, challenge your audience, or claim something that contradicts the common sense,
strong beliefs, or conventional interpretation of events. All this will cause a reaction and danger
lies in it. The reaction can undermine your credibility, thus be careful to use provocation–the
bolder you are, the more time you need your audience to justify your provocation. Interestingly,
like a question, we have seen how a story also asks your audience a question: how will the story
be settled? So, too, a provocation: how can she say or do it? Questions seem to be the main way
to get attention.
ASSESS YOURSELF
Openings: How did you start last time you gave a talk or a presentation? Was this a well-planned
opening, or did you realize that you had to start talking and create an introductory section quickly? At
least as long as you prepare the opening as any other major part of your talk or lecture, it is probably the
main section: if you do not, your audience may never hear or pay attention to anything else.
Hold their attention
Holding your audience's attention is a matter of creating a relationship–a level of mutual empathy that
makes you feel comfortable. When you talk to one or two people, that is relatively easy. The social
conventions of turn, similar positions, nodding and reacting and eye contact come naturally. But how
can you connect with a wider audience, perhaps even a few hundred people?
The secret is to first build relationships with people and let your entire audience feel part of a two-way
relationship. You can't use the usual body language, vocal style and language relations-building
techniques, because the situation is clearly asymmetrical, with you in control, on the front and in the
majority of the talk.
Three things need to be done correctly: pace, rhythm and timing of your conversation, connection with
your audience and how you address the audience's concerns.
Pace, rhythm and timing
Naturally, different people like to take information at a different rate: some slower and others faster.
You might not think you can please everyone at the same time, but you can get close by understanding
how to keep your audience pace. If you start too fast, the slow processors will be left behind quickly and
uncomfortable. So slowly start. The quick processors will give you a little time before they get bored.
Use the opening part of your speech to connect with the slow processors and then gradually take the
pace to accommodate quick processors. If you do this well, the slow processors will not notice a steady
increase in pace and they will not get rushed.
But eventually, they will begin to feel mentally exhausted, so don't keep pace. Slow down periodically
and let your audience catch up and process what you said. Our brains can't constantly keep attention for
longer periods, so you have to slow down and reflect and refresh before restarting.
Publics also like to feel that they know what to expect, and so it is always nice to make sure they know
what timing to expect from you and that you comply with the implicit contract with them. If you diverge
too much from the schedule you have promised, you will undermine your credibility and, worse still,
cause resentment, even if your audience doesn't like you. So they want you to disagree, to make an
observation.
The rule is, you can probably get away with 3% extra time before your audience collectively begins to
resent your incursion into "their time." Some members of the audience will have already begun to check
out here. Three per cent over an hour is less than two minutes.
Connection
The easiest way to connect with members of the audience is to make contact with the eye. You can
often make eye contact with everybody with smaller audiences of 20 or so. But as your audience grows
in size, you don't just have to track it and take longer, you can sometimes see everyone's eyes physically.
Don't worry, the method of scan and pause will be enough.
Look across the room and scan, pause to contact someone who looks at you. In a wide audience, the
people from both sides of the person cannot distinguish your view precisely enough and thus have the
feeling that you are looking at them. Scan your audience and stop at the people who are looking at you.
Sometimes you feel someone looks up at you while you're talking. Look back: this makes them feel
important to you and gives the strange feeling that as an audience member we sometimes have the
speaker talking directly to us. If you do this with enough members of the audience, the general
perception will be strong.
Their concerns
The more specifically you can address your individual audience members ' concerns, the greater their
sense of connection with you. So, if you find out what specific needs or problems some people have and
you can incorporate them into what you say, you will be able to draw their attention and the audience
around them will share their sense of engagement. One way to do this is to ask questions from the
audience to help them discover their problems. Another is to ask them questions. I am happy to find a
way to chat with audience members before I present them and then provide the specific information I
have learned in an appropriate manner.
Build their attention
You can increase your attention by involving your audience actively. This happens automatically in a
one-to-one or small group conversation. What do you do when it does? You listen and reciprocate
periods of contributions and periods of attention.
You can do the same with a wide audience, ask questions, or invite your audience to comment. If you do
this, you must listen carefully and ensure that your entire audience gets involved.
One way to start this is to ensure–as it has been asked or stated–you repeat the question or comment to
make sure everyone hears it. The audience can be asked if this is a question other people to have, or if
the comment represents a thought other people share. Before you respond, you can invite a dialogue
from the audience to make a conversation with an audience more extensive.
As a speaker in the front, you can feel pressured to answer a question or point quickly. Often, your
strongest connection with the audience is simply to recognize the value of what has been said. The
chances are the one person who said he wasn't the only one who thought about it. Take your time:
listen carefully and think about your answer before you talk.
A silence after a question or a comment doesn't say (as we often suppose) to your audience:' I don't
know, I'm dumb, oh no, I have something to say fast.' Rather, a silence says:' It was a good matter, I'd
like to think about it before I reply. And as I think carefully about it, it will be a good answer, worth
listening to. "Indeed, often a fast response to your audience says:" Hey, that's easy. You'd never say this
out loud so why would you risk giving that impression? I didn't have to think about it: your point was
obvious, your question was easy, you'd be nonsense.
ASSESS YOURSELF
Questions to answer: how do you answer questions? Next time somebody asks you something, notice
how you automatically respond and score your fifth natural style. One point to listen to the end of the
question.
● One point to repeat the question and to verify that you understand it.
● One point to pause before you reply.
● One point to structure your response before you speak.
● One point to see the questioner reacting to your reply.
When you've scored less than five, choose one thing you haven't done and focus next time.
IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS
The extent to which you can convince an audience depends on the quality of your thoughts and
suggestions. Let us, therefore, consider the source of your ideas and how thoroughly you established
them: the evidence, how you interpreted them and how far you examined the consequences of your
suggestions.
Evidence
Your audience must know what your evidence is, how it has been verified and is reasonably objective
and free of prejudicial or self-interest.
The most powerful approach to making an argument is to present only your best evidence and ignore
weaker evidence. The more reasons you give, the weaker each one appears, diluting the impact of your
message.
This does not mean, however, that you should ignore conflicting evidence. It is the conflicting evidence–
even in small decisions–that holds the subtleties that can lead to valuable insights in complex decisions.
You will get the strongest decisions from your audience when you allow them to take all the conflicting
evidence into account.
Anticipating your audience's objections is a wonderful way to help you persuade them:' There are three
reasons why we should not do what I suggest: allow me to address them one at a time.'
Interpretation
Evidence does not mean anything on its own: it all depends on how you–and your audience –interpret
it. Test your interpretation against alternatives and let your audience understand why you chose the
interpretation. Invite them to take into account different interpretations and to demonstrate their
consequences. If your audience feels in any way you have manipulated the evidence by presenting it
selectively or improperly, they will never trust you again and not only be persuaded by you.
Testing consequences
If you want me to take your ideas or suggestions into consideration, I want to know what?'. The
consequences may be positive as well as negative, and both are of interest to your audience.
The positive effects will help them to make the decision they want. Audiences tend to think here at
three broad levels: the WAM factor:'
1. What about me?

2. The consequences for themselves?
3. Results for people and things about which they care–what about us?
For example, wider consequences for organisations, society or the environment–what about them?
To ensure that all these levels are addressed rather than that everyone is simply motivated by the WAM
factor.
People are intelligent: they will also find if adverse consequences arise. If you don't raise them, the
members of the audience are forced to challenge you and undermine your credibility. Your best strategy
is always to anticipate objections by identifying the weaknesses and potential threats in your case. If you
do so, you can show how these threats can be mitigated and thus strengthen your case further.
HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT?
Speakers build a persuasive argument out of three elements, so you risk not sealing the deal with your
audience if you neglect any of them. In terms of reason, emotion and values, your case must be made.
Reason
The reason is the persuasion component with which most of us feel most comfortable. We are taught
how to use it during our training and continue to improve our skills in the world of work. Its power is not
an issue–too many people make the mistake of assuming that reason is sufficient. It's never.
The way to use reason is to collect and present a rational case based on solid evidence that is easily
understood by your audience. Avoid the temptation to showcase your understanding by focusing on
complexity, using sophisticated language and terminology and supposing background knowledge that is
not available to your entire audience. In fact, these tactics undermine your credibility. In the minds of
your audience, they raise suspicions that you may not understand if they don't understand you. Let your
audience instead feel clever by simplifying the complex, using words that they understand and
reminding them of knowledge that they can't remember.
In your preparations, place a lot of emphasis on developing a logical flow of ideas that takes your
audience from one point to the next. You ought to feel like saying:' I have, I understand, thank you.
Thank you. And now you are addressing the next question, thank you.
Emotion
Reason alone can never persuade a public. Few of us ever decide solely on the facts and the logic. What
we do most of the time is based on how we feel about it. We then use the facts and the logic to warrant
our decision.
One of the most important reasons for using stories–as we saw in a previous section is to put the
reasons into an emotional context. Stories allow us to see the world through the eyes of somebody else
and therefore empathize with their emotions.
Political parties, charities and advertisers like to present to us mini stories showing people in
uncomfortable situations which can be made better by their policies, donations or their products or
services.
As a speaker, compassion, anger, frustration, loyalty, anticipation or fear are your emotions.
Values
Our values dictate what is important to us, so what choices we make. If a choice conflicts with our
values, we will probably reject it or, if we do, usually we will regret it. In making a convincing case of
your ideas or suggestions, you need to understand your audience's values and show them how your
suggestions align with them.
Consider the context in which you speak and concentrate on the values that are relevant to your
subject. Sometimes, you will discover that your recommendations may conflict with some of the values
that you know your audience will consider important–for instance, if you propose a course that will
require a large investment when your audience values economy.
The solution lies in our wider of values. Consider how different values conflict themselves so that a
solution that seems unsatisfactory is in line with other values: economy vs. quality or timeliness, safety
or sustainability.
Your audience often wants to make the right choice— the rational, emotional and intuitive reasons to
do so are what you need.
ASSESS YOURSELF
Reason, emotion and values: which are the most comfortable ways you feel, and which are the least?
Consider the last time you have argued for a convincing case: how well have you used each of these
three elements? Thinking of the one you did not care about, what further argument might you have put
forward or how could you have strengthened your view?
STRUCTURE YOUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS
The way you present your thoughts and suggestions can have a profound impact on how your audience
receives them and thus on the quality of their consideration. A bad talk can hurt your audience against
the content, so make sure you talk with simplicity and clarity and that your audience follows your
arguments easily.
Simplicity
Keep it all as simple as possible, but not simpler. People who can explain things in simple terms are
usually perceived to be deeply understanding. To explain things, use a common and easy to understand
language, short phrases and appropriate analogies, metaphors or images.
Break your data into small pieces and cover them one at a time. It is easy for your audience to
enumerate lists or show a sequence of steps, as long as the number of items or steps is not too large.
Take five as a maximum working, three as an ideal and seven as an absolute maximum working limit.
Where technical language is required, start by introducing the concept on a daily basis and then let your
audience know what the technical word is, unless you can reasonably assume that most will understand
the technical term, in which case use it, and then immediately explain what it means to those who are
unaware.
The best communicators, and hence the most persuasive, are able to present complex ideas by using
simple analogies or metaphors that relate something unfamiliar to something commonplace. Then you
can draw three or four similarities that highlight the fundamental ideas you want to convey. You can
make a further point particularly powerfully by describing a major difference.
Like a good meal, a persuasive speech has 3 courses–you must, in this case, establish your character,
argue and appeal to the values and emotions of your audience.
Like a good meal, a convincing speech should not be fussy and excessively complicated–the ingredients '
quality must be evident.
Like a good meal, a persuasive speech must attract the attention of the dinner and keep it, giving each
class more interest.
But while a great meal can last for years, a big speech can do more: it can change the world.
Clarity
It's not just a matter of letting your audience feel like they understand you; it's about making sure what
you understand is precisely how you mean to understand them. Clarity goes beyond simplicity. The
challenge is to choose your words and metaphors so carefully that they are not just simple but correct in
their information and mood.
That is why, of course, professions, trades and technical disciplines are developing jargon or technical
language. It's precise, with every word finely refined. The meaning of everyday language is far more
widespread. Clarity comes when two things can be created: connections and differences.
● Connections: these connect ideas. People get deeper insight when they can link their ideas to
ideas they already understand (which is why analogies work properly), or when they can help
link up two familiar though unconnected ideas until you highlight the connection.
● Distinctions: if two apparently similar things can be distinguished, that too creates clarity and
understanding.
New ideas and suggestions are not enough. If you want your audience to fully understand them, you
have to help them make connections or differences.
ASSESS YOURSELF
Connections, links and distinctions: think about something important to communicate with someone.
How can you present it, invoking a new understanding, making an interesting distinction or a new
connection?
Easy to follow
The way you sequence your ideas makes it easy or hard to follow, and some sequences seem hard to
work in our brains. By using them effectively your audience will feel comfortable following your thinking
path.
THREE TRICKS AND TIPS OF PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATORS
Experienced persuaders have many tricks and tips to help convince people to take their ideas or
suggestions into account. Let's look at three of them most used and successful:
1. Asking questions
2. Pacing experience
3. Appeals to authority.
Asking questions
If I tell you something, a suggestion, an idea or a recommendation, there is always the chance that you
will react against it. Questions, however, offer only one plausible response: an answer. So questions are
a great way to avoid resistance.
A good sequence of questions leads your audience along a path, it encourages discovery and it breaks
down resistance. Take the most obvious example: you ask questions and let your audience answer
them. In this case, you have not given any ideas – your audience have discovered them for themselves.
You have offered nothing for them to resist.
And even if you ask questions and then offer your own answers, at each stage your audience can
evaluate: ‘Is this the right question? And if it is, do I agree with the answer?’ Question and answer
structure helps you to build a case and deal with resistance incrementally, at each stage, so that by the
time you (or your audience) articulate your proposal, it is almost a done deal.
TIP
You can add two things to your convincing toolkit, and both are often undervalued. You are prepared to
ask questions. The first thing is to listen: persuasion is not about you, but about me. So listen to me.
Listen to me. The second thing is silence: a thoughtful break, which you feel the need not to fill with
words, often transmits a knowledge that allows your audience to listen to what you have to say.
Pacing experience
What if your audience had your idea already? What if they know what your suggestion is already? What
if you know your recommendation is the right thing to do? You're not going to have to convince.
Some persuaders show that their proposal is obviously correct; their audience knew it all the time. You
may have seen that...' they'll tell, and their audience thinks' Oh yes, I didn't realize I had, but now you
mention it...' And then they'd just say something like:' Like me, probably your mind crossed...'' Well, it's
got now,' the audience thinks. And, as you know...' the speaker said.
If I didn't, now I do. Thank you for reminding me, "the audience thinks. So we probably have all come to
a similar conclusion...' Does it always work? Of course not. Of course not. But if the hypotheses are
realistic and the leaps are small and reasonable, the process of winning the agreement can really be
shortcuts. But, if you do not do so, you risk triggering such a response:' What do you know of what I
think? That's not what I think happens. You're only trying to manipulate me?Take care that the reply is
no. Do not use this approach to manipulate, use it to emphasize common ground. Therefore, it is safer
to not adopt a whole series of these statements as mentioned above, but to use one or two to establish
common ground with your audience.
Appeals to authority
Sometimes even the most convincing speakers need help in making their case. If so, they can appeal to a
body and there are three categories in general:
1. The authority of experts
2. The authority of celebrities
3. The authority of the crowd.

We will take a look at each in turn.
The authority of experts
This is the most common approach: if you are not credible enough, find someone and seek your
support. Whenever a speaker uses quotes, they do just that: use the words of someone else to make or
strengthen their views. Another example is use of testimonies such as those on book coverings or on
film posters. And when you can demonstrate that an award-winning artist uses your paintings, or that a
medallist wears his shoes, you know that it would be a brave member of a public who would argue
against their quality.
The authority of celebrities
The endorsement of a celebrity is different. Celebrities are not experts, so why should we worry about
your product is good? The response is that the audience has developed confidence and love so that their
audience doesn't think critically if they have particular expertise; they just think:' She likes it so I'm going
to love it too.' You can use celebrity support by associating your case to people who are popular with
your audience: local celebrities, senior executives or popular colleagues.
The authority of the crowd
If I don't know if your arguments convince me, but I know that many of my colleagues are there, I can
simply take the easy step of agreeing with them. This is the effect of eight out of ten cat owners. People
are social beings, so we try to fit in and follow the crowd when in doubt. It's not that the crowd is an
expert, or that we particularly like them, because they feel uncomfortable swimming in the opposite
direction. And if, anyway, eight out of ten people thought and decided to agree, they probably got it
right.
ASSESS YOURSELF
Authority: Think about something that somebody needs to convince. Who has your point of real
authority? Is it you? Is it you? Or is it another person? If so, who is that and what the basis of your
authority is: are they an expert, a special person, or is it the weight of the number of persons who know
that you are right and support the point that gives you authority?
THE ART OF THE SOUND BITE
Experts such as politicians, advertisers and religious leaders have mastered the art of leaving their
audience with a single, simple and impressive message. This is the bite of the sound.
In and out of context, we recognize publicity slogans, political sound pictures and religious mantras, and
many of them are uncritically accepted as universal truths:
● Guinness is good for you; Beanz Meanz Heinz.
● Nothing but fear; don't follow the crowd: let the crowd follow you.
● In the beginning, was the word, and the word was God; no one who does good work, here or in
the world to come shall ever come to a bad end.
These are all examples of powerful rhetoric and there are a few easy-to-master techniques that can get
you a long way. There are also many other techniques, with a full listing of rhetorical forms (the ‘flowers
of rhetoric’) numbering several hundred. We shall examine three of the most useful: repetition and
threes, alliteration and assonance, and opposites and contrasts.
Repetitions and threes
Any time we repeat a word, it emphasizes it. Their repeat may be straightforward:' This makes me
angry; I'm angry and indirect;' or indirect:' This causes me angry, and when I'm angry, you don't like me.'
If a repeat creates an emphasis, a double-speech that three times uses the same word has even more
power than when Tony Blair called his government's priorities as' education, education, education'
Something is right and comfortable about the rhythm of three items. So much so that we remember
only three of them when Winston Churchill said he had' nothing more to offer than blood, work, tears
and sweat': blood, sweat and tears.'
PRESENTING YOUR IDEAS WITH PROPS AND VISUALS
Many people get the wrong thoughts about visual aids: they believe they're there to help the speaker.
They are not. They are not. The purpose of visual assistance is to help the audience understand,
remember or demonstrate what you're saying.
On the way, however, you might want to use them to highlight your credentials, to bring people to their
attention or to pause the proceedings. But all that still needs to be at the service of your audience, or
you look like you are great.
Visuals and graphics
Presentation software such as PowerPoint, Keynote, Imprint or Prezzi is the most common tool for visual
aids. All of these are excellent, highly developed tools that can have the unintended effect of restrictive
debate and creativity. A polished slide presentation looks so intelligent and "finished," that audiences
often accept what is uncritically there, and do not challenge what is there and question what is not
there.
These tools, if used well, may be immensely powerful if your role is to present and convince your
audience of their value. But the sentence ' death from PowerPoint' is so well known that all of us know
the dangers of using it poorly–as a memory aid for speakers who only provide endless text-based bullet
points.
The best graphics capture the attention of the audience and give them an image that will either stay in
their minds and make a lasting connection between the image and the idea or give graphic explanations
about something that some audience members find more easily visually than verbally assimilated.
To do this, you have to use the good design rules for preparing your slides, and even though this module
isn't about that subject (and there are many resources), some simple rules will help.
Simple slide design rules
1. Give your slide a single focus.
2. Limit the number of discrete elements (images and text blocks) to a maximum of three.
3. Think about the balance of items on the slide.
4. Ensure any text is large enough to be easily read from the back of the room.
5. Use a consistent colour palette throughout.
6. Use a maximum of two fonts.
7. Keep backgrounds simple, so as not to compete with the main image.
Gadgets and gimmicks
If demonstrations are easily mistaken, gadgets and jokes are a disaster recipe for the unprepared
speaker. You can see at least if a demo goes wrong, why you tried it; the gimmicks ' nature is that the
purpose is not obvious to your audience, so if it fails, they wonder what on Earth you were prepared to
do.
However, a well selected, expertly performed gimmick can capture your attention and make your point
with subtlety but elegance. For example, unwrapping an impossible knot can leave your audience
thinking that if they can find it their impossible challenge can only be a simple solution. A trick to find a
card may remind people that the truth is often hidden from the sight. Or a floating ball style could just
catch the attention of your audience and get them to hear what they have to say.
When you plan what to use, start with the end–what do you want to do with your audience? Then the
right gimmick is found. You should not only rehearse the performance of your trick, you must also
rehearse its place in what you say and in the words used to connect it to your ideas or suggestions.
SUCCESS
Success will come when people change their minds routinely because of what you have said. This leaves
you responsible for ensuring that your ideas are strong and your proposals are sound. You have all the
knowledge you need to achieve this. You now know how to build your capacity to speak and how to
engage your audience from the beginning.
Once you have done this, you have the resources to make sure your ideas are good and that your case is
effective. But a good argument is not sufficient; you also have to structure your ideas and suggestions to
help your audience understand them and use powerful and memorable messages.
1.2 Identify and check content and supporting information for

accuracy and completeness
IDENTIFYING THE CONTENTION
The contention is simply another word for point-of-view or opinion. Read the piece of persuasive writing
carefully. What does the writer believe? Starting a sentence with the word ‘that’ can help you identify
the writer’s contention.
– That reality television is a waste of time.
– That teens should have access to private medical appointments
– That fox baiting should be banned.
IDENTIFYING TONE
Tone refers to the overall feeling of a piece of writing. Here are some useful words to help you describe
tone.
Logical: rational, reasonable, analytical, cogent.
Neutral: impartial, balanced, objective, unbiased.
Informed: knowledgeable, well-read.
Passionate: emotional, emotive, ardent, vehement.
Witty: humorous, satirical, light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek.
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Writers can use a range of techniques to persuade. When you’re reading persuasive writing—or writing
persuasively yourself—you need to think carefully about how techniques like these are used to position
the reader to accept a particular point of view.
Adjective. Describing words, often used to make the reader feel a particular way about an issue.
e.g. “Reality shows allow us to feel a bland, artificial version of that incredible thrill you get from having
a crack and chasing your ambitions.”
Adverbs. Adverbs are words that modify adjectives or verbs. Like adjectives, they are selected to make a
reader think or feel about something in a particular way.
e.g. “In a recent article, I wrote about my dogs, a kelpie and a blue heeler, dying from 1080 fox bait.
They had eaten it during a weekend trip to the high country and died horribly.”
Alliteration. The repetition of words starting with the same to create emphasis.
e.g. ”And I can tell you it is distressing beyond words to watch an animal suffer like that and not be able
to alleviate its agony.”
Appeals. Writers often appeal to different emotions, such as a reader’s sense of fairness, justice or
patriotism.
Anecdotes. Short, personal stories that help to illustrate a point.
e.g. “For my three most recent books, on motherhood, cancer and nursing, I interviewed more than 300
people about the nuts and bolts of what our incredibly short time on this planet is really about – life,
death, family and love. If there is one thing I can guarantee, it’s that there will never be a person who
lies on their deathbed, shaking with rage, sobbing, ‘Dear God, I wish I’d spent more time watching
MasterChef.'”
Everyday language. Writers will often use everyday language, sometimes called colloquial language, to
make themselves seem down-to-earth.
e.g. “Fairness is the cornerstone of our constitution and our national identity. But as we head into an
election year, I think we need to ask ourselves whether we really believe in a fair go for all.”
Cliches. An overused expression. Although they should be avoided, cliches give writers an opportunity to
express an idea to their readers quickly.
Here are some examples of cliches:
• Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
• Alls well that ends well.
• As light as a feather.
• Time will tell.
Connotations. All words have connotations or associations. Some words, for example, may have the
same literal meaning but very different connotations. Connotations may be negative or positive. Think
about the word ‘thin’. There are lots of words that share this meaning—slender, lithe, slim, skinny, lean,
slight, lanky, undernourished, wasted, gangly, rake-like, anorexic, spindly. If someone was describing
your body, you would probably prefer to be called ‘slender’ or ‘slim’ rather than ‘lanky’ or ‘anorexic’.
When people are writing an argument, they think very carefully about the words that they select and
the impact these words will have on their audience.
Emotive words. Words that provoke an emotional reaction from the audience.
e.g. “But no, people from the bush were saying it is cruel to kill foxes with a poison that causes a slow,
agonising death.”
Exaggeration. Writers often exaggerate or overstate something to help persuade readers of their point
of view.
e.g. “Our experts will tell you a million reasons why it can’t or shouldn’t be done here. They have turned
excuse-making into an art form.”
Evidence. Writers will often use evidence – which might take the form of facts, figures, quotes or graphs
– to help support their argument.
e.g. “According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, males are 400 per cent more likely to commit an
offence intended to cause injury than are females.”
Expert opinion. Sometimes writers will use the opinion of experts to give further weight to their
argument.
e.g. “A new research report by Victorian doctors illustrates why: because when kids are worried their
parents will be told their private medical details, they simply don’t go to the doctor.”
Inclusive language. Inclusive language – using the words ‘we’ or ‘us’ – is often used to get a reader
onside.
e.g. “We might not like it, but our kids’ right to confidential medical advice should take precedence over
our right to know about it.”
Imagery. Descriptive writing can be a powerful persuasive technique. Describing something vividly can
persuade readers.
Logic. A logical, well-structured argument can be very persuasive.
Metaphor. Metaphors, when one thing is described as another, help to persuade by describing.
e.g. “I’ve been dying of it all week and can hardly type this column because of the Niagra of snot pouring
down my face and the painful fires of a thousand suns burning in my joints and muscles, which being
manly muscles are able to carry a much heavier load of pain than lady muscles.”
Pun. A play on words often relying on homophones, homonyms or rhymes.
e.g. “It’s been a trying year for rugby league, what with betting scandals, controversies over players’
alleged off-field behaviour and an unseemly on-field brawl that marred the sport’s reputation on
approach to the finals.”
e.g. “Racism is no black and white issue”.
Repetition. The repetition of words, phrases and ideas can be used to reinforce an argument and drive
home the message to a reader.
e.g “It has been well established here and overseas that if teenagers think they can see a doctor in
confidence, they are more likely to do so, more likely to go back for repeat visits, and more likely to
disclose sensitive information.”
Rhetorical question. A question where the answer is obvious, can help lead readers to a particular
conclusion.
e.g. “It has been well established here and overseas that if teenagers think they can see a doctor in
confidence, they are more likely to do so, more likely to go back for repeat visits, and more likely to
disclose sensitive information. And isn’t this the outcome we want? ”
Sarcasm. A mocking tone.
e.g. “Not all of us can write Max Walker’s How to Hypnotise Chooks, you know – for many years the
biggest-selling title in Australian literary history.”
Simile. Similes, when one thing is compared to another, can help to persuade by describing.
e.g. “…as dumb as a sack of hammers…”
Tone. The tone of an article or speech refers to its overall feeling. Is it passionate? Logical? Reasonable?
Mocking? Humorous?
THINKING ABOUT PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE
The best way to understand how persuasive language can be used to convey a point of view is by
reading examples of persuasive writing. Read the newspaper on a daily basis, particularly the editorials
and opinion pages. This will not only help you keep abreast of current events, it will also help you
develop the language skills necessary to do persuasive writing yourself.
1.3 Confirm schedule and budgetary requirements for creating copy
Goal setting can get out of hand, and fast” – Trello
It is critical to identify and confirm time/schedule requirements and financial/budget constraints and
requirements before working on any creative document or project.
You must set specific targets in order to keep your project and team on track from the macro goal you
want to achieve micro goals and milestones along the way.
Make sure your team is aligned with the objectives so that they work towards a common goal.
Find a way to match personal and professional objectives, schedule and budgetary requirements for
creating copy, so that you can better understand the motivation of every person. The good news is that
you don't have to do this alone–get the team up and ask what they care about!
Benefits of confirming the time/schedule requirements and financial/budget constraints and

requirements:
● Realistic timeframe: You work under a realistic timeframe to achieve the goals and objectives.
● Guidelines and structure: You get guidelines and structure to work to achieve the goals and
objectives.
● Stakeholders analysis: You identify who have vested interest in the issues with which the
project is concerned, how they can help and where they can help.
● Work under budget and time guidelines: People usually do not go over budget if they know the
financial constraints and requirements.
● Cost budgeting: You will be able to estimate the costs of the necessary efforts required for the
project to be completed.
1.4 Identify legal and ethical constraints impacting copy to be

developed
There are a number of legal and ethical considerations, that you must consider before developing your
creative brief. Some of these issues are listed below:
Data Collection and the Invasion of Privacy
Data collection is often considered the first, and most significant, stage of marketing. Extensive data
allows businesses to choose the most optimal marketing techniques for their consumer base. In fact,
companies such as Google and Facebook primarily rely on tracking a user’s web history to generate
returns.
However, while lawmakers are yet to decide on a legal position, individuals are pushing for tougher
privacy laws. For example, in a recent survey of 11,000 people, almost 70% said they would gladly use a
“do not track” feature on search engines if available.
(http://www.infoworld.com/article/2612865/internet-privacy/ovum--big-data-collection-colliding-with-
privacy-concerns.html). Companies such as Facebook have also received backlash over privacy issues. As
such, businesses need to become more conscious of the privacy of consumers when collecting data.
Distribution of Data
Delivery channels such as telemarketing, door to door sales and unsolicited emails are some of the most
controversial areas of marketing.
Sometimes the law in different countries specifies time frames in which telemarketing and door to door
sales are allowed. For instance, a salesperson may only approach you between 9 am to 6 pm on
weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays. Further, “do not knock” stickers a “do not call” register must
be obeyed by marketers. While these protections are in place, legal and ethical issues arise because the
majority of consumers are either unaware of such protections or cannot be bothered to report petty
offences. As a result, marketers often get away with illegal and unethical behaviour.
More specifically in Australia, email Anti-Spam laws requires that a business has the receiver’s consent,
identifies the sender and contains an unsubscribe facility. The grey area involves the definition of
consent. For example, finding a consumer or another business on a shared directory does not constitute
consent. Consent must be expressly stated or inferred from situations such as an existing business
relationship.
Misleading Claims
Misleading claims in advertising may involve claims about the quality of the product, the availability of
service and any exclusions on a good. As examples, marketing techniques such as pictures of planes for a
road transportation company or fine print that may contradict the overall message of the advertisement
misleading and illegal. Companies such as Harvey Norman and Spec Savers have all been found liable for
misleading claims in the past.
However, problems arise because it is extremely difficult to claim for misleading advertisement. For
instance, that a product was “50% off from before”, a consumer must have evidence of before and after
prices to make a claim.
For example:
If you are required to write a creative brief on convincing people to take the time to have breakfast
because it can help them to stay more active than coffee or energy drink.
You will focus on:
● The positives of eating breakfast in the morning

● The negatives of not eating breakfast in the morning
● The negatives of coffee and energy drink
● The statistics to prove your point
You will not focus on:
● Writing false and misleading statements

● Comments or ideas that are disrespectful to any section of our society
● The unfair comparison between different brands
2. Evaluate creative options
Often people don't try to communicate facts alone. Instead, they express an opinion on the importance
of some facts, which these facts imply.
Consider, for example, what happens in a court case when an expert witness calls on one side. Such a
witness is not invited to make the case known–"Where was the accused on the night of 15 July?" The
expert witness is instead asked to comment on what a certain body of facts suggests. "Do you think that
the defendant is mentally competent on the basis of these facts?" ‘Due to this series of events, did the
defendant act according to the current standard of conduct of the profession?" Every time you write a
performance assessment or perform competitive analysis in the business world, you write an evaluation.
You don't do the whole job if you just say the facts, but don't give your opinion.
Good examples can be found in Consumer Reports of evaluation writing. You could find articles there
that assess the different models available, if you were thinking about buying a DVD-player or a fridge or
snow tires. First, they define what they are talking about, why you could care about that type of product
as a reader, and what criteria are used to evaluate the options. They then evaluate each model or brand
according to the criteria they have listed. This part is usually a combination of a text containing
anecdotal test information and a table or matrix showing every brand or model. Finally, they conclude
the article by indicating in their opinion which model is "best buy." Do you care if you are purchasing a
DVD player or an ice maker or snow tires? No. No. If you never buy anything, it doesn't matter. Their
sole aim is to examine what is available and offer an expert opinion on the various choices.
The similar way, you are required to evaluate the creative brief and provide comprehensive,
unambiguous and clear evaluation report.
2.1 Evaluate design and copy options against requirements of the

creative brief
For creative brief to meet the organisational and regulatory requirements, it needs evolutionary
feedback and development. You must take out subjectivity when reviewing the creative brief. An
objective point of view is necessary to ensure the evaluation is unbiased and thorough. One of the
biggest questions you must ask is does the creative brief answer the problem you set out to solve or not
and if not what it needs to be done or changed for the creative brief to meet your organisational and
regulatory requirements. You must also ensure that the style of the creative work or element of style
must suit the audience it is prepared and designed for.
One of the main reasons people usually go for creative brief is to stand out from the crowd, is it
happening? Is your creative brief allowing you to provide that additional edge to stand out amongst the
crowd?
You must, therefore, evaluate the design and copy options against the set standards and requirements
of the creative brief. This is to ensure the design:
● Meet the specifications and standards required

● Developed according to the user and client requirements
● Meet the legal and ethical guidelines and requirements
● Work well on the systems and programs
● Follow the suggested file format and design requirements

● Approved by the stakeholders
You must take your time to evaluate where your creative brief falls short on any of the criteria and
identify what can be improved or what’s missing and feed that back to the team.
2.2 Select option/s enabling required information and images to be

communicated within time and budgetary requirements
A number of professional images and valuable information is usually included in the creative brief. This
information should be made available to the respective team members according to the organisational
guidelines and budgetary requirements.
The creative brief must follow all formatting guidelines and organisational standards. Images should be
selected according to the instructions of the client. The content should be relevant and valuable to the
end-users. You must include effective

creative techniques to get the outcome
and results your stakeholders are
seeking.
3. Prepare persuasive copy
WRITING A FORMAL PERSUASIVE COPY irrespective of several hundred, even thousands, of pages, or
much shorter are still complicated documents. As the old proverb about an elephant says, do not eat the
elephant, one bite at a time.
The most important bites are purpose of writing the persuasive copy, understanding the importance of
providing information in objective and clear form and setting up standards and requirements framework
and evaluation criteria. Allow enough time for these parts to be good work, to ensure you are ready to
deliver a quality creative brief at the end of the process.
Come to the point or pay the price
You cannot afford brevity to miss the boat. It's the difference between failure and success. And if you
think you have covered it already, you're wrong.
Here are a couple of examples.
● General Dismissal: A field officer uses a series of PowerPoint slides to provide an overview of
the strategic course of action recommended by his superiors. He looks at his presentation as a
high-ranking general obsessed with details and feverishly highlights each typographical error in
his hand. In the minutes, the officer lost his audience.
● A rising star: A brilliant young woman who looks right from Central Casting— glossy, talented
and attractive — is widely recognized as the future go-to by senior leaders. However, her fatal
flaw is well known: she can't shut big deals because she can't. Her motormouth bars her from
any customer tasks.
● After closing a $500,000 contract with a new customer, a sales manager is shocked to find that
his enthusiastic supporter has followed up on the customer and explains why he thinks he has
purchased far more technology than he needs. The verbal mistake drops the deal by 200,000
dollars.
● 98-pager delivered: A communications vice president who is looking for a one-page, simple
resumé for a large press release finds that the best that his organisation can provide is a mega-
PowerPoint-file with almost 100 diapositives. It chokes your inbox and kills your story.
● Hero's story is overlooked: A police detective takes an initiative to acknowledge the generosity
and impact of a fellow officer with athletes with a disability by pitching his good feelings to a
major magazine. A reporter talks to the detective who unfortunately can not quickly summarize
his pitch. The reporter gets too confused and the story doesn't run.
● Luncheon leaves a poor taste: during their busy working week, 300 busy managers will attend a
fundraiser for a non-profit organization. The keynote speaker is 20 minutes after dinner. After
almost an hour, the room is half empty and the feel-good charity is losing its attraction.
Hopefully, you're getting our point.
Today's world is overloaded with information and there is not enough time to screen all messages. If you
cannot quickly capture the attention of people and give your message, you will lose them.
Timing is essential
It would be an error to approach brevity simply from a temporal point of view. However, a media trainer
in New York told me: "It's not just time to be brief. The important thing is how long the audience feels.
"Don't be fooled with a narrow" time is short "view. It doesn't have to use the least amount of time. It's
about making the most of the time.
3.1 Create an original copy with impact, which sets product, service
or idea being communicated apart from the competition and
competitor s promotional material
How effective is the work you developed?
A useful document or brief is that meet all the stakeholder requirements and expectations. The work
must cover the following criteria as well:
● Sets product, service or idea

● Competitive analysis and study
● Opportunities and methods to target
PLAN, DRAFT, EDIT
Actually, putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys) is only one part of the writing process. First of all, you
have to know what to write. Unless you are a writing prodigy, chances are your first draft will need some
serious editing. Remember these aspects of your time planning and it will help a lot.
Planning your writing
There is a huge number of ways to start writing. However, most of the successful ones will use some
form of the structured planning process. These can be broadly divided into visual and analytical
planning, which will probably suit right- and left-brained people accordingly.
Visual Planning
This category includes clustering, mind-mapping and other shape- and pattern-based techniques.
Essentially, they all use the same principle: draw circles and/or lines to connect thoughts and keywords.
Start in the middle of a page with the core topic of your document. Surround that with all the thoughts
you have on that topic. Next, use lines and shapes to link the topics and group them. Re-draft regularly
to gradually shape your concepts into a formal structure.
Any visual plan will eventually have to be turned into a list, which will form the structure of the
document you are writing.
Analytical planning
This is just a fancy way of saying ‘making a list’. I’m a big fan of paper lists but electronic lists are easier
to play around with. Not much more to say on this, really.
With both these techniques, you will need some sort of structure to put your thoughts into. We’ll cover
this in a bit.
Drafting
Very simply, this is emptying your thoughts onto paper.
Top tips with drafting:
Write ‘Draft’ at the top of your page. This reminds you that you don’t have to be too careful.
Once you start, don’t stop. It takes more energy to get started again than to keep going.
If you do have to stop, leave some prompts on the page so you know what to start writing when you
come back.
If you do not know what to put, leave a place holder. A place holder should have a distinguishing
feature, a hint on what to put, and be highlighted, eg: >>>The thing about place holders<<<. Just make
sure your place holders are visible: it is highly embarrassing to find placeholders in text once you have
sent it off, especially if they are rude about your audience.
Consider setting a time limit on a drafting session to really focus your mind.
3.2 Create copy which communicates a required image, and

features and benefits of the product, service or idea
You must provide strong rational and emotional reasons to prove what you say, to try your product, to
buy your service is on genuine grounds. There is a genuine need of the product and service in the
market. You must therefore include the required features and benefits of purchasing the product,
service or idea.
Your reputation is your brand
How much people trust your product or service? What they feel about it? What they say about it? Do
they like your product or service? How you respond to their feedback and criticism, especially the
negative criticism? There are a number of other criteria that defines how good or brand your image is.
Image matters, your reputation matters because that is going to either help you bring more business or
stop you getting more business.
Provide relevant information
You must provide relevant statistics and information to prove your point. You must also include all the
major copy points and visual evidence of relative importance to the client. Make sure someone else
review the creative brief before you take it to the next level, just to ensure that you did not miss
anything important and it is free from any grammar or other typos and errors.
3.3 Create copy which meets the requirements of creative brief in

terms of information, format, language, writing style, and level of
detail
You must make sure that the creative copy that you are developing must meet the requirements of the
organisation and specific client cohort in terms of:
Information required
You must include the relevant information in the creative copy. The information should be reliable and
valid and must be approved by the relevant stakeholders.
The language needed
The language should be formal and follow the organisational and regulatory guidelines and criteria.
The format selected
The format of the creative brief should be approved by the client and all other stakeholders and must
use the style and structure as required.
The style of writing
There are four main types of writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative. Each of these
writing styles is used for a specific purpose. A single text may include more than one writing style. You
must select the appropriate style of writing that is relevant and suitable to meet the organisational and
client-specific requirements.
The level of detail required
One of the most important decisions, you must take before writing your creative brief is what, where
and how information should be included. Providing necessary information or too little are both
dangerous decisions. Think and act wisely, when it comes to the level of detail required in your creative
brief.
3.4 Produce copy on time and within budget
Chances are that tempers were frayed, sponsors were unhappy, and team members were working
ridiculous hours. Chances are, too, that this happened because someone underestimated the amount of
work needed to complete the brief.
A project that does not meet the requirements of the time and budget are usually not very useful to the
organisation or clients. Most of the stakeholders evaluate the success or failure of a creative brief by
assessing that has been delivered on time and under budget or not. You must produce a copy of the
brief according to the time and budget requirements.
Consider strategy the roadmap that should drive all initiatives. Without this, teams across organisations
risk flying blind, which in turn, risks long-term objectives.
When you prepare the scope of the project, you must ensure that you consider all the factors
mentioned below:
● The time constraints

● The budget requirements
● Quality charter
● Framework
● Regulatory and legal guidelines
3.5 Produce copy which complies with legal, organisational and

ethical requirements
The creative copy that you produce or develop, must meet all the legal, organisational and ethical
requirements.
Legal requirements may include:
There are a number of legal requirements that apply on an organisation, such as several business laws
and regulations. Some of them are:
● Privacy act
● Discrimination act
● Equal opportunities act
● Work health and safety
Organisational requirements may include:
Each organisation has plans and requirements to determine how the business is running and operating.
Most of these requirements are determined by the strategic planners and management of the
organisation in consultation with employees. Others are externally imposed, such as the laws and
regulations to be complied with by the organisation.
Ethical requirements may include:
There are a number of ethical requirements those apply on the organisations. Some of them are
mentioned below.
1. HONESTY. You should be honest and truthful in all your dealings and do not deliberately mislead or
deceive others by misrepresentations, overstatements, partial truths, selective omissions, or any other
means.
2. INTEGRITY. You must demonstrate personal integrity and the courage of your convictions by doing
what you think is right even when there is great pressure to do otherwise; yoou should be principled,
honorable and upright; you must fight for your beliefs. You should not sacrifice principle for expediency,
be hypocritical, or unscrupulous.
3. PROMISE-KEEPING & TRUSTWORTHINESS. You must demonstrate that you are worthy of trust.
Behaving candidly and forthcoming in supplying relevant information and correcting misapprehensions
of fact, and must make every reasonable effort to fulfill the letter and spirit of your promises and
commitments. You do not interpret agreements in an unreasonably technical or legalistic manner in
order to rationalize non-compliance or create justifications for escaping your commitments.
4. LOYALTY. You must prove that you are worthy of trust, demonstrate fidelity and loyalty to persons
and institutions by friendship in adversity, support and devotion to duty; you do not use or disclose
information learned in confidence for personal advantage. You must safeguard the ability to make
independent professional judgments by scrupulously avoiding undue influences and conflicts of interest.
You should be loyal to your companies and colleagues.

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Learner Guide:

BSBWRT501 Write persuasive copy

© Australian College of Business Intelligence

All rights reserved

Date Modified: July 2020

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1. Analyse and interpret a creative brief................................................................................. 4

2. Evaluate creative options ................................................................................................. 45

3. Prepare persuasive copy .................................................................................................. 51

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1. Analyse and interpret a creative brief

What you will learn?

You will learn how to:

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History of persuasive writing

Most fundamental principles are old and characterised by their

Aristotle said that the goal of persuasion is to…

● Convince an audience that your point is valid

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● Biases (prejudice or stereotypes)

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A creative brief is a document that explains the

Although it takes a while for a solid creative

The brief can be created for format purposes in

Key elements of the creative brief can include:

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Analyse and interpret a creative brief

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Tools for persuasive writing

● Ethos, Logos, Pathos

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Example of a creative brief

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1.1 Analyze and confirm technique/s for expressing central idea or

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WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME THAT?

How do you come across?

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Are you trustworthy?

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Are you credible?

• The up-front approach:

• The incidental approach:

• The in-between approach:

ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE

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Get their attention

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Hold their attention

Pace, rhythm and timing

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Build their attention

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IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS

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1. What about me?

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HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT?

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