Chapter 9

Making Your Case

with Persuasive
Messages and
Proposals

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distribution in any manner. This document may not be copied,
scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
website, in whole or part.
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
9-1
 Persuasive Messages
• A lot of the messages we write about in our jobs
are for persuasion.
• It is often best to organize persuasive messages in
an Indirect format.
• Preparing your reader to accept your idea is a
better approach than just blurting out the idea
and arguing in favor of it all through out the
message
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 Types of Persuasion Messages
1. Persuasive Requests
2. Sales Messages

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 General Format for Persuasion
1. Know your readers
– Critical to think from the reader’s point of view
– Demographic information
• (age, race, gender, income)
– Psychographic information
• ( social, political, personal preferences)

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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-4
 General Format for Persuasion
2. Choose and develop targeted reader benefits
– No one is persuaded without any reason
– There could be some form of reward. Tangible (save
money, gain a product) Intangible (Prestige, status)
– Also consider benefits. Intrinsic benefit (The
pleasure of attending an event), Extrinsic benefit (A
gift at the door)
– Let readers see the exact benefits and/or rewards

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 General Format for Persuasion

3. Make good use of persuasive appeals.

– There are three kinds of persuasive appeals.
I. Logical (Logos)
– appeals to the thinking mind (saving money, making money, doing
a better job, getting better use)
II. Emotional (Pathos)
– appeals to the senses (feeling, tasting, smelling, hearing, sight)
III. Character based (Ethos)
– uses a spokesperson’s voice and projected image to win trust and
invite readers to identify with the speaker
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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-6
 General Format for Persuasion
4. Make it easy for readers to understand.
– Do not lose the main point of the message amidst
all the persuasion, benefit and rewards
– Make the desired action as easy as possible to
perform.

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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-7
 Writing a Sales Messages
• You must know all you can know about your product or
service you are selling.
• Gather all possible information that will help you find out
why your reader might buy your product. Think about
how the buyer will use your product
• First words of your message must also gain attention and
motivate the reader to keep reading.
• One of the most attention grabbing opening is a
statement or question that introduces a need that the
product will satisfy.
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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-8
 Writing a Sales Messages
With reader’s attention now you proceed with the
planned strategy. Decide on what appeal you are going
to use.
•A Logical appeal for a retailer:
– Here is a proven hot-seller with a 12% greater profit.
•An Emotional appeal:
– Don't get caught with too little insurance. (fear)
– You're part of the family (belongingness)
•A Character based appeal:
– Be like Mike (Michael Jordan)
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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-9
 Writing a Sales Messages
• You viewpoint is very important for sales messages.
• Successful sales messages are built on readers’ interest.
• Be liberal in your use of the pronoun ‘you’ throughout the
sales message as it presents the reader’s benefits.
• You may also want to make use of scenarios, putting the
reader in a simulated context that brings out the product’s
appeal.
• People also buy products when they feel good to identify
themselves with the company.

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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-10
 Writing a Sales Messages
Choose your words and sentences carefully
Original Version Better Version
•Tasty ice cream has 9 grams •Tasty ice cream is 91% fat
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2%. cutleries for you in three
•We make aristocrat cutleries designs
in three designs

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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-11
 Driving for the sale
• The final step is to drive for the sale.
• The drive must be specific and clear.
• Make the actions easy for readers.
• Urge for immediate action
– Just check your preferences on the enclosed order card and drop
it in the mail today.
– To start enjoying House and Garden, just call 1-888-888-000. be
sure to have promo code 3333 handy to receive your 40%
discount.

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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-12
 Writing a Sales Messages
• If a paper based mail use an attention grabbing envelop
• With email no envelop but attention grabbing starts with
the subject line.
- Don’t: Solid caps, exclamation points, dollar signs and
free offers
- Don’t: “How to earn $60,000 in the first month”
- Don’t: You have to read this!

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This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part. 9-13