PERSUASIVE AND SALES

MESSAGES
 Persuasion is the ability to use argument or
discussion to influence an individual’s beliefs or
actions
 PERSUASION TECHNIQUES

• Establish Credibility
• Make a reasonable, precise request
• Tie facts to benefits
• Recognize the power of loss
• Expect and overcome resistance
• Share solutions and compromise
 ORGANIZING PERSUASIVE
MESSAGES
One Specialized version is
A attention
I interest
D desire
A action
ORGANIZING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES

 Attention
• Convince the audience that you have something interesting or
useful to say
• Avoid extravagant claims or threats
• Avoid bringing up irrelevant points
• Flattery is acceptable but the praise should be sincere
 EXAMPLE

“ You have mentioned several times in the past two weeks that
constructing an employee schedule has become increasingly
difficult. Let me share an idea that could substantially reduce the
time you spend making and revising schedules.”
ORGANIZING PERSUASIVE REQUESTS

 Interest and Desire

• Continue the opening theme in greater detail
• Relate benefits to the attention getter
• Get the audience thinking “ This is an interesting idea; could it
solve my problems?”
• Evidence to prove your claim
• Increase the audience’s willingness to take action you want
ORGANIZING PERSUASIVE REQUESTS

 Action
• Suggest action you want your audience to take
• One last reminder of the main benefit the audience will get
• Make action easy ( Toll free number, postpaid envelope,
enclosed order form)
 WRITING PERSUASIVE REQUESTS FOR
ACTION

Problems with requests for Action,

• The benefit is not tangible
• They take time
• There are many competing requests
 WRITING PERSUASIVE REQUESTS FOR
ACTION

Why do people respond?

• They believe in the cause you are writing about
• ‘Paying their dues’ by helping others
 WRITING PERSUASIVE REQUESTS FOR
ACTION
• Direct and Indirect Benefit
• Reason for writing
• Facts and Figures
• Your experience in attacking the problem
• Request should be kept within bounds
 WRITING PERSUASIVE REQUESTS FOR
ACTION

Don’t
• Ask reader to do all work
• Provide information that you are lazy to seek
• Provide total financial support
PERSUASIVE CLAIMS AND REQUESTS FOR
ADJUSTMENT
• Businesses are open to requests for fair settlement
• Focus on the particular product and not the company
• Confident and positive in tone
• Difference between what you expected and what you got
 SALES LETTERS

• Specialized and highly skilled professionals

write sales letters
• Legal matters and sales letters
• Invasions of privacy and sales letters
• Persuading without manipulating
 PLANNING SALES LETTERS

• Determine Selling Points and Benefits

• Define the audience
• Choose the approach and format
 DETERMINING SELLING POINTS
AND BENEFITS
• Selling points are the most attractive features
of a product.
• Consumer benefits are the particular
advantages that buyers get
• Product knowledge
• Limit the product benefits to a few
• Ultimately come up with one product benefit
that is the hallmark of the sales campaign
 EXAMPLE

 Sales Letter for a Wholesale Bakery

• What types of bread are sold?
• How are they prepared?
• Prices and discounts
• Delivery schedules
• Packaging

 Sales Letters to Retailers and Customers

 DEFINING THE AUDIENCE

• Demographics (age, gender, occupation,

income, education)

• Psychographics (Personality, attitudes,

lifestyle)
 DEFINING THE AUDIENCE

• Form a mental picture of the product’s typical

buyer
• Relate selling points and benefits to the
picture
 CHOOSING THE FORMAT AND
APPROACH
• Brochures?
• samples?
• How many pages?
• Multi stage campaign?
• Telephone or in person follow up?
• single hard hitting mailing?
• Expensive items call for a more elaborate
approach than low cost items
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

• Getting attention
• Emphasizing the central selling point
• Highlighting Benefits
• Talking about price
• Supporting your claims
• Motivating action
 COMPOSING SALES LETTER

 GETTING ATTENTION

Choose an attention getter that encourages

the reader to read more
How would you like straight A’s this
semester?
Get straight A’s this semester!
Now you can get straight A’s this semester,
with…..
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

 Emphasize the Central Selling Point

• What does the competition offer?
• What is special about my product?
• What are potential buyers really looking for?
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

 HIGHLIGHTING BENEFITS
• Mention the benefit repeatedly in words or in
pictures if possible in the beginning and near
the end
• SELLING POINTS + “YOU "Attitude =
BENEFITS
• Weave in other benefits
 COMPOSING SALES LETTER

• HIGHLIGHTING BENEFITS
“ Worried about the reliability of your current
alarm system in repelling today’s sophisticated
burglars?”
“ You can get this worry-free protection for
much less than you might think.”
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

 Using Action Terms

Give force to your message by:
• Using action terms
• Using colourful verbs and adjectives that
convey a dynamic image
• Be careful not to overdo it
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

 USING ACTION TERMS

“ The NuForm desk chair is designed to support
your lower back and relieve pressure on your
legs.”
“ The NuForm desk chair supports your lower
back and relieves pressure on your legs.”
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

 Talking About Price

If price is an attractive feature, emphasize it by
displaying it prominently
Why pay for fancy packaging or that little tag
with a famous name on it when you can enjoy
cotton lining and durability for only $1.99?
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

Talking about Price

To de-emphasize price,
• Bury actual figures in the middle near the end
• Mention benefits and favorable money matters
before the actual price
• Break a quantity price into units
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

SUPPORTING YOUR CLAIMS

Types of support for product claims:
• Samples
• Brochures
• Testimonials
• Statistics
• Guarantee
 COMPOSING SALES LETTERS

 MOTIVATING ACTION
• Action right away
• Incentives to act such as discounts
 PACKAGING SALES LETTERS

• Direct mail elements

 Outer envelope
Multi page sales letter
Brochure (usually in colour)
Order blank
Postage paid return envelope
 PACKAGING SALES LETTERS

• Longer letters are more effective than shorter

ones
• Most sales letters are four pages long
• Use visual emphasis to keep the reader’s
attention