CHAPTER 10

PERSUASIVE WRITTEN
MESSAGES
 PERSUASIVE WRITTEN MESSAGES
 Persuasion has one core purpose: Get your reader to support,
believe, and act in your favor.

 ORGANIZATION OF PERSUASIVE MESSAGE

1. Direct request organization
2. Indirect request organization
DIRECT REQUEST ORGANIZATION

 Routine personal requests can use immediate, frank

statements of the main idea.
 It has three parts.

1. Main idea: your request, question, statement and reason

2. Explanation: evidence and details needed in order that

your reader can respond precisely.
3. Courteous close: politely asking for what action is desired.
INDIRECT REQUEST ORGANIZATION

 Indirect requests (main message is not open) mean the writer

must first get the reader’s attention.
 Nonroutine persuasive requests have three parts.

1. Explanation: buffer opening

2. Main idea: the core of your request, your concern

3. Courtesy close: polite ending with last request for action

INDIRECT REQUEST ORGANIZATION
 Persuasive letters usefully have four parts, often referred to as
AIDA formula for sales presentations.

A--- attract the reader’s attention

I--- Arouse the reader’s interest
D--- Create desire and convince the reader
A--- State clearly the action reader needs to take
Don’t worry about the AIDA order, focus on rationale behind
various parts.
Persuasive request messages follow four Ps i.e. promise,
picture, prove and push.
 INDIRECT REQUEST ORGANIZATION
1. Attention: first paragraph (promise, start)
 Begin by getting reader’s attention. You are answering the
reader’s question of “what is in it for me”? Search for the point
that is close to reader’s interest.
 Open with agreeable comment or assertion
 Open with sincere compliment
 Open with direct request for favor
 Open with a question
INDIRECT REQUEST ORGANIZATION
2. Interest and desire: middle paragraph (picture)
 After getting the attention, begin to think about creating
interest and desire in the reader.
 Suggest what your project, product or service is and what it
will do for reader. Consider doing two things.
1. Describe its physical characteristics i.e. features,
appearance, performance.
2. Relate its value or benefits to the reader i.e. safety, health,
entertainment.
INDIRECT REQUEST ORGANIZATION
3. Action: last paragraph (push)
 Suggest action you want to readers to make.
 Make the action clear, easy, dated.
 PERSUASIVE REQUESTS

Requests that require time or personal contribution

 When you approach an individual to do something or contribute
funds, you asking that they give up some of their money, or time. In
this case consider:
1. Attention

2. Interest

3. Desire

4. Action

(see examples on pp.254-255).

 PERSUASIVE REQUESTS
Requests about product or service
 Products and services are common form of persuasive request.

 As a seller you are interested in promoting your product or

service, as a consumer you are interested in making sure those
products or services meet basic requirements.
1. Persuasively requesting purchase of product
 Notes to customers who have not used your services or product
for a period of long time. These notes are called miss you
messages. (see examples on p.256).
REQUESTS ABOUT PRODUCT OR
SERVICE

2. Persuasively requesting information from seller

 All receivers of a request for further business or more kind of
involvement should be eager to reply.
 Some sellers are late or do not respond, so you make simple
request. E.g. I am considering attending the evening program
of your school, please send me your undergraduate catalog.
3. Persuasively requesting internal employee action
 Quality management is extensively used today, companies
are deeply concerned about how to improve their
relationships with employees and customers.
 Persuasion is needed to convince the reader that information
requested is necessary. E.g. seeking feedback on computer.
 REQUESTS FOR CLAIMS AND
REQUESTS FOR ADJUSTMENTS
 Unhappy customers are often quick to request a correction.
Never write a letter in heat of anger. Most companies wish to
please customers.
1. Persuasively requesting an adjustment
 When a customer asks for an adjustment, companies should
humbly reply to customer request.
2. Persuasively requesting credit
 Many credit applications are handled routinely. On some
occasions you seek a special credit privilege requesting you to
persuade the lending institution. You need to convince the
lending institution that you are more reliable (see examples on
pp.259-260).
 REQUESTS FOR CHANGES IN POLICY
 Employees can persuade a company to make changes in
policies.

 REQUESTS FOR CHANGES IN PERFORMANCE

 Persuasion is needed when you want individuals to change
their performance e.g. changes in appearance, habits, business
practices.
 The End