Lecture 7: Persuasive Messages

1. Lecture 7:Persuasive Messages

2. Persuasive Messages I. Preparing to write a persuasive message A. Appealing to the audience’s needs B. Appealing to emotion and logic C. Appealing to the credibility II. Organizing the message A. Attention (A) B. Interest (I) C. Desire (D) D. Action (A)

3. Persuasive Messages III. Writing a successful persuasive request A. Sample letter IV. Writing sales letters A. Stage I: Prewriting B. Stage II: Preparing the copy C. Stage III: Writing persuasive messages

4. Appealing to the Audience’s Needs Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: Self-actualization Esteem and status Social Safety and security Physiological (survival)

5. Appeal to Emotion and Logic • People respond emotionally when their needs are not being met. • Persuasion aims to arouse desirable emotions and diminish undesirable ones. • Logic provides justification for and reinforces emotional decisions.

6. Appeal to Credibility Appeal to credibility through facts • Testimonials • Documents • Guarantees • Statistics • Research results

7. Organizing the Message

8. Writing A Successful Persuasive Request

9. Writing A Successful Persuasive Request (cont’d)

10. Writing A Successful Persuasive Request (cont’d)

11. Writing Sales Letters Stage 1: Prewriting Stage 1. Determining selling points and benefits • Identify selling points and the potential buyers • Selling points: the most attractive features • Consumer benefits: particular advantages • Identify product features: • Product identity: Performance features • Product life span: Effectiveness • Competing products: Manufacturing process • Packaging; Product history • Product image; Distribution; Market position

12. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) 2. Defining audience • Demographic characteristics: age, gender, occupation, income, education • Psychographic characteristics: personality, attitude, life-style 3. Planning format and approach • Letter, brochure, sample, response card • Graphics: type style, color, logos • Number of pages in sales letter • Overall makeup of campaign: Mailing, telephone or in-person follow-up

13. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) Stage 2: Preparing the Copy 1. Attention-getting format devices • Genuine news: In the past 60 days, auto manufacturers’ inventories have shrunk by 12 percent. • Emotions & values: The only thing worse than paying taxes is paying taxes when you don’t have to.

14. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) 2. Emphasizing the central selling point (Application Letter) • Focus on the single most important feature • Determine the central selling point by asking: • What does competitor offer? • What is special about your product? • What are potential buyers really looking for?

15. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) 3. Highlighting the consumer benefits Selling points + “you” attitude = Benefits • Mention the most important benefit near the beginning and end of the letter • Refer to other benefits throughout the body of the letter

16. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) 4. Using action terms • The XYZ desk chair is designed to support… • The XYZ desk chair supports… 5. Talking about the price • Prices for similar products • Pave the way for your price -- "economical" or "luxurious" before mentioning the specific price

17. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) 6. Supporting your claims • If the price is low, compare features to the competitor's to show relative value. • If the price is high, stress features and benefits to justify it. • To de-emphasize price: • Bury actual figures in the middle of a paragraph, near the end of letter; after explaining selling points • Break quantity price into units • Compare favorably to some other product or activity • Types of support for product claims: samples; Brochures

18. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) 7. Motivating action • Mention deadline, if appropriate. • Offer discounts, prizes, and special offers for early orders. • Offer free trial, unconditional guarantee.

19. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) Examples (Source: Guffey, M. (1994). Business communication: Process and product, pp. 245-246). Stage 3: Writing Persuasive Messages • Gaining Attention (A) • Offer: A free trip to Hawaii is just the beginning! • Promise: Now you can raise your sales income by 50 percent or even more with the proven techniques found in… • Product feature: At last – a collection of personnel forms help you both hire and manage employees, while complying with government regulations.

20. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) • Building Interest (I) • Rational Appeal: You can buy the things you need and want, pay household bills, pay off higher-cost loans and credit card – as soon as you are approved and your Credit Line account is opened. • Emotional Appeal: Leave the urban bustle behind and escape to sun-soaked Bermuda! All you need is your bathing suit, a little suntan lotion, and your Credit-Line card to recharge your batteries with an injection of sun and surf.

21. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) • Building Interest (I) • Dual Appeal: New Credit-Line cardholders are immediately eligible for a $ 1000 travel certificate and additional discounts at fun-filled resorts. Save up to 40 percent while lying on a beach in picturesque, sun-soaked Bermuda, the year-round resort island.

22. Writing Sales Letters (cont’d) • Motivating Action (D & A) • Offer a gift: You will receive a free calculator with your first order. • Promise an incentive: With every new, paid subscription, we will plant a tree in one of America’s Heritage Forests. • Limit the offer: Only the first 100 customers receive free checks. • Set a deadline: You must act before June 1 to get these low prices. • Guarantee satisfaction: We will return your full payment if you are not entirely satisfied – no questions asked.

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