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HRM. Office of Human Resources Management. ``````````````````````````. HRM. Function: Writing to Persuade. Giving an Opinion Moderating Tone. Communicating Bad News. HRM. Think about your professional context.
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HRM Office of Human Resources Management
`````````````````````````` HRM Function: Writing to Persuade Giving an Opinion Moderating Tone
Communicating Bad News HRM Think about your professional context. 1) In what situations have you been required to provide an opinion/persuade in correspondence? 2) What are some techniques you have used to politely persuade in writing?
Examples HRM • Favors • Requesting action • Making claims • Writing sales letters • Writing a cover letter • Gaining attention/building interest in something • Reducing resistance • Motivating action
Persuasive Writing Tips HRM • Anger and emotion are not effective persuaders • Try to use appeals to logic and rationality • Provide examples and facts to support your argument • Anticipate objections your reader may have to your argument • Repeat key ideas/information in different ways • Select an appropriate tone (do not suggest that the reader deceived you or created a problem; appeal to his/her pride and sense of responsibility)
First Draft Response HRM Dear Ms. Daugherty: Would you be willing to speak to the members of the DC chapter of the National Restaurant Alliance? We hate to ask such a busy person, but we hoped you might be free on June 10 and would be able to come down from Philadelphia to join us in Washington. You would address our members on the topic of avoiding the seven cardinal sins in food service. This is a topic we understand you presented at your local chapter with some success. Although we can offer you only a $200 honorarium, we will also include dinner. Our group is informal, but I’m sure they would be interested in a 45-minute speech. Please let me know if you can join us at 7 p.m. at the Red Sage restaurant in Washington.
First Draft Response HRM • Fails to attract interest • Does not promote direct and indirect benefits • Does not anticipate objections Dear Ms. Daugherty: Would you be willing to speak to the members of the DC chapter of the National Restaurant Alliance? We hate to ask such a busy person, but we hoped you might be free on June 10 and would be able to come down from Philadelphia to join us in Washington. You would address our members on the topic of avoiding the seven cardinal sins in food service. This is a topic we understand you presented at your local chapter with some success. Although we can offer you only a $200 honorarium, we will also include dinner. Our group is informal, but I’m sure they would be interested in a 45-minute speech. Please let me know if you can join us at 7 p.m. at theRed Sage restaurant in Washington.
1 Attention Building HRM Obtain the reader’s attention and interest. Describe a problem, state something unexpected, suggest reader benefits, offer praise or compliments, or ask a stimulating question. Dear Ms. Daugherty: News of the excellent presentation you made at your local chapter of the National Restaurant Alliance has reached us here in Washington, and we are very impressed. How does the writer gain the reader’s attention?
1 Attention Building HRM What do you think is the difference between these two types of attention-building? When might you use each one? Rational Appeal You can buy the things you need and want, pay household bills, pay off higher-cost loans and credit cards—as soon as you’re approved and your Credit-Line account is opened. Emotional Appeal Leave the urban bustle behind and escape to sun-soaked Bermuda! To recharge your batteries with an injection of sun and surf, all you need is your bathing suit, a little suntan lotion, and your Credit-Line card.
2 Build Interest HRM Build interest. Explain logically and concisely the purpose of the request. Prove its merit. Use facts, statistics, expert opinion, examples, specific details, and direct and indirect benefits. The DC chapter of the National Restaurant Alliance asked me to invite you to be the featured speaker at our June 10 dinner on the topic of "Avoiding the Seven Cardinal Sins in Food Service." By sharing your expertise, you can help other restaurant operators recognize and prevent potential problems involving discrimination, workplace safety, hiring practices, and so forth. Although we can offer you only a small honorarium of $200 plus your travel expenses, we can promise you a big audience of enthusiastic restaurateurs eager to hear your presentation. What are the direct and indirect benefits in this paragraph?
2 Build Interest HRM Build interest. Explain logically and concisely the purpose of the request. Prove its merit. Use facts, statistics, expert opinion, examples, specific details, and direct and indirect benefits. The DC chapter of the National Restaurant Alliance asked me to invite you to be the featured speaker at our June 10 dinner on the topic of "Avoiding the Seven Cardinal Sins in Food Service." Indirect benefit: By sharing your expertise, you can help other restaurant operators recognize and prevent potential problems involving discrimination, workplace safety, hiring practices, and so forth. Although we can offer you only a small honorarium of $200 plus your travel expenses, we can promise you a big audience of enthusiastic restaurateurs eager to hear your presentation.
2 Build Interest HRM Build interest. Explain logically and concisely the purpose of the request. Prove its merit. Use facts, statistics, expert opinion, examples, specific details, and direct and indirect benefits. The DC chapter of the National Restaurant Alliance asked me to invite you to be the featured speaker at our June 10 dinner on the topic of "Avoiding the Seven Cardinal Sins in Food Service." By sharing your expertise, you can help other restaurant operators recognize and prevent potential problems involving discrimination, workplace safety, hiring practices, and so forth. Direct benefit: Although we can offer you only a small honorarium of $200 plus your travel expenses, we can promise you a big audience of enthusiastic restaurateurs eager to hear your presentation.
3 Reduce Resistance HRM Reduce resistance. Anticipate objections, offer counterarguments, establish credibility, demonstrate competence, and show the value of your proposal. Our relaxed group doesn't expect a formal address; they are most interested in hearing about best practices and solutions to prospective problems. To make your talk easy to organize, I've enclosed a list of questions our members submitted. Most talks are about 45 minutes long. How did the writer reduce resistance in this example?
4 Motivate Action HRM Motivate action. Ask for a particular action. Make the action easy to take. Show courtesy, respect, and gratitude. Can we count on you to join us for dinner at 7 p.m. June 10 at the Red Sage restaurant in Washington? Just call me at (202) 351-1220 before March 15 to make arrangements. How did the writer motivate action in this example?
Setting the Tone HRM • When writing persuasively, it is important to use a neutral or positive tone in your writing. • Avoid emotionally charged language • Use gender-neutral language • Use euphemisms instead of overly-direct termsRe-read your writing and check for negative or potentially offensive language.
Setting the Tone HRM Can you think of less emotionally charged versions of these words?
Setting the Tone HRM Can you think of less emotionally charged versions of these words?
Setting the Tone HRM Can you think of more gender-sensitive versions of these words?
Setting the Tone HRM Can you think of more gender-sensitive versions of these words?
Setting the Tone HRM Can you think of euphemisms for these words?
HRM Review: 4-Step Persuasive Format
HRM Identify the Format Look at the example e-mail. (see document) Can you identify the 4 steps? What do you like about this email? What could be improved?
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