Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eChapter 7Persuasive MessagesCh.7-1Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eOpeningObtain the readers attention and interest.BodyExplain logically and concisely the purpose of your request.Reduce resistance with counterarguments; establish credibility.Writing Plan for a Persuasive Request2Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eWriting Plan for a Persuasive RequestClosingAsk for a particular action.Make it easy to respond.Show courtesy and respect.3Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eMary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eBegin with a compliment, point of agreement, statement of the problem, or brief review of action you have taken to resolve the problem.Provide identifying data.Explain why the receiver is responsible.Tips for Complaints5Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eEnclose document copies supporting your claim.Appeal to the receivers fairness, ethical and legal responsibilities, and desire for customer satisfaction.Describe your feelings and your disappointment.Tips for Complaints6Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eTips for ComplaintsAvoid sounding angry, emotional, or irrational.Close by telling exactly what you want done.7Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eMr.JohnM.WatsonRetailCreditDepartmentUnionNationalBankP.O.Box2051LittleRock,AR72203DearMr.Watson:YouhavechargedmywifesVisaaccountwitherroneousover-the-limitchargesthatarequiteunfair,andIamveryupsetaboutit.Ineffective Persuasive Request Letter8Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eHowcanwebechargedwithover-the-limitchargeswhennearlyeveryoneofthechargeswasapproved?WedontkeeparunningrecordofourVisaaccountandallourcreditpurchasesonit,sowedidnotknowthatwewereclosetothelimit.BetweenAugust7andSeptember27wemade12purchases.Wewerechargeda$10feeforeachofthese12transactionsbecauseweexceededourcreditlimit.However,10ofthesetransactionswerephonedinforapproval,andALLWEREAPPROVED!Whyweretheyapprovedifwewereoverourcreditlimit?Obviously,wewouldnothavecontinuedtomakepurchasesifwehadknownwewereoverourlimit.Ineffective Persuasive Request Letter9Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eItseemstomethatyourapprovalsystemisatfaulthere.Andwhyarentnewcardholdersinformedofyourrules?Thechargeswemadeexceedingthelimitwereclearlyunintentional.Furthermore,ouractionsweremadeonthebasisofmisinformationanderrorsonthepartofyourcreditprocessors.Angrilyyours,Ineffective Persuasive Request Letter10Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eDiscussion:1. Does the opening obtain the readers attention in a positive manner?2. Why does the writer think that the $120 penalty is unreasonable? Does the writer offer convincing reasons? Are they logically presented?3. Does the writer try to blame the bank for the penalty?Ineffective Persuasive Request Letter11Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eDiscussion:4. What action does the writer seek? 5. Is that action clearly stated?6. Does the letter show courtesy and respect?7. How would you feel if you were the receiver?Ineffective Persuasive Request Letter12Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eDearMr.Watson:SUBJECT:“Over-the-Limit”CreditCardChargesBecauseofthewideacceptanceoftheVisacreditcardandbecauseofyourbanksattractiveinterestrate,mywifeandIwereeagertobecomecardholderstwoyearsago.Recently,however,weexperiencedachargetoouraccountthatwewouldliketodiscusswithyou.BetweentheperiodofAugust7andSeptember27,wemade12Improved Persuasive Request Letter13Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6esmallpurchases.Tenofthesepurchasesweregiventelephoneapproval.Whenwereceivedourlaststatement,acopyofwhichisenclosed,weweresurprisedtoseethatwewerecharged$10eachforthesepurchasesbecauseouraccountwasoverourlimit.Thetotalchargewas$120.Ofcourse,weshouldhavebeenmoreawareofourlimitandthenumberofchargesthatweweremakingagainstouraccount.Weassumed,however,thatifourpurchasesreceivedtelephoneapprovalfromyourcreditprocessors,wewerestillwithinourcreditlimit.Improved Persuasive Request Letter14Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6eImproved Persuasive Request LetterPleaseexamineouraccount,Mr.Watson,andreconsiderthispenalty.Sincewehaveneverexceededourcreditlimitinthepastandsincewehadreceivedtelephoneapprovalformostofthechargesinquestion,wefeelthatthe$120chargeshouldberemoved.Sincerely,15Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 6e1. About 15 months ago your smooth-talking salesperson seduced us into buying your Model RX copier, which has been nothing but trouble ever since.2. If you will check your records, you will undoubtedly discover that we first obtained our model RX copier 15 months ago. It was installed in our Legal Department.Which of the following openings are effective?Good and Bad Openings for Persuasive Requests16Mary