Deck 10: Writing Persuasive Messages

Question 1

Sending an email is just as good as sending a letter when delivering a persuasive message;the delivery method is not an important consideration.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Psychographics and demographics help in the understanding of audience needs.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

When you are able to show others how their decision will benefit your interests you will more easily convince them that this will benefit their interests.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

If a persuasive message is aligned with the recipient's already existing motivations,the persuasive message will be more effective.

Question 5

For a hostile or skeptical business audience your credibility is even more essential for a persuasive message.

Question 6

Because persuasion is used to convince your audience to change their attitudes,beliefs,or actions,the direct approach is needed.

Question 7

AIDA can also be used in the direct approach - after using your main idea as the 'attention-getter'.

Question 8

High context and low context cultures can have different reactions to straightforward persuasive messages.

Question 9

Only when your audience is ready to hear your message should you use the indirect approach.

Question 10

When talking about 'limiting the scope' it means including only the information needed to help the audience take the next step toward making a favourable decision.

Question 11

To devise an effective persuasive message,you need to analyze audience members and then appeal to their needs.

Question 12

Persuasion can be defined as asking somebody to do something.

Question 13

Supporting your message by providing objectivity and knowledge is one way to build credibility.

Question 14

"Demographics" refers to the psychological characteristics of an individual,such as personality,attitudes,and lifestyle.

Question 15

In the direct approach you will give your recommendations and then the reasons for them.

Question 16

One of the first things to do before making a persuasive message is to gather information on your audience: demographics,psychographics,and any information that will close the gap between what your audience knows,believes,or feels and what you want them to know,believe,or feel.

Question 17

Motivation prevents people from satisfying their needs and this makes persuasion necessary.

Question 18

The best persuasive messages always employ the indirect approach.

Question 19

AIDA is an indirect model for persuasive messages.

Question 20

When writing persuasive messages,one should be careful not to mix emotional and logical appeals.

Question 21

The interest section of a persuasive letter provides details on how the message is related to the audience.

Question 22

If you expect a resistant audience,you should be careful to present all sides of an issue before making the case for your own argument.

Question 23

Sales messages and marketing messages are really the same thing.

Question 24

Sales letters are typically prepared according to the AIDA plan.

Question 25

Selling points focus on the user of the product or service while benefits focus on the user.

Question 26

Abstract concepts such as freedom,prestige,or success can be used to enhance the emotional content of persuasive messages.

Question 27

Generally speaking,persuasive business messages rely more heavily on logical appeals than on emotional appeals.

Question 28

The term AIDA refers to a computer program used to compose persuasive messages.

Question 29

With deduction you work from a generalization to a specific conclusion.

Question 30

In the attention phase of an indirect persuasive letter,you tell the audience what is in the message for them.

Question 31

An example of faulty logic is to assume that one event caused another just because it happened first.

Question 32

The best way to handle objections to sales messages is to wait until they appear and then address them;this way you don't waste time and energy worrying about what might happen.

Question 33

The purpose of the desire section of a persuasive letter is to reduce resistance by identifying and answering in advance any questions the audience might have.

Question 34

Induction refers to reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion.

Question 35

The purpose of a sales letter is to motivate people to spend money on products.

Question 36

Logical flaws include circular reasoning.

Question 37

Organize persuasive messages using the AIDDO model.It has been proven more effective than the AIDA model in recent research studies.

Question 38

Persuasive messages end with a section that urges specific action.

Question 39

The method for a persuasive claim or request for adjustment is to start with the direct approach by stating the basic problem and what has been done about the problem up to that point.Then,it is always best to follow that with a statement of how distressed and angry you are with the product or service because,in this way,the recipient of your claim message knows that you are exasperated and expect satisfaction when the issue is resolved.

Question 40

Sometimes the objective of a persuasive message is only to encourage the recipient to consider a new idea.

Question 41

An advertisement stating that Bubbly bubblebath "will free you of all your worries and cares" is using _____________

A)an emotional appeal.
B)an analogy.
C)an inductive appeal.
D)a deductive appeal.

Question 42

Which of the following is not an example of demographic information?

A)Age
B)Occupation
C)Lifestyle
D)Income

Question 43

According to businesspeople,ethical persuasive messages influence audience members by providing information and aiding understanding.

Question 44

The purpose of the interest section of a persuasive message is to _____________

A)capture attention.
B)stress how the information in the message is relevant and will benefit the audience.
C)increase the audience's desire to take the action that is recommended in the message.
D)get the reader to act immediately.

Question 45

An attempt to change an audience's attitudes,beliefs,or actions is called _____________

A)strategic planning.
B)persuasion.
C)coercion.
D)nonverbal communication.

Question 46

Personality,lifestyle,and attitudes are assessed through _____________

A)demographic surveys.
B)psychographic studies.
C)inkblot tests.
D)examining census data.

Question 47

An ethical persuasive argument _____________

A)is a contradiction in terms.
B)focuses on how the audience's actions will benefit the sender.
C)includes any evidence the sender can come up with,whether or not it's relevant.
D)influences audience members by providing information that allows them freedom to choose.

Question 48

Your consideration of audience needs is more than ethical;it's the proper use of persuasion.

Question 49

When creating marketing and sales messages it is important to only focus on your own product and service because everything about your product is different from your competitor's;there is no comparison.

Question 50

The purpose of the desire section of a persuasive message is to _____________

A)introduce the main idea.
B)create interest in the main idea.
C)increase your audience's willingness to take action.
D)suggest the action your audience should take.

Question 51

To motivate action by the recipients of your message you need to make the desired action simple,risk-free,and quickly done for maximum benefit.

Question 52

'Conversation Marketing' occurs when customers use social media to start a discussion about companies to share stories.

Question 53

When it comes to persuasive messages that influence motivation,all but one of the following influence motivation.Which of the following does not motivate directly? _____________

A)The need for food,water,sleep,oxygen
B)The need for safety and security
C)The need for power and control
D)The need to help others
E)The need for prayer

Question 54

One way to help build credibility with your audience is to _____________

A)come right out and state that you are trustworthy.
B)let them know that you're not rigid about what you have to say.
C)establish common ground with them.
D)point out ways in which your knowledge is superior to that of your audience members.

Question 55

When writing persuasive messages,one way to avoid faulty logic is to _____________

A)avoid induction.
B)avoid deduction.
C)avoid praising your opponent.
D)avoid hasty generalizations.

Question 56

An effective ending for a persuasive message would be _____________

A)"Return the enclosed coupon by June 15 and you'll receive your bonus 'early bird' key chain."
B)"Please respond as soon as possible."
C)"Wouldn't you like to save some money?"
D)"Be sure to tell all your friends about this exciting offer."

Question 57

In 'social commerce',potential buyers tend to trust each other more than they trust advertisers.

Question 58

There are,increasingly,significant legal ramifications to marketing and sales messages;therefore,most companies obtain clearance from lawyers before marketing or sales messages are released.

Question 59

AIDA stands for _____________

A)appeal,indirect,direct,action.
B)anticipate inquiry in doing adjustments.
C)assume,insist,describe,act.
D)attention,interest,desire,action.

Question 60

Offensive and insulting marketing or sales messages are illegal in Canada.

Question 61

It is particularly important to establish credibility with a skeptical or hostile audience.

Question 62

Psychographics refers to information about an individual's personality,attitudes,lifestyle,and other psychological characteristics.

Question 63

For persuasive business messages,the choice of approach is not influenced by ______

A)your authority.
B)your expertise.
C)your power within the organization.
D)your income relative to the audience's level of income.
E)your credibility.

Question 64

All but one of the following are guidelines to help marketing and sales professionals adapt to the multidirectional conversations on social media.Which one is not a guideline?

A)Listen at least as much as you talk.
B)Don't allow differences of opinion on your website.
C)Don't rely on the news media to distribute your message.
D)Provide information that people want.
E)Help all of your audiences connect with your company and each other.

Question 65

One way to not build credibility is to ????________

A)be honest.
B)directly inform the audience of your level of education and expertise.
C)be objective about things by supplying facts and figures that can be helpful.
D)be aware of your audience's needs.
E)express your knowledge when it is appropriate.

Question 66

Induction is reasoning from specific evidence to a general conclusion.

Question 67

To overcome audience resistance to your message _____________

A)use the hard-sell approach.
B)present all sides of the issue before making the case for your position.
C)resist compromise.
D)do all of the above.

Question 68

If price is one of your strong selling points,you _____________

A)mention special offers,such as volume discounts,before actually stating the price.
B)compare the price to the cost of some other product or activity ("This exercise equipment costs less than a health club membership").
C)break the total price into smaller units ("Just six easy payments of $19.95 each will bring you this lovely collector's item").
D)emphasize it in the opening of the sales letter.

Question 69

Limit your scope to include only the information needed to help your audience take the next step toward making a favourable decision.

Question 70

Persuasion is the attempt to change people's attitudes,beliefs,or actions.

Question 71

If the audience for your sales letter promoting a new security system is made up of affluent suburbanites,the consumer benefit you would most want to emphasize in your letter is _____________

A)the reliability of the system when protecting the consumer's property.
B)the low cost.
C)the attractive appearance of the device.
D)The easy,do-it-yourself installation.

Question 72

When writing a persuasive claim letter _____________

A)assume that the other person is trying to cheat you.
B)use a calm and reasonable tone.
C)mention as many additional complaints as possible about the company.
D)do all of the above.

Question 73

The most effective main ideas for persuasive messages have one element in common: they focus on the recipient.

Question 74

Demographics refer(s)to information about people's age,gender,occupation,income,and education.

Question 75

Deduction is reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion.

Question 76

Persuasive messages often follow a specialized form of the indirect approach called the AIDA model,strategy,or plan.

Question 77

Which of the following is not one of the tried and true attention-getting devices used in sales letters?

A)Strong,evocative images
B)Insulting a competitor
C)A promise of savings
D)A claim to finally solving a problem

Question 78

Which of the following would be considered a selling point of a car phone?

A)Status
B)Safety
C)Portability
D)None of the above

Question 79

Human needs influence(s)motivation.

Question 80

The purpose of sales letters is to motivate people to spend money on products.