Deck 10: Persuasive and Sales Messages

Question 1

The statement Driving while under the influence of alcohol is dangerous to everyone on the road because it is unsafe is an example of

A) circular reasoning.
B) logical reasoning.
C) begging the question.
D) post hoc (after, thus, because).

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following sentences best motivates action in a persuasive message?

A) We know that you'll want your employees to complete our ethics training program, so we'll drop by tomorrow to finalize the contract.
B) If you think that our ethics training program might benefit your employees, we hope you'll consider hiring us.
C) The ethics training we provide will help your employees effectively resolve workplace-related ethical dilemmas. Please call me by August 1 so that your training sessions can begin by August 15.
D) All of these choices would effectively motivate action.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is an effective way for persuasive writers and speakers to establish credibility with an audience?

A) Establish your expertise.
B) Offer counterarguments.
C) Request a response from the receiver.
D) Suggest new ideas, directives, or recommendations for change that will be of interest to the audience.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Constance is writing a proposal for her board of directors to request that her company implement a wellness program.The first thing she should do is

A) decide on the purpose of her proposal.
B) prepare an outline.
C) compose a rough draft of the proposal.
D) gather information to include in the proposal.

Question 5

Leila is writing a persuasive message to her staff and includes the opening sentence Your hard work and dedication are what make this company a success.She is gaining her reader's attention by using what type of opening statement?

A) A description of the problem
B) A compliment
C) A reader benefit
D) A stimulating question

Question 6

To start your home water delivery service immediately, call us at 1-800-555-1111 is an example of

A) reducing resistance.
B) motivating action.
C) gaining attention.
D) building interest.

Question 7

Showing customers how your product or service specifically solves a problem, achieves a personal or work objective, or makes life easier is accomplished by

A) adapting the message to the audience.
B) organizing your message.
C) collecting information for your message.
D) analyzing the purpose of the message.

Question 8

Which of the following sequences works best for most persuasive messages?

A) Motivate action, gain attention, build interest, request order
B) Gain attention, build interest, reduce resistance, motivate action
C) Build interest, gain attention, motivate action, reduce resistance
D) Gain attention, build interest, motivate action, request order

Question 9

Christopher, the head of his company's accounting department, is writing a persuasive message to encourage his staff to cut operating costs.What should he do to generate cooperation and buy-in?

A) Not worry about it too much. After all, he's the boss, so he has the right to demand compliance.
B) Threaten employees with concrete examples of what will happen if they don't cooperate.
C) Remind employees that he is the one in charge.
D) Write the message with a positive, enthusiastic tone.

Question 10

Mallory was just hired as a sales rep for a large telecommunications company.She knows her new job will require her to be persuasive.Which of the following is a persuasion technique that Mallory should use on her new job?

A) Make her requests realistic, doable, and attainable.
B) Create trust in her readers and listeners.
C) Use printed resources, statistics, and examples to support her view.
D) Mallory should do all of these.

Question 11

In a letter advertising its recycling services, The Greenfield Recycling Company stresses that customers will feel the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped to preserve the environment.This persuasive technique relies on

A) direct benefits to the reader.
B) expert opinion.
C) facts and statistics.
D) indirect benefits to the reader.

Question 12

Effective persuaders may choose from different organizational strategies to get the results they want.Which of the following is the most accurate statement about organizational patterns?

A) When writing a persuasive message, always use the indirect organizational strategy.
B) If you are asking for something that you know will be approved, use the indirect organizational strategy.
C) When you expect resistance or when you need to educate the receiver, use the indirect organizational pattern.
D) The organizational strategy used is unimportant in persuasive messages.

Question 13

Coleton has analyzed his purpose and his audience and has considered how he will adapt his message to meet his audience's needs.What should he do next according to the 3-x-3 writing process?

A) Collect data and organize it.
B) Start writing his final draft.
C) Edit what he's done so far.
D) Sleep on it.

Question 14

Using the statement Our incompetent CEO should be replaced without supplying solid evidence is an example of

A) circular reasoning.
B) logical reasoning.
C) begging the question.
D) post hoc (after, thus, because).

Question 15

In which of the following situations is the writer being unethical?

A) Phillip convinces his employees that they will need to take a 3 percent pay cut but truthfully promises them that it will only be temporary.
B) Taylor writes an e-mail message focusing on a small perk offered in the new health coverage, but she deliberately de-emphasizes a reduction in total coverage.
C) Shane interviews four people but cites only the three who have the necessary qualifications in her recommendation report.
D) Instead of writing a standard e-mail message, a CEO releases a video that explains major changes in the company.

Question 16

The statement A Kodak all-in-one printer may cost a little more, but you'll pay far less for replacement ink than you will with other printers

A) builds interest in a product.
B) gains attention by describing a problem.
C) reduces resistance.
D) motivates action.

Question 17

Nicole wants to ask her boss if she can telecommute two days a week, but she's afraid her boss will oppose her request.What should she do first in her written request?

A) Reduce resistance
B) Gain attention
C) Motivate action
D) Build interest

Question 18

The statement Did you know you can get home delivery of The Wall Street Journal for 40 percent less than the newsstand price?

A) builds interest with an expert opinion.
B) motivates action by telling readers how to save money.
C) gains attention by asking a question that focuses on reader benefits.
D) presents an indirect benefit.

Question 19

On a Web site advertising its LSAT preparation classes, The Princeton Review includes this sentence: Since 1998, more than 99% of our surveyed students have said they would recommend Law Preview to entering law students.This persuasive technique relies on

A) indirect benefits to the reader.
B) expert opinion.
C) facts and statistics.
D) problem description.

Question 20

What is the most accurate statement about persuasion?

A) Having the ability to persuade is important only at top-level positions.
B) Convincing others that your point of view is the right one is a critical business communication skill.
C) Persuasion usually involves coercion.
D) Successful persuasion depends largely on your credentials and experience; without these it's almost impossible to be persuasive.

Question 21

Which of the following sentences conveys the best tone for a persuasive request within an organization?

A) You should start following the new procedure immediately.
B) You must approve my travel expenses by Friday.
C) Please see your supervisor to have all supply purchases preapproved.
D) Management demands that all new employees attend an orientation session.

Question 22

Which of the following statements about direct mail marketing is most accurate?

A) With the increasing popularity of e-marketing, direct mail marketing has become obsolete.
B) Sales letters are generally written by specialists.
C) Direct mail marketing is more invasive than telephone solicitations and more hated than unsolicited e-mail.
D) Because marketing is such a science, very few people ever have the opportunity to write anything considered a sales letter.

Question 23

Which of the following would be the best way to begin a persuasive claim or complaint letter?

A) Open with an objective statement of the problem.
B) Open with a detailed chronology of what happened.
C) Open with a statement that clearly shows your frustration with the situation.
D) All of these choices would be effective ways to begin a persuasive claim letter.

Question 24

When you are writing to complain about something and you're worried that your reader might be reluctant to grant your claim, you should use

A) the indirect strategy.
B) the direct strategy.
C) both direct and indirect appeals.
D) circular reasoning.

Question 25

Which of the following situations would require a persuasive claim or complaint letter?

A) Melanie noticed that the charger cord for an iPhone that she purchased last month is starting to split open.
B) Gus ordered business cards that were printed on the wrong color of cardstock.
C) Chelsea's transmission failed two months after her car warranty expired.
D) Mike's December credit card statement contains a $65 charge that he didn't make.

Question 26

Which of the following messages moving downward from superiors to subordinates will most likely require persuasion?

A) Telling employees that they must follow a new procedure for submitting expense claims
B) Telling employees to change their passwords every six weeks
C) Suggesting that employees send holiday cards to their clients
D) Requesting that employees participate in a charity 5K run that takes place outside of work hours

Question 27

Suggestions made by subordinates to managers usually require

A) little or no persuasion.
B) bribery.
C) considerable persuasion.
D) little or no evidence, facts, or figures.

Question 28

A strong motivator that encourages ethical behavior in business is the desire to

A) convince someone to change a belief or to perform an action.
B) make more money.
C) maintain one's reputation and credibility.
D) prompt expensive litigation.

Question 29

Adam is writing a proposal to the board of directors about an idea he has for a new product line.What should he do to best persuade the members to adopt his idea?

A) Avoid using facts and figures as it may bore or confuse his reader.
B) Show how his proposal will increase company revenues.
C) Avoid mentioning any risks involved because doing so might scare the audience.
D) Adam should do all of these.

Question 30

Which message would be most effective when organized indirectly?

A) An e-mail message informing employees about a change in summer work hours
B) An announcement about management training seminars being offered to employees
C) An e-mail message asking employees to donate to a local charity through payroll deductions
D) An e-mail message telling employees that carpools are being organized

Question 31

In persuading the owner of your company to allow you to telecommute, which of the following illustrates an indirect benefit to the reader?

A) The time I save commuting would be spent working on company business.
B) Because I'll be working in my quiet home environment, my productivity will increase.
C) Because I will not require an on-site office or company equipment, the company will experience a reduction in expenses.
D) My working from home will help to protect the environment.

Question 32

Which of the following situations requires an indirect strategy?

A) An invitation to a local politician to speak at your professional organization's awards banquet
B) An e-mail message asking for information about membership in a professional organization
C) A letter requesting a copy of your credit report
D) All of these choices should use an indirect strategy.

Question 33

Which of the following will most likely require persuasion within an organization?

A) A supervisor tells her staff that they must work overtime to complete a project by the deadline.
B) A team leader tells other team members how to upload information to the company Web site.
C) An employee proposes a tuition reimbursement program to the company's board of directors.
D) The CEO invites all employees to a holiday party.

Question 34

Which of the following statements would be the best closing for a persuasive claim or complaint letter?

A) If my claim is not granted, I will contact the Better Business Bureau immediately.
B) Please credit my account for $256 by August 31, which is when my next billing cycle begins.
C) My attorney is eagerly waiting to see whether my claim is granted.
D) Please get back to me at your earliest convenience.

Question 35

Ethan has a microwave oven that stopped working properly within the warranty period.He plans to write a claim letter to the company.Because he feels his request to have his microwave oven repaired at no cost is justified and will be granted, he should use

A) the indirect strategy.
B) the direct strategy.
C) circular reasoning.
D) both direct and indirect appeals.

Question 36

In persuading a busy executive to visit a college class, which of the following illustrates a direct benefit to the reader?

A) You will be helping students learn about the finance field.
B) You will receive a $500 honorarium.
C) We would appreciate your giving up your time, and we are grateful for your efforts.
D) You would earn the respect of all your colleagues.

Question 37

Instructions or directives moving downward from superiors to subordinates usually require

A) considerable persuasion.
B) little persuasion.
C) logical fallacies.
D) skillful appeals to indirect benefits.

Question 38

Using the statement The company added a wellness program, and four managers were promoted immediately afterward is most likely an example of

A) circular reasoning.
B) logical reasoning.
C) begging the question.
D) post hoc (after, thus, because).

Question 39

Caitlin wants to convince her supervisor to invest in new iPads for the sales staff.What is the best thing Caitlin can do in her proposal?

A) Tell her supervisor that the cost of the new iPads is a good deal.
B) Tell her supervisor how happy she and the others on the sales staff would be with new iPads.
C) Show how the iPads will improve the ability of sales staff to stay in touch with clients, resulting in greater productivity and higher sales.
D) Outline some of the features of the new iPads.

Question 40

When writing a claim letter to a company, you're more likely to be successful if you

A) appeal to the company's sense of responsibility and pride in its good name.
B) threaten to picket the company with signs describing your complaint.
C) mention the discussion you had with your attorney regarding this claim.
D) provide a long, fact-filled account of all your dealings with the company concerning this claim.

Question 41

When promoting products and writing sales letters, which of the following is legal?

A) Including a "puffery" statement such as We offer the best service in the industry!
B) Using a celebrity's name or likeness in a sales message without his or her permission
C) Telling people they are sweepstakes winners or finalists when they really aren't
D) All of these choices are illegal.

Question 42

In a letter promoting its new hybrid vehicle, a car company included this sentence: Our new hybrid model will save you hundreds of dollars annually on gasoline expenses.The company is focusing on indirect benefits of purchasing this vehicle.

Question 43

Byron has ended a sales message with the sentence Book your vacation by May 15 to receive a seventh night free.What technique is he using to motivate action?

A) Guaranteeing satisfaction
B) Limiting the offer
C) Setting a deadline
D) Promising an incentive

Question 44

If you expect resistance or need to educate the reader, use the direct approach for your persuasive message.

Question 45

A successful and practical persuasive message shows receivers how your request will help them solve a problem, achieve a personal or work objective, or make life easier.

Question 46

Last month our technical support personnel handed an additional 200 calls; that higher call volume increased our customer wait time per call by 15 percent is an example of an effective opener for a persuasive message recommending a solution to this problem.

Question 47

The most effective sales messages follow this pattern:

A) gain attention, build interest, reduce resistance, motivate action.
B) gain attention, motivate action, reduce resistance, build action.
C) gain attention, reduce resistance, build interest, motivate action.
D) build interest, gain attention, reduce resistance, motivate action.

Question 48

The first step in planning a persuasive message is determining the purpose since it establishes the strategy of the message.

Question 49

What is the best persuasive technique with individuals from low-context cultures?

A) Use a soft-sell approach.
B) Rely on unspoken context and nonverbal cues to convey messages.
C) Express requests directly.
D) Avoid using superlatives such as lowest, highest, or best.

Question 50

The most important information in a news release should be

A) saved for the last paragraph for dramatic effect.
B) focused totally on selling the writer's company and its products.
C) concentrated at the beginning of the release.
D) highlighted briefly in the middle paragraphs.

Question 51

For all businesspeople, persuasion is a critical skill.

Question 52

Elizabeth is writing a sales letter to a company in Thailand, which is a high-context culture.What should Elizabeth do to be persuasive with this audience?

A) Use direct expressions, words, and phrases.
B) Use expressions of politeness, honorifics, flowery language, wishful requests, and overall humility.
C) Include complex facts with great embellishment and superlatives.
D) Emphasize "I" or the "you" view rather than "we" and "our."

Question 53

When price is an obstacle, the most effective sales messages reduce resistance by

A) mentioning the price right away to show that you have nothing to hide.
B) showing the price in small units.
C) not mentioning the price at all.
D) sending your readers to your competitors' Web sites to compare prices.

Question 54

Alisha is writing a sales message to advertise the services provided by the day spa she manages.In the letter she mentions rest, relaxation, and spoiling oneself for the day.Alisha is using what type of appeal?

A) Rational appeal
B) Emotional appeal
C) Dual appeal
D) Logical appeal

Question 55

The most effective press releases

A) concentrate on advertising a company's products.
B) emphasize the most important information by placing it near the end.
C) attempt to answer the five Ws and one H in the first sentence.
D) present interesting information without typos, punctuation errors, or factual errors.

Question 56

When building interest in your proposal or request, limit your explanation to one paragraph for conciseness.

Question 57

The manager of a bookstore plant to use e-mail to send an online sales message announcing a special sale.What is the best advice to make this e-marketing campaign successful?

A) Leave the subject line blank so that readers will be curious enough to open the message.
B) Build interest by placing the most important information near the end of the message.
C) Send your e-mail sales message only to those who have given permission.
D) Include at least eight to ten central selling points to overcome any resistance.

Question 58

One of the biggest mistakes in persuasive requests is the failure to anticipate and offset audience resistance.

Question 59

Most persuasion involves coercion or trickery.

Question 60

When using the indirect strategy to write a persuasive message, begin the message by overcoming any resistance your reader might have.

Question 61

Exaggerating a point or omitting something crucial when using persuasive techniques is considered unethical behavior.

Question 62

Your primary goal in writing a sales message is to get someone to devote a few moments of attention to it.

Question 63

The direct pattern is best when a past claim has been refused or ignored or if you anticipate reluctance to your claim.

Question 64

An effective closing for a persuasive claim adjustment letter is I hope that you will take care of my request at your earliest convenience.

Question 65

Amanda is writing a claim letter about unsatisfactory service she received at a recent business dinner.She should enclose a copy of her restaurant receipt.

Question 66

Instructions and directives to subordinates, including information about procedures, equipment, or customer service, usually require considerable persuasion and, therefore, should be arranged indirectly.

Question 67

Emotional appeals are generally appropriate when a product is inexpensive, short-lived, or nonessential.

Question 68

An example of an emotional appeal is You can reduce your gasoline expenses by installing our fuel-efficient tires on your vehicle.

Question 69

One of the best ways to persuade management to adopt an idea is to show how the idea will save the company money.

Question 70

To get a complimentary breakfast buffet each morning of your stay, please complete your booking by April 30 effectively motivates action in the closing of a sales letter.

Question 71

An effective technique in persuasive claim letters is to prove how your reader caused the problem.

Question 72

Persuading someone to change a belief or to perform an action is less effective when done in writing than when done face to face.

Question 73

Managers trying to persuade employees should use words such as should and must to make their messages more powerful.

Question 74

To best overcome resistance, bring up every possible objection your reader might have.

Question 75

You should show anger and frustration in a claim letter to show that you are serious about the matter.

Question 76

Would you like to reduce your daily commute time? is an effective statement for the opening paragraph of a sales message.

Question 77

A manager who persuades employees to accept pay cuts because of low profits but fails to reveal executive bonuses is demonstrating ethical behavior.

Question 78

Paul wants to convince the members of his staff to begin exercising more.He should use an indirect organizational pattern.

Question 79

Smart companies should focus exclusively on e-marketing since direct-mail marketing is obsolete.

Question 80

The first step when writing a sales letter is to analyze the product and the purpose for writing.