Deck 10: Persuasive and Sales Messages

Question 1

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)He should collect data and organize it.
B)He should start writing his final draft.
C)He should edit what he's done so far.
D)He should sleep on it.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In the sentence, In 2018 our company was rated one of Canada's top 100 employers by Maclean's magazine, what persuasive strategy is being used?

A)makes a precise request
B)establishes credibility
C)ties facts to benefits
D)expects and overcomes resistance

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements describes and adheres to AIDA strategy?

A)The AIDA strategy consists of four separate steps that must be carried out separately.
B)The steps in the AIDA strategy must always be carried out in order.
C)Counterarguments should never be presented in a persuasive message because doing so will remind the reader of other options.
D)Facts, figures, expert opinions, examples, specific details, and direct and indirect benefits can be used to build interest.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

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 5

Which of the following statements about persuasion is accurate?

A)Having the ability to persuade is important only at top-level positions.
B)In the digital world, persuasion can change attitudes on a mass scale.
C)Persuasion usually involves coercion.
D)If you lack credentials or experience, it's almost impossible to be persuasive.

Question 6

Once you have adapted your message to the audience, which of the following would be the next step?

A)Write your first draft.
B)Organize your message.
C)Collect information for your message.
D)Analyze the purpose of the message.

Question 7

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 8

Which of the following does NOT define persuasion?

A)Persuasion is a symbolic process.
B)Persuasion involves an attempt to influence.
C)Persuasion limits free choice.
D)Persuasion involves transmitting a message.

Question 9

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. Which of the following persuasive techniques are they relying on?

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

Question 10

In which of the following ways can you show customers how your product or service solves a problem, achieves a personal or work objective, or makes life easier?

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

Question 11

Orhan is writing a persuasive message to potential customers and opens with this sentence: You can reduce your monthly energy bill by 30 percent or more. He is gaining his 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 12

Which of the following is achieved by the statement Did you know you can get home delivery of quality fresh produce every week at a price comparable to your favourite grocery store?

A)builds interest with an expert opinion
B)motivates action
C)gains attention by asking a question that focuses on reader benefits
D)presents an indirect benefit

Question 13

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

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)When writing persuasive messages, the organizational strategy used is less important.

Question 14

Which of the following statements best describes a step to build interest in persuasive messages?

A)After capturing attention, a persuasive request must retain that attention and convince the audience that the request is reasonable.
B)In a persuasive message, the section that builds interest should be no longer than one paragraph.
C)Persuasive requests to convince customer are likely to be shorter than direct requests.
D)Indirect benefits are more persuasive than direct benefits to build interest.

Question 15

Persuasion in the twenty-first century is different from persuasion in previous historic periods in distinct ways. Which of the following is NOT one of the striking developments that have occurred in the past three decades?

A)The volume and reach of persuasive messages have exploded.
B)Persuasion is more complex and impersonal.
C)Persuasive techniques are less subtle and misleading.
D)Organizations of all kinds are in the persuasion business.

Question 16

Which of the following is an effective persuasion technique?

A)Incite fear.
B)Establish credibility.
C)Base your rationale on your own point of view.
D)Make a general request.

Question 17

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, elicit desire and reduce resistance, motivate action
C)build interest, gain attention, motivate action, elicit desire and reduce resistance
D)gain attention, build interest, motivate action, request order

Question 18

Jessica is writing a proposal for her board of directors to request that her company implement a wellness program. What is the first thing she should do?

A)Decide on the purpose of the proposal.
B)Prepare an outline.
C)Compose a rough draft of the proposal.
D)Gather information to include in the proposal.

Question 19

Jason, the CEO of a small company, is writing a persuasive memo to his employees to encourage them to cut operating costs. What should he do to generate co-operation and buy-in?

A)He should not worry about it too much. After all, he's the boss, so they'll have to co-operate.
B)He should threaten employees with examples of what will happen if they don't co-operate.
C)He should remind employees that he is the one in charge and they must comply.
D)He should write the memo asking employees for their cost-cutting ideas while focusing on benefits.

Question 20

Which of the following statements is NOT accurate about persuasion in today's digital age?

A)To be smart consumers, we need to be alert to persuasive practices and their influences on behaviour.
B)Leaner corporate hierarchies have made persuasive skills even more important in the workplace.
C)Most of us are excellent persuaders and recognize persuasive tactics directed at us.
D)Social networks enable individuals or groups to reach virtually limitless audiences and to practise "mass interpersonal persuasion."

Question 21

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 22

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 he 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 he cites only the three who have the necessary qualifications in his recommendation report.
D)Instead of writing a standard e-mail message, a CEO releases a video that explains major changes in the company.

Question 23

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 24

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

A)State their 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.

Question 25

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)Open with a statement requesting what you want.

Question 26

Which of the following desires is a strong motivator that encourages ethical behaviour in business?

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

Question 27

Which of the following situations requires use of the AIDA (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)a memo to reverse a duplicate departmental charge

Question 28

Kyoung has a cellphone 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 cellphone repaired at no cost is justified and will be granted, which of the following should he use?

A)the indirect strategy
B)a demanding appeal
C)a passionate appeal
D)the direct strategy

Question 29

Which of the following statement strategies will most likely ensure success when writing a claim letter?

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 30

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

A)the indirect strategy
B)the direct strategy
C)an emotional appeal
D)a passionate appeals

Question 31

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

A)Melanie noticed that the charger cord for the smartphone that she purchased last month is starting to split.
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 32

When brainstorming the What If scenarios, which of the following are you trying to do?

A)Offer a product more cheaply than all other competitors.
B)Anticipate audience resistance.
C)Focus solely on direct benefits.
D)Consider only indirect benefits.

Question 33

Which of the following actions is unethical?

A)exaggerating the customer benefit
B)including crucial information
C)emphasizing a key benefit
D)providing all the pertinent facts

Question 34

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

A)We know that you'll want your employees to complete our ethics training program, so sign on the dotted line to begin.
B)We'll drop buy on August 10 so you can sign the contract and begin the training program for all your employees.
C)The ethics training we provide will help employees resolve workplace ethical dilemmas. Please call me by August 1 so that training can begin by August 15.
D)If you think that our ethics training program might benefit your employees, we hope you will consider giving us a call and hiring us.

Question 35

What is a statement like A Lexmark all-in-one printer may cost a little more, but you'll pay far less for replacement ink than you will with other printers trying to achieve?

A)Build interest in a product.
B)Gain attention by describing a problem.
C)Reduce resistance.
D)Motivate action.

Question 36

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 leave negative reviews on every social media site that I can find.
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 37

On a website 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." Which of the following persuasive techniques does this rely on?

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

Question 38

Many individuals are willing to grant requests for time, money, information, cooperation, and special privileges for which of the following reasons?

A)They see goodwill potential for themselves.
B)They want the free publicity.
C)They want to impress the boss.
D)They want to raise their status in the company.

Question 39

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

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

Question 40

Which statement does NOT describe an effective strategy which writing complaints?

A)Use persuasion if the goal of your complaint letter is to change something.
B)Make a reasonable and valid request and present a logical case with clear facts.
C)Use emotions as an effective method to persuade readers in complaint messages.
D)Use a moderate tone in complaint messages.

Question 41

Which statement does NOT reflect a major change in the way management communicates with employees in the digital age?

A)The lines of authority are blurry in today's information-age workplaces, and the roles of executives are changing.
B)Rank-and-file employees don't need their managers to be information providers.
C)You may still want to be indirect if you hope to persuade your boss to do something he or she will be reluctant to do.
D)Today's executives will likely rely on the power of position when issuing commands to subordinates.

Question 42

Alisha is writing a sales message to advertise the year's newest high-end vehicle on the lot. In the letter she mentions Bluetooth connectivity, all leather interior, and a celebrity endorsement of the vehicle. Which of the following types of appeal is Alisha using?

A)rational appeal
B)emotional appeal
C)dual appeal
D)logical appeal

Question 43

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 website.
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 44

What do 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 45

The manager of a gift shop plans 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 the 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 46

Which of the following patterns do the most effective sales messages follow?

A)gain attention, build interest, elicit desire and reduce resistance, motivate action
B)gain attention, motivate action, elicit desire and reduce resistance, build action
C)gain attention, elicit desire and reduce resistance, build interest, motivate action
D)build interest, gain attention, elicit desire and reduce resistance, motivate action

Question 47

Which of the following statements best describes the success rate of direct mail?

A)With the popularity of e-marketing, direct-mail marketing has become obsolete.
B)Sales letters are generally written by marketing specialists.
C)E-mail marketing has a more successful response rate than direct-mail letters.
D)Virtual mail appears to have a greater emotional impact than tangible mail.

Question 48

In the digital age, persuasive skills are becoming less important at work.

Question 49

Where would you position the most important information in a press release?

A)saved for the last paragraph for dramatic effect
B)focused totally on selling the writer's company and its products
C)presented early as a summary of important facts
D)highlighted briefly in the middle paragraphs

Question 50

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)Your must see your supervisor to have all supply purchases preapproved.
D)Management asks that all new employees attend an orientation session.

Question 51

Which of the following describes the business use of Twitter?

A)to sell products
B)to get more followers
C)to influence others and project the company image
D)to show that a company is present on social media

Question 52

When price is an obstacle, in which of the following ways do the most effective sales messages reduce resistance?

A)by mentioning the price right away to show they have nothing to hide
B)by showing the price in small units, such as price per issue of a magazine
C)by not mentioning the price anywhere in the message
D)by sending their readers to competitors' websites to compare prices

Question 53

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

A)notifying employees that they must follow a new procedure for submitting expense claims
B)informing employees to change their passwords every six weeks
C)telling employees that they must learn how to operate the new copy machine
D)suggesting that employees participate in a charity 5K run that takes place outside of work hours

Question 54

Tyler has ended a sales message with the sentence Book your flight by May 15 to receive one hotel 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 55

Adam is writing a proposal to the board of directors about adopting new technology for employees. What details should he focus on to best persuade the members to adopt his idea?

A)He should avoid using facts and figures as it may bore or confuse his readers.
B)He should show how his proposal will increase company revenues.
C)He should never mention any risks involved because doing so might scare the audience.
D)He should not sound overly confident.

Question 56

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

A)Tell her supervisor that the cost of the new iPhones is a good deal for the company.
B)Tell her supervisor how happy she and the sales staff would be with new iPhones.
C)Tell her supervisor how much more productive the staff will be resulting in higher sales.
D)Tell her supervisor about the many features and apps available for the new iPhones.

Question 57

Which of the following strategies do the best press releases use to announce important information in the media?

A)Concentrate only on advertising a company's products.
B)Emphasize the most important information by placing it near the end.
C)Use the journalistic approach by answering the five Ws and one H in the first sentence.
D)Focus on information that appeals to a target audience.

Question 58

What strategy is used for messages that flow downward, such as information about procedures, equipment, or customer service?

A)the indirect strategy
B)the direct strategy
C)monetary bribes
D)skillful appeals to indirect benefits

Question 59

What strategy do subordinates have to employ when making suggestions to management?

A)little or no persuasion
B)bribery
C)skillful persuasive communication
D)little or no evidence, facts, or figures

Question 60

Which of the following messages 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 61

The best persuasive requests anticipate audience resistance.

Question 62

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 63

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

Question 64

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

Question 65

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

Question 66

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

Question 67

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

Question 68

Amanda is writing a claim letter about unsatisfactory service she received during a recent hotel stay. She should enclose a copy of her hotel receipt.

Question 69

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

Question 70

The statement Last month our customer support personnel handled an additional 175 calls; that higher call volume increased our customer wait time per call by 13 percent is an example of an effective opener for a persuasive message recommending a solution to this problem.

Question 71

Would you like more time with your family? is an effective statement for the opening paragraph of a sales message.

Question 72

To receive 30 percent off your total purchase, please visit the store before December 28th effectively motivates action in the closing of a sales letter.

Question 73

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

Question 74

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 75

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

Question 76

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

Question 77

Persuasive techniques in the digital age are more subtle and misleading.

Question 78

In a sales letter promoting its new credit card, a bank included this sentence: We are pleased to offer you zero percent interest for 12 months. The company is focusing on indirect benefits of this new card.

Question 79

To be persuasive in a claim letter, you should suggest that the receiver intentionally deceived you or intentionally created the problem.

Question 80

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