Deck 8: Communicating Persuasive Messages

Question 1

You want to convince your boss to implement a procedural change in your department. Which of the following constitutes a concession in the context of such a message?

A)Yes, the changeover may cause some minor initial delays, but in the long run this shift will increase the speed of transactions by approximately 50 percent.
B)Yes, this changeover will require some additional training, and I know that we don't have the budget for that right now.
C)I can understand why you think this change might involve a high price tag, but it can actually be accomplished for almost no expense whatsoever.
D)No, implementing this change would not require the system to be shut down during business hours.
E)I understand that employees may be resistant to this change; change is hard for many people.

Answer 1

A
Explanation: A) You can concede a point of potential resistance by admitting that the opposing point of view has merit but does not invalidate your argument. A concession is like saying "Yes, but..." This choice concedes that there may be initial delays but the long-term effect of the change will actually speed up the process significantly. Some of the other choices are refutations and some merely raise points of resistance.

Question 2

You need to email a coworker to ask for her assistance on a project. In the context of this message, which of the following constitutes a refutation you could include in your request?

A)I really need your help right now, as my department is short-staffed.
B)I won't be able to complete my project if you don't help me.
C)While this may sound time-consuming, I will only need one hour of your time.
D)Yes, helping me will take time away from your own professional responsibilities.
E)No, I don't think that I will be able to return the favour.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: C) You can refute potential resistance by proving that the point raised is wrong. A refutation is like saying, "No, that is wrong, and here's why." This choice is a refutation because it addresses the potential resistance that helping will be too time-consuming by explaining that only one hour of assistance is needed. Some of the other choices are examples of potential resistance.

Question 3

You want to target a personal appeal to an individual. For which reason might the telephone be preferable to sending an email?

A)It allows you to reach large audiences.
B)It allows you to include additional documents that may help your persuasive appeal.
C)It gives your audience time to consider your appeal before carefully responding.
D)It allows for immediate feedback so you can alter your appeal on the fly if necessary.
E)It makes it more comfortable for the audience to respond negatively.

Answer 3

D
Explanation: D) During a live conversation you can alter your message as you go along based on audience feedback. The other choices are not advantages a phone call has over an email.

Question 4

While the ________ stage helps you make a persuasive plan, the ________ stage helps you put the plan into action and draft the message.

A)analyzing; composing
B)analyzing; evaluating
C)composing; analyzing
D)composing; evaluating
E)evaluating; composing

Question 5

Being persuasive ________.

A)is rarely required in your daily life
B)involves understanding why your audience may resist your ideas
C)means tricking your audience into doing what you want
D)is unethical and in some situations may even be illegal
E)means being influenced by others to agree with their point of view or request

Question 6

Which of the following mediums is recommended both for targeting a personal appeal to an individual or reaching large audiences?

A)email
B)memo
C)phone
D)group meeting
E)website

Question 7

Which of the following would likely require persuasion?

A)exchanging a sweater for one in a smaller size
B)getting an extension on a deadline
C)congratulating a coworker on her promotion
D)giving a colleague the link to a website you think he'll find useful
E)thanking a business associate for her help on a project

Question 8

In the analyzing phase of creating this message, you think about the purpose, desired outcome, and business result of your message. Which of the following best articulates the business result of this message?

A)to suggest the possibility of implementing a flex-time schedule in your office
B)to describe to your boss how your life would change with a flex-time schedule
C)to tell your boss how much your friend likes having a flex-time schedule
D)to improve employee productivity and job satisfaction by better enabling employees to balance their work and personal lives
E)to have your boss agree to implement a more flexible working schedule for employees

Question 9

You have lunch with a friend and she tells you that her office recently implemented flex-time hours. It has been a positive change at your friend's workplace and you think it would be great to have at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility. In the context of such a message, the thought that this change might decrease employee productivity would be seen as ________.

A)audience motivation
B)an audience benefit
C)potential resistance
D)a refutation
E)a concession

Question 10

Which of the following statements would be best to include in an email to your boss suggesting the idea?

A)I think a flex-time schedule would be good.
B)Flex time would give me more free time.
C)I bet everyone would love having a more flexible schedule instead of the forced 9-5 day.
D)In other offices, the flex-time schedule has increased productivity and decreased turnover.
E)It would make people happy to get to leave work early.

Question 11

You need to send a persuasive message to a coworker. You want to communicate the message in such a way that the interpersonal interaction makes it more uncomfortable for her to respond negatively. Under these circumstances, which of the following would be the best medium for your message?

A)an email
B)an instant message
C)a phone call
D)a memo
E)a text message

Question 12

________ involves imagining yourself in your audience's position and interpreting your message from their perspective.

A)Primary audience
B)Audience analysis
C)Audience benefits
D)Audience appreciation
E)Audience response

Question 13

In the ACE communication process, ________ involves thinking strategically about your purpose, desired outcome, business needs, audience and stakeholder needs, content needs, and medium choices.

A)analyzing
B)adjusting
C)composing
D)creating
E)editing

Question 14

In the analyzing phase of creating this message, you think about the purpose, desired outcome, and business result of your message. Which of the following best articulates the purpose of this message?

A)to suggest the possibility of implementing a flex-time schedule in your office
B)to describe to your boss how your life would change with a flex-time schedule
C)to tell your boss how much your friend likes having a flex-time schedule
D)to improve employee productivity and job satisfaction by better enabling employees to balance their work and personal lives
E)to have your boss agree to implement a more flexible working schedule for employees

Question 15

During the first stage of ACE you analyze the way you would like your audience to respond to your message, which is also known as the ________.

A)purpose
B)audience needs
C)desired outcome
D)business result
E)potential resistance

Question 16

The chart illustrating how to select the best medium for persuasive messages recommends all of the following options for reaching people who are already interested in your topic EXCEPT ________.

A)group meeting
B)email
C)website
D)social networking
E)text message

Question 17

________ involves focusing on information needs, motivation and benefits, and potential resistance.

A)Analyzing your audience's needs
B)Analyzing your purpose
C)Analyzing medium choices
D)Analyzing your desired outcome
E)Analyzing the business result

Question 18

In persuasive situations, you will increase your chances of getting a positive response by ________ the analyzing phase of the ACE communication process.

A)omitting
B)reversing the order of
C)spending more time on
D)devoting less time to
E)substituting spontaneity for

Question 19

When composing a persuasive message, anticipating and addressing audience objections ________.

A)is not recommended
B)is never effective
C)diminishes their power
D)increases audience opposition
E)is sure to eradicate all resistance

Question 20

In the analyzing phase of creating this message, you think about the purpose, desired outcome, and business result of your message. Which of the following best articulates the desired outcome of this message?

A)to suggest the possibility of implementing a flex-time schedule in your office
B)to describe to your boss how your life would change with a flex-time schedule
C)to tell your boss how much your friend likes having a flex-time schedule
D)to improve employee productivity and job satisfaction by better enabling employees to balance their work and personal lives
E)to have your boss agree to implement a more flexible working schedule for employees

Question 21

In terms of a logically structured argument, which of the following pieces of evidence does the LEAST to help your argument?

A)Employee absenteeism is up 20%.
B)Our turnover rate is steadily increasing.
C)Increased absenteeism costs our company almost 15% of payroll quarterly.
D)An employee survey revealed that the improvement most desired by our employees is a flex-time schedule.
E)Work/life balance is a major issue in the Canadian workplace these days.

Question 22

Argumentation is defined as ________.

A)strengthening a weak position by overstating your case, diverting attention from problems, or even attacking an opponent
B)making your audience believe you have expertise and are trustworthy based on your knowledge, character, reputation, and behaviour
C)a person with a reputation for honesty losing credibility by making statements that prove to be untrue or making promises that are not fulfilled
D)changing the mind of someone who is deeply interested in an issue, including someone committed to an opposing point of view
E)taking a position, supporting the position with reasons, and then documenting those reasons with evidence

Question 23

According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, the basic level of human needs includes all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)physiological needs.
B)need for food.
C)need for love.
D)need for clothing.
E)need for shelter.

Question 24

You want to postpone a meeting for a week later than arranged and plan to send an email to this effect. In the context of this message, which of the following best articulates a benefit to the audience?

A)I would really appreciate it if we could meet next week instead.
B)If you can meet next week, the data you are interested in will be ready and we can discuss that as well.
C)If you can reschedule, it will enable me to honour my other commitment and have our meeting too.
D)The meeting with you isn't very time sensitive, so I'm sure you won't mind postponing it since it would really help me out.
E)Yes, I know it may be inconvenient for you but it's really the only way I am able to juggle everything.

Question 25

Violations of logic ________.
Which of the following does NOT accurately complete the statement above?

A)are called logical fallacies
B)are dishonest if used intentionally
C)include strengthening a weak position by overstating your case
D)are unavoidable and are an accepted part of ethical persuasion
E)are important to recognize so you are not persuaded by unsound ideas

Question 26

Which of the following ad campaigns would most likely appeal to an audience's desire for self actualization?

A)"Just do it" (Nike)
B)"We try harder" (Avis Car Rental)
C)"You deserve a break today" (McDonald's)
D)"Don't leave home without it" (American Express)
E)"Got milk?" (Milk Processor Education Program)

Question 27

Important persuasive elements include all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)establishing a problem or need
B)building credibility
C)constructing a logical argument
D)refuting audience benefits
E)appealing to emotion

Question 28

The main goal of evaluating is to make sure your final message is ________.

A)longer than your original draft
B)as effective and persuasive as possible
C)shorter and terser that your first attempt
D)free of anticipated objections
E)highly stylized and full of large, impressive words

Question 29

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A)Small companies often devote substantial space on their websites to building credibility.
B)Small companies provide testimonials from other clients.
C)Small companies present credentials and experience of employees.
D)Small companies mention affiliations with well-known organizations.
E)Small companies avoid efforts to build credibility since they are so costly and ineffective.

Question 30

Dionne is presenting a proposal to a new client, so is unknown to her audience. Which of the following would be a way for Dionne to establish credibility with her audience?

A)being modest and not mentioning her education or expertise
B)maintaining a respectful distance from her audience before the presentation, so as not to violate the professional relationship with attempts at rapport
C)mentioning her professional relationship with an expert in the field
D)avoiding mention of authorities in the field so as not to undermine her own authority
E)presenting a highly subjective viewpoint

Question 31

You are writing an appeal letter to solicit funds for your non-profit organization. In this message you praise the audience for their past donations and emphasize how their contribution is needed now more than ever and will make a real difference for the people your organization serves. This message appeals to the audience's ________.

A)sense of self-esteem
B)quest for self-actualization
C)need for love
D)desire for safety
E)requirement for belonging

Question 32

Abraham Maslow argued that ________.

A)logic alone is always enough to persuade an audience
B)the needs of people vary with their different generations, backgrounds, and cultures
C)all people share a common set of needs
D)it is impossible to address the psychological needs of an audience you don't know
E)emotional appeals to audiences cannot be effective

Question 33

In terms of evidence to support your argument, personal experience and examples ________.

A)are inappropriate in persuasive business messages
B)are conclusive evidence
C)cannot provide compelling support for a claim
D)need to be augmented by other types of evidence
E)do not clarify your point or help your audience understand

Question 34

The logical fallacy of a false dilemma involves ________.

A)focusing on irrelevant issues to draw attention away from a central issue
B)supporting an idea by comparing it to something that is not comparable
C)drawing a conclusion from a sample that is either too small or does not represent the larger population
D)attacking a person who disagrees with you rather than addressing the issues
E)asserting that only two choices exist while ignoring other problems

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT a way to establish credibility?

A)Spend time getting to know your audience and build rapport.
B)Omit mention of your key credentials so as not to sound boastful.
C)Mention an affinity with a source credible to your audience.
D)Present an unbiased point of view.
E)Cite authorities and experts while presenting your ideas.

Question 36

Which of the following would most likely appeal to an audience's sense of self-esteem?

A)an ad for a home security system likening the service to having a bodyguard outside your house
B)an ad for virus protection software citing a long list of corporate clients
C)an ad for frozen meals claiming they taste homemade
D)an ad for a university emphasizing the respect its graduates have in the business world
E)an ad for a laundry detergent suggesting it will make your clothes look brand-new

Question 37

According to the Globe and Mail, "of the 221,000 foreign workers who entered Canada last year, only 55,000 came to fill low-skilled jobs at the request of employers, and 62 per cent of those were farm workers." This is an example of which type of evidence?

A)numerical data
B)facts
C)personal experience
D)examples
E)anecdotal

Question 38

An advertisement for an SUV that emphasizes the model's high crash test ratings and rollover test results would appeal to the audience's desire for ________.

A)self-esteem
B)love
C)safety
D)belonging
E)self-actualization

Question 39

In terms of a logically structured argument, which of the following best articulates your position?

A)A flex-time schedule will increase productivity and employee satisfaction by better enabling employees to balance their work and personal lives.
B)A flex-time schedule will allow workers to create schedules better suited to their personal lives.
C)Employee turnover is on the rise.
D)Flex-time schedules at other companies have been shown to aid in recruitment.
E)Many employees have voiced frustration over work hours that don't allow them to meet their personal obligations.

Question 40

"After Company X used this ad agency, its sales increased by 30% the following quarter. Obviously, our sales will go up 30% if we choose this ad agency." This is an example of which type of logical fallacy?

A)appeal to popular opinion
B)false cause
C)false dilemma
D)red herring
E)ad hominem attack

Question 41

In a persuasive message, ________ is known as appealing to the scarcity principle.

A)including names and testimonials
B)reminding your audience that they have made similar decisions in the past
C)highlighting the exclusivity of your offer
D)showing that you appreciate your audience
E)giving people a gift

Question 42

You are an educational consultant. A local elementary school has asked you to submit a recommendation regarding its inefficient and problematic lunchtime process. After reviewing the situation it seems that just a few easy and inexpensive changes will result in a much more orderly system. When writing up your recommendation, you should ________.

A)use indirect organization
B)begin with your main point
C)build up to your specific recommendation gradually
D)start your message by providing context for the situation
E)omit a call to action

Question 43

In a persuasive message, showing your own emotional commitment to the idea that you want your audience to commit to ________.

A)tends to undermine its persuasive impact
B)will make your message more persuasive
C)is inappropriate and unprofessional
D)is not recommended in most cases
E)usually backfires on people

Question 44

A recommendation is a business message that ________.

A)denies the existence of a problem
B)establishes a need that cannot be filled
C)suggests a solution to a business problem
D)supports the maintenance of the status quo
E)identifies a problem and asks others to figure out a solution

Question 45

Offering as evidence statements such as "everybody knows" is a description of the logical fallacy known as ________.

A)an appeal to popular opinion
B)an ad hominem attack
C)a false dilemma
D)a false analogy
E)a red herring

Question 46

Ending a persuasive claim letter with a closing that refers to "enjoying future purchases from your store," ________.

A)can be perceived as a benefit from granting the request
B)is a form of bribery and as such is unethical
C)is an implied threat that you will organize a boycott of the store
D)will likely influence the recipient not to comply with your request
E)is inappropriate and such a closing should only be used in a routine claim letter

Question 47

A request to your audience to do you a favour requires more persuasion when ________.

A)it is easy for them to accomplish
B)it aligns with their plans
C)it requires them to choose between alternatives
D)it is something that they would be happy to do
E)it involves little or no effort on their part

Question 48

"We all know that money is tight these days, so smart business people like Big Company A and Bigger Company B invest their dollars wisely in the high-quality products and services we offer at XYZ Technology." This excerpt illustrates which technique for appealing to emotion?

A)the consistency principle
B)the scarcity principle
C)the reciprocity principle
D)the social proof principle
E)the liking principle

Question 49

If you want a store to grant you a return when it is against their company policy, ________.

A)there is no point in arguing, as they will never make an exception
B)get right to the point and refuse to do business with them if they do not comply
C)this is considered a routine request that does not require persuasive techniques
D)start spreading bad word of mouth about the store and hope that it gets back to them
E)explain why the policy should not apply to your situation and demonstrate goodwill and understanding

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT a persuasive element used in recommendations?

A)omitting objections
B)focusing on benefits
C)building credibility
D)appealing to the audience's emotion
E)constructing a logical argument

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT one of the key principles for assembling a logical and persuasive recommendation presentation?

A)Organize your presentation into well-defined sections that signal your logic.
B)Present material in the body of the slide that supports the main idea in your headline.
C)Include detailed copy on each slide to support its headline instead of representing your information graphically.
D)Write message headlines: short sentences or meaningful phrases at the top of the slide representing your main ideas.
E)Design every slide to support one main idea.

Question 52

Given this situation, your message ________.

A)must be organized directly
B)should begin with your specific recommendation
C)cannot eliminate alternative solutions
D)should begin by providing context for the situation
E)must not use indirect organization

Question 53

In a persuasive message, reminding your audience that they have made similar decisions to the one you would like them to make now is known as appealing to the ________ principle.

A)consistency
B)deja vu
C)reciprocity
D)scarcity
E)liking

Question 54

Which of the following is an example of the attention-grabbing technique of asking a motivating question?

A)Did you know that over 65% of Americans are considered overweight?
B)Would you like to drop 10 pounds in a month without a visit to the gym?
C)Are you aware that the majority of exercise programs don't generate results?
D)How would you like to hear about a great offer?
E)Have you ever started an exercise program?

Question 55

Compelling evidence presented in ________ language can also touch an audience emotionally and motivate them to act.

A)clear and vivid
B)vague and colourless
C)obscure and intense
D)flowery and pedantic
E)cryptic and elegant

Question 56

You need to ask a coworker to take your place and present at an upcoming departmental meeting. Which of the following would be most likely to convince your coworker to grant this favour?

A)I will be out of town that day and can't be present.
B)I will really appreciate it if you help me out here.
C)I know it's a lot to ask, but I don't have any other choice.
D)Presenting will give you a chance to impress upper management.
E)You know that if the roles were reversed, I'd help you.

Question 57

Email recommendations written using direct and indirect organization have notable differences, but they also contain many similar elements. Which of the following is a similarity?

A)Both position the recommendation in the same place.
B)Both omit mention of potential objections.
C)Both specifically identify the proposal in the subject line.
D)Both begin with information putting the situation in context
E)Both conclude with a call to action.

Question 58

In business, all of the following types of communication typically require persuasion to influence and motivate the audience EXCEPT ________.

A)routine customer
B)recommendations for action
C)sales messages
D)job application letters
E)requests for favours

Question 59

Which of the following would most likely be considered to be a persuasive customer claim instead of a routine customer claim?

A)asking to exchange a sweater you purchased from a major retailer for one in a different colour
B)asking to have an item repaired for a reason not covered under its warranty
C)asking to return an item you purchased that turned out to be defective
D)asking to receive a refund for tickets you purchased to a seminar that was cancelled
E)asking to return an item you ordered online since the company mistakenly sent the wrong item

Question 60

You decide to email this recommendation to your boss. Which of the following would be the best subject line for this message?

A)Proposal to Hire More Staff
B)Request for Additional Staff, Authorization for Overtime
C)Proposal to Help Our Department Meet its Annual Goals
D)A Good Idea
E)Suggestion to Increase People Hours Despite Tough Economic Times

Question 61

It is not a good idea to mention your education, experience, and expertise when introducing yourself to your audience, as this will come across as boastful and diminish your credibility.

Question 62

The analyzing phase of the ACE process is relatively unimportant in persuasive situations.

Question 63

In the context of decision-making, persuasion ________.

A)means influencing your audience to agree with the decision you prefer
B)is at its best when it leads to groupthink
C)is counterproductive and should not be used
D)is key to reaching a collaborative decision
E)is inappropriate in team situations

Question 64

A solicited sales communication ________.

A)is a response to a request for sales information
B)is also called a "cold-call" sales message
C)is a sales message sent to an audience who did not request the information
D)does not require you to reduce the audience's resistance to the sales message
E)is written to an audience that is not interested in your product

Question 65

________ involves reducing the audience's resistance to the sales message, which is especially important when you create unsolicited sales communication.

A)Making it easy for your audience to act and respond
B)Creating a sense of desire
C)Building your audience's interest
D)Grabbing your audience's attention
E)Enabling your audience to respond favourably

Question 66

Only acknowledged experts or those known and trusted by their audiences need to focus on building credibility in their messages.

Question 67

If you want to give your coworker time to consider your request carefully before responding, communicating your message in a one-on-one meeting is a good medium choice.

Question 68

Emphasizing how your product or service meets your audience's needs is part of which aspect of the AIDA approach for organizing sales messages?

A)grabbing your audience's attention
B)creating a sense of desire in your audience
C)making it easy for the audience to act
D)building your audience's interest
E)letting your audience know how to respond

Question 69

Credibility is hard to earn and easy to lose.

Question 70

You're writing a sales message to entice potential customers to join your gym. Telling your audience that the first 50 responders will get a free one-week trial period at your gym ________.

A)makes it difficult for your audience to act
B)is an example of social proof
C)creates a sense of desire through perceived scarcity
D)shows how you meet their scheduling needs
E)overstimulates your audience by telling them too much too soon

Question 71

Persuasion is the process of influencing your audience to agree with your point of view, recommendation, or request.

Question 72

In Mexican business culture, ________.

A)persuasive techniques are not used
B)egotism is an accepted part of business relationships
C)valuing a colleague's work will build credibility
D)email appeals are preferred to phone conversations
E)the same persuasive content and techniques that work in Canada are effective

Question 73

When writing a report to your boss trying to persuade her to update the database system you should omit your own issues and frustrations with the system, since it is inappropriate to include personal experience as evidence in support of your argument.

Question 74

All of the following are ways that an effective team leader motivates people to commit to their team EXCEPT ________.

A)reminding team members that if they meet their annual goal they will be eligible for year-end bonuses
B)taking the time to acknowledge team members' efforts and praising their accomplishments
C)trying to convince an unhappy team member that she is wrong to feel excluded from the decision-making process
D)acknowledging the validity of a team member's frustration about issues on the latest project
E)rescheduling a meeting so that a team member can fulfill other obligations and still be present for your discussion

Question 75

Which of the following would be most likely to grab an audience's attention?

A)How would you like to buy a new car?
B)Did you know that this year's models get up to 50% higher gas mileage than last year's cars?
C)Our cars are well engineered and beautifully designed to appeal to the discriminating customer.
D)Our cars may cost more, but as mom always said, you get what you pay for.
E)Come in today and test drive one of our new models.

Question 76

To be persuasive, a message only needs to state your point of view.

Question 77

A primary persuasive technique is establishing that a problem or need exists, which your request or proposal will address.

Question 78

One of your employees has been late for meetings and generally less effective recently, so you decide to talk to her about improving her performance. The business result of your message is to increase employee productivity and reliability.

Question 79

Which of the following excerpts from a sales message is an example of social proof?

A)Act now-our special limited-time offer expires soon!
B)Did you know that our product has almost twice the computing power of other handheld devices available today?
C)Be the envy of your friends and coworkers by purchasing this first-generation product today.
D)This device gives you the functionality of a laptop and the portability of a smartphone.
E)Fortune 500 companies have purchased over 200,000 of these devices for their top executives.

Question 80

The AIDA approach ________ situations when you know the audience.

A)is never used in
B)will be less effective in
C)is usually associated with
D)can be more powerful in
E)is not applicable in