Deck 5: Communicating Persuasive Messages

Question 1

Which of the following terms best represents a response intended to prove an objection is wrong?

A) concession
B) aggregation
C) argumentation
D) refutation
E) accession

Answer 1

D
Explanation: D) The term "refutation" refers to a response intended to prove an objection is wrong.

Question 2

________ 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

Answer 2

A
Explanation: A) Because persuasion involves influencing your audience's thinking and behavior, the more you know about your audience, the more persuasive you can be.

Question 3

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

A) 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) This changeover will require some additional training, and I know that we don't have the budget for that right now.
C) I can't understand why you think this change might involve a high price tag, because it can actually be accomplished for almost no expense whatsoever.
D) Implementing this change would not require the system to be shut down during business hours.
E) This change will be beneficial for the company in terms of profit.

Answer 3

A
Explanation: A) You can concede 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 that the long-term effect of this change will actually speed up the process significantly. Some of the other choices are refutations, while some merely raise points of resistance.

Question 4

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility.
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 your 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 5

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, in anticipation of a possible objection?

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) If you decide to help me, then you will have to spend more time at work to complete your own professional responsibilities.
E) I don't think that I will be able to return the favor.

Question 6

You need to send a persuasive message to a coworker and you want to receive the feedback immediately. 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 7

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 very 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 8

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility.
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 9

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 10

________ audience is the direct recipient of the message.

A) Primary
B) Incidental
C) Ancillary
D) Secondary
E) Peripheral

Question 11

For which of the following reasons would 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.

Question 12

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

A) I would really appreciate it if we could meet next week instead.
B) If we 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, it will enable me to honor 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 13

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

A) devoting less time to
B) changing the order of
C) omitting
D) spending more time on
E) completing the evaluation phase before

Question 14

Which of the following options is most likely to be used for reaching potential audiences you can't yet identify?

A) group meeting
B) email
C) telephone
D) blog
E) text message

Question 15

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing 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) a motivating factor for the audience
B) an audience benefit
C) a potential resistance
D) a refutation
E) a concession

Question 16

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 17

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility.
Which of the following would be best to include in an email to your boss suggesting the idea?

A) I think a flex-time schedule would be good for me.
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 work schedule.
D) In other offices, the flex-time schedule has increased productivity and decreased turnover.
E) It would make people happy if they could leave work early.

Question 18

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility.
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 19

Which of the following medium options is recommended both for targeting a personal appeal to an individual and for communicating with large audiences?

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

Question 20

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility.
Which of the following terms best represents the way you would like your audience to respond to your message?

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

Question 21

Dionne is presenting a proposal to a new client, and she 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 building rapport
C) mentioning her professional relationship with a renowned expert in the field
D) avoiding the discussion of work done by other experts in the field
E) presenting a highly subjective idea that favors her own view point

Question 22

According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, which of the following needs is included in the basic level of human needs?

A) need for respect
B) need for affiliation
C) need for love
D) need for clothing
E) need for appreciation

Question 23

Which of the following statements is true about small companies?

A) Small companies do not devote substantial space on their websites to building credibility.
B) Small companies provide testimonials from other clients.
C) Small companies keep the credentials and experience of the employees secret.
D) Small companies hide affiliations with well-known organizations.
E) Small companies avoid efforts to build credibility since they are so costly and ineffective.

Question 24

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) makes your audience think that you have a selfish motive behind suggesting this idea

Question 25

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, emphasize how their contribution is needed now more than ever, and how these contributions benefit 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 26

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 a 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 27

If you have thoroughly analyzed all the elements and carefully composed the message, ________.

A) evaluation is not recommended
B) evaluation can be very difficult
C) evaluation is a must before delivering
D) evaluation can decrease the persuasive quality
E) evaluation should be short and superficial

Question 28

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility.
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 them 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 do not allow them to meet their personal obligations.

Question 29

"After company X used this ad agency, their sales increased by 30% the following quarter. Obviously, our sales will go up 30% if we choose this ad agency." Which of the following types of logical fallacies is illustrated in this example?

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

Question 30

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 31

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 options

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

Which of the following is a suitable way to establish credibility?

A) maintain a safe and respectful distance from the audience
B) avoid mentioning of your key credentials so as to not sound boastful
C) mention an affinity with a source credible to your audience
D) present a biased point of view that favors your requirements
E) do not mention your educational qualifications and expertise

Question 34

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 behavior
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 people committed to an opposing point of view
E) taking a position, supporting the position with reasons, and then documenting those reasons with evidence

Question 35

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

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

Question 36

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

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

Question 37

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?" (California Milk Processor Board)

Question 38

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 that it would be great to have flex-timing at your office too. You decide to approach your boss about this possibility.
In terms of a logically structured argument, which of the following pieces of evidence does the least to help your argument?

A) At present, employee absenteeism is up 20%.
B) Our employee turnover rate is steadily increasing.
C) Increased absenteeism costs our company almost 15% of our payroll budget every quarter.
D) An employee survey conducted in our company revealed that the improvement most desired by our employees is a flex-time schedule.
E) These days work/life balance is important for everybody.

Question 39

Violations of logic ________.

A) are also called default logic
B) are honest if used intentionally
C) are rarely considered to be misleading.
D) are unavoidable and are an accepted part of ethical persuasion
E) should be recognized to ensure that you are not persuaded by unsound ideas

Question 40

"According to the U.S. Department of Labor, companies that implemented a flexible scheduling option experienced a decrease in employee absenteeism within the next quarter." Which of the following types of evidence is illustrated by this example?

A) numerical data
B) fact
C) personal experience
D) example
E) anecdotal

Question 41

Which of the following logical fallacies involves offering as evidence statements such as "everybody knows"?

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

Question 42

________ 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 favorably

Question 43

You need to ask a coworker to take your place and present a proposal at an upcoming departmental meeting. Which of the following statements made by you is most likely to convince your coworker to grant this favor?

A) I will be out of town that day and won't be available for the presentation.
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 the proposal will give you a chance to impress the upper management.
E) You know that if the roles were reversed, I'd help you.

Question 44

Ending a persuasive claim letter with a closing that expresses the desire of purchasing from the store in the future ________.

A) can be perceived as a benefit from granting the request
B) is a form of bribery, and as such is unethical
C) is unethical because it involves an implied threat
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 45

Which of the following types of fallacies involves supporting an idea by comparing it to something that is not comparable?

A) false analogy
B) red herring
C) false dilemma
D) ad hominem attack
E) hasty generalization

Question 46

Which of the following fallacies involves focusing on an irrelevant issue to draw attention away from a central issue?

A) red herring
B) false dilemma
C) ad hominem attack
D) false analogy
E) false cause

Question 47

You are writing to persuade your boss that your department needs additional staff to achieve its annual goals. Presently a hiring freeze and a moratorium on overtime are in effect, so your recommendation will need to be very persuasive.
Given this situation, your message ________.

A) must be organized directly
B) should begin with your specific recommendation
C) should not conclude with a call to action
D) should begin by providing context of the situation
E) must not use indirect organization

Question 48

Which of the following persuasive elements is NOT 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 49

You are an educational consultant. A local elementary school has asked you to submit a recommendation regarding its inefficient and problematic enrollment 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 50

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 51

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 problem or a need
D) supports the maintenance of the status quo
E) identifies a problem and asks others to figure out a solution

Question 52

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 color
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 53

A request to your audience to do you a favor 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 54

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 55

Which of the following types of communication typically requires persuasion to influence and motivate the audience?

A) handling routine customer claims
B) designing work schedules
C) preparing sales reports
D) writing job application letters
E) writing for-your-information messages

Question 56

When using direct organization for recommendation messages, you must begin with ________.

A) identifying the issue
B) providing evidence for the issue
C) stressing the benefits of the recommendation
D) proposing a recommendation
E) appealing to emotion

Question 57

According to the AIDA approach, 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 our range of cars can save you up to 50% in higher gas mileage than the rest?
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 58

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 59

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 visiting the gym?
C) Are you aware that the majority of exercise programs don't generate results?
D) Have you ever tried following a dieting plan?
E) Have you ever started an exercise program?

Question 60

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

A) use direct organization to compose your message
B) get right to the point and refuse to do business with them if they do not comply
C) consider it as a routine request that does not require persuasive techniques
D) start spreading bad word of mouth about the store and hope that they hear about it
E) explain why the policy should be waived in your case

Question 61

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

Question 62

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 63

"Smart businesses like Apex Inc. and Marvel Technologies invest their dollars wisely in the high quality products and services we offer at R&S Technology." Which of the following persuasive techniques for appealing to emotion is illustrated in the statement mentioned above?

A) consistency
B) scarcity
C) reciprocity
D) social proof
E) authority

Question 64

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

Question 65

With reference to Cialdini's techniques for appealing to emotion, which of the following is most likely to be involved in the technique of scarcity?

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 66

The AIDA approach ________ situations when you know the audience.

A) is never used in
B) will be less powerful in
C) can be used only in those
D) can be more effective in
E) is not applicable in

Question 67

Credibility is hard to earn and easy to lose.

Question 68

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

Question 69

In the context of team 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 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

If you want to give your coworker time to consider your request carefully before responding, one-on-one meeting is the best medium for communicating your message.

Question 72

Which of the following is a way in which an effective team leader motivates people to commit to their team?

A) reminding team members that if they meet their annual goal they will be eligible for year-end bonuses
B) not acknowledging efforts of team members unless they display extraordinary performances
C) trying to convince an unhappy team member that she is wrong to feel excluded from the decision-making process
D) overlooking a team member's frustration about issues on the latest project
E) being strict about meeting schedules and not allowing team members to fulfill other obligations such as their responsibilities at home.

Question 73

Because persuasion is a process, it often requires multiple communications, with each message contributing to your persuasive goal.

Question 74

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

Question 75

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 the United States are effective

Question 76

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

A) Act now! our special limited time offer expires soon!
B) Did you know that our product has almost twice the computing power of the 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 PDA.
E) Several fortune 500 companies have purchased over 200,000 of these devices for their top executives.

Question 77

Most persuasive business arguments involve establishing a problem or need, focusing on benefits, and anticipating objections.

Question 78

A solicited sales communication ________.

A) is a response to a request for sales information
B) is also called a "cold-call sales message"
C) tends to reduce the audience's desire to comply with your request
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 79

When writing a report to your boss trying to persuade her to upgrade 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 80

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.