Deck 11: Crafting Persuasive Messages

Question 1

Reports can be termed as persuasive messages if they recommend action.

Answer 1

True
Explanation: Persuasive messages include reports, requests, proposals, and recommendations. Reports can be termed as persuasive messages if they recommend action.

Question 2

It is important to name an objection if the objection is false and based on misinformation.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: If an objection is false and is based on misinformation, one should give the response to the objection without naming the objection. Repeating the objection gives it extra emphasis. For instance, in a brochure, one can present responses with a "question/answer" format.

Question 3

Understanding an audience's initial reactions and positions helps one in being more effective and prevents the audience from being alienated.

Answer 3

True
Explanation: Understanding an audience's initial reactions and positions helps one in being more effective and prevents one from alienating the audience by talking down to them.

Question 4

In written direct requests,it is important to put the request,the topic of the request,or a question in the body of the message instead of the subject line.

Question 5

Common errors which weaken arguments in a message are known as logical fallacies.

Question 6

One should organize a persuasive direct request by asking immediately for the information or service one wants,even if it seems too abrupt.

Question 7

Students who are native speakers of Korean,may judge direct statements to be least effective in contrast to native speakers of American English.This is an example of different native cultures.

Question 8

In order to prevent the audience from ignoring deadlines that seem arbitrary,one should show the cost of delaying action.

Question 9

When one has a reluctant audience,it is important to place the request in the subject line because it delays receiving a negative response from them.

Question 10

While choosing a persuasive strategy for a message,one needs to avoid considering the audience and needs to focus solely on content and language.

Question 11

The best common grounds in a message are ambiguous and generic which helps cover a large audience.

Question 12

The statement,"The subscription fee for Home Magazine is $500,and needs to be paid before 31st December to avoid late fee charges" is an example of an emotional appeal.

Question 13

In complicated direct requests,one should avoid anticipating possible responses because they often tend to confuse the audience.

Question 14

While choosing a persuasive strategy,one should use a direct request pattern when the audience will do as one asks without any resistance.

Question 15

Using a persuasive problem-solving message allows one to disarm opposition by showing all the reasons in favor of one's position before giving the audience a chance to say no.

Question 16

It is important to choose a persuasive strategy only after one has identified the specific action one wants and the person who has the power to do it.

Question 17

When one faces a major objection from an audience,it is good to try finding a win-win solution because people will be much more readily persuaded if they see benefits for themselves.

Question 18

One can build credibility by being factual,specific,and reliable.

Question 19

A threat is an explicit or implied statement that someone will be punished if he or she does or does not do something.

Question 20

The decision of consumers to buy products or services is guided exclusively by logic and emotional appeal has no place in business decisions.

Question 21

Which of the following is true of behavioral economies?

A) It uses insights solely from economics and mathematics.
B) It shows that people always behave rationally.
C) It finds that people behave in a predictable manner.
D) It indicates that people invariably act in their best interests.
E) It is a branch of differential psychology.

Question 22

_____ refers to the reasons or logic a writer or speaker offers in a message.

A) Emotional appeal
B) Credibility
C) Psychological reactance
D) Argument
E) Logical fallacy

Question 23

Linda Scott recently gave a presentation to college students on global warming.The presentation was appealing to the students because it incorporated lots of images and videos.However,the students found her logic of saying "Footballer David Beckham says global warming is a problem we should tackle immediately" was weak and irrational.Which of the following logical fallacies is Scott most likely to be making?

A) Appeal to popularity
B) False cause
C) Weak analogy
D) Appeal to authority
E) False dichotomy

Question 24

Good supervisors give their employees generic criteria and feedback using stock phrases to avoid de-motivating employees.

Question 25

Which of the following is a primary purpose of a persuasive message?

A) To build a good image of the communicator's organization
B) To have the audience act or change beliefs
C) To overcome any objections that might delay action
D) To build a good image of the communicator
E) To eliminate future communication on the same subject

Question 26

Patricia Perez works for an environmental organization in Brussels and recently submitted a report on ways to curb climate change to her manager.However,her report stated that the only way to curb climate change is reducing consumption.Her manager gave her feedback on the report saying,"There are several ways to tackle climate change including switching to renewable energy.The report does not indicate that an extensive research has been done on the issue." Which of the following logical fallacies is Perez's report subject to?

A) False cause
B) Weak analogy
C) Appeal to authority
D) Appeal to popularity
E) False dichotomy

Question 27

The body of a fund-raising me message must prove that the problem is massive and cannot be resolved.

Question 28

Lisa Edwards is an advertising executive and needs to give a presentation on launching a line of spring clothing.She knows that her presentation needs to present important statistics and figures to support her arguments.However,she intends to convince her audience primarily by using emotional appeal.Which of the following sentences can help her in connecting with the audience through emotional appeal?

A) "We will save 20 percent labor costs if we launch our line by mid-September."
B) "We have a total of 20 years of experience in advertising in the country."
C) "We will use eco-friendly raw materials to help conserve the environment."
D) "We have an experience of working with companies like Campbell and Co."
E) "We strive to achieve a profit of $85,000 from our spring line of clothing."

Question 29

Telling a story in a message before providing statistics and figures makes it more persuasive.

Question 30

Fund-raising appeals require limited strategy and information in order to achieve its primary and secondary purposes.

Question 31

Psychological description means creating a scenario rich with sense impressions so that readers can picture themselves using a product or service and enjoying its benefits.

Question 32

When asking for an action from people outside an organization,it needs lesser politeness compared to asking for an action from a subordinate.

Question 33

Which of the following should emotional appeal primarily depend on?

A) Accurate logic
B) Credibility of the author
C) Values of the audience
D) Reputation of the author
E) Technical jargon

Question 34

A good letter of recommendation must comprise of general positives which focus on minor points and avoid specific examples and evidence.

Question 35

Which of the following is a way to build one's credibility?

A) By being factual and reliable
B) By appealing to authority
C) By appealing to popularity
D) By using psychological reactance
E) By exaggerating details

Question 36

Which of the following is a secondary purpose of a persuasive message?

A) To help an audience make a decision
B) To make an audience change or alter beliefs
C) To build a good image of the communicator
D) To aid a reader to undertake action
E) To establish further communication on the same issue

Question 37

A subordinate can prepare for an appraisal interview by listing his/her achievements and goals and accomplishment made during the appraisal period.

Question 38

Major requests that require great effort or changes in values,culture,or lifestyles should ideally be made in e-mail messages.

Question 39

It is best to avoid using subjunctive verbs and explicit disclaimers while writing to superiors.

Question 40

Which of the following should be undertaken while dealing with an audience's objections?

A) Show the audience that a proposal meets their needs
B) Place people in a position to take a stand on an issue
C) Phrase questions defensively to avoid getting a request rejected
D) Avoid overcoming emotional objections because they are unimportant
E) Avoid asking follow-up questions because they indicate inattentiveness

Question 41

Helen Phillips is working on an afforestation campaign in Indonesia and needs to collate progress reports from the fundraising and communication departments.She is yet to receive the communication report from the communications manager,Elizabeth Turner.She knows that Turner is working on multiple projects and is currently facing a time crunch.Which of the following should Phillips use,to write a persuasive direct request to Turner asking for the progress report?

A) "We will establish a good image of our organization if we can send the reports on time."
B) "We can prevent delaying the third phase of our campaign if we send out the reports on time."
C) "I wonder if you can send the report to me once you are relatively free from your work."
D) "Please send the progress report for the communication part of the campaign by 20^th March."
E) "The fundraising department has sent in their report. Is there a way you can send in yours?"

Question 42

Which of the following points should be kept in mind while writing performance appraisals?

A) They should be ambiguous to avoid offending employees.
B) They should be infrequent which prevents wasting project time.
C) They should use stock phrases during criticisms.
D) They should protect the organization and motivate the employee.
E) They should document areas for improvement by using labels.

Question 43

_____ of a message provides the logical and emotional links that move an audience from their first flicker of interest to the action that is wanted.

A) History
B) Recommendations
C) Illustrations
D) Executive Summary
E) Body

Question 44

Angela Howard who works for Global Aid,a relief non-profit organization,is writing a letter to raise funds from their supporters for the Campaign on Climate Change.In the body of the message,she writes,"According to the Stanley Climate Reports,climate change will leave a billion people homeless by 2012." Which of the following does this statement in the body of message prove?

A) The problem of climate change can be solved.
B) The problem of climate change deserves attention.
C) Global Aid organization can resolve the issue.
D) Global Aid will use funds wisely for the campaign.
E) The issue of climate change is too critical to be solved.

Question 45

What does Daniel Pink's summary of decades of research indicate about motivators used at work places?

A) Financial motivators always work for employees irrespective of financial fairness levels
B) Carrot motivators work well for employees who need to be innovative at their jobs
C) Carrot motivators increase creativity at work places and improve efficiency
D) Stick motivators are especially helpful to tackle unethical and illegal behavior
E) Carrot motivators decrease innovation and turn creative work into drudgery

Question 46

Which of the following guidelines should be followed while using a direct request?

A) Explain benefits explicitly in the message
B) Overcome objections to make the request concrete
C) Avoid putting the main issue in the subject line
D) Simply ask for what is needed in the message
E) Challenge an audience by making them guess

Question 47

Which of the following is an example of psychological description?

A) "Imagine yourself relaxing on your recliner and the aroma of Ramirez Dark Roast coffee rising from your cup."
B) "Buy our Ramirez Dark Roast coffee today to enjoy a 30% Christmas discount."
C) "A cup of Ramirez Dark Roast coffee is all you need to get you through the day."
D) "Our Ramirez Dark Roast coffee is carefully handpicked from our coffee plantations in Sao Paulo's Brazil."
E) "Avail a never before offer of a free one pack Ramirez Dark Roast coffee when you buy two 200 gram packets."

Question 48

Which of the following best helps build emotional appeal?

A) Statistics
B) Graphs
C) Numbers
D) Stories
E) Tables

Question 49

Which of the following is true of threats?

A) They produce permanent change.
B) They invariably produce the action one wants.
C) They prevent creation of stress and tension.
D) They produce tension in a work place.
E) They foster better working relationships.

Question 50

Which of the following should be used in subject lines for problem-solving messages?

A) Placing the request for action in the subject line
B) Using a negative subject line to emphasize the problem
C) Using a benefit which is likely to help the audience
D) Avoid using a common ground in the subject line
E) Avoid using a neutral subject line

Question 51

A good _____ gives a communicator 30 to 60 seconds to motivate an audience to read the rest of the message.

A) Conclusion
B) Recommendations
C) Opener
D) References
E) Background

Question 52

What kind of an opener to a message is the following? "Anything the mind can conceive and believe,it can achieve." - Napoleon Hill

A) Startling statement
B) Anecdote
C) Narration
D) Quotation
E) Question

Question 53

Melissa Bell works as an assistant editor at a publishing house in Manhattan.Since she resides 15 miles away from her workplace,she has to commute long hours on the metro which tires her.In addition,she barely gets to spend time at home with her children.She intends to talk to the management about a work from home option for a few days in a week.Which of the following would be a good common ground for Bell to propose?

A) Making time for family
B) Strengthening personal relationships
C) Preventing travel woes
D) Increasing productivity
E) Finding time for household work

Question 54

Sandra Collins needs to send out the annual campaign report to the board of directors.She needs to collect various project reports from the campaign managers,consolidate them before sending them out by the end of the month.Which of the following should she say in her communication to the managers which will help Collins get them to act promptly?

A) "Please send in the campaign reports as soon as possible."
B) "Is it possible for you to send me the campaign reports?"
C) "Please send the campaign reports immediately."
D) "Please send the campaign reports by February 20, 5 pm."
E) "Can you send the reports by March 1?"

Question 55

The most appropriate situation for a direct request pattern to be used is when:

A) an audience tends to agree easily to a request.
B) an audience's overall reaction is negative.
C) an audience has major doubts about an issue.
D) an audience demonstrates a closed body language.
E) a task is difficult for an audience to undertake.

Question 56

Which of the following guidelines should be followed with reference to using a tone in a persuasive message?

A) Provide a reason for a request which makes the tone better
B) Avoid using subjunctive verbs while writing to people senior in position
C) Use passive verbs to create a friendly, informal tone
D) Use less politeness when writing to co-workers and external people
E) Avoid using explicit disclaimers in order to show respect to superiors

Question 57

How should emotional appeal in fund-raising messages be used?

A) Using a mild appeal to convince people and avoid offending them
B) Creating emotional appeal by a generic group instead of specifics
C) Using sensory details to help people connect to a cause
D) Using a long-winded style because it evokes interest in a reader
E) Using wordiness which is crucial in making a document appealing

Question 58

Which of the following best describes a P.S.(postscript),in a direct mail letter or an email?

A) It helps start off a message.
B) It states points missed out in a message.
C) It is the heading of a message.
D) It restates points made in a message.
E) It comprises of a quotation or a question.

Question 59

Animal Protection Foundation recently held a campaign against a fast food joint which cooked their meat from chickens kept in inhumane conditions.The organization wrote to the Animal Welfare Board saying,"The fast food joint's suppliers use a cruel method of slaugher in which chickens have their throats cut while they are still conscious and millions of birds are scalded to death in defeathering tanks." Which of the following did the organization use in their message?

A) Psychological reactance
B) Emotional appeal
C) Appeal to popularity
D) Appeal to authority
E) Fear appeal

Question 60

A problem-solving pattern should be used in a persuasive message when:

A) an audience readily agrees to do as a message asks.
B) an audience finds a task easy to perform.
C) logic is more important than emotion in the decision.
D) an audience is easily convinced about a message.
E) feelings are more crucial than rationale in a judgment.

Question 61

What is the importance of emotional appeal in a message?

Question 62

Explain how to organize a persuasive direct request.

Question 63

When should a persuasive direct request be used?

Question 64

How can one develop a common ground in persuasive messages?

Question 65

Which of the following best describes persona in a message?

A) The character who allegedly writes the letter to make a message interesting
B) The description of a product or service with vivid sensory details
C) The description which helps an audience imagine enjoying a product's benefits
D) The use of wordiness to make a document appealing to an audience
E) The use of a story to help an audience connect emotionally to a message

Question 66

Jean Harvey works for Help Aid Foundation and needs to raise funds to rehabilitate women in Ghana.She fixes an appointment with a multinational company which has shown interest in contributing toward the cause.For her presentation,she is now brainstorming ideas for openers.With the help of examples,provide four possible openers that Harvey can use in her presentation.

Question 67

What is the importance of writing style in direct mails? What are some points to remember while preparing such mails?

Question 68

What are some of the key guidelines to follow while raising a fund-raising appeal?

Question 69

When should a persuasive problem-solving message be used?

Question 70

Explain reasons why threats do not work in a message.

Question 71

With the help of an example,explain when a direct request pattern should be used in a message.

Question 72

List out some important questions that one needs to ask before choosing a persuasive strategy for a message.

Question 73

What kind of persuasion is best for an organization and its culture?

Question 74

Melissa Howell works for Footsteps,a child rights organization.She needs to write to a multinational company to request contribution of funds toward their campaign on homeless children in Sudan.How can she fulfill the secondary purposes of her message while writing to the company? Explain.

Question 75

What are some of the key points to remember while writing performance appraisals? Explain.

Question 76

How can one build credibility through the use of appropriate language and strategy? Explain.