Deck 9: Making Your Case With Persuasive Messages and Proposals

Question 1

The heart of a proposal is the explanation of how the proposal will benefit the writer.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A solicited proposal is written in response to an explicit invitation offered by a company, foundation, or government agency that has certain needs to meet or goals to fulfill.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A product sold to the ultimate user through emotional appeal can be sold to retailers through rational appeal.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Appeals to the sense of taste and smell are classified as logical appeals.

Question 5

Requests that are likely to encounter resistance require a slow, deliberate approach.

Question 6

Unsolicited proposals should resemble a sales message.

Question 7

In the common-ground persuasion technique you first present a problem that you and the readers share and then show how doing as you propose will solve the problem for all concerned.

Question 8

As sales writers have so many persuasive techniques at their disposal, spending time to gather information about the readers is unnecessary.

Question 9

In the context of soliciting proposals, RFP stands for 'request for proposals'.

Question 10

Sales messages are highly susceptible to the use of unethical tactics.

Question 11

The best organizational pattern for a persuasive message is to say what you want your readers to do right away and then use the rest of the message to support your point.

Question 12

The main difference between reports and proposals is that reports are based on research.

Question 13

Statements urging the readers to take action are best avoided in sales messages as they tend to be harsh and serve no purpose.

Question 14

Due to the need for objectivity, the use of the you-viewpoint is of little value in persuasive request messages.

Question 15

Over the years, sales writers have developed a formula that one must follow in writing sales messages.

Question 16

One of the most widely disseminated forms of business communication is the sales message.

Question 17

One of the goals of the opening of a persuasive request is to gain attention.

Question 18

The subject line of a sales message should typically contain sensational words.

Question 19

Every product has a single appeal that is used to target the product's audience.

Question 20

Intrinsic benefits are more short-lived than extrinsic benefits.

Question 21

Which of the following is true about permission-based emails?

A) They permit potential customers to sign up for email promotions on a company's website.
B) They primarily include junk mails.
C) They primarily include spams.
D) They allow phone marketers to send mass messages to potential customers without their consent.
E) They are anonymous in nature and often invade the reader's privacy.

Question 22

Consider the following advertisement for mobile phones aimed at senior citizens. "Are you tired of straining your eyes peering into your tiny cell phone screen? Do you wish you had a phone that does what a phone is supposed to do, without all the phony jazz? We have the product just for you! With its 5-inch display designed to enhance visibility and large number pads, making calls will no longer be a pain. With dedicated one touch buttons that you can define, do more for much less! Contact us for more details; you will not regret this purchase!" This advertisement primarily focuses on _____.

A) scenario elimination
B) intangible rewards
C) common-ground persuasion techniques
D) reader benefits
E) character-based appeals

Question 23

Which of the following is true about emotional appeals?

A) Emotional appeals are best suited for selling rational products.
B) Aristotle had categorized emotional appeal as logos.
C) Emotional appeals are typically based on our senses.
D) It is best to avoid using the emotional appeal when advertising products that do not perform any discernible practical function.
E) Emotional appeals are mainly based on logic.

Question 24

Intrinsic benefits are those that:

A) a reader gets directly by complying to a request.
B) a reader gets indirectly and are measurable.
C) a reader gets indirectly over time and are intangible.
D) are short-lived as compared to extrinsic benefits.
E) are added on to an extrinsic benefit.

Question 25

Consider the following statement: "Our latest cell phone model comes preloaded with the latest version of the operating software in addition to all the functions of high-end cell phones in the current market." This statement primarily focuses on _____.

A) scenario painting
B) product features
C) common-ground persuasion technique
D) reader benefits
E) character-based appeals

Question 26

Which of the following is true about the scenario painting technique used in advertisements?

A) It focuses on the we-viewpoint rather than the you-viewpoint.
B) It puts the reader in a simulated context that brings out a product's appeal.
C) It restricts the use of character-based appeal in advertisements.
D) It discourages the use of common-ground persuasion techniques.
E) It is an outdated technique and is no longer used by advertisers.

Question 27

The persuasive appeals identified by Aristotle that are based on emotions are referred to as _____.

A) ethos
B) pathos
C) logos
D) hamartia
E) grandiose

Question 28

Messages for goods and services that do not perform any discernible function will most likely:

A) have an emotional appeal.
B) have a logical appeal.
C) have a rational appeal.
D) avoid using pathos to attract consumers.
E) use logos to attract consumers.

Question 29

Demographic information includes details such as:

A) social, political, and personal preferences.
B) age, gender, income, and geographic location.
C) legal and sociocultural implications.
D) current market trends and foreign exchange rates.
E) per capita income and gross national income.

Question 30

Measurable rewards, such as time or money saved or a desired object, are also called _____.

A) spiritual rewards
B) tangible rewards
C) emotional rewards
D) abstract rewards
E) unquantifiable rewards

Question 31

Knowledge of sales message techniques helps in writing business messages because:

A) sales messages are the least disseminated form of business communication.
B) sales messages restrict the use of ethically dubious persuasive tactics.
C) most business messages directly or indirectly involve selling something.
D) most sales messages are regarded as spam by readers.
E) most persuasive messages used by businesses are unbiased.

Question 32

_____ predominate in messages for goods and services that do not perform any discernible rational function and are based on our senses.

A) Emotional appeals
B) Logical appeals
C) Practical appeals
D) Rational appeals
E) Feature-based appeals

Question 33

Which of the following applies to all sales messages?

A) They are all received negatively.
B) They are all biased.
C) They are all ethically dubious.
D) They are all permission-based.
E) They are all received positively.

Question 34

The first step in writing a sales message is to:

A) choose the appropriate medium of transmission.
B) make a careful study of the product or service.
C) choose the most persuasive channel for the message.
D) determine the central appeal for the message.
E) determine the makeup of the mailing.

Question 35

The first step in creating a persuasive request is:

A) making a positive request.
B) developing an appeal.
C) determining a strategy.
D) making a clear request.
E) summarizing a plan for requests.

Question 36

Rewards that fulfill a reader's desire to gain prestige or have more freedom are called _____.

A) intangible rewards
B) measurable rewards
C) concrete rewards
D) quantifiable rewards
E) materialistic rewards

Question 37

It is best to organize persuasive messages using the _____ because you will be proposing something that your reader probably does not already agree with or want to do.

A) mixed construction
B) unstructured order
C) indirect order
D) we-viewpoint
E) nonlinear order

Question 38

Information such as a person's social, political, and personal preferences are called _____.

A) physiographic information
B) geographic information
C) angiographic information
D) demographic information
E) psychographic information

Question 39

Why is it considered best to organize persuasive messages in an indirect order?

A) In most cases your reader probably is already willing to do what you want to get done.
B) In most cases the proposed idea might not be agreeable with a reader.
C) In most cases your audience prefers getting to the point of a message at the earliest.
D) In most cases the indirect method uses the we-viewpoint.
E) In most cases the indirect method restricts the use of active voice.

Question 40

In writing a persuasive message to an audience that demands getting to the point of a message at the earliest, it is best to use the _____.

A) direct order
B) roundabout order
C) mixed construction
D) we-viewpoint
E) cluttered phrase

Question 41

Which of the following is an example of an external proposal?

A) An employee's email persuading his superiors to choose his team over an external agency for a particular project
B) An email from the head of one company to another proposing to share resources on similar projects
C) An email from an employee to his manager stressing the requirement for additional labor from external agencies for a project
D) An email from the HR manager of technology firm to their finance department containing the pay structure of new employees
E) A memo from an employee to her manager requesting for Six Sigma training

Question 42

Which of the following sentences best illustrates an effective sales message?

A) We've introduced two new flavors for the season, Juicerz Lime and Juicerz Litchi.
B) Juicerz, is now available in lime and litchi flavor.
C) Lime and litchi are the two new Juicerz flavors to watch out for this season.
D) You can now enjoy the refreshing taste of Juicerz in two new flavors, lime and litchi.
E) Our ever-loyal customer base has grown larger after the introduction of Juicerz Lime and Juicerz Litchi.

Question 43

Which of the following best illustrates a proposal?

A) A company's written defense for the use of hazardous material
B) An email to the employees in a company detailing the changes in company policy
C) A routine letter to a supplier acknowledging the receipt of raw materials
D) A report containing an employee's quarterly performance review
E) A supplier's presentation to encourage a company to do business with him

Question 44

Phrases such as "Do it now" and "Act today" should be used to urge immediate action because:

A) readers prefer the commanding tone of such words.
B) they emphasize the we-viewpoint.
C) readers are otherwise more likely to unsubscribe the sales messages.
D) a persuaded reader may otherwise tend to put off a purchase.
E) they help readers by directing them to a purchase form.

Question 45

A sales description based on factual material will most likely:

A) have an emotional appeal.
B) avoid using the logical appeal.
C) have a rational appeal.
D) use pathos to attract consumers.
E) avoid using logos to attract consumers.

Question 46

Which of the following is a characteristic of a strong sales message?

A) A vague subject line open to multiple interpretations
B) A heavy use of sensational words
C) Absence of visual elements
D) A deviation from a writer's point of view to that of the reader
E) Emphasis on the we-viewpoint

Question 47

Which of the following sentences is most positively worded?

A) Jell yogurt has nine grams of fat per serving.
B) Jell yogurt is ninety five percent fat free.
C) Jell yogurt does not contain more than nine grams of fat per serving.
D) Jell yogurt is not fully fat free.
E) Jell yogurt contains five percent fat.

Question 48

The difference between solicited proposals and unsolicited proposals is that:

A) solicited proposals are persuasive.
B) unsolicited proposals are persuasive.
C) unsolicited proposals use the direct method of organizing content.
D) solicited proposals use the indirect method of organizing content.
E) unsolicited proposals are written and submitted without any invitation.

Question 49

Which of the following is an example of an internal proposal?

A) An employee's email persuading his superiors to choose his team over an external agency for a particular project
B) A vendor's email proposing to handle the internal communication structure of a company's new branch
C) An email from the head of one company to another proposing to share resources on similar projects
D) An email from a department manager to an auditing firm scheduling an internal audit for her department
E) An email from the founder of an organization to the general public denying a charge of defrauding investors

Question 50

The main place for getting attention in email messages is the:

A) second line of the concluding paragraph.
B) subject line.
C) body of the message.
D) second line of the opening paragraph.
E) conclusion.

Question 51

Which of the following, despite being incorrect and inappropriate in other forms of business writings, is commonly used in sales writing?

A) The use of a conversational style of writing
B) The use of you-viewpoint
C) The use of visual emphasis devices
D) The use of active voice
E) The use of sentence fragments

Question 52

Which of the following best illustrates an advertisement based on emotional appeal?

A) An advertisement primarily stressing how a product can increase a person's sex appeal
B) An advertisement emphasizing a product's lifetime guarantee
C) An advertisement primarily stressing the limited-time low selling price of a product
D) An advertisement comparing a product's enhanced features to those of the competitor's product
E) An advertisement listing three practical uses of the product

Question 53

Which of the following is true about the use of postscripts in sales messages?

A) It is illegal to add postscripts in sales messages.
B) The use of postscripts in sales messages de-emphasizes its major appeal.
C) A sales message can use a postscript as a part of its design.
D) The use of postscripts in business messages is restricted to memos.
E) Postscripts should be avoided in sales messages as they divert attention from other enclosures in the message.

Question 54

Which of the following is an example of an external proposal?

A) An email from an employee to an organization's CEO regarding unethical practices in the company
B) An email from the founder of an organization to the general public denying a charge of defrauding investors
C) An email from an employee to his manager stressing the requirement for additional labor from external agencies for a project
D) An email from the HR manager of technology firm to their finance department containing the pay structure of new employees
E) A memo from an employee to her manager requesting for Six Sigma training

Question 55

Which of the following is common to proposals and all other types of messages?

A) The structure and form of the message
B) The requirement to adapt the content according to the reader of the message
C) The use of persuasive language
D) The use of initialisms, abbreviations, and contractions
E) The use of formal language

Question 56

Which of the following is an example of an internal proposal?

A) An employee's email persuading her superior to replace her desktop with a laptop
B) A vendor's email proposing to handle the distribution of a company's products
C) An email from the head of one company to another proposing to share resources on similar projects
D) An email from a department manager to an auditing firm scheduling an internal audit for her department
E) An email from the founder of an organization to the general public denying a charge of defrauding investors

Question 57

Proposals differ from reports in that proposals:

A) use the we-viewpoint.
B) use prefatory material.
C) present information in a useful form.
D) are intentionally persuasive.
E) use the direct approach.

Question 58

The most appropriate attention-gaining opening for a sales message is:

A) a brief description of an organization's history and its various products.
B) a statement that introduces a need that the product will satisfy.
C) a question that is written mostly from a we-viewpoint.
D) a statement that places the writer at the central position
E) a statement that is independent of the central selling point.

Question 59

If you select a rational appeal as your central theme, you should:

A) describe your product based on what it can do for your reader.
B) describe your product based on how it appeals to the senses.
C) use pathos to attract consumers.
D) avoid using logos to attract consumers.
E) avoid using the logical appeal.

Question 60

The main purpose of an enclosure, attachment or link that accompanies the main letter in a direct message is to:

A) summarize all the information stated in the main message.
B) provide helpful information that does not fit into the main letter.
C) function as the main source of persuading a customer.
D) duplicate and reiterate all the contents of the main letter.
E) enable a reader to reply to the main sales letter.

Question 61

Why are sales messages considered controversial? How has the widespread use of emails added to the controversy?

Question 62

List the eight topics that are expected to be covered in a proposal.

Question 63

The primary means by which organizations solicit proposals is the RFP. RFP stands for _____.

A) requested financial proposition
B) regulations for proposals
C) request for proposals
D) request for price
E) rules for proposals

Question 64

For proposals, there is always a need for the description of what the writer proposes to do. This need is:

A) most effectively put across when presented in an elaborate manner breaking away from the rule of being concise.
B) irrelevant in situations where an RFP is issued.
C) the primary message of any proposal.
D) emphasized best with the we-viewpoint.
E) irrelevant in sales proposals.

Question 65

Explain the main types of appeals of sales messages. Give an example for each type of appeal.

Question 66

What is scenario painting? Compose a message for a product or service of choice by using this technique.

Question 67

Differentiate tangible rewards from intangible rewards and intrinsic benefits from extrinsic benefits.

Question 68

Why is information generally organized in an indirect order for persuasive messages? When is it appropriate to organize information in a direct order?

Question 69

Discuss how you can effectively gain the attention of readers in the opening lines of a sales message.

Question 70

Which of the following is detrimental to the success of an unsolicited proposal?

A) Constructing your proposal in the format of a sales message
B) Building your credibility throughout the proposal
C) Making prior contact with those who will be evaluating your proposal
D) Using the indirect method and mentioning your main point at the end
E) Using the format that is conventional among those who will be reading your proposal

Question 71

Consider the following statement which is a part of a proposal: "By accepting the proposal you will not only have saved $3000, but will have the completed product within seven days from the day of placing an order."
This statement primarily focuses on the:

A) background of the proposal.
B) features of the product.
C) description of the plan of the proposal.
D) terms and conditions related to the proposal.
E) benefits of the proposal.

Question 72

List the steps involved in creating a persuasive message. Also, define common-ground persuasion technique.

Question 73

Explain how a sales message can be used as a means for driving for the sale.

Question 74

What is the main difference between proposals and reports? Explain the approach to be taken when writing unsolicited proposals.

Question 75

Presenting information on matters such as the qualifications of personnel, success in similar cases, the adequacy of equipment and facilities, operating procedures, and environmental consciousness is necessary to:

A) establish an organization's ability to perform.
B) gather relevant background information.
C) present a clear cost analysis for the proposal.
D) detail the benefits of a proposal for a given scenario.
E) create a clear description of the proposal's intention.