The Indirect Pattern for Persuasion

•      Gain attention

•      Build interest

•      Reduce resistance

•      Motivate action

Making Persuasive Requests

Gaining Attention

•      In requesting favors, begin with a compliment, unexpected fact, stimulating question, reader benefit, summary of the problem, or candid plea for help.

•      For claims, consider opening with a review of action you have taken to resolve the problem.

Building Interest

•      Prove the accuracy and merit of your request with facts, figures, expert opinion, examples, and details.

•      Avoid sounding high-pressured, angry, or emotional.

•      Suggest direct and indirect benefits for the receiver.

•      Direct Benefit: If you accept our invitation to speak, you will have an audience of 50 potential customers for your products.

•      Indirect Benefit: Your appearance would prove your professionalism and make us grateful for your willingness to give something back to our field.

Reducing Resistance

•      Identify possible obstacles; offer counter arguments.

•      Demonstrate your credibility by being knowledgeable.

•      In requesting favors or making recommendations, show how the receiver or others will benefit.

•      Example: Although your gift to the Neonatal Center is not tax deductible, it would help us purchase an Intensive Care Ventilator that would be put to use immediately in caring for critically ill and premature newborn infants.

Motivating Action

•      Ask for specific action confidently.

•      Include an end date, if appropriate.

•      Repeat a key benefit.

•      Example: Please respond by May 1 so that we may add your photograph to our announcement.

Writing Complaint Letters

How to Write a Good
Complaint Letter

•      Begin with a compliment, point of agreement, statement of the problem, or brief review of the action you have taken to resolve the problem.

•      Provide identifying data.

•      Prove that your claim is valid; explain why the receiver is responsible.

•      Enclose copies of documents supporting your claim.

•      Appeal to the receiver’s fairness, ethical and legal responsibilities, and desire for customer satisfaction.

•      Describe your feelings and your disappointment.

•      Avoid sounding angry, emotional, or irrational. Close by telling exactly what you want done.

Writing Sales Letters

Gaining Attention

•      Offer something valuable, promise a significant result, or describe a product feature.

•      Present a testimonial, make a startling statement, or show the reader in an action setting.

•      Example: How much is sex costing your company? An incident of sexual harassment can cost millions of dollars unless preventive measures are taken.

•      Describe a problem.

        Six of our computers were recently infected with the “Melissa” virus, and we lost at least 25 work hours trying to repair the problem.

•      Present an unexpected statement.

        If you checked carefully, you’d probably find that 20 percent of your customers account for 80 percent of your profits.

Building Interest

•      Describe the product in terms of what it does for the reader.

•      Show how the product or service saves or makes money, reduces effort, improves health, produces pleasure, or boosts status.

•      Example: Our computer-based training program teaches your employees what behavior is acceptable and unacceptable, while showing you steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of employer liability.

•      Suggest reader benefits.

        Now you can immediately protect all your computers from the latest viruses with our online anti-virus program.

•      Pay a compliment.

        Because no one generates as much audience enthusiasm as you do in your presentations, we are asking you to speak . . . .

•      Supply facts and figures.

        Currently 16,000 known computer viruses are in existence, and the number increases by 300 to 400 each month.

•      Give examples.

        One company lost valuable data and had no recent backup disks to replace infected files.

•      Cite expert opinion.

        “Hostile code can hit without warning,” says virus specialist Dr. Tony Timm, “so companies must have a virus antidote or they risk all their operations.”

•      Provide specific details.

        In a test comparing six of the leading anti-virus programs, our program was flawless in virus detection, easy to use, and low in ownership cost.

•      Mention direct benefits.

        Our anti-virus program can protect you from subtle corruptions of data that may go unnoticed for months.

•      Mention indirect benefits.

        Your company continues to be a pacesetter in the health care industry by setting an example for other organizations who are bewildered by the growing number of viruses.

Reducing Resistance

•      Counter reluctance with testimonials, money-back guarantees, attractive warranties, trial offers, or free samples.

•      Build credibility with results of performance tests, polls, or awards.

•      Example: This important investment in sexual harassment prevention comes with a money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied, your entire training costs are returned.

Motivating Action

•      Close with repetition of the central selling point and clear instructions for an easy action to be taken.

•      Prompt the reader to act immediately with a gift, incentive, limited offer, or deadline.

•      Put the strongest motivator in a postscript.

•      Example: Sign up now and you receive a free 60-day trial. Call, fax, or e-mail us today to receive a free demo disk. You can’t lose!