1. The document discusses indirectness in persuasion and sales writing. It notes that indirect persuasion is better for requests that require personal sacrifice or will likely face resistance. 2. It provides four steps for indirect persuasion and sales writing: 1) strategizing by considering the request from the reader's perspective and addressing objections, 2) gaining attention in the opening, 3) presenting persuasive facts and benefits logically, and 4) making the request clearly and positively. 3. Examples are given for each step, such as using questions to gain attention or appealing to emotions or rational benefits depending on the product. Overall mechanics, word choice, and driving the reader to action are also addressed.

1. INDIRECTNESS IN PERSUASION
AND SALES WRITING
Jo I. Bartolata

2. Need for Indirectness in Persuasion
 NOT for routine request which is better written using
the direct approach but FOR a request requiring
some personal sacrifice
 Used when a request is likely to be resisted thus
requires a slow, deliberate approach
 Persuasion means reasoning with the reader –
presenting facts and logic that support your case

3. Step 1 Set up the Strategy
 Planning the strategy requires imagination
 Begin by looking at the request as the reader sees
it
 Determine the reader’s objections
 Think about what you can say to overcome those
objections
 Show that your reader stands to gain in time,
money, personal benefits, prestige, etc.
 In some cases, persuade by appealing to the
reader’s love of beauty, excitement, serenity or the
like

4. Step 2 Gain Attention in the Opening
 The goal of the opening is to set up an explanation and
gain attention – to get the reader in the receptive mood.
 What you write to gain attention is limited only by your
imagination.
 You may begin by a statement that arouses mental
activity (questions are effective) or a statement offering or
implying a reader benefit.
 Ex: While you and I dined heavily last night, 31 typhoon
victims had only noodles to eat last night. (letter
requesting contribution for evacuees)
 Ex: What would your profits be if all 23K BU students
attended his year’s MMBU? (Letter requesting support for
activity)

5. Step 3 Presenting the Persuasion
 Your task after the opening: a logical and orderly
presentation of the reasoning you have selected.
 Do MORE than merely list points;
 Help convey the points with convincing words and
clear expression
 Make your words travel fast because the reader may
grow impatient if you delay your objective

6. Bad Letter without Strategy
Dear Dr. Bartolata:
Will you please donate to the Society of English Majors for the SEM
Festival? We have set P1,000 as a fair minimum from every teacher but
larger amounts would be better appreciated.
The organization badly needs your support. The members will not be
able to have their snacks unless more money is raised. The festival is a
yearly activity. As a teacher of the department, you should be willing to
support it.
Hoping to receive your generous donation.
Sincerely,

7. Step 4 Make the Request Clearly and
Positively
 Move to the action you seek
 Use care in the use of words
 Avoid words that detract from the request
 Words that bring to mind reasons for refusing are
harmful, like: I am aware teachers in the English
Department are busy for the upcoming accreditation,
but will you please consider giving a free lecture on
Thesis Writing? Better: Because your expertise is
desperately needed, will you please…
 End with the request or with words of explanation

8. Case Illustration

9. Sales Writing

10. Value of Sales Writing
 Professionals usually write sales letters. So why
study the subject?
 The answer: Knowing sales techniques helps you in
writing other types of letters because in every letter,
you are selling something –an idea, a line of
reasoning, your company, yourself.
 It also helps in your daily life, for much of what you
do involves selling.

11. Most direct-mail efforts
consist of more than just
a letter. Typically, such
efforts include a
coordinated group of
pieces – brochures,
leaflets, booklets,
foldouts and so on. But a
letter is usually the main
piece. It carries the main
message, and the other
pieces carry the
supporting details.

12. Preliminary Effort: Know the Product or
Service AND the Reader
 Begin work on a sales letter by studying the product
or service to be sold. How is it made? How does it
work? What will it do?
 Also, study your readers. What is their need for the
product or service? What about their economic
status, age, nationality, education and culture.
 Research can help you learn about prospective
customers. If research is not possible, use your best
logic. Ex. Expensive perfumes would probably be
bought by people in high-income brackets.

13. Preliminary Effort: Determining the Appeal
 Decide on what appeals/strategies to use. Ex. Present a
product’s beauty or taste quality; stress that a product will
provide hours of fun or that it will make one more
attractive to the opposite sex; or you could present
through an appeal to profits, savings or durability.
 Use appeals to emotion (feelings & emotions) or rational
(reason)
 Select the appeals that fit the product and the prospects.
Ex. Beauty products, food – emotional appeal; tools,
equipment – rational. Like: Automobiles are bought not
because they are pretty but because they are durable
and safe.
 Use of the product often determine which appeal is best.

14. Step 1 Determine the Letter Mechanics
 Physical appearance/make up differ in many ways
from other business letters
 Mostly mass-produced rather than individually
processed
 May use individually processed inside address; often
replaced by impersonal salutations as “Dear
Students,” “Dear Mommy;” sometimes eliminates
both inside address and salutation
 Use a variety of mechanical techniques to gain
attention; pictures lines, diagrams and cartoons are
common; use different in colors; devices as coins,
stamps, sandpaper, rubber bands, clips etc are used
for appeal

15. Step 2 Gaining Attention in the Opening
 Basic requirement of the opening is to gain attention
 The opening should also set up the strategy/appeal.
Ex. Rational appeal: (Tap strong need)
 Here is a proven best-seller – and with a 12% greater profit
Can you use an employee who not only works free of charge
but also pays you for the privilege of serving your clientele 24
hours a day?
Gimmicks are sometimes used to gain attention but it must
support the theme of the letter. Ex. One company affixed a
penny to the letter with these words: Most pennies won’t buy
much today, but this penny can save you untold worry and
money – and bring you new peace of mind.

16. Step 3 Presenting the Sales Material
 If you select an emotional appeal, continue to
develop the emotional atmosphere in the opening.
Sell the product based on appearance, texture and
aroma so that the reader sees it, feels it and wants it.
 If you select a rational appeal, describe the product
based on what it can do for your reader rather than
how it will appeal to his/her senses. Write about
qualities as durability, savings, profits and ease of
operation.
 Sales writing is not ordinary business letter writing.
It is highly conversational, fast moving and
aggressive. It makes use of graphics and
techniques “inappropriate” in other forms.

17. Remember:
Stress the you-view point
Base your sales points on reader interest
Ex. We offer ten lipstick shades vs You may choose from ten lovely lipstick
shades
Choose words carefully
Be mindful of word effect
Ex. Hot vs fiery vs burning
Use positive words
Ex. Reorganization Plan A will cause 10% of the staff to lose their jobs vs
Reorganization Plan A will retain 90%of the work force.
Our new laser paper keeps the wasted paper from smudged copies to
less than 5% vs Our new laser paper provides smudge-free copies more
than 95% of the time.

18. Include all necessary information
Give enough information to sell; answer all
questions;
overcome all objections.
Coordinate the sales letter with the
accompanying booklets, brochures and
leaflets. But make the letter carry the main sales
message. The enclosure should serve as
supplements.

19. Step 4 Driving for the Sale
 Urge the action
Ex: Just check your preferences on the enclosed
stamped and addressed form. Then drop it in the
mail today!
“Do it now”
“Act today!”
 Recall the Appeal
…and start taking your profits!
 Add a Postscript
P.S. Hurry! Save while this special money-saving offer
lasts.