Test 2 Study Guide GEB 3213 Fall 2011 Chapters (6-8) (12-13)1. Define resale.- Information that reestablishes a customer’s confidence in the product or company- Because the reader’s faith in your product has been shaken, you must build subtle resale into your letter. 2. Define direct organizational plan.- A plan in which the major purpose of the message is communicated first, followed by needed details.3. Define indirect organizational plan.- A plan in which the reasons or rationale are presented first, followed by the major idea.4. Define adjustment letter.- An adjustment letter is a letter written to inform a customer of the action taken in response to the customer’s claim letter.- In a routine adjustment letter the overall tone must be gracious, trusting tone. Present the good news first and then follow by an explanation.- Few people bother to write a claim letter unless they have a real problem, so most claims that companies receive are legitimate and are adjusted according to the individual situation. - If the action taken is what the customer requested or expected, you should write a routine adjustment letter using the direct organizational plan5. Define claim letter.- A letter from a buyer to a seller, seeking some type of action to correct a problem with the seller’s product or service. 6. What organizational plan should you use for routine request and replies?- Routine Request: Direct Organizational Plan- Routine Reply: Direct Organizational Plan7. When is it appropriate to apologize in a routine adjustment letter?- It is only appropriate to apologize in a routine adjustment letter when thereare serious problems. It is not advised for small, routine claims that are promptly resolved to the customer’s satisfaction. - If the customer has been severely inconvenienced or embarrassed and the company is clearly at fault, a sincere apology would be in order. In such a situation first give the good news and then apology in a business-like manner; avoid repeating the apology in closing lines.8. Describe an effective closing for a routine letter.- Assume a friendly tone.- Close by expressing appreciation for the assistance to be provided (but without seeming to take the recipient’s cooperation for granted), by statingand justifying any deadlines, or by offering to reciprocate.- Make your ending friendly, positive, and original.9. What makes a request routine?- A request is routine if you anticipate that the reader will readily do as you ask without having to be persuaded. - For example, a request for specific information about an organization’s product is routine because all organization’s appreciate the opportunity to promote their products. 10. How to write a Routine Request.- Major idea first: present the major idea- your request- clearly and directly in the first sentence or two. You may use a direct question, a statement, or a polite request to present the main idea. Do not ask more questions than are necessary; make the questions easy to answer.- Followed by Explanation and Details: most of the time you will need to give additional explanation or details about your initial request. Include any needed background information immediately before or after making the request. Explain why you’re making the request and if possible, show how others benefit from your receiving the requested information.- Friendly Closing: Close by expressing appreciation for the assistance to beprovided by stating and justifying any deadlines, or by offering to reciprocate. Assume a friendly tone. See question #811. Why should you include “reader benefit” in a routine request?- A reader is more likely to cooperate if you can show how he or she will benefit from agreeing to your request. In fact, it is often the communication of such benefits that makes the message routine rather than persuasive.- You should identify reader benefits when they may not be obvious to the reader, but you need not elaborate the point if such benefits are obvious. 12. What is the essence of persuasion?- Overcoming initial resistance13. What are the first two steps in planning the persuasive message?- Purpose and Audience Analysis 14. What are the major steps to consider in organizing a persuasive request?- Determining how to start the message- Creating interest and justifying your request - Dealing with obstacles- Motivating action15. What are the two possible organizing formats for the persuasive message?- Direct Plan- Presenting the major idea first- Use the direct plan when: you are writing to superiors, your audience is predisposed to listen objectively to your request, the proposal doesn’t require strong persuasion (no major obstacles), the proposal is long or complex, you know the reader prefers the direct approach.- Indirect Plan- Gain the reader’s attention first- Use the indirect plan when: you are writing to subordinates, strong persuasion is needed, or when you know the reader prefers the indirectplan.16. List the kinds of evidence you might use to justify a persuasive request.- Facts and statistics- objective statements whose truth can be verified- Expert opinion- testimony from authorities on the topic if their input is relevant. If necessary, you can provide the expert’s credentials.- Examples- specific cases or incidents used to illustrate the point under discussion should be relevant, representative, and complete.17. What is a rhetorical question?- A question asked to encourage the reader to think about the topic; a literal answer is not expected.18. What are the three types of persuasive requests?- Selling and idea, requesting a favor, and writing a persuasive claim.19. How should you handle obstacles in a persuasive letter?- Ignoring any obstacles to granting your request provides the reader with a ready excuse to refuse your request. Instead, your strategy should be to show that even considering such an obstacle, your request is still reasonable.- Even though you must address the major obstacles, do not emphasize them. Subordinate this discussion by devoting relatively little space to it, by dealing with the obstacles in the same sentence that you highlight a reader benefit, or by putting the discussion in the middle of the paragraph- Regardless of how you do it, show your reader that you’re aware of the obvious obstacles and that despite them; your proposal still has merit.20. Describe the tone a writer should use for a persuasive letter.- Ask for action in a confident
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