4. Persuasion in Action:
Glengarry Glen Ross
• Attention-grabbing
opening
• Highlights rewards
• Emphasizes authority
• Overcomes resistance
• Ends with call to
action
5. Components of an Indirect
Persuasive Request (AIRA)
1. Gain Attention (opening)
2. Build Interest (body)
3. Reduce Resistance / Increase Desire (body)
4. Motivate Action (closing)
6. Persuasive Favour Request –
Effective or Ineffective?
Dear Sir or Madam,
Please consider supporting the Healthy Hearts Foundation by
purchasing a $2000 corporate table at our Vessels & Valentines
fundraising gala which will be held February 14th at TCU Place.
We guarantee the money raised will be put to good use. It sure
was last year!
If you have any questions about this event, phone me at 306-123-
4567. Thank you and have a great day!
Lorelei
7. Persuasive Favour Request – Indirect
Strategy
Salutation Dear Mr. Johnson,
Opening (gain attention)
Last year our “Vessels & Valentines” fundraising event raised over
$200,000 in support of the Healthy Hearts Foundation. Your
generous contribution is now at work saving lives as those funds
were used to purchase an advanced heart monitoring system for the
cardiac care unit at Royal University Hospital. From the bottom of
our heart to yours, we thank you for your support.
8. Persuasive Favour Request – Indirect
Strategy (cont)
Body (build interest)
Every year, more than 5000 patients benefit from the services
provided through the cardiac care unit – but there is still much
more to do. Currently, there are individuals living in remote and
rural communities who cannot travel to Saskatoon for the
essential care they need. The great news is that recent
advancements in technology mean it is now possible for our team
to take these critical services to them!
9. Persuasive Favour Request – Indirect
Strategy (cont)
Body (reduce resistance)
The cardiac care team, under the leadership of world-renowned
cardiologist Dr. Heartstrings, is preparing to launch a new robotics
program that will allow doctors to remotely diagnose and treat patients
in their home community. The team is trained and ready to begin
providing care as soon as the funds are available to purchase the two
cardiac robots required to launch the program. The cost of each robot
is $150,000 which is less than the cost of flying a single patient to
Saskatoon and caring for them as an inpatient in the hospital.
10. Closing (motivate action)
This year our Vessels & Valentines fundraising gala will be held on
February 14th at TCU Place. Our goal is to raise $300,000 for the purchase
of two robots so the team can launch the new remote care program. You
have been a strong supporter of the Healthy Hearts Foundation in the past
and we trust we can count on your support again this year. Individual
tickets are $250 and corporate tables of ten are $2000.
To purchase tickets online, please follow this link:
You can also call me directly at 306-123-4567 and I will reserve your
tickets personally. I look forward to seeing you at the gala.
Persuasive Favour Request – Indirect
Strategy (cont)
15. Three things must happen to get
results…
Create Awareness Establish a ConnectionBuild Excitement
16. Attention: Get Noticed
• Offer something valuable
• Share a compliment
• Promise a benefit
• Make a startling statement
• Ask a thought-provoking
question
• Provide a powerful quotation
or fact
• Highlight a unique product
feature or testimonial
• Use powerful visuals or
personalized narratives
Image source
19. Interest: Appeals to Credibility
• Respect for authority,
trust in experts, and
desire for authenticity
• Used when a brand is
well-known or has
celebrity connection
20. Interest: Appeals to Emotion
• Status, ego, and sensual feelings
• Used when a product is
inexpensive, short-lived, or
nonessential.
21. Interest: Appeals to Logic
• Reason and intellect
• Used when product is
• expensive
• long lasting
• important to health, security,
or financial success
26. Action: Response Strategies
• Make it easy for customers to act
• Additional motivators:
• Offer a gift or incentive
• Time-limited offer
• Satisfaction guarantee
27. Authority/credibility
Incentive – minimize risk
Motivate Action – easy to call,
personal connection
Interest/Desire – choices,
prevent negative
consequences
Attention – engage, desired
result, solve a problem
together
Attention – tag-line
Easily accessed website
28. • Use social media to
connect with
customers
• Promote products by
email
Promotional Messages
Image source
29. Summary
• Discussed digital-age persuasion and the AIRA persuasive technique.
• Explored the similarities and differences between persuasive messages
to request help, to make claims or complaints, and to get things done
within your organization.
• Learned about the use of persuasive direct mail, email, and online
messages to sell goods and services.
30. References
Admir Destani. (2017, February 27). Glengarry Glen Ross - Always be closing (HD) [video]. YouTube.
https://youtu.be/mP31CdpGzUY
Guffrey, M. E., Loewy, D., & Almonte, R. (2019). Essentials of business communication (9th Canadian Edition). Nelson.
Jamieson, L. (2019). Chapter 1: Communicating in the digital-age workplace [PowerPoint slides]. Nelson.
StudioBinder. (2018, April 23). Ethos, pathos, & logos: How to use persuasive ad techniques [video]. YouTube.
https://youtu.be/lmR58_dqLxY
31. Image Sources
[Brain plugged into heart] [Illustration]. [n.d.] Political Science Now.
https://politicalsciencenow.com/where-emotions-and-reason-meet/
Direct communication / indirect communication [Illustration]. [n.d.] drcom.
https://www.drcomgroup.com/en/articles/chinese-digital-ecosystem
feelisgood. [n.d.] Red heart shape isolated on white background [Illustration].
Vectorstock. https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/red-heart-shape-
isolated-on-white-background-vector-23475397
[Hello I am an expert sticker] [Illustration]. [n.d.] philmjones.
https://www.philmjones.com/4-things-need-succeed-expert-business/
[Lightbulb brain] [Illustration]. [n.d.] Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/ belzoid/the-
brain/
32. Image Sources
Loft: Cyber spring is back [Illustration]. [n.d.] Pinterest.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/361062095102887928/
[Parrot among pigeons] [Photograph]. [n.d.] Inc. https://www.inc.com/john-
boitnott/6-ways-to-help-your-product-stand-out-in-a-crowded-
market.html
Poemsuk. [n.d.] Organization chart template of the corporation [Illustration].
Vectorstock. https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-
vector/organizational-chart-template-corporation-vector-16673344
[Two people pitching ideas to audience] [Illustration]. [n.d.] Medium.
https://medium.com/the-faselis-blog/how-to-use-storytelling-for-a-
successful-investor-pitch-c046c05873e9
Editor's Notes
See Figures 6.3 and 6.4.
Discuss the impact social media has had on communications in the workplace.
