Agenda

PresentationsPromotional communication in business

Promotional communication

Persuasive adaptiveness

Types of promotional communication

Promotional communication vs. other types of business communication

Reasoning units and data sets

What is a reasoning unit? Recommendation Data set Logical warrant

What is a data set? The package of evidence you provide A variety of types of data, chosen with the audience in

mind

What is a warrant? Explains how the data set supports your recommendation

The recommendation

Clarity

Reader focus

Positioning

Analyzing your audience

What does your reader know? What information do you need to supply so that she can understand your recommendation?

What does your reader think? Does he agree or disagree with your recommendation? Is he neutral?

Does your reader have any personal stake in the situation that would support or contradict your recommendation?

Is your reader higher, lower, or the same in the organizational hierarchy?

How is your credibility with the reader? How well do you know the reader? Are there any important secondary

readers? To whom will you direct the document? Will that person act on your recommendation, or will your document be forwarded?

Analyzing your audience

Ways of convincing the reader

Stress the effect on the readerReader focus: Speaking to the San Diego Accounting Society would enable you to present the firm’s view on the controversial topic of expensing versus capitalizing 401-C assets.Writer focus: The San Diego Accounting Society would like you to speak to us on the topic of expensing versus capitalizing 401-C assets.

Consider positive versus negative appealsPositive: By donating a pint of blood next Thursday, you will help ensure a continued supply of plasma for Washtenaw County residents.Negative: To avoid the possibility of facing emergency surgery with an inadequate supply of blood, please do your part Thursday.

Ways of convincing the reader

Consider logical versus emotion appealsLogical: Our stationery’s 25% rag content means that your correspondence will remain legible even after ten years in the file cabinet.Emotional: Our stationery’s 25% rag content means your correspondence will make an important statement about you to your colleagues.

Logical: Adopting this proposal will increase our market share by 1.5% within six months.Emotional: Adopting this proposal will give this company an international reputation as the leader in Pacific Rim marketing.

Data sets:Validity of evidence

To be convincing, evidence must be generally accepted as valid and as coming from a competent, objective source

Determining the validity of evidence Determining the competence of the source Determining the objectivity of the source

Data sets:Types of evidence

Type Strengths Weaknesses

Assignment

Read Chapter 10 in the book