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SBS220 Business Writing

Persuasive Messages

Objective: Write a persuasive email.

The scenario:

You are the manager of a local neighborhood bank, Suff Banking. Online banking has been extremely popular with many of your customers; however you have noticed that the number of customers signing up for online banking has dropped by 50% over the last several months. You know that most of your customers' ages 60+ have not signed up for online banking, due to hesitation with the process. You decide they are a viable target market and decide to email them about the ease and benefits of online banking to try and get them to sign up.

You must conduct online research to help you understand why people ages 60+ are hesitant about online banking. In the email, attempt to show customers the advantages and benefits of online banking, while attempting to allay their fears. You want them to take specific steps to learn more about online banking and sign up for the program.

Your assignment: Write an email to bank customers ages 60+ targets to persuade them to learn more about online banking, with the ultimate goal being that they sign up. Follow the guidelines and components for persuasive messages.

Part 1: Plan (Write your outline)

· Conduct research to understand the fears elderly customers have of online banking.

· Determine which benefits and information would be most persuasive and likely to appeal to your audience

· Gather and organize information for the email. Ask yourself questions such as:

1. Why would these customers pay attention to your suggestion? What are the benefits of online banking for them?

2. How will you get their attention when this may not be something they have been thinking about? (Both in the subject line and in the email itself).

3. How can you motivate the customers to do what you are suggesting?

4. What tone will you try to project in your email?

5. What rationale and logic do you think your audience (students) will need? Will you use an emotional or logical appeal (or a mix of both)? Why?

6. What counterpoints must you introduce?

· Create an outline for a logical, direct, complete and detail-oriented message.

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Part 2: Write

· Write the email. MAX word count = 275.

· The assignment must follow traditional email format (including: to/from, subject line, email signature, introduction, main persuasive arguments, concluding statement with a call to action, etc.).

· Create your email so that it has high skim value and easy navigational design. Think of ways to emphasize your message (i.e., bullets, bold type)

· The email should incorporate appropriately the components of persuasive messages (summarized at the end of the chapter). Pay attention to:

1. Proper Attention Getter

2. Facts

3. Positive and action-oriented vocabulary

4. Call to action

On a separate piece of paper include a Works Cited page where you reference your research. Citations should be APA format and do NOT count towards the 275-word count

Part 3: Revise (Revise and edit rough draft to create your final draft)

· Proofread your first draft for grammar, spelling, and punctuation (*Use Grammarly to help with proofreading)

· CHECK FOR PLAGIARISM. If you use information and data in your email from your research, you must refer to your source(s). Direct quotes should be in quotation marks. Otherwise, it is plagiarism! For example:

· According to Forbes Magazine, 20% of employees are actively looking for new employment.

· Dana Parker from Harvard Business Review says “70% of companies we spoke to do not have an employee retention plan.”

· Gen Z has overwhelmingly said they would choose a job that supports their work-life balance over a higher salary (www.money.com).

· Include a “Works Cited” page of the sources used in your email in APA format

· Edit for clarity and conciseness.