Q&A Hero

Q: The indirect plan for a bad-news message emphasizes the reasons rather than the bad news itself.

Q: Direct messages are not necessarily shorter that indirect messages.

Q: Use the direct plan to organize a bad-news message involving a small but significant matter.

Q: Keep your language concise, short, objective, and to the point when sending bad news. This helps with accuracy.

Q: If you don't know your reader, you should use the indirect plan rather than the direct plan to organize your bad-news message.

Q: Research indicates that delivering corporate bad news by email rather than in person helps ensure a more accurate message.

Q: Which of the following statements at the end of a sales letter would most effectively motivate the reader to take action? a. If you are at all interested in trying our product, please call me soon. b. Act now! Don't delay! Smart shoppers know that time is running out! c. Why not try our new computer software free for 15 days? d. Simply return the enclosed order card by October 1 to reserve your copy of this limited-edition poster.

Q: When a customer's expectations are not met, you will be more successful rebuilding the relationship if you a. delay responding and hope the customer forgets about the complaint. b. send a letter. c. call the customer or schedule a face-to-face meeting. d. request that a supervisor contact the customer.

Q: You may provide incentive for a prompt reply to your persuasive sales message by a. offering a gift to the first 100 people who respond by the due date. b. using cautious, hesitant language to avoid discouraging your reader. c. giving information about new products added to your website. d. repeatedly sending the same message for a week.

Q: Which sentence most effectively interprets a product's features? a. The Rocket Laser 3000 warms up in 20 seconds and prints documents at 1,200 dpi. b. Both the ergonomic keyboard and the wireless mouse were designed to help computer users. c. Baking bread is easy with a BreadWinner. d. Our digital music player can store up to 5,000 songs. e. Finish your woodworking projects quickly with this high-torque battery-powered drill.

Q: Which of the following is the least effective opening statement for an unsolicited sales letter? a. Last month, one million business travelers enjoyed the friendly, on-time service of Alpha Beta Airlines. (promoting new services for corporate customers) b. If you and your family drink one gallon of water a day, you may be consuming too many minerals. (promoting a water purifier system) c. Are you interested in leading a long and happy life? (promoting a new exercise program) d. How much extra money would you have if you didn't have to pay 21% interest on your credit cards? (promoting a new credit card) e. Six months ago, he was unemployed with few qualifications. Today, he's a website designer for a major corporation. (promoting training courses in website development)

Q: To soften an item's cost you should a. refer to it in closing. b. present the price in small units and compare it to another familiar object. c. tell the reader to look up other comparable prices online. d. only disclose it when requested by the reader.

Q: In the AIDA plan for sales letters, AIDA stands for a. attention, interest, desire, and action. b. action, interest, direct benefits, and attention. c. action, information, desire, and acknowledgement. d. awareness, information, data, and alertness. e. added interest, desired action.

Q: If your claim is not a routine one, your persuasive complaint letter should a. compliment the reader and describe your request as asking for a favor. b. let the reader decide how to resolve the problem. c. include as much supporting evidence as possible. d. follow the direct organizational plan. e. begin with the action you want the reader to take.

Q: The opening sentence "Although your store policy is to offer a refund within seven days, I am seeking a refund for an item I purchased nine days ago" is ineffective for a persuasive claim because it a. depends on the credibility of the reader. b. relies on the rhetorical attention-getting approach. c. uses an indirect organizational plan. d. offers a ready excuse for denying the claim.

Q: If price is your central selling theme you should a. introduce the idea early and emphasize it often. b. mention it once and then move on. c. focus on it in the postscript. d. introduce it late in the message.

Q: Unlike a routine claim letter, a persuasive claim letter a. mentions how the reader will benefit from doing what the writer asks. b. uses emotional or exaggerated language for emphasis. c. states the request immediately. d. uses clear explanations and an appropriate tone.

Q: The direct organizational pattern is defined as a. presenting the recommendation and brief rationale in the first paragraph. b. explaining the problem in the first paragraph. c. asking a question in the first paragraph. d. including the reason for writing in the conclusion.

Q: When the reader will not directly benefit from granting the favor you request, your persuasive message should a. adopt a less confident tone. b. use language appealing to the reader's emotions. c. show how someone other than you will benefit. d. stress the objective evidence justifying your request. e. use the first paragraph to tactfully make your request.

Q: In a persuasive message you should always a. emphasize the reader. b. address overall company concerns. c. review the annual profit-loss margin. d. show the current organizational structure of your company.

Q: You need persuasion when requesting a favor from someone you don't know because a. expert opinion and statistical data are not enough. b. the reader needs sufficient evidence to make an informed decision. c. you want to make the desired action as clear and easy as possible. d. the reader is getting no tangible benefits from granting the favor. e. this is a routine request that is likely to be granted automatically.

Q: Which of the following situations represents an attempt to sell an idea? a. An automobile manufacturer writes a letter persuading its retailers to carry more vehicles with sunroofs. b. A construction company wants to persuade a college to award it the contract for building a new dormitory. c. A student writes a letter asking the new dean to be the guest speaker at a non-school event. d. An employee recommends a flextime schedule so that employees can set their own work hours. e. A banker writes a memo explaining the new loan procedures to employees in all branches.

Q: When you want to sell an idea, your persuasive message should not a. use an indirect organizational plan if the reader is your superior. b. present evidence logically. c. be written in an objective style. d. provide sufficient evidence to back up the claims you make. e. clarify the problem and how your solution solves it.

Q: When writing a persuasive message to a superior in your own organization, ask for the desired action a. in the first paragraph, along with stating the reader benefit. b. using a confident, hard-sell approach. c. by apologizing for the need for a decision. d. but leave the method of response up to the reader. e. after presenting most of the background information.

Q: Advertising and persuasion are different in what way? a. Advertising gives something to the reader. b. Persuasion admits failure and apologizes. c. Persuasion is more personalized. d. Advertising includes pricing information; persuasion does not.

Q: When dealing with obstacles in a persuasive message, you should a. ignore any negative aspects of the argument. b. blame any problems on the reader. c. only tell the reader about the positive aspects of your idea. d. address them directly.

Q: Which of the following does not contribute to creating interest and justifying your position in a persuasive message? a. objectivity b. obvious flattery c. specific details d. logical appeals e. representative examples

Q: Which of the following is not an effective attention-getting technique for a persuasive message? a. asking a rhetorical question b. using a polite request c. stating an unusual fact d. making a statement that you and the reader will agree on e. writing an unexpected statement

Q: All business communication involves persuasion.

Q: It is appropriate to apologize when giving bad news.

Q: The difference between advertising and persuasion is that persuasion is more personalized.

Q: Because routine requests are granted fairly easily, they require less persuasion than favors.

Q: In the textual content of your persuasive message you must explain your rationale for presenting a new procedure or idea.

Q: Proposing to your supervisor that the company decentralize the reimbursement of travel expenses is an example of selling an idea.

Q: When using the direct or the indirect organizational plan, clarify the specific action you want the reader to take.

Q: When addressing obstacles in a persuasive request, you should subordinate them.

Q: When using the indirect organizational plan in a persuasive message you must give the main idea immediately.

Q: Providing credible evidence such as current statistics is a positive way to influence the reader.

Q: When are congratulatory notes appropriate?

Q: What should smart companies do about the constant stream of social media posts?

Q: What are the risks and potential benefits of online customer communication?

Q: Describe the guidelines to follow in handling a routine reply.

Q: Why do people send goodwill messages?

Q: Why is promptness one of the most important considerations when writing a routine reply?

Q: List and briefly describe the three major sections of a routine request letter.

Q: Describe at least four guidelines to remember when asking questions in a routine request.

Q: What is the difference between a neutral or positive message and a persuasive or bad-news message? Provide an example of each type of message.

Q: Describe the difference between the direct and indirect organizational plans. Provide examples of when to use each plan.

Q: At Nordstrom, sales associates sometimes send handwritten notes to reflect their special relationship with customers. These notes are examples of a. bad-news messages. b. technologically backward communication. c. over-the-top flattery. d. effective positive messages. e. effective multitasking.

Q: A message is neutral if a. you anticipate that the reader will do as you ask without having to be persuaded. b. the reader will comply if you mention the benefits to him or her that will follow a positive response. c. you can ask politely and have a 50-50 chance of success. d. you are requesting a small discount off a full-price item. e. you expect that the reader will not question your credibility.

Q: Almost any nickname or cute handle will work as a screen name for using IM at work.

Q: Write a friendly, personalized closing to every routine reply, rather than relying on clichs.

Q: IMs are quick, short, and once sent are gone forever.

Q: Because IMs are personalized, you may want to use them in ways that reflect your own personality rather than the norms of business communication in your specific organization.

Q: Instant messaging is a good choice for simple or complex messages that require quick responses.

Q: When writing a routine reply, you can build goodwill for your company or product by including extensive sales promotion details.

Q: When writing a routine reply, use objective, clear language to answer the reader's implied and stated questions.

Q: In a routine reply, avoid answering a reader's question if the answer is not what the reader wants to know.

Q: The first paragraph of a positive routine reply should build goodwill by approaching the topic in an indirect manner.

Q: Research shows that many customers expect a response to a routine request within 24 hours.

Q: A routine reply that grants the reader's request should follow the direct organizational pattern.

Q: When you expect reader resistance to your idea, you should use the indirect organizational plan for your message.

Q: When you use the direct organizational plan for a routine message, you present the details before the primary idea.

Q: Which of the following is nota good guideline for writing clearly? a. Be sure the message is accurate and complete. b. Use familiar words and phrases. c. Emphasize compound sentences. d. Avoid dangling expressions. e. Eliminate unnecessary jargon.

Q: Identify the sentence that does not contain a mechanical error. a. Please call the Springfield; MO, office. b. He ordered 6 new computer systems for the office. c. I understand the brochure is completed please send me a copy. d. The new ceo plans to improve productivity by 15% in one year. e. We use special packaging to protect our products.

Q: Mechanics include all of the following except a. content. b. punctuation. c. number expression. d. word division. e. abbreviations.

Q: Style consists of a. the effective use of words, sentences, paragraphs, and tone. b. creative ideas presented in subjunctive form. c. the balanced use of complex, compound, and negative language. d. business messages organized with the main point first. e. frequent use of redundancy to reinforce important points.

Q: Identify the sentence that contains specific, concrete language. a. The committee met several times to discuss the proposal. b. Many employees are dissatisfied with the change in retirement benefits. c. A substantial number of complaints were received from customers. d. Three new representatives will complete their training this week. e. The speaker used an emotional tone when addressing the sales meeting.

Q: Techniques for creating paragraph coherence include using transitional words, creating redundancy, and building parallelism.

Q: Writers should ask themselves "What's in it for me?" and then write so that the answer is obvious.

Q: All else being equal, an idea with more space devoted to it will be judged as more important than an idea covered more briefly.

Q: To achieve a sincere tone, avoid obvious flattery.

Q: Parallel structure is essential in report headings, but less important on bulleted lists on presentation slides.

Q: A competent communicator frequently uses the word you, regardless of whether positive or negative news is conveyed.

Q: Using the passive voice when discussing a reader's mistake is often appropriate.

Q: Because emails are short and informal, writers using this channel may begin most sentences with "I."

Q: You look selfish if your message focuses only on what the reader will get from doing what you request in your message.

Q: When your message emphasizes how you, as the writer, will benefit, you are applying the "you" attitude.

Q: When writing a letter to a customer, emphasize what your organization can do rather than what it can't do.

Q: To build goodwill in a business letter, use neutral expressions such as cannotand will not.