Chapter 7

Which of the following is an example of an external proposal?

A presentation by the founder of an organization to local business leaders about ways to attract international talent to the city

Which of the following qualifies as a proposal?

A professor's request for funding for a research project

Which of the following is true about the use of postscripts in sales messages?

A sales message can use a postscript as a part of its design.

Which of the following best illustrates a proposal?

A supplier's presentation to encourage a company to do business with him

Which of the following best illustrates an advertisement based on emotional appeal?

An advertisement primarily stressing how a product can increase a person's sex appeal

Which of the following is an example of an external proposal?

An email from the head of one company to another proposing to share resources on similar projects

Which of the following is an example of an internal proposal?

An employee's email persuading her superior to replace her desktop with a laptop

Which of the following is an example of an internal proposal?

An employee's email persuading his superiors to choose his team over an external agency for a particular project

Which of the following is an important step in planning a direct mail or an email sales message?

Determining the makeup of the mailing

_____ appeals predominate in messages for goods and services that do not perform any discernible rational function.

Emotional

Which of the following is true about emotional appeals?

Emotional appeals typically engage our senses.

Why is it considered best to organize persuasive messages in an indirect order?

In most cases, your audience will be made up of potentially uncooperative readers.

Which of the following is true about the scenario painting technique used in advertisements?

It puts the reader in a simulated context that brings out a product's appeal.

Which of the following sentences is most positively worded?

Jell yogurt is ninety five percent fat free.

Which of the following is true about proposals?

Proposals can be in oral form.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a strong sales message?

Seeing the proposed product or service through the reader's point of view

Which of the following, despite being incorrect and inappropriate in other forms of business writings, is commonly used in sales writing?

Sentence fragments

Which of the following applies not only to proposals but also to all other types of messages?

The content must be adapted to the reader of the message.

Which of the following applies to all persuasive messages?

They are all biased.

Which of the following statements is true of solicited and unsolicited proposals?

Unsolicited proposals are written and submitted without any invitation.

Which of the following sentences best illustrates effective sales writing?

You can now enjoy the refreshing taste of Juicerz in two new flavors—lime and litchi.

Phrases such as "Do it now" and "Act today" should be used to urge immediate action because _____.

a persuaded reader may otherwise tend to put off a purchase

Intrinsic benefits are those that _____.

a reader gets directly by complying with a request

Of the following, the most appropriate attention-gaining opening for a sales message is _____.

a statement that introduces a need that the product will satisfy

Demographic information includes details such as _____.

age, gender, income, and geographic location

Proposals differ from reports in that proposals _____.

are intentionally persuasive

Consider the following statement which is a part of a proposal: "By accepting the proposal, you will not only have saved $3000 off the standard price but will also have taken the first step toward a more efficient, productive organization." This statement primarily focuses on the _____.

benefits of the proposal

If you select a rational appeal as your central theme, you should _____.

describe your product based on what it can do for your reader

The first step in creating a persuasive request is _____.

determining a strategy

When _____ a proposal, one should consider urging or suggesting the desired action.

developing the conclusion of

In writing a persuasive message to readers who would prefer to know the point of the message right away, it is best to use the _____.

direct order

Presenting information on matters such as the qualifications of personnel, success in similar cases, the adequacy of equipment and facilities, operating procedures, and environmental consciousness is necessary to _____.

establish an organization's ability to perform

An important job at the beginning of any unsolicited proposal is to _____.

gain attention

A sales description based on factual material will most likely _____.

have a rational appeal

Messages for goods and services that do not perform any discernible function will most likely _____.

have an emotional appeal

It is best to organize persuasive messages using the _____ because you will be writing to potentially uncooperative readers.

indirect order

Rewards that fulfill a reader's desire to gain prestige or have more freedom are called _____ rewards.

intangible

The first step in writing a sales message is to _____.

make a careful study of the product or service

Knowledge of sales message techniques helps in writing business messages because _____.

most business messages directly or indirectly involve selling something

The persuasive appeals identified by Aristotle that are based on emotions are referred to as _____.

pathos

A form of email sales message that is gaining respectability and acceptance is called _____ because it requires customers to sign up for email promotions on a company's website.

permission-based email

Consider the following statement: "Our latest cell phone model comes preloaded with the latest version of the operating software in addition to all the functionality of high-end cell phones in the current market." This statement primarily focuses on _____.

product features

The main purpose of enclosures, attachments, or links that accompany the main sales message is to _____.

provide helpful information that does not fit into the main message

Information such as a person's social, political, and personal preferences are called _____ information.

psychographic

Consider the following advertisement for mobile phones aimed at senior citizens. "Are you tired of straining your eyes by peering into your tiny cell phone screen? Do you wish you had a phone that does what a phone is supposed to do, without all the phony jazz? We have the product just for you! With its 5-inch display designed to enhance visibility and large number pads, making calls will no longer be a pain. With dedicated one touch buttons that you can define, do more for much less! Contact us for more details; you will not regret this purchase!" This advertisement primarily focuses on _____.

reader benefits

The primary means by which organizations solicit proposals is the RFP. RFP stands for _____.

request for proposals

The drive for action in the close of a sales message _____.

should take the reader through the steps of what he or she must do

The main place for getting attention in email messages is the _____.

subject line

Measurable rewards, such as saving time or money or acquiring a desired object, are also called _____ rewards.

tangible

For proposals, there is always a need for the description of what the writer proposes to do. This description is _____.

the primary content of any proposal