Welcome to Persuasive Business Writing

Who to blame:Larry Asher

And you are?

What’s your problem?

Where we’re heading today.

1. Why bother?2. How do you persuade?3. Accuracy counts4. What’s good writing?5. Grammar, sorry6. Practice makes perfect7. Tearful goodbye

Who cares about good writing?

Who cares about good writing?

Good writing makes you come off as the smart one.

My man-crush

My man-crush

My man-crush

Writing is thinking on paper.

The thinking part of writing

Thinking

1. Get what you want to say down to one sentence.

You should (verb) (subject) because(single compelling reason).

You should take classes at SVC becauseyou’ll learn from top working pros.

Thinking

2. Organize according to WIFM(Watch out for we-us-our)

Thinking

3. Start with the general, the move to the specific

Thinking

4. Be logical

Thinking

Let’s try it.

Thinking

First, finish this strategy statement:

We should acquire an iPad for my work because (compelling reason).

Thinking

Second, write a brief outline for a medium-length email to your boss on this topic

Most writing is to persuade

1. Reciprocity

If you do what I’m asking, I’ll repay you with something of value.

2. Consistency

What I’m asking you to do is consistent with what I know you believe.

3. Authority

Experts and figures of power agree that you should do what I’m asking.

4. Consensus

Almost everyone in the same situation as you is doing what I’m asking.

5. Scarcity

You should do what I’m asking, because this opportunity will go away.

6. Liking

You like me, don’t you? Well, then please do what I’m asking.

Which principles are in play here?

"MEN WANTED FOR HAZARDOUS JOURNEY. SMALL WAGES, BITTER COLD, LONG MONTHS OF COMPLETE DARKNESS, CONSTANT DANGER, SAFE RETURN DOUBTFUL. HONOR AND RECOGNITION IN CASE OF SUCCESS."

Thinking

Now, go back to your outline and write that email to your boss, persuading him or her to get you that iPad.

Accuracy counts

It says you’re smart and conscientious

The writing part of writing

My man-crush

1. Clarity

Is the argument clear and logical?

2. Simplicity

Is the language down to earth? Does it avoid cliches and jargon?

The news from France is bad.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.

I’m the master of low expectations.

Text

Warren Buffett Bill Gates, Jr. Ludacris

berkshirehathaway.com/reports.html

True independence – meaning the willingness to challenge a forceful CEO when something is wrong or foolish – is an enormously valuable trait in a director. It is also rare. The place to look for it is among high-grade people whose interests are in line with those of rank-and-file shareholders – and are in line in a very big way.

We’ve made that search at Berkshire. We now have eleven directors and each of them, combined with members of their families, owns more than $4 million of Berkshire stock. Moreover, all have held major stakes in Berkshire for many years. In the case of six of the eleven, family ownership amounts to at least hundreds of millions and dates back at least three decades. All eleven directors purchased their holdings in the market just as you did; we’ve never passed out options or restricted shares. Charlie and I love such honest-to-God ownership. After all, who ever washes a rental car?

In addition, director fees at Berkshire are nominal (as my son, Howard, periodically reminds me). Thus, the upside from Berkshire for all eleven is proportionately the same as the upside for any Berkshire shareholder. And it always will be.

The primary job of our directors is to select my successor, either upon my death or disability, or when I begin to lose my marbles. (David Ogilvy had it right when he said: “Develop your eccentricities when young. That way, when you get older, people won’t think you are going gaga.” Charlie’s family and mine feel that we overreacted to David’s advice.)

3. Brevity

Can you cut the length by at least one-third without losing the meaning?

DDB SEATTLE’S STRENGHTS

16. What would you say is your competitive position with respect to other advertising agencies based in the Northwest?

DDB Seattle is undoubtedly the most integrated agency in the Northwest. While many agencies will tell you they are

integrated (through loosely tied strategic partnerships), DDB has best-in-class resources under one roof. But we’re not

about integration just for integration’s sake. Having multiple resources in one location is not enough. It’s about being

able to deploy the right resources at the right time to answer a client’s business need. And to be able to answer today’s

needs, the best marketers look to partners with a breadth of services and the fundamental strategic know-how to utilize

integrated ideas. We do this better than anyone else in the region.

In fact, when integration was just a glimmer most marketers’ eyes, we believed it was the future of our business—so

we’ve purposefully built an organization with this in mind. Both our Direct and Issues & Advocacy groups were

previously freestanding companies prior to being acquired by the DDB Seattle family. These additions allow us to be

“media agnostic,” providing ideas that will drive our clients’ business fi rst and foremost, not our own.

Additionally, being part of the DDB network distinguishes us from other regional agencies. DDB is one of the largest

and most celebrated advertising networks in the world, yet we are the smallest of our six domestic offi ces. This means

we are able to offer our clients all the resources of a heavy-duty agency—media-buying clout, creative prominence, signifi cant proprietary tools and research, etc.—yet we remain start-up nimble.

17. How do you think most of your clients would describe your agency’s working style?

We’re forward-leaning, fl exible, forthright, and client-driven.

• Forward-leaning. You will always fi nd us as the edge of our seats, proactively leading our clients’ business. • Flexible. We’re remarkably agile. • Forthright. We know our clients are extremely busy people. It’s our job to make their lives easier, and that can only

happen with an honest, open partnership where we respect each other’s opinions. • Client-driven. If you don’t look good, we don’t look good.

18. What things do you feel you do especially well compared to other agencies?

As noted in question 16 , we believe we offer better integrated ideas compared to other agencies because we are the

only agency in the area with such a wide breadth of in-house capabilities. But integration in and of itself is nothing

without creativity. The marriage of the two is what we are most known for—transferable ideas that transcend any one

media application.

19. Does your agency’s staff have specifi c experience that would be relevant to Swedish and the health care fi eld?

As noted, our experience in the health care fi eld runs deep. In addition to the robust relevant current client experience

noted in question 15 , senior management (account supervisor level and up) at DDB has worked on the following health

care accounts:

American Cancer Association

American Heart Association

American Lung Association

American Medical Association

Blue Cross/Blue Shield Children’s Hospital

4. Humanity

Is your writing authentic and does it touch an emotion?

From: "Al Franken" <alfranken@marksidran4ag.com>Date: August 12, 2004 1:27:43 PM PDTTo: dontspamlarry@comcast.netSubject: From the Desk of Al Franken

From the Desk of Al Franken

Dear Washington State Democrat,

As much as I hate to interfere in the election of another state (other than Florida), I feel that I must write in order to urge you to support Mark Sidran for Washington State Attorney General.

I have known Mark since I was accidentally admitted to Harvard in the late 1960’s. Mark, who got in on merit and merit alone, was a classmate of mine, and has made something of himself.

As you may know, he has spent the last 28 years as a prosecutor, Seattle City Attorney, and as a practicing lawyer. Mark’s experience is what I like to call one of his three E’s. The other two E’s are integrity and energy. Wait. Scrap integrity. Although Mark has it in spades, it does not start with an “E.” I remember learning that at Harvard. But I digress. Let’s get back to his experience.

As City Attorney, Mark took on some of the most egregious corporate polluters in Puget Sound. I could name names, but I may be planning to run for public office in Minnesota someday, and why burn a bridge?

As Attorney General, Mark will continue his fight on behalf of citizens by doubling the size of the state’s consumer protection division. Tired of finding out your senior citizen mother has been ripped off by scam artists? Besides telling your mom to be more alert, you can take action by electing Mark.

Oh, now I remember the other two “e’s”. Endorsements and Electability. Besides me, Mark has been endorsed by every single Democratic county prosecutor in the state. These are people, who unlike me, actually know what the Attorney General does. Bill Gates Sr., former president of the Washington State Bar and father of someone who I’d like to get to know better when I get ready to run for office, has endorsed Mark as well. So have civil rights leaders like Norm and Constance Rice. Others include environmentalists, led by Washington Conservation Voters, the State’s largest environmental political group, and a long list of elected officials such as Governor Gary Locke, Congressman Norm Dicks, former Governor Booth Gardner, many civic leaders and leading lawyers. Governor Locke, I have learned, is the only Asian American state governor to make an endorsement in this race. That alone says it all.

From: "Al Franken" <alfranken@marksidran4ag.com>Date: August 12, 2004 1:27:43 PM PDTTo: dontspamlarry@comcast.netSubject: From the Desk of Al Franken

From the Desk of Al Franken

I could go on and on with the endorsements. But frankly, no one cares about endorsements. Let’s move on to what really matters to Democrats – electability. Republicans don’t want Mark to be the Democratic nominee because they know he will be the most difficult candidate to beat in a statewide race that isn’t fixed by the use of paperless machines. This is the first time in 12 years that the Attorney General’s seat has been open and the Republican Party and their special interests are salivating at the chance of putting one of their lackeys in one of the most powerful jobs in your state. Mark is a common sense Democrat with a proven track record and the clear ability to win in November or whenever the Department of Homeland Security allows us to vote.

George W. Bush does not want Mark Sidran to be your next Attorney General. Neither does Deborah Senn, who did not go to college with me.

In conclusion, give your vote, and if possible, your check to Mark Sidran. And if you really want to see more of those endorsements, check out the partial list below or visit Mark’s website, www.MarkSidran4AG.com. As you can tell from the “4,” this is one hip campaign.

Sincerely,

Al Franken

How are we doing?

1. Why bother?2. How do you persuade?3. Accuracy counts4. What’s good writing?5. Grammar, sorry6. Practice makes perfect7. Tearful goodbye

Time for you to write

Write a brief memo/email to the people you work with suggesting why it’s important for them to be on time for meetings and appointments.

The joy of good grammar

Commas separate adjectives and verbs that each act singly.

It was a fascinating, fast-paced day.

Commas separate adjectives and verbs that each act singly.

It was a dreary Seattle day.

Commas separate adjectives and verbs that each act singly.

The panda eats shoots and leaves.

Commas separate adjectives and verbs that each act singly.

The panda eats, shoots, and leaves.

Commas separate independent clauses joined by a conjunction.

The lecture was good, but the instructor rambled a bit.

Commas set off a long, introductory clause from the rest of the sentence.

After reviewing your proposal in great detail, we have decided that hiring you

would be a big mistake.

Colons are used before a list, a formal quotation, in the salutation of a business letter, or to separate clauses when the

second explains the first.

Dear Mr. Asher:As Ben Franklin wrote: “Early to bed.”

I think I grasp his meaning: Life can be exhausting.

Hyphenate two words to form an adjective if they precede a noun.

long-range goalsstate-of-the-art equipment

first-class customer service

Don’t hyphenate an -ly suffixed word.

The early-morning schedule seemed quite manageable.

Don’t hyphenate an -ly suffixed word.

It was a mercifully-short class.

Put commas inside quotation marks.

Bob said, “Please don’t fire me,” when I confronted him about stealing the pencil.

Use ellipses and exclamation marks very sparingly.

The best thing that ever happened to our company...that was when we went broke!

Use ellipses and exclamation marks very sparingly.

The best thing that ever happened to our company was when we went broke.

Watch for subject and verb disagreement.

The length of my lectures vary.

Watch for subject and verb disagreement.

The length of my lectures varies.

Watch for subject and verb disagreement.

Each of them know the correct answer.

Watch for subject and verb disagreement.

Each of them knows the correct answer.

Watch for misplaced modifiers.

I want new computers for my assistants, preferably ones with more memory.

Watch for misplaced modifiers.

I want new computers, preferably ones with more memory, for my assistants.

Use pronouns correctly.

Mom took the picture of he and I.

Use pronouns correctly.

Mom took the picture of him and me.

Be alert to common misspellings andincorrect usage.

affect vs. effectcompliment vs. complement

its vs. it’sless vs. fewer

principal vs. principletheir vs. there vs. they’re

who’s vs. whose

When using an abbreviation, explain after the first usage.

We’re not certain if the CPM (cost per thousand) of this direct mail list is

correct.

Use your spell-checker, but watch out for homonyms it won’t catch.

We couldn’t figure out why they’re was a big black spot on it’s back.

A very few thoughts about style.

Avoid the passive voice.

John recommended the budget cuts.

Avoid the passive voice.

A mistake has been made.

Avoid long and run-on sentences.

Avoid long and run-on sentences. In the event that the Purchaser defaults in the payment of any instalment of purchase price, taxes, insurance, interest, or the annual charge described elsewhere herein, or shall default in the performance of any other obligations set forth in this Contract, the Seller may: at his option: (a) Declare immediately due and payable the entire unpaid balance of purchase price, with accrued interest, taxes, and annual charge, and demand full payment thereof, and enforce conveyance of the land by termination of the contract or according to the terms hereof, in which case the Purchaser shall also be liable to the Seller for reasonable attorney's fees for services rendered by any attorney on behalf of the Seller, or (b) sell said land and premises or any part thereof at public auction, in such manner, at such time and place, upon such terms and conditions, and upon such public notice as the Seller may deem best for the interest of all concerned, consisting of advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or city in which the security property is located at least once a week for Three (3) successive weeks or for such period as applicable law may require and, in case of default of any purchaser, to re-sell with such postponement of sale or resale and upon such public notice thereof as the Seller may determine, and upon compliance by the Purchaser with the terms of sale, and upon judicial approval as may be required by law, convey said land and premises in fee simple to and at the cost of the Purchaser, who shall not be liable to see to the application of the purchase money; and from the proceeds of the sale: First to pay all proper costs and charges, including but not limited to court costs, advertising expenses, auctioneer's allowance, the expenses, if any required to correct any irregularity in the title, premium for Seller's bond, auditor's fee, attorney's fee, and all other expenses of sale occurred in and about the protection and execution of this contract, and all moneys advanced for taxes, assessments, insurance, and with interest thereon as provided herein, and all taxes due upon said land and premises at time of sale, and to retain as compensation a commission of five percent (5%) on the amount of said sale or sales; SECOND, to pay the whole amount then remaining unpaid of the principal of said contract, and interest thereon to date of payment, whether the same shall be due or not, it being understood and agreed that upon such sale before maturity of the contract the balance thereof shall be immediately due and payable; THIRD, to pay liens of record against the security property according to their priority of lien and to the extent that funds remaining in the hands of the Seller are available; and LAST, to pay the remainder of said proceeds, if any, to the vendor, his heirs, personals representatives, successors or assigns upon the delivery and surrender to the vendee of possession of the land and premises, less costs and excess of obtaining possession.

Always, always edit.

> Read it aloud> Hand to a friend> Hire a pro

Let’s practice.

Correct the errors in this announcement.

Taxpayers in the greater Seattle Tacoma area of Washington State have a new source for premium tax preparation services. "Many tax preparation services focus only on reporting last years tax data. ABC Tax Service offers much more." said Barney Fife, Owner of ABC Tax Service. "We endeavor to educate every client and provide them with resources to take advantage of the myriad of tax saving opportunities available to seniors and those saving for retirement." 

"Each client is treated like they're are most important client!" said Fife. The customer experience at ABC Tax Service is like no other. Clients are greeted by a comfortable professional and private office. A personal accountant then meets with each client and prepares them a tentative tax return using the information provided. The client is then invited back in a week to review and file there final return. "The additional week provides us time to perform proper research and make sure all tax savings strategies are explored." Fife adds. 

Mr. Fife then personally delivers the tax return and presents educational options for clients in either printed format or an invitation to a one on one planning meeting.

"At $49 for people 50+ and $149 for those under age 50, ABC Tax Service is providing excellent value at very low price". explains Mr. Fife. "We believe that in these economic times, companies like ours should step up and offer the best value and service to help people reach toward a fruitful and relaxing retirement!"

Some random thoughts on email.

> Clear, compelling subject lines (try Tweeting)

> One topic per email

> Make “how to respond” clear

> Consider the pass-along reader

> Write, proof, wait, then send

Some random thoughts on PowerPoint.

> Speak with power, have a point

> Keep slides simpler than this

> Don’t read

> It’s not a handout

> Use presenter tools

www.sethgodin.com/freeprize/reallybad-1.pdf

Where to get help.

Get a grammar buddy.

Where to get help.

Hire a professional editor.

Where to get help.

Read about writing.

fightthebull.com

My man-crush

grammar.quickanddirtytips.com

futurenowinc.com/wewe/index.htm

sethgodin.typepad.com

How are we doing?

1. Why bother?2. How do you persuade?3. Accuracy counts4. What’s good writing?5. Grammar, sorry6. Practice makes perfect7. Tearful goodbye

How you can practice.

Write a blog.Start Tweeting.

Answer LinkedIn questions.Thank one person a week.

Ask an expert.Send me a before and after.

How are we doing?

1. Why bother?2. How do you persuade?3. Accuracy counts4. What’s good writing?5. Grammar, sorry6. Practice makes perfect7. Tearful goodbye

Thanks so much for coming.

slideshare.net/svcseattlelarrya@svcseattle.comlinkedin.com/in/larryasherTwitter: @larry_asher