Business Writing

3. Message Strategies: Persuasive Business Messages 

[LO-3] Th e coff ee shop across the street from your tiny 

apartment is your haven away from home—great beverages, 

healthy snacks, an atmosphere that is convivial but not so 

lively that you can’t focus on your homework, and free wireless. It lacks only one thing: some way to print out your homework and other files when you need hardcopies. Your college’s 

libraries and computer labs provide printers, but you live three 

miles from campus, and it’s a long walk or an inconvenient 

bus ride. 

Your task: Write a letter to the owner of the coff ee shop, encouraging her to set up a printing service to complement the free 

wireless access. Propose that the service run at break-even prices, 

just enough to pay for paper, ink cartridges, and the cost of the 

printer itself. Th e benefit to the shop would be enticing patrons 

to spend more time—and therefore more of their coff ee and tea 

money—in the shop. You might also mention that you had to 

take the bus to campus in order to print this letter, so you bought 

your aft ernoon latté somewhere else.

 

template below:

Your name

Your address

Your City, State

 

Date

 

Recipient’s name

Recipient’s address

Recipient’s City, State

 

Salutation: Dear, To, Etc,

 

First paragraph should engage your audience and get their attention so that they want to read the rest of the letter.  You should attempt to create a positive connection with your audience by establishing common ground.

 

Next, you should build interest in your message.  Provide more details related to your opening statements or claims. You can provide any background and reasons for your claim. Create desire for your idea/claim by discussing the benefits for the audience.  Try to anticipate any questions or concerns your audience may have, and answer them here.  Finally, state the action you want your audience to take, and provide any information that would help your audience to implement your idea/claim.

 

Last paragraph is your closing thoughts.  This should include a reiteration of the action and main benefits to the audience. You should provide contact information for any follow-ups.

 

 

Closing: Sincerely,

 

Your name handwritten

 

Your name typed