Email Assignment

When writing this message, use business email formatting and include all of the parts needed for an effective persuasive message using the indirect strategy and AIDA method for persuasive messages, (attention-getter, reader benefits, objection/response, action with sense of urgency,) in 3-4 paragraphs. 

Email Skills/Portfolio Builder

11-42. Message Strategies: Persuasive Business Messages:

As someone who came of age in the “post email” world of social networks and workgroup messaging, you were rather disappointed to find your new employer solidly stuck in the age of email. You use email, of course, but it is only one of the tools in your communication toolbox. From your college years, you have hands-on experience with a wide range of social media tools, having used them to collaborate on school projects, to become involved in your local community, to learn more about various industries and professions, and to research potential employers during your job search. (In fact, without social media, you might never have heard about your current employer in the first place.) Moreover, your use of social media on the job has already paid several important dividends, including finding potential sales contacts at several large companies, connecting with peers in other companies to share ideas for working more efficiently, and learning about some upcoming legislative matters in your state that could profoundly hamper your company’s current way of doing business.

You hoped that by setting an example through your own use of social media at work, your new colleagues and company management would quickly adopt these tools as well. However, just the opposite has happened. Waiting in your email in-box this morning was a message from the CEO announcing that the company is now cutting off access to social networking websites and banning the use of any social media at work. The message says using company time and company computers for socializing is highly inappropriate and might be considered grounds for dismissal in the future if the problem gets out of hand. 

Your Task: You are stunned by the message. You fight the urge to fire off a hotly worded reply to straighten out the CEO’s misperceptions. Instead, you wisely decide to send a message to your immediate superior first, explaining why you believe the new policy should be revered. Using your boss’s favorite medium (email, of course!), write a persuasive message explaining why Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking technologies are valid-and valuable-business tools. Bolster your argument with examples from other companies and advice from communication expert.

Responses:

Post Writing Assignment 3 here for your classmates to review.  To earn full points, you must review and comment on the papers of at least two of your classmates. Please include your comments in a reply message.

Please review an assignment that hasn’t yet been reviewed by another student if possible.

To earn full credit for your reviews, please comment on all of the following:

Does the message follow the indirect pattern for persuasive messages using the AIDA model?

Is there an effective attention-getter to start the message?

Does the message reduce resistance by addressing a possible objection?

Is the message persuasive overall?

Is this message formatted correctly as a business email?

1. Here is my first draft of the assignment. I’ve highlighted my attempt at each part of the AIDA model. Let me know what you think!

Attention: draw them in.

Interest: provide details that show benefits.

Desire: answer potential objections.

Action: suggest specific action.

Mr. Jones,

My team and I have several tools in our communication toolbox that have already brought in several new business contacts since we began here at Business & Co. Many of these contacts have been from large firms that are now doing business with us or potentially will in the near future. We could not have accomplished this without your trust in allowing us to work independently using our own methods. One of these methods is the use of social media to reach out to clients and advertise on several platforms at little to no cost to the company. Without the use of social media in the workplace, we simply cannot continue to attain these same high standards that you have come to expect from my team. Several of our clients communicate with us through social media, and many relationships that have been built will come to an end without continued communication on these platforms. 

These social media platforms come at no cost, and yet act as a huge asset to my team in building a lasting client base for the company. A few clients that we have gained through social media include: Shmoogle, Bestla, and InstaHam. These are very innovative and modern companies that do the majority of their business online. I would hate to see us lose business due to the new policies put in place recently regarding the use of social media in the workplace.

In an attempt to maintain and potentially grow our client base, it may be in the company’s best interest to remove these restrictions and instead encourage the entire company to adopt this method of client outreach. We should be using every tool that we have at our disposal to work as efficiently and effectively as possible. My entire team is at your disposal should the rest of the company need any training in regards to this method.

Sincerely, 

Employee

2. Dr Mr. Jones,

We can agree that there may be some inappropriate use of company time.  I believe that allowing myself and my team to utilize social media while on company time can impact the company in a positive way. With the use of social media, I was able to locate Business Law, LLC while job searching. Researching Business Law, LLC and their Facebook and Twitter pages gave me the confidence to apply to work for you.

Our marketing and advertising team could greatly benefit from using social media to promote our firm and the cases we can defend in the court room. With the use of social media page clients can read what our philosophy is, reviews about our firm and ask questions with a quick response. As email is a great tool to use, social media can reach thousands of people at a time.

A simple way to restrict what social media is being used for, we can set parameters on what the use of social media is for. In these parameters we can set a team goal and expectations to reach as a team. Using social media, we can quickly expand our client database. I would be delighted to work with you on parameters, goals, and expectations of the use of social media if you would allow.

I look forward to working with you in the future.

Best Regards,

Alexis