Persuasive Writing Tip: It’s Not Just About the Message
If you sit down to write a persuasive message, you probably focus on carefully selecting the right words and emphasizing the appropriate points. But the success of your message might depend on something else. People often decide how to respond to your persuasive...
Persuasive Writing Tip: Ask for Less to Get What You Want
Reducing the size of your initial request can be an effective persuasive tactic because it makes the request less burdensome to your audience. Let’s say you want management to approve a costly new training curriculum. Rather than ask for the full program, try...
To Move Someone to Yes, Push Your Request into the Future
If you want someone to help you with a task, one way to persuade them is to ask far in advance, because people usually don’t think clearly about future obligations. The issue is psychological distance. People have a different perspective if something needs to be done...
Persuasive Writing Tip: Buzzwords are Risky
The trendy words and phrases that we know as “corporate speak” tarnish any communication, but using them in a persuasive appeal can be particularly risky. For a persuasive message to influence an audience, people need to see or hear concrete language,...
Persuasive Writing Tip: Change the Frame of Reference
The ability to overcome resistance is the key to being persuasive, because persuasion is rarely necessary unless the audience says it doesn’t like your idea, doesn’t believe your message, or doesn’t want to do comply with your request. So if resistance is the one...By Ken O’Quinn
Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (McGraw-Hill)
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
Provides the right words and phrases for any situation - quickly. The book was reprinted in Japanese because of high-volume sales there.
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
The Association for Talent Development invited Ken to write this 22-page booklet for the TD at Work series.
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Reference Resources For All Writers
Little, Brown Handbook, a simplified, comprehensive book on all aspects of writing. The Grammar Bible: Everything You Always Wanted to …