Any time you write with the intent to persuade, you’ll need to do two things impeccably: craft a convincing argument and anticipate all of the readers’ possible objections.  More than just being able to predict issues they will bring up, though, you’ll need to find a way to quell them before they arise.

Consider these ideas when writing an essay, letter or article that seeks to sway opinion:

Give your cause a name.  Make it easy for the reader to identify with your cause by giving it a concrete label.  Dwelling on concepts is nice, but giving it an identity makes it infinitely more relatable.

Don’t be perfect.  Admit the flaws in whatever you are pushing.  Nothing’s perfect and everyone knows it.  Acknowledging the downside only makes your arguments more credible.

Give them instructions.  If your reader accepts what you are proposing, what should they do next?  Make sure to let them know by being as detailed as possible.

Be open to attacks.  Assume that the reader believes the opposite of what you want to push.  If that’s the case, what particular aspects of your subject are they likely to attack?  Anticipate those and provide information to quell their objections.

Use evidence and tight reasoning.  Concrete evidence, aided by a logical interpretation, is always the persuader’s best ally.  Make sure you distinguish between facts and interpretation, in order to avoid turning off the reader with flawed reasoning.

Use a writing checker.  If you write poorly, it becomes all that more difficult to take anything you say seriously.  As such, make sure you employ a decent writing software to help improve the way you communicate your message.

When trying to persuade a reader, either through an opinion essay or a sales letter, it pays to harp on your main points several times over.  We don’t mean repeating the same sentence over and over (anyway, we doubt your writing software will let you get away with that). Each particular argument can be presented in a variety of ways, so make sure you explore all available areas to help complete the picture in your reader’s mind.

If you’re writing a sales page with the intent of pushing your product’s primary benefit into your reader’s consciousness, prove the same point in different ways.  Use statistics in one paragraph, detailing how the numbers fall in your favor.  On another, use quotes from former customers or well-known authoritative sources.  Why stop there?  Throw in multiple examples on your succeeding statements, along with stories and well-reasoned arguments.

How many times should you illustrate the same point?  It depends.  Put yourself in the position of your projected audience.  After reading through what you’ve written, what other objections can they make?  Are you leaving gaps that will allow them to raise questions?  Have you sufficiently covered all bases to make your point?

As long as you find potential holes, you can keep adding and working to supply a qualified reason to preempt any protest.  That is how air-tight arguments are achieved.  It’s also how you strip prospects of any potential objections to your pitch.

Can you use just one type of presentation?  Sure, you can throw in an entire book of statistics about the product and leave it at that.  You have to remember, though, that variety in writing keeps things from running stale.  A single style of presentation will almost always end up leaving your text a tiring read.

Some products sell themselves.  Others can sell themselves, but only to the right customers.  Most of the time, however, marketing efforts are responsible for making sure the sale happens.  That’s where you, as a writer, will often come in.

When you write about a product with the intention of producing more sales, your job requires you to accomplish one thing: to raise the product’s perceived value so that your reader is compelled to make the purchase.  Everything else, from producing impeccable copy (a basic proofreading software can help you with that) to doling out memorable lines, is secondary.

Raising a product’s perceived value allows you to overcome your reader’s resistance to buying.  When you’re being asked to pay $10 for a $10 service, you might reserve concerns about spending the money.  Once you’re offered a $10 price for a product that your reader perceives to be worth $30, though, the cash just seems to fly out of your pocket.

Looking for ways to achieve this in your own writing?  Here are some ideas:

• Pile on the benefits. Make sure you give a thorough rundown of all the benefits your readers stand to derive from the product you’re writing about, especially if it’s one they can’t find anyplace else.
• Give exact amounts. If you can represent your product in financial terms (e.g. savings, value in bonuses, etc), don’t hold back.  People like to see numbers – it gives them an exact metric to gauge your value.
• Be reader-focused the whole way through. Some sales letters choose to shine the spotlight on the product.  If you want to steer your readers, though, you should put the focus on them – the product is secondary to what it can do for those supposed to buy it.

Persuasive writing is a difficult task for many.  Coaxing readers to consider your point of view, after all, isn’t the easiest thing, especially if their position on the matter is to the contrary in the first place.  No amount of grammar software checking can save you here – you’ll have to fashion a piece that argues its case well.

There are many writing instruments available for influencing readers, each one as varied as can be.  Different writers will, undoubtedly, have their own preferences on which techniques to employ.  The duo of repetition and consistency, however, regularly appear to be a part of them.

Repetition

Repetition is crucial in many forms of writing.  Even in pieces that are not intended to persuade, the technique is widely employed as a means of highlighting specific points.  Everything that’s well-written, from definition essays to academic journals, often make use of this particular instrument to ensure that a particular point is understood.

In persuasive writing, repetition means making the same insinuations at various points in the piece.  Repeating one statement isn’t enough, either.  You’ll have to arrive at the same conclusion using various avenues, from anecdotes to quotes to logical reasoning.

Consistency

Consistency works like this: if you’re able to get someone to agree that poetry is boring, then they’ll have to agree that any poem is also boring.  It’s the only logical conclusion.

None of your readers want to feel inconsistent – it’s human nature.  As such, if you set up your arguments properly, you can get them to agree to one thing that logically leads to another.  If they want to stay consistent, they’ll have to agree to the second item too.  Make sure you go back to the original point (for repetition’s sake) to remind them.

When you’re composing a cover letter and a resume, it’s important to bear in mind that you’re essentially writing marketing copy.  Instead of peddling some particular product or service, however, the subject of your salesmanship is you – your skills, characteristics, personality and competencies.

Generic Letters

Generic cover letters might make your work considerably easier, but they’re hardly the kind of thing that will work to your best advantage.  If you’re really having trouble composing one and are pressed for time, you can pull out sample templates from your writing software and work from there.  Make sure you do enough to personalize it, though, as the original author could be selling a whole other set of credentials than what you’re bringing to your particular market.

Doing It Right

As a rule, your cover letter should do the following things to make sure you give yourself a fair chance at marketing yourself successfully:

1. Provide insight into your general character and personality (e.g. are you the serious, disciplined type or are you the creative, innovative sort of worker?)

2. Find key words in the job requirement, use it in your letter and relate it to your specific abilities.

3. Add a structure to your application letter, so that each part achieves very particular goals.  The beginning paragraph should clarify your purpose, as well as encourage the reader to further check into your application.  The body should detail your particular skills and competencies, as it relates to the company’s needs.  Like most pieces of good writing, the closing paragraph should summarize your major selling points, particularly  the benefits they will realize by considering you for the position.