CMS 319: Business and Professional Speaking

Charles Lason (1992) argues that:

The focus of persuasion is not the source, the message, or the receiver. It is on all of them equally. They all cooperate to make a persuasive process. The co-creation means that what is inside the receiver is just as important as the source's intent or content of the message. In one sense all persuasion is self-persuasion- we are rarely persuaded unless we participate in the process. (11)

With this focus in mind you are required to develop a persuasive pitch to a potential client.

According to sales training professional Linda Richardson, more organizations are beginning to rely on groups to make sales and other persuasive presentations. In response to this trend, today's persuasive speaker no longer functions alone. The use of presentation teams enhances creativity and efficiency, leading to a more effective persuasive pitch. Similarly, by working as a team, preparation and presentation skills are further advanced.

The goal of this assignment is to help you develop the persuasive, creative, and teamwork skills necessary to prepare and deliver a lively sales pitch. To reach this goal, you and your partner will develop a persuasive and inventive marketing proposal and pitch it to the class. To persuade the class to "buy" your idea, you and your partner will use the Motivated Sequence pattern reviewed by your instructor to:

• Gain the audience's attention
• Convince the audience that there is a need for action
• Offer the audience a proposal that will satisfy this need
• Help the audience visualize the results of the proposal
• Ask the audience to take action by "buying" (accepting) the proposal

1. You and your partner will find an advertisement or object. Any advertisement that you, and your partner locate or create must be approved by your instructor at least one week prior to your scheduled presentation date. You must also provide a written description of the existing service, object, or product that you and your partner have selected to each class member at least one class day prior to your presentation date.

 
2. For your presentation you should “sell” the service, object, or product in a way that was not intended in the original product design. You and your partner will use brainstorming activities and other creative strategies to build your professional proposal and complete the Outline Worksheet in this packet (one per team). A class workshop will help you work on creating and building arguments in support of your proposal.

 
3. You have 9 to 11 minutes to persuade the audience and garner their support. If you speak for less than the 9 minutes, or more than 11, you will be penalized. For example, if a speech is less than 9 minutes, one point will be deducted for each 15 second interval. For example, a speech that is 1-14 seconds short, would lose 1 point; a speech that is 15-29 seconds short, would lose two points, etc. Please, time your meeting when you practice.

 
4. Limit your notes to your instructor’s requirements. Include only KEY WORDS to prompt your thinking on notes. Do not write out whole sections (or the entire presentation) on your notes. If you choose to ignore this advice, expect to be penalized 5 points.

 
5. You must incorporate at least three Power Point-generated visual aids that enhance your presentation by adding to the audience's understanding of your argument.

 
6. The purpose of this assignment is to work on the professional and creative presentation, which includes convincing arguments, as well as to help you adjust your delivery style to include another person. Therefore, both you and your partner should speak for approximately the same amount of time. You and your partner will receive the same grade for this assignment. As always, your delivery should include vivid and appropriate language and both presenters should strive to make meaningful eye contact and engage with the audience…and be sure to dress the part.

 
7. Submit the following items in your presentation folder (one per team) to your instructor on the day of your presentation:

• Both partners’ graded Instructor's Evaluations for the Presentation to Convince Speech (original or copy)
• Instructor's Evaluation for Persuasive Sales Pitch
• Presentation notes (you may place these in the folder following your presentation)
• Completed Outline
• Originals or copies of visual aids

Total Points Possible: 60

Instructor’s Evaluation for Duo Sales Pitch Presentation

NAME:_____________________________________________________ Speech Time:______

Attention Step

                    1     2     3     4     5

Gain audience’s attention

Direct audience to need

Build credibility

Preview presentation

                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

State and clearly explain the need

Show how audience is affected

Provide evidence to support that the need exists

Discuss consequences of not addressing need
 
 

                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

State and explain proposal to satisfy need

Show how the specific product/object fits (satisfies) the need

Show how the proposal satisfies audience

Provide evidence of workability/feasibility
 
 

                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

Help the audience visualize the results of using the product/object

Use vivid language and visual aids to evoke the solution

Emphasize benefits/drawbacks

                    1     2     3     4     5

State clearly what you want the audience to do and when

Emphasize need for audience support

Review presentation

End memorably

                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10     11     12     13     14     15

Use notes effectively/Extemporaneous

Use appropriate enthusiasm

Professionalism/appropriate language

Make eye contact

Use voice effectively (e.g., rate, volume, vocal variety)

Use effective gestures/movements

Prepared and Used visual aids effectively

Presentation Flow: well organized/easy to follow; use clear transitions

Offered a creative but plausible pitch/Worked well as a team

                    1     2     3     4     5

Prepared organized and efficient outline

Motivated Sequence Outline Worksheet

Names: ______________________________ Case: ____________________________

Our audience is:

We are:

Specific purpose:

I. Attention step

A. Gain audience attention
 
 

B. Direct audience to need (Why should we care in general?)
 
 

C. Credibility-enhancing material (Why should we listen to you?)
 
 

D. Preview (What will you be talking about? Be sure not to give away your solution!)
 
 

Transition:
 
 

II. Need Step

A. Need (What, specifically, is the problem? Note: State as a claim)

                                        1.Explanation (What are the elements/causes of the problem?)
 
 

a. Support (What evidence supports these elements/causes?)
 
 

b. Support
 
 
 
 
 
 

B. Who is affected (Why should listeners care about this problem?)

1. Support (What evidence verifies who is affected?)
 
 

2. Support
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

C. Consequences (What will happen if we don't solve the problem?)
 
 

1. Support (What evidence verifies the consequences predicted?)
 
 

2. Support

 
 

Transition:
 
 
 
 

III. Satisfaction Step

A. Solution Statement (How do you propose to solve the problem? State as a claim)
 
 
 
 

1. Explanation (What, specifically, is your plan to solve the problem?)
 
 

a. Element of solution
 
 
 
 

b. Element of solution
 
 
 
 
 
 

B. Remedy (How will your solution fix the problem?)
 
 
 
 

1. Fit (How does the solution fit the problem?)
 
 
 
 

2. Satisfaction (How will your solution satisfy those affected by the problem?)
 
 
 
 
 
 

3. Workability (Will your solution work? Is it affordable?)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

C. Superiority (Why is your solution the best alternative? Be sure to address any objections you audience might raise in this section)
 
 

1. Support (What evidence verifies that your proposed solution is superior to other alternatives?)
 
 
 
 

2. Support
 
 
 
 

Transition
 
 
 
 

IV. Visualization Step
 
 

A. Visualize results (What will the future be like with-and/or without-the proposed solution?)
 
 

Option 1: Negative method** (What will the future be like without the solution?)
 
 
 
 

Option 2: Positive method** (What will the future be like with the solution?)

 
 

Option 3: Contrast method (What will the future be like without and with the solution?)
 
 
 
 

**You may select one of these method or use both if you prefer
 
 

Transition:
 
 

IV. Action

A. Elements of the action (What specifically do you want your audience to do TODAY?)

1.
 
 
 
 
 
 

2.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

3.
 
 

B. Appropriateness (Why is this action appropriate for your audience?)
 
 

1.
 
 
 
 

2.
 
 
 
 

C. Audience support (Ask the audience to support the action)
 
 

Transition:
 
 

Summary Statement
 
 
 
 

End Memorably
 
 

Peer Feedback for Duo Sales Pitch

FEEDBACK FOR: _______________________________

Please complete evaluations for the speakers assigned to you and turn them in at the end of class. The completion of these evaluations is reflected in your class participation grade. Please circle your response and make comments for each.

1 = Strongly Disagree...5 = Strongly Agree

The greatest strength of this presentation was:

To improve the most, these presenters should:

FEEDBACK WRITTEN BY: _____________________________________