Question

10.1Document for Analysis: Poor Persuasive Request Inviting Speaker to Discuss Seven Cardinal Sins in Food Service

(L.O. 1–3)

The following letter from a program chair strives to persuade a well-known chef to make a presentation before a local restaurant association. But the letter is not very persuasive. How could this message be more persuasive? What reader benefits could it offer? What arguments could be made to overcome resistance? How should a persuasive message conclude?

Your Task Analyze the following invitation and list its weaknesses, and write a revision.

Current date

Ms. Danielle Watkins

The Beverly Hills Hotel

9641 Sunset Boulevard

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Dear Ms. Watkins:

We know you are a very busy hospitality professional as chef at the Beverly Hills Hotel, but we would like you to make a presentation to the San Francisco chapter of the National Restaurant Association. I was asked to write you since I am program chair.

I heard that you made a really good presentation at your local chapter in Los Angeles recently. I think you gave a talk called “Avoiding the Seven Cardinal Sins in Food Service” or something like that. Whatever it was, I'm sure we would like to hear the same or a similar presentation. All restaurant operators are interested in doing what we can to avoid potential problems involving discrimination, safety at work, how we hire people, etc. As you well know, operating a fast-paced restaurant is frustrating—even on a good day. We are all in a gigantic rush from opening the door early in the morning to shutting it again after the last customer has gone. It's a rat race and easy to fall into the trap with food service faults that push a big operation into trouble.

Enclosed please find a list of questions that our members listed. We would like you to talk in the neighborhood of 45 minutes. Our June 10 meeting will be in the Oak Room of the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco and dinner begins at 7 p.m.

How can we get you to come to San Francisco? We can only offer you an honorarium of $200, but we would pay for any travel expenses. You can expect a large crowd of restaurateurs who are known for hooting and hollering when they hear good stuff! As you can see, we are a rather informal group. Hope you can join us!

Sincerely,

Answer 1

A persuasive letter should be clear and polite and should emphasize the importance of the request that is being made. The receiver should feel the request to be appealing and beneficial for him/her to overcome the resistance and accept the request. The letter should conclude by restating the request to along with the contact details. In this letter the weakness is that the program chair has failed to stress the importance of the presentation to the chef and the benefits of conducting the same. The message is not presented in an appealing tone and also the letter create a feeling that the chef may have to bear the expenses while attending the function and the program committee is not interested in providing adequate support. We can make the letter persuasive by making the changes as below.

Current date

Ms. Danielle Watkins

The Beverly Hills Hotel

9641 Sunset Boulevard

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Dear Ms. Watkins,

I am writing this letter as the Program Chair for the San Francisco chapter of the National Restaurant Association to invite you for making a presentation during the event. We would be honored by your presence understanding the fact that you work under a busy schedule at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

We are extremely delighted by the presentation made by you at your local chapter in Los Angeles recently and the talk about avoiding the Seven Cardinal Sins in Food Service was really impressive. We are expecting a similar presentation in our event as well because all of the restaurant operators want to know how to avoid potential problems involving discrimination, safety at work, how we hire people, etc. The chances of mistakes are more as we are operating in a fast paced environment which may affect the business and your presentation would be really helpful for us.

I have enclosed a list of questions that the members have listed and we expect a presentation of about 45 minutes. The program details are as below.

Date: June 10, 2018

Time: 7 p.m.

Venue: Oak Room of the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco

I request your presence in the venue and help us to make the program a grand success. We offer an honorarium of $200 as the token of our appreciation and ensure to pay the travel expenses. You can also enjoy talking to the large crowd of active restaurateurs present at the venue. We expect an early reply on the status of the invitation.

Sincerely,