Good News
Bad News
Persuasion
Presentation
The Strategy Lab
200

Informative messages are used when the receiver's reaction is expected to be this.

What is Neutral?

200

This is the primary goal of any negative message

What is giving the bad news and having the audience accept it?

200

The primary purpose of persuasion is to have the audience do one of these two things.

What is Act or Change Beliefs?

200

These verbal "maps" help the audience know where you are in your presentation (e.g., "First," "Next").

What are Signposts?

200

A "Goodwill Ending" should be these three things

What is Positive, Personal, and Forward-looking?

400

This document "transmits" a larger report or package to a reader

What is a Transmittal?

400

To protect the audience's ego in a negative message, you should use this type of "You-Attitude."

What is avoiding "You" in a blaming way / using impersonal phrasing?

400

This persuasive strategy is best when the audience is likely to resist your request.

What is an Indirect/Problem-Solving approach?

400

This presentation purpose is unique to your specific talk and specifies exactly what you want to achieve.

What is the Specific Purpose?

400

In a negative message to a superior, you should always include this alongside the bad news.

What is a Recommendation or Solution?

600

This part of an email should be clear, concise, and include the main point to help the reader file it.

What is the Subject Line?

600

This "neutral" opening helps delay the negative news to ensure the reader is in a receptive frame of mind.

What is a Buffer?

600

These are the three common audience objections a persuader must overcome.

What are Time, Money, and Effort?

600

This rule for slide design suggests keeping text to a minimum and using large fonts.

What is the "Big and Simple" rule?

600

This is the best way to handle a "hostile" question during Q&A.

What is rephrasing it neutrally?

800

A summary should put this in the first paragraph from the organization's point of view.

What is the Main Point/Action to be taken?

800

This type of negative message uses a "Direct" organization pattern (problem in the first sentence).

What are Claims and Complaints?

800

In this persuasive pattern, you present the problem first, then the solution, then the benefits.

What is the Problem-Solving Pattern?

800

These are the three modes of presentation: Monologue, Guided, and...

What is Interactive?

800

This psychological technique helps speakers manage anxiety by relabeling "nervousness" as "excitement."

What is Cognitive Restructuring/Reframing?

1000

Positive messages should use these to show the audience how they specifically benefit from the info.

What are Audience Benefits?

1000

When firing an employee, the news should never be this to the recipient.

What is a Surprise?

1000

This part of a sales letter is used to add a final persuasive "nudge" after the signature.

What is a Postscript/P.S.?

1000

These are the three parts of a strong oral presentation conclusion

What are Restating the Main Point, Referring to the Opener, and a Call to Action?

1000

This is the main difference between "Oral" and "Written" messages regarding complexity.

What is Written is better for complex data, Oral is better for simple, high-emotion messages?