Persuasive Letters

Your goal in a persuasive letter is to win the acceptance of those who do not agree with you. There are going to be people who do not agree with what you have to say, and therefore you have to convince them that you are right, and they are wrong. This can be one of the hardest things that you can possibly do, because people often are entrenched in their beliefs and don't want to change. Some don't change because they simply do not want to, others because they just can't see a way to change.

Looking at the example of asking for a raise, you may have to write a letter to your boss asking for the raise. If you go to your boss with a letter that says you think you should get a raise because you work hard and you always come in on time and because you know what you are doing, then your boss is going to respond with the following:

"You don't deserve a raise because you are supposed to work hard, you are not the only person who comes in on time and if you didn't know what you are doing, then you would not have this job."


Effectively, you just lost your chance at a raise because you did not write a good enough persuasive argument to get your point across. By knowing how to write a good persuasive letter, you will be able to show your boss that not only are you exceptional at your job by citing examples, but you can also reason with your boss, show your boss what others in your position are making, and even tell your boss of your need for more money or else a higher paying job. In this case, you have set yourself apart and are therefore more likely to get the raise that you want. If they say no, it is not a total loss; you still have the chance to get a raise down the road because you have written an effective persuasive letter to your boss which highlights your good points.

Simply put, writing an effective persuasion is incredibly important because it opens up many doors for you in your life. You will be able to open doors of opportunity for yourself that you may not have been able to open before. There are many people who can be a good salesperson through speech, but doing the same through written words is something completely different and much more difficult.