Reader Benefits Module Eight ©2014 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.  All rights reserved McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc All rights reserved Learning Objectives LO 8-1 Explain functions of reader benefits LO 8-2 Identify reader benefits for messages LO 8-3 Apply strategies for reader benefits creation LO 8-4 Select reader benefits for messages LO 8-5 Apply strategies for reader benefits and audience harmony LO 8-6 Support reader benefits with you-attitude 8-2 Reader Benefits Reader benefits are advantages your reader gets by: Using your services Buying your products Following your policies Adopting your ideas 8-3 Reader Benefits Good reader benefits are:  Adapted to the audience  Based on intrinsic advantages  Supported by clear logic and explained in adequate detail  Phrased in you-attitude 8-4 Why reader benefits work?  Reader benefits improve both the attitudes and the behavior of the people you work with and write to  They make people view you more positively; they make it easier for you to accomplish your goals 8-5 How I identify reader benefits?  Brainstorm in two steps:  Think of feelings, fears, and needs that may motivate the reader  Identify the objective features of the product or policy 8-6 Organizational Motivations for Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 8-7 How detailed should each benefit be?  In general,  Use 3-5 sentences of detail per benefit  If you develop 2-3 reader benefits fully, use 1-2 sentences of detail for less important benefits 8-8 How detailed should each benefit be?  Psychological description  creating a scenario rich with sense, so readers can picture themselves using your product or service and enjoying its benefits 8-9 How I decide which benefits to use? Use at least one benefit for each part of your audience Use intrinsic benefits Use the benefits you can develop most fully 8-10 How I decide which benefits to use?  Intrinsic benefits come automatically from using a product or doing something  Extrinsic benefits are “added on.” 8-11 Extrinsic and Intrinsic Rewards 8-12 Matching the Benefits to the Audience  When you communicate with different audiences, you may need to stress different benefits 8-13 Matching the Benefits to the Audience  Look for intrinsic as well as extrinsic benefits  Even in your own organization, different audiences may care about different things  Use audience analysis to see what benefits would appeal to your intended audience  The best benefits match the audience’s expectations 8-14