Question 1

Referring to the reader of your sales letter as "you" as often as possible will:
A) offend the reader.
B) guarantee purchase action from the reader.
C) establish familiarity with the reader.
D) fail to personalize the message.

Accepted Answer

Using "you" in a sales letter helps to establish a connection and familiarity with the reader, making the message feel more personal and directed towards them.

Question 2

True Green Inc., a pharmaceutical company, is promoting a new drug for arthritic knee pain. With the help of its existing database of hospitals and private clinics, True Green is sending out sales letters to all its prospective customers. Which of the following would be an appropriate rhetorical question to be used in the sales letter?
A) How long have you been suffering from arthritic knee pain?
B) Would you like to be free from arthritic knee pain?
C) What medications have you been prescribed for arthritic knee pain?
D) What causes arthritic knee pain?

Accepted Answer

Option B is appropriate because it directly addresses the reader's desire for a solution to arthritic knee pain, which is relevant to promoting a new drug for that condition.

Question 3

Which of the following items included with a sales letter is NOT meant to provide customers with an opportunity to act on an urge to buy?
A) A collection letter
B) A sample product
C) An order form
D) A postage-paid reply card

Accepted Answer

A collection letter is typically sent to request payment for past due amounts, not to encourage immediate purchase or action on a buying impulse. The other options are direct tools to facilitate or encourage a purchase.

Question 4

Collection letters are used to:
A) remind certain customers that they have not paid their bills.
B) respond to claim letters.
C) make requests when there are problems with products or services.
D) congratulate co-workers on their promotions.

Accepted Answer

Collection letters are specifically designed to remind customers about unpaid bills or overdue accounts, prompting them to settle their debts.

Question 5

A company has not received its payment from a customer even after sending the customer multiple reminders. In the final letter of a five-letter follow-up series to be sent to the customer, the company should:
A) give the customer the benefit of the doubt.
B) state what legal action will be taken if the customer fails to pay.
C) insult and blame the customer.
D) demand that the customer make the payment immediately.

Accepted Answer

In the final letter of a follow-up series for a payment, it is appropriate to state the consequences of non-payment, including any legal action the company plans to take if the customer fails to pay. This communicates the seriousness of the situation to the customer.

Question 6

Derek placed an order for seven electronic circuits for his project, but only two were delivered on the specified date. A week later, the remaining five circuits had still not arrived, prompting Derek to write a claim letter to the seller. Which of the following should Derek avoid when writing the claim letter?
A) Providing all the details about the transaction in chronological order
B) Suggesting the kinds of solution that Derek would consider acceptable
C) Starting the letter with a threatening or insulting statement
D) Checking if it is the supplier's fault or the shipping company's fault

Accepted Answer

Starting a letter with a threatening or insulting statement can escalate the situation and reduce the likelihood of a positive resolution. It's important to maintain a professional and courteous tone to facilitate effective communication and problem-solving.

Question 7

If you receive a claim letter threatening legal action against the company you are working for, which of the following actions would be most appropriate for you to take?
A) Replying to the letter in a negative tone
B) Granting an adjustment irrespective of whether the claim is allowable or not
C) Notifying your supervisor and the company's legal department
D) Ignoring the letter and keeping the issue from the company's management

Accepted Answer

Notifying your supervisor and the company's legal department is the most appropriate action because it ensures that the issue is addressed by the appropriate individuals within the company who are equipped to handle legal matters and make informed decisions.

Question 8

Henry wrote a letter to Warm and Soft Inc., informing them that the comforter he received was the incorrect size. The company replied, stating that it would replace the comforter with the right one in three days. In this scenario, the reply from Warm and Soft Inc. is referred to as a(n):
A) collection letter.
B) sales letter.
C) adjustment letter.
D) claim letter.

Accepted Answer

An adjustment letter is a response from a company to a customer's complaint or claim, addressing and resolving the issue raised by the customer. In this scenario, Warm and Soft Inc.'s reply to Henry, promising to replace the incorrect comforter, is an example of an adjustment letter.

Question 9

An adjustment letter is written by a:
A) company to a customer when a bill has not been paid.
B) company in response to a claim letter.
C) customer when there is problem with the company's product.
D) company's HR department to congratulate an employee on a promotion.

Accepted Answer

An adjustment letter is typically written by a company in response to a claim letter from a customer regarding a problem with a product or service. This letter addresses the issue and outlines the steps the company will take to correct it.

Question 10

A company decides to seek a compromise adjustment with a claimant in the event of a(n):
A) allowable claim.
B) partially allowable claim.
C) nonallowable claim.
D) illegal claim.

Accepted Answer

A compromise adjustment is typically sought in the case of a partially allowable claim, where there is some merit to the claim, but it may not fully meet the criteria for an allowable claim. This allows both parties to reach a mutually acceptable resolution.

Question 11

Which of the following is most likely to result in unfavorable public relations?
A) Congratulating someone for a special achievement
B) Inviting someone to a highly-acclaimed art show and not letting them pay
C) Thanking someone for his or her business
D) Informing a customer that his or her claim is nonallowable

Accepted Answer

Informing a customer that his or her claim is nonallowable can lead to dissatisfaction and potentially unfavorable public relations, as it directly involves denying a request or claim from a customer.

Question 12

A bank wants to congratulate one of its customers for having repaid an entire loan amount with no defaults. Which of the following letters would best help the bank convey this message?
A) An adjustment letter
B) A claim letter
C) A public relations letter
D) A collection letter

Accepted Answer

A public relations letter is designed to build and maintain a positive relationship between the bank and its customers. Congratulating a customer on repaying a loan in full and on time is a positive gesture that enhances goodwill and customer loyalty, fitting the purpose of a public relations letter.

Question 13

With regard to the social-business letter format, which of the following statements is NOT True?
A) The inside address is placed last, at the bottom left of the page.
B) The salutation ends with a comma rather than a colon.
C) The baronial letterhead cannot be used.
D) Reference initials and copy notations are not included.

Accepted Answer

The answer of With regard to the social-business letter format,...

Question 14

The salutation "Dear Ms. Lucy" should end with a comma rather than with a colon in a(n) _____.
A) collection letter
B) claim letter
C) condolence letter
D) adjustment letter

Accepted Answer

In a condolence letter, a more personal and informal tone is often used, which is why ending the salutation with a comma is appropriate. Other types of letters listed, such as collection, claim, and adjustment letters, are more formal and typically use a colon after the salutation.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT an example of social-business communications?
A) Congratulating a co-worker on a promotion
B) Expressing a grievance to a firm when there is problem with a product
C) Expressing condolences when a business associate suffers a tragedy
D) Thanking someone for a special favor or a gift

Accepted Answer

Expressing a grievance to a firm about a product issue is a customer-business communication, not a social-business communication.

Question 16

Form letters should be primarily used when:
A) the same message has to be sent to many addressees.
B) individually customized communications are required.
C) multiple letters with different messages are to be sent to the same addressee.
D) highly personalized messages are to be conveyed to a reader.

Accepted Answer

Form letters are most efficient when the same message needs to be sent to many recipients, allowing for consistent communication without the need for individual customization.

Question 17

Which of the following is a disadvantage of form letters?
A) They have poorer content quality.
B) They increase a company's cost and time required to write letters.
C) They fail to add a personal touch to the message in them.
D) They have more errors.

Accepted Answer

Form letters are pre-written letters used to communicate with multiple recipients, and their main disadvantage is the lack of personalization, making them feel less tailored or individualized to the recipient's specific situation or needs.

Question 18

Fly Now Inc. has to send out letters to two customers confirming their air ticket reservations. Since only a few details in the confirmation letters are different, the writer has decided to use form letters with variables. Which of the following parts of the two form letters will be different?
A) The letterheads
B) The body of the letters
C) The complimentary closings
D) The punctuation after the salutations

Accepted Answer

The body of the letters will be different because it contains specific details about each customer's air ticket reservation, such as flight numbers, dates, and times, which vary from one customer to another.

Question 19

When Jack and Fred, members of the same team, completed five years at their company, they received separate congratulations letters from their manager. When Jack and Fred compared their letters, they observed that apart from the date, inside address, and salutation, the bodies of the letters were identical. From this scenario, it can be concluded that the letters sent to Jack and Fred were _____.
A) form letters without variables
B) adjustment letters
C) collection letters
D) form letters with variables

Accepted Answer

The letters sent to Jack and Fred were form letters without variables because the bodies of the letters were identical, apart from the date, inside address, and salutation. This indicates that the letters were generated using a template that did not include any personalized information.

Question 20

Sales letters can be more direct and personal than commercials on radio and television.

Accepted Answer

Sales letters allow for a more targeted approach, enabling the writer to address the recipient's specific needs, interests, and pain points directly, making the communication more personal compared to the broad and generalized audience targeting of radio and television commercials.

Quiz 10: Writing Specific Communications

Referring to the reader of your sales letter as "you" as often as possible will:

Which of the following items included with a sales letter is NOT meant to provide customers with an opportunity to act on an urge to buy?

Collection letters are used to:

A company has not received its payment from a customer even after sending the customer multiple reminders. In the final letter of a five-letter follow-up series to be sent to the customer, the company should:

If you receive a claim letter threatening legal action against the company you are working for, which of the following actions would be most appropriate for you to take?

Henry wrote a letter to Warm and Soft Inc., informing them that the comforter he received was the incorrect size. The company replied, stating that it would replace the comforter with the right one in three days. In this scenario, the reply from Warm and Soft Inc. is referred to as a(n) :

An adjustment letter is written by a:

A company decides to seek a compromise adjustment with a claimant in the event of a(n) :

Which of the following is most likely to result in unfavorable public relations?

A bank wants to congratulate one of its customers for having repaid an entire loan amount with no defaults. Which of the following letters would best help the bank convey this message?

With regard to the social-business letter format, which of the following statements is NOT True?

The salutation "Dear Ms. Lucy" should end with a comma rather than with a colon in a(n) _____.

Which of the following is NOT an example of social-business communications?

Form letters should be primarily used when:

Which of the following is a disadvantage of form letters?

Fly Now Inc. has to send out letters to two customers confirming their air ticket reservations. Since only a few details in the confirmation letters are different, the writer has decided to use form letters with variables. Which of the following parts of the two form letters will be different?

Sales letters can be more direct and personal than commercials on radio and television.