Persuasive Writing in Business

Two colleagues working together at a desk.
In business courses, your writing often must include a recommendation, which will be based on careful research and analysis of information.

In this way, professors are asking students to write persuasively rather than just informatively. In a persuasive writing assignment, you are arguing for or recommending a specific business strategy. Persuasive writing, then, involves proposing a step, plan, or decision that is supported with evidence and logic.

Examples of persuasive writing in business include the following:

  • Case analysis
  • Industry analysis
  • Claim letter
  • Adjustment letter
  • Business brief
  • Memo

Below, two examples of persuasive writing in business are annotated, detailing how the writers of these documents move from informative writing to persuasive writing by giving a recommendation and by supporting their argument.

What is a memo?

Memos are a formal genre of internal correspondence. They have a consistent format: purpose statement, summary, discussion, and recommendation. The purpose of a memo is to provide the reader with a conclusion and recommendation for the next step of a process or plan.

See the model below for more details:

Document of a fake memo

How do you write a claim letter?


Write a claim letter when you have a polite, reasonable complaint about an unsatisfactory experience, product, or service. In a claim letter, you recommend possible solutions to the situation. As with a memo, claim letters are a type of formal communication. However, the claim letter is a more personal type of communication.

See the model below for more details:

Document of a sample claim

This resource was prepared by the Business Communication Lab at the Sam M. Walton College of Business

View All Resources   ELL Student Guides