Notice the language the writer uses in the instructions below.
To use the system, follow these steps:
1. Click on this link.
2. Click new user.
3. Use your company email address to create a user name.
4. Enter a password as instructed.
5. Complete the two-step verification process as instructed.
6. Log in using your new user name and password.
Not a shred of kindness appears in the message. There is no please in the lead-in to the list or in any of the steps, but this style is precisely what the reader wants. Don't beat around the bush; just get me into the system. Users are not looking for sweet talk; they want to act.
Let's look at an entirely different example.
Our recent decision to establish a nine-month hiring freeze will significantly reduce operating expenses, 5% this fiscal year and 9% next fiscal year. These savings are in line with the budgetary results leadership is seeking. The freeze should not affect administrative operations; in fact, it will spur enduring operational efficiencies, leading to further rewards.
Production, the heart of our business, will not fare as well. Production staff turnover is 50% greater than administration on the east coast and as high as 90% higher west of the Mississippi. Even a one-month freeze can have an adverse impact on our responsiveness to customer orders.
The writer seems to be taking a position against the companywide hiring freeze, particularly as it affects the production department. Then why bother writing the first paragraph, which seems to support the decision? Because he wants to give leadership credit where it is due and give herself greater credibility. By saying the company decided wisely, she is trying to persuade the executives to be openminded about what comes in the second paragraph. Persuasive writing is all about anticipating objections and making concessions.
