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Write Now! Persuasive Writing Prompts:
Try a Before-and-After Approach
Practice your copywriting skills with this prompt from The Professional Writers’ Alliance (PWA).
This Write Now! practice exercise will help you become a more convincing writer.
This video prompt from Heather Robson reinforces the concept that in order to write persuasive copy, you need to convince your reader that your product will change his life. (Or read the transcript below.)
When you’re writing persuasive copy, you really want to get to the heart of how the product you’re writing about is going to change your reader’s life for the better. If you can convince your reader that their life is going to be better after buying your product, then the buying decision becomes easy.
So here in my hand, I have a basic corkscrew, like you might see a waiter use in a restaurant. And your writing assignment is to write, in five sentences, what a waiter’s shift is like without this corkscrew. And then, in five more sentences, how much better it is, with this corkscrew. Have fun.
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Karen had a problem. She had 12 bottles of Dom Perignon waiting to be served and no way to extract the corks. She tried pulling, twisting and pondered breaking the bottles' necks. It seemed hopeless. She could lose her job if it went unserved.
Then she found the ACME Wingspan. Its dual-lever action allowed her to insert the shaft into the corks and pry them out. The Dom soon flowed freely. Karen became the hero of the banquet. She also earned a promotion, thanks to the ACME Wingspan!
Detrick Cornelsen – November 20, 2018 at 5:19 pm
Tim loves to serve fine wines. But uncorking specialty bottles was frustrating with ordinary corkscrews. The cork split or got stuck midway. What a mess! What a waste!
Tim went online. To his delight he found the corkscrews he needed. Our company, Specialty Kitchen Accessories, sells all kinds of corkscrews. Now Tim uses a range of corkscrews for bottles of specialty wines, olive oils and salad dressings. The diners love his confidence and winning smile.
lisa25 – August 30, 2019 at 6:20 pm
Ferrell returned to the table with the red wine for the couple; he described the red wine so eloquently that the couple could not wait to taste it, reaching into his apron pocket he pulled out his corkscrew. He began to remove the cork but the corkscrew was failing him. He twisted, he pulled but nothing and now he’s sweating and embarrassed. Suddenly, Dante grabbed the bottle and said to him “Here, you need the Rabbit; no twisting, no pulling and certainly no sweating; just insert, lift the lever and pop!” Then Dante said to him “Keep that one I got two,” “Thanks” said Ferrell, thinking my day just got a whole lot easier thanks to the Rabbit!!!
Guest (VeeJay24) – April 19, 2020 at 1:02 pm
Do you ever feel unease when opening a bottle of vine in front of customers... where you really can't afford any hiccups. Where your reputation as a waiter is at stake!
It's one thing to have trouble opening a vine bottle with your friends – where you can all just laugh it away. But its a different story entirely when it happens at work... it's outright embarrassing!
I don't know about you but I just can't take that chance anymore. And that's why I am using the new WaiterMax CS. Unlike your regular run-of-the-mill corkscrews, this one is designed for professionals. It uses a revolutionary “dual-grab” hook that opens even the most locked in place cork on a first try, guaranteed! WaiterMax CS truly has boosted my confidence... and tips!
Guest (Kendrick) – April 22, 2020 at 4:03 am
James leaped for joy upon hearing the restaurant owner said, "You're hired!".
Ready to create the first impression on his first day, he welcomed the first guests with full excitement and led them to their reserved seats.
He offered them the best wine and the couple nodded for approval.
He groped for corkscrew from his pocket but found none. His heart started racing and his palms began to sweat.
Then he heard footsteps approaching, getting nearer. Is it his boss to shout at him, "You're fired!"? Good thing it was Jim, his co-waiter, to hand him Saverr's Corkscrew! The best corkscrew of all time because it saves future and saves life.
Guest (Rowena) – April 24, 2020 at 10:48 pm
Nice to see examples as I just start out.
New Path in learning – May 3, 2020 at 1:52 pm
It was unexpected, exciting and frankly, terrifying. The elusive Gianni Torino and family, with notorious mob ties had just entered the restaurant. No one had told him. Now made sense that no other patrons were there. Shaking, he wondered if he would make a fool of himself, opening their wine bottles.
As politely as possible, Jax excused himself. He just remembered! Only yesterday a distributor gave him a commercially designed corkscrew. He knew he would not fail. Bring on the art of crime!
Konnect-with-Kate – May 10, 2020 at 11:22 am
Thank you for this challenge it is my first one. Writing the one I chose I know will help me in writing persuasively
Mary Myers – May 24, 2020 at 4:11 am
Imaging you are celebrating your first anniversary, and decided to chart a yacht for celebration.You hire a chef and a waiter to serve you.Your dinner is an specialty of the chef and is going to be served with wine.The waiter is ready to serve you, when he noticed that he forgot to bring the corkscrew!You get mad, the waiter try to apologize, but you don’t accept it.The discussion was heard by the Chef, who decided to show up and ask what was going on.After you explain, he shows you “a corkscrew”.
Barbara Vazquez – May 25, 2020 at 5:56 pm