| Course | COM 220 Management Communication |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 8 |
| Paper type | Persuasive proposal with analysis |
| Length | About 1,013 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Aspen University |
| Program | Business Administration |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for COM 220 Module 8
Keeping the Residents We Have: A Persuasive Proposal for a Retention Program and the Strategy Behind It
Student Name
Business Administration Program, Aspen University
COM 220: Management Communication
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Keeping the Residents We Have: A Persuasive Proposal for a Retention Program and the Strategy Behind It
Across Tasha Greene's nine communities, 1,040 residents moved out last year. Each departure cost Harborline's owners about $3,400 in vacant days, cleaning, repairs, marketing and leasing commissions, a total of over $3.5 million. Tasha believes a modest program to keep more residents could pay for itself many times over. She must persuade the owners to fund it. This paper drafts the proposal and explains the strategy behind it.
The Audience
The owners are five investors and two asset managers. In Module 6 they approved the kitchen renovation, and Tasha's redesigned reports from Module 7 have given them a clear view of renewals. They care about returns, understand property finance and will read the proposal closely.
How the Owners Will Process It
Petty and Cacioppo (1986) proposed the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion. When people are motivated and able to think about a message, they follow the central route: they evaluate the arguments carefully, and attitude change depends on argument quality. When motivation or ability is low, they follow the peripheral route and are influenced by cues such as the source's attractiveness or the number of arguments. Attitudes formed through the central route tend to last longer and better predict behavior.
The owners are both motivated, because their money is involved, and able, because they understand the business. The proposal must therefore win on the strength of its arguments. Polish will not substitute for evidence.
Persuasion as a Process
Conger (1998) studied managers who persuaded effectively and argued that persuasion is a process of learning and negotiating rather than a one-time pitch. He identified four steps: establish credibility through expertise and relationships; frame goals to identify common ground with the audience; reinforce positions with vivid language and compelling evidence; and connect emotionally with the audience. He warned against common mistakes, such as making a hard sell up front or assuming persuasion is a single effort.
Tasha has built credibility through accurate reports and a renovation proposal whose assumptions held. Common ground is clear: owners want higher returns, and turnover reduces them.
Principles of Influence
Cialdini (2001) described six principles of influence. Liking: people say yes to those they like. Reciprocity: people repay what they receive. Social proof: people follow the lead of similar others. Consistency: people align with their clear commitments. Authority: people defer to experts. Scarcity: people value what is rare. He stressed that the principles should be used ethically, by highlighting real similarities, real evidence and real expertise.
| Proposal section | Strategy | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Opening: the cost of turnover | Strong central argument in owners' terms | Petty and Cacioppo |
| Pilot results at Palm Hollow | Vivid evidence; social proof from a similar community | Conger; Cialdini |
| Link to owners' stated goal of higher income | Common ground; consistency with their prior commitment | Conger; Cialdini |
| Costs, payback and risks | Argument quality; honesty about uncertainty | Petty and Cacioppo |
| Clear request and timeline | Specific ask; easy to act on | Conger |
Anticipating Objections
Owners who read centrally will raise objections, and the proposal should answer them before they are asked. The likely ones are: the pilot was too short to prove anything; renewal upgrades simply give money away; and staff time spent on calls will hurt leasing. The proposal addresses each. It admits the pilot's length and proposes a six-month review. It shows that the average upgrade cost $180, against $3,400 for a move-out. And it reports that Palm Hollow's leasing team made the calls during slow morning hours, with no fall in new leases during the pilot. Answering objections openly is itself persuasive with a careful audience, because it shows the writer has tested the idea rather than merely promoted it.
What the Proposal Avoids
Some persuasion tactics would backfire with this audience or would be dishonest. The proposal does not invent urgency, such as claiming a competitor is about to copy the idea. It does not exaggerate the pilot's results by reporting only the best month. It does not lean on Tasha's authority in place of evidence. Cialdini's warning about ethical use matters practically: owners who discover a manipulated figure will discount everything Tasha sends afterward.
The Drafted Proposal
Opening: "Last year, 1,040 residents left our nine communities. Each departure cost about $3,400, more than $3.5 million in total. A program costing $96,000 a year could keep a meaningful share of them."
Evidence: "From March to May, Palm Hollow called every resident ninety days before lease end, fixed open maintenance items within a week and offered a choice of small upgrades at renewal, such as a ceiling fan or new blinds, worth up to $250. Renewals rose from 44% to 57%."
Costs and payback: "Extending the program to all nine communities would cost about $96,000 a year: $60,000 for upgrades and $36,000 for staff time. If renewals rise by even five percentage points, about 50 fewer move-outs, the savings would be about $170,000."
Risks: "Palm Hollow's results may not transfer fully to every community, and some of the increase may reflect a strong spring market. A six-month review will show whether results hold."
Request: "I ask you to approve $96,000 for the program for one year, starting next quarter, with a review at six months."
The proposal goes to owners a week before their quarterly call, so they can read it closely, as the central route requires, and come with questions. Tasha will follow up by phone with each asset manager before the call to hear concerns early, consistent with Conger's view that persuasion involves listening and adjusting, not only presenting. If an owner raises a concern she cannot answer, she will revise the proposal rather than argue the point on the call.
Conclusion
Petty and Cacioppo show that the owners will judge this proposal on its arguments, Conger shows that credibility and common ground are built over time and Cialdini shows how real evidence can be presented to influence honestly. The proposal draws on the course's earlier work: the clear reports, the owners' trust and the communication habits that made Tasha credible.
References
Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Harnessing the science of persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 79(9), 72-79.
Conger, J. A. (1998). The necessary art of persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 76(3), 84-95.
Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 19, pp. 123-205). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60214-2
What the COM 220 Module 8 instructions ask for
COM 220 ends with persuasive proposals in Module 8, and students are usually asked to write a proposal and explain the persuasion strategy behind it. Your classroom's Module 8 instructions decide the format; this example closes the composite case. Analyze the decision makers and how they are likely to process the proposal. Choose a persuasion strategy grounded in research. Draft the proposal's key sections, including the problem, solution, costs and benefits. Address objections. Explain how each section persuades, and name the tactics you deliberately avoid. Cite sources in APA 7 form.
How this COM 220 Module 8 example is built
Having approved the kitchen renovation in Module 6, the owners now read Tasha's reports closely. Petty and Cacioppo's chapter in Advances in Experimental Social Psychology set out the central route, in which people evaluate arguments carefully, and the peripheral route, in which they rely on cues such as source credibility. Conger's Harvard Business Review article described persuasion as a process of learning and negotiating, not a one-way pitch. Cialdini's Harvard Business Review article set out six principles: liking, reciprocity, social proof, consistency, authority and scarcity. The strategy table shows that the proposal relies mainly on strong arguments, because the owners are motivated and able to evaluate them, supported by credibility built through earlier reports and evidence from a pilot. The draft opens with the cost of turnover, presents a three-month pilot at Palm Hollow that raised renewals from 44% to 57%, and asks for funding with a clear payback.
Where the marks sit in the COM 220 Module 8 rubric
Proposal papers earn the most credit when the proposal itself is strong and the analysis shows why each part works with this audience. This example uses Petty and Cacioppo to decide that owners will process the proposal centrally, so arguments must be strong. Conger's process shapes how credibility and common ground were built, and Cialdini's principles are used honestly, with real pilot results as social proof. The strategy table connects each section to the research. Drawing on the course's earlier work makes the proposal a fitting close. Answering objections in the proposal itself, and naming tactics it refuses to use, shows an understanding of persuasion that respects the reader.
Common COM 220 Module 8 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Proposal papers often focus on persuasion tactics while the argument itself is weak. Build the case on real evidence first. Another weakness is ignoring how the audience will process the message; decision makers who care and understand the subject need strong arguments, not cues. Address objections directly. State costs and benefits in numbers the audience can check. Use influence principles honestly, never inventing scarcity or consensus. Finally, make the request specific: what you want, how much and by when. Answer the objections a careful reader will raise before they are raised.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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COM 220 Module 8 questions, answered
What does COM 220 Module 8 usually ask for?
Aspen's COM 220 ends with persuasive proposals in this module, so a proposal with an explanation of its persuasion strategy is typical. Read your classroom prompt.
What is the elaboration likelihood model?
Petty and Cacioppo's model in which motivated, able audiences are persuaded through careful evaluation of arguments, while others rely on peripheral cues.
What makes a manager persuasive?
Conger argued that effective persuaders establish credibility, frame goals on common ground, provide vivid evidence and connect emotionally.
Where can I find a free COM 220 Module 8 sample paper?
The example above drafts a proposal for a resident retention program and explains the persuasion strategy behind it.
What are Cialdini's principles of influence?
Liking, reciprocity, social proof, consistency, authority and scarcity, which Cialdini argued can be used ethically to persuade.