You are responsible for choosing a guest speaker for your company's year-end meeting and you need to send a letter inviting that person. The speech will be given during a lunchtime program and the intent is to inspire and motivate the employees for the upcoming year. The meeting will be held at a resort and spa in Arizona, and you are able to offer the guest speaker an honorarium of $500 and pay for the speaker's travel expenses.

Ask someone that inspires you to be the guest speaker. Choose someone you know well, or perhaps a celebrity you admire.

Using the AIDA approach, write message in a Word document to your speaker candidate, persuading him or her to be your guest speaker. Consider the following points as you write the letter:

• What benefits can you highlight for the speaker?
• What objections do you anticipate, and how can you overcome them?
• How should you end your persuasive message?