The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word COME-ON
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
C
O
M
E
-
O
N
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "encouragement" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case encouragement = come-on.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does COME-ON mean?
COME-ON noun- Something intended to attract, as in an advertisement.
- A statement or sometimes action reflecting sexual or romantic interest.
- A bad actor whose talents do not extend far beyond walking onto the stage.