Preparing Good- and Neutral-news Messages

Preparing Bad-news Messages

Preparing Persuasive Messages
Good News and Neutral News
Learning Objectives

Identify situations for which the good news
strategy is appropriate.

Analyze good news and neutral news messages
to verify that they reflect acceptable message
formats, and the good news strategy.


Good News and Neutral News Messages
Thank-you
Congratulation
Recommendation
Inquiry and reply
Request and response
Order and acknowledgment
Routine claim and adjustment

Identify the Objective
Determine a clear objective. Why are you
preparing the message?

Open with the positive or neutral news.
Compose the message so the receiver will want
to continue reading the message and will react
favorably.

Visualize the Audience
Which message form is most appropriate?
Spoken
Written
Combination
Message Form
1. Permanency Level?
2. Message Difficulty?
3. Type of Feedback Wanted?
4. Feedback Needed When?

Which message form is most appropriate?
Spoken
Written
Combination


Visualize the Audience
Gather Supporting Information
Include enough detail to personalize your message.

Know your receivers background.
Age
Profession
Education
Culture

Choose appropriate words.
Organize the Information
Prepare an outline. Organize your information in a
logical order.

Follow the good news strategy.
State the good or neutral news first.
Add supporting details or descriptions.
End pleasantly.
Compose a Draft
Choose words reflecting the you attitude.

Construct sentences using the active voice.

Assemble paragraphs using clear topic sentences
enhanced by supporting sentences.

Choose paragraph locations.
Open with the good news.
Follow with adequate details or descriptions.
Close with a goodwill statement.
Complete a Message
Proofread, edit, revise, and finalize.
Check your message.
Good News Strategy
Open with the good or neutral news.
Follow with adequate details or descriptions.
End pleasantly.
Thank-You Messages
Begin with the good news about something specific.

Offer extra details about why you appreciate what the
receiver did or said.

End with the emphasis on the receiver.
Thank-you messages lay a strong foundation for
maintaining friendships and goodwill. Make the
receiver feel important.
Congratulatory Messages
Congratulatory messages usually are unexpected, and
therefore, make a major impression and build
goodwill quickly.
Offer congratulations for a specific accomplishment.

Provide details that clearly show your sincerity.

End with emphasis on the receiver and the
achievement.
Recommendation Messages

Identify the candidate and the job or benefit.

Provide facts relevant to the position or benefit.

Close with an offer of further information.

Write positive recommendation messages using the
good news strategy.
Inquiries and Replies
Begin by clearly describing your request.

Include adequate details so the receiver can answer
your inquiry.

End with clear directions so the receiver can
respond.

Inquiry messages ask the receiver for information
about products or services.
Inquiries and Replies (continued)

Begin by answering the main question.

Include pertinent information.

End pleasantly and demonstrate the you attitude.
Reply messages answer inquiry messages preferably
within five days.
Orders and Acknowledgments
Use direct language to assure the seller you
want to buy.

Give complete details to assist the seller in
filling your order promptly and correctly.

Include payment information and shipping
instructions.
Order messages ask for goods or services.
Orders and Acknowledgments (continued)

Indicate that the product was sent or the service
was approved.

Describe quality features of the product or
service.

End by encouraging future orders.
Acknowledgement messages confirm receipt of an
order, provide information on delivery status, and
encourage future orders.
Routine Claims and Adjustments
Begin with a specific request for an adjustment.

Give a complete and concise description of the
claim.

End courteously with a suggestion for prompt
action.

Claims messages ask for adjustments.
Routine Claims and Adjustments
(continued)

Grant the request in the first sentence or subject
line.

Provide necessary details about the adjustment.

End with a cordial, open invitation for future
business.
Adjustment messages accept the validity of the claim.
Requests and Responses
State the major request in the first sentence.

Make the request clear with additional details.

End courteously and indicate the action you expect.

Request messages ask for information, approval,
permission, cooperation, or assistance.
Requests and Responses(continued)

Answer the request in the first sentence.

Include additional pertinent information.

End with a goodwill statement.
Response messages provide opportunities to establish
goodwill and promote business.
Delivering Bad-News Messages
Learning Objectives
Explain the steps in the inductive outline and
understand its use for specific situations.
Discuss strategies for developing the five components
of a bad-news message.
Prepare messages refusing requests and claims.
Prepare messages handling problems with customers
orders and denying credit.
Prepare messages providing constructive criticism,
communicating negative organizational news, and
responding to crises.

Learning Objective 1
Explain the steps in the
inductive outline and
understand its use for specific
situations.
Indirect Outline for Bad-News Messages
Using the Inductive Approach
to Build Goodwill
Reasons are easier to understand if given
before bad news
Reasons might be ignored when bad news is
given first
Disappointment in bad news might interfere
with ability to understand reasons
Types of Bad-News Messages
Refusal of
request or
favor
Denial of
claim
Denial of
credit
Message of
constructive
criticism
Says message is important,
shows empathy for recipient,
and is rich in nonverbal cues
and feedback.
Personal
delivery
Tend to be more honest and
accurate and can cause less
discomfort for sender and
receiver.
Electronic
messages
Channel Choice for Bad
News: Showing Tact
vs.
Learning Objective 2
Discuss strategies for developing the five
components of a bad-news message.
Effective Openings for
Bad-News Message
Compliment
Point of
agreement
Good news Resale
A review Gratitude
Perfecting Buffer Statements
I am pleased and honored to have been asked to serve as
treasurer of the United Way campaign for the coming year.
Regrettably, I will not be able to accept your invitation to serve as
treasurer of the United Way campaign in the coming years.
All of us who feel proud of our community agree that the United
Way adds significant value to the lives of thousands of citizens. It
has given shelter, health care, money, and hope to many with
critical needs.
Version 1

Version 2

Version 3

Wording the Bad-News Statement
Position bad news strategically
Use passive voice, general terms, and abstract
nouns
Use positive language to accentuate anything
good
Imply refusal, but only if the receiver can still
understand the message
Offering a Counterproposal
or Silver Lining
States what you can do or
offer (tangible or intangible)

Provides a thought that
turns the discussion back in
a positive direction

Counterproposal
Silver lining
Perfecting Refusal Statement
Under no circumstances can we grant the request you
have made.
Legal requirements prevent us from disclosing the
information you have requested.
Unfortunately, we are not able to release the requested
information due to privacy laws that prohibit disclosure.
Version 1

Version 2

Version 3

Closing Positively:
What Would You Do
For the supervisor:
Example: Q: Can you stay late tonight to finish up this
project?
A: No, Ive got other obligations after work tonight.
How can I offer the most help before the end of the
day?





For the spouse/significant other:
Example: Q: Honey, Ive got a tee time at 4 Sunday afternoon. Is
it all right if I skip Billys soccer game that day?
A: Actually, no. He is expecting you and so am I. Why dont you
move your tee time to 1 that afternoon?
Closing Positively: What Not to Do
Trite statements that may seem shallow
Example: Thank you for your interest.
When we can be of further help, please do not hesitate to
write or call.
Statements that encourage further controversy
Example: We trust this explanation is satisfactory.
We hope you will understand our position.
Statements that undermine the validity of the refusal
Example: If you have any questions, please do not hesitate
to let us know.
Learning Objective 3
Prepare messages refusing requests and
claims.
Reveals refusal in subject line
States refusal before explanation
Uses negative language and condescending tone without giving com-plete
explanation for refusal
Offers possible alternative, but reluctant tone seems insincere

Refusal of Employee Request: What Does
Not Work
Cushions bad news with sincere compliment for suggestion
Transitions to reasons and provides complete explanation for refusal
Restates reason for saying No to de-emphasize refusal
Restates reason for saying No and offers counter-proposal to de-emphasize
refusal

Learning Objective 4
Prepare messages handling problems
with customers orders and denying
credit.
Denying a Claim: What Doesnt Work

Begins with obvious idea
Includes unnecessary apology for justified decision and
provides refusal before reasons
Uses patronizing tone that may offend
Presents explanation that focuses on writer and is too brief to
be understood
Uses clichs that may undermine the decision and may lead to
unnecessary correspondence
Uses subject line that provides info without revealing bad news
Uses resale to cushion bad news
Presents clear explanation behind restocking policy with emphasis on reader benefits
Implies refusal by stating amount of enclosed check
Shifts emphasis by presenting silver-lining sales promotion
Implies receipt of order; uses resale and implies approval of business practices
De-emphasizes refusal; uses positive language for counterproposal
Implies continued business.
Closes with sales promotion.
Complies with fair credit practicesreason for denial.

Denying a Claim: Why It Works
Learning Objective 5
Prepare messages providing
constructive criticism,
communicating negative
organizational news, and
responding to crises.
Constructive Criticism:What Does Not Work
Lacks adequate buffer; first sentence launches
negative discussion.
Uses judgmental terms and overly negative
words.
Provides no justification for claim she is causing
friction
Ends with reminder of negative factors but lacks
sufficient information for changes
Constructive Criticism: Why It Works
Written with positive intent to help
Includes specific, verifiable facts
Acknowledges both good and bad points; conveys
fair-mindedness
Ends with pleasant note that seeks to add
credibility to preceding negatives
Sharing Negative Organizational News
Convey the bad news as soon as possible
Give a complete, rational explanation
Show empathy and respond to feelings
Follow up
Reveals bad news in subject line
Begins bluntly with bad news
Explains company benefits but nothing to help employees
understand
Is clear on the next step but shows no empathy
Ends with insincere clich
Sends highly sensitive information via email
Negative Organizational News:
What Does Not Work
Negative Organizational News: Why It
Works
Uses subject line to introduce topic but does not reveal bad
news
Uses buffer to introduce familiar topic and lead to reasons
Provides rational explanation, including benefits for company
and employees
Presents bad news while reminding of receiver benefits
Shows empathy by assuring jobs not in jeopardy
Follows up assuring continued exchange of timely information
Ends with positive appeal for unity



Persuasive Messages
I. Preparing to write a persuasive message
A. Appealing to the audiences needs
B. Appealing to emotion and logic
C. Appealing to the credibility

II. Organizing the message
A. Attention (A)
B. Interest (I)
C. Desire (D)
D. Action (A)

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Persuasive Messages
III. Writing a successful persuasive request
A. Sample letter

IV. Writing sales letters
A. Stage I: Prewriting
B. Stage II: Preparing the copy
C. Stage III: Writing persuasive messages
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Appealing to the Audiences Needs
Maslows hierarchy of needs:

Self-actualization

Esteem and status


Social

Safety and security

Physiological (survival)
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Appeal to Emotion and Logic
People respond emotionally when their needs
are not being met.
Persuasion aims to arouse desirable
emotions and diminish undesirable ones.
Logic provides justification for and reinforces
emotional decisions.
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Appeal to Credibility
Appeal to credibility
through facts


Testimonials
Documents
Guarantees
Statistics
Research results
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Organizing the Message
Attention (A)
Spark audiences curiosity
Avoid extravagant claims and irrelevancies
Interest (I)
Relate message to audiences needs
Provide factual description of item or service
Mention benefits to audience
Desire (D)
Provide evidence to back claims
Draw attention to enclosures
Build audiences willingness to take action
Action (A)
State desired action
Summarize benefits
Make action easy
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Writing A Successful Persuasive
Request
Has your company ever lost a valued
employee to another organization that offered
20 percent more in salary for the same
position? Have you ever added a unique job
title but had no idea what compensation the
position demanded?
Gains attention with
two short questions
that suggest problems
the reader knows
To remain competitive in hiring and to retain
qualified workers, companies rely on survey
data showing current salaries. My
organization collects such data, and we need
your help. Would you be willing to complete
the enclosed questionnaire so that we can
supply companies like yours with accurate
salary data?
Discusses a benefit
that lead directly to
the frank request for
help. Notice that the
request is coupled with
a reader's benefit.
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Writing A Successful Persuasive
Request (contd)
Your information, of course, will be treated
confidentially. The questionnaire takes about
a few moments to complete, and it can
provide substantial dividends for professional
organizations that need comparative salary
data.
Anticipates and
counters resistance to
confidentiality and
time/ effort objections
To show our gratitude for your participation,
we will send you comprehensive salary
surveys for your industry and your
metropolitan area. Not only will you find basic
salaries, you'll also learn about bonus and
incentive plans, special pay differences,
expense reimbursements, perquisites such as
a company car and credit card, and special
payments like beeper pay.
Offers free salary data
as a direct benefit.
Describes the benefit
in detail to strengthen
its appeal.
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Writing A Successful Persuasive
Request (contd)
Comparative salary data are impossible to
provide without the support of professionals
like you. Please complete the questionnaire
and return it in the prepaid envelope before
November 1, our fall deadline. You will no
longer be in the dark about how much your
employees earn compared with others in your
industry.
Appeals to
professionalism.
Motivates action with
a deadline and a final
benefit that relates to
the opening questions.
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~ Thank You ~

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