Completing Business Messages and Crafting Messages for Digital Channels

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Business Communication Essentials

Eighth Edition

Chapter 7

Writing Routine and Positive Messages

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Learning Objectives

7.1 Outline an effective strategy for writing routine business requests.

7.2 Describe three common types of routine requests.

7.3 Outline an effective strategy for writing routine replies, routine messages, and positive messages.

7.4 Describe seven common types of routine replies and positive messages.

Strategy for Routine Requests

LO 7.1 Outline an effective strategy for writing routine business requests.

Making requests—for information, action, products, adjustments, or other matters—is a routine part of business. In most cases, your audience will be prepared to comply, as long as you’re not being unreasonable or asking people to do work they would expect you to do yourself. By applying a clear strategy and tailoring your approach to each situation, you’ll be able to generate effective requests quickly.

Structure of Routine Requests

Three Parts (Direct Approach)

The Opening

The Body

The Close

Like all other business messages, routine requests have three parts: an opening, a body, and a close. Using the direct approach, open with your main idea, which is a clear statement of your request. Use the body to give details and justify your request, and then close by requesting specific action.

Open with Your Request

Pay Attention to Tone

Assume Audience Compliance

Acknowledge Reader’s Time and Effort

Be Specific about What You Want

Begin routine requests by placing your initial request first; up front is where it stands out and gets the most attention. Of course, getting right to the point should not be interpreted as license to be abrupt or tactless.

Pay attention to tone. Instead of demanding action, soften your request with words such as please and I would appreciate.

Assume that your audience will comply. You can generally make the assumption that your audience members will comply when they clearly understand the reason for your request.

Be specific. State precisely what you want. For example, if you request the latest market data from your research department, be sure to say whether you want a one-page summary or 100 pages of raw data.

Explaining and Justifying Your Request

Follow from Opening Remarks

Ask Important Questions First

Limit Questions to One Topic

Use the body of your message to explain your request, as needed. Make the explanation a smooth and logical outgrowth of your opening remarks:

If complying with the request could benefit the reader, be sure to mention that.

If you have multiple requests or questions, ask the most important questions first and deal with only one topic per question.

If you have an unusual or complex request, break it down into specific, individual questions so that the reader can address each one separately.

This consideration not only shows respect for your audience’s time but also gets you a more accurate answer in less time.

Requesting Specific Action in a Courteous Close

State a Specific Request

Provide Contact Information

Express Appreciation

Close your message with three important elements:

A specific request that includes any specific deadlines

Information about how you can be reached

An expression of appreciation or goodwill

Conclude your message by sincerely expressing your goodwill and appreciation. When you ask readers to perform a specific action, ask for a response by a specific date or time, if appropriate. However, don’t thank the reader “in advance” for cooperating; many people find that presumptuous. And if the reader’s reply warrants a word of thanks, send it after you’ve received the reply.

Summary of Discussion (1 of 4)

In this section, we discussed the following:

Stating Your Request Up Front

Explaining and Justifying Your Request

Requesting Specific Action in a Courteous Close

The next section will cover Common Examples of Routine Requests.

Common Examples of Routine Requests

LO 7.2 Describe three common types of routine requests.

Most of the routine messages that you’ll be writing will likely fall into a few main categories: asking for information and action, asking for recommendations, and making claims and requesting adjustments.

Asking for Information and Action

State Your Request Clearly

Explain and Support the Request

Introduce Reader Benefits

When you need to know about something, to elicit an opinion from someone, or to request a simple action, you usually need only ask. In essence, simple requests say:

What you want to know or what you want readers to do

Why you’re making the request

Why it may be in your readers’ interest to help you

In more complex situations, you may need to provide more extensive reasons and justification for the request. Therefore, be sure to adapt your request to your audience and situation.

Asking for Recommendations

State Your Request Clearly

Offer Support for Your Request

Express Your Appreciation

Because requests for recommendations and references are routine, assume your reader will honor your request and organize your inquiry using the direct approach.

Opening. Clearly state that you're applying for a position and that you would like your reader to write a letter of recommendation. If you haven't had contact with the person for some time, use the opening to recall the nature of the relationship you had, the dates of your association, and any special events that might bring to mind a clear, favorable picture of you.

Body. Include any information about yourself that the reader might use to support a recommendation. Consider including an updated résumé if you have had significant career advancement since your last contact.

Close. Express your appreciation and include the full name and address of the person to whom the recommendation letter should be sent. When asking for an immediate recommendation, you should also mention the deadline. To increase the chances of a positive response, include a stamped, preaddressed envelope.

Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments

State the Problem Clearly

Explain the Situation Clearly

Provide Backup Information

Request Specific Action

If you’re dissatisfied with a company’s product or service, you can opt to make a claim (a formal complaint) or request an adjustment (a claim settlement). In either case, maintain a professional tone in all your communication.

In most cases, and especially in your first letter, assume that a fair adjustment will be made, and use a direct approach.

Open with a straightforward statement of the problem. In the body, give a complete, specific explanation.

Provide any information an adjuster would need to verify your complaint.

In your close, politely request specific action or convey a sincere desire to find a solution. And if appropriate, suggest that the business relationship will continue if the problem is solved satisfactorily.

Be prepared to back up your claim with invoices, sales receipts, canceled checks, dated correspondence, and any other relevant documents.

If the remedy is obvious, tell your reader exactly what you expect from the company. However, if you’re uncertain about the precise nature of the trouble, you could ask the company to make an assessment and then advise you on how the situation could be fixed.

Summary of Discussion (2 of 4)

In this section, we discussed the following:

Asking for Information and Action

Asking for Recommendations

Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments

The next section will cover the Strategy for Routine Replies, Routine Messages, and Positive Messages.

Strategy for Routine Replies, Routine Messages, and Positive Messages

LO 7.3 Outline an effective strategy for writing routine replies, routine messages, and positive messages.

Just as you’ll make numerous requests for information and action throughout your career, you’ll also respond to similar requests from other people. When you are responding positively to a request, sending routine announcements, or sending a positive or goodwill message, you have several goals: communicate the information or the good news, answer all questions, provide all required details, and leave your reader with a good impression of you and your firm.

Open With the Main Idea

Prepare the Audience for What Will Follow

Clear and Concise Expression of the Main Idea

Open with a Few Words of Socializing

By opening your routine and positive messages with the main idea or good news, you’re preparing your audience for the details that follow. Make your opening clear and concise by asking yourself, “What’s the single most important message that I have for the audience?”

Even with the direct approach, it’s often helpful to open with a few words of “socializing” before getting to the main idea.

Providing Necessary Details and Explanation

Explain Your Point Completely

Maintain a Supportive Tone

Create a Favorable Context

In the body of your message, explain your point completely so that your audience won’t be confused or doubtful about your meaning. In addition, maintain the supportive tone established in the opening—even if you must convey mildly disappointing information.

If your routine message is mixed and must convey mildly disappointing information, put the negative information into as favorable a context as possible. Note: If the negative information will shock or offend your reader, use the indirect approach discussed in Chapter 8.

Ending with a Courteous Close

Keep It Short and Simple, Neutral or Positive

Simply Say “Thank You”

Clarify Follow-Up Action

The close of routine replies and positive messages is usually short and simple, because you’re leaving things on a neutral or positive note and not usually asking the reader to do anything. Often, a simple thank you is all you need. However, if follow-up action is required or expected, use the close to identify who will do what and when that action will take place.

Summary of Discussion (3 of 4)

In this section, we discussed the following:

Starting with the Main Idea

Providing Necessary Details and Explanation

Ending with a Courteous Close

The next section will cover Common Examples of Routine Replies, Routine Messages, and Positive Messages.

Common Examples of Routine Replies, Routine Messages, and Positive Messages

LO 7.4 Describe seven common types of routine replies and positive messages.

Most routine and positive messages fall into seven main categories: answers to routine requests, grants of claims and requests for adjustment, recommendations, informative messages, writing, instructions, good-news announcements, and goodwill messages.

Answering Requests for Information or Action

Using the Direct Approach

Open with the Main Idea

Include Explanation and Detail

Close the Message Courteously

If your answer to a request is “yes” or is straightforward information, use the direct plan. Open with the main idea (or good news), use the body for explanation and detail, and close courteously. Your prompt, gracious, and thorough response will positively influence how people think about your company, its products, your department, and you.

Acknowledge the Complaint.

Sympathize with the Customer.

Take or Assign Personal Responsibility.

Explain How You’ll Handle the Situation.

Take Steps to Repair the Relationship.

Follow Up on Your Response.

Granting Claims and Requests for Adjustments

Even the best-run companies make mistakes. Each of these events represents a turning point in your relationship with your customer. In other words, every mistake is an opportunity to improve a relationship.

How you respond to the complaint depends on your company’s policies for resolving such issues and your assessment of whether the company, the customer, or a third party is at fault. In general, take the following steps:

Acknowledge receipt of the customer’s claim or complaint.

Sympathize with the customer’s inconvenience or frustration.

Take (or assign) personal responsibility for setting matters straight.

Explain precisely how you have resolved, or plan to resolve, the situation.

Take steps to repair the relationship.

Follow up to verify that your response was correct.

In addition to taking these positive steps, maintain a professional demeanor. Don’t blame colleagues by name; don’t make exaggerated, insincere apologies; don’t imply that the customer is at fault; and don’t promise more than you can deliver.

Providing Recommendations and References

Candidate’s Name

Your Relationship

Comparison with Peers

Position or Objective

Facts and Evidence

Overall Evaluation

If you decide to write a letter of recommendation, or respond to a request for information about a job candidate, your goal is to convince readers that the person being recommended has the characteristics necessary for the job, project assignment, or other objective the person is seeking. A successful recommendation letter contains a number of relevant details:

The candidate’s full name

The position or other objective the candidate is seeking

The nature of your relationship with the candidate

Facts and evidence relevant to the candidate and the opportunity

A comparison of the candidate’s potential with that of peers, if available

Your overall evaluation of the candidate’s suitability for the opportunity

Sharing Routine Information

Opening

State Purpose; Nature of Information

Body

Provide Necessary Information

Closing

End with a Courteous Close

All companies send routine informative messages, such as project updates and order status notifications. In the opening, state your purpose and briefly mention the nature of the information you’re providing. Provide necessary details in the body, and then end your message with a courteous close.

Some routine informative messages may require additional care. For instance, policy statements or procedural changes may be good news for a company (perhaps by saving money). However, if the reader may not initially view the information positively, use the body of the message to highlight the potential benefits from the reader’s perspective. For situations in which negative news will have a profound effect on the recipients, consider the indirect techniques discussed in Chapter 8.

Writing Instructions

Audience’s Level of Understanding

Overview of the Procedure

Define Technical Terms

Incorporate Discrete Steps with Single Tasks

Tell Reader What to Expect at Each Step

Provide Method for Additional Help

Make sure you understand how much your readers know about the subject. Never assume too much knowledge or experience on the part of the reader.

Provide an overview of the procedure, what users will be doing and tools they may need.

Define technical terms or acronyms readers may need to understand.

Divide the procedure in to specific steps that have one single task each.

Explain to reader’s what should happen after each step is complete so they know they have done that step correctly.

Test the instructions on someone to gauge level of understanding.

Whenever possible, provide a way for the reader to get additional help if needed.

Announcing Good News

External Messages

News Releases

Direct-to- Consumer Releases

Social Media Releases

To develop and maintain good relationships, smart companies spread the word about positive developments such as opening new facilities, introducing new products, or sponsoring community events.

External good-news announcements are often communicated in a news release, also known as a press release, a specialized document used to share relevant information with the news media. In most companies, news releases are usually prepared or at least supervised by the public relations department. The content follows the customary pattern for a positive message. However, with traditional news releases, you’re not writing directly to the ultimate audience. Instead, you’re trying to interest an editor or a reporter in a story, and that person will then write the material that is eventually read by the larger audience.

Thanks to the Internet and social media, the nature of the news release is changing. Many companies now view it as a general-purpose tool for communicating directly with customers and other audiences; so, they create direct-to-consumer news releases. Many of these are considered social media releases, because they include social networking links, Twitter-ready statements, and other sharable content.

Fostering Goodwill

Sending Congratulations

Messages of Appreciation

Offering Condolences

While all business messages should promote positive relationships with audiences, some messages are written specifically to build goodwill. You can enhance your relationships with customers, colleagues, and others by sending friendly, even unexpected, notes with no direct business purpose.

One prime opportunity for sending goodwill messages is to congratulate someone for a significant business achievement. Other reasons for sending congratulations include recognizing the highlights in someone’s life.

It is important to recognize the contributions of employees, colleagues, suppliers, and other associates. Moreover, a message of appreciation may become an important part of someone’s personnel file. So when you write a message of appreciation, mention the person or people you want to praise.

Condolence letters are brief, personal messages written to comfort someone after the death of a loved one. Condolences can feel intimidating to write, but they don’t need to be. Follow these three principles: short, simple, and sincere. You don’t need to produce a work of literary art; the fact that you are writing sends a message that means as much or more than anything you can say.

Summary of Discussion (4 of 4)

In this section, we discussed the following:

Answering Requests for Information and Action

Granting Claims and Requests for Adjustment

Providing Recommendations and References

Writing Instructions

Sharing Routine Information

Announcing Good News and Fostering Goodwill

This concludes our discussion of Chapter 7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages.