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CHAPTER 3

Routine and Positive Messages

Much communication in the professional world will entail delivering routine messages such as requests for information or action, replies to customers, and explanations of policies or procedures. Goodwill messages—used to build relationships and extend warmth—are also a common type of routine message.

Routine messages are considered positive in situations when the reader will be pleased, interested, or feel neutral about the message. For example, if you were writing to a customer to confirm delivery of an order, the recipient would likely be pleased or at the very least feel neutral about the message. Similarly, if you were writing to congratulate a colleague about a promotion, the reader’s reaction would be to feel pleased. The audience’s expected response to any message dictates how that message is written. Positive messages are organized using a direct approach, which is constructed using three elements:

1. Opening stating the main purpose, subject, or idea 2. Body containing relevant details explaining the subject 3. Ending with a polite request, summary, or goodwill thought

We will discuss how this organizational strategy manifests itself in our discussion of specific genres later in this chapter.

The way you relay a positive or routine message—in other words, the type of media you select to transmit the message—depends on several factors. In some situations, your company may dictate communication protocol, in which case you must adhere to those guidelines. However, other times you may need to choose from the various types of media: e-mail, letter, memo, phone, or text message. Your choice will depend upon your audience, the level of formality the situation calls for, and your purpose in writing.

Mizrahi, Janet. Writing for the Workplace : Business Communication for Professionals, Business Expert Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/apus/detail.action?docID=2050916. Created from apus on 2021-08-10 22:51:00.

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Table 3.1 Media communication channels

Media type When to use

E-mail For routine communication 24/7 that may not require immedi- ate attention; used between coworkers in an organization and to outside stakeholders

Instant messaging

To receive immediate feedback from a coworker who is also online; also used in customer and vendor chats

Letter For formal written documentation, especially with individuals outside of the organization

memo To present information, policies, procedures within an organi- zation; to present short reports to external organizations

Text messag- ing

To leave short messages that may or may not be seen imme- diately by coworkers; also for some marketing messages to customers

Phone-direct conversation

For immediate feedback; to connect personally; in lieu of face-to-face meeting

Voice-mail message

To leave routine or important information (not highly sensi- tive in nature)

Whichever channel you use, remember that all professional com- munication must adhere to the message characteristics we discussed in Chapter 2.

Writing Routine Messages

Each of the previously listed media has specific characteristics. Here we will discuss the elements of most widely used written genres for routine and positive messages; sample documents of each genre appear in Appendix B.

E-mail

As a genre, e-mail is entrenched in the modern workplace. A recent survey found that workers look at their inboxes an average of 74 times a day.1 Although text messages and video chats have replaced some e-mail, it is still an integral part of writing for work and critical for today’s workforce.

Use Table 3.1 to help you decide which media (also referred to as a channel ) to choose for routine messages.

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In general, e-mail is used to exchange information with clients and colleagues any time of the day or night.2 While that makes e-mail convenient for both reader and writer, it also means your message may not be read or responded to immediately. Therefore, e-mail should not be used for urgent issues. E-mail is also used when several or many people must view the same message.

Some say e-mail is most appropriate for short messages that require a response to an inquiry or ask for information.3 However, it is not uncom- mon to see longer e-mails that deal with more complex issues. Likewise, e-mails often act as replacements for traditional letters or memos.

All e-mails contain basic elements you should incorporate into short, long, formal, or informal messages, as outlined in the following discussion.

Subject Line

An e-mail’s subject line accurately and succinctly reflects the message’s content. Working people are busy and their e-mail inboxes are packed with dozens or even hundreds of messages to sift through. Writing subject lines with specific wording that clearly identifies the topic will help your reader. Notice how the following vague subject line leaves the reader wondering, while the specific subject line leaves little to the imagination.

Vague subject line New Policy Specific subject line New Parking Policy Effective June 1

When writing your subject line, avoid inflated or emotional appeals such as Urgent or Critical Situation. (If a situation is truly critical, you should probably phone the individual instead of sending an e-mail!) Also be aware of ethical choices when writing a subject line and don’t make claims that are misleading or untrue. While it may be tempting to lure a reader into an e-mail by using a catchy subject line like Free Subscription! unless you are actually offering a free subscription, you are misleading readers, who will not appreciate being lured into a disingenuous e-mail that wastes their valuable time.

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Greeting and Salutation

A greeting at the beginning of an e-mail is a visual cue that shows the recipient where to start reading. The type of greeting or salutation in an e-mail depends on the recipient and the level of formality required by the situation. Writing to an outside audience—those not in your organization—is usually a more formal situation, so use a person’s title (Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr., Prof.) until that individual replies using a first name. Once you are on a first name basis, you can tone down the level of formality and write “Dear Brad.” You can also wrap the salutation into the first line of your e-mail as follows:

Thanks, Brad, for the information about the geothermic survey.

For less formal situations, use one of the following salutations:

Hi, Brad, Brad, Hello, Brad, Good morning, Brad,

If a discussion thread—a series of e-mails on the same topic—is ongoing, you may find that a greeting becomes unnecessary. This is a common practice, but only after the thread of the conversation has gone on for several formal e-mails.

Finally, addressing a group differs from addressing individuals. If sending an e-mail blast to a list of customers, for example, you may want to choose a greeting such as “Dear Valued Customer.” If sending an e-mail to a committee, it is appropriate to begin the correspondence with the committee’s name, as noted in the following.

Dear Land Assessment Committee:

Avoid using the generic “To Whom It May Concern.” Use of this greeting in an e-mail shows you haven’t done your homework.4 If an e-mail is replacing a traditional letter, use a standard letter salutation,5 which we will discuss later in this chapter.

Opening

The first paragraph of e-mails delivering routine news or information should contain an expanded explanation of the topic mentioned in the subject line. For example, the opening for the e-mail about the new

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parking policy subject line we discussed earlier would begin by frontload- ing the first paragraph and elaborating on the subject.

Direct opening: A new policy giving preferred parking to carpools will take effect on Monday, June 1, 2016.

Restating the purpose of the e-mail in the first paragraph helps busy readers who may have skipped the subject line or who want to know exactly what they are reading about. Avoid indirect first paragraphs such as the following one, which unnecessarily take up your readers’ time.

Wordy indirect opening: The committee on sustainable business practices has been working on policies to improve our company’s green profile and has decided to institute a new plan giving carpools preferred parking spots effective June 1, 2016.

Body

The body of your e-mail contains the details required to fully under- stand the topic stated in both the subject line and opening. It should be written in short paragraphs of no more than six to eight lines and no more than 60 to 70 characters across (a character is a letter, punctuation, or a space.) In the body of the e-mail, use graphical mark- ers, as we discussed in Chapter 2. Headings, white space, and bulleted or enumerated points break up text and make reading both short and long e-mails easier.

To avoid confusion, restrict each e-mail to one topic. Though it may seem counterintuitive, sending several consecutive e-mails to the same person, each covering one topic, will be more effective than trying to deal with too much in one e-mail for several reasons. First, many people do not read carefully and only focus on the beginning of the e-mail, scanning the rest. Second, receiving several e-mails with different subject lines allows your reader to pick which e-mail to respond to first. Finally, individually labeled e-mails, identified by specific subject lines, help the sender, too. If you have sent one person several e-mails on different topics, you will be happy to receive a reply to each item requiring your eyes rather than having to wade through one dense, long response.

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Closing

A final paragraph, statement, or phrase that closes the e-mail helps readers understand what to do next or tells them that they have reached the end of the correspondence. End routine news by using one of these options:

• Action information, dates, deadlines: When you want read- ers to take an action, provide the information they need to do so. Assign an end date and time.

• Summary of message: In longer messages, you may want to recap the main points covered in the message.

• Polite closing thought: Express gratitude or encourage feedback, but avoid clichés such as “Please do not hesitate to call for further information.”6

A closing helps avoid an abrupt ending to your e-mail and therefore sounding curt. Short closings such as See you next week, All the best, and Warm regards are less formal and are perfect for e-mails to coworkers or those with whom you have developed a cordial work relationship.

Signature Block

Always include your name at the end of any e-mail. Because e-mails are not written on letterhead, a signature block is used to provide contact information. E-mail applications contain options for using several differ- ent signature blocks. Formal e-mails—those going to outside vendors or customers or from an organizational leader to the staff—should contain complete contact information as is illustrated here.

Full Name and Title Caroline Johnson, Design Manager Organization Department Creative Services Organization Name Mentor, Inc. Mailing Address 3366 Broad Street, Portland, OR 97205 Phone/Fax Phone: 503-877-9000 ext. 27/

Fax: 503-977-9300 Web Address www.mentor.com

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Less formal e-mails may contain modified signature blocks with less information or the addition of an extra line with the writer’s first name, as shown in the following.

Best,

Carrie

Caroline Johnson, Design Manager

Creative Services

Tone

Because e-mail doesn’t allow the reader to see body language or facial cues, hitting the right tone can be difficult. You may send an e-mail you consider to the point and concise, but your reader may consider it abrupt or terse. Likewise, you may insert a humorous tidbit that your reader finds silly or even offensive.

The best way to avoid being misunderstood is to be polite.7 Reread your e-mail before you send it. If it sounds too blunt, add a please or thank you or acknowledge the individual on a personal level. Never use sarcasm, and be wary of humor. Peoples’ definitions of what is funny differ greatly.

Another point: Do not use emoticons such as emojis in professional e-mails. If you need a facial expression to soften or add meaning to your words, your words are not properly chosen.

document design

To make your e-mails readable, follow these formatting guidelines.

• Limit length of lines to 60 to 70 characters • Keep paragraph length to six to eight lines maximum • Use left justified, ragged right margins • Use single spacing for paragraphs, double spacing between

paragraphs • Employ graphical devices such as headings, white space, or

bullets or enumeration as appropriate • Include signature block

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Short e-mails (up to one screen) may not require headings. However, the longer the e-mail, the more important it is to break up the text into clearly identifiable sections marked by well written headings.

E-mail Etiquette and Best Practices

A major complaint among people in the workforce is that e-mail clogs their inboxes and drains their time. One study found that the average employee in a corporation will spend more than one-fourth of each day dedicated to sending and reading e-mail and will receive more than 115 messages.8 To help your e-mails gain your reader’s attention, be aware of these best practices, sometimes called netiquette, for e-mail use (Table 3.2).

See Appendix B for an example of a routine news e-mail.

Letters

Letters are the preferred channel for documents that require a written record, especially when communicating with associations, the govern- ment, and customers. Print letters are also used in resignations and for recommendations. The benefit of a printed letter with a handwritten signature is that it conveys authority, formality, respect, and importance. Letters also stand out among the sea of e-mails most people receive daily.

When writing a letter whose purpose is to provide routine information or news or to request without using persuasion, use the direct approach outlined earlier. Whether you include a subject line or not, begin routine newsletters with a direct statement of the letter’s purpose, as is shown in the following:

It is with great pleasure that I write this recommendation for Kirsten Chen, with whom I had the pleasure of working for three years. We would be delighted to give your seventh grade students a tour of our newspaper’s facilities on Thursday, July 17, as you requested.

Letters contain the following mandatory elements.

Letterhead

All letters should be written on letterhead stationery that includes the full address and contact information of the organization or the individual.

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Most organizations will have letterhead in both hard copy and electronic versions.

date

The date the letter is being written should use no abbreviations (i.e., January 16, 2015, not Jan. 16, 2015.) Ordinals are never used in the date (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 24th, etc.).

Table 3.2 E-mail best practices or netiquette

Limit e-mails to one topic.

Send e-mail only to those who must receive the information; use cc and reply all sparingly to reduce e-mail overload.

Use bcc (blind carbon copy) to send mass mailings so all e-mail addresses are not visible to the entire list of recipients; do not use bcc to send sensitive information.

Always include a clear subject line; change subject line when a discussion thread switches topic.

Never send an e-mail when angry (called flaming).

Avoid forwarding jokes, spam, or off-color remarks when using company devices.

Use a professional sounding e-mail address.

Be concise and get to the point quickly.

Hit the right level of formality. If you use a person’s first name in person, use the first name in an e-mail. If you do not know a person, begin by using a title (Hello, Ms. Chen).

Never send an e-mail asking for information that has already been provided. It makes you look lazy or inattentive to detail.

Employ white space, headings, bullets, and short paragraphs to enhance readability.

Reply to e-mails within 24 hours, even if just to say you’ve received the message and will deal with it at a later date.

Edit carefully. Typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors undermine your credibility. Spell out rather than using abbreviations.

mention attached documents in the body of the e-mail and make sure you have actually attached them.

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Inside Address

The inside address contains the name and address of the person receiv- ing the letter. The name should be preceded by a title (Mr., Ms., etc.). In today’s workplace, it is common to refer to a woman as Ms� unless she has shown a preference to be labeled Miss or Mrs. Use professional titles (Dr. Professor, Senator) over generic titles. If sending a letter to someone in an organization, include the person’s title under the name, followed by the name of the organization and its address:

Ms. Jeanine Bauer Compliance Manager Tri County Area Governments 232 South El Sueño Road Santa Teresa, CA 93115

Salutation

Letters call for a formal salutation followed by a colon. If addressing a letter to an individual, write:

Dear Ms. Bauer:

If addressing two people, use:

Dear Ms. Bauer and Mr. Gresham:

When addressing a group, use a collective name such as Committee, Members, Customers:

Dear Hiring Committee: Dear Valued Members: Dear Loyal Customers:

Only include first and last name in a salutation if sending a letter to someone you do not know and the name is of ambiguous gender, such as Pat Saunders or Chris Terlikian.

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Subject Line

Although not essential, some people add an informative subject line that foretells the letter’s purpose and key facts,9 such as this:

Subject: Student Tour of Daily News Facilities on July 17

Body

The message of the letter is considered the body. It should conform to the rules of effective professional communication that we’ve previously discussed: use of short paragraphs, bullets, headings (if appropriate), and white space to make a letter attractive and easy to read.

Complimentary Closing

The most traditional way to sign off a letter is with a complimentary closing such as Sincerely or Cordially followed by a comma. Use of Thank you, or Best wishes, also followed by a comma, may be used for less formal letters.

Signature Block

The sender’s signature block follows the complimentary close. Allow three to four spaces for the handwritten signature, and type the sender’s full name and title. Sign the full name (first and last) for formal letters, and the first name only for less formal letters. Do not include the address of the organization; doing so on letterhead would be redundant.

End Notes

Sometimes a business letter requires a notation, the last element on the page that comes two lines after the signature block. These include reference initials, enclosures, or copy notices. Reference initials are the

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typist’s initials after the sender’s. For example, say Jorge M. Marquez is sending the letter but his assistant, Leslie Adler, typed it. The reference initials would be: JMM:la or JMM/la

Whenever a letter contains something besides the letter, notify the reader with the notation Enclosure or Enc. If more than one enclosure is contained, the notation should indicate so: Enclosure (3).

If anyone else is receiving a copy of a letter, indicate that with the notation c: John Doe.

Letter document design

Some organizations have their own guidelines for letter design, which you must follow. Otherwise, the most common style for letters is the block style. Block style conforms to the following parameters:

1. Left align, ragged right 2. No paragraph tabs 3. Single spacing 4. Double spacing between paragraphs; do not indent

Other letter designs are modified block, in which the date, compli- mentary closing, and signature block are aligned about midway across the page. Whichever design you are using, always check the appearance of your letter in the preview mode of your word processing program. A letter should not be crammed into the top of the page; it should look balanced. If your letter is short, increase your margins and use a slightly larger font size. To help balance on the page, add white space above and below the date.

Your letter will have to go inside an envelope. Most word processing applications have an envelope function that allows you to type the return address (unnecessary if using a company envelope with preprinted return address). Never send a typed letter in a handwritten or printed envelope. If your letter is handwritten, however, a nearly handwritten envelope is acceptable. See Appendix B for an example of a letter.

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Memos

Memos (or memoranda) are documents written within organizations, although they are sometimes used as a format for short reports sent to a recipient outside of the organization. They can be as short as one page or much longer and are used in situations that require a permanent or formal record. Types of memos include short reports, proposals, or other informational correspondence. Sometimes memos are printed; other times, they are sent as an attachment to an e-mail.

The writing strategy for routine memos is the same as that used in rou- tine e-mails and letters. Begin with the purpose of the memo; use the body paragraphs to provide any details or explanations to support the main point; end with a forward looking closing that either summarizes the message (We are certain that these new procedures will make our workplace safer and more comfortable), asks for an action with an end date (Please turn in your expense reports on the first working day of each month beginning in February), or offers a polite, concluding thought (I am looking forward to completing the project and for your feedback on our work to date).

memo document design

Memos are generally written on stationery with the organization’s name on top. Full letterhead is unnecessary when the memo is going to an internal audience. Under the company name, the word Memo or Memorandum is centered. On the left margin, use the guidewords Date:, To:, From:, Subject:. Be sure to use the tab to align the information following the guidewords, as is illustrated in the sample memo in Appendix B. Skip three lines and then begin the memo. Use graphical devices such as head- ings, bulleted or enumerated points, and white space to break up text and to guide your reader. If a memo is longer than one page, number the pages. And of course, memos do not need to be signed, since the sender’s name appears in the guidewords. However, you may write in your initials next to your name in the From line. See Appendix B for an example of a typical memo.

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Text Messaging

The popularity of text messaging with smart phones has no doubt impacted every aspect of our lives, including the workplace. Today text messages have replaced some phone calls and e-mails for transmitting short messages in both large and small organizations.

Like e-mail, text messages should be used to transmit nonsensitive information. For example, it is perfectly acceptable to use a text message to notify a customer that an order has arrived.

If you are texting for work-related reasons, always follow company policies. If none have been established, ask your supervisor about the types of situations in which texting would be acceptable. Note that while it is common for texting between friends to use shorthand, emoticons, abbreviations, and lack of attention to grammar, such practices have no place on the job. Doing so shows a lack of professionalism that will not earn you respect.

Keep in mind the following points when texting for work.

• Never text sensitive or confidential material • Keep text messages brief • Use proper grammar and spelling • Avoid texting while speaking to someone • Identify yourself if texting someone you don’t know

Types of Routine Messages

Various situations that arise in work situations call for specific types of routine messages. The choice of how these messages is delivered— whether via e-mail, letter, memo, or text—depends on the organization and situation. Consider the following explanations of the types of routine messages you may encounter in the workplace and details about how they are composed. Examples of these messages may be found in Appendix B.

Requests and Responses

Making and responding to requests comprise a good deal of the types of business messages you will be called upon to write. These types of routine

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messages are straightforward and call for the direct strategy. When writing routine requests, follow the following formula:

1. State the request directly in a polite, undemanding tone. 2. Provide details that explain the request, asking questions if necessary.

Be sure you include all the information the reader will need to be able to respond adequately to your request. Whenever possible, add reader benefits (Completing the form will allow us to process your order quickly) to add the likelihood of a response.

3. End with a request for a specific action and show appreciation.

Replies or responses to requests should also use the direct strategy:

1. Respond directly to the inquiry in the opening. 2. Answer all questions in the body. 3. Encourage a positive response, if appropriate, or end with a polite

goodwill statement.

See Appendix B for an example of a direct request and a direct request response.

Instructions

If you have ever put together a piece of furniture or electronic equipment using instructions, you know that clear, easy-to-understand instructions are rare. Writing instructions requires that you fully understand the steps or procedure and use language the reader will readily grasp.

When writing routine correspondence that contains instructions, use the direct strategy and follow these tips:

• Break down each task into a separate, numbered step. • Order steps logically. • Use imperative (command) statements, but avoid a demand-

ing tone. • Employ positive language whenever possible. • Use parallelism for each statement.

See Appendix B for an example of a memo giving instructions.

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Routine Claims and Adjustments

Routine claims—also called adjustments—occur in business when a customer asks for a refund, replacement, or exchange that the recipient will likely agree to. (Claims that require a persuasive argument will be discussed in Chapter 4.) Businesses are usually happy to clear up errors to preserve the business relationship with customers, so the direct approach is the appropriate organizing strategy for these messages.

When writing routine claims, follow this progression:

1. State the desired claim in a clear opening statement. 2. Provide justification for the situation in the body. Include order

numbers, names of people spoken to, amounts of transactions, or any other identifying data that will help the receiver act. Keep a neutral tone.

3. Conclude with the specific action you desire and an end date. Use positive language to preserve goodwill.

See Appendix B for an example of a routine claim.

Appreciation and Goodwill

Relationship building is an important aspect of anyone’s career, and sending goodwill messages to colleagues, employees, clients, customers, or others shows that you are an empathetic and thoughtful individual.

Show appreciation by sending a thank-you message when you receive a gift or experience hospitality. Write a goodwill message to acknowledge the receipt of an award, to recognize a job well done, or a promotion. Handwritten notes are the most personal way to express thanks and can be written on company letterhead or on elegant, simple stationery. Situa- tions calling for a more businesslike goodwill message are best sent in an e-mail or a letter.

Use the direct strategy for appreciation or goodwill messages. Begin with the main point:

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Thank you for opening your beautiful home to our staff for the annual company holiday party�

Congratulations on the birth of your new daughter, Sarah Ann! As a father myself, I know the joys awaiting you and Maureen�

Our staff has been eagerly implementing the new time saving techniques you presented in your recent workshop.

Include specific details about the situation in the body to show you are writing more than a generic thank-you and avoid overblown, exagger- ated claims.

Most noteworthy, the billing department has already increased its out- put by 20 percent due to the new electronic filing system you created.

Not

The staff has been amazed by how much time they are already saving because of your awesome electronic filing system!

End with sincere words and avoid clichés such as Best luck in the future. Send goodwill messages in a timely manner and keep them short. See Appendix B for an example of a thank you e-mail.

Conclusion

Much of your day-to-day writing will be routine and will therefore conform to a direct writing strategy. There are many types of routine messages including requests, responses, claims, adjustments, and goodwill. Choosing the right channel for routine messages—e-mail, letter, memo, or texting—depends on the urgency and formality of the message itself. These everyday messages require a high degree of clarity and conciseness and therefore can be surprisingly challenging to write.

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