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Positive Emphasis

To learn how to Continue building goodwill. Emphasize the positive. Use positive emphasis ethically. Begin to choose an appropriate tone. Positive Emphasis. Start by answering these questions: How do I create positive emphasis? What’s the best way to apologize?

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Positive Emphasis

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  1. To learn how to Continue building goodwill. Emphasize the positive. Use positive emphasis ethically. Begin to choose an appropriate tone. Positive Emphasis

  2. Start by answering these questions: How do I create positive emphasis? What’s the best way to apologize? Why do I need to think about tone, politeness, and power? Positive Emphasis

  3. Some Negatives Are Necessary • While business readers generally prefer to see the glass as “half full,” some negatives may be necessary for readers. In those situations, be tactful in how you present negatives. • To build credibility when giving bad news. • To help people to take a problem seriously.

  4. Some Negatives Are Necessary • In some messages, such as negative performance appraisals, your purpose is to deliver a rebuke with no alternative. Even here, avoid insults or attacks on the reader's integrity or sanity. Being honest about the drawbacks of a job reduces turnover. • Sometimes negatives create a "reverse psychology" that makes people look favorably at your product.

  5. Some Negatives Are Necessary • In the situations where negatives are necessary, be tactful in how you present negatives. • We use negatives to: • build credibility when giving bad news. • help people to take a problem seriously. • deliver a rebuke with no alternative.

  6. Avoid negative words. Focus on what the reader can do. Justify a negative—give a reason or link it to a reader benefit. How do I create Positive Emphasis

  7. Omit unimportant negatives. Put the negative in the middle and present it compactly. How do I create Positive Emphasis continued

  8. Afraid Bad Careless Delay Delinquent Deny Difficulty Error Some Common Negative Words • Fail • Fault • Loss • Misfortune • Mistake • Neglect • Never • No • Problem • Reject • Sorry • Terrible • Trivial • Wrong • Unfair • Unfortunate

  9. Negative:We havefailedto take inventory. Better:Wewill be finishedtaking inventoryFriday. Negative: This exercycle is notguaranteed for life. Better: This exercycle is guaranteed for 10 years. Positive Emphasis Examples Replace negative words with positive words Use specifics to be both positive and accurate

  10. Positive Emphasis Examples Negative:Do not forget to back up your disks. Better: Alwaysback up your disks. Omit double negatives Focus on what the reader can do • Negative: We will not allow you to charge more than $1,500 on your VISA card. • Better:You can charge $1,500 on your VISA card.

  11. Getting rid of negatives has the added benefit of making what you write easier to understand. Sentences with three or more negatives are very hard to understand. Positive Emphasis

  12. hidden negatives: words that are not negative in themselves but become negative in context Butandhoweverindicate a shift, so, after a positive statement, they are negative. I hope andI trust that suggest that you aren't sure. Positive Emphasis

  13. Positive Emphasis Examples Negative: Now Crispy Crunch tastes better. What implication does it indicate? Better: Now Crispy Crunch tastes even better. Negative: If you are not satisfied with Interstate Fidelity Insurance, you do not have to renew your policy. Better: Omit the sentence. Beware of hidden negatives Omit unimportant negatives

  14. Positive Emphasis Examples Negative: I hopethis is the information you wanted. 1) What implication does it indicate? Better:Enclosed is a brochure about …. Negative: Please be patient as we switch to the automated system. 2) What implication does it indicate? Better: You will able to get information instantly about any. Beware of hidden negatives

  15. Positive Emphasis Examples Negative: We cannot sell computer disks in lots of less than 10. Better: To keep down packaging costs and to help customers save on shipping and handling costs, we sell computer disks only in lots of 10 or more. Justify Negative information by Giving a Season

  16. Using Positive Emphasis Ethically • Bury the Negative information and Present It Compactly • The beginning and end are always positions of emphasis • To deemphasize a negative, put it in the middle of a paragraph rather than in the first or last sentence, in the middle of the message rather than in the first or last paragraphs.

  17. Using Positive Emphasis Ethically • The methods to achieve positive emphasis can be misused, so be careful when using them. • Don’t omit necessary details. • Focus on what the reader can do rather than on limitations only when the situation is appropriate. • Presenting information in type large enough to be read easily. • Don’t hide meaning by using less common terms.

  18. Unit Two End of Module 7

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