Effective business messages

1. Effective business messages • Topics to be covered: • Positive messages • Negative messages • Persuasive messages By: Jordan M. Strowder Class: Business Communications

2. Sending positive written messages outside your organization • Most workplace messages deal with routine matters and require straight forward answers using the direct method. • Written messages are necessary when: • A permanent record is required. • Confidentiality is paramount. • Formality and sensitivity are essential. • A persuasive, well-considered presentation is important.

3. Direct requests for information or action • Many business messages are written to request information or action. • Requests for action contain 3 parts: • Opening-This is usually a request or polite command. • Body- This explains the request logically and courteously. And asks any remaining questions. • Closing- The closing request specific action with an end date, if needed, and shows appreciation.

4. Direct Claims • Direct Claims can be made by phone, e-mail, or letter. Written letters hold the most weight because, it creates a permanent record. Direct claims should follow these steps: • Open with a clear statement of what you want. • Justify by explaining your claim in the body. • Close you claim with a specific action request • Finally put these parts together, and revise your claim.

5. Direct Replies Messages that reply, often reply directly and favorably to requests for information or action. This is easily done by applying the direct pattern. • Open directly with the information the reader wants. • Replies should be arranged logically, and the information should be readable. • Close your reply pleasantly, and personally.

6. Adjustment Letters • When replying to a claim favorably, the letter is called an adjustment letter. • These messages have three primary goals: • To rectify the wrong. • To regain the customers confidence. • To promote future business and goodwill. • The writing plan consist of a: • Subject line • Opening • Reveals good news • Body • Explain how you are complying. • Decide whether to apologize. • Closing • Be confident and helpful.

7. Goodwill Messages • When sending a goodwill message, it should be: • Selfless • Specific • Sincere • Spontaneous • Short • Goodwill messages express thanks in one way or another.

8. May 25, 200x Ms. Breanna Lee, Manager White-Rather Enterprises 1349 Century Boulevard Wichita Falls, TX 76308 Dear Ms. Lee: Subject: Your May 20 Inquiry about Work Zone Software Yes we do offer personal record-keeping software specially designed for small businesses like yours. Here are answers to your three questions about this software: 1. Our Work Zone software provides standard employee forms so you are always in compliance with current government regulations. 2. You receive an interviewer's guide for structured employee interviews, and you also receive a scripted format for checking references by telephone. 3. Yes, you can update your employee’s records easy without the need for additional software, hardware, or training. Our Work Zone software was specially designed to provide you with expert forms for interviewing, verifying references, recording attendance, evaluating performance and tracking the status of your employees. We even provide you with step by step instructions, and suggested procedures. You can treat your employees as if you had a Professional Human Resources Specialist on your staff. On page 6 of the enclosed pamphlet you can read about our Work Zone software. To receive a preview copy or to ask questions about its use just call: 1-800-354-5500. Our specialists are eager to help you week days from 8 to 5 PST. If you prefer visit our Web site at www.workzone.com for more information, or to place an order. Sincerely, Jacob Scott Senior Marketing Representative Enclosure

9. Negative MessagesStrategies for delivering bad news • Use the indirect pattern to prepare the reader. • Apply the writing process. • Avoid the three causes of legal problems. • Abusive Language • Careless Language • The good-guy syndrome

10. Techniques for delivering bad news sensitively • Buffer the opening- Open with a neutral, and concise statement that is meaningful and makes the reader continue reading. • Apologizing- Apologize sincerely and responsibly. • Empathy- Put yourself in their shoes. You want to clearly present reasons for the bad news, this should be well cushioned and closed pleasantly.

11. Refusing direct requests and claims • When refusing requests and claims, anticipate the receivers reaction to determine whether to use the direct or indirect pattern. • Refuse requests from outsiders with praise and good transitional flow. • Refusing internal requests focus on explanations, and praise maintaining a positive tone and offering alternatives.

12. Delivering bad news to customers • Dealing with disappointed customers in the following way: • Call the individual involved. • Describe the problem and apologize. • Explain why the problem occurred, the resolve and how you will prevent this in the future. • When denying claims use the reasons-before-refusal pattern. • When refusing credit the goal is to maintain customer goodwill, and avoid actionable language.

13. Delivering bad news within organizations Delivering bad news personally Delivering workplace bad news • Gather all the information. • Prepare an outline and rehearse. • Explain: Past, Present, Future. • Consider taking a partner • Think about timing. • Be patient with the reaction. • Buffer: Open with a Neutral positive statement. • Reasons: Explain the logic behind the bad news. • Bad News: Position the bad news so that it doesn’t stand out. Be positive, don’t sugarcoat. • Closing: Provide information about an alternative, if one exists.

14. Ethics and the indirect strategy • Using the indirect strategy can prevent causing pain and hard feelings. • When using the indirect approach your motive is not to deceive, but to be a compassionate and effective communicator. • The key to ethical communication lies in the motives of the sender.

15. 03/23/2010 Mr. John Brumfield Human Resources Development Gulfport Energy Enterprises 1400 Longhorn Blvd. Houston, TX 76400 Dear Mr. Brumfield: Did you know about the direct link between the health of your employees, and the health of your profits? Because we in the midst of tough economic times, you are in all probability looking for benefits to offer your employees that help both you and them. The benefits of healthier employees includes lower health care costs, fewer medical claims, improved productivity, better morale and absenteeism is reduced. Here is how you can help your employees to have sound bodies, and also improve your company’s profits: • You should have us manage your on-site fitness center. • Bring our aerobics, massage, weight loss and educational programs on-site. • Provide them with Galaxy Fitness health club discounts. Business Fortune Magazine recently reported the following: "After a prevention and early intervention health program was implemented at L. L. Bean loss claims dropped by approximately 40 percent." Please call (713) 839-2300 and speak to Jan Novak who is our corporate fitness expert to learn how you can add to the health of each and every employee and also to you are bottom line. Sincerely, Galaxy Fitness Missy Mischke Senior Marketing Manager Missy.mischke@galaxyfitness.com

16. Persuasive messages Making persuasive requests Persuasion is necessary when you anticipate resistance, or when you must prepare before you can present you ideas effectively. When requesting favors and/or actions present your information with a smile in your writing. Use praise and enticements that are hard to refuse.

17. Making persuasive requests • When persuading within organizations, you must decide whether or not to use a direct or indirect, formal or informal approach; depending on if you are speaking to subordinates or the boss. Persuading subordinates- The goal is to present a strong but honest argument; important to the organization. Persuading the boss- When persuading the boss use key phrases like: Suggest and recommend, or it might be a good idea if ect.

18. Composing Claims and Complaint messages Persuasive claim and complaint letters generally focus on damaged products, mistaken billing, inaccurate shipments, warranty problems, return policies, insurance issues, faulty merchandise, ect. Effective claim letters make a reasonable claim , present a logical case with clear facts, and adopt a moderate tone. • Logical development- A claim letter is more effective if you strive for logical development keeping in mind what you want to include in your opening, body and closing. Be sure to think through you writing possibilities to make your writing request is reasonable. • Moderate Tone- The tone of your message is important, you do not want to express that you believe they have done this on purpose. Instead you should calmly express your disappointment in light of your high expectations; and communicate you feelings.

19. Writing sales and marketing messages • Attention- One of the most critical elements of a sales letter is the opening paragraph, the attention-getter. • Interest- Here, describe clearly the product or service; think of this part as a promise to the reader. • Desire- In this stage the object is instill desire and overcome resistance. The best way to accomplish this is to focus on the readers benefits. • Actions- This section provides the punch line and puts the reader into action. Make this easier by providing reply cards with postage paid, and contact information.

20. Writing successful online sales and marketing messages. • Email- Using the internet and e-mail to market your campaign you will be able to reach a greater number of people at cost efficient rates. • Blogs- Blogs serve as a very important public relations tool, and shows company goodwill. • Wikis- In business wikis document and publish a complex process to a group of recipients. • RSS (really simple syndication)- A tool used to keep business partners and customer up to date. • Podcasts- Company information distributed to be downloader via computer or Mp3 player.

21. Current date Mrs. E. R. Churchill 224 Oak Grove Avenue Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Dear Mrs. Churchill: This message is to inform you that we appreciate receiving your recent letter requesting that the curve in Highway 35 be rebuilt. The Department of Transportation shares your concerns for the safety of the stretch between Mount Vernon, and Pittsboro, which is near your home. Highway 35 as you mentioned has many hills curves and blind spots. However, its accident rate of 4.05 per million vehicle miles is far from the worse in the state. In fact at least 49 other state highways have worse safety records. At this point in time, I want you to know we do have studies under way that will result in the relocation of sections of highway 35 to terrain that will provide safer driving conditions. As you are aware such changes take time; we must coordinate our plans with town county state and federal authorities. Money is assigned to these projects by priority and Highway 35 does not have top priority. In addition accidents along Highway 35 are not concentrated at any one curve; they are spread out over the entire highway. For all of the above reasons, we do not anticipate immediately rebuilding any curves on Highway 35. In the near future we plan to install guardrails and we will be certain to place a guardrail at the curve that concerns you. We appreciate your concern for safety Mrs. Churchill. Please write to us again if you have other ideas for reducing accidents. Sincerely, Mitchell M. Overton Office of Safety and Speed Management

22. Works Cited Guffet, M.-E. (2010). Essentials of Business Communications . Mason, Oh: South-Western Cengage Learning.