Show Considering the Message in Business Communications Unlike academic papers, which are almost always persuasive pieces of writing, the purpose of much business communication is to deliver a message, whether good or bad. As a result, you may find yourself writing positive messages, negative messages, or persuasive messages. Each of these requires a slightly different approach, all of which are detailed below. Positive Writing Positive messages are often the easiest to write because the audience is expected to be fairly receptive of the presented information, thus they tend to follow the direct pattern by stating the idea at the very beginning following with the explanation. In the explanation, writers will once again want to consider using various highlighting tools to improve readability. Writers will conclude the message courteously and with a request for action by a given date, if necessary. While all positive writing messages follow a similar format, there are different types of positive messages: Requests for Information/Action
Claims
Replies
Negative Writing Negative messages are usually difficult to write because the audience is being told exactly what they don't want to hear. Negative messages most often include refusing requests and delivering bad news to a customer or to those within an organization. Certain techniques that help soften the blow of bad news are applicable to all negative messages. Remember, when writing a negative message, the audience is likely to be unreceptive so be sure to use the
indirect approach. Buffer the Opening
Cushion the Bad News
Be Empathetic
Provide Reasons
Avoid Negative Words
Close Pleasantly
Persuasive Writing Persuasion is a critical tool one should master to achieve professional success in the business world, but it is also one of the more challenging. Whether writers are aiming to persuade customers, potential donors, or those working within the same corporation, they will want to focus their attention on four main things: Grabbing the Reader's Attention
Building and Maintaining Reader Interest
Reducing Reader Resistance
Motivating the Reader to Act
Midge Gillies, author of Business Writing: The Essential Guide To Thinking And Working Smarter, offers additional helpful advice that briefly summarizes the aforementioned points:
Also, note that the conventions of persuasive business writing are more flexible than the others. Don't be afraid to get creative! Works Cited Gillies, Midge. Business Writing: The Essential Guide to Thinking and Working Smarter. New York: Marshall Editions Developments Ltd., 2000. Print. Guffey, Mary Ellen. Business Communication: Process & Product. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. Back to "Considering
the Message in Business Communications" or the Business main page. What kind of information could you include in the buffer of a bad news message?The first part of a negative news message, verbal or written, is a buffer statement. It provides neutral or positive information. It sets the tone and often serves as a cushion for the information to come.
What techniques can you use to soften the bad news in an indirect message?5 Tips for Giving Bad News Well. State the topic and urgency in the subject line. ... . Open your message with a buffer to ease the reader into the bad news. ... . State the bad news in a clear, specific statement that begins with the reason. ... . Keep the body of the message short and positive. ... . Close on a positive note, if possible.. When positioning the bad news What is one way to soften the impact?When using an indirect approach to a bad-news message, what information is included before the main idea? What is the difference between using a direct and an indirect approach to bad news? When positioning the bad news, what is one way to soften the impact? A) Use negative words as much as possible.
What are the methods for delivering bad news messages?The indirect approach for delivering bad news has five main parts:. Open with a buffer statement.. Explain the situation.. Break the bad news.. Redirect or provide alternatives.. End politely and forward-looking.. |