Writing Routine, Good-News and Goodwill Messages
Organizing Positive Messages:
Whether written or oral, positive messages begin with a
clear statement of the
main idea, clarify any necessary details, and with a
courteous close.
Clear Statement of the Main Idea:
Almost all business communication has two basic purposes:
- To convey information
- To produce in the audience a favorable (or at least
accepting) attitude or response
Necessary Details:
•Your reason for communicating can usually be expressed in a
sentence or two,
but you’ll need more spaces or time to explain your point
completely so that
your audience will have no confusion or lingering doubt.
Courteous Close:
•Your message is most likely to succeed if your audience is
left with the feeling that
you have their personal welfare in mind.
Acknowledging Orders:
•Acknowledgements are appropriate for large orders, first
orders, and orders that
cannot be filled right away.
Replying to Requests for Information and Action:
That person's opinion of your company, your products, your
department, and you
yourself will be influenced by how promptly, graciously, and
thoroughly the request
is handled.
When a Potential Sale Is Involved:
•When answering requests involving a potential sale, you
have three main goals:
–To respond to the inquiry and answer all questions
–To encourage the future sale
–To leave your reader with a good impression of you and your
firm
When No Potential Sale Is Involved:
•There are two essential goals when no sale is involved:
–Responding to the request
–Leaving a favorable impression of your company or fostering
a good working relationship
Responding Favorably to Claims and Adjustment Requests:
•Don’t blame an individual or a specific department, and
avoid such lame excuses as
“Nobody’s perfect” or “Mistakes will happen.’
Approving Credit:
•Handling routine credit requests is important because
consumers often carry a
wallet full of plastic credit card, and businesses of all
seizes operate more smoothly
because they can pay for their purchases over time.
Providing Credit References:
•The great majority of credit applications are checked
electronically:
Write this
You’ve been selected to join our firm as a
staff accountant, beginning March 20.
Instead of this
I am pleased to inform you that after
deliberating the matter carefully, our
personnel committee has recommended
you for appointment as a staff accountant.
Computer terminals at many stores connect directly with
databanks maintained by
national credit reporting agencies.
|