postive negative message

1. positive and negative messages
And Memorandums

2. 1. Types of Messages
• Communicating various kind of messages may
involve various kind of strategies. Messages can
be broadly divided into three categories:
• Positive or neutral messages
• Negative or bad news messages
• Persuasive messages
• Each kind of information is required to be
organised as per the understanding of the
audience and what is sought to be achieved out
of the message.

3. 1. Positive and neutral messages
• A positive message is a message conveying good news to the
readers.
• The primary purpose of the message is to reassure something or to
provide a good news to the reader.
• Positive messages are favourably received by the readers.
• The purpose of sending a positive or neutral message can be:
• Answering the request for information or action.
• Granting Claims
• Requests for adjustments
• Announcing a good news
• Sending congratulations/Message of appreciation
• Thank –You notes
• Expressions of sympathy

4. How to write a positive message
• OPENING
• Subject: key idea
• Introduction
• general circumstances or context
• DETAILS
• Regarding the news being given, explanation
• CLOSE
• courteous close (with action statement if
necessary)

5. 4. Negative messages
• Negative messages are tough to formulate as the
responses elicited on reading them are also negative,
negative messages do not allow the readers to
accomplish their goals and demotivates them.
• A negative message must be written focussing on that
"A no now does not means a no forever."
• Whilst writing a negative message it must be
considered that the audience do not want to hear a
message that is negative.
• Giving the negative message and simultaneously
maintain the goodwill of organization.
• It is unlikely that a negative message will elicit a
positive response but it is important for the writer to
formulate the message in such a manner that the
reader understands the reason or the logic behind
turning down their request.

6. Negative messages- Contd.
Goals to be fulfilled while delivering a bad
news:
• To convey the message that is negative in
nature.
• To gain acceptance for the message
communicated.
• To maintain maximum amount of goodwill
possible.
• To eliminate or reduce the need of future
correspondence on the same.

7. Purpose of sending a negative message:
• Termination of employment.
• Refusal of requests.
• Giving negative performance reviews.
• Rejection of job applications.
• Communication in crisis.
• Refusal of claims.
• Refusal of request for adjustments.

8. • Just as in life, the workplace is not always sunny.
Sometimes things do not go according to plan, and it is your
job to communicate about them in a way that does not ruin
your relationships with customers, coworkers, managers,
the public, and other stakeholders.
• When doing damage control, bad-news messages required
care, diplomacy, and skillful language because your main
point will meet resistance.
• Rarely are people okay being told they they are laid off,
their application has been rejected, their shipment got lost,
prices or rates are increasing, their appointment has to be
moved back several months, or they are losing their
benefits.
• Though some people prefer that the messenger be blunt
about it, in most cases you can assume that the receiver
will appreciate or even benefit from a more tactful, indirect
approach.

9. Process to follow while writing a negative
message
Part
• 1. Buffer
• 2. Explanation
• 3. Bad news + redirect
• 4. Positive action closing
Example Message
• Thank you for your order. We appreciate your
interest in our product and are confident you will
love it.
• We are writing to let you know that this product
has been unexpectedly popular with over 10,000
orders submitted on the day you placed yours.
• This unexpected increase in demand has resulted
in a temporary out-of-stock/backorder situation.
Despite a delay of 2-3 weeks, we will definitely
fulfill your order as it was received at 11:57 p.m.
on October 9, 2018, as well as gift you a $5
coupon towards your next purchase.
• While you wait for your product to ship, we
encourage you to use the enclosed $5 coupon
toward the purchase of any product in our online
catalog. We appreciate your continued business
and want you to know that our highest priority is
your satisfaction.

10. Writing a negative message-Contd.
• Three parts of a negative message:
• A) Introductory part:
• • The introductory part includes a buffer, a positive sentence
showing your interest, care and consideration. The goal here
is to put readers in the appropriate frame of mind.
• B) Body part:
• This part will include explaining the reasons behind the
negative responses. The refusal has to be briefly stated in the
body part.
• C) Conclusion part:
• Avoiding a negative or an uncertain conclusion.
• Using an optimistic approach, being confident and sincere.
• Limiting future correspondence.
• Ending with a positive and a friendly statement to maintain
the good –will of the organization.

11. Points to be considered while framing a negative
message:
• Being sensitive to the feelings of the audience.
• Maintaining a "you" attitude.
• Usage of polite language.
• Emphasizing on the positive words.
• Usage of bias free words.
• Protecting as well as projecting company image.
• Maintaining high ethical standards.
• Strengthening the relationship with the audience.
• Avoiding negative phrases.
• De emphasizing the negative news.

12. Memorandums
• The memorandum (or memo as commonly known) is an
important tool of intraorganizational communication.
• Derived from the Latin word "memorandus" it literally means
to be remembered.
• A memorandum can also be called a reminder, the usage can
be for communicating official procedures or policies.
• Memos have a two fold purpose: they bring the attention
towards a problem and solve the problem.
• A memo may be from one officer to another or between
juniors and seniors.
• It is more informal as compared to a proper letter.
• The direction of memo can be upward, downward, laterally
and diagonally within the organization.

13. Purpose of Writing Memorandums
• Memorandum (memos) may be used for any
official communication.
• 1. For conveying schedule message.
• 2. For submitting periodical reports.
• 3. For communicating changes in organization.
• 4. For issuing instruction to the staff.
• 5. For conforming a decision made at phone.
• 6. For asking certain special information.
• 7. For writing suggestions.

14. Memos
Memos are company internal letters.
(E-mail is taking over their function.)
Memos are more formal than e-mails, but less
formal than business letters.
Originally used only in hard copy, they are now
often processed electronically.
Memos vary in length.
(Short memos serve as inter- or intra-office
communication; long memos may serve as
reports.)

15. Features of a Effective Business
• Audience Orientation
• Professional Formal Tone
• Subject Emphasis
• Direct Format
• Objectivity
• Conciseness and Precision
• Signed by a competent authority
• Adopting a direct style of communication

16. Memos can be broadly divided into the
following segments
• 1. Heading Segment
• 2. Opening, context and task segments
• 3. Closing segment (including necessary attachments)
• Explanation of the segments:

17. • 1. Heading Segment: The heading segment
consists of:
• To: (readers' names and job titles)
• From: (your name and job title)
• Date: (complete and current date)
• Subject: (what the memo is about, highlighted
in some way)

18. • 2. Opening, context and task segments: The
purpose of a memo is usually stated in the
opening paragraph, the context is the event,
circumstance or the background that one
seeks to solve, task segment, is the most
essential part of the memo which is designed
suggesting that what is being done to solve
the problem.
• 3. Closing segment: The memo is closed with a
courteous ending suggested the action
required from the end of the reader.

19. Formats of Memo writing:
• 1. Full Block Format: All the segments in this
format are left aligned.
• 2. Semi Block Format: The dateline and the
signature block are right aligned whereas the
rest of the elements are left aligned.

20. Structure of a typical Memo
To:
From:
Date:
Subject:
Main Body: Details e.g policy changes,
announcements etc.
Conclusion: Action points; follow up
Attachments: if any
Copy to:
(Name of the person to receive copy)

22. • MEMO
TO: All Employees
FROM: Arthur Dahlquist, General Manager
DATE: June 21, 2008
SUBJECT: Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS) Lines
WATS lines were installed three years ago to give all employees easier
telephone access to our customers and suppliers in other parts of the country.
In fact, our company's growth rate has increased since then, and we attribute at
least part of that growth to the new telephone system.
As sales have increased, so have our telephone bills. But, over the past few
months, those bills have been growing faster than sales. It seems that a few
people have been using the long-distance lines to make personal calls. Such
misuse of the WATS lines reduces our profits (and thus the amount available for
profit sharing by all employees), and it ties up lines that are needed for business
calls.
Please do your part to keep our company profitable and healthy. If you
absolutely must make a personal long-distance call during business hours,
please charge it to your home phone. Your colleagues will appreciate your
consideration.

23. Tips for delivering bad news in person or in
writing:
• Be clear and concise to avoid being asked for additional
clarification.
• Help the receiver understand and accept the news.
• Reduce the anxiety associated with the bad news as much as
possible by expressing sympathy or empathy.
• Maintain trust and respect between you and your audience to
ensure the possibility of good future relations.
• Deliver the bad news in a timely fashion through the
appropriate medium.
• Avoid the legal liability that comes with admitting negligence
or guilt.
• Achieve the designated business outcome.