This document provides guidelines for writing informative and positive messages. Effective subject lines should be specific, concise, and appropriate to the type of message. The body of informative messages should: 1) State any good news and main points upfront; 2) Provide relevant details; 3) Note any negatives as positively as possible; 4) Explain reader benefits; and 5) End on a goodwill note that is positive, personal, and forward-looking. Common types of informative messages include confirmations, summaries, notifications of adjustments, and congratulatory or thank-you notes.

1. INFORMATIVE AND
POSITIVE
MESSAGES

2. Informative and positive messages
include
Acceptances.
Positive answers to reader’s requests.
Information about procedures, products,
services, or options.
Announcement of policy changes that are
neutral or positive.
Changes that are to the reader’s advantage.

3. Best subject line for informative or
positive message
A subject line is the title of the document.
It should be:
 specific
 concise
 appropriate to the kind of msg (positive,
negative, persuasive etc.)

4. SPECIFIC SUBJECT LINE
Too general: Training Sessions
(To make this SL more specific identify the
particular topic of this msg.)
Better: Dates for 2005 Training Sessions.
Or: Evaluation of Training Sessions on
Conducting Interviews.

5. CONCISE SUBJECT LINE
Subject lines should be short- usually not
more than 10 words.
Wordy SL: Survey of student preferences in
regards to various pizza factors again, the best
revision depends on the specific factors you will
discuss.
Better: Students’ Pizza Preferences
Or: The feasibility of a Domino’s branch on
campus.

6. SUBJECT LINES APPROPRIATE FOR
THE PATTERN OF ORGANIZATION
When you have good news for the reader,
build goodwill by highlighting it in the
subject line. When your information is
neutral, summarize it concisely for the
subject line.

7. Some examples:
Example-1
Message - Starting January 2, as an employee
of Amalgamated Industries you can get a 15%
discount on cars you rent for business or
personal use from Roadway Rent-a-car.
Subject: Discount on Rental Cars effective
January 2, 2014.

8. Example 2:
Message: In the last month, we have chosen the
participants and developed a tentative agenda
for the videoconference with France scheduled
for March 21, 2014.
Subject: Update on arrangements for
Videoconference with France.

9. HOW TO ORGANIZE INFORMATIVE AND
POSITIVE MESSAGE
Main Point
Detail
Negatives
Reader Benifits
Goodwill Ending

10. Present informative and positive
messages in the following order:
1. Give any good news and summerize the main
points. Share good news immediately. Include
details such as the date policies begin and the
percent of a discount. If the reader has already
raised the issue, make it clear that you’re
responding.

11. 2. Give details, clarifications, background.
Don’t repeat information from the first
paragraph. Provide all the information
necessary to achieve your purpose. Present
details in the order of importance to the reader.

12. 3.Present any negative elements- as
positively as possible.
A policy may have limits; information may
be incomplete; the reader may
have to satisfy requirements to get
a discount or benefit. Make these negatives
clear, but present them as positively as
possible.

13. 4. Explain any reader benefits. Most
informative memos need reader benefits.
Show that the policy or procedure helps
readers, not just the company. In letters,
you may want to give benefits of dealing
with your company as well as benefits of
the product or policy.

14. 5.Use a goodwill ending: positive,
personal, and forward-looking. Shifting
your emphasis away from the message to
the specific reader suggests that serving
the reader is your real concern.

15. The most common kinds of informative
and positive messages are
confirmations, summaries, adjustments,
thank-you and congratulatory notes.