CHAPTER 7

Positive, Neutral, and Social

Business Messages
 OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES
Ch 7 - 2

 Describe positive and neutral messages.

 Describe the four specific guidelines for using the direct
plan.
 Distinguish between poor and good positive and neutral
messages.
 Prepare effective positive and neutral messages for a
variety of purposes using the direct plan.
 Compose the six common types of social business
messages.
 Describe the criteria for selecting the style for a social
business message.

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Ch 7 - 3

1. POSITIVE/NEUTRAL MESSAGES

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 1.1 Types of Messages
Ch 7 - 4

 Positive or neutral
 Conveys pleasant/neutral information to the receiver

 Eg: Request information, thank you etc

 Claims- requests for action when a writer has been

wronged
 Eg: Request for refund because a product is
faulty/ruined
 Adjustments-positive responses to claims
 Social business messages-unsolicited acknowledgements
of important events in readers’ lives
 Eg: Email saying congratulations for having a baby
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 1.2 Positive or Neutral Message
Ch 7 - 5

 Information will be pleasant, favorable, or

neutral to the receiver
 The message may

 Provide routine or unsolicited information

 Request information or action
 Respond favorably to a request for
information or action

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accessible website, in whole or in part.
Ch 7 - 6

2. USING DIRECT PLAN FOR POSITIVE

AND NEUTRAL MESSAGES

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 Contents-Direct Plan
for Positive or Neutral Messages
Ch 7 - 7

 The opening
 The explanation

 The sales appeal (if

appropriate)
 The friendly close

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 2.1 The Opening
Ch 7 - 8

 Give the positive or neutral information.

 Be optimistic.

 Provide coherence.

 Use emphasis techniques.

 Stress receiver interests and benefits.

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 2.2 The Explanation
Ch 7 - 9

 Present related information.

 Be objective.

 Be concise.

 Be positive.

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 2.3 The Sales Appeal
(if appropriate)
Ch 7 - 10

 Personalize the message.

 Suggest alternatives if
appropriate.
 Aim for quick action.

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 2.4 The Friendly Close
Ch 7 - 11

Build goodwill.
Be concise.

Be positive.

Express appreciation.

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 Eg:
Ch 7 - 12

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Ch 7 - 13

3. UNSOLICITED POSITIVE AND

NEUTRAL MESSAGES

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 Unsolicited positive/neutral messages
Ch 7 - 14

 Initiated by the writer

 Both internal/external writing situations
 Follows characteristics of the direct plan:
 Determining content
 Opening

 Explanation

 Sales appeal
 Friendly close

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Eengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly
accessible website, in whole or in part.
Ch 7 - 15

Eg: Mr K has won a lucky draw

organized by a shopping mall.
You, as the communication
manager will have to contact him
using a letter

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 GOOD?BAD?

OPENING OPENING
Ch 7 - 16

-Thank you for visiting our shopping -Congratulations Mr K! You are our
complex. 10,000th customer!

EXPLANATION EXPLANATION
-We were conducting a lucky draw for our -To claim your prize, kindly bring your
10,000th visitor, and the winner will win a receipt or proof of purchase from any of
RM1000 voucher. our stores within the next 30 days after
the date of this letter. Your prize, a
RM1000 voucher, will be ready at our
office on the 2nd floor.
SALES APPEAL SALES APPEAL
-If the prize is not enough for you, you can -If you wish to have more voucher, you can
buy more vouchers at our office. get them at our office, our friendly staff
will be happy to assist you.
FRIENDLY CLOSE FRIENDLY CLOSE
-If we don’t receive any news from you -Kindly drop in at our office which opens
within the next 30 days, your prize will be at 9-5pm everyday except Sundays, we
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given to the 10, 001st visitor. look forward to see you.

accessible website, in whole or in part.
Ch 7 - 17

4. In practice-using the direct plan in

unsolicited messages

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 4.1 Requests for Information or Action
Ch 7 - 18

 Eg: Sending a letter asking a

customer to come to the office to
claim his prize
 Use the direct plan
Present request and reason
Give information necessary for a
response
Ask for action
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 4.2 Request Approvals
Ch 7 - 19

 Eg: to approve a request to take a

20-day leave
 Use the direct plan

Open with the good news

Provide details or an explanation
Include a friendly close
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 4.3 Claims
Ch 7 - 20

 Eg: You are writing a letter of claim to a

computer shop since your computer
crashed after 1 day
 Use the direct plan
 Present the claim and its impact
 Provide an explanation with background
information
 State what you want the receiver to do
 Include a friendly, optimistic close
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 4.4 Claim Adjustments
Ch 7 - 21

 This is a positive response to a claim

 Eg: Computer company agrees to send
you another computer
 Use the direct plan
 Positive information
 Convincing explanation
 Effective, personalized sales appeal
 Positive close
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 Social Business Messages
Ch 7 - 22

 Congratulations
 Condolence

 Appreciation

 Invitation

 Holiday greetings

 Welcome
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Ch 7 - 23

5. SOCIAL BUSINESS MESSAGES

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accessible website, in whole or in part.
 5.1 Congratulations
Ch 7 - 24

 Be personal, sincere, direct

 Immediately mention the honor or

accomplishment
 Say why the receiver is deserving

 End positively

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 5.2 Condolence
Ch 7 - 25

 Use direct plan

Convey sympathy
Include only necessary details; use a
positive and sincere tone
Offer assistance if appropriate
Refer to the future in a positive way

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 5.3 Appreciation
Ch 7 - 26

 Use the direct plan

Express gratitude
Provide supporting evidence
Express appreciation using words
different than those used in the
opening
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 5.4 Invitation
Ch 7 - 27

Include all necessary information

including date, time, place,
suggested dress, whether the
receiver may bring a guest, and
an RSVP notation

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 5.5 Holiday Greeting
Ch 7 - 28

 Acknowledge appropriate holidays in

the countries where you have
employees, customers, or suppliers
 Cards are the most common format

 Distinctive messages may be more

memorable

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 5.6 Welcome
Ch 7 - 29

 Use the welcome as the main

idea
 Provide details

 Use a personal close

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accessible website, in whole or in part.
 5.7 Style in Social Business Messages
Ch 7 - 30

 Use handwritten notes in times of sorrow

 Use printed invitations for a formal social function
 Use a computer-printed message to welcome an
employee or customer
 Use a commercially produced card for a brief personal
message
 Use an e-mail followed by a letter or a card to create a
quick and lasting impression
 Use e-mail and electronic greeting cards for personal
messages, not social business messages

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accessible website, in whole or in part.
 WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT
Ch 7 - 31

 Positive and neutral messages

 Social messages
 Using the direct plan
 Positive/neutral messages
 Social messages
 Understand the difference between a good
positive/neutral/social messages and a good one.

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accessible website, in whole or in part.