WRITING

POSITIVE
MESSAGES
AND
LETTERS
By Ms. Nida Aftab

Business Communication and Ethics

HS-304 (Week-8)
Lecture-2
02
WELCOME TO
TODAY'S CLASS!
Today's Agenda
01 What are Positive Messages?

02 Examples of Good/ Neutral news letters:

03 Direct Organizational Approach

04 The CBO Approach and its components

05 Types of positive/neutral letters

06 Summary
 03 WHAT ARE POSITIVE
MESSAGES?
Brief Introduction:

• Positive messages include messages where the audience

is expected to react in a neutral to positive manner.
• Positive messages tend to consist of routine or good
news. These messages might be items such as
congratulations, confirmations, directions, simple credit
requests, or credit approvals.
• As strange as this sounds, sympathy messages are in this
category as well. Sympathy messages are routine since
they will not be a surprise to the receiver.
• These messages are generally organised by the direct
approach-also known as good-news plan or CBO approach.
04 EXAMPLES OF
GOOD/ NEUTRAL
NEWS LETTERS: Approving Credit

Acknowledgements

Acceptance letters

Letters of Appreciation, and Congratulations.

Confirmations, Granting favors and other requests.

Adjustments

Transmittal

Announcements

Goodwill messages

Thank your notes

 DIRECT APPROACH OR
05 DIRECT ORGANISATIONAL
PLAN
Be direct and straightforward

You can sue this direct approach good news plan whenever you answer request or initiate an unsolicited
message for yourself, if the news will be favourable or neutral at least not unfavourable to your reader. As
with drect requests, the plan has three parts:

1. Best news or main idea:

which includes one or more of the following, when desirable:
a. All necessary details b. Educational Information.
2. Explanation: c. Resale Material d. Sales Promotion

a. Appreciation
3. Positive, Friendly ending: b. Clear statement of action desired and motivation to action
c. Willingness to help further
06 EXPLANATION:
a. All necessary details:

Include whatever facts, terms, reasons and other explanations pertain directly to the
best news or the main idea. Consider whether the reader needs details on the why,
what, when, who, where and how of the news or the main idea

b. Educational Information:

Include instructions for use and other educational facts about a product or a service.

c. Resale Material:

Include appropriate favourable information about a product or a service that the

reader has already bought or is planning to buy.

d. Sales Promotion:
Include suggestions about other products or services related to those the customer
has bought or is considering to buy. When writing, you show a desire to be of further
service to the customer. This material should be presented without sale pressure.
07 Look at this chart:
 08

THE CBO
APPROACH:

Communication-by-Objective (CBO)
approach tells you to:
Plan a message first.
Then Compose a draft.
Complete a message.
09

PLAN A
MESSAGE
Activity

Identify the objective.

Visualize the audience.
Gather supporting information.
Organize the information.
10

COMPOSE A
DRAFT:

Choose words.
Construct sentences.
Assemble paragraphs.
Choose paragraph locations .
COMPLETE A
MESSAGE:

Proofread.
Edit.
Revise.
Finalize.
1 THANK-YOU MESSAGES
Thank-you messages maintain friendships and build goodwill.
Begin with good news.
Offer extra details.
End with emphasis on the receiver.

How can employees build lasting relationships with customers or clients?

A B C
Thanking them Discount Complimentary gifts
Thank them regularly Offer them discounts if Provide small “gift wit purchase”
for their business they order every month or over a certain amount
every quarter.
2 MAKING THE MOST OF APPRECIATION MESSAGES:

Thanking:
Say “thank you” in a timely manner

Exaggerated Language
Avoid exaggerated language that is not believable.

Specific Comments:
Make specific comments for what you are thankful
3 CONGRATULATORY
MESSAGES:
Congratulatory messages create positive
impressions and build goodwill

Begin by offering
congratulations.

Provide extra details

reflecting your sincerity.

End with emphasis on the

receiver.
Recommendation Messages

Recommendation messages provide accurate

performance documentation.
Identify the candidate and the job or benefit
sought.
Provide facts relevant to the position or benefit
sought.
Close with an offer of further information.

04
05 INQUIRIES AND REPLIES

Inquiry messages ask the receiver for

information.

Introduction: Begin with a specific question

or direct statement.

Body: Include adequate details and

additional questions.

Ending: End with clear directions for

the receiver.
06 REQUESTS AND
RESPONSES:
Request messages ask for information, approval,
permission, cooperation, or assistance. Response
messages provide opportunities to establish
goodwill and promote business.

State the major request in the first sentence or

subject line.

Make the request clear with additional details.

End courteously and close with an action request

 07 REPLY/
ANSWER INQUIRY

State the good news by answering

questions and emphasizing the you attitude.

Include any additional pertinent

information.

End with a goodwill statement.

08 ORDERS

Order messages ask for goods or

services, instructions, and indicate the
desired delivery date.

Use direct language.

Give complete details.
Include payment information and
shipping
THANK YOU FOR JOINING
TODAY'S CLASS.
• Required Reading: Read more about Positive and
neutral messages sent in Business Correspondence.
• Also read few samples to understand clearly.
• For queries, ask me in the next live session.