Lecture: 3

Qualities of a Good Business Communication: Good

Will Tone

Introduction: the tone of the message has

an effect on the person to whom it is
written.
Keep in mind the person to whom you are
writing.
The written message should not offend the
reader.
Remember, your letter is your ambassador.

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 Introduction, contd..
• Between the line or unwritten/unspoken
message is important – it is the tone of the
letter.
• Snide (sarcastic) remarks should be avoided.
• Good will is created through letters also.
• Definition of Good will: it is the value of the
business in access of its tangible asset.

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 Benefits of good will
• Holds current customers;
• Brings back old customers;
• Bring in new customers.
• Executives should apply the theory of good will in
business communication.
• Definition of Good Will Tone: it is the overall
unspoken courteous message that comes across
in a communication that promotes friendly
relations with customers and suppliers.

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 Guidelines to be followed to create
good will tone:
• 1. Identify the reader and write at his/her level.
• To do so, following guidelines should be followed
by the communicator:
• A. Pretend that you are sitting across the table.
• B. Create a mental image of the reader.
• C. Try to imagine what you would say and how
you would say it.
• D. Try to imagine what his/her reaction would be
if you were speaking in person.
• E. Try to write to one person, not to a crowd.

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 1. Identify the reader and write at
his/her level, contd..
• F. Avoid pompous (arrogant/snobbish) writing.
• G. Do not be too humble.
• H. Write at a neutral level.
To write neutrally, employ empathy.
• I. Avoid using difficult and technical words.
• J. Use shorter and more common words.
• K. Write straight forward or do eyeball to
eyeball exchange of ideas.

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 2. Use good Grammar

• A. Avoid poor grammar – it gives a negative

impression
• B. Avoid writing in non- standard English.
• It will give idea to the reader that, the writer is
uneducated or careless.
• C. Use of standard English will make good
impression and give people confidence in you.
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 3. Set Good Will Tone:
• Chief ways of setting Good Will Tone are as
follows:
• A. Write naturally: HOW?
• i. should be in proper frame of mind.
• ii. Let your reader understand that you are the
sort of person who can be liked and trusted.
• iii. Talk – do not write. Reflect good manner.
• iv. Avoid unnatural expression.
• v. Do not overuse the pronouns such as I and me.

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 Chief ways of setting Good Will
Tone, contd..
• B. Write courteously: HOW?
• i. Avoid making accusation.
• ii. Avoid asking awkward questions.
• iii. Avoid casting aspersion on the character of
the reader.
• Examples: you neglected to….; why haven’t you
given us all necessary details? You should have
realized what you were doing. What’s wrong
with your outfit?, You claim…
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 Chief ways of setting Good Will
Tone, contd..
• C. Be ethical: combination of honesty and sincerity can make a
writing ethical.

• D. Use a positive mental attitude: positive attitude pays positively.

• To write with a positive attitude, choose a positive statement over a
negative one.
• Avoid negative reference. Examples: instead of neglect, write
please and so on.

• E. Write from the ‘you viewpoint’: It brings the reader into the
picture.
• It gives communication a personal touch.
• It draws the attention of the reader quickly. Example: Your
university is here for you.

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 Chief ways of setting Good Will
Tone, contd..
• F. Watch your word connotations: writer must be concerned
with various associations and unspoken meaning a particular
word might bring to the reader’s mind.
• Euphemisms may be used to avoid unpleasant word
connotations.
• Euphemism is the substitution of an acceptable word or term
for a blunt expression.
• Example: instead of using ‘complaint department, we may
use customer service department.
• Instead of saying torture room, Paraguay’s dictators would
use the term ‘technical room’.
• Instead of saying ‘ your father was hanged’, one can say ‘ he
died when the platform collapsed’.

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 Chief ways of setting Good Will
Tone, contd..
• G. Be careful with humor and sarcasm: when
used acceptably, can be a very effective tool in
any communication process.
• Light humor is advisable.
• Avoid using heavy humor.
• It will make you a clown.
• Heavy humors sometimes become sarcasm.

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 Chief ways of setting Good Will
Tone, contd..
• H. Hold your temper: “cool down before you crack
down’.
• Following are few prescriptions to bring temper under
control:
• a. take time;
• b. meditate, take a deep breath;
• c. think of legal consequences of communicating while
you lose your temper;
• d. unload your anger on another person;
• e. think of health hazards of losing temper.
• I. Close in a good will tone

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 4. Prompt Answers
• Prompt Answers: how do you feel when you do
not receive any answer to a letter within a
reasonable time?
• It is advantageous to you and your business to
keep matters as current as possible.
• Letters should be answered within 24 to 48
hours.
• Sometimes there may be an understandable
reason for delaying an answer.
• If so, it is better sending a brief note explaining
the delay.
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• 5. Write/communicate based on the full
knowledge of the company policy.

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6. Use resale materials in business
letters:
• Use resale materials in business letters: resale in
business letter is anything that reinforces a
customer’s decision to do business with you and
encourages them to continue to do so.
• One type of resale is to assure the customer of
the wisdom of having made a purchase: “I am
sure you will get several years of undisturbed
service from our clock”.
• Resale can also be used at any time by including
promotional materials on items other than the
specific ones purchased.

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 7. Be careful about name
• Be careful about name(spelling, pronunciation,
and meaning): If one’s name is misspelled or
mispronounced, he will not take it lightly.
• One should be extra careful about foreign
names.
• McCarthy for example.
• For example, no va in Spanish means ‘does not
go’ or it does not run’.
• As a matter of fact, Chevrolet Nova did not sell in
Puerto Rico

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