McGraw-Hill/Irwin McGraw-Hill/Irwin

2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All Rights Reserved Copyright 2013 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Chapter 09
Sharing Informative and Positive Messages with Appropriate Technology
Overview Purposes Communication Hardware Information Overload Common Media Organizing Subject Lines Managing Information Audience Benefits Ending Varieties
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Informative and Positive Messages

@ Informative message - receivers reaction neutral @ Positive message - receivers reaction positive @ Neither message immediately asks receiver to do anything

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Primary Purposes
@ To give information or good news to audience @ To have receiver view information positively

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Secondary Purposes
@ To build good image of sender @ To build good image of senders organization @ To build good relationship between sender and receiver @ To deemphasize any negative elements @ To eliminate future messages on same subject
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Communication Hardware
@ These tools help improve productivity in the workplace
Smartphones Portable media players Videoconferencing

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Information Overload
@ Employees are bombarded with junk mail, sales calls, spam, and other ads @ Even routine communications are becoming overwhelming

WARNING: Protect your communication reputation!

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Common Media: Face-to-Face Contact

@ Use face-to-face contact to
Visit a colleague Build a business relationship Save multiple calls or e-mails Engage in dialogue or negotiation Acquire something immediately Avoid leaving a paper trail Increase visual and aural cues
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Common Media: Phone Calls

@ Use phone calls to
Convey appropriate tone Save multiple phone calls or e-mails Acquire something immediately Avoid leaving a paper trail

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Common Media: Instant Messages and Text Messages

@ Use IMs and TMs to
Be less intrusive (than visit or phone call) Ask questions on tasks that fellow colleagues are working on Leave a communication trail
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Common Media: Wikis

@ Use Wikis to
Bookmark and summarize web pages Upload drafts of working documents Create new entries about workplace practices
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Common Media: Social Media

@ Use social media to Connect with many users quickly Connect inexpensively Post profiles, updates, blogs, useful links @ Four common types Facebook Twitter Blogs LinkedIn
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Common Media: Letters/Memos

@ Use letters to
Send messages to people outside your organization

@ Use memos to
Send messages to people within your organization

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Common Media: E-mail

@ Use e-mail to
Accomplish routine business activities Save time Save money Allow readers to deal with messages at their convenience Communicate accurately Provide details for reference Create a paper trail
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Organizing Informative and Positive Messages

@ Start with good news or the most important information @ Clarify with details, background @ Present any negative points positively @ Explain any benefits @ Use a goodwill ending
Positive Personal Forward-looking
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Subject Lines
@ Serves three purposes
Aids in filing, retrieving Tells readers why they should read Sets up framework for message

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Subject Lines, continued

@ Specific
Differentiate message from others on same topic

@ Concise
Usually less than 35 characters

@ Appropriate for the pattern of message

Must meet situation and purpose

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Subject Lines, continued

@ @ @ @ @ Specific, concise, and catchy Include important information/good news Name drop to make connection Make e-mail sound easy to deal with Create new subject line for reply when
Original becomes irrelevant Re: Re: Re: Re: appears

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Managing Information in Messages

@ Give audience information they need @ Consider your purpose @ Develop a system that lets people know what is new if you send out regular messages @ Use headings and bullets in long e-mails

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Managing Information in Messages, continued

@ Put the most vital information in e-mails, even if you send an attachment @ Check message for accuracy and completeness @ Remember e-mails are public documents

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Audience Benefits
@ Use audience benefits when
Presenting policies Shaping audiences attitudes Stressing benefits presents the audiences motives positively Introducing benefits that may not be obvious

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Audience Benefits, continued

@ Omit benefits when
Presenting factual information ONLY Considering audiences attitude toward information does not matter Stressing benefits makes audience seem selfish Restating them may insult audiences intelligence

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Ending
@ Not all messages end same way @ Goodwill ending focuses on bond between reader, writer
Treats reader as individual Contains you-attitude, positive emphasis Omits standard invitation
Ex: If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call.

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Varieties: Transmittals
@ Tell reader what you're sending @ Summarize main points @ Give details to help reader grasp message @ Tell reader what will happen next

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Varieties: Summaries
@ Conversation summary (internal use)
Identify
People who were present Topic of discussion Decisions made Who does what next

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Varieties: Summaries, continued

@ Document summary
Start with main point Give supporting evidence or details Evaluate document if audience wants such advice

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Summaries, continued
@ Client / customer visit summary
1. Put main point (in your companys view) in first 2. Use umbrella paragraph; name points 3. Give details to support your conclusions; use lists, headings to make structure clear

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Varieties: Thank-You Notes

@ Make people willing to help you later @ May be short; must be prompt @ Must be specific to seem sincere

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Varieties: Positive Responses to Complaints

@ Mention rectification in first sentence @ Dont talk about decision making process @ Dont say anything that sounds grudging @ Give reasons for mistake only if it reflects responsibly on the company
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