1. Good News and Neutral News Messages
Chapter 5
Good News and Neutral News Messages
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

2. Learning Objectives
Identify situations for which the good news strategy is appropriate.
Analyze good news and neutral news messages to verify that they reflect the six Cs of effective messages, acceptable message formats, and the good news strategy.
Prepare good news and neutral news messages by applying the CBO approach and the good news strategy.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

3. Good News and Neutral News Messages
Section 1: The Good News Strategy
Good News and Neutral News Messages
Thank-you
Congratulation
Recommendation
Inquiry and reply
Request and response
Order and acknowledgment
Routine claim and adjustment
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

4. Review the CBO Approach
Plan a Message
Identify the Objective
Visualize the Audience
Gather Supporting Information
Organize the Information
Compose a Draft
Choose Words
Construct Sentences
Assemble Paragraphs
Choose Paragraph Locations
Complete a Message
Proofread
Edit
Revise
Finalize
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

5. Identify the Objective
Plan
Determine a clear objective. Why are you preparing the message?
Open with the positive or neutral news. Compose the message so the receiver will want to continue reading the message and will react favorably.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

6. Visualize the Audience
Plan
Which message form is most appropriate?
Spoken
Written
Combination
Message Form
Permanency Level?
Message Difficulty?
Type of Feedback Wanted?
Feedback Needed When?
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

7. Visualize the Audience (continued)
Plan
Which transmission mode is most appropriate?
Face-to-face
Telephone
Memo or letter
Transmission Mode
Destinations?
Privacy?
Timeliness?
Cost?
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

8. Gather Supporting Information
Plan
Include enough detail to personalize your message.
Know your receiver’s background.
Age
Profession
Education
Culture
Choose appropriate words.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

9. Organize the Information
Plan
Prepare an outline. Organize your information in a logical order.
Follow the good news strategy.
State the good or neutral news first.
Add supporting details or descriptions.
End pleasantly.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

10. Compose a Draft Choose words reflecting the you attitude.
Construct sentences using the active voice.
Assemble paragraphs using clear topic sentences enhanced by supporting sentences.
Choose paragraph locations.
Open with the good news.
Follow with adequate details or descriptions.
Close with a goodwill statement.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

11. Complete a Message Proofread, edit, revise, and finalize.
Check your message.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

12. Good News Strategy Open with the good or neutral news.
Section 2: Good News and Neutral News Applications
Good News Strategy
Open with the good or neutral news.
Follow with adequate details or descriptions.
End pleasantly.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

13. Thank-You Messages
Thank-you messages lay a strong foundation for maintaining friendships and goodwill. Make the receiver feel important.
Begin with the good news about something specific.
Offer extra details about why you appreciate what the receiver did or said.
End with the emphasis on the receiver.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

14. Congratulatory Messages
Congratulatory messages usually are unexpected, and therefore, make a major impression and build goodwill quickly.
Offer congratulations for a specific accomplishment.
Provide details that clearly show your sincerity.
End with emphasis on the receiver and the achievement.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

15. Recommendation Messages
Write positive recommendation messages using the good news strategy.
Identify the candidate and the job or benefit.
Provide facts relevant to the position or benefit.
Close with an offer of further information.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

16. Inquiries and Replies
Inquiry messages ask the receiver for information about products or services.
Begin by clearly describing your request.
Include adequate details so the receiver can answer your inquiry.
End with clear directions so the receiver can respond.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

17. Inquiries and Replies (continued)
Reply messages answer inquiry messages preferably within five days.
Begin by answering the main question.
Include pertinent information.
End pleasantly and demonstrate the you attitude.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

18. Orders and Acknowledgments
Order messages ask for goods or services.
Use direct language to assure the seller you want to buy.
Give complete details to assist the seller in filling your order promptly and correctly.
Include payment information and shipping instructions.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

19. Orders and Acknowledgments (continued)
Acknowledgement messages confirm receipt of an order, provide information on delivery status, and encourage future orders.
Indicate that the product was sent or the service was approved.
Describe quality features of the product or service.
End by encouraging future orders.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

20. Routine Claims and Adjustments
Claims messages ask for adjustments.
Begin with a specific request for an adjustment.
Give a complete and concise description of the claim.
End courteously with a suggestion for prompt action.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

21. Routine Claims and Adjustments (continued)
Adjustment messages accept the validity of the claim.
Grant the request in the first sentence or subject line.
Provide necessary details about the adjustment.
End with a cordial, open invitation for future business.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

22. Requests and Responses
Request messages ask for information, approval, permission, cooperation, or assistance.
State the major request in the first sentence.
Make the request clear with additional details.
End courteously and indicate the action you expect.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

23. Requests and Responses(continued)
Response messages provide opportunities to establish goodwill and promote business.
Answer the request in the first sentence.
Include additional pertinent information.
End with a goodwill statement.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©