1. Chapter 6 Bad News Messages
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

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

3. Section 1: The Bad News Strategy
Bad News Messages
Follow the CBO approach and bad news strategy to prepare the following types of refusal messages:
Requests
Recommendations
Adjustments
Credits
Orders
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

4. Apply the CBO Approach Plan a message. Compose a draft.
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. Plan a Message Identify the objective. Visualize the audience.
Maintain goodwill.
Show a benefit or suggest an alternative.
Visualize the audience.
Know the receiver’s profile.
Recognize the sensitivity of the situation.
Anticipate the receiver’s reaction.
Gather supporting information.
Choose relevant facts.
Know your receiver’s background.
Organize the information.
Use the indirect pattern.
Apply the five-part bad news strategy.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

6. Compose a Draft Begin with a neutral or pleasant statement.
Begin with a buffer.
Choose words carefully.
Avoid misleading the receiver.
Explain the reason(s) for the referral.
Explain why you cannot do what the receiver wants.
Use the passive voice to avoid sounding accusatory.
State or imply the refusal.
State the refusal concisely.
State what can be done rather than what cannot be done.
Avoid negative words.
Offer an alternative solution or action.
Offer a constructive suggestion, substitute, counterproposal, or alternate course of action.
Explain how the receiver may benefit.
End with a positive, friendly statement.
Conclude with a positive statement.
Avoid trite expressions.
Close with action required by the receiver.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

7. Complete a Message Proofread. Edit. Revise. Finalize.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

8. Bad News Messages Requests Recommendations Adjustments Credits Orders
Section 2: Bad News Applications
Bad News Messages
Requests
Recommendations
Adjustments
Credits
Orders
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

9. Request Refusals
A request refusal is written when a business must refuse a request for contributions, use of facilities, preferential treatment, or special discounts.
Begin with a pleasant or neutral statement that relates to the receiver.
Give at least one reason for the refusal.
Imply or state the refusal.
Offer a helpful solution or suggestion.
End positively without reference to the refusal.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

10. Recommendations
Consider the following three options for providing poor recommendation messages:
Inform the person who made the request why you cannot provide a positive response.
Provide only employment dates and omit references to poor performance or unsatisfactory evaluations.
Prepare and transmit an unfavorable written recommendation using the bad news strategy.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

11. Adjustment Refusals
When you cannot make the requested adjustment, follow the bad news strategy to write an adjustment refusal.
Begin with a pleasant, relevant statement.
Give a factual basis for the refusal.
Imply or state an impersonal refusal.
Include a resale statement and/or an offer to help.
End pleasantly.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

12. Credit Refusals
A credit refusal for a loan, credit card, extended line of credit, or credit purchase should apply the bad news strategy.
Begin with a pleasant, timely buffer.
Give reasons for the refusal.
Imply or state the refusal.
Make a counterproposal.
End with attention on the receiver’s benefits.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©

13. Order Refusals
Write an order refusal message when you are unable to fulfill or ship an order in a timely manner.
Begin with a buffer.
Ask for needed information for incomplete orders; give a reason for delayed and unfilled orders.
State or imply the delay plan or the refusal.
Offer a resale or an alternative solution.
End with a positive statement.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 11th ed., Brantley & Miller 2008©