Writing that Works (2010). Oliu, Brusaw, & Alred Business Communications, MGT 309 University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Dos Stay in integrity Careful analysis of the situation! Adapt your medium to the message Choose the appropriate tone Take your time when writing Stay relevant Stay factual. Stay neutral No Pollyanna Be fair & reasonable Stay concise Assertive (avoid apology). Consult supervisor & legal advisors End positive Passive voice is okay.

+ Buffer - Positive words with neutral feel - Body – 3 sentences Sentence 1 – Positive words with a neutral feel Sentence 2 - Negative information. Sentence 3 - Positive words with a neutral feel – transition out. + Goodwill close Sandwich Construction + - +

Buffer – (Introduction) Sincere Express appreciation Relevant Not misleading Neutral Respectful Succinct Assertive Brief On point Buffer Statements: Thank your for participating in our competition. It was great to see you at the conference. The keynote speaker gave a fantastic presentation. ( hello)

Minimize the space allocated. Subordinate bad news in a complex or compound sentence. Embed the bad news in the middle of a paragraph or use parenthetical expressions. Use a condition statement (if, then) Tell what you will do, not what you wont do However, dont let the bad news get lost by overemphasizing the positive. State the Bad

Examples: Bad News using Positive Words Your account is in error. Corrections were made to your account. There will be a delay in your order. We will ship your order on the 15 th. I cant understand what you mean. Please clarify your request.

Positive Final Optimistic Sincere Confident Remember the end is a power position! Goodwill Close

When you have a reason the audience will accept, give the reason before the refusal. Then give the negative information Present an alternative End positive Downplay the emotion. Neutral tone. Organization: Negative message to clients/customers

Define the problem. Tell how it happened. Describe the options for fixing it. Recommend a solution & ask for action. Downplay the emotion. Neutral tone. Organization: Negative to superiors

Describe the problem. Present an alternative. As for input or action. Downplay the emotion. Neutral tone. Organization: Negative messages to peers and subordinates

Writing that Works (2010). Oliu, Brusaw, & Alred