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7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
7-1
CHAPTER 7: WRITING ROUTINE AND POSITIVE MESSAGES
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Chapter 7 focuses on writing effective routine messages by applying the three-step writing
process that was introduced in Chapters 3, 4, and 5. For a typical business employee, most
communication is about routine matters: direct requests, routine replies, positive messages, and
so forth. The direct approach is usually appropriate for these routine and positive messages.
Although most routine messages share common attributes, some differences exist, depending on
purpose. This chapter provides illustrations and suggestions for writing effective messages,
whether they are requests, replies, or goodwill messages.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Strategy for Routine Requests
Stating Your Request Up Front
Explaining and Justifying Your Request
Requesting Specific Action in a Courteous Close
Common Examples of Routine Requests
Asking for Information and Action
Asking for Recommendations
Making Claims and Requesting Adjustments
Strategy for Routine Replies and Positive Messages
Starting with the Main Idea
Providing Necessary Details and Explanation
Ending with a Courteous Close
Common Examples of Routine Replies and Positive Messages
Answering Requests for Information or Action
Granting Claims and Requests for Adjustment
Providing Recommendations and References
Sharing Routine Information
Announcing Good News
Fostering Goodwill
Sending Congratulations
Sending Messages of Appreciation
Offering Condolences
Chapter Review and Activities
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TEACHING NOTES
Strategy for Routine Requests
Making requests is a routine part of business and in most cases your audience will be prepared to
comply. Organize routine messages by including an opening, a body, and a close.
Begin by stating the request up front (first paragraph).
Pay attention to tone so that the request is not too abrupt or tactless.
Mention any benefits to the reader of complying with request.
Include any relevant deadlines.
Provide contact information so that you may be reached.
End with an expression of appreciation or goodwill.
Common Examples of Routine Requests
Asking for information or action
Asking for recommendations
Making claims and requesting adjustments
What you want to know or what you want readers to know
When asking for recommendations:
recommendation.
Close by expressing appreciation and including the name and contact information for the
person who will receive the recommendation.
When making claims (a formal complaint) and requesting adjustments (the settlement of a
claim):
Explain the problem and give details.
7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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Strategy for Routine Replies and Positive Messages
To communicate the information or good news
To answer all questions
Start with the main idea.
Answering requests for information and action
Granting claims and requests for adjustments
When answering requests for information or action:
When granting claims and requests for an adjustment, a writer should assume the information
Specific response will vary based on company policy and whether the company, customer, or a
Acknowledge receipt of the customer’s claim or complaint.
Sympathize with the customer’s inconvenience or frustration.
Maintain a professional demeanor by avoiding the following:
Don’t blame anyone in your organization by name.
Don’t make exaggerated apologies that sound insincere.
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Don’t promise more than you can deliver.
The candidate’s full name
The position or other objective the candidate is seeking
Companies can send effective informative messages by:
Using the opening to state the purpose and briefly mention the nature of the information
you’re providing
To write a successful news release, follow the customary pattern for a positive message: good
news followed by details and a positive close. However, you’re not writing directly to the
Business employees can enhance their relationships with customers, colleagues, and other
Send congratulations for promotions or attaining a new civic position. Immediately refer to the
Send messages of appreciation to document someone’s contributions (a sincere thank-you
offer “life advice” or trite sayings.
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OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES STUDENTS OFTEN FACE
linear.
Some class members will oppose following a pattern for organization. Remind students that the
pattern provides a starting point. The writer still has ample opportunity for including a
personalized tone, the specifics of a specific situation, and so forth. Also emphasize that
pattern.
Although studying good examples will help many students, studying bad examples can also be
an effective teaching tool. If only good examples are reviewed, students may not be able to
appreciate just what constitutes an ineffective message. For any example discussed in class, be
Students often have a difficult time getting to the main point in the first paragraph. Although
most will identify the topic in the first paragraph, they may not get to the actual main idea until
message.
Because of limited business experience, students will often use abstract words and phrases
particular situation.
Claim letters and requests for adjustment also pose challenges for students. Explain that these
requests should be treated as routine business activities and thus should use the direct
organizational pattern. Stress the need to open with a courteous, specific request for what they
Share with the class some personal examples of what happens when former students contact you
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SUGGESTED CLASSROOM EXERCISES
1. Analyzing messages. Provide students with examples of routine, positive, and goodwill
2. Preparing letter openings. Getting to the point is sometimes a challenge for writers. Assign
write on their own for a few minutes and then discuss their answers. Project suggested
rewrites for student comparison.
3. Preparing letter closings. Assign an exercise in which students write just the last paragraph
Project suggested rewrites during class discussion. Remind students to avoid out-of-date
phrases.
4. Preparing routine, good-news, and goodwill messages. As class exercises, assign case
scenarios in which students plan, write, and complete a routine request, a routine response, a
profile, identify an organizational pattern, and identify information to be included. While
students are working, move around the room and provide constructive comments about
5. Providing constructive feedback to classmates. Lead a class discussion in which you generate
a list of evaluation points that can be used to give a writer feedback about a routine, good-
news, or goodwill message. (This list will be very similar to the evaluation points you are
using when grading student writing.) Ask students to exchange printed documents of
messages they have written. Each student then critiques the message for all the evaluation
points on the list, uses proofreading marks as appropriate, and provides feedback to the
7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
7-1. When asking a series of questions in a request, the writer should (1) ask the most important
7-2. Because your readers will be interested or neutral, you can use the direct approach for most
7-3. If your routine message is mixed and must convey mildly disappointing information, put
AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-4. When writing a goodwill message, you sound more sincere if you avoid exaggeration and
7-5. When writing a condolence message, keep it short, simple, and sincere. (LO 7.4; AACSB
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
7-6. Before risking your own job status by making a public or even a private fuss over this
problem, review the messages you’ve been sending Jackson. Do they begin with a direct
questions?) If you’ve followed these guidelines, then you’ll want to take another look at
the body of your requests. Could you make the information clearer by numbering points, or
should be your last resort. First, be sure that you’ve done all you can to make it easy for
him to comply with your requests. (LO 7.2; AACSB Tag: Written and oral
communication)
7-7. It’s usually best to avoid an outright apology. Yet, you should not avoid taking responsibility
(LO 7.4; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-8. Since your opinion is that the employee did an admirable job, you should write the letter
but ask the individual to provide you with a synopsis of the projects he or she completed
7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS
Exercises for Perfecting Your Writing
7-9. Thank you for ordering a High Country backpack. To ensure the accuracy of your order,
(LO 7.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-10. We are sorry for the inconvenience you experienced with your lost luggage. Please email
(LO 7.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-11. We’ve had the opportunity to review your résumé and would like to invite you to interview
request) (LO 7.3; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-12. Please attend our special, by-invitation-only 40% off sale on November 9. (LO 7.3;
7-13. You’ll receive a tote bag and a free MP3 player with every $100 donation to our radio
7-14. The director plans to attend the meeting on Monday at 10:50 a.m. (LO 7.3; AACSB Tag:
7-15. Paul Eccelson reviewed newer types of order forms at today’s meeting. If you have
7-16. Since a face-to-face meeting would be practical in this case, that would be the best medium
7-17. An email would be an efficient and effective medium to use, as long as your tone and
7-18. This message is likely to elicit a negative response. Even with the explanation that the
7-19. It would be best to use the indirect approach. A buffer followed by a brief explanation of
7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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7-20. Please call to schedule an appointment by May 15. This will allow sufficient time to order
Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-21. Please send your catalog by December 1 so that I can plan my Christmas purchases. I look
communication)
7-22. To schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable local mortgage specialists,
oral communication)
Activities
7-23. The tone and wording of the message are unprofessional and negative (e.g., “I’m fed up,”
“I don’t have time”) and the focus is misplaced. Instead of dealing primarily with the
improved version is below:
As the owner of a small construction company, I need an accounting firm that is
(LO 7.2; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-24. The message is wordy and poorly organized, and the tone is condescending. Since the
customer is likely to be unhappy already because of the ongoing service problems, it would
improved version is below:
Thank you for your recent email request for technical support related to your cable
some additional information.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
(LO 7.2; AACSB Tag: Written and oral communication)
7-25. This letter has many weaknesses, including the following:
This letter of recommendation takes too long to get to the point. It provides very little
useful information and lacks objectivity. The message begins with a lengthy and
The name of the job candidate isn’t even mentioned until the end of the paragraph.
7: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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The tone is offensive and egotistical, implying that the reader should have written to the
human resources director in the first place, not to the president of the company.
Nothing is said about the reader’s right to receive the information. The letter reveals
The tone of the rewritten letter should be professional and not chatty. The rewritten letter
should end on a positive, helpful note. (Offering an alternative is a good idea.)
Here is an improved version of this letter:
April 18, 2013
Ms. Jennifer Hales
E & M Computer Systems, Inc.
1010 Clear Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0B1 Canada
Dear Ms. Hales:
2011.
dated.
If you have additional questions about this procedure, please contact me at the numbers
above or via email: atnikko@eandm.ca.
Sincerely,
Abe Nikko
Director, Human Resources
PR:rc
7-26. The tone of the letter is too informal, and the organization is poor. Since the letter is a
positive message, the main idea should appear at the beginning. The writer also blames
employees by name in explaining what caused the delay.
