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Business Communication: Building Critical Skills
Kitty O. Locker, Ohio State University
Steven Kyo Kaczmarek, Columbus State Community College
Kathryn Braun, Sheridan College
Informative and Positive Messages

E-Learning Session

  1. What's the best subject line for an informative or positive message? One that contains the basic information or good news.
    1. A subject line is the title of document.
    2. Subject lines are optional in letters; they're standard in memos.
    3. A good subject line meets three criteria. POWERPOINT SLIDE
      • CONCEPT CHECK True or False: Specificity in a subject line refers to how well it tells the reader essentially what the message is about. CONCEPT CHECK
  2. How should I organize informative and positive messages? Put the good news and a summary of the information first.
    1. Present informative and positive messages in the following order.
      • Give any good news and summarize the main points.
      • Give details, clarification, and/or background.
      • Present any negative elements-as positively as possible.
      • Explain any reader benefits.
      • Use a goodwill ending: positive, personal, and forward-looking.
          1. CONCEPT CHECK True or False: Putting the good news up front in a positive message is a form of you-attitude. CONCEPT CHECK
  3. When should I use reader benefits in informative and positive messages? When you want readers to view your policies and your organization positively.
    1. You don't need reader benefits in informative and positive messages when
      • You're presenting factual information.
      • The reader's attitude toward the information doesn't matter.
      • Stressing benefits may make the reader sound selfish.
      • The benefits are so obvious that to restate them insults the reader's intelligence.
    2. You do need reader benefits when
      • You are presenting policies.
      • You want to shape readers' attitudes toward the information.
      • Stressing benefits presents readers' motives positively.
      • Some of the benefits may not be obvious to readers.
          1. CONCEPT CHECK True or False: Using strong reader benefits in an informative or positive message guarantees that readers will respond positively to your message. CONCEPT CHECK
  4. What are the most common kinds of informative and positive messages? Transmittals, confirmations, summaries, adjustments, and thank-you notes.
    1. Even informative messages can be negative or persuasive depending on the situation; however, transmittals, confirmations, summaries, adjustments, and thank-you notes usually are informative or positive.
  5. How can PAIBOC help me write informative and positive messages? The PAIBOC questions help you examine the points your message should include.
    1. PAIBOC is a tool to help you probe the basic points for a solution. POWERPOINT SLIDE
  6. Go to the Self-Quizzes section if you would like to test your understanding of this module.




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