Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy Essentials of Business Communication 9e © 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved Chapter 7 Negative Messages

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved Communicating Bad News: Goals  Explaining clearly and concisely—to help receiver understand and accept the bad news  Projecting a professional image—to promote a positive image of yourself and your organization  Conveying empathy and sensitivity—to show respect for the receiver  Being fair—to show that the decision was impartial and rational  Maintaining friendly relations—to show your desire to continue relations with the receiver Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 2

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved  Disappointment  Irritation  Anger Common Reactions to Bad News  Delivery delay  Product recall  Credit refusal  Billing error  Price increase  Layoffs Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 3

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved How to Diminish Negative Feelings  Let the reader know the reasons for the rejection.  Reveal the bad news with sensitivity.  Disappointment  Irritation  Anger Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 4

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved Buffer Reasons Bad News Closing The Indirect Strategy  Use the indirect strategy when you care about how a message will affect the receiver. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 5  The indirect strategy prepares the reader before receiving the bad news, thus softening the impact of the bad news.

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved  Bad news is personally upsetting  Receiver will have a hostile reaction  Customer relations will be threatened  Bad news is unexpected When to Use the Indirect Strategy Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 6

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved  Facts  Understanding  Review  Apology Reasons Bad News Closing  Best news  Compliment  Appreciation  Agreement Buffer Possible Buffers Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 7

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved  Explain clearly.  Cite reader or other benefits, if possible.  Explain company policy, if relevant.  Choose positive words.  Show that the matter was treated seriously and fairly. Buffer Bad News ClosingReasons Presenting the Reasons Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 8

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved To reveal the bad news with sensitivity, apply the following techniques for cushioning the bad news: Buffer ReasonsClosing Bad News Revealing the Bad News Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 9  Avoid the spotlight.  Use a long sentence.  Place the bad news in a subordinate clause.  Be clear but not overly graphic.  Use passive-voice verbs.  Accentuate the positive.  Imply the refusal.  Suggest a compromise or alternative.

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved Avoid poor endings:  Cliché (We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.)  Insincere (We regret this with all our hearts.)  Inappropriate (We really screwed up.)  Self-serving (You made us feel so bad.) Options for personalizing the closing BufferReasons Bad News Closing Closing Pleasantly Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 10  A forward look  An alternative  Good wishes  Freebies  Resale or sales promotion

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved Start with a neutral statement on which both reader and writer can agree: Include a key idea or word that acts as a transition to the reasons. Reasons Bad News ClosingBuffer Writing Plan: Rejecting Requests Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 11  Compliment  Appreciation  Review of facts  Apology

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved  Present valid reasons for the refusal.  Avoid words that create a negative tone. Buffer Bad News ClosingReasons Writing Plan: Rejecting Requests Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 12

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved  Position the bad news strategically, using the passive voice, accentuating the positive, or implying a refusal.  Suggest a compromise, alternative, or substitute, if possible. BufferReasonsClosing Bad News Writing Plan: Rejecting Requests Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 13

© 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved  Renew good feelings with a positive statement.  Avoid referring to the bad news.  Include resale or sales promotion material, if appropriate.  Look forward to continued business. BufferReasons Bad News Closing Writing Plan: Rejecting Requests Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th EditionChapter 7, Slide 14

Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy Essentials of Business Communication 9e © 2013 Cengage Learning ● All Rights Reserved END