BAD NEWS MESSAGES
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Your goal is to create and maintain goodwill
toward your organization.
Plans For Bad News Messages
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Indirect plan
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Direct plan
Indirect Plan
1.
Buffer
2.
Explanation and analysis of circumstances
3.
Decisions implied or expressed with helpful suggestions
4.
Friendly positive close
Direct Plan
1.
Bad news decision
2.
Explanation
3.
Appropriate courteous ending
"Bad News" Response to
Request/Complaint Letters
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When you are through writing the letter, make sure the message that you
cannot grant the request is Don't deliver the bad news in the opening
paragraph.
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Always try to tell what you CAN do before you say what you CAN'T do.
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Explain the WHY before you deliver the bad news. For many readers, once
they see the NO they don't pay attention to the WHY.
Remember that a major goal is to maintain a positive relationship with the
reader. Do whatever you can to help the reader understand and accept your
message.
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When you are through writing the letter, make sure the message that you
cannot grant the request is clear.
"Bad News" letter format (usually
three or four paragraphs)
1.
Opening paragraph: show appreciation for the reader, but don't
deliver the "bad news" here. This is your buffer paragraph.
2.
Middle: give the reasons why you cannot grant the request--then
deliver the bad news. This is the hard part of the letter to write.
Remember that your goal is to help the reader understand and accept
your decision. Try to state the refusal in a positive way. Sometimes
you can soften the blow by inferring the bad news and still leave a
clear understanding with the reader.
3.
Closing paragraph. If at all possible, state something you CAN do for the
reader in the closing. In any case, provide the reader with a suggested action
to remedy the situation. Close with a positive statement.
When writing the letter, your
objectives should focus on
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Minimizing damage to the relationship: Bad , news should not define the
relationship.
Showing that the decision is fair and reasonable: Imagine yourself in the
reader’s shoes, and try to offer the best explanation possible.
Stating the bad news clearly and firmly:
Opening should have a buffer to minimize any damage to the relationship.
Use a positive or neutral opening to maintain goodwill.
Body should include reasons to help the reader see it from your point of
view. You want to show that you are being both fair and reasonable. Be
clear and firm about the bad news, but also be brief, positive, and low key
about it.
Closing should contain an appropriate gesture of goodwill, and perhaps a
potential solution for the reader’s problem.
Good News Messages
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State the good or neutral news..
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End pleasantly.
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Provide adequate details or descriptions
Examples of Good News Messages
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Thank-you messages
Congratulatory messages
Inquiries and replies
Requests and responses
Orders and acknowledgments
Routine claims and adjustments
Visualize the Audience
Answer these questions to help visualize your
audience:
 Who is my target audience?
 What characteristics do I know or what can I learn
about my target audience that will help me prepare
the message?
 When will the audience receive the message?
 Where will the audience members be when they
receive the message?
 Why will the audience be interested in the message?
 How can I learn more about my target audience
Organize the Information
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Prepare an outline using the good news strategy.
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The good news strategy is based on the direct pattern.
 Message objective
 Supporting information
 Closing information
Compose a Draft Using the Good
News Strategy
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State the good or neutral news.
 Place the good news at the beginning.
 Avoid vague expressions.
 Check for the seven Cs of effective messages.
 Provide adequate details or descriptions.
 Give enough details to ensure clarity.
 Include ideas that are helpful to the receiver.
 Present information that will promote sales.
 End pleasantly.
 Conclude with a positive statement.
Proofread.
2. Edit.
3. Revise.
4. Finalize
1.
Thank-You Message
Examples of Key Sentences
Begin with the good news.
Thank you for volunteering during Walk in the Park, the annual
fundraiser for the Hampton Historical Society.
Offer extra details.
This year’s Walk in the Park raised $47,530 for the preservation and
renovation fund.
End with emphasis on the receiver.
Julie, you are a great volunteer; I look forward to working with you
next year.
Apply the good news strategy
Congratulatory Messages
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Begin by offering congratulations for a specific
accomplishment.
Provide extra details that clearly show your sincerity.
End with emphasis on the receiver.
Congratulatory Messages
Examples of Key Sentences
Offer congratulations for a specific accomplishment.
Congratulations on your recent promotion.
Provide extra details that clearly show your sincerity.
You will be an excellent team supervisor.
End with emphasis on the receiver.
Jacqueline, please plan to attend the monthly supervisors’ meeting on
October 14. A copy of the agenda is attached.