WRITING NEGATIVE MESSAGES CHAPTER SIX NEGATIVE MESSAGES CONVEY

WRITING NEGATIVE MESSAGES CHAPTER SIX

NEGATIVE MESSAGES • CONVEY THE BAD NEWS • GAIN ACCEPTANCE (OF THE BAD NEWS) • MAINTAIN AS MUCH GOODWILL AS POSSIBLE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE • MAINTAIN A GOOD IMAGE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION • REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR FUTURE CORRESPONDENCE ON THE MATTER (IF APPROPRIATE)

WHEN TO USE DIRECT & INDIRECT APPROACH DIRECT • WHEN THE NEGATIVE NEWS WILL BE DISAPPOINTING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY A SHOCK • WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE PREFERS THE BAD NEWS FIRST • WHEN THE SCENARIO IS MINOR OR ROUTINE • WHEN YOU NEED TO GET THE READER’S ATTENTION INDIRECT • WHEN THE NEGATIVE NEWS MAY COME AS A SHOCK • WHEN THE READER HAS AN EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT IN THE SITUATION OR THE CONSEQUENCES TO THE READER ARE CONSIDERABLE • WHEN YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE READER

HOW? DIRECT • OPENS WITH A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE BAD NEWS • PROCEEDS TO LIST THE REASONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE NEGATIVE DECISION • CLOSES WITH A POSITIVE INDIRECT • COVERS THE MORE POSITIVE POINTS FIRST BEFORE MOVING TO THE LESS POSITIVE ONES • PROVIDES REASONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHEN GIVING YOUR REASONS FOR THE BAD NEWS • PROVIDES ENOUGH DETAIL FOR STATEMENT AIMED AT YOUR AUDIENCE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR REASONS MAINTAINING A GOOD • AVOIDS HIDING BEHIND COMPANY RELATIONSHIP POLICY

WRITING PERSUASIVE MESSAGES CHAPTER SEVEN

REMEMBER THE THREE STEP MODEL • PLAN • WRITE • COMPLETE

THE FOUR STRATEGIES OF EFFECTIVE PERSUASION • FRAMING YOUR ARGUMENTS • BALANCING EMOTIONAL AND LOGICAL APPEALS • REINFORCING YOUR POSITION • ANTICIPATING OBJECTIONS

FRAMING THE ARGUMENT - THE AIDA MODEL • ATTENTION • INTEREST • DESIRE • ACTION

ATTENTION • YOUR FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO ENCOURAGE YOUR AUDIENCE TO WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM, IDEA, OR NEW PRODUCT - WHATEVER YOUR MAIN IDEA IS. BE SURE TO FIND SOME COMMON GROUND ON WHICH TO BUILD YOUR CASE.

INTEREST • PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS THAT PROMPT AUDIENCE MEMBERS TO IMAGINE HOW THE SOLUTION MIGHT BENEFIT THEM.

DESIRE • HELP AUDIENCE MEMBERS EMBRACE YOUR IDEA BY EXPLAINING HOW THE CHANGE WILL BENEFIT THEM AND ANSWERING POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS.

ACTION • SUGGEST THE SPECIFIC ACTION YOU WANT YOUR AUDIENCE TO TAKE. INCLUDE A DEADLINE, WHEN APPLICABLE.

BALANCING EMOTIONAL & LOGICAL APPEALS EMOTION • INVOKE FEELINGS & LOGIC • USE LOGIC TO ALLOW EMOTIONS OF AUDIENCE TO FIND RATIONAL • BE CAREFUL TO REMAIN SUPPORT FOR AN ARGUMENT ETHICAL THEY HAVE ALREADY EMBRACED EMOTIONALLY

EXAMPLE • HIRE MY CONSULTING COMPANY AND WE WILL IMPROVE THINGS SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RETRENCH STAFF- THE EMOTIONAL APPEAL • HIRE MY CONSULTING FIRM AND WE WILL IMPROVE YOUR PROFITABILITY BY SHOWING YOU HOW TO WORK SMARTER – THE RATIONAL EXPLANATION

REINFORCING YOUR POSITION • CONSIDER HOW TO REINFORCE YOUR POSITION • USE METAPHORS, PAINT A PICTURE

ANTICIPATING OBJECTIONS • ANTICIPATE OBJECTIONS AND DEAL WITH THEM • SHOW ALL SIDES • GIVE OTHER SOLUTIONS FIRST • INVOLVE THE AUDIENCE

CRAFTING MESSAGES FOR ELECTRONIC & SOCIAL MEDIA CHAPTER EIGHT

ELECTRONIC MEDIA – MANY OPTIONS • E-MAIL • WEBSITES, BLOGS, WIKI’S • INSTANT MESSAGING

ELECTRONIC MEDIA – PROLIFERATION OF PLATFORMS • WHATSAPP, WECHAT, BBM, CHATON ETC • TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST • YOU TUBE, FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN,

CAUTIONS • LAW MAY REQUIRE HARD COPY/PRINT • SPAM • LOST IN THE FLOOD • FORMALITY

EFFECTIVE E-MAIL MESSAGES • USE THREE STEP PROCESS • (BUSINESS) E-MAIL IS MUCH MORE FORMAL • CONSEQUENCES OF POOR JUDGMENT OR WRITING • AN EMAIL IS THE SAME AS A PRINTED DOCUMENT • E-MAIL SIGNATURES • E-MAIL POLICY

WRITING EFFECTIVE E-MAILS • (SEMI) FORMAL STYLE • IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT LINE • IS THE MAIL NECESSARY? • THINK BEFORE YOU CC • KEEP EMOTIONS UNDER CONTROL • STYLE

INSTANT MESSAGING (TEXT/SMS) ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES • RAPID RESPONSE • SECURITY • LOW COST • DIFFICULTY IN STORING/LOGGING • MIMICS CONVERSATION MORE CLOSELY • INCOMPATIBILITY ISSUES • WIDE AVAILABILITY • NEEDS AUTHENTICATION • LESS MISUSE (IN THE PAST) • GROWING MISUSE

EFFECTIVE IM • DO NOT SEND CONFIDENTIAL CONTENT UNLESS ON SECURE SYSTEM • MAKE YOURSELF UNAVAILABLE IF NECESSARY • BE CAREFUL OF PERSONAL CONTENT • MAKE SURE THERE IS A REASON TO SEND THE MESSAGE

BUSINESS BLOGGING • ALLOWS PERSONAL STYLE & AUTHENTIC VOICE • ALLOWS RAPID DISSEMINATION OF NEW INFORMATION • ENCOURAGES AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION • CHOOSE RELEVANT TOPICS

SOME USES OF BLOGGING • COMPANY NEWS • CRISES COMMUNICATION • RECRUITMENT • CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES • MARKETING & PR • BRAND BUILDING • TACKLE ISSUES FACING INDUSTRY

ADAPTING THE THREE STEP MODEL TO A BLOG • PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR AUDIENCE, YOUR PURPOSE, AND YOUR SCOPE • CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE INFORMATION YOU ARE INCLUDING (OTHERS COULD LINK TO IT MONTHS OR YEARS FROM NOW) • EVALUATE THE CONTENT AND READABILITY OF YOUR MESSAGE - WRITE IN A COMFORTABLE, PERSONAL STYLE • SUCCESSFUL BLOG CONTENT ALSO NEEDS TO BE INTERESTING, VALUABLE TO READERS, AND AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE • COMPLETING MESSAGES FOR BLOGS IS QUITE EASY IF YOU EVALUATE THE CONTENT AND READABILITY OF YOUR MESSAGE, PROOFREAD TO CORRECT ANY ERRORS, AND POST USING YOUR BLOGGING SYSTEM’S TOOLS FOR DOING SO

WHAT IS A WIKI? • A WIKI IS AN ONLINE RESOURCE (USUALLY A WEBSITE) WHERE ARTICLES, DOCUMENTS OR ANY SOURCE OF INFORMATION CAN BE DEVELOPED COLLABORATIVELY BY A COMMUNITY OF USERS, ALLOWING ANY USER TO ADD AND EDIT CONTENT. WIKIS ARE A GREAT WAY FOR TEAMS AND OTHER GROUPS TO COLLABORATE ON WRITING PROJECTS. WIKIS PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO POST NEW OR REVISED MATERIAL WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL. • BBA YEAR 1 BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS STUDY GUIDE PAGE 105

TIPS FOR WRITING WIKI’S • DON’T EXPECT TO BE RECOGNISED AS THE AUTHOR • FOLLOW EXISTING STYLE AND FORMAT (USE TEMPLATE) • PRACTICE IN THE “SANDBOX”

SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS