BUS COM EXAM 2
Subject line
- Summarizes the main idea - -Aids in quick comprehension - Complete sentence not required: does not end with a period - Ok to abbreviate, eliminate articles (a, an, the) - Ok to revise when topic is changed through reply - Add a verb and/be more specific
Organizing a persuasive DIRECT request
- consider asking immediately for the information or service you want - give your audience all of the information they will need to act on your request - Ask for the action you want
Organizing a persuasive PROBLEM SOLVING message
- gaining attention - build interest - summarize any additional benefits - elicit desire and reduce resistance - motivate action
Frequent uses of blogs
- marketing and public relations (consumer feedback/market research) - Crisis Communications - Create online communications - indicator of company culture - Can be a source of secondary research when investigating job opportunities if it is available to the public.
getting them to think it's their idea
- seems manipulative yet is a type of persuasion - ok if it's done for good instead of evil - sometimes have to swallow your pride
Direct negative message
- when bad news is not damaging - when the receiver may overlook the bad news - when the organization or receiver prefers directness - when firmness is necessary
Indirect negative message
- when bad news is personally upsetting - when the bad news will provoke a hostile reaction - when the bad news threatens the customer relationship - when the bad news is unexpected
Top Ten Email Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Career
1) Responding when angry 2) Making address goofs 3) Forgetting a subject line or failing to change it to math the thread. 4) Not personalizing your message 5) Including inappropriate content 6) Forgetting to check for spelling and grammar 7) Thinking no one else will ever see your email 8) Copying and forwarding recklessly 9) Completing the To line first 10) expecting an instant response
Read, understand, and accept
3 things that you want a reader to do with a negative message
1) Buffer 2) Reasons 3) Bad News 4) Closing
4 steps of a negative indirect message...
1) gain attention 2) build interest 3) reduce resistance 4) motivate action
4 steps to organizing a persuasive message
- establish credibility - make a reasonable, precise request - tie facts to benefits - recognize the power of loss - expect and overcome resistance - share solutions and compromise
6 Effective persuasion techniques
A Standard Form of Communcation
Wikis
A central location where shared documents can be viewed and revised by multiple individuals.
1) Buffer 2) Reasons 3) Bad News 4) Closing
Amber will be writing a bad-news letter to a customer and wants to follow the four-part indirect plan. In what order should she organize her letter?
Recognition Responsibility Remorse Restitution Repeating
Apologies: The 5 Rs
Appropriate for short messages
Be aware: Permanent Record
saves reader time sets the proper frame of mind prevents frustration
Benefits of frontloading
- a permanent record is required. - confidentiality is paramount. - formality and sensitivity are essential.
Business letters are preferred over e-mail messages when
Wikis
Can be a public or private web site
Wikis
Can replace some meetings
B
Chavi has decided that she must apologize to a customer in her buffer. Which of the following is the best example of an effective apology? a) We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. b) You have every right to be concerned, and we sincerely apologize for the delay in filling your order. c) We regret that you were not happy with the situation. d) We are sorry and admit that we are completely responsible and take full legal responsibility for this situation.
Just 1
For ease of comprehension and ease of filing, how many topics are allowed in an email.
Guide Words
From Date To Subject(Required)!!!
- saves the reader time - sets the proper frame of mind - prevents frustrations
Frontloading benefits
Wikis
Great Project Management Tools
selfless, specific, sincere, spontaneous, and short
Guffy's 5 S's of Goodwill messages
Email Components
Guide words Opening Body Closing
1) start with good news or the most important information 2) give details, clarification, background 3) present any negative elements (as positively as possible) 4) explain any benefits 5) close with action request and a goodwill ending (make it easy for the reader to comply. Positive, personal, forward-looking)
How to organize positive messages...
distractions and security concerns
IM and Texting cons
threatening
Less effective than persuasion is...
Wikis
Linked to a database (stores previous versions)
Update your subject line to reflect the current topic in a thread of messages.
Maya will be using e-mail on the job and wants to learn how to write effective subject lines. What is the best advice you can give her?
Microblog
persuading
Much of your success in business depends on how well skill you are at....
-give them the bad news -reader reads, understands, and accepts -reduce or minimize need for further communication -creates goodwill
Negative message objectives
Not appropriate for sensitive, confidential or lengthy documents as an attachment.
Blogs
Online Journals
1) attachment 2) body 3) subject line 4) address
Order of composing an email...
Blogs
Others can comment
prewrite gain attention (opening) build interest elicit desire and reduce resistance motivate action (closing)
Persuasive Requests, Direct Mail, Email Sales Messages Summary/Checklist
less than two minutes
Respond immediately to emails if it will take...
twice a day
Respond to emails...
1) Gain attention 2) build interest 3) reduce resistance 4) motivate action
Sales letters usually follow which organizational pattern?
yes, but not the specific negative
Should I include a subject line in a negative message?
1) Attachment 2) Message Body 3) Subject 4) Address
Suggested Order for Composing Email Messages
-opening -closing
The most emphatic positions...
Concentrated at the beginning of the release
The most important information in a news release should be..
employment rejection letter
This type of negative message is intentionally vague...
greeting/salutation and signature block
Two components that are required in an email message and not in a memo...
Blogs
Typically written by one person
- show sensitivity to your reader. - enables you to keep the reader's attention until you have been able to explain the reasons for the bad news. - softens the impact of the bad news.
Using the indirect pattern to prepare the reader in a bad-news message
Blogs
Web site with journal entries (posts)
Close with something forward looking that assumes future business.
What is the best advice for closing a bad-news letter?
Try to keep the total message under three screens in length.
What is the best advice for formatting an email message?
Please send me information about your Mission Hill office furniture line
What is the best opening sentence for an e-mail message that requests information about office furniture?
Do I really need to write this email or memo?
What is the first thing your should as your self when analyzing a writing task?
In the closing
Where should deadlines and action information be placed in a routine business letter?
C
Which is the most effective statement in a letter to a customer about an order for which the customer has not yet paid? a) We cannot ship your order until we receive your payment. b) Your order will be canceled unless we receive your payment right away. c) As soon as we receive your payment, we will ship your order. d) What are you, a deadbeat?
B
Which of the following is an appropriate statement when saying no to job applicants? a) Other candidates were much more experienced with the software that is used in our organization. b) We appreciate your interest in our company and wish you every success in your job search. c) I am sorry to inform you that you were not selected for the position of food services management trainee. d) Even though you were a top candidate for the position, we're sorry to say that someone else was selected.
Please send your time sheet to me by August 31.
Which of the following is the most effective closing for an e-mail message?
- produce a permanent record - more confidential - conveys a sense of formality, sensitivity - can deliver persuasive messages
Why are business letters still needed?
Contributions are published and give credit where credit is due.
Wiki Cautions
a business letter
advantage of is that it provides a permanent record.
options to fix the problem
an important component when sharing bad news with a superior...
less than 3 screens
appropriate length for an email...
Down Editing
inserting your responses to part of the incoming message.
believe, accept, and act on what you are saying
much of your success in business depends on how skilled you are at persuading people to...
IM
private chat room
memos
salutation and closing not necessary in...
160 or fewer charters
texting
what's in it for me?
the most important question you should ask yourself when conducting the research portion of a sales letter...
closing
the strongest motivator to act is typically found in what part of a sales letter...
the opening and closing
the two most emphatic positions in a business letter...
credibility
using testimonials, expert opinions, and research are generally used in establishing....
direct method
when firmness is necessary, this method of organizing your negative message is necessary...
