Positive, Neutral, & Informational Contexts

General Goals of Positive, Neutral, and Informational Messages

1. Communicate clearly, accurately, and quickly
2. Encourage and maintain goodwill
3. Encourage compliance (if necessary)

Specific Types of Positive, Neutral, and Informational Messages

While positive/neutral/informational messages typically follow a similar organizational pattern, there are different types of positive/neutral/informational messages, which include:

Information/Action Requests:

These messages courteously request information or action in situations where strategic persuasion isn’t required, i.e., routine requests that don’t require much time or effort from the audience, requests the audience expects to receive, or requests the audience is indifferent or positive toward. In general, and in addition to achieving your specific purpose, you should be courteous, be clear about what you are asking/what needs done, provide details, explanations, and/or reader benefits (as appropriate), and make it easy for the reader to comply (e.g., respond to or comply with your request) by providing all of the information they need.

Replies:

Replies are responses to requests for information or action. Audiences expect them. For example, Sally emailed asking for your Z number, so she expects you’ll respond to her request by replying with that information. Because they are expected, reply letters should be direct, avoiding long drawn out openings and/or unnecessary information.

A writer of a reply message should take particular care with direct openings in situations where their response doesn’t totally fulfill the audience’s expectations, wants, or needs in order to avoid misleading them.

For example: if you write to your manager to check on whether your request for seven days of vacation time was approved, your manager should avoid starting her response with “Your vacation request has been approved” if she was only able to approve five days of vacation time instead of the seven you requested.

Another example: I would never respond to a request for Walk-a-Thon donations with “It’s great that you’re raising money for the school and I support your efforts” if I had no intention of donating any money.

In general, writers of replies should organize the information they provide clearly, coherently, and completely.

Claims:

Claims are letters sent with the intention of correcting something that went wrong (a common occurrence in the business world).

The format of claim letters follow the organizational protocol and direct arrangement of similar routine, neutral messages. However, since they are intended to correct errors, mistakes, and accidents, writers need to ensure a calm, neutral tone and avoid making accusations, assigning blame, or employing language with negative connotations that might impede the effectiveness of the message.

Adjustments:

Adjustment letters are usually responses to claims and indicate some sort of corrective action. Similarly, they follow the general organizational pattern of positive/neutral/informational messages. Like replies, in situations where writers of adjustment letters can’t meet all of the audience’s expectations, writers should be careful with direct openings to avoid misleading readers.

Announcements:

Messages that announce special events (such as conferences, meetings, formal parties or other celebrations), awards, important dates, or minor policy changes are all considered positive/neutral/informational messages. (Messages announcing major policy changes or information the audience won’t respond positively or neutrally to are usually considered persuasive messages.)

Because many announcements imply an invitation, they are written in much the same way as invitations. The principal differences are that invitations are more exclusive (usually going to fewer people at a time) and have the promise of greater benefit for the reader. Announcements are less special and need to be more persuasive. Because announcements typically go to groups of people at a time, they are typically printed and use various persuasive strategies to catch attention. Sample 13 illustrates an announcement.

In some cases, announcements imply an invitation, and so they are written in much the same way as invitations. The primary difference, however, is that invitations are often more exclusive (meant for fewer or select recipients) and hold the promise of greater benefit to the reader.

Because announcements are less special and offer fewer benefits, they need to be more persuasive.

While Bob’s idea was a good step in the right direction, sending out a mass email to all students accounting the National Day on Writing and letting them know they could share their work doesn’t sound very appealing. Most students wouldn’t be excited by a writing celebration day, and frankly, having to come and submit your own writing sounds like a lot of work for no real benefit.

Instead, Patrick’s suggestion to target individual students is much better for a few reasons:

• targeting audience members who have already earned awards or been published means those audience members are more likely to be interested than the general student population,
• individual invitations feel more special and exclusive, and
• mentioning a certificate or award feels like a benefit to the reader and might motivate students to participate.

Organization for Positive, Neutral, & Informational Messages

What’s below — opening, body, and closing — refer to the major/generic organizational divisions of content. In its simplest form, each element can be a short paragraph (though there may be more or fewer paragraphs depending on the situation, information, purpose, etc.).

In addition to what’s below, remember that letters and emails include salutations, complimentary closings, and signatures (handwritten or typed). Memos, however, never include salutations, complimentary closings, or signatures.

Direct Opening (Usually):

Usually, begin with main idea, request, or information, and/or summarize key points. Be courteous here (use good professional ethos and encourage goodwill) because this may be the only paragraph your audience reads. (May include reader benefits)

Body (Details)

Details: Provide details, explanations (as needed), background, and additional information the audience might anticipate receiving, i.e., clarify details and/or answer questions the reader is may have after reading the first paragraph.

Reader Benefit: Explain any reader benefits, particularly when they might motivate compliance. Benefits should be from the audience’s point of view and written in their language.

Call to Action: If appropriate, be direct and specific about what action your reader should take. Include any/all information they might need to comply with your request.

Closing

Close cordially and encourage goodwill. Closing may include a forward looking restatement of request or action to be performed, or may express thanks in advance. (May include reader benefits.)

Direct vs. Indirect Openings

Positive, neutral, and informational messages should usually begin with a direct opening. A direct opening is one that gets to the main point (the purpose of the message) right away. Indirect openings provide extra context, details, or prefatory/introductory material before getting to the main point—or purpose—of the message.

Direct Opening:	Indirect Opening:
Congratulations on your promotion!  [ . . . ]	Although you’ve only been working with us for two years, the contributions you’ve made to our sales numbers and your exceptional organizing of our annual picnic prove what an asset you are.  [ . . . and so, congratulations on your promotion . . . ]
All supervisors and coordinators will meet June 3 at 10 a.m. to work out the annual operating budgets for their departments.  [ . . . ]	This is to inform you that we must complete the annual operating budgets shortly. Over the past two months many supervisors have met to discuss their departmental needs.  [ . . . We will meet on June 3 at 10am . . . ]
Please pick up a new parking permit by the end of September.  [ . . . ]	As you know, each new academic year requires that FAU Parking & Transportation Services has accurate information about vehicles on campus and their parking designations.  [ . . . so please register by the end of September . . . ]
The first sentences/phrases get right to the main point—the purpose—of the message. The second sentences provide details, extra information, or context before (eventually) mentioning the purpose of the message.