Question

The techniques for building and maintaining goodwill apply not only to external messages, such as messages to customers; they also apply to internal messages, even—or perhaps especially—messages to readers who outrank you within your organization. Whoever your reader, striving to evoke a positive response will be well worth the effort. The goal of this exercise is to demonstrate your ability to apply the following principles in an email to your boss. -Use the you-viewpoint. -Use a conversational style that has the right level of formality and avoids "rubber stamps." -Employ positive language to achieve goodwill and other desired effects. -Use positive emphasis. Read the case and then answer the multiple-choice questions about it. It has been five years since you graduated from college with a degree in marketing, and you're pleased with your career so far. Immediately after graduation, you landed a job as an accounts specialist on the sales team of a large corporation that manufactures consumer products. During your time on the job, you have kept your current clients happy and have also acquired a few new accounts. It's a long way to the top from here, but this is a company that likes to promote from within, and you believe that your future is bright. One of your achievements is that you have become an active member of your state's chapter of the American Marketing Association. In fact, together with two other members, you'll be giving a presentation at the organization's national meeting in Seattle this year. Your group's talk will be on the topic of "Maintaining Customer Loyalty Through Social Media," and the presenters will discuss strategies their companies are using. Each presenter's talk will also include comments from a top executive in the company about the use and importance of social media marketing in his or her company. When your presentation was accepted for the conference program six months ago, you emailed Brad Diggs, your company's VP of sales and marketing, to ask if he'd be willing to share his thoughts about the importance of social media in sales and marketing. He said he'd be glad to. But you had to send him two email reminders to get him to send you his comments, which he finally did today, only three days before you leave for the conference. The problem is that his comments are skimpy and too general. He clearly doesn't remember that, in your original request, you asked him not just to talk in general terms but to focus on how your particular company is using and benefiting from social media marketing. Since your company has distributors and customers around the world, you'd also asked him to address specifically how social media are helping the company cultivate sales internationally. You can hardly use what he sent you, so you'll need to give it one more try. Email him to let him know that he didn't send you what you asked for and that you need better content from him within two days.

1d. The part of your email that asks him for additional information should say,

“Please send this information ASAP, as I’ll be leaving for the conference on Friday.”

“I apologize for the tight deadline, but I’ll need this information by the end of the day today.”

“As I will be leaving for the conference on Friday, may I have your response by the end of the day on Thursday?”

“I’ll be leaving for the conference on Friday, and I’m looking forward to sharing the good things we’re doing.” “If you could send me this information today, I’d appreciate it.”

Answer 1

To: Brad Diggs, your company's VP of sales and marketing

From: xxx, accounts specialist

Sub: The importance of social media in sales and marketing

Dated: February 28, 2019

Dear Mr. Diggs:

Good Day!

I will like you to thank you for the information shared by you. As mentioned in my earlier emails I am going to present this information at the American Marketing Association national meet at Seattle. The topic of discussion is "Maintaining Customer Loyalty Through Social Media,".

I have highlighted in my earlier email that each presenter's talk will include comments from a top executive in the company about the use and importance of social media marketing in his or her company. Here I need your valuable inputs on how our company is using social media marketing and benefitting from it.

I need detailed and specific inputs with examples of how we have successfully used social media marketing since we have customers and distributors around the world. I would also request specific information on how social media are helping to develop international sales.

I’ll be leaving for the conference on Friday, and I’m looking forward to sharing the good things we’re doing.” “If you could send me this information today, I’d appreciate it.”

I hope you understand the urgency and how the presentation at the national meet will be a great forum for our company to exhibit our social media marketing techniques. It will improve the image of the company and enhance our companies image amongst contemporaries.

Once again I apologize for the tight deadline but I would be glad to receive the information as soon as possible to incorporate it in my main presentation.

Thanking you,

Regards,

XXX