Information Shares, Requests, and Replies
Ask any professional what kinds of messages they spend the majority of their sit-down time at a computer writing and responding to. They will likely tell you that they’re requesting information or action and replying to those with answers or acknowledgements. Though you’ve probably written many of these yourself, you may need to polish your style and organization to meet a professional standard. After all, the quality of the responses you get or can give crucially depends on the quality of the questions you ask or are asked. Let’s look at several such scenarios in detail.
Information Shares
Perhaps the simplest and most common routine message type is where the sender offers up information that helps the receiver.
Table: Outline for Information Shares
| Outline | Content | Example Message |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Opening | Main point of information | Hi Karin,
I just saw a CFP for a new funding opportunity you can apply for via the Ministry of Agriculture. |
| 2. Body | Information context and further details | Find it on the Greenbelt Fund’s Local Food Literacy Grant Stream page. If you haven’t already been doing this, you should also check out the Ministry’s general page on Funding Programs and Support to connect with any other grants etc. relevant to the good work you do. |
| 3. Closing | Action regarding the information | It looks like the deadline for proposals is at the end of the week, though, so you might want to get on it right away.
Good luck! Shradha |
Notice here how the writer made the reader’s job especially easy by providing links to the recommended webpages using the hyperlinking feature in their email.
Replies to such information shares involve either a quick and concise thank-you message or carry the conversation on if it’s part of an ongoing project, initiative, or conversation. Recall that you should change the email subject line as the topic evolves. Information shares to a large group, such as a departmental memo to 60 employees, don’t usually require acknowledgement. If everyone wrote the sender just to say thanks, the barrage of reply notifications would frustrate them as they try to carry on their work while sorting out replies with valuable information from mere acknowledgments. Only respond if you have valuable information to share with all the recipients or just the sender.
Information or Action Requests
Managers, clients, and coworkers alike send and receive requests for information and action all day. Because these provide the recipient with direction on what to do, the information that comes back or action that results from such requests can only be as good as the instructions given. Such messages must therefore be well organized and clear about expectations, opening directly with a clearly stated general request—unless you anticipate resistance to the request—and proceeding with background and more detailed instruction if necessary as we see below.
Table: Outline for Direct Information or Action Requests
| Outline | Content | Example Message |
|---|---|---|
| Subject Line | 3- to 7-word title | Website update needed by Monday |
| 1. Opening | Main question or action request | Hello, Mohamed:
Could you please update the website by adding the new hires to the Personnel page. |
| 2. Body | Information or action request context, plus further details | We’ve hired three new associates in the past few weeks. With the contents of the attached folder that contains their bios and hi-res pics, please do the following:
|
| 3. Closing | Deadlines and/or submission details | Sorry for the short notice, but could we have this update all wrapped up by Monday? We’re meeting with some investors early next week and we’d like the site to be fully up to date by then.
Much appreciated! Sylvia |
Note that, because you’re expecting action to come of the request rather than a Yes or No answer, the opening question doesn’t require a question mark. Never forget, however, the importance of saying “please” when asking someone to do something. Notice also that lists in the message body help break up dense detail so that request messages are more reader-friendly. All of the efforts that the writer of the above message made to deliver a reader-friendly message will pay off when the recipient performs the requested procedure exactly according to these clearly worded expectations.
Indirect Information or Action Requests
If you expect resistance to your request because you’re asking a lot of someone, an indirect approach is more effective. Such requests should be clear and easy to spot, but buffered by goodwill statements and reasonable justifications, as shown below.
Table: Outline for Indirect Information or Action Requests
| Outline | Content | Example Message |
|---|---|---|
| Subject Line | Strategically vague | Furnace repair needed |
| 1. Opening | Buffer pleasantries | Hello Mike,
We’ve been nothing but impressed by the furnace and air conditioner installed by Redmond Heating & Air five years ago. We’ve recommended you to several friends because of your exceptional customer service. |
| 2. Context | Background justification | A few days ago, however, our furnace suddenly stopped working. It’s a bit of a mystery because we’ve been changing the filter regularly every month for the past five years and had you in here for regular check-ups every year, as per the terms of the warranty. When we checked the warranty, however, we saw that it expired a week ago. Talk about bad timing! |
| 3. Main point | Information or action request, to which you will expect some resistance | Given that we’ve been such responsible and loyal customers, and that we’ve sent business your way a few times, we’re wondering if we can still get you out here to repair the furnace under the terms of the warranty. Can we pretend that it’s expiring next week instead of last week? |
| 4. Closing | Deadlines and/or implementation details | I know this must be a busy time for you and we’re asking a lot already, but since it’s starting to drop below zero outside and probably won’t take long to do the same inside here, could you please come as soon as possible.
We’d be forever in your debt if you could help us out here! Many thanks, Belinda |
Replies to Information or Action Requests
When responding to information or action requests, simply deliver the needed information or confirm that the action has been or will be completed unless you have good reasons for refusing. Stylistically, such responses should follow the 7 Cs of professional writing, especially the courteous and reader-centered “you” view. Organizationally, a positive response to an information request delivers the main answer in the opening, proceeds to give more detail in the body if necessary, and ends politely with appreciation and goodwill statements, as shown below.
Table: Outline for Positive Replies to Information or Action Requests
| Outline | Content | Example Message |
|---|---|---|
| Subject Line | 3- to 7-word title | Re: Accommodation and conference rooms for 250 guests |
| 1. Opening | Main information or action confirmation | Greetings, Mr. Prendergast:
Thank you so much for choosing the Vancouver Marriott for your spring 2020 sales conference. We would be thrilled to accommodate 250 guests and set aside four conference rooms next May 25 through 29. |
| 2. Body | Further details | In answer to your other questions:
|
| 3. Closing | Deadlines and/or action details | You can visit our website at www.vancouvermarriott.com for additional information about our facilities such as gyms, a spa, and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Call us at 1-604-555-8400 if you have additional questions.
Please book online as soon as possible to ensure that all 250 guests can be accommodated during your preferred date range. For such a large booking, we encourage you to call also during the booking process. Again, we are very grateful that you are considering the Vancouver Marriott for your conference. We look forward to making your stay memorable. Rufus Killarney, Booking Manager Vancouver Hilton |