CONVEYING

GOODWILL
MESSAGES

Meeting 5

English for Written Business Communication

 • The aim of goodwill messages is to
establish goodwill and relationship.
AIM • The purpose of goodwill messages
is not only about making money.
AND • Thank you/appreciation messages,

PURPOS congratulations messages,

sympathy/condolence messages

E and invitation messages are

categorized as goodwill messages
 In goodwill correspondence: 
• Show that you care about other
things besides profit.
THINGS IN THE • Do not include a sales pitch, except in

GOODWILL invitations.
CORRESPONDE • Be sincere, but be concise and don’t
NCE make your message too long.
• In the case of sympathy messages,
offer practical help but nothing too
specific.
 The first paragraph is used to express initial
thanks/congratulations/sympathy/invitation to reveal
the purpose in the first paragraph explicitly. The
expressions are
THE
Initial thanks: 
EXPRESSIO • Thank you very much for . . .
NS IN • I would like to commend one of your employees

GOODWILL who has done a superb job . . .

• We would love to express our gratitude for your
MESSAGES
generous donation.
• Please accept our sincere gratitude.

• We are very grateful for your support.

• I would like to express our appreciation . . .

 Initial congratulations:
THE • Congratulations on . . .

EXPRESSION • Let me congratulate you on . . .

S IN • Please accept our congratulations on . . .

GOODWILL • I was really delighted/happy/glad/thrilled to hear that . .

MESSAGES Initial sympathy:

• I was saddened/distressed to hear of . . .
• I would like to extend deepest sympathy/condolences to . . .
• I was sorry to hear that . . .
• I was very concerned to hear about . . .

• It was a great shock to hear the sad news about . . .

 Initial invitation:
THE
EXPRESSIO Formal:
NS IN •  You are cordially invited to . . .
GOODWILL
• I take great pleasure in inviting you . . . 
MESSAGES
Less formal:
•  I would like to invite you to . . .

• You are invited to . . . 

• Informal: 

• 1 Please come . . .
In the body of goodwill messages, we must show sincerity THE PURPOSE
by adding our personal comments, which means more
elaboration on why we need to show appreciation, thanks
or congratulations..
Thank you messages can be sent to customers or
employees in the workplace for different purposes:

To a customer . . .

• who has made a first order;

•who has made a very large order;

•who has made an order after a long period of silence;

•who has paid a long-overdue bill;

•who is consistent on paying on time.

THE PURPOSE

To an employee . . .
•who has made a special effort;

•who has made particularly valuable

suggestions;
•who has produced consistently good
work.
THE EXPRESSION IN THE LETTER

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you very much for joining the Dress Casual Day on 30 October 2020. We are glad that over
400 colleagues and students from 46 departments/offices joined the event. The three most
enthusiastic departments were: ABC (58 participants); DEF (34) and GHI (24). Let me take this
opportunity to express my sincere thanks to the departmental coordinators who make this
event a huge success

Initial thanks
THE EXPRESSION IN THE LETTER
Dear colleagues and students

It is with great sadness that I am writing to inform you of the

passing away of our beloved “Big Brother,” one of Happy
University’s oldest graduates, Dr Wong, at the age of 90.

Indicating initial symphaty

THE EXPRESSION IN THE LETTER

………………………….

Over the years Dr Wong has maintained strong ties with our University. In recognition
of his significant and sustained contribution to the University, the engineering industry
and the community, Happy University conferred on him the titles of University
Fellowship in 2003, Outstanding Alumni in 2006, and an Honorary Doctorate in 2010.
As the Honorary Life Chairperson of the Happy University Foundation, Dr Wong
provided us with invaluable advice on our development

Initial achievement