Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–1

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–2 Improving Your Business Writing The best business writing is Audience-oriented Purposeful Economical To improve your writing skills, you need (this point not available in the textbook) An effective writing process A trainer (like your instructor) Practice

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–3 The Writing Process Stage 1: Prewriting Analyzing Anticipating Adapting Stage 2: Writing Researching Organizing Composing Stage 3: Revising Revising Proofreading Evaluating

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–4 Factors Determining Channel Selection (1) Importance of message Amount and speed of feedback required Necessity of a permanent record Cost of the channel Degree of formality required

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–5 Choosing Communcation Channels CHANNELBEST USE Face-to-face conversationWhen you want to be persuasive, deliver bad news, or share a personal message Telephone callWhen you need to deliver information quickly Voice mail messageWhen you wish to leave information that the receiver can respon to when convenient FaxWhen your message must cross time zone or when a written record is significant When you need feedback but not immediately, effective communication with large,dispersed audience Video or teleconferenceWhen group consensus and interaction are important but members are geographically dispersed MemoWhen you want a written record to explain policies clearly or collect information within an organization LetterWhen you need a written record of correspondence with customers, suppliers or other outside organization Report or proposalWhen you deliver considerable data internal-externally

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–6 Factors Determining Channel Selection (2) Possible Channels: , fax, letter, memo, report, telephone, voice mail, meeting, conversation, Web What channel is best to announce decreased insurance benefits for 250 employees? or memo

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–7 Factors Determining Channel Selection (3) What channel is best for a sales message promoting a new product to customers? Letter What channel is best for responding to similar customer inquiries? Web, letter, telephone

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–8 Anticipating the Audience 1. Profiling the audience → identify the appropriate tone, language, and channel. 2. Responding to the profile → decide whether the receiver will be neutral, positive, or hostile toward your message. → consider the possibility of a secondary audience.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–9 Audience Benefits Instead of this: We are promoting a new plan that we believe has many outstanding benefits. Try this: You will enjoy total peace of mind with our affordable hospitalization plan that meets all your needs. Shape your statements to involve the reader. Strive to develop the “you” attitude.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–10 Audience Benefits Instead of this: Before we can allow you to purchase items on this new account, we must wait two weeks to verify your credit. Try this: You may begin making purchases on your new account in two weeks. Shape your statements to involve the reader. Strive to develop the “you” attitude.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–11 Audience Benefits Instead of this: I need your response immediately so that I can make the employee vacation schedule by next week. Try this: Your quick response means your vacation schedules will be ready next week. Shape your statements to involve the reader. Strive to develop the “you” attitude.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–12 Conversational but Professional Instead of this: The undersigned takes pleasure in.... Instead of this: It may be of some concern to you to learn that your check has been received and your account has been credited with $250. Try this: I’m happy to.... Try this: We’ve credited your account with $250. Strive for a warm, conversational expression, but also remember to be professional.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–13 Positive Language Instead of this: Employees may not use the First Street entrance during remodeling. Instead of this: We cannot fill your order until we receive an exact model number. Try this: Employees may use the Market Street entrance during remodeling. Try this: We can fill your order once we receive an exact model number.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–14 Positive Language Positive Language conveys more information, uplifting and pleasant to read. Be aware: Some words and phrases convey a negative and unpleasant tone. They may imply a hidden message that the writer does not intend. Think twice before using the following negative expressions. Negative : If you fail to pass the exam, you will not qualify Positive : You’ll qualify if you pass the exam

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–15 Inclusive Language Instead of this: Have you called a salesman? Every executive has his own office. Try this: Have you called a salesperson? All executives have their own offices.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–16 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence to create a more conversational tone and to state your idea positively. The undersigned takes great pleasure in welcoming you to our staff.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–17 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence to create a more conversational tone and to state your idea positively. We cannot send your order from our warehouse until June 1.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–18 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence to create audience benefits. I have 15 different financial plans to offer my investors.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–19 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence to create audience benefits. We want all newly hired employees to use our carpooling program for at least three months.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–20 Plain Language Avoid legalese, federalese, bureaucratese, double-speak, and the official style. Federalese: Each person to whom the request is herein addressed is henceforth solicited to submit, or to have his or her department representative submit, to the Department of Labor official described above, a comment on whether the proposed plan, in his or her considered view, meets the requirements of the 2003 law. Simple Translation: You may wish to comment on whether the proposed plan meets the requirements of the 2003 law.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–21 Familiar Words Less familiar words: encounter extrapolate obligatory terminate Simple alternatives: meet project required end Avoid long, difficult, and unfamiliar words. Use short, simple, and common words whenever possible.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–22 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence using simpler language. You may encounter difficulties in terminating the contract.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–23 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence using simpler language. As stipulated, we extrapolated the budget figures for two years.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–24 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence using simpler language. Will you utilize workbooks during the obligatory training period?

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–25 Try Your Skill Revise this sentence using simpler language. We anticipate that a majority of the alternatives will be fundamental enough to meet our requirements.

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–26 Seven Ways Technology Can Improve Your Business Writing 1.Fighting writer’s block 2.Collecting information electronically 3.Outlining and organizing ideas 4.Improving correctness and precision 5.Adding graphics for emphasis 6.Designing and producing professional-looking documents, presentations, and Web pages 7.Using collaborative software for team writing

Essentials of Business Communication, Second Edition Ch. 2–27 End