© 2007 Thomson South-Western Instructor Only Version CHAPTER 2 Creating Business Messages

Chapter 2, Slide 2 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e  Audience oriented  Purposeful  Economical

Chapter 2, Slide 3Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Improving Your Business Writing To improve your writing skills, you need  Good teaching materials with excellent model documents  An effective writing process  A trainer  Practice

Chapter 2, Slide 4Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e The Writing Process

Chapter 2, Slide 5Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e The Writing Process  Prewriting: the 1 st phase of the writing process involves analyzing and anticipating the audience and then adapting to that audience.  Writing: the 2 nd phase of the writing process includes researching, organizing the message, and actually writing it.  Revising: the 3 rd phase of the writing process includes revising for clarity and readability, proofreading for errors, and evaluating for effectiveness.

Chapter 2, Slide 6 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Approximately how much time should be spent at each stage?

Chapter 2, Slide 7Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Prewriting  Analyzing the purpose and the audience Identifying your purpose: to inform or to persuade or to promote goodwill Selecting the best channel depends on importance of the message, the feedback required, the need of permanent record, the cost, the degree of formality Switching to faster channels

Chapter 2, Slide 8Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Factors Determining Channel Selection  Importance of message  Amount and speed of feedback required  Necessity of a permanent record  Cost of the channel  Degree of formality required

Chapter 2, Slide 9Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Media Richness  The extent to which a channel or medium recreates or represents all the information available in the original message.

Chapter 2, Slide 10Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Factors Affecting Media Richness  Speed  Interactivity  Verbal and nonverbal cues  Everyday language  Focus on individual

Chapter 2, Slide 11Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Media Richness  A richer medium, such as face-to-face conversation, permits more interactivity and feedback. They enable the sender to provide more verbal and visual cues, as well as allow the sender to tailor the message to the audience.  A leaner medium, such as report or proposal, presents a flat, one dimension message.

Chapter 2, Slide 12 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Personal letter Fax Face-to-face, one-on-one discussion Posted flyer or announcement Instant Message Telephone call Teleconference (audio) Video conference (audio and video) Voice mail Rate the following from 5 to 1 in terms of media richness (5 = media rich; 1 = media poor) Discuss any differences with the suggested ratings provided.

Chapter 2, Slide 13 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Choosing Communication Channels

Chapter 2, Slide 14 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Choosing Communication Channels (continued)

Chapter 2, Slide 15 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Choosing Communication Channels (concluded)

Chapter 2, Slide 16 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Fax Letter Memo Report Telephone Voice Mail Meeting Conversation Web What channel is best to announce decreased insurance benefits for 250 employees?   Discuss any differences with the suggested answers provided.

Chapter 2, Slide 17 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Fax Letter Memo Report Telephone Voice Mail Meeting Conversation Web What channel is best for a sales message promoting a new product to customers? What channel is best for responding to similar customer inquiries?    

Chapter 2, Slide 18Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Prewriting  Analyzing the purpose and the audience Identifying your purpose Selecting the best channel Switching to faster channels  Anticipating the Audience Profiling the audience Responding to the profile

Chapter 2, Slide 19 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Asking the Right Questions to Profile Your Audience

Chapter 2, Slide 20 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Asking the Right Questions to Profile Your Audience (concluded)

Chapter 2, Slide 21Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Prewriting  Analyzing the purpose and the audience Identifying your purpose Selecting the best channel Switching to faster channels  Anticipating the Audience Profiling the audience Responding to the profile  Adapting to the task and audience

Chapter 2, Slide 22Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Chapter 2, Slide 22 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e

Chapter 2, Slide 23Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Spotlight Audience Benefits Shape your statements to involve the reader. We are promoting a new plan that we believe has many outstanding benefits. You will enjoy total peace of mind with our affordable hospitalization plan that meets all your needs. Try this: Instead of this:

Chapter 2, Slide 24 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Spotlight Audience Benefits Cultivate A “You” View

Chapter 2, Slide 25Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Cultivate a “You” View Emphasize second-person pronouns (you/your) instead of first-person pronouns (I/we, us, our) Before we can allow you to purchase items on this new account, we must wait two weeks to verify your credit. You may begin making purchases on your new account in two weeks. Try this: Instead of this:

Chapter 2, Slide 26 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Quick Check Create audience benefits and use the “you view.” These are better: You can now purchase H-P computers at discounted prices. We are now offering H-P computers at discounted prices. Revise these sentences: We are pleased to announce that you have been approved to enroll in our leadership training program. Congratulations! You have been selected to enter our leadership training program!

Chapter 2, Slide 27Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Chapter 2, Slide 27 Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Spotlight Audience Benefits Cultivate A “You” View Sound Conversational Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e

Chapter 2, Slide 28Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Sound Conversational The undersigned takes pleasure in... I’m happy to... Try this: 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 for $250. We’ve credited your account for $250.

Chapter 2, Slide 29Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Sound Conversational, but Professional  A: Hey, boss, GR8 news! Firewall now installed! BTW, check with me b4 announcing it.  B: Mr.Smith, our new firewall software is now installed. Please check with me before announcing it.

Chapter 2, Slide 30Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Sound Conversational, but Professional  A: All employees are herewith instructed to return the appropriately designated contracts to the undersigned.  B: Please return your contracts to me.

Chapter 2, Slide 31Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Levels of Language Use UnprofessionalConversationalFormal Found in Some comic strips, and songs, some commercials, some conversations, some IM and messages Business messages, novels, most newspapers, and most magazines Scientific writing, legal documents, scholarly books, formal essays, proclamations

Chapter 2, Slide 32 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e UnprofessionalConversationalFormal Characterized by Incorrect grammar, unpredictable sentence structure, inappropriate punctuation, slang, vulgarisms Correct grammar and punctuation, conversational tone, simple sentence structure, familiar words Correct grammar, serious tone, complex sentence structure, polysyllabic words

Chapter 2, Slide 33 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e UnprofessionalConversationalFormal Examples Wasted guts nab bad-mouth dough, bread stewed, plastered I ain’t humongous tight Ruined nerve catch criticize money intoxicated, drunk I’m not enormous frugal Annihilated courage apprehend disparage currency inebriated I am not prodigious penurious

Chapter 2, Slide 34 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Quick Check Revise to make the tone conversational, yet professional and concise. These are better: We urge you to approve the contract by voting yes. To facilitate contract ratification, your negotiators urge that the membership respond in the affirmative. Revise these sentences: Kindly inform the undersigned whether or not your representative will be making a visitation in the near future. Please tell me whether your representative will be visiting before June 1.

Chapter 2, Slide 35Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Chapter 2, Slide 35 Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Spotlight Audience Benefits Cultivate A “You” View Sound Conversational Employ Positive Language Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e

Chapter 2, Slide 36Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Positive Language  The clarity and tone of message are considerably improved if you use positive rather than negative language.  It creates goodwill and gives more options to receivers.

Chapter 2, Slide 37Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Employ Positive Language Employees may not use the First Street entrance during remodeling. Employees may use the Market Street entrance during remodeling. Try this: Instead of this: We cannot fill your order until we receive an exact model number. We can fill your order once we receive an exact model number.

Chapter 2, Slide 38Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Hidden Messages 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.

Chapter 2, Slide 39 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Hidden Meaning You are careless But I don’t believe you You are careless It’s probably untrue I am right You are not very bright You are at fault You are inefficient and careless Negative Language You overlooked You state that You failed to You claim that You are wrong You do not understand Your delay You forgot to

Chapter 2, Slide 40 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Quick Check State ideas more positively. These are better: You will be paid promptly once the job is completed satisfactorily. We must withhold payment until you complete the job satisfactorily. Revise these sentences: If you fail to follow each requirement, you will not receive your $50 rebate. By following each requirement, you will receive your $50 rebate.

Chapter 2, Slide 41Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Chapter 2, Slide 41 Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Spotlight Audience Benefits Cultivate A “You” View Sound Conversational Employ Positive Language Use Inclusive Language Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e

Chapter 2, Slide 42Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Inclusive Language  A business writer who is alert and empathic will strive to use words that include rather than exclude people.  Sensitive communicators avoid language that excludes people.

Chapter 2, Slide 43Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Use Inclusive Language Have you called a salesman? Have you called a salesperson? Try this: Instead of this: Every executive has his own office.  All executives have their own offices.  Every executive has an office.  All executives have offices.  Every executive has his or her own office. This alternative is wordy and calls attention to itself

Chapter 2, Slide 44 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Quick Check Revise to use inclusive language. These are better: Applicants for police officer positions must submit medical reports signed by their physicians. Any applicant for the position of policeman must submit a medical report signed by his physician. Revise these sentences: Every employee is entitled to see his personnel file. All employees are entitled to see their personnel files.

Chapter 2, Slide 45Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Chapter 2, Slide 45 Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Spotlight Audience Benefits Cultivate A “You” View Sound Conversational Use Positive Language Use Inclusive Language Adopt Plain Language Draw on Familiar Words Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e

Chapter 2, Slide 46Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Adopt Plain Language Avoid federalese, bureaucratese, and inflated language. 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.

Chapter 2, Slide 47Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Draw on Familiar Words encountermeet extrapolateproject obligatoryrequired Avoid long, difficult, and unfamiliar words. Use short, simple, and common words whenever possible. Less familiar wordsSimple alternatives terminateend

Chapter 2, Slide 48 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Quick Check Revise the following sentences using simpler language. Please find out whether we must continue our current contract. Please ascertain whether we must perpetuate our current contract. He hypothesized that stock values would deteriorate. He guessed that stock values would fall.

Chapter 2, Slide 49 Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Quick Check Revise the following sentences using simpler language. Because we cannot check all activities, we must end the contract. Because we cannot monitor all activities, we must terminate the agreement. I’ll interface with Mark to access his people. I’ll talk with Mark about using his staff.

Chapter 2, Slide 50Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e Seven Ways Technology Can Improve Your Business Writing  Fighting writer’s block  Collecting information electronically  Outlining and organizing ideas  Improving correctness and precision  Adding graphics for emphasis  Designing and producing professional-looking documents, presentations, and Web pages  Using collaborative software for team writing