Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning 8e BUSINESS COMMUNICATION In Person, In Print, Online Chapter 4 The Writing Process
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning The Writing Process Audience Analysis Planning Drafting Revising Proofreading
Video Example Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Former Basketball Star and Senator Bill Bradley Discusses the Importance of Writing How is writing important for your career plans? In what ways could writing distinguish you from others throughout your career? Click image to play the video
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Former Basketball Star and Senator Bill Bradley Discusses the Importance of Writing
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning The Writing Process Audience Analysis Studying relevant aspects of the receiver Planning Determining purpose, content, and organization Drafting Composing a first draft Revising Editing for content, style, and correctness Proofreading Checking for content, typographical, and format errors
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning The Writing Process Audience Analysis Planning Drafting Revising Proofreading
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading What Is the Value of Analyzing an Audience?
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Remember This About Your Audience No one is perfect. People need specific information. Most people are honest and reasonable. People don’t like to be “talked down to.” People want to know what they will gain by taking action. Most people would react to your message the same way you would if you had received it.
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Example: Changing Housekeepers’ Hours Who is the audience?What is your relationship with the audience?How will the audience likely react?What does the audience already know?What is unique about the audience?
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning The Writing Process Audience Analysis Planning Drafting Revising Proofreading
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Identifying Specific Objectives General-Purpose StatementSpecific Communication Objective To compliment the employee (after I observed a difficult customer interaction) To have the employee feel good after the interaction with the customer and to understand that she handled the situation well To win the business (by sending a proposal to a prospective client) To have the prospective client call us for an in-person meeting before June 30 To help the customer to her satisfaction To help the customer embed a form on her website and give her confidence to do this on her own in the future
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Using a Mind Map to Plan Content Message Purpose Possible Points Details Possible Points Details
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Organizing Your Message Frequent-Stay Program Message Outline Introduction: Purpose, main points, and preview 1) Why should we create a frequent-stay program? I) Reward guests for loyalty II) Stay competitive III) Increase profits 2) How should we develop the program? I) Survey guests by location II) Project all costs i.Overhead ii.Awards iii.Research and development iv.Start-up III) Study competitors’ programs i.Hilton ii.Holiday Inn iii.Best Western iv.Hyatt (to be continued)
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Direct Approach in the Introduction Thank you for hiring our firm to redesign Bistro Q's menu. This report describes our initial ideas and serves as a starting point for discussion. We're excited about the opportunity to work with you and are confident that together we'll create an attractive, innovative menu that is easy to understand. In this report, you will read the project objectives as we understand them, our straw‐model design, a proposed budget, and next steps. We look forward to your feedback on our proposed approach at our next meeting, on November 1. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview?
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Direct Approach in the Introduction Thank you for hiring our firm to redesign Bistro Q's menu. This report describes our initial ideas and serves as a starting point for discussion. We're excited about the opportunity to work with you and are confident that together we'll create an attractive, innovative menu that is easy to understand. In this report, you will read the project objectives as we understand them, our straw‐model design, a proposed budget, and next steps. We look forward to your feedback on our proposed approach at our next meeting, on November 1. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview? Purpose
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Direct Approach in the Introduction Thank you for hiring our firm to redesign Bistro Q's menu. This report describes our initial ideas and serves as a starting point for discussion. We're excited about the opportunity to work with you and are confident that together we'll create an attractive, innovative menu that is easy to understand. In this report, you will read the project objectives as we understand them, our straw‐model design, a proposed budget, and next steps. We look forward to your feedback on our proposed approach at our next meeting, on November 1. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview? Main Points
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Direct Approach in the Introduction Thank you for hiring our firm to redesign Bistro Q's menu. This report describes our initial ideas and serves as a starting point for discussion. We're excited about the opportunity to work with you and are confident that together we'll create an attractive, innovative menu that is easy to understand. In this report, you will read the project objectives as we understand them, our straw‐model design, a proposed budget, and next steps. We look forward to your feedback on our proposed approach at our next meeting, on November 1. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview? Preview
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Indirect Approach in the Introduction Last week, you mentioned that you would like to do something special for our major clients. Based on my discussions with several people over the past six months, I recommend building a community of our key product users. In this proposal, I’ll discuss what other firms are doing and what results they have seen from building client communities. You’ll see the potential benefits of hosting a conference for our top 50 clients: improving the perception of our brand and increasing future sales. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview?
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Indirect Approach in the Introduction Last week, you mentioned that you would like to do something special for our major clients. Based on my discussions with several people over the past six months, I recommend building a community of our key product users. In this proposal, I’ll discuss what other firms are doing and what results they have seen from building client communities. You’ll see the potential benefits of hosting a conference for our top 50 clients: improving the perception of our brand and increasing future sales. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview? Purpose
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Indirect Approach in the Introduction Last week, you mentioned that you would like to do something special for our major clients. Based on my discussions with several people over the past six months, I recommend building a community of our key product users. In this proposal, I’ll discuss what other firms are doing and what results they have seen from building client communities. You’ll see the potential benefits of hosting a conference for our top 50 clients: improving the perception of our brand and increasing future sales. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview? Main Points
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Indirect Approach in the Introduction Last week, you mentioned that you would like to do something special for our major clients. Based on my discussions with several people over the past six months, I believe we could build a community of our key product users. In this proposal, I’ll discuss what other firms are doing and what results they have seen from building client communities. I will show the potential benefits of hosting a conference for our top 50 clients: improving the perception of our brand and increasing future sales. Can you identify the purpose, main points, and preview? Preview
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning The Writing Process Audience Analysis Planning Drafting Revising Proofreading
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Set small goals for yourself (e.g., write the first paragraph) and then reward yourself. Ideas to Stop Procrastinating Pretend your first draft is an essay exam. Set a timer, consult your outline, and write. You have to give an oral presentation on your subject. You have 10 minutes. Go! Procrastination is just a habit. A week or two before the deadline…
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Overcoming Writer’s Block Choose the right environmentMinimize distractionsSchedule a reasonable block of timeState your purpose in writingWrite freelyThink out loudAvoid perfectionismWrite the easiest parts first
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Writing Messages Follow company standards for the salutation Use a descriptive, attention-grabbing subject line Don’t copy the world Use BCC sparingly Keep s short and skimmable Check your tone Provide context Follow company standards for the closing and signature line
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Sample
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Link to the full story on the blog. Link to the full story on the blog. Companies Send about Security Breach Epsilon, an marketing firm, reported that their contact list was stolen. Epsilon sends s on behalf of several large companies. Companies responded in force, contacting customers to disclose what happened and to allay fears. According to these messages and Epsilon's press release, the impact on consumers is minimal. Compare companies’ s. Compare companies’ s.
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning The Writing Process Audience Analysis Planning Drafting Revising Proofreading
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Three Steps to Revising CorrectnessStyleContent Reread your purpose statement and the entire draft to get an overview of your message. Read each paragraph again (aloud, if possible) to get a feel for the rhythm and flow of your writing. Identify problems with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage.
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning The Writing Process Audience Analysis Planning Drafting Revising Proofreading
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Look for Hard-to-Spot Errors Misused words that spellcheckers won’t flagRepeated or omitted wordsProper names and numbersTitles and headings
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Catch More Errors Proofread in printPrint on yellow or pink paperWait a few hours or overnightUse a ruler to guide and slow down your eyesRead backwards, one sentence at a time
[Click to edit Master title style] Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading What Is Wrong with These Sentences? 1.There to busy with they’re report to be their for the hearing. 2.I will except your advise, but the affect of doing so may bring alot of change. 3.Your going to present you’re report first. 4.Whose going to let us know who’s turn it is to make coffee? 5.How much farther can we pursue this if its not past on through regular channels?
Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Additional Video Suggestion
Video Example Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning Audience Analysis | Planning | Drafting | Revising | Proofreading Funny Commercial: Is the Water Free? What other homonyms could cause confusion in business writing?