1. Completing Business Messages
Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter, you will be able to:
Discuss the value of careful revision and list the main tasks involved in completing a business message.
List four writing techniques you can use to improve the readability of your messages.
Describe the steps you can take to improve the clarity of your writing.
Discuss why it’s important to make your message more concise and give four tips on how to do so.
Explain how design elements help determine the effectiveness of your documents.
Highlight the types of errors to look for when proofreading.
Discuss the most important issues to consider when distributing your messages.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

2. Three-Step Writing Process
Planning
Writing
Completing
Analyze Situation
Gather Information
Select Medium
Get Organized
Revise
Produce
Proofread
Distribute
Analyze
the Audience
Compose
the Message
With a solid plan in place (see Chapter 3), you’re ready to choose the words and craft the sentences and paragraphs that will carry your ideas to their intended audiences.
Planning business messages. To plan any message, first analyze the situation by defining your purpose and developing a profile of your audience. With that in mind, you can gather information that will meet your audience’s needs. Next, select the right medium (oral, written, or electronic) to deliver your message. With those three factors in place, you’re ready to organize the information by defining your main idea, limiting your scope, selecting an approach, and outlining your content. Planning messages is the focus of chapter3.
Writing business messages. Once you’ve planned your message, adapt to your audience with sensitivity, relationship skills, and style. Then you’re ready to compose your message by choosing strong words, creating effective sentences, and developing coherent paragraphs. Writing business messages is discussed in chapter 4.
Completing business messages. After writing your first draft, revise your message to make sure it is clear, concise, and correct. Next produce your message, giving it an attractive, professional appearance. Proofread the final product for typos, spelling errors, and other mechanical problems. Finally, distribute your message using the best combination of personal and technological tools. Completing business messages is discussed in this chapter.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

3. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Revising the Message
Content
Style and Tone
Organization
When you begin the revision process, focus your attention on content, organization, style, and tone. To evaluate the content of your message, ask yourself these questions:
Is the information accurate?
Is the information relevant to your audience?
Is there enough information to satisfy your reader’s needs?
Is there a good balance between the general and the specific?
Once you are satisfied with the content of your message, you can review its organization. Ask yourself another set of questions:
Are all your points covered in the most logical order?
Do the most important ideas receive the most space, and are they placed in the most prominent positions?
Would the message be more convincing if it were arranged in another sequence?
Are any points repeated unnecessarily?
Are details grouped together logically, or are some still scattered through the document?
With the content in place and effectively organized, next consider whether you have achieved the right style and tone for your audience.
Is your writing formal enough to meet the audience’s expectations without being too formal or academic?
Is it too casual for a serious subject?
Does your message emphasize the audience’s needs over your own?
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

4. Reviewing for Readability
Sentence
Length
Lists and
Bullets
Paragraph
Headings and
Subheadings
Once you’re satisfied with the content, organization, style, and tone of your message, make a second pass to look at its readability. Most professionals are inundated with more reading material than they can ever hope to consume, and they'll appreciate your efforts to make your documents easier to read. You'll benefit from this effort, too: if you earn a reputation for well-crafted documents that respect the audience's time, people will tend to pay more attention to your work.
Although good business writers use short sentences most of the time, too many short sentences in a row can make your writing choppy. Conversely, if all your sentences move at the same plodding gait, you’re likely to lull your reader to sleep. So to be interesting, use a variety of both short and long sentences.
Most business readers are put off by large blocks of text. Unless you break up your thoughts somehow, you’ll end up with a three-page paragraph that’s guaranteed to intimidate even the most dedicated reader. Short paragraphs (of 100 words or fewer) are easier to read than long ones, and they make your writing look inviting. As you write your, use a variety of paragraph lengths.
An effective alternative to using straight sentences is to set off important ideas in a list—a series of words, names, or items. Lists can show the sequence of your ideas, heighten their impact visually, and increase the likelihood that a reader will find your key points. In addition, lists provide readers with clues, simplify complex subjects, highlight the main point, break up the page visually, ease the skimming process for busy readers, and give the reader a breather.
A heading is a brief title that cues readers about the content of the section that follows. Headings serve three important functions: organization, attention, and correction. Headings fall into two categories. Descriptive headings, such as “Cost Considerations,” identify a topic but do little more. Informative headings, such as “A New Way to Cut Costs,” put your reader right into the context of your message.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

5. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Editing for Clarity
Sentence Style
Faulty Parallelism
Dangling Modifiers
Long Noun Sequences
Once you’ve reviewed and revised your message for readability, make sure that your message is clear. Use the following guidelines
Break up overly long sentences. Don’t connect too many clauses with and. You can often clarify your writing style by separating a string into individual sentences.
Rewrite hedging sentences. Sometimes you have to write may or seems to avoid stating a judgment as a fact. Nevertheless, when you have too many such hedges, you aren’t really saying anything.
Impose parallelism. When you have two or more similar (parallel) ideas to express, use the same grammatical pattern for each related idea—parallel construction. Parallelism can be achieved by repeating the pattern in words, phrases, clauses, or entire sentences.
Correct dangling modifiers. Sometimes a modifier is not just an adjective or an adverb but an entire phrase modifying a noun or a verb. Be careful not to leave this type of modifier dangling with no connection to the subject of the sentence.
Reword long noun sequences. When nouns are strung together as modifiers, the resulting sentence is hard to read. You can clarify the sentence by putting some of the nouns in a modifying phrase. Although you add a few more words, your audience won’t have to work as hard to understand the sentence.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

6. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Editing for Clarity
Camouflaged Verbs
Sentence Structure
Awkward References
Excess Enthusiasm
Replace camouflaged verbs. Watch for word endings such as -ion, -tion, -ing, -ment, -ant, -ent, -ence, -ance, and -ency. Most of them change verbs into nouns and adjectives. Get rid of them. Also try not to transform verbs into nouns (writing “we performed an analysis of” rather than “we analyzed”).
Clarify sentence structure. Keep the subject and predicate of a sentence as close together as possible. When subject and predicate are far apart, readers have to read the sentence twice to figure out who did what. Similarly, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases usually make the most sense when they’re placed as close as possible to the words they modify.
Clarify awkward references. Business writers sometimes use expressions such as the above-mentioned, as mentioned above, the aforementioned, the former, the latter, and respectively. These words cause readers to jump from point to point, which hinders effective communication. Use specific references, even if you must add a few more words.
Moderate your enthusiasm. An occasional adjective or adverb intensifies and emphasizes your meaning, but too many can ruin your writing.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

7. Editing for Conciseness
Wordy Constructions
Long Words or Phrases
Redundant Wording
“It is/There are” Starters
Once you have edited your sentences for clarity, focus on conciseness. Three-fourths of the executives who participated in one survey complained that most written messages are too long. Use the following guidelines to write concisely:
Delete unnecessary words and phrases. Some combinations of words have more efficient, one-word equivalents. In addition, avoid the clutter of too many or poorly placed relative pronouns (who, that, which). Even articles can be excessive (mostly too many the’s). However, well-placed relative pronouns and articles prevent confusion.
Shorten long words and phrases. Short words are generally more vivid and easier to read than long ones are. The idea is to use short, simple words, not simple concepts. Plus, by using infinitives in place of some phrases, you not only shorten your sentences but also make them clearer.
Eliminate redundancies. In some word combinations, the words tend to say the same thing. For instance, “visible to the eye” is redundant because visible is enough; nothing can be visible to the ear.
Recast “It is/There are” starters. If you start a sentence with an indefinite pronoun (an expletive) such as it or there, odds are that the sentence could be shorter.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

8. Revising with Technology
Revision
Tools
Spell
Checker
When it’s time to revise and polish your message, take full advantage of your tools. Avoid drudgery and minimize errors with functions such as cut and paste and search and replace (tracking down words or phrases and changing them if you need to). Software tools such as revision marks and commenting keep track of proposed editing changes electronically and provide a history of a document’s revisions.
In addition to the many revision tools, four software functions can help bring out the best in your documents. First, a spell checker compares your document with an electronic dictionary, highlights unrecognized words, and suggests correct spellings. Second, a computer thesaurus gives you alternative words, just as a printed thesaurus does. Third, the grammar checker can perform some helpful review tasks (such as pointing out noun-verb agreement problems) and highlighting items you should consider changing, such as passive voice, long sentences, and frequently misused words. Fourth, a style checker can also monitor your word and sentence choices and suggest alternatives that might produce more effective writing.
Grammar
Checker
Thesaurus
Style
Checker
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

9. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Producing the Message
Multimedia
Elements
Design
Once you have revised and refined your message from start to finish, you are ready to produce it. The production quality of your message—the total effect of page design, graphical elements, typography, screen presence, and so on—plays an important role in its effectiveness. A polished, inviting design not only makes your document easier to read but also conveys a sense of professionalism and importance.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

10. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Multimedia Elements
Presentation
Software
Video Clips
and Sound Bites
Graphics
Hypertext Markup
Language
Software for creating business visuals falls into two basic groups: Presentation software helps you create overhead transparencies or computer-based slides. Graphics software ranges from products that can create simple diagrams and flowcharts to comprehensive tools geared to artists and graphic designers.
Adding sound bites or video clips to your documents is an exciting new way to get your message across. Several systems now allow you to record a brief message or other sound and attach it to particular places in a document. You can also use Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML) to insert hyperlinks into your message. Readers can jump from one document to another by clicking on such a link.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

11. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Design Elements
Consistency
Balance
Detail
Restraint
The way you package your ideas has a lot to do with how successful your communication will be. The first thing your readers will notice about your message is its appearance. Good looks can help you get your message across, especially to busy readers. Effective design guides your readers through your message, so be sure your document’s design has these elements:
Consistency. Throughout a message (and sometimes even from message to message), be consistent in your use of margins, typeface, type size, and spacing (for example, in paragraph indents, between columns, and around photographs). Also be consistent when using recurring design elements, such as vertical lines, columns, and borders.
Balance. To create a pleasing design, balance all visual elements: the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space.
Detail. Pay attention to details that affect your design and thus your message. For instance, headings and subheadings that appear at the bottom of a column or a page can offend readers when the promised information doesn’t appear until the next column or page. And narrow columns with too much space between words can be distracting.
Restraint. Strive for simplicity in design. Don’t clutter your message with too many design elements, too much highlighting, or too many decorative touches.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

12. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Design
Techniques
White Space
Margins
Justification
Typefaces
Type Styles
Even without special training, you can make your printed and electronic messages more effective if you understand and apply the following: white space, margins and justification, typefaces, and type styles.
White space provides visual contrast for your readers, and gives them a resting point. White space includes the open area surrounding headings, margin areas, the vertical space between columns, the space created by ragged line endings, and indents or extra space between paragraphs.
Margins define the space around your text and between text columns. They’re influenced by the way you place lines of type, which can be set (1) justified (flush on the left and flush on the right), (2) flush left with a ragged right margin, (3) flush right with a ragged left margin, or (4) centered.
Justified type is frequently used in magazines, newspapers, and books because it can accommodate more text in a given space. However, without special attention from experienced designers, justified paragraphs often have awkward gaps and variable spacing between words and letters.
Typeface refers to the physical design of letters, numbers, and other text characters. Serif typefaces have small crosslines (serifs) at the ends of each letter stroke. Serif faces such as Times Roman are commonly used for text. Sans serif typefaces (such as Helvetica) have no serifs. They are ideal for display treatments that use larger type.
Type style refers to any modification that lends contrast or emphasis to type: boldface, italic, underlining, and other highlighting and decorative styles.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

13. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Using Technology
Instant Messaging
Systems
Word Processing
Desktop Publishing
The production tools you’ll have at your disposal vary widely, depending on the software and systems you’re using.
Some IM and systems offer limited formatting and production capabilities, whereas most word processors now offer some capabilities that rival professional publishing software for many day-to-day business needs. Desktop publishing software goes beyond word processing with more advanced layout capabilities that are designed to accommodate photos, technical drawings, and other elements. For online content, web publishing systems that make it easy to produce great-looking web pages quickly. Similarly, most blogging systems now simplify the production of content, making it easy to rapidly post new content. Multimedia production tools such as Microsoft Producer let you combine slides, audio commentary, video clips, and other features into computer-based presentations that once cost thousands of dollars to create.
Web Publishing
Multimedia Systems
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

14. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Technology Features
Templates and
Style Sheets
Page Setup
Column
Formatting
By improving the appearance of your documents with these tools, you’ll improve your readers’ impressions of you and your messages, too. The following are some features you can use.
Templates and style sheets. As Chapter 4 noted, you can save a tremendous amount of time by using templates and style sheets for print and online documents.
Page setup. Use page setup to control margins, page orientation, and the location of headers and footers.
Column formatting. Most business documents use a single column of text per page, but multiple columns can be an attractive format for documents such as newsletters.
Paragraph formatting. Paragraph formatting controls can enhance the look of your documents. You can offset quotations by increasing margin width around a single paragraph, subtly compress line spacing to fit a document on a single page, or use hanging indents to offset the first line of a paragraph.
Numbered and bulleted lists. Let your word processor or online publishing system do the busywork of formatting numbered and bulleted lists, too.
Tables. Tables are a great way to display any information that lends itself to rows and columns: calendars, numerical data, comparisons, and so on.
Pictures, text boxes, and objects. Your word processor probably lets you insert a wide variety of pictures (using one of the industry-standard formats such as JPEG or GIF). Text boxes are small blocks of text that stand apart from the main text (great for captions, callouts, margin notes, and so on). Objects can be anything from a spreadsheet to a sound clip to an engineering drawing.
Paragraph
Formatting
Numbered or
Bulleted Lists
Tables and
Text Boxes
Pictures
and Objects
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

15. Proofreading the Message
Edited Copy
Final Report
Grammar and
Usage
Punctuation
Design Errors
Missing Material
Overall Format
Spelling Errors
and Typos
Think of proofreading as the quality inspection stage for your documents. Look for two types of problems: (1) undetected mistakes from the writing, design, and layout stages and (2) mistakes that crept in during production.
Proofread your message to ensure that it’s letter perfect. You’ll want to check it for correct grammar, usage, and punctuation. You’ll also want to be on the lookout for common spelling errors and typos. Check too for missing material: a missing source note, a missing exhibit, or even a missing paragraph. Look for design errors. Also, give some attention to your overall format. Have you followed accepted conventions and company guidelines for designing pages? Have you included the traditional elements that belong in documents of the type you’re creating? Have you been consistent in handling page numbers, heading styles, exhibits titles, source notes, and other details?
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

16. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Proofreading Advice
Make multiple passes
Use perceptual tricks
Focus on high-priority items
Get some distance
Stay focused and vigilant
Exercise caution
Far from being a casual scan up and down the page or screen, proofreading should be a methodical procedure in which you look for specific problems. Here is some advice from the pros:
Make multiple passes. Go through the document several times, focusing on a different aspect each time. For instance, look for content errors the first time, then layout errors the second time.
Use perceptual tricks. To keep from missing things that are “in plain sight,” try reading pages backward, placing your finger under each word and reading it silently, covering everything but the line you’re currently reading, and reading the document aloud.
Focus on high-priority items. Double-check the spelling of names and the accuracy of dates, addresses, and any number that could cause grief if incorrect.
Get some distance. If possible, don’t proofread immediately after finishing the document; let your brain wander off to new topics, then come back fresh later on.
Stay focused and vigilant. Try to block out distractions, and focus as completely as possible on your proofreading task. Avoid reading large amounts of material in one sitting, and try not to proofread when you’re tired.
Exercise caution. Take your time. Quick proofreading is not careful proofreading.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

17. Distributing the Message
Cost Concerns
Convenience
Time Constraints
Security and Privacy
With the production finished, you're ready to distribute the message. As with every other aspect of business communication, your options for distribution multiply with every advance in technology. When planning for distribution, consider the following factors:
Cost. This is not a concern for most messages, but for lengthy reports or multimedia production, it might well be. Printing, binding, and delivering reports can be an expensive proposition, so weigh the cost versus the benefits before you decide.
Convenience. How much work is involved for you and your audience? Although it's easy to attach a document to an message, things might not be so simple for the people on the other end.
Time. How soon does the message need to reach the audience? Don't waste money on overnight delivery if the recipient won't read the report for a week.
Security and privacy. The convenience offered by IM, , and other technologies needs to be weighed against security and privacy concerns.
Distribution technologies continue to advance, so be on the lookout for new ways to put your messages in the hands of your audience.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e

18. Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Reviewing Key Points
Reviewing the three-step plan
Revising the message
Producing the message
Proofreading the message
Distributing the message
This chapter discusses the third step in the three-step writing process: completing business messages by revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing them. The chapter explains a variety of techniques for improving the clarity and conciseness of your messages.
In this chapter, you learn how to produce your message. You learn how to select the right design elements and ensure the effectiveness of those elements. You also learn the value of using technology to improve your documents. The chapter explains what to look for when proofreading and concludes with some advice on distributing your messages using the best media choices at your disposal.
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e