1 / 36

Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Planning Business Messages. Basics of Business W riting. i stockphoto.com/ zsolt_nuylaszi. Business messages are different from college essays, term papers, and messages to friends. Conciseness and clarity count.

curran-anderson
Download Presentation

Chapter 2

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter 2 Planning Business Messages

  2. Basics of Business Writing istockphoto.com/zsolt_nuylaszi Business messages are different from college essays, term papers, and messages to friends. Conciseness and clarity count. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 2

  3. The Best Business Writing Is… • Purposeful • Persuasive • Economical • Audience oriented Following a process can make you a better writer or speaker. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 3

  4. The Writing Process Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 4

  5. Approximately how much time should be spent at each stage? 25% 25% 50% Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 5

  6. Phase 1 of the Writing Process Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 6

  7. Phase 1: Analyzing Analyze your audience and your purpose for writing. • To whom are you writing? • Why are you writing? • What do you hopeto achieve? • What channel is best fordelivering your message? Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 7

  8. Selecting the Best Channel E-mail Text message Social media Instant message Letter/Memo Report Telephone Voice mail Meeting Conversation Web site Blog/Wiki Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 8

  9. How to Select the Best Channel • How important is the message? • How much feedback and interactivity are required? • How fast do you need feedback? • Is a permanent record essential? • What is the cost of the channel? • How much formality do you desire? • How confidential or sensitive is the message? Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 9

  10. Phase 1: Anticipating Anticipate how your audience will react to your message. • What is your reader or listener like? • Will your audience be pleased, neutral, or displeased withyour message? JON FEINGERSH / ICONICA / GETTY IMAGES Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 10

  11. Profiling the Audience Primary Audience • Who is the primary reader? • What are my personal and professional relationships with that person? • What does the person knowabout the subject? • What kind of response shouldI expect? Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 11

  12. Profiling the Audience Secondary Audience • Who else might see or hear this message? • Are they different from the primary audience? • How must I reshape the messagefor the secondary audience? Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 12

  13. Phase 1: Adapting Create a message that will suit your task and audience. • Spotlight audience benefits. • Cultivate the “you” view. • Sound conversational butprofessional. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 13

  14. Phase 1: Adapting Create a message that will suit your task and audience. • Express yourself positively. • Choose courteous language. • Adopt bias-free language. • Use plain language andfamiliar words. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 14

  15. Spotlighting Audience Benefits Focus your statements on the audience, not the sender. Poor: Improved: We are adopting a new health plan that we believe has many outstanding benefits. You will enjoy total peace of mind with our affordable health plan that will meet all your needs. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 15

  16. Spotlighting Audience Benefits Improved: Poor: You have 15 financial plans from which to choose. I have 15 different financial plans to offer my investors. We require that all employees read and sign our Web use policy. To use the Web professionally and safely, please read and sign our Web use policy. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 16

  17. Improved: You may begin making purchases on your new account in two weeks. Cultivating the “You” View Emphasize second-person pronouns (you/your) instead of first-person pronouns (I/we, us, our) Poor: Before we can allow you to purchase items on this new account, we must wait two weeks to complete our processing. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 17

  18. Improved: You can now purchase iPads at discounted prices. Cultivating the “You” View Poor: We are now offering iPads at discounted prices. 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! Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 18

  19. Improved: I’m happy to . . . Sounding Conversational but Professional Poor: The undersigned takes pleasure in . . . We’ve credited your account for $250. It may be of some concern to you to learn that your online payment has been processed and your account has been credited for $250. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 19

  20. Levels of Language Use Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 20

  21. Levels of Language Use Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 21

  22. Levels of Language Use Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 22

  23. Sounding Conversational but Professional Poor: Improved: I’m happy to welcome you to our staff. The undersigned takes pleasure in welcoming you to our staff. Per your request, we are sending under separate cover your May invoice. As you requested, we are sending your May invoice separately. BTW, ur presentation 2day was Gr8! Your presentation today was great. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 23

  24. Improved: Employees must use the Market Street entrance during remodeling. Expressing Yourself Positively Poor: Employees may not use the First Street entrance during remodeling. We cannot fill your order until we receive an exact model number. We can fill your order once we receive an exact model number. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 24

  25. Improved: You will be paid promptly once the job is completed satisfactorily. Expressing Yourself Positively Poor: We must withhold payment until you complete the job satisfactorily. If you fail to follow each requirement, you will not receive your $50 rebate. By following each requirement, you will receive your $50 rebate. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 25

  26. 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. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 26

  27. Improved: Will you please complete this research by June 1. Choosing Courteous Language Avoid sounding demanding, preachy, or rude. Poor: You must complete this research by June 1. Let’s develop a schedule so that we all share the duty of cleaning the break room refrigerator. I am sick and tired of being the only one who cleans out the break room refrigerator! Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 27

  28. Improved: Please submit your expense report by Friday morning. Choosing Courteous Language Poor: I must have your expense report by Friday morning. Your idea for revising our return process is insane. Your idea for revising our return process will probably not work. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 28

  29. Improved: Have you called a salesperson? This alternative is wordy and calls attention to itself Adopting Bias-Free Language Poor: Have you called a salesman? • All executives have their own offices. • Every executive has an office. • All executives have offices. • Every executive has his or her own office. Every executive has his own office. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 29

  30. Adopting Bias-Free Language Poor: Improved: Many businessmen take the train to work. Many businesspeople take the train to work. All teachers cast their votes. Each teacher cast her vote. Marcello Luna is the new Latino accountant. Marcello Luna is the new accountant. We offer discounts to seniors. We offer discounts to old people. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 30

  31. Using 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 2012 law. Simple Translation: Please comment on whether the proposed plan meets the requirements of the 2012 law. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 31

  32. Using Familiar Words Avoid long, difficult, and unfamiliar words. Use short, simple, and common words whenever possible. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 32

  33. Using Plain Language Poor: Improved: You may encounter difficulty in terminating the contract. You may have difficulty ending the contract. OR: It may be difficult to end the contract. As stipulated, we extrapolated the budget figures for two years. As required, we projected the budget figures for two years. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 33

  34. Using Plain Language and Familiar Words Poor: Improved: Will you utilize workbooks during the obligatory training period? Will you use workbooks during the required training period? We expect that most of the choices will be sufficiently basic to meet our needs. We anticipate that a majority of the alternative will be sufficiently fundamental to meet our requirements. Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 34

  35. “Regardless of the changes in technology, the market for well-crafted messages will always have an audience.” --Steve BurnettThe Burnett Group Mary Ellen Guffey & Dana Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 9th Edition Chapter 2, Slide 35

  36. END

More Related