Transcript Planning
10
“The limits of my language means the limits of my world.” ― Ludwig Wittgenstein, 20th century philosopher and leader of Philosophy of Language movement
Writing Effective Business Communication
After completing the chapter, you will be able to:
• •
Write
positive- and negative-informational messages using direct and indirect approaches.
Write
requests that display courtesy and reasonableness to elicit a favorable response. • • •
Write
simple and complex responses that promote the goodwill of an organization.
Write
an effective message to persuade that has a positive tone and is reader oriented.
Write
an effective message to sell that has a positive tone and is reader oriented.
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Planning
• Writing an effective business document begins with planning.
• Ask these questions: – Why are you writing?
– Who is your audience?
– What do you want the reader to think and do?
– What ideas do you want to communicate?
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Planning
1. What begins the process of writing an effective business document?
2. What are the four C’s of communication?
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Providing Information
• Four approaches: – positive and neutral messages – negative messages – routine informational messages – transmittal messages Shutterstock © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Providing Information
• Positive or neutral messages – use to share positive news or straightforward information that is neutral – state your reason for writing – provide the information – close courteously © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Providing Information
• Negative messages – use to inform someone of bad news – begin with an explanation – state the negative information in positive language – close courteously © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Providing Information
• Routine messages – also known as
confirmation message
– written to confirm a verbal agreement made with a customer, client, or colleague – may be informal with colleagues and in an e mail – more formal for customers © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Providing Information
• Guidelines for a confirmation message © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Providing Information
•
Transmittal messages
are routine communication accompanying documents or other materials attached to e-mails or sent by a delivery service to serve as a record of when something was sent.
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Providing Information
• Guidelines for a transmittal message © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Providing Information
1. When should the direct approach be used?
2. Which approach should be used to deliver a negative message?
3. What is the purpose of a confirmation message?
4. How is a transmittal message used?
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Instructions and Directions
• •
Instructions
usually can be carried out in any order.
Directions,
whether simple or complex, usually must be followed in sequence.
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Instructions and Directions
1. What is the difference between instructions and directions?
2. Which format is best for instructions and directions?
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Technical Messages
•
Technical message
or
technical documents
inform the reader and are often instructions or directions. – user manuals – installations instructions – software documentation and help files – service sheets • It is important to understand the knowledge level of the reader.
– determines level of content – determines language, which must be accessible to reader © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Technical Messages
1.
What is the purpose of a technical document?
2. Why is it important to understand the knowledge of the reader when creating a technical document?
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Making Requests
• •
Routine requests
expected by the receiver.
are – requests for materials, information, and services
Special requests
explanation.
are complex and need – require planning to create a positive response © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Making Requests
• When making requests: – be clear, specific, and accurate – provide adequate information for a response – provide background information – be courteous – be reasonable © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Making Requests
• Provide background information – helps avoid a negative response from the reader – reader may be more helpful with full knowledge of the background information • Use diplomacy – tactful handling of a situation – avoids offending reader – avoids arousing hostility © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Making Requests
1. What is the difference between a routine request and a special request?
2. What is diplomacy?
3. Why would you need to provide background information?
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Responding to Requests
• Form response – uses standard language known as
boilerplate
information – frequently asked questions (FAQs) are usually answered via a form response © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Responding to Requests
• Example of a form response © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Responding to Requests
• Courtesy response – confirms that a message was received and action was taken • Nonroutine response – used for situations that require responses, but do not fit a set pattern © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Responding to Requests
• Example of a courtesy response © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Responding to Requests
1. What does FAQ stand for?
2. What is the purpose of a courtesy response?
3. Describe a nonroutine response.
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Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Writing Business Messages to Persuade
• Messages to
persuade
convince the reader to take a certain course of action.
– attract the reader’s attention – build the reader’s interest – create desire for the product or service – anticipate questions and objections – encourage the reader to take action © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
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Writing Business Messages to Persuade
1. What is the purpose of a persuasive message?
2. List the five elements critical to an effective persuasive message.
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Writing a Sales Message
•
Sales message
money for a product or service, either immediately or later.
persuades the reader to spend – attract the reader’s attention – build the reader’s interest – create desire for the product or service – anticipate questions and objections – encourage the reader to take action © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Writing a Sales Message
• Parts of a sales message © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
(
continued
) Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Writing a Sales Message
• Parts of a sales message © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Writing a Sales Message
1. What is the key difference between a sales message and other persuasive messages?
2. What are the five elements critical to an effective sales message?
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• • • • • Writing effective business documents is a process that begins with planning.
Putting information in writing avoids miscommunication and provides a record.
Instructions should be written to confirm expectations.
Technical messages and documents provide the reader with technical information.
When making a request, apply the rules of communication and be clear, specific, and accurate.
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• • • Try to build goodwill for your organization as well as yourself.
Writing persuasive messages requires learning how to convince someone to do something.
A good sales message attracts the reader’s attention, builds the reader’s interest, creates desire for the product or service, and induces the reader to take action.
© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.