Transcript How to Write Effective Business Messages.ppt

Chapter 5
Preparing to Write
Business Messages
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 5e
Copyright © 2006
Business writing is . . .
• Purposeful. It solves problems and
conveys information.
• Economical. It is concise.
• Reader oriented. It focuses on the
receiver, not the sender.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 2
Guffey’s 3-x-3
Writing Process
• Phase 1: Prewriting
Analyzing, anticipating, adapting
• Phase 2: Writing
Researching, organizing, composing
• Phase 3: Revising
Revising, proofreading, evaluating
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 3
Analyzing and Anticipating
• Analyze the task
Identify the purpose
• Anticipate the audience
Primary receivers?
Secondary receivers?
• Select the best channel
Importance of the message?
Feedback required?
Permanent record required?
Cost of the channel?
Degree of formality?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 4
Choosing Channels
Channel
Best use
Face-to-face
conversation
To share personal message, be
persuasive, or deliver bad news;
richest communication channel
Telephone call
For convenience when nonverbal
cues are unimportant
Voice mail message
To leave message for response
when convenient
Fax
To cross time zones, to produce
written record, for speedy delivery
E-mail
To exchange information
conveniently and quickly, but
problematic for some messages
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 5
Choosing Channels
Channel
Best use
Face-to-face group meeting
When group decisions and
consensus are important
Video or teleconferencing
To disperse data or elicit
consensus from geographically
dispersed group
Memo
Letter
Report
To produce formal, written record
for insiders
To produce formal, written record
for customers and other outsiders
To deliver complex data internally
or externally
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 6
Adapting to Task and
Audience
• Spotlight receiver benefits (the
warranty starts working for you
immediately).
• Cultivate the “you” view (you will
receive your order).
• Use sensitive language avoiding
gender, race, age, and disability biases
(office workers, not office girls).
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 7
Adapting to Task and
Audience
• Express thoughts positively (you will
be happy to, not you won't be sorry
that).
• Use familiar words (salary, not
remuneration).
• Use precise, vigorous words (fax me,
not contact me).
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 8
Developing Reader Benefits
Sender-focused
“We are requiring all
staffers to complete
these forms in
compliance with
company policy.”
Receiver-focused
“Please complete
these forms so that
you will be eligible for
health and dental
benefits.”
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 9
Developing Reader Benefits
Sender-focused
“Because we need
more space for our
new inventory, we’re
staging a two-for-one
sale.”
Receiver-focused
“You can buy a year’s
supply of paper and
pay for only six
months’ worth during
our two-for-one sale.”
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 10
Emphasize the “You” View
“We” view
We are issuing a refund.
“You” view
You will receive a refund.
“We” view
We take pleasure in announcing an agreement we
made with Hewlett Packard to allow us to offer
discounted printers in the student store.
“You” view
An agreement with Hewlett Packard allows you and
other students to buy discounted printers at your
convenient student store.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 11
Hidden Negative Meanings
Writers are sometimes unaware of the hidden
messages conveyed by their words.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 12
Hidden Negative Meanings
You overlooked . . . .
(You are careless.)
You failed to . . . .
(You are careless.)
You state that . . . .
(But I don’t believe you.)
You claim that . . . .
(It’s probably untrue.)
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 13
Hidden Negative Meanings
You are wrong . . . .
(I am right.)
You do not understand . . . .
(You are not very bright.)
Your delay . . . .
(You are at fault.)
You forgot to . . . .
(You are not only inefficient but also stupid and
careless.)
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 14
Use Bias-Free Language
Gender-Biased
Improved
female attorney
waitress
man hours
workman
attorney
server
working hours
worker
Biased
Each employee has his ID card.
Improved
Each employee has an ID card.
All employees have ID cards.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 15
Use Bias-Free Language
Biased
We hired an Indian programmer.
Improved
We hired a programmer.
Biased
Early-bird specials are only for old people.
Improved
Early-bird specials are only for people over 65.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 16
Use Courteous Language
Less Courteous
Everyone must return these forms by January 1.
More Courteous
Please return the forms by January 1.
Less Courteous
This is the second time I’ve had to write!
Why can’t you get my account straight?
More Courteous
Attached is my previous letter.
Please help me straighten out this account.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 17
Use Simple, Familiar Language
Unfamiliar
We need to effectuate improvement of our
manuals to better elucidate our training goals.
Familiar
We need to improve our manuals to clarify
our training goals.
Unfamiliar
Sales reps generally conjecture when making
sales projections for homogeneous territories.
Familiar
Sales reps generally guess when projecting
sales in similar territories.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 18
Adapting to Legal
Responsibilities
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 19
Adapting to Legal
Responsibilities
• Avoid litigation by using especially
careful language in four areas:
• Investment information
• Safety information
• Marketing information
• Human resources information
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 20
Document for Analysis
Revision Solution
Activity 5.1
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 21
Activity 5.1
TO: All Employees Using HP 5000 Computers
Your cooperation is urgently needed in solving a serious
computer security problem. To enable you to keep your
files and those of the entire company secure, please follow
these two actions:
1. Keep your password private. Please do not share it
with anyone.
2. Log on to the computer manually. Avoid using
automatic log-on procedures.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 22
Activity 5.1
By refusing to share your password, you prevent intrusion
into your private files. Automatic log-on procedures are
also dangerous. Although they seem to save time, they
give anyone access to the entire computer system--even a
person without prior knowledge of your password.
Please sign the attached form and return it to me indicating
that you are aware of this urgent problem and are willing
to avoid these two actions in your computer use.
Attachment
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 23
End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e
Ch. 5, Slide 24