Writing Business Messages

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Writing Business Messages

• Phase II Organizing
• and Composing

Guffey text Ch 5-6 and Thill Bovee Ch 4-5
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Know what I mean?

• I would hope you find the report helpful in
  choosing the restaurant from which your dinner
  will be ordered on a going-forward basis.
• - KimberlyArena, paralegal at New York City law
  firm, in a memo responding to a bosss request
  for an analysis of the best area sushi
  restaurants (pulled from

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Know what I mean? Take 2

• There are known knowns. These are things we
  know that we know. There are known unknowns.
  That is to say, there are things that we know we
  dont know. But there are also unknown unknowns.
  There are things we dont know we dont know.
• - Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld,
  clarifying U.S. policy on the war on terror.

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Discussion

• In what ways is business writing different from
  the academic writing you do in your other
  classes?
• Why are short sentences and paragraphs
  recommended for business writing?

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Audience Analysis Determines Organization
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Audience Analysis Determines Organization
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Direct Approach

• Opening States main idea directly
• Body Provides necessary details
• Close Uses a cordial tone that emphasizes good
  news or states a desired action

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Common Problems

• Taking too long to get to the point
• Including irrelevant material
• Lacking coherent train of thought (unorganized,
  stream of consciousness)
• Lacking logical support for ideas
• Leaving out necessary information

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Drafting - Discussion

• Communication Matters, The Write Stuff
• Are you a plunger or an outliner?
• What are the pros/cons of each method?

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Drafting

• Outliners
• Complete audience analysis
• Create an outline of your message
• Use outline to create topic sentences, bullet
  points, etc.
• Address flow by adding connecting phrases in
  intro and at end of paragraphs as needed

• Plungers
• Complete audience analysis
• Get your thoughts down on paper
• Use your notes to create an outline, reorder
  thoughts, delete unnecessary details and tangents
• Add topic sentences, bullet lists, connecting
  phrases

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Effective Sentences
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Effective Sentences - Discussion

• Communication Matters Write Stuff and Word
  Crunching
• What recommendations are similar between the
  two articles?
• What are the differences?

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Creating Effective Sentences

1. Use short sentences.
2. Emphasize important ideas at beginning or end.
3. Use the active voice
4. Use past/present/future tense (avoid perfect
   tenses).

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Creating Effective Sentences

• Use correct grammar, punctuation, spelling.
• Use plain English (6th grade level), select
  clear, vigorous words
• Avoid unnecessary words (that), trite/wordy
  phrases (in which), and prepositional phrases
• Avoid intimacy and humor
• Resources BA324 Style Guide
• Common Mistakes Writers Make

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Effective Paragraphs
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Effective Paragraphs

• Keep paragraphs short. Discuss only one topic in
  each paragraph.
• Use topic sentences.
• Link ideas and use transitional expressions to
  build coherence.
• Use highlighting to improve reader accessibility.

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Effective ParagraphsLinking Ideas to Build
Coherence

• Repeat or rephrase main idea.
• Our philosophy holds that every customer is
  really a guest. All new employees to our theme
  parks are trained to treat guests as VIPs.
  These VIPs are never told what they can or
  cannot do.

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Effective ParagraphsLinking Ideas to Build
Coherence

• Use a pronoun with a noun for clarity and
  coherence
• All new park employees receive a two-week
  orientation. This training includes how to
  maintain enthusiasm.
• New hosts and hostesses learn about the theme
  park and its facilities. These facilities
  include telephones, food services, bathrooms, and
  attractions.

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Effective ParagraphsLinking Ideas to Build
Coherence

• Dovetail sentences connect the idea at the end
  of one sentence with the idea at the beginning of
  the next.
• Knowledge of administrative offices and
  internal workings of the company ensures that
  staffers will be able to serve guests fully.
  Serving guests is our number one priority, and we
  design all employee training with this primary
  goal in mind.

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Effective Paragraphs

• Using transitional expressions for coherence
• additionally
• also
• as a result
• for example
• in other words
• therefore

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Effective Paragraphs

• Apply graphic highlighting
• Letters, such as (a) and (b)
• Numerals, like 1, 2, and 3
• Bullets, like w
• Headings and print options
• CAPITAL LETTERS
• underscores
• boldface
• italics
• font size

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Format

• See Class Web Site
• Assignment Instructions
• Memo/E-Mail
• Letter

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End
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