1. 1 PREPARING TO WRITE BUSINESS MESSAGES

2. 2 The Basics of Business Writing: Purposeful, You will be writing to solve problems and convey information. You will have a definite purpose to fulfill in each message. Economical, You will try to present ideas clearly but concisely. Length is not rewarded. Reader oriented, You will concentrate on looking at a problem from the reader’s perspective instead of seeing it from your own. THE GOAL IN BUSINESS WRITING IS TO EXPRESS RATHER THAN IMPRESS. Preparing to Write Business Messages

3. 3 The 3-x-3 Writing Process for Business Messages and Oral Presentations Analyze Organize 12 PREWRITINGWRITING 3 REVISING Anticipate Adapt Research Compose Revise Proofread Evaluate Should equal time be spent on the thee (3) phases? No, One expert gives estimates 25 percent worrying and planning, 25 percent writing, 45 percent revising and 5 percent proofreading.

4. 4 Adapting and Altering the Process Working With Teams: 1. Working With Teams: 1. A study of business professionals showed that nine out of ten sometimes write as part of a team. Collaborative composition is especially necessary for: (a) Big tasks (b) Items with short deadlines (c) Team projects that require the expertise or consensus of many people. 2. Collaboration produces a better product. 3. Many heads are better than one. 4. In Team process working together helps socialize members.

5. 5 Adapting and Altering the Process Working With Technology: Seven benefits of working with technology are as under: 1. 1. Fighting writer’s block 2. 2. Collecting information electronically 3. 3. Outlining and organizing ideas 4. 4. Improving correctness and precision 5. 5. Adding graphics for emphasis 6. 6. Designing and producing professional-looking documents, presentations, and Web pages. 7. 7. Using collaborative software for team writing

6. 6 Analyzing the Task Identifying Your Purpose: 1. Why am I sending this message? 2. What do I hope to achieve? Selecting the Best Channel: Select the most appropriate communication channel Importance of the message Amount and speed of feedback required Necessity of a permanent record Cost of the channel Degree of formality desired

7. 7 Anticipating the Audience Visualizing the audience is a pivotal step in the writing process. Profiling the Audience: Visualizing the audience is a pivotal step in the writing process. PRIMARY AUDIENCE Who is my primary reader or listener? What is my personal and professional relationship with that person? What position does the individual hold in the organization? How much does that person know about the subject? What do I know about that person’s education, beliefs, culture, and attitudes? Should I expect a neutral, positive, or negative response to my message? SECONDARY AUDIENCE Who might see this message after the primary audience? How do these people differ from the primary audience

8. 8 Adapting to the Task and Audience Adaptation is the process of creating a message that suits your audience. You must return the form by 5 p.m. Would you please return the form by 5 p.m. Adaptive techniques: 1. 1.Spotlighting Receiver Benefits 2. 2.Cultivating a you attitude 3. 3.Avoiding gender bias 4. 4.Avoiding Racial or Ethnic Bias 5. 5.Avoiding Age bias 6. 6.Avoiding Disability bias

9. 9 Adapting to the Task and Audience Adaptive techniques 1. Spot lighting Receiver Benefits: “To be good, it ought to have a tendency to benefit the reader.” USA Statesman Ben Franklin “Always stress the benefit to the readers of whatever it is you’re trying to get them to do. If you can show them how you’re going to save them frustration or help them meet their goals, you have the makings of a powerful message.” Communication consultant

10. 10 Adapting to the Task and Audience Adaptive techniques 1. Spot lighting Receiver Benefits: Sender-FocusedReceiver-Focused To enable us to update our stockholder records, we ask that the enclosed card be returned. So that you may promptly receive dividend checks and information related to your shares, please return the enclosed card. Many receivers of business messages today are frazzled and suffering from information overload. Capturing the attention of such receivers requires a message that is “you” oriented and emphasizes reader benefits. How can your message help solve the receiver’s problems?

11. 11 Adapting to the Task and Audience Adaptive techniques 2. Cultivating the “You” View: In concentrating on receiver benefits, skilled communicators naturally develop the “you” view. Emphasize second-person pronouns (you, your) instead of first-person pronouns (I/we, us, our). Sender-FocusedReceiver-Focused I’m asking all of our employees to respond to the attached survey regarding working conditions. Because your ideas count, please complete the attached survey regarding working conditions.

12. 12 Adapting to the Task and Audience Adaptive techniques 3. Avoiding discrimination: You can defuse gender time bombs by replacing words that exclude of stereotype women with neutral, inclusive expressions. Gender BiasedImproved Female doctor, women attorney, cleaning woman Doctor, attorney, cleaner Mankind, man-hour, man- made, office girls Humanity, working hours, artificial, office workers Executives and their wivesExecutives and their spouses

13. 13 Adapting to the Task and Audience Adaptive techniques Avoiding Racial or Ethnic Bias: Racially or Ethnically Biased Improved An Indian accountant was hired An accountant was hired Avoiding Age Bias: Age BiasedImproved The law applied to old people. The law applied to people over 65. Avoiding Disability Bias: Unless relevant, do not refer to an individual’s disability. Disability BiasedImproved Confined to a wheelchairUses a wheel chair

14. 14 Adapting to Task and Audience 4. Express thoughts positively… (you will be happy to, not you won't be sorry that). 5. Use familiar words… (salary, not remuneration). 6. Use precise, vigorous words… (fax me, not contact me).

15. 15 Checklist for Adapting a Message to Its Audience Identify the message purpose Select the most appropriate form Profile the audience Focus on reader benefits Avoid discrimination Express ideas positively rather than negatively Use short, familiar words Search for precise, vigorous words        

16. 16 Adapting to Legal Responsibilities Especially be careful when communicating in the following four areas: 1.Investments 2.Safety 3.Marketing 4.Human Resource 1. Investment Information: Any messages- including letters, newsletters, and pamphlets must be free from: Misleading information Exaggerations Half-truths Recession-proof

17. 17 Adapting to Legal Responsibilities 2. Safety Information: Writers describing potentially dangerous products worry not only about protecting people from physical harm but also about being sued. “Lead dust is harmful and gets on your clothes. Change your clothes before leaving work.” Clearly written safety messages, use easy-to-understand words, such as doctor instead of physician, clean instead of sanitary, and burn instead of incinerate.

18. 18 Adapting to Legal Responsibilities 3. Marketing Information Sales and marketing messages are illegal if they falsely advertise prices, performance, capability, quality, or other product characteristics. Dangerous Word Court InterpretationRecommended Alternative Inspect To examine critically, to investigate and test officially, to scrutinize To review, to study, to tour the facility

19. 19 Adapting to Legal Responsibilities 4. Human Resources Information: The vast number of lawsuits relating to employment makes this a treacherous area for business communicators. In evaluating employees in the workplace, avoid using unsubstantiated negative comments, such as: He is unreliable In the last month he missed four work days and was late three times.

20. 20 Summary   The 3-x-3 Writing Process for Business Messages and Oral Presentations   Adapting and Altering the Process.   Analyzing the Task   Anticipating the Audience   Adapting to the Task and Audience   Adapting to Legal Responsibilities

21. 21 End of Presentation