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chapter 2-2 “As people move up, they write more critical documents.” two Understanding the Writing Process and the Main Forms of Business Messages

2-3 The Writing Process: The Three Main Stages

2-4 Letters The oldest form of business messages Usually for external readers Usually relatively formal Has standardized components/forms

2-5 Memorandums (Memos) Usually for internal communication Fast being replaced by Typically have a distinctive form: – Date, To, From Subject – Sometimes Department, Territory, Store Number, Copies to

2-6 Structure of (1 of 3) Standardized elements – To – Cc – Bcc – Subject – Attachments – Message

2-7 Structure of (2 of 3) The beginning – Name of recipient (first name if acquainted) – Generic greeting sometimes used (“Greetings”) – Letter salutations rarely used – Purpose, company sometimes useful

2-8 Structure of (3 of 3) Message organization – As a general rule, most important information first, with the rest in descending order. – More complex messages organized by the plans to be studied. – Can resemble business reports.

2-9 Formality of Writing Highly formal to Highly informal Range Casual Informal Formal Writing Style

2-10 Conciseness in Make the sentences short—only the essentials. Use words economically. Paraphrase previous messages concisely. Quote selectively.

2-11 Clarity in Clarity begins with your subject line. To write a clear message, use the techniques discussed in Chapter 4.

2-12 Courtesy in Even among colleagues, courtesy is appreciated. Avoid “flaming” (anger displays). Practice the you-viewpoint (as discussed in Chapter 4).

2-13 Correctness in ’s fast pace often leads to incorrect writing. Errors in writing distract the reader’s attention. Error-filled writing reflects poorly on you and your company.

2-14 Closing the Message Usually just the writer's name is sufficient. In more formal messages, closing statement may be appropriate (“Thanks,” “Regards”). Traditional letter closes (“Sincerely”) are sometimes used in formal messages.

2-15 Text Messaging A recent form of business communication Began as short message services (SMS) by mobile phone users Most carriers have websites where users can send text messages. Typically limited to 160 characters.

2-16 Instant Messaging Like a typed phone conversation that is text- based rather than voice-based Needs to be adapted to the audience The formality should be determined by your relationship with the reader Although often impromptu, you should maintain a professional tone and style.

2-17 Social Networking Although you may have used these sites to stay connected to family and friends, business use them to connect with clients, customers, colleagues, and supervisors. Found to promote personal and professional success. Currently, over 40 percent of employers indicate that check social networking sites when hiring new employees