Polishing Your Written Communication Chapter 14 Polishing Your Written Communication Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Chapter 14 Objectives Determine the four functions of effective written communication Discuss guidelines for writing effective resumes Pinpoint guidelines for writing to inform Summarize guidelines for writing to persuade Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Adapt to the Audience Key to all communication is to know your audience Consider how your audience is likely to react while reading your message Good idea to read your message out loud and think of possible misinterpretations Adapt to your audience by giving them the benefit of the doubt and a way to save face Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Make a Good First Impression Important to make a good first impression if you hope to grab reader’s interest Writing that isn’t interesting usually isn’t read Writing that creates a negative first impression is unlikely to get the response you were seeking Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Make a Good First Impression There are several ways to make a good first impression: Focus on receiver’s interests and needs Keep your tone friendly yet professional Get to the point quickly making key ideas obvious Proofread Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Is Effectively Organized: Proper Clarity and Length Effective written communication includes: Greeting that grabs reader’s attention and makes purpose of message clear A body that presents main points in organized manner and clarifies and supports them Closing that summarizes purpose and main points and ends with final thought or reference to any needed action Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Is Effectively Organized: Proper Clarity and Length Length is problem in written communication E-mail or memo should include only one major idea or purpose You can include more ideas in a letter but still need to segment each idea Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Looks Professional: Proper Formatting and Typeface Serif typeface versus sans serif typeface Avoid using all capitals in your writing Don’t overload page with too much text White space 11-point or 12-point type for text 14-point or 16-point for titles Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Includes Accurate Sources: No Plagiarism, Distortion Keep in mind following definitions: Distortion Exaggeration Plagiarism Put writing aside for a day then read with a fresh eye Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Writing Successful E-mail Messages E-mail preferred method of communication in business setting when face-to-face isn't possible and there’s no time to mail a written letter or memo Because messages sent by e-mail have no vocal or nonverbal cues to meaning, even messages that aren’t intended as critical can be easily misinterpreted Important to read e-mail from receiver’s viewpoint and edit carefully Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Writing a Successful Letter Although letters are more formal than e-mail, they still have tone and carry an impression Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition The Thank-You Letter After every interview, you will want to send a thank- you letter or card Hand-written card or letter shows more professionalism and indicates you are really interested in position Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition The Thank-You Letter Consider the following suggestions: Keep tone of thank-you message formal yet friendly Your message should be fairly short Begin by thanking interviewee for interview If something out-of-the-ordinary occurred, be sure to mention to help interviewer recall your interview Be sure to mention your interest for position If interviewer asked for any additional information, be sure to cover it End with “I am looking forward to hearing from you soon” Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition The Follow-Up Letter Suggestions for effective follow-up letters: Express your disappointment at not receiving position, but thank person for interviewing you If are taking steps to correct problem, be sure to mention it If you come across an article that relates to area discussed in interview, include two-sentence review and the link to access article End by expressing your interest in working for the person or company Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Writing an Effective Resume Effective resumes grab immediate attention Effective resumes are easy to read Effective resumes provide more than basic information Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Writing to Inform Informative presentations or reports promote understanding of idea or body of related facts Four tools that aid understanding: Use definition if audience is unfamiliar with our topic or if topic is complicated Use description to paint picture of topic Use explanations when your subject matter is complex Use narration to improve understanding Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Informative Outlines To be effective, outlines need to follow basic guidelines: Use standard numbering Indent for faster comprehension Include at least two supporting items per level Use parallel wording for each level Capitalize first word in each level If outline is intended for oral presentation, should also include transitions, sources, and list of references Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Informative Reports Effective informative reports generally include these items: Present a brief, clearly worded statement of purpose Follow a deductive approach Organize supporting information and subtopics into brief, clearly divided paragraphs Use concrete, vivid words and variety of supporting material Additional items: Title page Table of contents Abstract or synopsis Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Writing to Persuade Effective persuasive messages do the following: Use an inductive pattern of organization Clearly spell out one or more problems that need to be addressed Clearly spell out recommended beliefs or actions needed to solve problems Show incentives and additional benefits if recommendations followed Support all recommendations with carefully researched and ethical evidence Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Persuasive Outlines All persuasive outlines include an introduction and conclusion and may include: Problem, solution, benefits Problem, solution, action Persuasive outlines expand conclusion: Visualize future for audience Call for belief or action Communicating for Results, 10th edition

Communicating for Results, 10th edition Persuasive Reports Include a form of the following: Problem section clearly defining problem Method section describing how information was collected Results section describing data and information collected Conclusions and recommendations section Reference section Additional items: title page, table of contents, abstract Communicating for Results, 10th edition