The document provides guidance on effective business writing by discussing several key principles:
1) It emphasizes using an audience-oriented and purposeful approach by focusing on the reader, using inclusive language, and addressing their needs and benefits.
2) It recommends employing a positive and conversational tone by using "you" focused statements and avoiding negative phrases.
3) It suggests using common words and plain language to ensure the writing is clear and accessible to diverse readers. Adhering to these principles can help create targeted messages that will best suit the intended audience.
4. Prewriting
Analyzing the purpose and the audience
• Identifying your purpose
• Selecting the best channel
• Switching to faster channels
5. Factors Determining
Channel Selection
Importance of message
Amount and speed of feedback required
Necessity of a permanent record
Cost of the channel
Degree of formality required
9. Prewriting
Analyzing the purpose and the audience
• Identifying your purpose
• Selecting the best channel
• Switching to faster channels
Anticipating the Audience
• Profiling the audience
• Responding to the profile
12. Prewriting
Analyzing the purpose and the audience
• Identifying your purpose
• Selecting the best channel
• Switching to faster channels
Anticipating the Audience
• Profiling the audience
• Responding to the profile
Adapting to the task and audience
13. Seven Ways Technology Can
Improve Your Business Writing
Fighting writer’s block
Collecting information electronically
Outlining and organizing ideas
Improving correctness and precision
Adding graphics for emphasis
Designing and producing
professional-looking documents,
presentations, and Web pages
Using collaborative software for
team writing
14. Chapter 2, Slide 14
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
15. Spotlight Audience Benefits
Shape your statements to involve the
reader.
We are promoting a
new plan that we
believe has many
outstanding benefits.
You will enjoy total peace
of mind with our
affordable hospitalization
plan that meets all your
needs.
Try this:
Instead of this:
17. Cultivate a “You” View
Emphasize second-person pronouns
(you/your) instead of first-person pronouns
(I/we, us, our)
Before we can allow you to
purchase items on this new
account, we must wait two
weeks to verify your credit.
You may begin
making purchases
on your new account
in two weeks.
Try this:
Instead of this:
18. Quick
Check
Create audience benefits and use the
“you view.”
These are better:
You can now purchase
H-P computers at
discounted prices.
We are now offering
H-P computers at
discounted prices.
Revise these sentences:
We are pleased to
announce that you have
been approved to enroll
in our leadership
training program.
Congratulations! You
have been selected to
enter our leadership
training program!
19. Chapter 2, Slide 19
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e
20. Sound Conversational
The undersigned takes
pleasure in . . .
I’m happy to . . .
Try this:
Instead of this:
It may be of some concern
to you to learn that your
check has been received
and your account has been
credited for $250.
We’ve credited your
account for $250.
21. Quick
Check
Revise to make the tone conversational,
yet professional and concise.
These are better:
We urge you to
approve the contract
by voting yes.
To facilitate contract
ratification, your negotiators
urge that the membership
respond in the affirmative.
Revise these sentences:
Kindly inform the undersigned
whether or not your
representative will be making
a visitation in the near future.
Please tell me whether
your representative will
be visiting before June
1.
22. Chapter 2, Slide 22
Employ
Positive
Language
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e
23. Employ Positive Language
Employees may not use the
First Street entrance during
remodeling.
Employees may use
the Market Street
entrance during
remodeling.
Try this:
Instead of this:
We cannot fill your order
until we receive an exact
model number.
We can fill your order
once we receive an
exact model number.
24. Hidden Messages
Some words and phrases convey a
negative and unpleasant tone. They
may imply a hidden message that the
writer does not intend. Think twice
before using the following negative
expressions.
25. Hidden Meaning
You are careless
But I don’t believe you
You are careless
It’s probably untrue
I am right
You are not very bright
You are at fault
You are inefficient and careless
Negative Language
You overlooked
You state that
You failed to
You claim that
You are wrong
You do not understand
Your delay
You forgot to
26. Quick
Check
State ideas more positively.
These are better:
You will be paid
promptly once the
job is completed
satisfactorily.
We must withhold payment
until you complete the job
satisfactorily.
Revise these sentences:
If you fail to follow each
requirement, you will not
receive your $50 rebate.
By following each
requirement, you will
receive your $50
rebate.
27. Chapter 2, Slide 27
Use
Inclusive
Language
Employ
Positive
Language
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e
28. Use Inclusive Language
Have you called a
salesman?
Have you called a
salesperson?
Try this:
Instead of this:
Every executive
has his own office.
All executives have their own
offices.
Every executive has an office.
All executives have offices.
Every executive has his or
her own office.
This alternative is
wordy and calls
attention to itself
29. Quick
Check
Revise to use inclusive language.
These are better:
Applicants for police
officer positions must
submit medical
reports signed by
their physicians.
Any applicant for the
position of policeman must
submit a medical report
signed by his physician.
Revise these sentences:
Every employee is entitled
to see his personnel file.
All employees are
entitled to see their
personnel files.
30. Chapter 2, Slide 30
Draw on
Familiar
Words
Adopt
Plain
Language
Use
Inclusive
Language
Use Positive
Language
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 7e
31. Draw on Familiar Words
encounter meet
extrapolate project
obligatory required
Avoid long, difficult, and unfamiliar
words. Use short, simple, and common
words whenever possible.
Less familiar words Simple alternatives
terminate end
32. Quick
Check
Sample of Revisions using simpler
language.
Because we cannot
check all activities, we
must end the contract.
Because we cannot
monitor all activities, we
must terminate the
agreement.
I’ll interface with Mark to
access his people.
I’ll talk with Mark about
using his staff.