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Learn to craft clear, concise, and courteous messages. Understand the importance of tone, audience analysis, and organization in writing business emails, letters, memos, and reports. Enhance your skills in editing and formatting to convey your message effectively.
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C H A P T E R 8 Written Communication 1 Effective Written Communication 2 Writing Effective Messages 3 Guides for E-Mail, Letters, Memos, and Reports
“C” Characteristics of Effective Communication • Complete • Clear • Correct • Concise • Courteous • Considerate AVAVA/Shutterstock.com
The W Questions • Why is the message being written? • What information is needed? • Who needs to receive the message? • When is the action taking place? • Where is the action taking place?
Checklist for Conciseness • Short sentences and paragraphs • Simple, easy-to-understand words • Bulleted and numbered lists • Avoidance of • Unnecessary repetition • Excessive information • Wordy phrases
Writing Effective Messages • Determine the goal or purpose. • Analyze the reader/audience. • Consider the tone. • Gather the appropriate information. • Organize the content. • Compose and edit the document. • Prepare the final document.
Determine the Goal or Purpose • What is my purpose in writing? • What do I hope to accomplish? • You may want to • Inform the reader • Provide information • Establish a record of facts • Promote goodwill • Persuade the reader to take or forego an action
Analyze the Reader/Audience • Identify needs and interests. • Write to address them. • Consider level of formality and language. • General audience • Professional audience • International audience
Consider the Tone and Gather Information • The you approach • Sources of information • The organization’s files • Employer or colleagues • The Internet, periodicals, or books
Organize the Content • Read through your notes and group like ideas together. • Choose an approach. • Direct—good news or routine request • Indirect—negative news • Persuasive—convince or convert negative or indifferent readers • Choose the message format.
Compose the Document • Write everything you want to say in rough-draft form. • Do not spend time agonizing over each word and punctuation mark. • Typical business message structure • Opening paragraph • Developmental paragraphs • Closing paragraph
Edit the Document • Keep the “C” characteristics in mind. • Check paragraphs for • Unity • Coherence • Parallel structure • Eliminate the passive voice.
E-Mail Guidelines • Be appropriately formal. • Write a descriptive subject line. • Limit your message to one screen. • Edit and proofread carefully. • Include your name and title (if appropriate). • Be wary of humor or sarcasm.
E-Mail Ethics • Do not send personal e-mail. • Be professional toward others. • Do not forward • Junk mail or chain letters • Messages without the senders’ permission • Do not include personal information.
Memorandum Guidelines • Use a memorandum • For longer messages • When a signature is needed • For confidential or sensitive messages • Slightly more formal than e-mail but less formal than letters
Letter Guidelines • Represent the company to the public • More formal than e-mail and memos • Preferred for current and prospective clients and customers • May use • Block or modified block style • Open or mixed punctuation
Guidelines for Reports • Purpose of business reports • Provide information • Describe a problem and suggest a solution • Informal or formal • Informal: progress reports, monthly sales reports, team or task force reports • Formal: business proposals or research reports
Guidelines for Reports • Conducting research • Primary research • Secondary research • Evaluating information • Documenting sources Diego Cervo/Shutterstock.com
Informal Reports • May have only one or two parts • Executive summary (sometimes) Background Major findings Recommendations • Body • Or may be formatted as a memo
Formal Reports • Usually contain several parts • Executive summary • Title page • Table of contents • Body • Bibliography or references section • One or more appendices • Typically formatted in manuscript style