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Chapter 4: Planning Business Messages
BCM 3700
The Three-Step Process
Analyze Situation
Gather Information
Select Medium
Get Organized
Revise
Produce
Proofread
Distribute
Adapt to the Audience
Composethe Message
Planning CompletingWriting
Optimizing Your Time
50% Planning
25% Writing
25% Completing
Defining Your Purpose
All business messages have a general purpose: to inform to persuade to collaborate with your audience (build goodwill)
Business messages also have a specific purpose. Ask yourself… what you hope to accomplish with your message what your audience should do or think after
receiving your message.
Choosing the Approach
The direct approach Main idea comes first, followed by the evidence. Use when your audience will be neutral or pleased to
hear from you The indirect approach
Evidence comes first, and the main idea comes later Use when your audience may be displeased or may
resist what you have to say Your choice depends on several factors:
• Message type: routine and positive messages, negative messages, or persuasive messages
• Message length: short (memos and letters) or long (reports, proposals, and presentations)
• Audience reaction: positive, neutral, or negative
Chapter 5: Writing Business Messages
BCM 3700
Adapt to Your Audience:
1. Be Sensitive to Audience Needs
2. Build Strong Relationships 3. Control Your Style and Tone
Adapt to Your Audience
“What’s in this for me?” Be sensitive to your
audience’s needs
Build strong relationships
Control your style to maintain a professional tone
Be Sensitive to Your Audience“You” AttitudePositive EmphasisBias-Free Language
Use “You” Attitude
Looks at things from the
reader's point of view
Emphasizes what the
reader wants to know
Respects the reader’s
intelligence
Protects the reader’s ego
“You” attitude is a style of writing that…
Use “You” Attitude
Talk About Audience (Not Yourself) Tell how message affects the audience Don’t mention communicator’s work or
generosity Stress what audience wants to know
“We have negotiated an agreement with Apex Rent-a-Car that gives you a discount on rental cars.”
Same idea phrased in you-attitude”As a WMU student, you can now get a 20% discount when you rent a car from Apex.”
Refer to Reader’s Request Specifically
Make specific references, not generic Name content of order for person or small
business Cite purchase order numbers for
customers that order often“Your order has been shipped.”w/ you-attitude (to individual):
“The desk chair you ordered was shipped on
July 6th.”w/ you-attitude (to a large store):
“Your invoice #783329 was shipped on July
6th.”
Don’t Talk About Feelings…
Don’t talk about audience’s feelings
Don’t predict audience’s response
Do give audience good news“We are happy to extend you a credit line of $10,000.”
Same idea phrased in you-attitude“You can now charge up to $10,000 on your American Express card.”
Don’t Talk About Feelings… except
It is appropriate to talk about your own emotions in a message of congratulations or condolence.
Express your feelings to Offer sympathy to audience Congratulate audience
You-attitude: “Congratulations on your promotion to district manager! I was really pleased to read about it.”
In Positive Situations…
Use “You” in positive situations Avoid “I” in printed text Avoid “We” if it excludes the
audience“We are going to give you a raise.”
Same idea phrased in you-attitude“Your raise will be effective July 15th.”
Use “You” more often than “I” Use “We” if it includes the audience
Avoid “You” in Negative Situations
Protect audience’s ego Avoid assigning blame
Use passive verbs Use impersonal style ▪ Talk about things, not people
“You were late sending the memo out.”
Same idea in passive voice w/ you-attitude
“The memo was not sent on time today.”
Use Positive Emphasis
Positive emphasis means focusing on the positive rather than the negative aspects of a situation. Avoid negative words and words with negative
connotations: delay, deny, reject, wrong, disapprove Focus on what the reader can do rather than on
limitations. Justify negative information by giving a reason or
linking it to a reader benefit. If the negative is truly unimportant, omit it. Put the negative information in the middle and
present it compactly.
Use Positive Emphasis
The desirable tone for business writing is…
Confident - but not arrogant Friendly - but not phony Businesslike - but not stiff Polite - but not groveling
Use Bias-Free Language
Check to be sure that your language is … Nonsexist (Gender bias)
Use the same label for everyone (do not call a woman chairperson and then call a man chairman).
Reword sentences to use they or use no pronoun at all. Vary traditional patterns by sometimes putting women
first
Nonracist (Racial and ethnic bias) Avoid language suggesting that members of a racial or
an ethnic group have stereotypical characteristics Avoid identifying people by race or ethnic origin unless
such a label is relevant
Use Bias-Free Language
Nonagist (Age bias) Mention the age of a person only when it is relevant Avoid such stereotyped adjectives as spry and frail
Nondiscriminatory (Disability bias) Avoid mentioning a disability unless it is pertinent. Put the person first and the disability second. Use the term they prefer. ▪ Blind vs. visually impaired, sight-impaired.▪ “sight-impaired” implies lack of acceptance of the disability
▪ Disabled (physically) vs. impaired, wheelchair-bound, handicapped, etc.▪ People use wheelchairs, they’re not bound to them
Use Bias-Free Language
Ms. is the nonsexist courtesy title for women. Whether or not you know a woman's marital status… Use Ms. unless the woman has a professional title or … unless you know that she prefers a traditional title.
Photos and illustrations should picture a sampling of the whole population, not just part of it
Bias-free language is fair and friendly it complies with the law It includes all readers it helps to sustain goodwill
Use Bias-Free Language
Guidelines: 1. Use courtesy titles for people outside your
organization whom you don’t know well2. Be aware of the power of the words you
use3. Writing should be free from sexism in four
areas: words and phrases job titles courtesy titles pronouns
Adapt to Your Audience:
1. Be Sensitive to Audience Needs
2. Build Strong Relationships
3. Control Your Style and Tone
Build Strong Relationships
Establish your credibility
Project your company’s image
Establish Your Credibility
Honesty and integrity will earn the respect of your colleagues
Objectivity: distance yourself from emotional situations and look at all sides of an issue
Awareness of audience needs: understand what is important
Credentials, knowledge, and expertise Endorsements: get assistance from someone they
trust Performance: People need to know you can get the
job done Confidence: Show the audience that you believe in
yourself Communication style: Support your points with
evidence, not empty terms such as amazing, incredible, or awesome
Sincerity: avoid exaggeration
Project Your Company’s Image
Be a Spokesperson The impression you make can enhance
or damage the reputation of the entire company
Follow Guidelines From the correct use of the company
name to grammatical details Observe Colleagues
never hesitate to ask for help to make sure you are conveying the appropriate tone
Adapt to Your Audience:
1. Be Sensitive to Audience Needs
2. Build Strong Relationships 3. Control Your Style and
Tone
Control Your Style and Tone
Use Conversational Tone The tone of your messages can range from
informal to conversational to formal. Texting versus writing▪ not considered professional business writing
Use Plain Language Avoid stale and pompous language Avoid preaching and bragging Be careful with intimacy Be careful with humor
Making Your Writing Easy to Read
BCM 3700
Making Your Writing Easy to Read
As you write and revise sentences, Use active verbs most of the time. Active verbs are better because they are
shorter, clearer, and more interesting. Use verbs (not nouns) to carry the
weight of your sentence.▪ Don't make an adjustment – adjust▪ Don't make a payment – pay▪ Don't make a decision – decide
Making Your Writing Easy to Read
Tighten your writing. Writing is wordy if the same idea can be expressed in fewer words. Eliminate words that say nothing. Combine sentences to eliminate
unnecessary words. Put the meaning of your sentence into the
subject and verb to cut the number of words. Vary sentence length and sentence
structure.
Making Your Writing Easy to Read
Active Voice vs. Passive Voice Passive voice isn’t wrong… but it’s often a poor
(and indirect) way to present your thoughts
“…we did not achieve what we wished, and serious mistakes were made in trying to do so.”
~Ronald Reagan, 1987
All the reservations will be made by the wedding planner. (passive)
The wedding planner is making all the reservations. (active)
Chapter 8: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
BUS 3700
Writing Letters & Memos
Use letters to send messages to people outside your organization Suppliers, customers, investors
Use memos to send messages
to people within your organization Staff, peers, supervisors
External
Internal
Routine & Positive Messages Routine or informative message
receiver’s reaction neutral Positive message
receiver’s reaction positive Neither message immediately asks
receiver to do anything
Organizing Messages
Direct Approach: Start with good news or the most important
information Clarify with details, background Present any negative points positively Explain any benefits Use a goodwill ending
Positive Personal Forward-looking