Written CommunicationWritten Communication

Organizational Writing Organizational Writing

Internal AudiencesInternal AudiencesPresident

VPProduction

VPMarketing

VPSales

VPFinance

VPHuman Resources

Sales ManagerNorth

YOUSales Manager

BangkokSales Manager

South

District Manager 1

District Manager 2

Assistant SalesManager 1

External AudiencesExternal Audiences

Customers

Suppliers

RetailersOutletsAgents

Government agencies

Regulators

The Media

Competitors

The general public

StockholdersInvestors

Your Company

Internal DocumentsInternal DocumentsDocumentDocument

TransmittalTransmittal

ReportsReports

Policy updatesPolicy updates

MemosMemos

E-mailsE-mails

DescriptionDescriptionMemo that explains what is Memo that explains what is

being forwardedbeing forwarded

Summarizing information that is Summarizing information that is used for future planningused for future planning

Statement of instructionsStatement of instructions

Multi purpose functionsMulti purpose functions

Multi purpose functionsMulti purpose functions

External DocumentsExternal DocumentsDocumentDocument

QuotationsQuotations

Orders/ClaimsOrders/Claims

Annual ReportsAnnual Reports

Customer Customer informationinformation

DescriptionDescriptionLetters stating price for Letters stating price for

services/productsservices/products

Letters dealing with Letters dealing with customer orders/claimscustomer orders/claims

Report to stockholders Report to stockholders containing summarized containing summarized performance informationperformance information

Information about new Information about new products/services/policy products/services/policy changeschanges

Purposes of organizational writingPurposes of organizational writing

Three basic purposes of organizational Three basic purposes of organizational writingwriting

1.1. InformInform

Explaining or telling readers somethingExplaining or telling readers something

2.2. Persuade/RequestPersuade/Request

You want the reader to actYou want the reader to act

3.3. GoodwillGoodwill

Creating a positive image about Creating a positive image about yourself/organizationyourself/organization

Why improve our written Why improve our written communication skills?communication skills?

Save timeSave time

Better writing reduces: Better writing reduces:

-Reading time-Reading time

-Rewriting of badly written materials-Rewriting of badly written materials

-Time that recipients need to ask for -Time that recipients need to ask for clarificationclarification

Why improve our written Why improve our written communication skills?communication skills?

Make your efforts more effectiveMake your efforts more effective

Increase number of requests answered Increase number of requests answered promptly/positivelypromptly/positively

Present your points to other people in Present your points to other people in your organization more forcefully. your organization more forcefully.

Communicate your points more Communicate your points more clearlyclearly

Reduce misunderstandingsReduce misunderstandings

Why improve our written Why improve our written communication skills?communication skills?

Build GoodwillBuild Goodwill

Build positive image of your Build positive image of your organizationorganization

Build an image of yourself as a Build an image of yourself as a knowledgeable, intelligent, capable knowledgeable, intelligent, capable person and respectful personperson and respectful person

Criteria for effective Criteria for effective MessagesMessages

It’s clearIt’s clearMeaning is focused and clear –no guessing neededMeaning is focused and clear –no guessing neededIt’s completeIt’s completeAll of the readers questions are answeredAll of the readers questions are answeredIt’s correctIt’s correctInformation is accurate. Free from grammar errorsInformation is accurate. Free from grammar errorsIt saves the reader’s timeIt saves the reader’s timeStyle, organization, visuals help understanding Style, organization, visuals help understanding and promote quick actingand promote quick actingIt builds goodwillIt builds goodwillMessage presents positive image of Message presents positive image of writer/organization. It treats reader respectful and writer/organization. It treats reader respectful and builds positive relationshipbuilds positive relationship

Questions for analysisQuestions for analysis1.1. Who is (are) your audience(s)?Who is (are) your audience(s)? What What

characteristics are relevant to this message? If you characteristics are relevant to this message? If you are writing to more than one person, how do the are writing to more than one person, how do the people differ?people differ?

2.2. What are your purposes in writing?What are your purposes in writing?3.3. What information must your message What information must your message

include?include?4.4. How can you build support for your position?How can you build support for your position?

What reasons or reader benefits will your reader What reasons or reader benefits will your reader find convincing?find convincing?

5.5. What objections can you expect your What objections can you expect your reader(s) to have?reader(s) to have? What negative elements must What negative elements must you de-emphasize or overcome?you de-emphasize or overcome?

6.6. What aspects of the total situation may What aspects of the total situation may affect readers response?affect readers response?

Good style in Business WritingGood style in Business WritingFeatureFeature Conversational Conversational

stylestyleBusiness Business

stylestyleTerm paper Term paper

stylestyle

FormalityFormality Highly informalHighly informal ConversationalConversational; sounds like a ; sounds like a

real person real person talkingtalking

Extremely Extremely formalformal

Use of Use of contractionscontractions

Many Many contractionscontractions

OK to use OK to use occasional occasional

contractionscontractions

Few Few contractions; if contractions; if

anyany

PronounsPronouns Uses first- and Uses first- and second person second person

pronounspronouns

Used Used occasionally occasionally

First- and First- and second person second person

pronouns pronouns avoidedavoided

Word choiceWord choice Short, simple Short, simple words, slangwords, slang

Short, simple Short, simple style but slang style but slang

is avoidedis avoided

Abstract terms Abstract terms and academic, and academic,

technicaltechnical

GrammarGrammar Can be Can be ungrammaticalungrammatical

Uses standard Uses standard EnglishEnglish

Uses standard Uses standard EnglishEnglish

Visual Visual impactimpact

Not applicableNot applicable Detailed Detailed attention to attention to

visual impactvisual impact

No particular No particular attention givenattention given

Informative and Positive MessagesInformative and Positive Messages

Letters, Memos, and E-mails

Organizing Informative and Positive Organizing Informative and Positive MessagesMessages

1.1. Give any good news and summarize main pointsGive any good news and summarize main points. . Include dates and share good news immediatelyInclude dates and share good news immediately

2.2. Give details clarification, backgroundGive details clarification, background. Don’t repeat . Don’t repeat information. Be focused and present accurate information. information. Be focused and present accurate information. Present details in order of importance.Present details in order of importance.

3.3. Present any negative elements as positively as Present any negative elements as positively as possiblepossible. Make the negatives clear but present them in a . Make the negatives clear but present them in a good light.good light.

4.4. Explain any reader benefitsExplain any reader benefits. Most informative memos . Most informative memos need reader benefits. Show that the policy helps readers –need reader benefits. Show that the policy helps readers –not just the organization. If possible combine the reader not just the organization. If possible combine the reader benefit with the goodwill ending.benefit with the goodwill ending.

5.5. Use a goodwill ending: positive, personal, and Use a goodwill ending: positive, personal, and forward lookingforward looking. Focusing on the personal . Focusing on the personal well-being of of the reader shows that you are concerned.the reader shows that you are concerned.

Writing Letters and MemosWriting Letters and MemosLetters Letters -usually intended for people outside -usually intended for people outside the organization.the organization.MemosMemos-usually are intended for people in -usually are intended for people in your organization.your organization.Organizational Culture may Organizational Culture may determine the formality of inter-determine the formality of inter-organizational communication. organizational communication.

LettersLettersA good business letter is brief, A good business letter is brief, straightforward, and polite. If possible, it straightforward, and polite. If possible, it should be limited to one single-spaced should be limited to one single-spaced typewritten page.typewritten page.

A business letter is often judged on small, A business letter is often judged on small, but important, things: format, grammar, but important, things: format, grammar, punctuation, openings and closings. punctuation, openings and closings.

A business letter is not the place to try out A business letter is not the place to try out fancy fonts or experimental writing styles.fancy fonts or experimental writing styles.

Elements of a standard business Elements of a standard business letterletterReturn Address:Return Address:

Your address (or the address of the company you represent). Your address (or the address of the company you represent). Date:Date:Leave two blank lines after the return address. Always spell out the month and Leave two blank lines after the return address. Always spell out the month and

include the day, a comma, and the year.include the day, a comma, and the year.Inside Address:Inside Address:

Leave two blank lines after the date. Then type the address of the person or Leave two blank lines after the date. Then type the address of the person or company to whom you are writing.company to whom you are writing.Salutation:Salutation:

Type Type DearDear, followed by the person's name. End the line with a colon. If you don’t , followed by the person's name. End the line with a colon. If you don’t know the name of the person, use a title instead (i.e., know the name of the person, use a title instead (i.e., Dear Editor, Dear MadamDear Editor, Dear Madam).).Body:Body:

Skip a line before starting a new paragraph, but do not indent the paragraph's first Skip a line before starting a new paragraph, but do not indent the paragraph's first line. Make sure that each paragraph is clear and concise.line. Make sure that each paragraph is clear and concise.Closing:Closing:

Leave two lines of space after your last body paragraph, then use a conventional Leave two lines of space after your last body paragraph, then use a conventional closing, followed by a comma (i.e., closing, followed by a comma (i.e., SincerelySincerely, , Sincerely YoursSincerely Yours, , RespectfullyRespectfully).).Signature:Signature:

Your signature should appear below your closing. Your signature should appear below your closing. Name and Position:Name and Position:Four lines after the closing, type your full name. Do not include a title (Four lines after the closing, type your full name. Do not include a title (Mr. or Mrs.Mr. or Mrs.). ).

If you are writing on behalf of an organization, type your title on the next line.If you are writing on behalf of an organization, type your title on the next line.

MemosMemos

have a twofold purpose: they bring have a twofold purpose: they bring attention to problems and they solve attention to problems and they solve problems. They do this by informing problems. They do this by informing the reader about new information the reader about new information like policy changes, price increases, like policy changes, price increases, or by persuading the reader to take or by persuading the reader to take action, such as attend a meeting.action, such as attend a meeting.

Audience and PurposeAudience and PurposeChoose the audience of the memo wisely.Choose the audience of the memo wisely.

Ensure that only people who the memo is Ensure that only people who the memo is intended for read the memo. If it is an intended for read the memo. If it is an issue involving only one person, do not issue involving only one person, do not send the memo to the entire office. Make send the memo to the entire office. Make sure that material is not too sensitive; sure that material is not too sensitive; sometimes the best forms of sometimes the best forms of communication are face-to-face communication are face-to-face interaction or a phone call. interaction or a phone call.

Parts of a MemoParts of a MemoStandard memos are divided into segments to organize the Standard memos are divided into segments to organize the

information and to help achieve the writer's purpose.information and to help achieve the writer's purpose.

Heading SegmentHeading SegmentThe heading segment follows this general format:The heading segment follows this general format:

TO: (readers' names and job titles)TO: (readers' names and job titles)

FROM: (your name and job title)FROM: (your name and job title)

DATE: (complete and current date)DATE: (complete and current date)

SUBJECT: (what the memo is about)SUBJECT: (what the memo is about)

Importance of subject lines Importance of subject lines Subject lines determine if a reader will be Subject lines determine if a reader will be

interested.interested.Subject lines Subject lines -need to be specific and at the same time -need to be specific and at the same time broad enough to cover everything in the broad enough to cover everything in the message.message.-are relatively short: no more than 10 -are relatively short: no more than 10 words.words.-need to be appropriate for the situation.-need to be appropriate for the situation.

Opening SegmentOpening SegmentPurpose of a memo is usually found in the Purpose of a memo is usually found in the opening paragraph and includes: opening paragraph and includes:

the purpose of the memo, the context and the purpose of the memo, the context and problem, and the specific assignment or problem, and the specific assignment or task. Before giving details to the reader, task. Before giving details to the reader, give a brief overview of what the memo is give a brief overview of what the memo is about. Including the purpose of the memo about. Including the purpose of the memo clarifies the reason the audience should clarifies the reason the audience should read this memo. The introduction should read this memo. The introduction should be brief.be brief.

Body and closing of a MemoBody and closing of a MemoContextContextThe context is the circumstance, or background The context is the circumstance, or background of the problem you are solving. Write a few of the problem you are solving. Write a few sentences to establish the background and state sentences to establish the background and state the problem. the problem. DetailsDetailsBe as accurate as possible. Integrate reader Be as accurate as possible. Integrate reader benefit.benefit.Closing SegmentClosing SegmentAfter the reader has absorbed all of your After the reader has absorbed all of your information, you want to close with a goodwill information, you want to close with a goodwill ending that states what action you want your ending that states what action you want your reader to take.reader to take.

E-mailsE-mailsPrincipals of Business Writing apply to e-Principals of Business Writing apply to e-mails.mails.Good style in Business Writing

E-mails can be very informal to highly E-mails can be very informal to highly formal depending on audience.formal depending on audience.

Be aware of grammar and spelling –use Be aware of grammar and spelling –use spell checker.spell checker.

Salutation and closings are optional. Keep Salutation and closings are optional. Keep your audience and purpose in mind.your audience and purpose in mind.

Be aware that e-mails are not confidential. Be aware that e-mails are not confidential.