Writing for Effect

Writing for Effect

Ace Institute of ManagementIn face to face communication, words, voice, facial expressions, gestures, and such combine to determine the effect of the message. In writing, the printed word/s alone must do the job.What is Effect?Necessity Good business communication helps to gain or maintain favorable relationships.Good BC achieves certain effects likeGoodwill Effect:Building goodwill effect is a good business practice.The success of a business is affected by what people think about the business.

How to achieve goodwill effectConversational Style You-ViewpointAccent on Positive Language Courtesy The Role of Emphasis Coherence

1. Conversational Style Language that resembles conversation.Its warm & natural which leaves an impression. Used most & understood best. How we achieve it: a)Resisting the tendency to be formal. b)Cutting out the rubber stamp (clichs).Why to resist the tendency to be formal??? Human tendency to be formal. Formal writing: stiff and dull. Stiff and dull writing results in cold and unnatural style.Doesnt produce the goodwill effect.Stiff and DullConversationalCreate the right effect by using conversational style.Please refer to your March 16 letter, in which you tell how to file a claim.

Enclosed is the brochure you asked about.

Ill gladly follow your suggestion if the price falls.Reference is made to your March 16 letter, in which you describe the approved procedure for initiating a claim.Enclosed herewith is the brochure about which you make inquiry.I shall be most pleased to avail myself of your kind suggestion when and if prices decline.84-4This and the following slides show techniques of creating the right effect. The first one emphasizes writing in conversational style.Cutting out Rubber StampsLast but not the least. As good as gold. Back against the wall. Leave no stone unturned. Call the shots.

Why cut out the Rubber StampsExpressions used by habit. used as you would use a rubber stamp; used without thought; may not fit the situation always.May not impress the readers; impart impression that the writer has no special concern for them.They are relics from the old language of business. A way of writing that was in vogue over a century ago.These are not the part of most conversational vocabularies

Examples of Rubber Stamps.At an early dateAttached please findComplying with your favor ofDue to the factHit the roadBit the hand that feeds youTake it with a grain of saltToo many irons in the fireAs perNeither here nor thereA good man is hard to findYoud better believeLet her hair downRat raceThanking you in advanceCouldnt care less114-5Avoiding rubber stamps is another aid to creating the right effect.Create the right effect by avoiding the old language of business.In Openingswe beg to adviseyour esteemed favorthis is to inform youIn Contentsdeem it advisableattached heretoplease be advisedIn ClosingsThanking you in advanceWe beg to remainAnticipating your favorable response124-6Avoiding the old language of business is yet another way of creating the right effect. Yes, some of these wordings are still being used.Thanking you in advance ........

Herewith enclosed please find....

I herewith hand you.......Ill sincerely appreciate

Enclosed is........

Here is.........Letter filled with old-style, rubber stamp wordingDear Mr. Canfield:In re: Policy 437 H721 411Agreeable to your favor of September 6, we have consulted our actuarial department to ascertain the status of subject policy.In as much as said policy was due on September 1 and this classification carries a 31-day grace clause, I am pleased to advise that your period of grace does not expire until October 1.Therefore, permission is hereby granted to delay remittance until said date. Trusting to have your payment by that time, I am.Yours very truly,

144-7This message shows the combined effect of using rubber stamps and old-style expressions. One way of using this slide is to have the students revise the message. Then show them the next slide, which is a revision of this message.Letter revised with contemporary wording.Dear Mr. Canfield:Subject: Your September 7 inquiry about Policy 437 H721 411You are still covered by your policy. As it has a 31-day grace period, you have until October 1 to pay. So that you may be assured of continued coverage, you should mail your payment a few days before this date.If I can help you further, please contact me again.Sincerely,

154-8This revision of the preceding message shows improvement.2. You-ViewpointNot merely using second-person pronouns but an attitude of mind. The reader in the center of things. Being friendly and treating people the way they like to be treated. Skillfully handling people with carefully chosen words for making desired impression.Selection of words matter.

You viewpoint contd.............Can even be used in bad news messages. However, critics say this technique is dishonest.It is insincere.It is manipulative. people might use it to pursue unethical goals.

Create the right effect by emphasizing the you viewpoint.We:Our research engineers have worked forty-four years to make Deere a safe mower.You:You can use the Deere with the comfort of knowing that it is a product of forty-four years of intensive safety research.We:On February 7 we will deliver the Bush desk and chair set your ordered.You:You will receive your Bush desk and chair set on our February 7 delivery.We: I look forward to receiving additional orders from you.You:I look forward to serving you again.You: Serving you again will be a pleasure.194-10This slide shows additional you viewpoint illustrations.3. Accent on Positive Language Selection of words matterWhy Positive words: best for message goals.produce the effect that you seek.put the reader in the right frame of mind. emphasize the pleasant aspects of the goal.

Negative Words Words that convey unhappy thoughts mistake, problem, error, damage, loss, failure etc. Words that give the sense of denialno, do not, refuse, stopWords having unpleasant effectsitch, guts, scratch, grime, sloppy, sticky, bloody, nauseous, gummy , slimy, bilious, soggy Create the right effect by accenting positive language.Negative: Your misunderstanding of your policy prompts your accusation that we are at fault.Positive:Section 3 of your policy makes us responsible only when we service the equipment.Negative: I regret the inconvenience caused you by the breakdown of the equipment.Positive: The repaired equipment should give you years of good service.224-11The effect of positive language is illustrated in these contrasting sentences.Negative:We cannot deliver until Friday.Positive:We can deliver the goods on Friday.Negative:Smoking is not permitted anywhere except in the lobby.Positive:Smoking is permitted in the lobby only.

Negative: We must refuse your request to use our equipment.Positive: As we are a state office, our equipment can be used for government purposes only.

Common Negative Wordsallegebewarecarelessdeclinedisappointfailinconvenienceunfortunatewasteworryalibiblamecomplaintdifficultfaultimpossiblemisunderstandingruinunfairwrong244-12This list illustrates the harsh effect of negative words.4. Courtesy Courtesy: having humility and treating people with respect. Courtesy: a major contributor to goodwill. A technique to make your reader feel most comfortable, understood, and appreciated.Writing in courtesy is to focus on the writers interest, conveying the writers feeling. Please, thank you, were sorry: stock phrases do not necessarily make a message courteous.

Writing in conversational language, employing you viewpoint, choosing positive words: techniques of achieving COURTESY.Techniques of being courteous: Focusing your message on your reader Write directly to your reader: makes the reader feel important and appreciated ; Make your readers feel that you are giving them individual treatment.Do not preachAvoid the tone of lecture and sermon (it hurts goodwill).Unequal reader-writer relationship make readers unhappy.

not this: Your training report for the third quarter has been received and has been judged to be satisfactory.but this: Congratulations, Jane, on the good teaching indicated by the third quarter training report you submitted.not this: A prompt reply will be appreciated.but this: As the report is due on the 7th, Mr. Adami, will you please reply by that date.Show courtesy by singling out the reader.274-13This and the following four slides show different ways in which courtesy can create a desired effect. The first shows how singling out the reader can help.not this:Pay this invoice by the 12th and earn the 2 percent discount.but this:You can earn a 2 percent discount by paying by the 12th.not this:You must realize that we can be held responsible only when we install the equipment.but this:You will agree, I feel certain, that we are responsible only when we install the equipment.not this:You want to hire a person who can get along with the office staff.but this:My three years of experience working with people will help me to fit in well with your office staff.Show courtesy by refraining from preaching.284-14Avoiding preaching to the reader is a second good way to project courtesy.

not this:You failed to state whether you intend to use the equipment inside or outside.but this:So that I can meet your needs exactly, please tell me whether you will use the equipment inside or outside.not this:We have been very patient with your failure to reply to our letters.but this:Probably there is a good reason why you have not answered our letters.not this:Your negligence in this matter has caused us a loss in sales.but this:Because corrective action was not taken, our sales declined.Show courtesy by avoiding anger.294-16Avoiding displays of anger is a fourth.giving more than the minimum information requestedmaking helpful suggestionswishing good luckmaking encouraging remarks

Little extras like:Show courtesy by doing more than expected.Show courtesy by being sincere.304-15Doing more than the reader expects is a third.5. The Role of Emphasis Giving proper emphasis to the items in a message. Main theme of the message is more important than supporting explanations and incidental facts. Techniques of the role of emphasis. position , space, structure and mechanical devices Create the right effect by giving proper emphasis to contents.beginning and ending of the messagebeginning and ending of the paragraphbeginning and ending of the sentenceEmphasis by Position324-18This illustration points out the places of emphasis in writing. Beginnings and endings of the parts receive more emphasis than the interiors.Topic A receives more space than Topic B -- thus more emphasis.Topic ATopic BCreate the right effect by giving proper emphasis to contents.Emphasis by Volume334-19This second emphasis illustration shows that space devoted to a topic helps to determine the emphasis given to the topic.These short sentences give equal emphasis to all items.The Cc field is for courtesy copies. Courtesy copies are for the recipients information. To send courtesy copies, put the recipients addresses in the Cc field. They wont be expected to answer. They can answer if they choose. You can send yourself a courtesy copy for your file. Do this by placing your address in this field.

Emphasis by Sentence StructureCreate the right effect by giving proper emphasis to contents. 344-20Show this and the next two slides to illustrate how varying the writing can change emphasis. This first one illustrates giving equal emphasis to all items. None stand out.Here some items get more emphasis than others.Put the addresses of those to whom you want to send courtesy copies in the Cc field. Courtesy copies are for the recipients information. The recipients have a choice whether or not to respond. By placing your address in this file, you can receive a copy for your file.Emphasis by Sentence StructureCreate the right effect by giving proper emphasis to contents354-21This example shows how changing the structure gives different emphasis to the contents.This one emphasizes different items.If you want others to have the information in your message, send them courtesy copies. Do this by placing their addresses in the Cc field. They have a choice whether or not to respond. Place your address in this field if you want a copy for your file.Emphasis by Sentence StructureCreate the right effect by giving proper emphasis to contents. 364-22The emphasis changes more with this revision.Create the right effect by giving proper emphasis to contentsEmphasis by Mechanical Devices Use of Underscore Color Diagrams Quotation Marks Italics The language used in a message communicates more than the message. It tells how friendly, how formal, how careful the writer is and more6. Coherence The independent bits of information of our writing must be put together in a logical way to communicate your message. Presenting information in a logical order is central to coherence.

Create the proper effect by making the message coherent.The facts in every case are different. What we can do in each instance is determined by the facts of the case.Abrupt Shift:Smooth Tie-in:Initial SentenceAs always, we are willing to do as much as we reasonably can to make things right.Show coherence through tie-in sentences.404-23Connecting the parts of the message is yet another aid to creating a desired effect. Contrast the differences in these succeeding sentences.Initial SentenceWe are eager to serve you whenever we can.Create the proper effect by making the message coherent.The checks you authorized us to make were made.

In determining what we can do for you in this case, we made all the checks you authorized.Abrupt Shift:

Smooth Tie-in:

Show coherence through tie-in sentences.414-25This is another illustration of the coherence given by tie-in sentences.Create the proper effect by making the message coherent.Before buying plants you should know which varieties are adapted to your area. Adapted varieties usually are sold by local nurseries.Preferably you should state the problem in writing. Stating the problem in writing is good for many reasons.The state of order of your findings depends on much on the plan you followed in your research. This research plan probably was the product of the preliminary analysis you made of your problem.Nouns are the doers of action. As doers of action, they attract the readers attention.Show coherence through repetition of key words.424-26How word repetition can give writing coherence is illustrated here.Create the proper effect by making the message coherentIf you think Mr. James is most interested in the conclusion, begin with the conclusion. A direct beginning will permit him to make his decision without delay. If he has confidence in your work, he may not choose to read beyond this point.Show coherence through the use of pronouns.434-27Pronouns can also be used to give coherence to writing, as illustrated in these examples.The promotion failed for two reasons. First, we had very little preparation time. Second, we were extremely short of experienced salespeople.For three years we had no funds for maintaining the equipment. As a result, we have suffered a succession of breakdowns.After the incident, we installed two additional video cameras. Nevertheless, theft losses continued to increase.They built the building on the site that had been filled. Consequently, the foundation cracked.Flights attendants at US Airways went on strike. Similarly, pilots and mechanics refused to cross the picket line.Show coherence through the use of transition words.444-28The use of transition words in creating coherence is shown here.Ethical CommunicationEthics are the principles of conduct that govern a person or a group.Knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is the right thing to do (Former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart).Whatever you write should be true fair considerate454-29This slide is designed to place all the preceding slides in proper context. Nothing has been presented that suggests anything other than honest and honorable business dealings.Some Examples of unethical communicationPlagiarism: stealing someone elses words or work and claiming them/it as your own.Selective misquoting: deliberately omitting damaging or unflattering comments to paint a better (but untruthful) picture of you or your company.Misinterpreting numbers: increasing or decreasing numbers, exaggerating, altering statics or omitting numerical data.Distorting visuals: making a product look bigger or changing the scale of graphs and charts to exaggerate or conceal differences.Write as though you were addressing intelligent people you understand and respect. Dont patronize them, but dont talk over their heads.--Patricia T. OConnerWords Fail Me474-30This writing thought for the day ends the presentation.