business communication ch04

Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Mary Ellen GuffeyCopyright © 2008

Chapter 4Chapter 4Writing Writing Process Process Phase 1:Phase 1: Analyze, Analyze, Anticipate, Anticipate, AdaptAdapt

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 2

Guffey’s 3-x-3Writing Process

Defining Business Communication

The Business Writing The Business Writing Process: Phase 1Process: Phase 1

Team Writing

Reader Benefitsand “You” View

Legal and EthicalResponsibilities

Analyze, Anticipate, Adapt

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 3

Business Writing Is…Business Writing Is…

PurposefulPurposeful

PersuasivePersuasive

EconomicalEconomical

Reader-Reader-orientedoriented

It is concise and doesn’t waste the reader’s time.It focuses on the receiver, not the sender.

It conveys information and solves problems.Its goal is to make the audience accept the message.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 4

Guffey’s 3-x-3 Writing Guffey’s 3-x-3 Writing ProcessProcess

Prewriting Writing Revising

AnalyzeAnticipateAdapt

ResearchOrganizeCompose

EditProofreadEvaluate

The writing process is recursive.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 5

Scheduling the Writing Scheduling the Writing ProcessProcess

Prewriting Writing Revising

about25 percentof time

about25 percentof time

about45

percentfor

revising,

5 percentfor

proofing

Don’t mar your effort byskimping on revising!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 6

Do All Writers Follow the Do All Writers Follow the Same Steps?Same Steps? Writers have different

composition styles. The order of writing

steps may vary. The process is

recursive, not linear. Collaboration and

working with a computer affect the writing process.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 7

Do Short Messages Do Short Messages Require a Require a Writing Process?Writing Process?

The steps may be condensed or performed rapidly, but good writers consider them all.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 8

Writing With Teams: Writing With Teams: Phase 1Phase 1

AnalyzeAnticipateAdapt

Phase 1: PrewritingTeam members work closely to determine purpose, audience, content, organization

Prewriting

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 9

Writing With Teams: Writing With Teams: Phase 2Phase 2

Phase 2: WritingTeam members work separately.

WritingResearchOrganizeCompose

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 10

Writing With Teams: Writing With Teams: Phase 3Phase 3

RevisingEditProofreadEvaluate

Phase 3: RevisingTeam members work together to synthesize, but one person may do final proofreading.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 11

Analyzing and Anticipating: Analyzing and Anticipating: Audience, PurposeAudience, Purpose

IdentifyIdentifythe the

purposepurposeAnalyze Analyze

the the tasktask

Visualize Visualize primary primary

audienceaudience

AnticipatAnticipatee

the the audienceaudience MessaMessa

gege

VisualizeVisualize secondaseconda

ryry audiencaudienc

ee

Select Select thethe

right right channelchannel

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 12

© Comstock Images / Jupiterimages

Anticipating Three Typical Anticipating Three Typical Business AudiencesBusiness Audiences

Customers

Superiors

Colleagues

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 13

Selecting the Best Selecting the Best ChannelChannel

Fax?E-Mail? Letter?

Memo? Voice

mail?

How important is the message? How much feedback is required? How fast is feedback needed? Is a permanent record necessary? How much can be spent? How formal and confidential is the

message?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 14

Adapting to Task and Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight StepsAudience: Eight Steps

Spotlight audience benefits.The warranty starts working for you immediately.

Cultivate the “you” view.

You will receive your order.Your account is now open.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 15

Adapting to Task and Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight StepsAudience: Eight Steps

Use sensitive language, avoiding gender, race, age, and disability biases.office workers, not office girlsdoctors/they, not doctor/he or nurse/sheBe conversational but professional.Your report was excellent, not Your report was totally awesome!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 16

Adapting to Task and Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight StepsAudience: Eight Steps

Express your thoughts positively.you will be happy to… not you won’t be sorry that…

Be courteous.Please complete the report, notYou must complete the report!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 17

Adapting to Task and Adapting to Task and Audience: Eight StepsAudience: Eight Steps

Simplify your language and use familiar words.salary not remunerationbegin not commence

Use precise, vigorous words.fax me, not contact mebuy staples, not get those things for me

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 18

Developing Reader Developing Reader Benefits and “You” ViewBenefits and “You” ViewWe are requiring all staffers to complete these forms in compliance with company policy.

Please complete these forms so that you will be eligible for health and dental benefits.

Sender-Focused Receiver-Focused

Because we need more space for our new inventory, we are staging a two-for-one sale.

This two-for-one sale makes it possible for you to buy a year’s supply of paper but pay only for six months’ worth.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 19

Developing Reader Benefits Developing Reader Benefits and “You” Viewand “You” View“I” and “We” View “You” ViewWe take pleasure in announcing an agreement we made with HP to allow us to offer discounted printers in the student store.

An agreement with HP allows you and other students to buy discounted printers at your convenient student store.

We are issuing a refund. You will receive a refund.

We need your account number before we can do anything.

Would you mind giving me your account number so that I can find your records and help you solve this problem?

I have a few questions on which I would like feedback.

Your feedback is important. Please answer a few questions.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 20

Negative Expressions and Negative Expressions and Their Hidden MessagesTheir Hidden Messages

Hidden MessageNegative ExpressionYou are careless

But I don’t believe you

You are careless

It is probably not true

I am right

You are not very bright

You are at fault

You are not only inefficient but also stupid and careless!

You overlooked

You state that

You failed to

You claim that

You are wrong

You do not understand

Your delay

You forgot to

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 21

Adapting to Legal and Adapting to Legal and Ethical ResponsibilitiesEthical Responsibilities

Avoid misleading information, exaggeration, half truths.

Warn consumers of risks in clear, simple language.

Investment Investment InformationInformation

Safety Safety InformationInformation

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 22

Adapting to Legal and Adapting to Legal and Ethical ResponsibilitiesEthical ResponsibilitiesMarketing Marketing InformationInformation

Avoid statements that falsely advertise prices, performance, quality, or other product features.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 23

Adapting to Legal and Adapting to Legal and Ethical ResponsibilitiesEthical ResponsibilitiesHuman Human Resources Resources InformatioInformationn

Avoid subjective statements in evaluating employees; describe job-related specifics objectively.

Avoid promissory statements in job ads, application forms, and offer letters.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 24

Adapting to Legal and Adapting to Legal and Ethical ResponsibilitiesEthical ResponsibilitiesCopyright Copyright InformatioInformationn

Assume that everything is copyrighted.Understand that Internet items are NOT in the public domain.Observe fair use restrictions.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 25

©©

Four-Factor Test to Assess Four-Factor Test to Assess Fair UseFair Use1. Purpose and character of the use

Is the item to be used for profit or nonprofit?

2. Nature of copyrighted workIs the information necessary for the public good?

$$

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 26

Four-Factor Test to Assess Four-Factor Test to Assess Fair UseFair Use3. Amount and substantiality

of portion usedIs the amount to be copied a small portion of a large work or a substantial portion of a small work?

4. Effect on the potential market for or value of the work.

Does the fair-use copying interfere with the author’s potential profit from the original?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 27

Ensuring Fair UseEnsuring Fair Use

How can you always be safe?

Ask for permission to borrow.

EndEnd

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 4, Slide 28