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