Writing Business Messages Pearson Education Canada 2005 Business
Writing Business Messages © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 1
Three-Step Writing Process • Planning • Writing • Completing © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 2
Organizing the Message • Writer benefits – Save time – Facilitate feedback – Manage the project • Audience benefits – Promote understanding – Boost acceptance – Save time © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 3
Defining the Main Idea • General purpose • Specific purpose • Basic topic • Main idea © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 4
Limiting the Scope Main idea – Space – Time – Length – Detail – Major points – Evidence © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 5
Outlining Your Points • Use numbers or letters • Indent points to show status • Divide topics into at least two parts • Make each group separate and distinct © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 6
Common Outline Form Alphanumeric I. First Major Part 1. 0 First Major Part A. First subpoint 1. 1 First subpoint B. Second subpoint 1. 2 Second subpoint C. II. Decimal 1. Evidence 1. 2. 1 Evidence 2. Evidence 1. 2. 2 Evidence Third subpoint Second Major Point 1. 2. 3 Third subpoint 2. 0 Second Major Point A. First subpoint 2. 1 First subpoint B. Second subpoint 2. 2 Second subpoint © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 7
Sequencing the Message • Direct approach (deductive) – Main idea – Evidence • Indirect approach (inductive) – Evidence – Main idea © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 8
Composing Business Messages • Controlling style and tone • Writing effective sentences • Writing coherent paragraphs © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 9
Control Style and Tone • Avoid obsolete language • Avoid false familiarity • Avoid humour • Write in plain English © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 10
Balance Your Writing Style • Abstract words – Broad – Intellectual – Academic – Philosophical • Concrete words – – – Clear Direct Material Exact Tangible – Conceptual © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 11
Finding Words that Communicate • Choose strong words • Prefer familiar words • Avoid clichés • Avoid jargon © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 12
Writing Effective Sentences • Types of sentences – Simple – Compound – Complex – Compound-complex © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 13
Effective Sentence Style • Use all sentence types • Stress key relationships • Emphasize important ideas – Spacing – Placement – Sentence type © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 14
The Active Voice Avoid Passive Voice in General • There are problems with this contract. • It is necessary that the report be finished by next week. Use Active Voice in General • This contract has problems. • The report must be finished by next week. © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 15
The Passive Voice Sometimes Avoid Active Voice • You lost the shipment. • We have established criteria to evaluate capital expenditures. Sometimes Use Passive Voice • The shipment was lost. • Criteria have been established to evaluate capital expenditures. © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 16
Coherent Paragraphs • Adapt length and form • Use development techniques • Achieve unity and coherence © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 17
Transitions • Use connecting words • Repeat key terms • Use pronouns • Use paired words © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 18
Frequently Used Transitions Additional Detail • Moreover, furthermore, in addition Causal Relationship • Therefore, because, since, thus Comparison • Similarly, likewise, still, in comparison Contrast • Whereas, conversely, yet, however Illustration • For example, in particular, in this case Time Sequence • Formerly, after, meanwhile, sometimes Summary • In brief, in short, to sum up © Pearson Education Canada, 2005 Business Communication Essentials, Canadian Edition 19
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