Chapter 2 : Writing for Business Audiences Business Communications

1. Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 1-1
Ch. 2–1 1

2. Improving Your
Business Writing
• The best business writing is
• Audience oriented
• Purposeful
• Economical –clear,concise,brief
• To improve your writing skills, you need
• Good teaching materials with excellent model documents
• An effective writing process
• A trainer (like your instructor)
• Practice
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–2 2

3. The Writing Process
Stage 1: Prewriting Stage 2: Writing Stage 3: Revising
Analyzing Researching Revising
Anticipating Organizing Proofreading
Adapting Composing Evaluating
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–3 3

4. Factors Determining
Channel Selection
• Importance of message
• Amount and speed of feedback required
• Necessity of a permanent record
• Cost of the channel
• Degree of formality required
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–4 4

5. Factors Determining
Channel Selection
Possible Channels:
E-mail, fax, letter, memo, report, telephone,
voice mail, meeting, conversation, Web
• What channel is best to announce decreased
insurance benefits for 250 employees?
E-mail or memo
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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6. Factors Determining
Channel Selection
• What channel is best for a sales message promoting
a new product to customers?
Letter
• What channel is best for responding to similar
customer inquiries?
Web, letter, telephone
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–6 6

7. Reader Benefits
Shape your statements to involve the
reader. Strive to develop the “you”
attitude.
Instead of this: Try this:
We are promoting a new You will enjoy total
plan that we believe has peace of mind with our
many outstanding affordable hospitali-
benefits. zation plan that meets all
your needs.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–7 7

8. Reader Benefits
Shape your statements to involve the
reader. Strive to develop the “you”
attitude.
Instead of this: Try this:
Before we can allow you You may begin making
to purchase items on this purchases on your new
new account, we must account in two weeks.
wait two weeks to verify
your credit.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–8 8

9. Reader Benefits
Shape your statements to involve the
reader. Strive to develop the “you”
attitude.
Instead of this: Try this:
I need your response Your quick response
immediately so that I can means your vacation
make the employee schedules will be ready
vacation schedule by next week.
next week.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–9 9

10. Conversational Language
Instead of this: Try this:
The undersigned takes I’m happy to . . . .
pleasure in . . . .
Instead of this: Try this:
It may be of some We’ve credited your
concern to you to learn account for $250.
that your check has been
received and your
account has been
credited for $250.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–1010

11. Positive Language
Instead of this: Try this:
Employees may not use Employees may use the
the First Street entrance Market Street entrance
during remodeling. during remodeling.
Instead of this: Try this:
We cannot fill your order We can fill your order
until we receive an exact once we receive an exact
model number. model number.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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12. Hidden Messages
Some words and phrases convey a
negative and unpleasant tone. They
may imply a hidden message that the
writer does not intend. Think twice
before using the following negative
expressions.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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13. Hidden Messages
Negative Language:
You overlooked
You state that
You failed to
You claim that
You are wrong
You do not understand
Your delay
You forgot to
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–1313

14. Inclusive Language
Instead of this: Try this:
Have you called a Have you called a
salesman? salesperson?
Every executive has his All executives have their
own office. own offices.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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15. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence to create a more
conversational tone and to state your
idea positively.
• The undersigned takes great pleasure in
welcoming you to our staff.
I’m happy to welcome you to our staff.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–1515

16. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence to create a more
conversational tone and to state your
idea positively.
• We cannot send your order from our
warehouse until June 1.
Your order will be on its way to you June 1.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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17. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence to create reader
benefits.
• I have 15 different financial plans to offer my
investors.
You have 15 different financial plans from
which to choose.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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18. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence to create reader
benefits.
• We want all newly hired employees to use our
carpooling program for at least three months.
As a newly hired employee, you won’t have to
drive to work for the first three months
because you can carpool.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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19. Plain Language
Avoid federalese, bureaucratese, and inflated
language.
Federalese: Each person to whom the request is herein addressed
is henceforth solicited to submit, or to have his or her department
representative submit, to the Department of Labor official
described above, a comment on whether the proposed plan, in his
or her considered view, meets the requirements of the 2003 law.
Simple Translation: You may wish to comment on whether the
proposed plan meets the requirements of the 2003 law.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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20. Familiar Words
Avoid long, difficult, and unfamiliar words.
Use short, simple, and common words
whenever possible.
Less familiar words: Simple alternatives:
encounter meet
extrapolate project
obligatory required
terminate end
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–2020

21. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence using simpler
language.
• You may encounter difficulties in terminating
the contract.
You may meet difficulties in ending the
contract.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition Ch. 2–2121

22. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence using simpler
language.
• As stipulated, we extrapolated the budget
figures for two years.
As required, we projected the budget figures
for two years.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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23. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence using simpler
language.
• Will you utilize workbooks during the
obligatory training period?
Will you use workbooks during the required
training period?
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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24. Try Your Skill
Revise this sentence using simpler
language.
• We anticipate that a majority of the
alternatives will be fundamental enough to
meet our requirements.
We expect that most of the choices will be
basic enough to meet our needs.
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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25. Seven Ways Technology Can
Improve Your Business Writing
• Fighting writer’s block
• Collecting information electronically
• Outlining and organizing ideas
• Improving correctness and precision
• Adding graphics for emphasis
• Designing and producing professional-looking
documents, presentations, and Web pages
• Using collaborative software for team writing
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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26. End
Essentials of Business Communication, Asian Edition
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Ch. 2–2626