Creating
Effective
Business
Messages
Chapter 5
© 2016 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
Writing effective business messages involves a
process—one that involves examining,
developing, and refining business ideas in a
way that provides to your audience
It drives collaboration and productivity in your
work relationships.
5-2
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
Plan
Draft
Review
5-3
The Stages and Goals of
Effective Message Creation
5-4
The Stages and Goals of
Effective Message Creation
5-5
The Stages and Goals of
Effective Message Creation
5-6
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
Expert writers are more likely to analyze the
needs of the audience, generate the best
ideas to tackle a problem, and identify the
primary message and key points before
starting a formal draft of a business message.
5-7
Time Spent by Poor, Average, and Expert Writers
Developing a Complete Business Message
Figure 5.2
5-8
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
Planning
5-9
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
5-10
The AIM Planning Process for
Business Messages
The most important stage of creating effective
business messages is planning
The AIM planning process unleashes your best
thinking and allows you to deliver influential
messages
5-11
The AIM Planning Process for
Business Messages
Figure 5.3
5-12
Audience Analysis
Effective business communicators think about
the needs, priorities, and values of their
audience members.
They envision how their readers will respond
when getting the message — in thought,
feeling, and action.
5-13
Audience Analysis
Identify Reader Benefits and Constraints
Consider Reader Values and Priorities
Estimate Your Credibility
Anticipate Reactions
Keep Secondary Audiences in Mind
5-14
Identifying Reader Benefits
and Constraints
For many messages, this is the single most
important planning step.
Your readers respond when you provide them
with something that they value.
5-15
Considering Reader Values
and Priorities
Values
refer to enduring
beliefs and ideals that
individuals hold.
Priorities
involve ranking or
assigning importance
to things, such as
projects, goals, and
task.
5-16
Estimating Your Credibility
Your readers will judge your
recommendations, requests, and other
messages based on their view of your
credibility
Many entry-level professionals have relatively
low professional credibility because they are
viewed as the newcomers
5-17
Changing Your Reputation
 Set up a time to talk with your boss
 Ask your boss if you can take on any higher-responsibility
projects
 Make sure you fit in with the corporate culture in terms
of professional dress and communication style.
 Attend a lot of meetings to get to know as many
colleagues as possible
 Create a professional blog about a niche area
5-18
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
Drafting
5-19
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
5-20
Idea Development
Developing great business ideas involves:
Sorting out the business issues and objectives
Collecting as many relevant facts as possible
Making sound judgments about what the
facts mean and imply.
5-21
Idea Development
Identifying the Business
Problem/s
Analyzing the Business
Problem/s
Clarifying Objectives
5-22
Analyzing the Business Problem(s)
Facts
statements that can be relied on with a fair
amount of certainty and can be observed
objectively
Conclusions
statements that are reasoned or deduced based
on facts.
5-23
Analyzing the Business Problem(s)
Positions
stances that you take based on a set of
conclusions.
© 2016 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any manner.
This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
5-24
Clarifying Objectives:
Message Structuring
1. Framing the primary message.
a. What is the primary message?
b. What simple, vivid statement (15 words
or less) captures the essence of your
message?
5-25
Clarifying Objectives:
Message Structuring
2. Setting up the logic of your message.
a. What are your supporting points?
b. What do you want to explicitly ask your
readers to do (call to action)?
c. How will you order the logic of your
message?
5-26
Setting Up the Message Framework
Most business arguments employ a direct or
deductive approach
They begin by stating the primary message
Then they lay out the supporting reasons and
conclude with a call to action
5-27
Typical Deductive Framework for a Business
Argument and Related Paragraph Structure
Figure 5.5
5-28
Typical Deductive Framework for a Business
Argument and Related Paragraph Structure
Figure 5.5
5-29
Logical Inconsistencies
Unsupported
generalizations
Faulty
cause/effect
claims
Weak
analogies
Either/or logic
Slanting the
facts
Exaggeration
5-30
Setting the Tone of the Message
Tone
the overall evaluation
the reader perceives
the writer to have
toward the reader
and the message
content
5-31
Make Your Message More Positive
Display a Can-Do, Confident
Attitude
Focus on The Positive Rather than
Negative Traits of Products and
Services
Use Diplomatic, Constructive
Terms Related To Your
Relationships And Interactions
5-32
Concern for Others
Avoid relying too heavily on the I-Voice
Respect the time and autonomy of your
readers
Give credit to others
5-33
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
Review
5-34
The Process for Creating
Business Messages
5-35
The Business Writing Process:
Revising Tips
Evaluating
Proofreading
The Business Writing Process: Phase
3
Revising Tips
Mary Ellen Guffey,
Ch. 6, Slide 37
Keep it Simple
Avoid indirect, pompous language.
Foggy:
It would not be inadvisable for
you to affix your signature at this
point in time.
Clear:
You may sign now.
Keep it Conversational
Use natural, familiar language.
Formal:
Our accounting department takes
pleasure in informing you that we
have credited your account for
the aforementioned sum of $100.
Conversational: We’re happy to credit your
account for $100.
Avoid Wordiness
Wordy:
There are four menu
items we must promote.
Concise: We must promote four new
menu items.
Eliminate Redundancies
Say it only once!
collect together
contributing factor
past history
basic fundamentals
personal opinion
perfectly clear
unexpected surprise
few in number
Say It More Concisely
at such time, at which time
at this point in time
due to the fact that, inasmuch as
at a later date
despite the fact that
when
now
because
later
although
Purge Empty Words
Unclutter your sentences.
As for the field of athletic shoes, the degree
of profits sagged.
This is to inform you that we have a tollfree service line.
Not all members who are registered will
attend the conference.
Purge Empty Words
Unclutter your sentences.
As for the field of athletic shoes, the degree
of profits sagged.
This is to inform you that we have a tollfree service line.
Not all members who are registered will
attend the conference.
Purge Empty Words
Unclutter your sentences.
As for athletic shoes, profits sagged.
This is to inform you that we have a tollfree service line.
Not all members who are registered will
attend the conference.
Purge Empty Words
Unclutter your sentences.
As for athletic shoes, profits sagged.
This is to inform you that we have a tollfree service line.
Not all members who are registered will
attend the conference.
Purge Empty Words
Unclutter your sentences.
As for athletic shoes, profits sagged.
We have a toll-free service line.
Not all members who are registered will
attend the conference.
Purge Empty Words
Unclutter your sentences.
As for athletic shoes, profits sagged.
We have a toll-free service line.
Not all members who are registered will
attend the conference.
Purge Empty Words
Unclutter your sentences.
As for athletic shoes, profits sagged.
We have a toll-free service line.
Not all registered members will attend the
conference.
Use Simple Dynamic Verbs
conduct an investigation of
give consideration to
make a decision about
perform an analysis of
take action
investigate
consider
decide
analyze
act
Dump Trite “Business” Phrases
Eliminate stale, puffed-up expressions.
as per your suggestion
pursuant to your request
enclosed please find
please feel free to call
thank you in advance
as you suggested
as you requested
enclosed is
please call
thank you
Dump Trite “Business” Phrases
Eliminate stale, puffed-up expressions.
Trite:
Pursuant to your request, enclosed
please find a job application.
Improved: As requested, we
have enclosed a job
application.
Develop Parallel Expression
Express similar ideas in balanced, matching
constructions.
Not parallel: We can collect information, store
it, and it can also be updated.
Parallel:
We can collect, store, and update
information.
Develop Parallel Expression
Express similar ideas in balanced, matching
constructions.
Not parallel: She is conscientious, a hard worker,
and pays attention to detail.
Parallel:
She is conscientious, hard-working,
and detail-oriented.
Apply Graphic Highlighting
Letters, such as (a) and (b) within the text.
Numerals, such as 1, 2, and 3, listed vertically.
Headings and bullets.
Font type and size
CAPITAL LETTERS
Underscores
Boldface
Italics
Use Numbered Lists for High “Skim Value”
Follow these steps to archive a document:
1. Select the document.
2. Select a folder.
3. Provide a file name.
4. Click “Save.”
Use Bulleted Lists for High “Skim Value”
Consumers expect the following
information at product Web sites:
• Price
• Quality
• Performance
• Availability
A Word of Caution
Don’t overdo graphic highlighting!
Too much emphasis leads to busy-looking
documents, clutter, and confusion.
To be safe, use no more than three
highlighting elements on a single
page.
The Business Writing Process
Evaluating
The Business Writing Process
Did you encourage
feedback so that
you will know
it is a success?
Does the message
say what you
want it to say?
How successful
will this
communication
be?
The Business Writing Process
Proofreading
Proofreading: What to Watch for
Spelling
Grammar
Format
Proofreading
Names and
Numbers
Punctuation
How to Proofread Routine Documents
 For computer messages, print a rough copy
to read.
 Look for typos, misspellings, and easily
confused words.
 Watch for
inconsistencies and
ambiguous expressions.
 Check for factual errors.
How to Proofread Complex Documents




Print a copy, preferably double-spaced.
Set it aside and take a breather.
Allow adequate time for careful proofing.
Expect errors. Congratulate, not criticize,
yourself each time you find a mistake!
 Read the message at least twice—for
meaning and for grammar/mechanics.
 Reduce your reading speed. Focus on
individual words.
Basic Proofreading Marks
Delete
Capitalize
Lowercase (don’t capitalize)
Transpose
Close up
Basic Proofreading Marks
Insert
Insert space
Insert punctuation
Insert period
Start paragraph
Unmarked Copy
This is to inform you that beginning
september 1 the doors leading to the
Westside of the building will have alarms.
Because of the fact that these exits also
function as fire exits they can not actually
be locked consequently we are instaling
alrams. Please utilize the east side exists to
avoid setting off the ear piercing alarms.
Marked Copy
This is to inform you that beginning
september 1 the doors leading to the
Westside of the building will have alarms.
doors
Because of the fact that these exits also
function as fire exits they can not actually
l
be locked consequently we are instaling
use
alrams. Please utilize the east side exists
to avoid setting off the ear piercing
alarms.
Revised Copy
Beginning September 1 the doors leading to
the west side of the building will have
alarms. Because these doors also function
as fire exits, they cannot be locked;
consequently, we are installing alarms.
Please use the east side exits to avoid
setting off the ear-piercing alarms.