Writing Business
Messages
Guffey text Ch 5-6 and Thill Bovee Ch 4-5
Business Writing Discussion
Communication Matters,
“Word Crunching”
• What did you find most interesting,
surprising, or unbelievable in this
article?
Business Writing Is . . .
• Purposeful. Solves
problems and conveys
information.
• Economical. Is concise.
• Reader-oriented.
Focuses on receiver,
not sender.
Business Communication
Formula for Success
Know:
Yourself
Audience
Material
The 3-x-3 Writing
Process
• Phase 1: Prewriting
Analyzing, anticipating, adapting
• Phase 2: Writing
Researching, organizing, composing
• Phase 3: Revising
Revising, proofreading, evaluating
4-3
Phase I
Prewriting
Analyzing and Anticipating
• Define your purpose
– general
– specific
• Anticipate the
audience
– Audience Analysis
• Adapt the task to
the audience
Discussion
• How is it possible to profile or
“visualize” an audience if you don’t
know the people who will receive a
letter or who will hear your
presentation?
Define Your Purpose
General purpose
• Inform
• Persuade
• Collaborate
Which gives the audience the most
participation?
Which gives the author the most
control?
Define Your Purpose
Specific purpose
– Clear and straightforward
– Encompassing
To define, ask what your audience
should do or think after receiving
your message
Anticipate the Audience
• See Website
Adapt the Task to the
Audience
1. Spotlight receiver
benefits
2. Use sensitive language
avoiding bias
3. Adapt your tone,
use the “You” view
Adapt the Task to the
Audience
4. Be precise
• fax me, not contact me.
5. Use vigorous words
• to identify, diagnose, analyze,
examine, not to think about
6. Express thoughts positively
• you may park in Lot 1, not you cannot
park in Lot 2.
Adapt the Task to the
Audience
7. Use familiar words
–
salary, not remuneration.
8. Avoid hidden negative messages
–
–
–
You do not understand . . .You are not
very bright.
Your delay . . .You are at fault.
You forgot to . . .You are not only
inefficient but also stupid and
careless.
Document for Analysis
TO: All Employees Using HP 500 Computers
It has recently come to my attention that a computer security
problem exists within our organization. I understand that the
problem is two-fold in nature:
You have been sharing computer passwords
You are using automatic log-on procedures
Henceforth, you are prohibited from sharing passwords for
security reasons that should be axiomatic. We also must
forbid you to use automatic log-on files because they
empower anyone to have access to our entire computer
system and all company data.
Enclosed please find a form that you must sign and return to
the aforementioned individual, indicating your
acknowledgement of and acquiescence to the procedures
described here. Any computer user whose signed form is not
returned will have his personal password invalidated.
Document for Analysis - Revision
TO: All Employees Using HP 500 Computers
Your cooperation is urgently needed in solving a serious computer
security problem. To enable you to keep your files and those of the
entire company secure, please follow these two actions:
1. Keep your password private. Please do not
share it with anyone.
2. Log-on to the computer manually. Avoid using
automatic log-on procedures.
By refusing to share your password, you prevent intrusion into your
private files. Automatic log-on procedures are also dangerous.
Although they seem to save time, they give anyone access to the
entire computer system -- even those without prior knowledge of
your password.
Please sign the attached form and return it to me indicating that you
are aware of this urgent problem and are willing to follow the two
actions described above.
End
4-17