CIBM Business Communication Jan 2012

CERTIFICATE IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
MODULE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 1T Study Guide
Copyright 2012 MANAGEMENT COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA All rights reserved, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying machines, without the written permission of the publisher
Business Communication 1T
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Table of Contents Chapter 1 Understanding Business Communication ........................................................................ 3 Chapter 2 Planning Business Messages ........................................................................................ 19 Chapter 3 Writing Business Messages ........................................................................................... 35 Chapter 4 Completing Business Messages .................................................................................... 50 Chapter 5 Writing Routine and Positive Messages ......................................................................... 63 Chapter 6 Writing Negative Messages............................................................................................ 77 Chapter 7 Writing Persuasive Messages ........................................................................................ 90 Chapter 8 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media and Social Media .......................................... 108 Chapter 9 Understanding and Planning Reports .......................................................................... 129 Chapter 10 Writing and Completing Reports ................................................................................ 151 Chapter 11 Developing Oral and Online Presentations ................................................................ 177 Chapter 12 Building Careers and Writing Resumes ..................................................................... 195 Chapter 13 Applying and Interviewing for Employment ................................................................ 215 Chapter 14 Mastering Interpersonal Communication and Becoming an Effective Communicator 235 Bibliography - ...................................................................................................................................250
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Chapter 1 Understanding Business Communication
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Chapter 1 Understanding Business Communication Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Understand the Communication Process Explain how the Communication Process works Make effective use of the Communication Process Know how to develop your Business Communication skills Commit to ethical communication Recognize ethical choices Make ethical choices Adopt an Audience-Centred Approach Improve your intercultural sensitivity Recognize cultural differences Identify cultural context Know how to give and respond to feedback Be aware of business etiquette in communication Know how to make use of technology in communication Recognize the benefits of effective communication How to communicate in todays global business environment
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Introduction Chapter 1 looks at how the communication process works, and how you can use this to become an effective business communicator. It goes on to focus on key elements in the development of business communication skills, paying close attention to six themes that can improve these skills. Lastly, well take a look at the benefits of effective communication in todays global business environment. Understanding the Communication Process Imagine that youre driving in your car, and about to approach a busy intersection. In front, you see a traffic officer in the middle of the intersection who lifts up her hand, her palm faced towards you. You react by slowing down and bringing your car to a stop behind the traffic line. As the officer directs traffic past you, she notices you glancing at your watch and realizes that youve been waiting for a while. She stops traffic across the intersection, and then points you through to the other side and you continue your journey. Without realizing it, you have been part of a complex but effective communication process in a very short space of time. In those few seconds, the two parties involved in the communication process (in this case, you and the traffic officer) played a part in the following eight steps: 1. The sender has an idea. The traffic officer recognized that the traffic flow through one side of the intersection needed to stop. 2. The sender encodes the idea in a message. The traffic officer considered how she could halt traffic and converted the thought into a meaningful action. 3. The sender produces the message in a transmittable medium. The traffic officer lifted her hand and gestured for you to stop.
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4. The sender transmits the message through a channel. The traffic officer used her hand to send as a visual message, requesting you to slow down and stop. 5. The audience receives the message. You see the officers hand in the air. 6. The audience decodes the message. You make sense of the gesture, recognising that it is a signal to stop. 7. The audience responds to the message. You slow the car down and bring it to a stop. 8. The audience provides feedback to the sender. By glancing at your watch, you indirectly show the traffic officer that you have been waiting, and she responds by signalling you through.
The above diagram reflects the traffic example, but it applies to every form of communication. Understanding the communication model is key to improving communications if you consciously recognize the purpose of each of the eight steps:
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Step 1 As the sender, you might have an idea, but before transmitting it, you need to gauge if the idea is applicable, relevant or beneficial. In the same manner the goal of the traffic officer was to stop traffic in order to avoid congestion or even a collision, the idea you wish to communicate should also have an aim and a desired outcome from the start. Step 2 Encoding the idea into a message is the trickiest part. Encoding is the process where the idea is converted into a message through words, actions, signals and even thoughts. Often a good idea is lost in translation because it is not encoded correctly. Making sure the message is converted correctly will directly affect how effective the message is. The traffic officer, for example, chose to encode her message by using a very specific hand signal. An open palm is typically a signal to stop or slow down, and you immediately understood that. Similarly, your idea must be encoded carefully, taking into account what will be easily understood by your audience. Step 3 As the sender, you will now produce the message by transmitting it through a medium. Here you will choose whether to deliver your message verbally or non-verbally. Once again, the effectiveness of the message will depend on which medium you choose to transmit your message. The medium the traffic officer chose was a non-verbal signal or gesture, but if she were to have shouted for you to stop, you might not be clear what the intention or purpose of the message is. You might not even have heard it! In this case, a visual message was more effective than, for example, an audio message would have been. Step 4 You will now transmit the message through a chosen channel. In the case of the traffic officer, the message was transmitted by acting out the chosen signal with her hand. If you were transmitting a message via email, for example, Step 4 would be the equivalent of clicking the SEND button. Step 5 The audience now receives your message, without making any meaning of it. If you were to look at the traffic officer in front of you, Step 5 would merely note a person standing in the middle of an intersection with one hand in the air. Step 6 After receiving the message, the audience is now free to decode or make sense of it. After seeing the person on the road, you instantly realized that the gesture was a signal for you to stop. How a message is decoded depends on many factors, including social norms, cultural practices and collective experiences and personal memory.
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An important point to remember (and one that will be revisited later in the module) is that, like the traffic officers signal to stop; many messages are decoded in seconds and without much thought, making the effective encoding of the message all the more tricky. If the traffic officer, for example, chose to raise a closed fist as a gesture for you to stop, then you might not have known how to react to the signal. Step 7 The audience responds to the message. Ultimately, the response of the audience to the message will gauge whether you have communicated your idea successfully or not. With the traffic officer, the fact that you stopped meant that she communicated with you effectively and achieved the desired outcome. In sending an idea as a message through a medium to be received by the audience, you need to already be thinking about Step 7, and how you can achieve your desired outcome based on the response. Step 8 The eighth and final step involves the audience providing feedback to the sender. This can be done in many ways, but the sender has to create this opportunity to receive the feedback. If the traffic officer did not spot you glancing at your watch, then your response might not have been noted. Similarly, in business communication, you need to look for feedback in order to validate or, if needs be, improve your message. Ways of allowing and accepting feedback will be discussed later in this chapter. Understanding and being aware of how this simplified communication model works will go a long way in improving communication skills.
Think Point 1 The communication process often works both ways almost without us noticing. Think about the traffic officer and your gesture indicating that you had been waiting at the intersection. Messages were sent between you and the officer instantly. Consider now whether the speed of the message affects how it is encoded and decoded and whether the same rules apply to longer or more substantial messages.
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Developing Your Business Communication Skills While the communication model will help in making sense of how to effectively use steps in the communication process, paying close attention to the following six themes will help improve business communication skills: Committing to ethical communication Improving intercultural sensitivity Adopting an audience-centered approach Givingand responding toconstructive feedback Being sensitive to business etiquette Using communication technology effectively Ethical Communication
Ethics are the accepted principles of conduct that govern behaviour within a society. Ethical communication would therefore follow these principles by including all relevant information; being true in every sense; and not being deceptive in any way. Unethical communication can include falsehoods and misleading information, or exclude important information. Examples of unethical communication also include the following: Plagiarism Selective misquoting Misrepresenting numbers Distorting visuals
Ethical communication needs to be considered very early in the communication process. When encoding an idea into a message as well as before transmitting it, the communicator needs to question whether the content of the message is ethical and in accordance with the accepted principles of society. Asking yourself six questions can help you make an ethical decision: 1. Have I defined the situation fairly and accurately in my message? 2. What is my intention in communicating this message? 3. What impact will this message have on the people who receive it, or who might be affected by it? 4. Will the message achieve the greatest possible good while doing the least possible harm? 5. Will the assumptions made in the message change over time? 6. Am I comfortable with my decision? Would I be embarrassed if my message was printed in tomorrows newspaper or spread across the Internet?
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Intercultural Sensitivity
Linked closely to commitment to ethical communication is a commitment to intercultural sensitivity. Improving intercultural sensitivity requires the realization of the interaction between culture and communication. Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms for behaviour. Culture affects the way you think, which in turn, affects the way you communicate. The business area and workplace are both richly diverse environments with regards to differences in race, gender, age, national and regional attitudes and beliefs, family structure, religion, native language, and educational background. Communication will be more effective if you consider the following tips when communicating a message(s): Assume difference until similarity is proved Withhold judgment Show respect Tolerate ambiguity Look beyond the superficial Recognize your own cultural biases Be flexible Emphasize common ground Deal with the individual Learn when to be direct Observe and learn
Another successful tip to utilize when communicating with those from another culture is to unlearn what is known as The Golden Rule, which encourages you to treat others as you would like to be treated. Instead, you should treat others as they would like to be treated. You do not have to become an expert in the details of every culture in which you do business, but you do need to strive to attain a basic level of cultural proficiency in areas such as context, law and ethics, social customs, and non-verbal communication.
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Adapting an Audience-Centred Approach
An easy way to ensure that your messages are both ethical and sensitive to cultural differences is to consider your audience. An audience-centred approach means focusing on and caring about the members of your audience (i.e. making an effort to get the message across in a way that is meaningful and respectful way to them). Take into consideration Steps 5, 6 and 7 of the communication process and ask yourself the following: 1. How will my message be decoded or made sense of by the audience? 2. Could the decoded message offend anyone? If so, how and why? 3. Am I making any assumptions about the audience that could affect or alter the message? 4. Could cultural or contextual differences play a part in altering the message when decoded by the audience? 5. Will my message elicit the response I was looking for in the first place? Giving and responding to constructive feedback
You will encounter many situations where you are expected to give and receive feedback regarding communication efforts and you will want to be able to so constructively. Constructive feedback (sometimes called constructive criticism) focuses on the process and outcomes of communication, not on the people involved. Destructive feedback, however, delivers criticism with no effort to stimulate improvement. When receiving constructive feedback, avoid the urge to defend your work or deny the validity of the feedback. Remain open and realize that feedback is a valuable opportunity to learn and improve. Often, allowing for constructive feedback enables you to revisit how you went about communicating your message, and can lead to more active support from the audience in achieving your desired outcome. Lastly, always try to create a platform or an opportunity for feedback. Audiences usually appreciate a communication process that works both ways. (i.e. a situation where an audience can interact with the communicator rather than being a passive recipient of information.) Being Sensitive to Business Etiquette
An important element that complements audience-centred communication is etiquette. Etiquette is the expected norms of behaviour in a particular situation. Your behaviour can have a profound influence on your companys success and your career.
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Long lists of etiquette rules can be overwhelming. Fortunately, three principles will get you through any situation: 1. Respect 2. Courtesy 3. Common sense Using Communication Technology Effectively
Although some of the methods of using the latest in communication technology will be taught later in the module, it is worth noting now that modern business relies heavily on technology to improve the communication process, and you will need to know how to use a variety of these technologies on the job. Everything from Instant Messaging (IM) to LinkedIn to Twitter to Facebook, effective communication will depend on keeping all the available technology in perspective, using these tools productively. You will also need to make sure you disengage from these tools frequently in order to communicate in person when necessary. Recognizing the Benefits of Effective Communication Finally, it is important to recognize that the goal of effective communication is to benefit both you and your employer/customer/employee. Some of these benefits include: Faster problem solving Stronger decision making Increased productivity Steadier work flow Strong business relationships More compelling promotional messages Enhanced professional images and stronger brands Improved response from colleagues, employees, supervisors, investors, customers, and other important audiences. In rounding off Chapter 1, bear in mind that the key to achieving effective communication lies in using the communication process and the skills taught in this chapter (and later, in the rest of the module) to create ideas and messages that are expressed clearly and persuasively.
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To develop effective messages, be sure to follow these steps: Provide practical information Give facts rather than vague impressions Present information in a concise, efficient manner Clarify expectations and responsibilities Offer compelling, persuasive arguments and recommendations
Chapters 2, 3 and 4 will put these ideas into practice, teaching you how to plan, write and complete business messages. Activity 1 Consider your own communication style and all the steps in the communication process. Then, draw up each of the steps and consider where each of the traits in your style features in the communication process. For example, if you feel like you need to be more sensitive to cultural differences, Steps 2 (sender encodes the message) and 6 (receiver decodes the message) of the communication process would need attention.
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Questions True-False 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages. The communication process must have a medium in order to exist. In the first step of the communication process, the sender transmits the message. A good communication process should ideally have a way in which feedback can be received from the audience or receiver. Selective misquoting may involve omitting damaging comments to paint a better picture of you or your company. An ethical dilemma is making a clearly unethical or illegal choice. By adopting an audience-centred approach, the sender presents the message in a way that emphasizes the senders point of view in how the message is put together and encoded, not the readers. 8. 9. 10. Intercultural sensitivity means treating people who are different to you differently. The way in which you communicate is not necessarily a reflection of your abilities as a businessperson. Effective business messages are ones that benefit all parties involved, and not just yourself.
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Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following is a tangible benefit of effective communication in an organization? a. b. c. d. Faster problem solving Increased productivity Improved response from employees and supervisors All of the above
12. The South African workforce includes people with various cultural backgrounds. This will require the effective communicator to: a. b. c. d. Communicate in team-based organizations Communicate in an age of information Communicate within a culturally diverse workforce None of the above
13. Which of the following most correctly describes the order of the communication process? a. b. c. d. The sender has an idea, the sender encodes a message, the sender transmits the message, and the receiver gets the message. The sender transmits the message, the sender receives feedback, and the receiver decodes the message. The sender has an idea, the receiver decodes the message, and the receiver gets the message. The sender transmits the message, the sender encodes the message, and the receiver sends feedback. 14. a. b. c. d. Which of the following questions is NOT a question that can help you make an ethical Is this message accurate? Is this message harmful to anyones reputation? Is this a message you can live with? All are questions that can help you make an ethical decision.
communication decision?
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15. Which of the following can be regarded as constructive feedback? a. b. c. d. Feedback that implies that the person communicating the message is incompetent Feedback that focuses on the outcomes or the communication process. Feedback that critically evaluates the validity of the communication without recommendations to improve it. Feedback that defends the person communicating the message.
16. Unlearning the The Golden Rule of interaction and communication, which encourages you to treat others as you would like to be treated would entail: a. b. c. d. Treating others as you think they should be treated. Treating others as they would like to be treated. Treating others as your company treats you. Treating others as they would treat you.
17. Which of the following makes for effective communication with a culturally-diverse audience? a. b. c. d. Correcting ambiguity immediately Making early judgments Overlooking your own cultural biases None of the above make for effective communication
18. Which of the following is NOT one of the basic principles to follow to ensure correct etiquette when communicating in business? a. b. c. d. Profitability Courtesy Common sense Respect
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19. When writing to someone whose first language is different from yours, you should: a. b. c. d. Include lengthy sentences, using many compound and complex sentences. Reconsider the medium you are using, and use visual material rather than written. Include slang, idioms, and jargon from their first language. Do none of the above.
20. Cultural diversity affects how business messages are: a. b. c. d. Conceived Planned Sent All of the above
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Answers 1. True 2. True 3. False 4. True 5. True 6. False 7. False 8. False 9. False 10. True 11. D 12. C 13. A 14. D 15. B 16. B 17. D 18. A 19. B 20. D
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Chapter 2 Planning Business Messages
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Chapter 2 Planning Business Messages Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Understand the Three-Step Writing Process Analyze the situation when sending a message Define the purpose of a message Develop an Audience Profile for the message Gather information Understand audience needs Provide required information Select the right medium Understand the advantages and disadvantages of using oral media Understand the advantages and disadvantages of using written media Understand the advantages and disadvantages of using visual media Understand the advantages and disadvantages of using electronic media Recognize factors that need to be considered when choosing media Organize a message Define the main idea of a message Know when to choose a direct or indirect approach Outline the content of a message Be ready to write a business message
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Introduction Chapter 2 builds on the skills taught by Chapter 1 by teaching you how to craft business messages. A business message is any message (oral, written or visual) that is created by the sender and follows the communication process. As the sender of the message, you are introduced to The Three-Step Writing Process a technique that can be used to improve and master any writing project. The first of the three steps (Planning Business Messages) will then guide you through the four important planning stages, including analyzing the situation and developing an audience profile. Other planning stages addressed include gathering necessary information and adapting the message to the audience and purpose. A discussion of message adaptation follows, where you will be guided in choosing the best medium for various message situations. The chapter concludes by guiding you through the activities involved in last part of the first step - organizing the message. Introducing the Three-Step Writing Process Whether you are writing task is routine or more complex, your goal is to create messages that: Have a clear purpose Meet the needs of your audience Communicate efficiently
The easiest way to satisfy these criteria is to follow the simple method of the three-step writing process. The technique produces business messages that are succinct, direct and effective. The use of the process will also ensure that, over time, you will be able to send business messages more easily and more quickly.
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To schedule your time over the three-step process: Use roughly half your available time for planning Use a quarter of your time for actual writing Use the remaining quarter of your time for completing the project
Bearing in mind our understanding of the communication process, we will now look at the first step of planning a business message. Planning Your Business Message Think back to the communication process and the example of the traffic officer. The successful communication of the message hinged on the first three steps of the process (the idea; encoding the idea into a message; and producing the message through a medium). If the traffic officer failed in any of these steps, the message would never have been received by the driver of the car. Similarly, the success of the business message relies on how it is put together by you, the communicator. Planning a message is therefore the most important step in creating an effective business message, and should be given considerable time and thought. When planning any message, you will need to first analyze the situation by recognizing and defining the purpose of the message. In doing so, you will also develop a profile of your audience. When you understand what the purpose of the message is and who the message is intended to reach, you can start to gather information that meets the specific needs of that purpose and audience. You will then select the correct medium (oral, written, visual, electronic or any combination of the above) to deliver your message. Lastly, you will organize the information by defining your main idea, limiting your scope and outlining your content.
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Each step relies on the previous step, so it is crucial to follow the process in this order:
Analyzing Your Situation Successful messages start with a clear purpose that connects the senders needs with the audiences needs. All business messages have a general purpose and a specific purpose. General purposes of business messages are: To inform To persuade To collaborate with your audience
Specific purposes of business messages include: What you hope to accomplish with the message How your audience should respond after receiving your message
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Ask yourself these questions before proceeding to ensure that the purpose merits the time and effort required for you to prepare the message: Will anything change as a result of your message? Is your purpose realistic? Is the time right? Is your purpose acceptable to your organization?
Audiences must know what is in it for themwhich of their needs will be met or problems will be solved by listening to your advice or doing what you ask. Develop an audience profile by completing the following steps: Identify your primary audience Determine audience size and geographic distribution Determine audience composition Gauge audience members level of understanding Understand audience expectations and preferences Forecast probable audience reaction
Think Point 2 Think back to the communication process again. Planning your message means taking into consideration any factors that will affect everything that happens after the message is transmitted as well. Think of Steps 5 to 8 in the communication process and what aspects of the planning phase of your message can or should be affected.
Gathering Information After you have generated a clear picture of your audience, the next step is to assemble the information that you will include in your message. Formal techniques for finding, evaluating, and processing information are discussed later in Chapter 9.
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A variety of informal techniques enable you to gather insights and inform you how best to focus your research efforts. These include: Considering other viewpoints Reading reports and other company documents Talking with supervisors, colleagues, or customers Asking your targeted audience for input
Once you have identified your audiences information needs, your next step is to satisfy those needs completely. Be sure to deliver the right quantity of required information as well as verify the quality of that information. Before including information in your document, be sure your information is: Accurate Ethical Pertinent
Selecting the Right Medium A communication medium is the form through which you choose to communicate your message. As mentioned earlier, choosing the correct medium or channel for communicating a message is essential to communicating an effective message. To understand how to select the right medium, we need to first differentiate between the different mediums, and identify their advantages and disadvantages. Media (plural of medium) include: Oral Media Face-to-face conversations Interviews Speeches In-person presentations and meetings Oral media include the following:
Oral media have many advantages, including: Encouraging people to ask questions Encouraging people to offer comments Encouraging people to work together to reach a consensus or decision
If you do not want a lot of questions or interaction, oral media can be an unwise choice.
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Written Media
Written media take many forms, ranging from traditional letters and reports to emails and Instant Messages (IMs). Written media have many advantages, including: Increased control of your message Reaching dispersed or wide audiences Minimal distortion of the message
Disadvantages of written media include: Difficulty in receiving feedback Lack of non-verbal cues Extra time and skill are sometimes required to prepare written messages
Written media is usually the most reliable form of communication for everyday use in the business place. However, while memos and letters are still used, written forms have been extended to electronic media, and even to social media. Though a brief explanation of electronic media follows, the phenomenon of social media in communication will be discussed in Chapter 8, while the use of reports and proposals will be discussed in Chapters 9 and 10. Electronic Media Telephone calls Podcasts (audio files and posts) Blogs (web logs or online journals) Wikis (online information sharing articles) E-mail, instant messaging and text messaging Social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, etc.)
Electronic media are broad and continue to grow even broader. Examples of electronic media include:
Electronic media often brings together other forms of media. For example, oral media is included in telephone calls, teleconferencing, voice-mail messages, audio recording, and animated customer service avatars on websites.
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Electronic versions of visual media include electronic presentations (e.g. PowerPoint), computer animation, and video. Electronic versions of written media range from e-mail and instant messages to blogs, websites, and wikis. Visual Media
Visual elements are usually used to support oral media or written media. However, in some instances the message can be presented more effectively by basing the message on a dominant visual and using small amounts of text to support the image. So, visual media embraces any formats in which one or more visual elements play a central role in conveying the message content. Advantages of visual media include: The ability to communicate quickly Being effective at describing complex ideas and processes because they reduce the audiences work Breaking communication barriers in the multilingual business world through the use of diagrams, symbols, and other images Being much easier to remember than purely textual descriptions or explanations
Disadvantages of visual media include: Messages sometimes become lost in too many visual images and props Visual media takes much more time to prepare than any other medium Usually cost a lot more than other forms of media Selecting the Best Medium 1. Media richness 2. Message formality 3. Media limitations 4. Sender intentions 5. Urgency and cost 6. Audience preferences
To select the best medium for your message, consider the following six factors:
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Organizing Your Message Organizing your message well saves time for both you and your audiences. Developing an organizational plan allows you to avoid putting ideas in the wrong places or composing material you do not need. It also allows you to get advance input from your audience to make sure you are on the right track. Also, in the case of larger projects, organizing your message before writing it helps in how the writing job is shared among co-workers. Good organization helps your audience: Understand your message Accept your message Save time
The topic of your message is the overall subject. Your main idea is a specific statement about this topic. When you are having difficulties determining your main idea, try the following strategies: Brainstorming Throw a few ideas out and see which one seems like the idea that should be central to the message. Journalistic approach Consider the who, what, when, where, why and how of the message, and then proceed to answer those questions with the main ideas from the unorganized information you have. Thereafter, consider what would make the headline of the message and use that as the main idea.
Question-and-answer chain Work backwards by asking yourself what is the main subject in the message from the audiences perspective. The information needed to answer that question in the message is usually the subject that should be focused on as the main idea.
Mind mapping Draw a mind map of all the components of the message and consider which idea is the most central and the most important in relation to all the ideas.
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Once you have identified the main idea or subject, you can start to organize the scope of the message. The scope of the message is the range of information presented, the overall length, and the level of detail. It is important for the scope of the project to correspond with the main idea. After you have defined your main ideas, you are now ready to decide which of the two sequences to use to present your information: the direct or indirect approach: Direct approaches are best used when you know that your audience will be receptive to your message. Start with your main idea and follow that with supporting evidence. Indirect approaches are best used when your audience will be sceptical about or even resistant to your message. Begin with the evidence first and build your case before presenting the main idea.
After you have decided on your approach, use an outline form (like or similar to the one below) to sketch out your ideas:
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Regardless of which outline form is used, the following three steps should always be followed: 1. Start with the main idea 2. State the major points 3. Illustrate with evidence Now that you know how to plan your business message, you can now begin learning how to tackle the second step: Chapter 3s Writing Business Messages. Activity 2 Your employer would like you to send a message to an overseas client. The message is a pitch for a new product that will soon be launched by your company. The client is very busy and will not likely want to read through a long pitch. Look at the four steps involved in planning a message and list a few points on how you would go about using the process to put together an effective message.
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Questions True-False 1. Writers can make their messages more effective by making them purposeful, concise, and audiencecentred. 2. For a message to be effective, its purpose must connect the senders needs with the audiences needs. 3. An audience profile should be conducted during the writing step of the three-step process. 4. It is not necessary to know an audiences reading level to prepare an effective message. 5. Face-to-face communication is the leanest medium identified in the chapter, because it offers the most feedback. 6. Use the direct order if the audiences reaction to the message is likely to be negative. 7. Draft your document and edit at the same time to generate a perfect document in just one draft. 8. People are more likely to react positively to your message when they have confidence in you. 9. A well-organized message requires extensive outlining in a traditional format. 10. Written communication, in general, requires less tact than oral communication.
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Multiple Choice 11. Which of the three-step process should you spend the most time on? a. b. c. d. Planning messages. Writing messages. Completing messages. All steps should take equal time.
12. Developing an audience profile involves which of the following? a. b. c. d. Identifying key decision makers. Estimating audience understanding. Predicting audience reactions. All of the above.
13. In general, a written channel will help you do which of the following? a. b. c. d. Collaborate with the audience. Increase your control over your message. Eliminate all possible feedback. None of the above.
14. For an urgent message to a customer in another city, which of the following would be the least desirable medium to use? a. b. c. d. Postal mail. A phone call. A fax. None of the above.
15. No matter how long your message, the message should have: a. b. c. d. The main idea as the starting point. The major points illustrated with evidence or reasons. Both A and B. Neither A nor B.
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16. Which of the following could be considered a disadvantage of using visual media? a. b. c. d. It is easier to remember. The message can be fleeting and temporary. It can be an effective tool for breaking through communication and language barriers. All of the above.
17. Which of the following should be organized using an indirect approach? a. b. c. d. A memo informing budget committee member of next Tuesdays meeting. A letter congratulating a college friend on a recent promotion. A memo telling sales representatives that new cost-cutting travel regulations will begin next month. A press release announcing the new product your company is manufacturing.
18. How does outlining benefit a writer? a. b. c. d. It helps the writer make sure a document is correctly formatted. It helps the writer master the outline feature of the word processor. It helps the writer visualize the relationship among parts of a message. Outlining provides no benefits to a writer.
19. Which of the following techniques help develop effective paragraphs? a. b. c. d. Indirect Approach Direct Approach Cause and Effect Both A and B.
20. You can use electronic media when you a. b. c. d. Need immediate feedback. Want no permanent record. Can assemble your audience conveniently. Would like to combine different forms of media.
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Answers 1. True 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. False 6. False 7. False 8. True 9. False 10. False 11. A 12. D 13. B 14. A 15. C 16. B 17. C 18. C 19. D 20. D
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Chapter 3 Writing Business Messages
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Chapter 3 Writing Business Messages Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Adapt to an audience Be sensitive to the audiences needs Use the You attitude Maintain standards of etiquette in the message Emphasize the positive in the message Use bias-free language in the message Establishing credibility in the message Control the style and tone of the message Select and active or passive voice for the message Find words that communicate Well Create effective sentences Use sentence style to emphasize key thoughts Craft coherent paragraphs Understanding the elements of the paragraph Develop paragraphs in the message Use technology to compose and shape the message Fully compose a message
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Introduction After planning a business message, you will now need to write it. This chapter looks at a few ways of adapting the message to suit the audience and choosing a style and tone for the message. You will then be guided on how to compose the message. This chapter closes with some tips on using technology to compose and shape messages. Adapting for the Audience In any communication situation, audiences are more likely to notice, pay attention to, and respond to messages that promise to address their concerns. To demonstrate true audience sensitivity, consider doing the following before composing your message: Adopting the you attitude Maintaining good standards of etiquette Emphasizing the positive Using bias-free language The You Attitude
Effective communicators adopt the you attitudespeaking and writing in terms of your audiences wishes, interests, hopes, and preferences. One way to use the you attitude is to replace words such as I, me, mine, we, us, and ours with words such as you and yours. In this way, the sentence and the point you are trying to make will be constructed with a view to involving and serving the audience. For example: Instead of saying: I am only free for a meeting at 10am and 11am tomorrow. You can say: You are welcome to come in for a meeting at either 10am or 11am tomorrow. While using the you attitude helps make messages sound more positive and persuasive, avoid overdoing it. Otherwise, you run the risk of creating awkward sentences and sounding overly enthusiastic and artificial. The you attitude is not meant to be manipulative or insincere. In some situations, especially when trying to avoid sounding overly authoritative or accusing, it is best to avoid using you.
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Good Etiquette
Good etiquette not only indicates respect for your audience but also helps foster a more successful environment for communication by minimizing negative emotional reaction. Written communication and most forms of electronic media generally require more tact than oral communication since non-verbal communication softens the message. For example: Instead of saying: Youre an incompetent fool who always replies to my emails too late. You can say: Our business thrives when we work according to schedule. Please respond to emails more timeously. Practicing good etiquette does not mean you cannot be direct, straightforward or critical (as Chapters 6 and 7 will also show), but it does mean that you need to consider what approach will ensure that your message is effective and you get the most out of your audience. Emphasizing the Positive
Never try to hide negative news. Rather, look for positive points that will foster a good relationship with your audience. Always point out how particular actions will benefit your audience. Try to state your message without using words that might offend your audience and use euphemisms rather than words with unpleasant connotations. Figure 5 below is a perfect example:
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Using Bias-free Language
Avoid using words and phrases that unfairly and even unethically categorize or stigmatize people in ways related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, or disability.
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Gender bias: Avoid by using the same label for everyone; in business refer to women as Ms. unless invited to do otherwise. Racial and ethnic bias: Avoid identifying people by race or ethnic origin unless such identification is relevant to the situation at hand. Age bias: Avoid mentioning the age of a person unless it is relevant. Disability bias: avoid mentioning a disability unless it is pertinent; put the person first and the disability second. You need to bear in mind all the above points in order to build a strong relationship with your audience. In addition, you need to establish your credibility and project both yours and the companys intended image. Your own image can be emphasized through your message by the following: Honesty Objectivity Awareness of audience needs Credentials, knowledge, and expertise Endorsements Performance Confidence Sincerity Performance
Along with the above, your companys image can be projected by the following: Limit your own views and personality, as the interests and style of your company take precedence. Follow your organizations specific communication guidelines. Observe more experienced colleagues to see how they communicate, and never hesitate to ask for editorial help.
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Choosing a Style and Tone After recognizing how best you can serve your audience, you need to decide the style with which to communicate the message. While there are many styles and tones you can adopt and adapt to suit the message, here are a few tips for keeping your message both conversational and business-like: Vary your style: o The way you use words to achieve a certain tone or the overall feel of your writing needs to match the nature of your message and your relationship with the reader. Create a conversational tone by: o Avoiding obsolete and pompous languageuse phrases you would when talking faceto-face. o Avoiding preaching and bragging do not sound like you know everything. o Being careful with intimacy do not be too familiar. o Being careful with humour humour can backfire if the audience interprets it differently. Use plain English: o Using plain English is a way of presenting information in a simple, unadorned style so that your audience can easily grasp your meaning. o While mostly advantageous, this technique does have limitations: it sometimes lacks the precision or subtlety necessary for scientific research, legal documents, engineering plans, intense feeling, and personal insight. Select either an active or passive voice: o Use an active voice (when the subject performs the action and the object receives the action) in general as it is usually easier for the reader to figure out who performed an action. o Avoid a passive voice (when the subject receives the action) in general as it deemphasizes the subject and implies action done by something or someone. o Use a passive voice to soften bad news or to create an impersonal tone.
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Composing the Message You can finally start composing your message! Firstly, do not be overwhelmed if the task seems daunting or appears to be something you are not familiar with. By planning, you have already accomplished half the work. Secondly, as you compose your first draft, allow your creativity to flow. Do not try to draft and edit at the same time or try to make everything perfect. Realize that you will revise and edit later. As you create and refine your messages, learn to view your writing at three levels: carefully-chosen words, effective sentences, and coherent paragraphs. Choosing Words Carefully When trying to find words that communicate well, do the following: Choose powerful words Choose familiar words Avoid clichs and use buzzwords carefully Be wary of using jargon Pay attention to grammatical correctness Select the most suitable word Balance abstract and concrete words Abstract words express concepts, qualities, or characteristics. Concrete words stand for something we can touch, see, or visualize
Follow these steps when choosing strong or unique words:
Creating Effective Sentences To create an effective sentence, begin by selecting the optimum type of sentence, and then arrange words to emphasize the most important point in each sentence. Four basic varieties of sentences: 1. Simple sentences: one main clause (a single subject and a single predicate) 2. Compound sentences: two main clauses that express two or more independent but related thoughts of equal importance
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3. Complex sentences: expresses one main thought (the independent clause) and one or more subordinate clauses (dependent clauses) 4. Compound-complex sentences: two main clauses, at least one of which contains a subordinate clause Also pay attention to the following when creating effective sentences: Emphasize key ideas through your sentence style Include full descriptions of important people and events Add a separate, short sentence to augment the first sentence Make important ideas the subject of the sentence Place important ideas at the beginning or end of a sentence
Forming Coherent Paragraphs
You can develop unified and coherent (logically connected) paragraphs by ensuring that all the sentences in the paragraph: Pertain to a single thought. Include a topic sentence Provide support sentences that develop the topic. Provide transitions o Transition words and phrases tie ideas together and show how one thought is related to another. This can be achieved by: Using connecting words (words like and, but, nevertheless, etc.) Echoing a word or phrase from a previous paragraph or sentence Using a pronoun that refers to a noun used previously Use words that are frequently paired
The best way to achieve coherence and unity is to use paragraph structures that are familiar to your readers, appropriate to the ideas you are trying to portray, and suited to your purpose. Five of the most common paragraph development techniques include the following: Illustration o Examples that demonstrate an idea
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Comparison or contrast o Similarities, differences and even analogies that are able to develop the topic
Cause and effect o Focussing on the reason for something
Classification o Showing how an idea is broken up into categories or stages
Problem and solution o Presenting a problem and offering a solution
Using Technology to Compose and Shape Messages If you are struggling with formats and uncertain about what content fits, you need only make use of a style sheet or a template that will assist you in formatting documents. Technology has made it that much easier with most of these templates found online as well as on basic writing programmes. Use these aids to ensure that your messages are composed and shaped correctly. There is no harm in making use of the following: Auto completion software that inserts ready-made blocks of text when you type the first few characters Auto correction that corrects spelling and typing errors File merge and mail merge that allows you to merge documents Endnotes, footnotes, indices, and table of contents that can be generated by the computer Wizards that guide you through the process of creating common documents
Now that you have learned how to plan and write a business message, the third and final step of the three-step writing process will be explained in Chapter 4 with Completing Business Messages.
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Activity 3 Now that you know how to put together a business message, try working backwards to see if you understand and can recognise the characteristics of an effectively-written business message. Search for and find any business message or letter and check for all the necessary traits mentioned in Chapter 3, making note of what works well for you as the reader and what does not. Consider how the first two steps of the Three-Step Writing Process apply (or do not apply) to the message you have chosen to analyze.
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Questions True-False 1. Siphiwe is chairman of the budget committee, and Julia is chairperson of the planning committee is a good example of bias-free language. 2. The you attitude requires you to focus on your product or service as the primary emphasis of your message. 3. We cannot deliver your sofa until March 1 is a good example of using positive tone in a message. 4. Using humour in your message is guaranteed to get your audience on your side. 5. By using plain English, you help your audience understand the message. 6. The active voice is best suited for delivering bad news. 7. To communicate effectively, you should avoid pompous language that includes overly complicated phrases. 8. Using all four types of sentences in the same business document is not a good writing plan. 9. Long, complex sentences often help the reader visualize your message. 10. Transition words and phrases are wasted words that simply clutter a message.
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Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following best emphasizes the positive? a. b. c. d. The club will not be conducting any classes in April. The date of the next YMCA swimming class is May 2 No classes will be offered until May. All of the above are negative.
12. Which of the following best exhibits a polite writer with etiquette? a. b. c. d. Your check for R1700 arrived yesterday We received your check for R1700 Thank you for your check for R1700 Thank you for the check we finally received.
13. Which of the following best exhibits the you attitude? a. b. c. d. The information you requested about the Kleen Sweep lawn tractor is enclosed. The Kleen Sweep lawn tractor is very popular. You should buy one now. Our factories cannot keep up with the demand for the Kleen Sweep lawn tractor. None of the above.
14. Which of the following is NOT considered an obsolete phrase? a. b. c. d. Permit me to say Pursuant to We have received Please be advised that
15. Which of the following sentences is the most concrete, direct and unambiguous? a. b. c. d. Sales increased dramatically last quarter. Management will make a decision about our health insurance provider soon. The contract was sent under separate cover. Yusuf congratulated the staff for increasing sales by R15 000 in the last two months.
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16. Which sentence best avoids the use of long words? a. b. c. d. The committee wanted to ascertain the reason for the reduction in sales. They were anxious to consummate the deal. My manager studied the report carefully. The board of directors perused the annual report prior to the culmination of the meeting.
17. Which of the following is NOT an acceptable use of technology when composing a message? a. b. c. d. An auto-correct software feature. A wizard that guides you through the message. Copying and pasting a letter you have found on the Internet. None of the above is acceptable.
18. Which of the following sentences is phrased most positively? a. b. c. d. Completing this form will ensure proper credit to your bank account. Unless you complete this form, your account will not be credited. Our bank would like to credit your account, but we are unable to do so until you complete this form. You want your account credited, right? Well, complete this form.
19. Which of the following would NOT be a technique of an effective communicator? a. b. c. d. Using the you attitude. Complimenting the reader. Establishing credibility. Emphasizing the positive.
20. Which of the following exhibits bias-free language? a. b. c. d. The wives of the engineers will take a tour of the city Thursday afternoon. Melissa Pellegrin is a new female doctor on staff at the local hospital. Mary, who is crippled, is the office manager. Karen Foust is the chairperson of the student services committee.
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Answers 1. False 2. False 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. False 7. True 8. True 9. False 10. False 11. B 12. C 13. A 14. C 15. D 16. C 17. C 18. A 19. B 20. D
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Chapter 4 Completing Business Messages
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Chapter 4 Completing Business Messages Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Revise a written message Evaluate content, organization, style, and tone Review for readability Edit for clarity Edit for conciseness Use technology to revise a message Produce a written message Use technology to produce a message Proofread a message Distribute a message
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Introduction In this chapter, you will learn how to complete business messages the third and final step of the threestep writing process. After planning and writing the business message, this step includes the tasks of revising the message as well as editing the message. This includes learning how to apply nine techniques for improving clarity and how the message can be made more readable. The use of technology in the revision and editing of the message will also be explored. Thereafter, you will be shown how to produce the message, as well as proofreading the message. In producing the message, you will be introduced to several design elements that can affect a documents appearance, while the section on proofreading will show you what to look for and how to adapt the proofreading process. Finally, the student will learn how to best distribute the message. Revising the Message Careful revision can mean the difference between a rambling, unfocused message and a lively, direct message that gets results. It also sends a strong signal to readers that you respect their time and care about their opinions. Revision demands that you ask yourself exhaustive questions about the message you have composed. To begin evaluating content, ask the following: Is the information accurate? Is the information relevant to your audiences needs? Is the information complete? Are all your points covered in the most logical order? Do the most important ideas occupy the most space and greatest emphasis? Are any points repeated unnecessarily? Are details grouped together logically rather than scattered through the document?
To then review the organization of that content, ask the following:
Ask yourself whether you have achieved the right style and tone for your audience. Also question whether your writing is formal enough to meet the audiences expectations without being too formal or academic, or is it too casual for a serious subject?
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Finally, ask the most questions when looking at the beginning and ending of your message because they have the greatest impact on your audience. Is the opening relevant, interesting, and geared to the readers probable reaction? Does it convey the subject and purpose of the message? Does the ending conclude with a summary of the main idea and leave the audience with a positive impression? By evaluating your work, you will allow yourself the chance to step back and see where the message can be improved and revised so that the final product is an effective piece of communication. You are now ready to begin editing. Editing the Message When editing your message, stick to just one objective: making the piece readable. This covers everything from correcting spelling mistakes to restructuring sentences and paragraphs to make sense in the context of the message. A few tips for improving readability will be provided. Sentence and Paragraph Construction
One of the ways to improve readability is to consider the lengths of the sentences in the message. Varying lengths of sentences tend to assist readers in understanding and absorbing the message: Short sentences (up to 15 words) are quickly processed Medium sentences (15-25 words) are useful for showing the relationship among ideas Long sentences (more than 25 words) are the best way to convey complex ideas, list multiple related points, or summarize or preview information Too many short sentences in a row, however, can make your writing choppy and disconnected. Medium sentences sometimes get caught in between where they lack the punch of short sentences and the informative power of long sentences. Long sentences are usually harder to understand. Keeping paragraphs short and adding bullet points and inserts is another way to assist readers: The optimum paragraph length is short to medium in most cases Using lists and bullets allows writers to show their sequence of ideas, heighten their impact visually, and increase the likelihood that reader will find their key points (think about how easy it is to identify the key points in this paragraph of the chapter!) Lists also simplify complex subjects, highlight main points, ease the skimming process for busy readers, and gives readers a breather
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Adding headings and subheadings also assist readers by telling them the content of the upcoming section, helping in three important ways: o They show readers at a glance how the material is organized o They call attention to important points o They highlight connections and transitions between ideas Descriptive headings identify a topic, while informative headings offer the reader the context of the message. clarity: 1. Break up overly long sentences o Review your work for overly long sentences they could be a sign that you are trying to make a sentence do too much work. 2. Rewrite hedging sentences o Sometimes you have to hedge or qualify a statement when you are not entirely sure of something, when you cannot predict an outcome, or when you do not want to sound arrogant. 3. Impose parallelism o Impose parallelism (drawing parallels between ideas) by using the same grammatical structure to indicate to your audience that the ideas are related, are of similar importance, and are on the same level of generality. 4. Correct dangling modifiers o Make sure that modifier phrases are really connected to the subject of the sentence. An example of a modifier is something like: I was late for the school bus again. Running for the bus, my book fell in the mud. (Was the book running for the school bus? Correct by saying: As I ran for the bus, my book fell in the mud.) Seeking Clarity A quick way to edit your work and improve readability is to look at the 8 ways in which you can edit for
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5. Replace camouflaged verbs o Watch out for endings that camouflage a verb by changing it into a noun or adjective (usually added ion, -ment or ance to a verb) which requires you to add another verb to complete your sentence. An example of a camouflaged verb is: Please let us know when we can be of assistance to you. (Replacing assistance with assist makes the sentence shorter and more action-oriented. So, Please let us know when we can assist you.) 6. Clarify sentence structure o To help readers follow your meaning more easily, clarify sentence structure: that is, keep the subject and predicate of a sentence as close together as possible so that readers do not have to read the sentence twice to figure out who did what. Similarly, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases usually make the most sense when they are placed as close as possible to the words they modify. 7. Clarify awkward references o Avoid expressions such as the former, the latter, and even respectively. Though it might help you refer easily, readers tend to become confused when they have to jump from point to point. 8. Moderate your enthusiasm o As casual as a business messages may tend be at times, you need to make sure that you do not ever come across as being too enthusiastic and zealous. This might cause the reader to consider the message as insincere or as a message that should not be taken too seriously
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Being Concise
The most readable messages are those that are short and sweet. Making your message concise is probably the single easiest way to ensure that the message hits home. To edit for conciseness: Delete unnecessary words and phrases Examine every word you put on paper and eliminate words that are not essential Shorten long words and phrases as shorter words are more vivid and easier to read Eliminate redundancies (my personal opinion is redundant because your opinion as an individual is yours personally. my opinion will suffice in conveying the meaning) Using Technology to Revise and Edit the Message
As mentioned in the previous chapter, you should make full use of programmes available for assisting the writing of messages. Computer functions such as cut and paste, and search and replace can assist writers. Software correction tools such as revision marks and commenting offer a convenient way for groups to edit work. Four software functions must be used if you are using a computer to compose and produce your message: Spell checker Thesaurus Grammar checker Style checker
Effective writers will not rely on technological tools for all their revision work since spell and grammar checkers cannot find all errors and cannot know the content, organization, and tone needed in each specific message. Utilizing these functions, however, will point out common mistakes and help you to eventually edit your work with little or no assistance. Producing the Message Once a message is revised and refined, you are ready to deal with the production quality of your message. This includes page design, graphical elements, typography, and screen presence. You can also consider adding graphics, sound, video, and hypertext in order to effectively get your message across. The options when considering the production quality of a message is almost limitless. You can choose to use space on a page, for example, to provide contrast between text and images, or you could choose to use a typeface that makes the text look imposing.
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It is up to you to go with the layout and design that you think will suit your message best. Think back to the communication process and the example of the traffic officer. When the officer used a hand gesture to stop the car, would the signal have been more effective if she was wearing a white glove or placed her hand at a certain height? In the same way, you need to consider what will be most effective when producing the message via the channel you chose in the first part of the three-step writing process. The onus is on you to keep up with what is considered appropriate in terms of production quality and what type of programmes offer assistance in putting together a high-quality business message. Features in such programmes typically include: Templates and style sheets Page setup Column formatting Paragraph formatting Numbered and bulleted lists Tables Pictures, illustrations, text boxes, and objects
Proofreading the Message Proofreading is an essential step in completing your message because it is your last chance to ensure the quality of your documents, and to protect or enhance your reputation as a thinker and writer. Look for two types of problems when proofreading: 1. Undetected mistakes from the writing, design, and layout stages 2. Mistakes that crept in during production Professionals recommend the following steps for proofreading: Make multiple passes over the document focusing on something different each time Use perceptual tricks such as reading backwards to catch things you might miss Focus on high-priority items such as the spelling of names, accuracy of dates, and any number that could cause grief if incorrect. Take a break and then review the document again Stay focused and vigilant by blocking out distractions while you are proofreading Take your time when proofreading
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Distributing the Message With your message completed, produced and proofed, you can now begin distributing your message via the channel or medium you have chosen previously. At this point, it is still worth considering the following factors before distributing the message: Cost to reproduce the document Convenience of the reader to access the document Time it will take for the message to reach the audience Security and privacy issues surrounding the distribution of your message
Completing and sending the business message forms the first half of the communication process, and as the sender, your work is done. It is now up to the audience to receive the message and respond. Now that you know how to put together a business message using the three-step writing process, Chapters 5, 6 and 7 will look at writing specific messages within this process. Activity 4 Now that you know how to complete a business message, why not try to plan, write and complete a mock message? You can make up a brief or borrow one from an existing business message. Once you complete each of the three steps, go back to the planning stage and see if the finished product matches up to what you envisaged. Is it the same? Is it worse than you expected or better? Practising business messages until you get it right will make all the difference when it comes to effective communication.
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Questions True-False 1. Revision takes place during and after preparing the first draft. 2. The following sentence is an example of hedging: Sams record as vice president of the information systems club shows that he is capable of handling the position. 3. The following sentence imposes parallelism: Adams responsibilities each Friday afternoon include running the system-usage program, printing three copies, and taking the copies to the appropriate managers. 4. Enthusiastic messages are always viewed positively. 5. Rewriting and editing for conciseness means examining every word you put on paper. 6. Longer words are generally more vivid than short ones. 7. Bullet points give the reader a chance to skim through, and quickly and easily understand a part of the message. 8. Sentences of more than 25 words should not be used at all. 9. Avoid adding headings and subheadings as they create confusion in the message. 10. One key strength of todays word-processing software is that its spell checkers and grammar checkers replace of a writers good editing skills.
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Multiple Choice 11. In the first phase of revising your message: a. b. c. d. Revise for conciseness. Adjust design elements such as margins, white space, and line justification. Proofread for mechanics errors. Revise for content and good organization.
12. Which part(s) of your document affect your audience the most? a. b. c. d. Beginning Middle Ending Beginning and ending
13. Which of the following is NOT a way to increase clarity in your document? a. b. c. d. Break up overly long sentences Reword long noun sequences Use technical terms and jargon Replace camouflaged verbs
14. Which of the following is NOT a function of a heading? a. b. c. d. Verification Connection Organization Attention
15. In the following sentence, which word is the camouflaged verb? The students voiced complaints about the increase in parking fees during the SGA meeting. a. b. c. d. Voiced Complaints Parking During
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16. Excess use of bullets, headings and bold fonts a. b. c. d. Can slow a readers speed or make text harder to read. Is an excellent way to get the readers attention. Makes a one-page document very attractive. Does none of the above
17. Which of the following word-processor features allows writers to use a suitable synonym? a. b. c. d. Search and replace Auto correct Revision marks Thesaurus
18. Which of the following can help a writer proofread effectively? a. b. c. d. Perceptual tricks Distance Multiple passes All of the above
19. Which of the following does not improve conciseness? a. b. c. d. Deleting unnecessary words and phrases. Eliminating redundancies. Running spell and style checkers Imposing parallelism.
20. Which of the following is NOT an example of redundancy? a. b. c. d. Modern equipment. Midway between. Reduce down. Baby kitten.
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Answers 1. True 2. True 3. True 4. False 5. True 6. False 7. True 8. False 9. False 10. False 11. D 12. D 13. C 14. A 15. B 16. A 17. D 18. D 19. C 20. A
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Chapter 5 Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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Chapter 5 Writing Routine and Positive Messages Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Use the Three-Step Writing Process for writing routine and positive messages Form a strategy for making routine requests Make routine requests Form a strategy for sending routine replies and positive messages Send routine replies and positive messages Know how to deal with common examples of routine replies, requests and positive messages Provide recommendations Create informative messages Foster goodwill in sending routine and positive messages
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Introduction Most communication for a typical business employee is about routine matters. The messages they send and receive on a daily basis often involve direct requests, routine replies, and positive messages. You know how to plan, write and complete a business message by applying the three-step writing process. This chapter builds on that skill, and looks at adapting messages into effective routine messages, including routine replies and positive messages. You will also learn when to use routine messages and how positive messages can enhance business relationships. Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Routine Messages By now, the three-step writing process should be becoming second-nature to you. When tackling your routine message, apply the three steps: Step 1: Plan your message Analyze; Gather Information; Select Medium; Organize the Information Adapt to the Audience; Compose the Message Revise and Edit; Produce; Proofread; Distribute Step 2: Write your message Step 3: Complete your message
Writing routine messages will follow exactly the same process, but you need to remember that these steps can be adapted and followed according to your brief. For example, with routine messages, you do not need to spend lots of time deciding whether to go with a direct or indirect approach, since routine messages (as you will find) are direct in nature. Also, although most routine messages share common attributes, some differences exist, depending on the purpose. This chapter provides illustrations and suggestions for writing effective messages, whether they are requests, replies, or goodwill messages.
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Routine Messages Requests Many common examples of routine requests fit into one of the following categories: Asking for information and action Asking for recommendations Making claims and requesting adjustments
Consider the following for each of the above request: When asking for information and action: o Be clear about what to know or what you want your reader to know o State why you are making the request o List questions if you think it might make it easier for the reader to answer all of them effectively o Mention why it may be in your readers interest to help you (if applicable) When asking for recommendations: o Open with a straightforward request for a recommendation o Provide any information about yourself that the reader might use to support a recommendation o Close by expressing appreciation and including the name and contact information for the person who will receive the recommendation When making claims (a formal complaint) and requesting adjustments (the settlement of a claim) o Open with a frank and uncomplicated statement of the problem o Go on to provide a complete explanation of the details of the situation to help the reader verify your claim o Close with a polite request for specific action or state your desire to resolve the problem
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Most requests, including the ones above, will follow a similar format. They should be organized so that the message includes an opening, a body, and a close. Following these tips will go a long way in getting a positive response from the reader: Begin by stating the request up front (first paragraph) Pay attention to tone so that the request is not too abrupt or tactless Assume that your audience will comply Be specific and state precisely what you want Use the body of your message to explain and justify your request Ask the most important questions upfront Ask only relevant questions Deal with only one topic per question
Always close your request by requesting a specific action or a desired outcome in a courteous manner and include any relevant deadlines. Provide contact information so that you may be reached and end with an expression of appreciation or goodwill. Figure 5 below shows the difference between a poorly-written claim request and a well-written one.
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Routine Messages Replies and Positive Messages The way in which you handle the sending of routine replies and positive messages often speaks volumes to others about your skills and capabilities in the business place. Being courteous, thorough and positive in your messages reflects your personality and temperament, and makes it easier for the receiver of the message to correspond and interact with you.
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Work towards the following four goals when sending routine and positive messages: Communicate the information or good news effectively Answer all questions Provide all required details Leave the reader with a good impression of the writer and the firm
In doing this, there is a simple strategy for creating a format for routine replies and positive messages: 1. Follow the direct organizational plan for routine replies and positive messages 2. Start with the main idea 3. Provide necessary details and explanation in middle section 4. End with a courteous close You might find that there are a variety of common routine replies and positive messages. Follow the general format and adapt the message accordingly. Below are a few examples of the different messages as well as tips on how to handle them: Answering requests for information and action o Use a direct approach if the request is simple or straightforward o Answer the request promptly, graciously, and thoroughly o Mail merge features may help personalize repetitive queries Granting claims and requests for adjustments o When granting claims and requests for adjustment, a writer must assume the information provided by the customer is correct. o If your company is at fault: Acknowledge receipt of the customers claim or complaint Sympathize with the customers inconvenience or frustration Take (or assign) personal responsibility for setting matters straight Explain precisely how you have resolved, or plan to resolve, the situation Take steps to repair the relationship Follow up to verify your response was correct Maintain professional demeanour by avoiding the following: Do not blame anyone in your organization by mentioning their name
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Do not make exaggerated apologies that sound insincere Do not imply that the customer is at fault Do not promise more than you can deliver
o When the customer is at fault and you grant the claim: Open with the good news Use a respectful and positive tone to explain what went wrong so that the customer understands and will not repeat the mistake Close in a courteous manner that expresses your appreciation for the customers business o When a third party is at fault, evaluate the situation carefully and know your companys policies before responding Recommendations o When you are asked to provide a recommendation, be sure to list: The candidates full name The position or other objective the candidate is seeking The nature of your relationship with the candidate Whether you are writing the letter on your own or have been asked to write on behalf of the candidate Facts and evidence relevant to the candidate and opportunity Your overall evaluation of the candidates suitability for the opportunity In addition, include appropriate praise (with specific examples to justify that praise) and consider listing the candidates shortcomings as areas for improvement Be careful not to make value judgments, make inaccurate statements or be overly critical to the point that the recommendation becomes defamatory
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Informative messages o Companies can effectively send informative messages by: Using the opening to state the purpose and briefly mention the nature of the information you are providing Providing necessary details in the body Ending your message with a courteous close
Goodwill messages o Business employees can enhance their relationships with customers, colleagues, and other business people by sending unexpected notes containing goodwill messages o Above all, make sure goodwill messages are sincere and honest
Congratulations and messages of appreciation o Send congratulations for promotions or when someone attains a new position o Immediately refer to the good news and give reasons for expecting success o Send messages of appreciation to document someones contributions (a sincere thank-you encourages further excellence and service) o In todays electronic media environment, a handwritten thank-you note can be a particularly welcome acknowledgment
Messages of condolence o Send condolence messages in times of serious trouble and deep sadness (although these messages are particularly difficult to write, they often mean a great deal to the reader) o Open condolences with a brief statement of sympathy, state what the person or business meant to you, and close by offering your condolences and your best wishes o Keep these guidelines in mind when writing letters of condolence: Keep reminiscences brief Write in your own words Be tactful Take special care to be as sensitive as possible Write about special qualities of the deceased Write also about the special qualities of the bereaved person
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Think Point 3 Try to think of the routine messages you have sent or have had to send in the last week. Now if you can, go back and look at them to see if they were effective or could be made more effective by using some of the tools presented in this chapter.
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Questions True-False 1. Routine messages should be organized according to the indirect approach. 2. An effective request letter begins with a personal introduction. 3. The body of a routine request can contain a list of questions to help the reader sort through multiple requests. 4. In a routine letter, the writer should never mention a deadline, since it is considered rude. 5. When you are dissatisfied with a companys product and need to write a claim letter, you should write it in the indirect pattern. 6. When writing a letter requesting a recommendation or a letter of reference, thank the reader a minimum of three times to encourage him or her to agree. 7. When you are giving good news in your reply message, you should leave your reader with a good impression of you and your firm. 8. To grant a claim when the customer is at fault, make sure to include a specific reprimand so that the customer understands he or she is clearly to blame. 9. Goodwill messages, although considered appropriate in the past, are today considered a waste of the writers time. 10. A letter of condolence should be highly sensitive and be given ample time to plan and write so as to not offend the receiver of the message.
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Multiple Choice 11. When writing a routine request, which of the following is an appropriate action? a. b. c. d. Soften your request with words such as please. State precisely what you want. Assume your audience will comply. Do all of the above.
12. If you list a series of questions in a routine request letter: a. b. c. d. Ask the least important questions first. Ask the most important questions first. Include two or three topics in one question to keep your message short. Use no question marks, since this is a business message.
13. When writing a routine letter requesting information and action: a. b. c. d. Close with a firm justification of your request. Close with a strongly-worded statement of your reason for writing. Close with a specific, but polite account of what you expect and a deadline. Do none of the above.
14. A claim letter should open with: a. b. c. d. An emotional statement demanding a settlement. A straightforward statement of the problem. An explanation of details of the situation. None of the above.
15. Which of the following does NOT describe an effective presentation of facts in a claim letter? a. b. c. d. Clarity Politeness Honesty Abusiveness
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16. When sending routine replies, how should you handle slightly negative information? a. b. c. d. Leave it out so that the letter contains only good news. Embed it in a positive context. State the negative directly, but only in the first paragraph. State the negative directly, but only in the last paragraph.
17. Which of the following is NOT the correct way to answer letters requesting information? a. b. c. d. Use a direct approach if the request is simple or straightforward Have a standard template that can be used for all your replies Answer the request promptly Mail merge the letter to personalize repetitive queries
18. When your company is at fault and you must write a letter granting the customers claim: a. b. c. d. Open with a friendly statement such as: Mistakes will happen. Identify the person or department at fault to show your reader you have dutifully researched the issue. Promise the customer that the problem will never happen again. Open with the good news that you are granting the claim.
19. To avoid being libellous when writing a recommendation letter: a. b. c. d. Avoid value judgments. Include only relevant, factual information. Balance criticisms with favourable points. Do all the above.
20. When writing condolence letters: a. b. c. d. Use a company letterhead to show that the company knows what happened. Copy a standard condolence message to avoid being too personal. Keep reminiscences brief. Do all the above.
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Answers 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. False 5. False 6. False 7. True 8. False 9. False 10. True 11. D 12. B 13. C 14. B 15. D 16. B 17. B 18. D 19. D 20. C
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Chapter 6 Writing Negative Messages
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Chapter 6 Writing Negative Messages Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Recognize the aims of a negative message Use the Three-Step Writing Process for writing negative messages Develop negative messages Use the direct approach effectively Use the indirect approach effectively Conclude negative messages appropriately Send negative messages on routine business matters Know how to deal with common examples of negative messages
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Introduction Negative messages are perhaps the type of message communicators fear most. Although communicating these messages is not always easy, using the proper approach, tone and strategy can help create an effective message that people will accept and understand. This chapter focuses on recognizing the aims of a negative message, writing effective negative messages by applying the three-step writing process and providing you with the tools necessary in developing negative messages. The chapter then looks at methods to develop negative messages, briefly touching on direct and indirect approaches, breaking bad news and concluding positively in negative messages. The chapter closes with a few types of negative messages you are likely to encounter, with tips on how to handle these situations. This includes refusing claims, negative employment messages, refusing requests for recommendation letters and rejecting job applicants. Aims of a Negative Message Before beginning a negative message, it is important to recognize what the primary aims of the message are. If you keep these in mind throughout the planning, writing and completing of the message, it will make your task that much easier. A negative message must: 1. Convey the bad news 2. Gain acceptance for it 3. Maintain as much goodwill as possible with your audience 4. Maintain a good image for your organization 5. Reduce or eliminate the need for future correspondence on the matter (if appropriate) With these aims, you can now begin the three-step writing process. Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Negative Messages After Chapter 5, the three-step writing process should be very familiar to you. As a reminder, here are the three steps: Step 1: Plan your message Analyze; Gather Information; Select Medium; Organize the Information Adapt to the Audience; Compose the Message Revise and Edit; Produce; Proofread; Distribute Step 2: Write your message Step 3: Complete your message
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When using the three-step writing process, you have to realize that you cannot avoid the fact that your audience doesnt want to hear what you have to say. With a clear purpose during the planning stage: o Keep your audiences needs in mind o Gather the information your audience will need in order to understand and accept your message o Selecting the right medium is particularly critical when it comes to negative messages. Bad news for employees, for example, should always be delivered in person. By writing clear and sensitive messages, you can: o Take some of the sting out of bad news and help your reader accept the decision and move on o Establish your credibility and qualify the decision you have made o Use language that conveys respect and avoids an accusatory tone o Use positive words to ease your audiences sense of disappointment Completing the message is as important for negative messages as the planning stage: o Be sure to revise your message so that everything is clear, complete, and concise o Read over the message to ensure that all of the aims (listed earlier in the chapter) are met Developing Negative Messages Using the three-step writing process will give you a basic template for producing a negative message, but to master the form, you need to learn to develop the concept by using a few key techniques. Choose between a direct and indirect approach
Writers need to decide whether to use the direct or indirect approach when writing the message. Use the direct approach in negative messages: When the negative news will be disappointing, but not necessarily a shock When you know your audience prefers the bad news first When the scenario is minor or routine When you need to get the readers attention
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Use the indirect approach in negative messages: When the negative news may come as a shock When the reader has an emotional investment in the situation or the consequences to the reader are considerable When you need to maintain a close working relationship with the reader
The direct approach: Opens with a clear statement of the bad news Proceeds to list the reasons and additional information for the negative decision Closes with a positive statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship
Two advantages of stating the bad news at the beginning are that it makes a shorter message possible and it requires less time for the audience to reach the main idea of the message. Even when using the direct approach in negative messages, you need to always use an appropriate and tactful tone, and focus in detail on the reasons for the message being negative. The indirect approach: Covers the more positive points first before moving to the less positive ones Provides reasons and additional information when giving your reasons for the bad news Provides enough detail for your audience to understand your reasons Avoids hiding behind company policy
One of the advantages of using the indirect approach is that the negative message opens with a buffer a neutral, non-controversial statement that is closely related to the point of the message. If done correctly, buffers establish common ground with your reader. The danger of using a buffer to soften the news is that it can be seen as manipulative and unethical if you come across as insincere or dishonest. Showing sincere consideration for the feelings of others in giving bad news, however, is not dishonest.
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Breaking Bad News
Hard-hitting, bad news can often be softened by presenting the reasons for the negative message. You should go on to convince your audience that your negative decision is justified, fair, and logical. You can also de-emphasize the bad news by minimizing the space or time devoted to it. You should take care, however, not to devote too little space to the bad news in case it gets lost in the rest of the message and becomes unclear or ambiguous to the audience. To state bad news clearly and kindly, use four techniques: De-emphasize the bad news Use a conditional (if or when) statement to imply that readers might receive a favourable answer in the future Say what you did, can, or will do (not what you didnt, cannot, or wont do) Close with a positive, optimistic statement that is helpful and friendly Concluding Positively
In a negative message, the way you conclude is essential in keeping alive the prospect of doing business with the receiver of the message in the future. With a customer or a potential customer, the ending can include resale information (favourable comments about a product or service the customer has already purchased) or sales promotion (favourable comments that encourage interest in goods or services the reader has not yet committed to purchase). With a business colleague or employee, the ending can include messages of motivation or an indication that you would like to work with the person in the future, or that he/she has the potential to excel in either a related or a different field. It is worth saying that you should not try to sound insincere. You can also wish the person well in future endeavours. Avoid the following in your conclusion: Referring to, repeating, or apologizing for the bad news Encouraging additional communication if you are not willing to discuss the situation further Anticipating problems Using clichs that appear insincere in view of the bad news
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A Few Common Examples of Negative Messages and How to Handle Them In Chapter 5, you learned how to reply positively to routine messages, including requests for claims and recommendation letters. In this chapter, you will learn how to send negative messages in similar scenarios. Refusing Claims Use the indirect approach Avoid accepting responsibility for the situation, but do not blame the customer Pay special attention to the tone of your letter Demonstrate that you understand and have considered the complaint Rationally explain why you are refusing the request End the letter on a respectful and action-oriented note Negative Employment Messages Use the direct approach when writing to job applicants or when communicating with other companies Use the indirect approach when giving negative performance reviews to employees Refusing Request For Recommendation Letters Be brief and direct, but also keep in mind the position of the person requesting the recommendation Be diplomatic and tactful when refusing an employee, explaining your refusal Rejecting a Job Applicant Choose your approach carefully Clearly state why the applicant was not selected Close by suggesting alternatives When refusing claims, you should:
To send effective negative employment messages:
When refusing requests for recommendation letters:
When delivering bad news to job applicants:
Figure 6 below shows the difference between ineffective and effective emails when rejecting a job applicant:
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To end Chapter 6, always keep in mind the following as you develop your skills at writing routine negative messages: Manage your time carefully. It is easy to spend too much time putting together negative messages If the matter is closed, do not imply that it is still open Offer alternative ideas if you can Do not imply that other assistance or information is available if it is not
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In Chapter 7, you will learn how to write persuasive messages. Activity 5 Writing an effective negative message takes practice. Try to think of all the scenarios where you would need to write a negative message and then list how you would go about planning, writing and completing each of them.
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Questions True-False 1. When writing negative messages, analysis, investigation, and adaptation help you avoid alienating your readers. 2. Negative messages should always be written using the indirect organizational pattern. 3. When writing negative messages, assume your audience is interested in being fair, even when they are at fault. 4. To ensure that the audience understands that the answer is no repeat the decision in the last paragraph of the message. 5. A buffer is useless when writing a message using the indirect approach. 6. Offering an apology in the first paragraph is a good way to help your reader understand why you are saying no 7. Provide enough detail for the audience to understand your reasons, but be concise. 8. Stating that company policy prohibits the action the reader requested is typically sufficient explanation of bad news. 9. Tell the audience what you cannot do in a one-sentence paragraph, using a simple-sentence structure. 10. Even though the message contains bad news, the ending paragraph should end on an upbeat note.
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Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following is NOT a goal of negative messages? a. b. c. d. To give the bad news To maintain the readers goodwill To reduce future correspondence on the matter To hold the bad news until the very end of the message
12. When composing negative messages, you should always a. b. c. d. Create an audience-centered tone. Include a lecture of why the reader was at fault. Hide the bad news. Do all of the above.
13. In which of the following should you use the direct approach? a. b. c. d. In a message telling employees there will be no annual bonus this year In a message containing minor bad news that will cause little disappointment In a message that contains a bad performance review In a message containing bad news that does not affect your company
14. Which of the following would be an effective buffer in a letter turning down a readers request to use some of your companys copyrighted material? a. b. c. d. I am sorry, but we cannot allow you to use the material you requested. Your writing project sounds interesting and worthwhile. I am writing to inform you that we received your request. None of the above is an example of an effective buffers.
15. To write an effective buffer, make it: a. b. c. d. Lengthy to get your readers attention. Misleading. Relevant. Controversial.
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16. Follow a buffer with reasons that are: a. b. c. d. Detailed. Unapologetic. Positive. All of the above.
17. Which of the following can be used to effectively handle bad news? a. b. c. d. Tell what you did instead of what you did not do. Put the bad news in the last paragraph to provide clarity for the reader. Use several negative words to help readers understand that it is a negative letter. Do none of the above.
18. Which of the following would be an effective ending sentence for a letter to an unsuccessful job applicant? a. b. c. d. We apologize for taking so much of your time in the past weeks. We assume you can find work elsewhere. We believe that you will be successful in your chosen career. In future letters, be sure to correct spelling and grammar mistakes.
19. When refusing a claim, be sure to: a. b. c. d. Demonstrate your understanding of the complaint. Explain your refusal. Suggest alternative action. Do all of the above.
20. When informing customers about back orders, try to: a. b. c. d. Use resale information to clinch the sale. Apologize three times. Use the direct approach. Do none of the above.
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Answers 1. True 2. False 3. True 4. False 5. False 6. False 7. True 8. False 9. False 10. True 11. D 12. A 13. B 14. B 15. D 16. C 17. A 18. C 19. D 20. A
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Chapter 7 Writing Persuasive Messages
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Chapter 7 Writing Persuasive Messages Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Use the Three-Step Writing Process for writing persuasive messages Understand and use the AIDA model Develop persuasive business messages Form strategies for writing persuasive business messages Identify common mistakes in persuasive messages Deal with common examples of persuasive business messages Develop marketing and sales messages Forming strategies for writing marketing and sales messages Write persuasive messages for social media Make persuasion a positive activity
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Introduction After learning to write routine, positive and negative business messages, you will now be taught how to write effective persuasive messages by applying the three-step writing process introduced in earlier chapters. Persuasive messages are arguably the most important for the aspiring businessperson. Persuasion is the attempt to change an audiences attitudes, beliefs, or actions. If you are able to master the process of creating written (and other) persuasive business messages, it will be that much easier to attain business goals and climb ladders in the business world. Whether you will need to write a persuasive request for action or a persuasive claim for adjustment, this chapter provides guidance for writing messages effectively. Once again, you will be taught to apply the three-step writing process, only this time in a little more detail than in Chapters 5 and 6. You will then be guided through the process of developing persuasive business messages, and introduced to the AIDA model, which is a more intense but helpful plan for creating persuasive messages. You will also learn how to distinguish between emotional and logical appeals and how to balance them in the development of persuasive business messages. Thereafter a few common mistakes and tips for crafting the persuasive message will be explored. The chapter will close with a special focus on developing marketing and sales messages, with the persuasive subtleties of conversation marketing addressed. Basic strategies and applications of the AIDA model in marketing and sales will also be covered, along with some suggestions that will ensure that persuasion is practiced as a positive activity. As an extra, the chapter will briefly touch on the writing of persuasive messages for social media, which will take you into the next chapter of the module. Using the Three-Step Writing Process for Persuasive Messages To recap you, the three-step writing process involves: Step 1: Plan your message Analyze; Gather Information; Select Medium; Organize the Information Adapt to the Audience; Compose the Message Revise and Edit; Produce; Proofread; Distribute Step 2: Write your message Step 3: Complete your message
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Because persuasive messages ask audiences to give something of value (money in exchange for a product, for example) or take substantial action (such as changing a corporate policy), they are more challenging to write than routine messages. Parts of the three-step writing process (in particular, the planning step) will therefore be explained and adapted in detail: Analyzing Your Situation The best persuasive messages are closely connected to your audiences desires and interests. Consider these important questions when planning your message: Who is my audience? What are my audience members needs? What do I want them to do? How might they resist? Are there alternative positions I need to examine? What does the decision maker consider to be the most important issue? How might the organizations culture influence my strategy?
To understand and categorize audience needs, you can refer to specific information, such as demographics (the age, gender, occupation, income, education, and other quantifiable characteristics of the people youre trying to persuade), psychographics (personality, attitudes, lifestyle, and other psychological characteristics), and your audiences cultural expectations and practices. If you aim to change someones attitudes, beliefs, or actions, it is vital to understand his or her motivationthe combination of forces that drive people to satisfy their needs. Gathering Your Information
When you have finished analyzing your situation, the next step is to gather the necessary information that will close the gap between what your audience knows, believes, or feels right now and what you want them to know, believe, or feel as a result of receiving your message. Selecting Your Medium
As always, media choices are always important, but these decisions are particularly sensitive with persuasive messages because these messages are often unexpected or even unwelcome. Another important area of development in media for persuasive messages is combining personal attention with technological reach and efficiency. This might include anything from a funny story during a sales pitch to a jingle on the radio to a commercial during a popular TV programme. You need to consider what will be the most persuasive, even if the message is not welcome at the outset.
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Organizing Your Information
The most effective main ideas for persuasive messages have one thing in common: they are about the receiver, and never about the sender. Be sure to limit your scope to cater to the audience. Most persuasive messages use an indirect approach, so your information will have to be organized accordingly. Think of what type of information will grab the audiences attention and motivate them to take action. Writing Your Message (Adapting to the Audience and Composing the Message) Understand and respect cultural differences Be sensitive to organizational cultures Use positive and polite language o This usually happens naturally with persuasive messages since writers are promoting an idea or product which they believe in. Take steps to establish your credibility o This can be done by: Using simple language Providing objective evidence for the claims and promises you make Identifying your sources Establishing common ground with your audience Being objective and present fair and logical arguments Displaying your willingness to keep your audiences best interests at heart Completing Your Message (Revising and Editing, Producing, Proofreading, Distributing) When completing persuasive messages, you must make sure that you: Judge your argument objectively and try not to overestimate your credibility Carefully match the purpose and organization to audience needs Design your message to complement your argument Proofread for any mechanical or spelling errors that would weaken your argument Choose a delivery method that fits your audiences expectations
When writing your message you should:
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Developing Persuasive Business Messages Your success in business is related to your ability to convince others to accept new ideas, change old habits, or act on your recommendations. Persuasive business messages are designed to elicit a preferred response, even in a non-sales situation. Effective persuasion involves four strategies: 1. Framing your arguments 2. Balancing emotional and logical appeals 3. Reinforcing your position 4. Anticipating objections The AIDA Model Attention Your first objective is to encourage your audience to want to hear about your problem, idea, or new product - whatever your main idea is. Be sure to find some common ground on which to build your case. Interest Provide additional details that prompt audience members to imagine how the solution might benefit them. Desire Help audience members embrace your idea by explaining how the change will benefit them and answering potential objections. Action. Suggest the specific action you want your audience to take. Include a deadline, when applicable. When using the AIDA model, you use either the indirect or the direct approach, though it is tailor-made for the indirect approach.
When framing a persuasive argument, effective businesspeople use the AIDA model:
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While the AIDA model is highly effective at framing the contents of a persuasive message, there are two limitations that you need to be aware of: First, AIDA is a uni-directional method that essentially talks at audiences, not with them. Second, AIDA is built around a single event (such as asking an audience for a once-off decision) rather than on building a mutually beneficial, long-term relationship You should consider the context within which you are pitching the persuasive message and then adapt of use the model accordingly. Emotional and Logical Appeals
Effective persuasion often appeals to the either the audiences emotions or their sense of logic (and sometimes even both). It is therefore important to understand these factors as tools that can be wielded when producing a persuasive message. Emotional Appeal An emotional appeal aims at evoking the feelings and emotions of the audience. While this might seem unethical or insincere, it is not as heinous as it might sound. Evoking emotions can be something as simple as telling a prospective employer, for example, that your service would ensure that his goods are sent out on time. The employer might be attracted because of the relief he feels at the thought of his business running well. Ethical lines can be crossed, however, if the receiver of the message is made to feel unjustified and unwarranted stress or panic because of your persuasive message. For example, if you were to tell the same prospective employer that if you are not hired, his business will suffer and his children will go hungry, then that is playing on emotions negatively and will be deemed unethical. The easiest way to avoid this is to pair logic with emotions when persuading an audience. Logical Appeal People need to find rational support for an attitude they have already embraced emotionally, so the next step is to use logical appeal to persuade the audience. Again, if you were to rather show the prospective employer how his business could save money by procuring your services, then that would appeal to his/her emotions (concerns about his business) as well as his/her sense of logic (how it the problem can be remedied).
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A logical appeal makes uses of one of three types of reasoning: Analogy: Reasoning from specific evidence to specific evidence Induction: Reasoning from specific evidence to a general conclusion Deduction: Reasoning from a generalization to a specific conclusion
Be sure to avoid faulty logic, especially the following: Hasty generalizations: Drawing conclusions without having enough evidence Circular reasoning: Supporting claims by restating them using different words Attacking opponents: Focusing on the person, rather than the issue/argument Oversimplifying complex issues: Reducing situations to either/or statements Mistaken assumptions of cause and effect: Assuming you know the cause of something when other factors could be at play Faulty analogies: Using an analogy where two objects or situations being compared are, in fact, not similar enough for the analogy to hold After the basic elements are complete, consider how you can reinforce your position. If you choose to use vivid language and abstractions, do so carefully and honestly. You also should consider using metaphors and other figures of speech. Writers of powerful persuasive messages have anticipated many objections and addressed them before audiences see their message. Anticipating objectives allows you to get the issues out of the way sooner and demonstrate a broad appreciation of the issue and imply confidence in your message. If you are addressing a hostile audience, be sure to present all sides of the situation and present other options before your own. Try to involve your audience in the design of your solution. Common Mistakes Using a hard sell (a very direct, forceful, and overt sales message) Resisting compromise Relying solely on great arguments Assuming that persuasion is a one-shot effort When developing your persuasive message, avoid these common mistakes:
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Tips For Crafting a Persuasive Message Begin with an attention-getting device (showing readers you know something of their concerns) Give facts, explain benefits, and enhance your appeal in the interest and desire sections Gain credibility for you and your request Convince your readers that helping you will help solve a significant problem Close with a request for some specific action
When writing persuasive requests for action, you will want to:
Some persuasive messages are not action-oriented, so you might need to change attitudes or beliefs about particular topics. When writing persuasive requests for action, your goals are to gain credibility (for yourself and your request) and make your readers believe that helping you will indeed help solve a significant problem. To craft persuasive requests for action, you will want to consider the following: Open with an attention-getting device and show readers that you understand their concerns Use the interest and desire sections of your message to demonstrate that you have good reason for making such a request and to cover what you know about the situation the facts and figures, the benefits of helping, and any history or experience that will enhance your appeal. Close with a request for some specific action once you have demonstrated that your message is relevant to your reader At times, you may not want to change attitudes or beliefs immediately. When this is the case, begin by asking your audience to re-examine long-held opinions or admit the possibility of new ways of thinking. When writing persuasive claims and requests for adjustment, consider the following: Begin by stating the basic problem Give your reader a good reason for granting your claim Tell your audience how you feel about the problem without getting carried away
Developing Marketing and Sales Messages Marketing messages usher potential buyers through the purchasing process without asking them to make an immediate decision. It is at this point that sales messages take over.
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Marketing messages focus on introducing new brands to the public, providing competitive comparisons, and encouraging customers to visit websites for more information. Sales messages re-enforce all of the above messages, but also remind buyers about the product and make a specific request for people to place an order for a particular product or service. Marketing and sales messages need to therefore be written with these purposes in mind. Basic Strategies for Developing Marketing and Sales Messages Assessing customer needs Analyzing your competition Determining key selling points and benefits Anticipating purchase objections Applying the AIDA model Maintaining high standards of ethics, legal compliance, and etiquette
Basic strategies to consider when writing marketing and sales messages are:
As with every other business message, successful marketing and sales messages start with an understanding of audience needs. Be knowledgeable about competitors campaigns; you might want to avoid themes, writing styles, or creative approaches that are too similar to those of competitive messages. Be sure you control the focus of your message: Selling points are the most attractive features of an idea or product (focusing on the product) Benefits are the particular advantages audiences will realize from features (focusing on the user) As with persuasive messages, anticipate and pre-empt audience objections when developing your message. For example, if you are trying to highlight the price of your product, you should prepare your readers for it by using well-chosen words. Place the price in a prominent position, such as in the headline or at the end of the paragraph On the other hand, if you want to downplay the price of your product, you can leave the price out altogether or de-emphasize the price by placing figures mid-paragraph near the end of your message.
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You might also want to break the quantity into units or compare your products price to the cost of some other product or activity. Remember that being persuasive is all about finding the right structure and focal point. The AIDA Model in Sales Messages
When using the AIDA model in sales messages: You can grab ATTENTION by opening with: o Your products strongest feature or benefit o A strong, evocative image o A piece of genuine news o A point of common ground with the audience o A personal appeal to the readers emotions and values o The promise of insider information o The promise of savings o A sample or demonstration of the product o A solution to a problem Build INTEREST by highlighting your products central selling point, the single point around which you will build your sales message. This section should also offer support for whatever claims or promises you made in the attention section Intensify your audiences DESIRE by: o Focusing on the audience and not on the product o Highlighting important benefits o Using action terms o Using colourful verbs and adjectives (but dont overdo it) Support for your claims and encouraging ACTION may be done in several ways. Your message may: o Include samples and brochures (often with photographs). o Include testimonials from satisfied customers. o Cite statistics from scientific studies of the products performance. o Include guarantees of exchange or return privileges.
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In the last section of your sales message, you need to explain clearly (and professionally) how to take the next step, so that the audience is persuaded to take action right away. You can also boost audience response by adding a postscript (PS) that reiterates your primary benefit and makes an additional offer. It might compel the reader to take action quickly by emphasizing a deadline. Figure 4 shows how you can write a persuasive message using the AIDA model:
Persuasion as a Positive Activity
Because the concept of persuasion is often associated with dishonesty and unethical practices, you must strive for high ethical standards to overcome this stigma.
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The best businesspeople make persuasion a positive activity, influencing the members of their audience by: Providing information and aiding understanding Allowing the audience the freedom to choose Persuading without manipulating Adopting the you attitude by showing honest concern for their audiences needs and interests Pay close attention to the following legal aspects of marketing and sales communication: Marketing and sales messages must be truthful and non-deceptive You must back up your claims with evidence Marketing and sales messages are considered binding contracts in many situations In most cases, you cant use a persons name, photograph, or other identifying information without permission Following all legal aspects of marketing and sales communication will not guarantee that your message will not be offensive. An audience-centred approach, involving respect for your audience and their values should help avoid etiquette mishaps. Successful persuasive communication always centres around the basics: Understanding audience needs Out-communicating competitors Providing clear, compelling information that encourages customers to make decisions in your favour Writing Persuasive Messages for Social Media Conversation marketing occurs when companies initiate and facilitate conversations in a networked community of customers. With the Internet and the rise of social media, this form of marketing has grown exponentially over the last decade. To write persuasive messages for social media, follow these guidelines: Facilitate community building Initiate and respond to conversations within the community Identify where your message will be most effective Make extensive use of social media channels to distribute your message Use the AIDA model at the right time and in the right places
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The use of social media in business communication will be discussed in detail in the following chapter, but studying and applying the suggestions in this chapter will assist you in putting together an effective persuasive message. Activity 6 Consider what you have learned in this chapter and explain how you can modify this approach so that you can write effective persuasive messages for a social media platform (Facebook, LinkedIN, Twitter, etc.). List all the ways in which the tools in this chapter can be adapted to suit the platform.
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Questions True-False 1. The best persuasive messages are closely connected to your audiences existing desires and interests. 2. Most persuasive messages use the direct approach. 3. Most persuasive messages include only emotional appeals. 4. In a persuasive message, the section that builds interest urges readers to take the action you suggest. 5. In a persuasive request for action, close with a request for some specific action. 6. A persuasive claim should include a complete and specific review of the facts and a confident and positive tone. 7. Sales messages are usually sent by non-profit organizations persuading readers to donate money or time. 8. Benefits are the most attractive features of an idea or product. 9. In many states sales letters are considered binding contracts. 10. Effective sales letters never mention price.
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Multiple Choice 11. The best way to gain credibility when writing a persuasive message is to: a. b. c. d. Explain how your company valiantly worked to keep the price low. Support your message with facts. Brag about how your reader will love the product you are selling. Do none of the above.
12. If you use the direct approach in a persuasive message, you: a. b. c. d. Omit justification or explanation. Expect your reader to accept your idea on faith. Include justification. Do none of the above.
13. Which of the following best describes the order of the AIDA model? a. b. c. d. Action, interest, desire, attention Action, interest, details, attention Attention, interest, desire, action Attention, influence, desire, action
14. Which of the following types of reasoning can be used in a logical appeal? a. b. c. d. Reason from a generalization to a specific conclusion Reason from specific evidence to specific evidence Reason from specific evidence to a general conclusion All of the above
15. When writing the attention getter for a persuasive message: a. b. c. d. Write a brief and engaging opening sentence. Write a detailed sentence that includes relevant and irrelevant points. Back up your claims. Do none of the above.
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16. Which of the following is the best choice for a sales letter? a. b. c. d. This car is economical to operate. According to tests conducted by Consumer Digest, this model averaged 28 miles to the gallon in city driving. You will find the car very economical to operate. All three would be equally effective in a sales letter.
17. Which of the following is the best choice for a sales letter? a. b. c. d. The cost is R100, which is not expensive for this quality product that improves drinking water. The product is an excellent value at any price. For R100, a one-time expense, you will improve the quality of the water you drink and cook with for as long as you own your house. None of the above is a good choice for a sales letter.
18. Misrepresenting the price, quality, or performance of a product in a sales letter is: a. b. c. d. A normal approach for sales letters. An example of fraud. An invasion of privacy. None of the above.
19. How can you support claims in a sales message? a. b. c. d. Include testimonials Send a notarized document verifying the price of the product Ask the reader a provocative question Appeal to the readers emotions
20. You can grab the audiences attention by using which of the following? a. b. c. d. Special sizes or styles of type Bullets Colour All of the above
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Answers 1. True 2. False 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. True 7. False 8. False 9. True 10. False 11. B 12. C 13. C 14. D 15. A 16. B 17. C 18. B 19. A 20. D
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Chapter 8 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media and Social Media
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Chapter 8 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media and Social Media Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Choose electronic media for brief messages Create effective e-mail messages Create effective Instant Messages and text messages Create effective business blogs Collaborate on Wikis Recognize the potential social media has for crafting effective business messages Create an effective online profile using social media platforms Create effective social media messages Know how to use social media in the workplace to enforce a company brand
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Introduction In the context of the modern business environment, this chapter is particularly important and relevant since it deals with the type of written communication that businesspeople prepare most frequently: Memos, e-mail messages, and letters. The chapter also looks at the use of social media networks by the businesspeople in both personal and professional capacities. You will learn how to recognize when to choose electronic and social media for business messages, before being shown how to create effective e-mails, create effective Instant Messages and text messages, create effective blogs, and lastly, how to create effective Wikis. The chapter closes with an insightful look at social media in business, focusing on the use of social media in the workplace and how it can further your career and make you an asset to both the company and its brand if you use the correct approaches.
Choosing Electronic Media for Brief Messages Todays business communicators have a broad range of options for sending short messages. Email is now a primary medium for most companies thanks to its high speed and low cost. The rise of Instant Messaging (IM), a form of direct electronic messaging, has meant that messages can be sent even faster, and with fewer problems related to unwanted messages or security and privacy concerns. Similarly, text messaging is making inroads into business communication, with most companies opting to use it as a means of distributing information widely and marketing its products or services. With access to the Internet growing, blogs are also becoming a common feature in business communication, with its ability to update content quickly and publish information to vast audiences with relatively little effort, or even technical training. Wikis present the opportunity for rapid collaboration among geographically dispersed groups, making them ideal for todays flexible organizational structure.
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All these electronic tools contribute to what is considered social media since all participants can contribute to the conversation. There are other forms of social media that are revolutionizing internal and external communication, breaking down traditional barriers in the organizational hierarchy, and promoting the flow of information and ideas on a global scale. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN and YouTube are increasingly being used by businesses, albeit very cautiously because of how quickly information can be uploaded and distributed. While most of your business communication is likely to be via electronic means, do not overlook several situations where you should use a printed message over electronic alternatives: When you want to make a formal impression When you are legally required to provide information in printed form When you want to stand out from the flood of electronic messages
With this in mind, we will now look at creating messages for the electronic media. Creating Effective E-Mail Messages The first thing you should do before sending an e-mail is to recognize the differences between business e-mails and personal e-mails and approach them accordingly. With a business e-mail, you should: Adopt and adapt the Three-Step Writing Process Make sure that the e-mail is much more formal Realize that the consequences of bad writing or poor judgment can be serious Remember that e-mail messages have the same legal weight as printed documents
Other concerns include the possibility of disclosing confidential information and exposing company networks to security problems. Follow Company E-mail Policies
Many companies now have formal e-mail policies that specify how employees can use e-mail, including restrictions against using company e-mail service for personal messages and sending material that might be deemed objectionable. Many employers also monitor e-mails. All e-mail users have a responsibility to avoid actions that could cause trouble. E-mail hygiene refers to all the efforts that companies are making to keep e-mails clean and safe.
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Planning E-Mail Messages
Since sending an e-mail is so easy, it is often overused and misused. Make sure every e-mail you send is absolutely necessary. Think twice before sending messages to multiple recipients with the cc (courtesy copy). Be sure to also respect the chain of command and give each person the chance to address the situation you are writing about, before sending off a reply or another e-mail addressing the same issue. Writing E-Mail Messages
The casual style used for personal e-mail is inappropriate for most business communication. A careless approach to sending e-mails can harm you in two ways: 1. Haphazard planning and sloppy e-mail requires less time for writers, but it requires more time for readers who are forced to interpret the message 2. Managers and executives often judge the quality of your work by your quality of writing. Writing Effective Subject Lines Subject lines are actually one of the most important parts of e-mail messages Make sure your subject line is informative and compelling Do more than just describe or classify your message - build interest with key words, quotations, directions, or questions Modify the subject line of your message if you are replying back and forth with someonethe new subject line should reflect the revised message content Keeping Your Emotions Under Control Given the spontaneous nature of e-mail (and other electronic media), you will need to keep your emotions from getting the best of you when you are writing. A message that contains insensitive, insulting, or critical comments is called a flame. When you are angry, before responding electronically, ask yourself two questions: 1. Would I say this to my audience face to face? 2. Am I comfortable with this message becoming a permanent part of the companys communication history? Take a few moments to revise and proofread your message before you send it.
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Also, lean in favour of simplicity when it comes to producing your e-mail messages (a clean, easily readable font, in black on a white background is sufficient for nearly all e-mail messages). Take advantage of your e-mail systems ability to include an e-mail signature that is placed at the end of your message. Before you send your message, pause and verify what you are doing. Creating Effective Instant Messages and Text Messages IM is now widely used throughout the business world, with business-grade IM systems featuring the basic chat, presence awareness (ability to see which are at their desk and available to IM), remote display of documents, video capabilities, remote control of other computers, automated newsfeeds from blogs and websites, and automated boot capability. Text messaging is beginning to find applications in business as well. Text messaging has long been popular in other parts of the world where it is referred to as short messaging service. Benefits to businesses using IM include the following: Rapid response to urgent messages Lower cost than phone calls and e-mail Ability to mimic conversation more closely than e-mail Availability on a wide range of devices, from PCs to mobile phones to PDAs Less misuse as a broadcast mechanism than e-mail
Potential drawbacks of using IM: Security problems Need for user authentication Challenge of logging messages for later review and archiving Incompatibility between competing IM systems Abuse of the system through overuse
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As with any other business message, you should try to adapt the Three-Step Process for writing IMs, even if it works rapidly and instantly: Planning instant messages: plan conversations as you would an actual conversation Writing instant messages: the appropriate writing style for business Competing instant messages: quickly scan your message before sending it
To use IM effectively, pay attention to some important behavioural issues: Potential for constant interruptions Ease of accidentally mixing personal and business messages Risk of being out of the loop Vast potential for wasted time Being at the mercy of others typing ability (if someone is a slow typist, then you have to wait for his or her reply) Make IM more efficient and effective by following these tips: Make sure you have a purpose before you IM anyone Make yourself unavailable when you need to focus on other work Do not send confidential information if you are not on a secure system Be extremely careful about sending personal messages Do not use IM for lengthy, complex messages unless your system is set up for ite-mail is better for that Avoid carrying on multiple IM conversations at once Make sure your IM system filters for spam (IM version of e-mail spam) is active and up to date
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Creating Effective Business Blogs Blogs (short for web logs) are online journals that are much easier to personalize and update than a conventional website. Blogs combine the global reach and reference value of a conventional website with the conversational exchanges of IM or e-mail. Good business blogs pay close attention to several important elements: Communicating with personal style and an authentic voice Delivering new information quickly Choosing topics of peak interest to audiences Encouraging audiences to join the conversation
Businesses are now using blogs to accomplish the following: Project management and team communication: keeping project teams up to date; Company news: informing employees about general business matters Customer support: answering questions and offering tips and advice Public and media relations: sharing company news with the general public and journalists Recruiting: telling potential employees about the benefits of working at a firm Policy and issue discussions: offering a public forum for discussing issues of interest to an organization Crisis communication: providing up-to-the-minute information during emergencies, correcting misinformation, or responding to rumours Market research: soliciting feedback from consumers and experts Brainstorming: giving people a forum to toss ideas around and build on others contributions Viral marketing: spreading the word about your company and your products E-mail replacement: many companies have turned to blogs as a more convenient way to distribute information to customers and other audiences
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Adapting the Three-Step Process for Blogging: Pay attention to your audience, your purpose, and your scope Carefully consider the information you are including (others could link to it months or years from now) Evaluate the content and readability of your message - write in a comfortable, personal style Successful blog content also needs to be interesting, valuable to readers, and as brief as possible Completing messages for blogs is quite easy if you evaluate the content and readability of your message, proofread to correct any errors, and post using your blogging systems tools for doing so Again, remember to differentiate between personal blogs and business blogs. You cannot comment or contribute to a business in the same way and with the same material that you would with a personal blog that focuses on your own interests and views. Collaborating on Wikis A Wiki is an online resource (usually a website) where articles, documents or any source of information can be developed collaboratively by a community of users, allowing any user to add and edit content. Wikis are a great way for teams and other groups to collaborate on writing projects. Wikis provide the opportunity to post new or revised material without prior approval. To be a valuable wiki contributor, keep these points in mind: Writers need to let go of traditional expectations of authorship Team members sometimes need to be encouraged to edit and improve others work Use page templates and other formatting options to make sure your content fits the same style as the rest of the wiki Participants should use appropriate editing and commenting capabilities New users should take advantage of the sandbox a safe non-published section of the wiki where team members can practice editing and writing
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Adapting the Three-Step Writing Process for Wiki Writing: If you are creating a new wiki, think through your long-term purpose carefully: Will the wiki be a one-time event or an ongoing effort? You also need to consider who will be allowed to add or modify content, who will serve as editor, what rules and guidelines you will establish to guide the growth of the wiki, and what security measures might be required If you are adding to an existing wiki, figure out how this new material fits in with the existing structure of the wiki, find out if similar material already exists, and learn the wikis preferred style for handling incomplete articles If you are revising or updating an existing wiki article, use the checklist in Chapter 5 to evaluate the content before you change it Social Media in Business In recent years, there has been a meteoric rise in the popularity of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. These networks boast more than a billion active users between them, and it is becoming increasingly harder for business to ignore or divorce themselves from social media platforms such as these. As a business communicator, it is important for you to tap into this resource, not only to gain information, but to use it as a form of effective communication and a way to build your career and reputation. In the same breath, social media can be a double-edged sword in that it is easy for messages to be miscommunicated or misconstrued, and can lead to your career being destroyed in, quite literally, a matter of hours. As a social media communicator, you need to make an active effort to become an asset to your company by creating an effective online profile of yourself, sending effective social media messages and knowing how to use social media to positively reflect your companys brand. Creating an Effective Social Media Profile When it comes to business etiquette, social media can often be confusing because it is the convergence of our private, social lives with public access and exposure. As a result, many companies are starting to use social media as way of screening employees and conducting a litmus test in much the same way companies use criminal background checks or credit checks.
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Companies can now legally compile information about you and your public activities on Facebook, Twitter, and everywhere else. Basically, if your profile and account is public, it can be used by the company in making a decision about you. In most cases, information you make public on your profile or account is not tailored for making a favourable impression on a potential employer or company, but that does not mean you should not have an online presence when it comes to social media. After all, social media gives you access to a wide, organized audience, parts of which inevitably form a portion of any target market. Techi.com reveals a bit about how employers screen social media profiles and what can help or hurt your chances of finding employment:
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When interacting with others (including your closest friends) on any social media platform, avoid the following: Digital Dirt o Digital dirt includes anything from inappropriate photographs you have been tagged in to discussions of inappropriate (or even illegal) behaviour. Vulgarity o Never ever resort to vulgarity or slurs of any type on social media networks, no matter who you have as contacts. Search engines can pick up snippets of conversations and this will inevitable show up when a potential or current employer runs a basic search. Badmouthing past employers o We often do this out of anger or without much thought, but complaining about an employer online can count against you when next you apply for a job. Employers do not want to hire people that speak about their professionally life in public spaces. Excessive comments and contacts o If you tend to over-comment or have too many contacts or friends, then this might be seen as a sign that you spend more time than necessary on social media sites. Also, having too many contacts and commenting on everything you come across might also be a sign that you do not know where to draw the line when it comes to interacting with people. General negativity o If you constantly have statuses or messages that reveal negative aspects of your life, then potential employers will probably view you as a generally negative individual. Above all, before you post or comment on any social media site, you need to simply ask yourself whether you as an employer would hire someone who posted something similar. Using Social Media in the Workplace Many companies have strict policies on the use of social media networks in the workplace almost 71% of companies block social media sites from the workplace network and 27% of employee use of social media is monitored. You should therefore be aware of any such guidelines or rules before you engage with presenting or representing your company on social media.
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The use of social media in the workplace is therefore difficult to approach, but Socialtimes.com presents a rather helpful infographic on the context in which you should consider the use of social media in the workplace and the two approaches available. The infographic makes reference to Twitter in particular, but the principles can be adapted to most popular networking platforms:
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In particular, be aware of the following guidelines:
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Regardless of what your companys policies on social media are, remember that you are representing yourself (and by extension, your company) on social media sites, and that you need to behave appropriately at all times, especially if you would not like anything trivial to count against you when building your career and pursuing your goals as a businessperson.
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The next chapter will go on to explain how to engage with longer business messages, such as reports and proposals. Activity 7 Think of the social media networks you belong to and make a list of the content you would not feel comfortable showing to an employer. Then make another list of content that you would think would impress an employer and consider what would help create a profile that would suggest that you are a competent businessperson.
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Questions True-False 1. Social networking sites should always be used in the workplace. 2. While electronic means has become acceptable in business communication, it is still important to make use of printed messages on specific occasions or for certain situations. 3. Business e-mails and personal e-mails are no different from each other. 4. An e-mail confirming a business transaction would not hold up in court as evidence. 5. Your public profile on Facebook or Twitter cannot be used in background checks conducted by companies when choosing employees. 6. E-mail subject lines add extra wording that readers seldom take time to read. 7. Using a signature line in an e-mail program is advisable. 8. Instant messaging can mimic conversation more closely than e-mail. 9. If the company you work for doesnt have a policy on the use of social media in the workplace, you should ask what the protocol is or suggest the drafting of a policy. 10. A Wiki is an online resource where articles, documents or any source of information can be developed collaboratively by a community of users, allowing any user to add and edit content.
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Multiple Choice 11. A business blog is an effective means for communicating: a. b. c. d. News about the company. Market research. Public announcements and campaigns. All of the above.
12. You should be wary when using Instant Messaging because: a. b. c. d. It costs very little. IMs are short. It can be overused. There are no drawbacks to Instant Messaging.
13. You should NOT use electronic forms of communication: a. b. c. d. When you want to send a routine message to a client overseas. When you are legally required to provide information in printed form. When you have lots of paper to get rid of. When you bypass company e-mail policies.
14. Sending only necessary messages, respecting your audiences schedule, and using the priority (or level of importance) feature with care are all examples of a. e-mail courtesy. b. e-mail subject line selection. c. e-mail personalization of messages. d. None of the above 15. When writing an e-mail that needs to alert the reader to the important content in the e-mail, be sure to: a. b. c. d. Write a brief, but informative subject line. Write a detailed first sentence that includes the most relevant points. Use capital letters. Do none of the above.
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16. Which is an advantage of making use of text messages? a. b. c. d. They are very short. They are widely available to most people. They are misunderstood sometimes. All of the above are advantages.
17. Which of the following should you avoid when making use of social media networks? a. b. c. d. Being friendly with people. Tweeting about sport. Excessive comments and contacts. None of the above should be avoided.
18. Inappropriate or vulgar pictures of you on your Facebook profile could be an example of: a. b. c. d. A good sense of humour. Digital dirt. False representations. None of the above.
19. Which of the following kinds of Tweets would not harm your companys reputation? a. b. c. d. A Tweet advertising for the companys latest product. A Tweet that tells followers about confidential policies. A Tweet that makes light of a tragedy or loss. None of the above, because a single Tweet cannot harm a companys reputation.
20. You can use social networks like Twitter and Facebook effectively and get the attention of followers by: a. b. c. d. Carefully selecting what content you share. Retweeting and engaging with followers. Building a network that is vibrant and exciting. All of the above.
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Answers 1. False 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. False 6. False 7. True 8. True 9. True 10. True 11. D 12. C 13. B 14. A 15. A 16. B 17. C 18. B 19. A 20. D
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Chapter 9 Understanding and Planning Reports
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Chapter 9 Understanding and Planning Reports Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Identify and understand the different types of reports Know how to approach the different types of reports Adapt the Three-Step Writing Process to reports Plan a report using the Three-Step Writing Process Plan informational reports Plan analytical reports Plan proposals Gather reliable information for reports Identify valuable sources of information Support messages with reliable information How to approach electronic and online reports
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Introduction Business reports are often used as a measure of judging the competency and efficiency of a businessperson. Knowing how to preparing and write reports and proposals is therefore an invaluable skill for anyone in a corporate or business environment. In this chapter, you will be introduced to reports and proposals, and the process involved in planning business messages in a long format. The chapter will firstly explain the different types of reports and what they entail so that the student can understand reports fully before moving on to the planning phase. Here, the chapter will teach you to adapt the three-step writing process to the planning (and later in Chapter 10, writing and completing) of reports. The chapter ends with a very useful guide to gathering reliable information for a report through research from primary and secondary sources. Understanding Reports Like all types of business messages, it is important to note that every report is as an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of your audiences challenges and your ability to contribute to your organizations success. Think of a successful report as a testimony of your skills and competency as a businessperson and as an effective business communicator. Before you can master writing reports, time and attention must be devoted to understanding the brief of the report, and that includes knowing how to approach the different types of reports. Reports fall into three basic categories: 1. Informational reports that offer data, facts, feedback, and other types of information without analysis or recommendations. 2. Analytical reports that offer both information and analysis and can also include recommendations. 3. Proposals that offer structured persuasion for internal or external audiences.
We will now take a look at each of the three categories, and how best to go about planning them.
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1. Planning Informational Reports Informational reports provide the feedback that employees, managers, and others need in order to make decisions, take action, and respond to changes. Here are a few types of informational reports and outlines of what they entail. Reports to monitor and control operations: Plans establish expectations and guidelines to direct future action. Business plans summarize a proposed business venture and communicate the companys goals and plans for each major functional area. Operating reports provide feedback regarding sales, inventories, expenses, shipments, and so on. Personal activity reports provide information regarding an individuals experiences during sales calls, industry conferences, and other activities. Reports to implement policy and procedures: Policy reports range from brief descriptions of business procedures to manuals that run into dozens or hundreds of pages. Position papers outline an organizations official position on issues that affect a companys success Reports to demonstrate compliance: Compliance reports are annual reports such as tax returns to reports that describe the proper handling of hazardous materials. Reports to document progress: Progress reports range from simple updates in memo form to comprehensive status reports. In most cases, the direct approach is the best choice for informational reports. However, if the information is disappointing, an indirect approach might be a better choice. Most informational reports are organized according to its subject matter and can be arranged materials in one of the following ways:
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Comparison o Comparisons are made between two or more factors, drawing attention to relevant differences or similarities and resulting advantages or disadvantages.
Importance o The report is structured according to order of importance. This works particularly well if you think the audience might not read the entire report and the important information appears first.
Sequence o The steps or stages of a process are presented to the audience in the order in which they occur.
Chronology o The chain of events of a process are presented in order from oldest to newest (or viceversa)
Geography o Organizing the information in the report according to specific geographical units such as countries, provinces or cities.
Category o Grouping the information according to categories relevant to the business such as sales, profit, expenditure or stock.
Before we move on to the next category of reports, it is important to note that many reports tend to be prepared and written for presentation online, either on an Intranet or the Internet. When planning (and later writing) informational reports online, consider the following: Online readers are demanding o They move through sites very quickly when looking for information. Online informational reports therefore have to be to the point and easily accessible Reading online can be difficult o Online readers tend to read much slower when browsing than when reading from paper. Reports must be short and relatively easy to read and comprehend, so make sure the content is broken into readable chunks and the audience does not get lost.
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The web is a nonlinear, multidimensional medium o Unlike reports on paper, online material can be looked at in any order the audience pleases. Once again, making sure that an online report is short and to the point goes a long way in making it effective when read online.
2. Planning Analytical Reports The purpose of analytical reports is to analyze, understand, and explain. There are three categories of analytical reports: Reports to assess opportunities Market analysis reports are used to judge the likelihood of success for new products or sales. Due Diligence reports examine the financial aspects of a proposed decision, such as acquiring another company. Reports to solve problems Troubleshooting and Failure Analysis reports are written when individuals need to understand why something is not working properly and how to fix it. Failure analysis reports study events in the past, with the hope of learning how to avoid similar failures in the future. Reports to support decisions Feasibility reports are written to explore the potential ramifications of a decision that managers are considering. Justification reports are written to explain decisions that have already been made. A key aspect of an analytical report is the conclusion you draw from the assessment made. A sound conclusion is logical and is based strictly on the information included in the rest of the report. When writing conclusions, use the direct approach if you want to focus immediately on your conclusions and you think the audience will be easily accepting of the conclusion.
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When readers are skeptical about your plan, use an indirect approach that logically leads to your conclusion. The easiest way to do this is the 2+2=4 approach that convinces readers by demonstrating that everything adds up to your conclusion. The yardstick approach, on the other hand, uses a number of criteria to decide which option to select from two or more possibilities. This brings us to the point where you might have to make a recommendation in addition to the conclusion you have made. Whereas a conclusion interprets information, a recommendation suggests what to do about the information. To be credible, recommendations must be practical and must be based on sound logical analysis. There are five steps for presenting your recommendations: 1. Establish the need for action in the introduction by briefly describing the problem or opportunity. 2. Introduce the benefits that can be achieved if the recommendation is adopted. 3. List the recommendations required to achieve the benefit and use action verbs for emphasis. 4. Explain each step more fully, giving details on procedures, costs, and benefits. 5. Summarize your recommendations.
Though analytical reports might seem simple at the outset, they can often be the trickiest. You should consider the following when planning and writing analytical reports: You are doing more than simply delivering information You need to present your thinking in a compelling and persuasive manner You need to convince others to make significant financial and personal decisions.
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3. Planning Proposals Proposals can be grouped into two categories: Internal proposals These proposals are often routine in the business environment. An internal proposal might include a request for a decision from a manager within the organization to; for example, replace the existing office light bulbs with energy-saving ones. External proposals These request decisions from parties outside the organization. Investment proposals: request funding from outside investors. Grant proposals: request funds from government or other sponsoring agencies. Sales proposals: present solutions for potential customers and request purchase decisions. The most significant factor in planning a proposal is whether the recipient has asked you to submit a proposal. Some external parties issue a request for proposal (RFP) that includes instructions that specify exactly the type of work to be completed, along with budgets, deadlines, and other requirements. These are called solicited proposals. Unsolicited proposals, on the other hand, offer more flexibility, but you must convince readers that a problem or opportunity exists. An indirect approach is often a wise choice for unsolicited proposals. In any proposal, it is important to remember that you have to state the problem, how you intend to solve it and what the benefits are for the company or organization you are approaching, internally or externally.
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Below is an example of an effective proposal presenting all of the above:
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Adapting the Three-Step Writing Process Now that you know the different types of reports, we will move on to planning them using the first step of the Three-Step Writing Process. You probably know this well by now but the four parts of the planning stage of the process include: 1. Analyzing the situation; 2. Gathering information; 3. Selecting the right medium; 4. Organizing your information.
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Analyzing the Situation
When writing reports, pay special attention to developing the statement of purpose (explains why you are preparing the report). To make your purpose or problem statement the most useful, make sure you outline what you are aiming to do with the report. The statement of purpose for different types of reports might differ as well. An analytical report, for example, is often more comprehensive than one for an informational report. In analyzing the situation, you should also draw out a work plan. A carefully thought-out work plan ensures that you make the best use of your time. A work plan for yourself may include a simple list of steps you plan to take to put together the report, though if you are working on a more detailed project with others, the work plan would understandably be more detailed. The next few steps in the first part of the writing process will help shape your work plan as well. Gathering Information
The most important part of an effective report is the gathering of information and the presentation of research. When gathering information, be sure to review your statement of purpose and your audiences needs so you collect only the information you need. The process of gathering reliable information that supports and aids your proposal will be looked at further later in this chapter. Selecting the Right Medium
These four guidelines will assist you in selecting the right medium for your report: Many reports and proposals have specific requirements and you may not have a choice in selecting your medium. Consider how your audience wants to provide feedback on your report or proposal. Decide if people need to search through your document frequently or update it in the future. Bear in mind that your choice of media also sends a message.
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Organizing Your Information
In organizing your information, consider which approach you plan to use in the report. The direct approach is the most popular and most convenient for business reports. It saves time and makes the rest of the report easier to follow. Moreover, it produces a more forceful document. The indirect approach can be used when you are a junior member of a status-conscious organization and your audience is skeptical or hostile. The indirect approach lets you prove your point first, gradually overcoming audience reservations. The only disadvantage to using the indirect approach in these situations is that it can make your report long and unwieldy. Allow your approach to direct how the information is organized and geared for the writing of the report.
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Gathering Reliable Information Through Research Good research requires a clear process: Plan your research Locate the data and information you need Process the data and information you located Apply your findings Manage information efficiently
When developing your purpose or problem statement, identify the decision you need to make or the conclusion you need to reach at the end of the process. Next, identify the information you need to make that decision or reach that conclusion. Prioritize your information needs since you will have more questions than you have time (or resources) to answer. Be sure that you conduct your research appropriately. Keep the following points in mind to avoid ethical lapses: Keep an open mind so that you do not skew the research to suit your answers Respect the privacy of your research participants Document sources and give appropriate credit Respect your sources intellectual property rights
In most cases you will begin your research by looking for sources of secondary information. Sources of secondary information provide background information for your research and include research that has previously been conducted. Primary research is new research done specifically for your current project. These usually take the form of surveys, interviews, observations, and experiments.
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Well first look at some of the different sources for secondary information: Library Resources
The library is often overlooked when looking for sources of secondary information, but can be the most direct (and rewarding). Reference libraries are always an important resource, while newspapers and periodicals offer access to a wide variety of popular magazines, general business magazines, trade journals, and academic journals. Business books are less timely than journals, but they provide in-depth coverage. Directories cover everything from accountants to zoos and include helpful contact information. Almanacs and statistical sources give facts and statistics about countries, politics, the labour force, and so on. Government Publications
Government publications offer information on laws, court decisions, current population patterns, and business trends. Electronic or Online Searches
Electronic databases are computer-searchable collections of information. This extends to the Internet where you can access secondary information about companies and industries through the use of search engines. Search engines and web directories can sift through millions of websites to find specific information if used correctly. To make the best use of any search engine, keep the following points in mind: Read the instructions and pay attention to details Review the search and display options carefully Try variations of your terms, such as child, adolescent, and youth; Use fewer search terms to find more results or more search terms to find specific results
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While the use of search engines online is very popular, you should always be aware of information found on the Internet and the limits of search engines or web directories: Credibility is in question since not all information available online has been checked and corrected by an editor Various engines use different search techniques and find different sites Search engines cannot reach content on restricted-access websites
Now well look at the two most common research methods for sources of primary information surveys and interviews. Surveys
Surveys can provide invaluable insights if they are reliable (would produce identical results if repeated) and valid (measures what they are supposed to measure). Tips for developing effective surveys and questionnaires: Provide clear instructions Do not ask for information that people cannot be expected to remember Keep the questionnaire short and easy to answer Whenever possible, formulate questions to provide answers that are easy to analyze Avoid leading questions that could bias your survey Avoid ambiguous descriptors Avoid compound questions
Internet surveys are becoming more popular as they are usually faster to create, easier to administer, quicker to analyze, and less expensive overall. The same guidelines discussed previously to online surveys. You also need to make sure that the survey or questionnaire is tailored for the medium by not being too long or confusing for the online audience.
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Interviews
Interviews are planned conversations (with a pre-determined purpose) in which questions are asked and answered. Tips for an effective interview: When preparing for an interview, sequence your questions Provide questions in advance if you would like to quote your source Ask open-ended questions to invite the expert to offer opinions, insights, and information Ask closed questions to elicit a specific answer, but try to limit closed questions in interviews so the interview does not seem like a survey and you can take full advantage of the interview situation
Face-to-face interviews allow you to observe nonverbal signals that accompany answers, but e-mail interviews are becoming more common. All interviews, however, must still be conducted professionally and with a purpose in mind. After you have collected your data, the next step is to transform this raw material into the specific content you need, but in doing this, you have to make sure that all the sources are documented. Documenting sources serves three important functions: 1. Properly and ethically credits the person who created the original material 2. Shows your audience that you have sufficient support for your message 3. Helps your readers explore your topic in more detail if desired Software features included in Microsoft Word automatically track and number endnotes and Microsofts OneNote and Google Notebook can be used to collect and organize notes from meetings or e-mail messages. Most importantly, whether you are quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing your sources, you will still need to document them. Always avoid plagiarism (presenting someone elses words as your own).
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Finally, you should ask yourself the following questions to ensure your research results are valid: Does the source have a reputation for honesty and reliability? Is the source potentially biased? What is the purpose of the material? Is the author credible? Where did the source get its information? Can you verify the material independently? Is the material current? Is the material complete?
Now that you know about the different types of reports, as well as how to plan and research them, the next chapter will focus on to the writing and completion of reports. Think Point 4 The entire process for producing reports and proposals would break down if the research conducted was neither sufficient nor accurate. Consider how you can practise and improve on your research methods, in order to make your report more thorough.
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Questions True-False 1. An analytical report presents data and facts without analysis. 2. Policy and procedure reports expose any problems that exist in the organization. 3. Problem-solving reports typically require secondary research, primary research, or both types of research. 4. A proposal is designed to get products, plans, or projects accepted by others, and it may be either solicited or unsolicited. 5. When planning reports, the writer can eliminate audience analysis because the audience is not important. 6. A preliminary outline establishes a framework for the report. 7. Newspapers are not considered legitimate secondary sources for business report research. 8. Information at a website may be biased, inaccurate, or exaggerated. 9. Business documents may be a source of both secondary and primary information, depending on how they are used. 10. Conclusions of a report are suggestions for action.
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Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following informational reports would be considered a report for monitoring and controlling operations? a. b. c. d. Income tax report Monthly sales report Progress report Position paper on need for voice mail
12. The purpose of an analytical report is to: a. b. c. d. Convince the audience that the conclusions and recommendations developed are valid. Convince the audience you are an excellent writer. Provide facts only about a situation. Accomplish none of the above.
13. A request for proposal from one company generates ____ from other companies. a. b. c. d. informational reports solicited proposals unsolicited proposals purpose statements
14. A work plan prepared at the request of your boss would include: a. b. c. d. The problem statement, the purpose statement, and the scope of your investigation. The unsolicited proposal, the solution, and the schedule. A final outline of your report, the solicited proposal, and the method youll use for your investigation. All of the above.
15. Which of the following should you search first for information on current population patterns and business trends? a. b. c. d. Popular magazines Books Government publications None of the above
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16. Which of the following is NOT a concern when checking whether your research results are valid? a. b. c. d. Incomplete source material Outdated source material Biased source material Source material from a variety of sources
17. Search engines: a. b. c. d. Identify and screen web resources. All operate the same way. Should not be used for business research. Are impossible to use successfully.
18. Which primary research method is best for collecting opinions from a large group of consumers? a. b. c. d. Observations Interviews Surveys Experiments
19. Using someone elses words or ideas without proper credit is: a. b. c. d. Paraphrasing. Summarizing. Plagiarizing. Documenting.
20. Conclusions are: a. b. c. d. The facts you collect. Logical interpretations of the facts. Suggestions of what to do about the facts. None of the above
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Answers 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False 6. True 7. False 8. True 9. True 10. False 11. B 12. A 13. B 14. A 15. C 16. D 17. A 18. C 19. C 20. B
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Chapter 10 Writing and Completing Reports
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Chapter 10 Writing and Completing Reports Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Move from planning a report or proposal to writing a report or proposal Compose reports and proposals Compose reports and proposals for an online audience Make use of technology in composing a report or proposal Choose the right visual for the report or proposal Design effective visuals Illustrate reports and proposals with effective visuals Identify the components that make up a formal report Complete reports and proposals Revise reports and proposals Produce formal reports Proofread reports and proposals Distribute reports and proposals
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Introduction This chapter will pick up where the previous one left off by showing you how to write and complete a report or proposal. You will be reminded of steps to take and the necessary techniques required before writing the report. Thereafter, you will be guided through composing a report and composing a proposal, taking into account how to best go about writing online reports and making use of technology in improving them. You will then be taught how to illustrate reports with effective visuals, with the chapter ending with guidelines on completing reports and proposals. Special attention will be given to the three components that make up a formal report. Before Writing the Report Much of the techniques taught in this chapter build on the writing methods and ideas taught in Chapter 3, all of which might be worth going over before tackling the writing of reports. You also need to adapt the methods to suit the report, which is a longer message format than everyday business messages. Some of the aspects in adapting to the longer form include: Adopting and then adapting the you attitude
Chapter 3 taught you to adopt the you attitude, which means speaking and writing in terms of your audiences wishes, interests, hopes, and preferences. While this is still an effective tool to use in reports, bear in mind the brief of the report and your desired outcome as well as that of the audience. Whereas the you attitude works well for short, routine business messages, you need to be aware that overuse of the approach might shift the focus and objective of the report, which appears in a longer format. Striking a balance between being overly informal (which can be perceived as trivializing important issues) and overly formal (which can put too much distance between writer and reader) An informal tone may be used if you know your readers reasonably well and your report is likely to be approved by them. To make your tone less formal, speak to readers in the first person and refer to yourself as I, rather than we or the company.
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If you would like to make your tone more formal: Use the impersonal journalism style Emphasize objectivity Avoid personal opinions Build your argument on provable facts Eliminate all personal pronouns (you and I) Avoid jokes, similes, and metaphors Try to minimize the use of colourful adjectives or adverbs.
Be sure to take into account that reports are, by default, formal business messages, and that communicating with people from other companies (and even other cultures and nationalities) almost always calls for high levels of formality. Before we begin writing the report, remember the key lessons taught in Chapter 4 for composing messages: Select the best words Create the most effective sentences Develop coherent paragraphs
Composing the Report As with other forms of written business communication, reports and proposals have three main sections: 1. Introduction (or opening); 2. Body; 3. Conclusion.
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1. Introduction An effective introduction puts the report or proposal in context by tying it to a problem or assignment. It introduces the subject or purpose of the report or proposal and indicates why the subject is important and it previews the main ideas and the order in which they will be covered. It also establishes the tone of the document and the writers relationship with the audience. Elements included in an introduction depend on the nature and length of the report, the circumstances under which you are writing, and your relationship with the audience. Each of the following elements could be included in the introduction; however, you will need to select the best one to include for your particular report: Authorization o When, how, and by whom the report was authorized, when it was submitted and who is receiving it Problem/opportunity/purpose o The reason for writing the report and what can be achieved by it Scope o An overview of what is (or is not) covered in the report Background o The background, historical factors or a prelude to what will appear in the body or what led to the report Sources and methods o A description of the research conducted that provides information for the report Definitions o A list of terms that might be unfamiliar to your audience, along with brief definitions Limitations o Factors that affect the report or information about constraints in the report Report organization o How the report is organized and what the audience can expect Be careful not to include too many of the above elements or the introduction could become too convoluted or simply, too long.
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2. Body The body presents, analyzes, and interprets the information gathered during your investigation and supports recommendations and conclusions. In the body of your report, only provide enough detail to support your conclusions and recommendations; place additional information in appendices. Topics found in the body of a report include: Explanations of a problem or opportunity Facts, statistical evidence, and trends Results of studies or investigations Discussion and analyses of potential courses of action Advantages, disadvantages, costs, and benefits of a particular course of action Procedures or steps in a process Methods and approaches Criteria for evaluating alternatives and options Conclusions and recommendations Supporting reasons for conclusions or recommendations.
The information contained in the body of the report is an excellent platform to show off your skills as a business communicator. In order to enhance your credibility in the eyes of the audience, be sure that the content of the body is: Accurate Complete Balanced Clear and logical Documented properly
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3. Conclusion The end of your report is the most important part because, if finished well, lets the audience leave with a positive disposition towards the conclusion and recommendations you have drawn. A good conclusion can persuade the audience, and pave the way for getting the response you desire. An effective close has four important functions: 1. Emphasizes your main points 2. Summarizes the benefits to the reader 3. Refers to all the pieces and reminds readers how those pieces fit together 4. Brings all the action items together in one place. The content and length of the close depend primarily on your choice of direct or indirect order. If you are using the direct approach, you can end with a summary of key points, listed in the order in which they appear in the report body. If you are using the indirect approach, you can use the close to present your conclusions or recommendations if you did not end the body with them. However, do not introduce new facts in your close; your audience should have all the information they need by the time they reach this point. If your report is intended to prompt others to action, use the close to spell out exactly what should happen next. If you will be taking all the actions yourself, make sure your readers understand this fact so that they know what to expect from you.
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Composing the Proposal The composition of a proposal follows a similar structure to a report, with a few key differences: The following topics are commonly covered in a the introduction of a proposal: Background or statement of the problem Solution Scope Organization
The body of a proposal typically includes these sections: Proposed solution Work plan Statement of qualifications Costs
The final section of a proposal: Summarizes the key points Emphasizes the benefits that readers will realize from your solution Summarizes the merits of your approach Re-emphasizes why you and your firm are a good choice Asks for a decision from the client
Be sure to keep this section brief and use a confident, optimistic tone.
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As far as the content and length of the introduction, body and close are concerned, be guided by the source and the type of your proposal (as explained in the previous chapter). Keep in mind the following: For unsolicited proposals, you have some latitude in how the content is presented For solicited proposals, you are governed by the request for proposal Writing a proposal is similar to that used for persuasive sales messages Your proposal must sell the audience on your ideas, product, service, methods, and company You can use the AIDA model (or something similar) to gain attention, build interest, create desire, and motivate action The strength of a proposal is based on the strength of the argument you present, so try to: Demonstrate your knowledge Provide concrete information and examples Research the competition Prove that your proposal is appropriate and feasible for your audience Relate your product, service, or personnel to the readers exact needs Package your proposal attractively Make sure your proposal is letter perfect, inviting, and readable
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Online Reports and Making Use of Technology in Writing Reports Online content for reports
When drafting online content, along with the guidelines for composing reports and proposals bear these five additional points in mind as well: Take special care to build trust with your intended audiences because careful readers can be skeptical of online content. Make sure your content is accurate, current, complete, and authoritative. As much as possible, adapt your content for a global audience. Translating content is expensive, so some companies compromise by localizing the homepage while keeping the deeper, more detailed content in its original language. In an environment that presents many reading challenges, compelling, reader-oriented content is key to success. Wherever you can, use the inverted pyramid style, in which you cover the most important information briefly at first and then gradually reveal successive layers of detail letting readers choose to see those additional layers if they want to. Present your information in a concise, skimmable format. Effective websites use a variety of means to help readers skim pages quickly, including lists, careful use of colour and boldface, informative headings, and helpful summaries that give readers a choice of learning more if they want to. Write effective links that serve for both site navigation and content skimming. Above all else, clearly identify where a link will take readers; do not force them to click through and try to figure out where they are going. In short, use three simple tools to help readers navigate your report online: 1. Headings or links 2. Transitions 3. Previews and reviews
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Making use of technology
When creating lengthy reports and proposals, take advantage of technological tools to help throughout the process. Some of the more important tools for developing reports and proposals include the following: Templates Linked and embedded documents Electronic forms Electronic documents Multimedia documents Proposal-writing software
Illustrating Your Reports with Effective Visuals Well-designed visuals elements can enhance the communication power of textual messages and in some instances, even replace textual messages. Generally speaking, well-designed images can convey much more information than text in a given amount of time. Effective visuals attract and hold your audiences attention and are an effective way to communicate with todays diverse audiences. Given the importance of visuals in todays business environment, visual literacy the ability (as a sender) to create effective images and (as a receiver) to correctly interpret visual messages has become a key business skill. Even without any formal training in design, being aware of the following six principles will help you be a more effective visual communicator: Consistency Contrast Balance Emphasis Convention Simplicity
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Deciding which type of visual to use is most often determined by the type of information you wish to present. Here are a few visual elements you can use in your report, accompanied by short explanations (with an illustration of these elements following): Tables Tables should be used when you need to present detailed, specific information. You can choose a table to express a systematic arrangement of data in columns and rows. Tables are ideal when the audience needs information that would be either difficult or tedious to handle in the main text. Tables are also the most popular visual element used in reports. When preparing a table, follow these guidelines to create clear, effective tables: o Use common, understandable units and clearly identify them o Express all items in a column in the same unit and round off for simplicity o Label column heads clearly and use a subhead if necessary o Separate columns or rows with lines or extra space so that the table is easy to follow o Do not cram so much information into a table that it becomes difficult to read o Keep online tables small enough to read comfortably on-screen o Document the source of the data below the table Line charts
Use line charts to illustrate trends over time or plot the relationship of two variables. You can depict trends by arranging the vertical (y) axis to show, for example, an amount and the horizontal (x) axis to show the time or the quantity being measured. Surface charts
Also called area charts, surface charts are line charts with a cumulative effect. In other words, all lines add up to the top one, which represents the total.
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Bar charts
Bar charts portray numbers with the height or length of its rectangular bars, making a series of numbers easy to grasp quickly. Bar charts are particularly useful when you want to: o Compare the size of several items at one time o Show changes in one item over time o Indicate the composition of several items over time o Show the relative size of components of a whole There are several types of bar charts, most commonly used are: o Grouped o Segmented o Combination Pie charts
Pie charts show how parts of a whole are distributed. They are useful in expenditure reports or when illustrating how time or resources have been allocated. Flowcharts
Flowcharts illustrate a sequence of events from start to finish. They are indispensable when illustrating processes, procedures and sequential relationships. Organization charts
Organization charts illustrate the positions, units, or functions in an organization and the ways they interrelate. Maps are useful for showing territories, routes, and locations. Drawings
Drawings can show an endless variety of business concepts, such as the network of suppliers in an industry, the flow of funds through a company, or the process for completing payroll each week.
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Photographs
Photographs offer both functional and decorative value, and nothing can top a photograph when you need to show exact appearances. Animation and video
Computer animation and video are among the most specialized forms of business visuals. When they are appropriate and done well, they offer unparalleled visual impact.
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Choosing which visual elements to use can often be tricky some conventional charts and graphs can be limited in that they represent only numeric data, while data visualization (such as animations, drawings and videos) can be overwhelming for the audience at times. In addition, computers make it easy to create impressive visuals, but they also make it easy to create visuals that are ineffective, distracting, and even downright ugly.
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It is therefore important to always choose visuals that are relevant, that fit the feel of the report and that is integrated with your text. A few ways of integrating visuals with text include: Positioning your visuals so that your audience will not have to flip back and forth (in printed documents) or scroll (on-screen) between the visuals and the text Clearly referring to visuals by number in the text of your report and help your readers understand the significance of visuals by referring to them before readers encounter them in the document or on-screen Write effective titles, captions, and legends o Titles provide a short description that identifies the content and purpose of the visual o A caption usually offers additional discussion of the visuals content and can be several sentences long o A legend helps readers decode the visual by explaining what various colours, symbols, or other design choices mean When you have decided what visual elements to use and have integrated them into the report, proofread them carefully and ask yourself the following: Are there any typographical errors? Is the color treatment consistent? Are there any confusing or undocumented symbols? Are there any misaligned elements?
Once this is done, you can move on to completing the report or proposal. Completing Reports and Proposals As with shorter messages, be sure to perform the four tasks of the third part of the three-step process to complete your document: 1. Revise 2. Produce 3. Proofread 4. Distribute
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You should follow all the guidelines outlined in Chapter 4, but should pay attention to the following in particular: The organization, style, and tone of the report Making sure that the report is readable (vary sentence length; keep paragraphs short; use lists, bullets, headings, and subheadings) Revising the report until content is clear, concise and, above all, compelling Components of the report
When completing reports, you also have to make sure that your report has all the components of a normative report. These components fall into three categories: 1. Prefatory parts 2. Text parts 3. Supplementary parts We will now go through each, explaining how the components can create a well-rounded report. 1. Prefatory parts The prefatory parts of a formal report are front-end materials that provide key preliminary information so that readers can decide whether and how to read the report. These include parts such as the cover page, table of contents, and so on. Each of these parts is usually placed on their own, respective pages. Prefatory parts of a formal report may include some (but not usually all) of the following: Cover o When putting a title on the cover, remember to give readers all the information they need to grasp the purpose of the scope of the report. Use high-quality cover stock for a formal report
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Title fly o The title fly is a plain sheet of paper with only the title of the report on it Title page o The title page includes four blocks of information: The title of the report The name, job title, and address of the person, group, or organization that authorized the report The name, title, and address of the person, group, or organization that authorized the report The date on which the report was submitted
Letter of authorization o The letter of authorization is a document requesting that you to prepare a report Letter of transmittal o The letter or memo of transmittal introduces the report on your behalf. The opening discusses the scope, methods, and limitations of the project. The body can highlight important sections of the report, suggests follow-up studies, offers details to help readers use the report, and acknowledges help from others. The close can include a note of thanks for the assignment, expresses a willingness to discuss the report, and offers to assist with future projects
Table of contents o The table of contents lists report parts and text headings to indicate the location and hierarchy of the information in the report
List of illustrations o The lists of illustrations are not included in all reports, but consider including one if the illustrations are particularly important
Synopsis o The synopsis is a brief overview (one page or less) of a reports most important points. The phrasing of a synopsis is informative for direct reports, descriptive for indirect reports
Executive summary o The executive summary may be used instead of a synopsis and is a fully developed mini version of the report
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2. Text parts The text parts of the report refer to the introduction, body and close, all of which have been covered in detail previously in the chapter. At this point, you should proofread all the textual material, checking for inconsistencies, errors, and missing components. You should also proofread your visual aids and make sure they are positioned correctly. For online reports, make sure all links work as expected and all necessary files are active and available. Lastly, you should check that the close or conclusion makes sense and ties in with the overall report brief, and that it emphasizes all the advantages of the solutions you present and compels the audience to act. In addition, review the methods taught in Chapter 4 to ensure that the report is accurate and clear of any mistakes or oversights. 3. Supplementary parts Supplementary parts follow the text of a report and provide information for readers who seek more detailed discussion. Supplements are more common in long reports than in short ones. They typically include the following: Appendices o An appendix contains additional information for readers who want it this information is related to the report but not included in the text because it is too lengthy or bulky and lacks direct relevance.
Bibliography o Index o The index is an alphabetical list of names, places, and subjects mentioned in the report, along with the pages on which they appear The bibliography is a list of secondary sources consulted when preparing the report
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By the end, your report should look something like this:
Formal proposals contain many of the above components as formal reports, but the special nature of proposals does sometimes require some unique elements. Always be sure to follow the brief, and adapt accordingly. Distribution
To complete the chapter, consider your choice of distribution for the report or proposal: For physical distribution to a large group, consider a professional courier or package delivery service to help your document stand apart from the crowd For physical distribution to a single person or small group, consider delivering it in person to answer immediate questions and emphasize recipient benefits For electronic distribution, provide PDF documents to overcome peoples reluctance to open word processor files because of their vulnerability to viruses and to control how your document is displayed to your audience
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For web-based content management systems, intranets, or extranets, verify that you have uploaded the correct files to the right place and that all elements are there
Now that you know how to plan, write and complete both short (routine replies, negative and positive messages, emails) and long (reports and proposals) business messages, the next chapter will look at building your career with oral presentations. Activity 8 Now that you know how to put together a report, compile a summary of the process involved, listing the steps you would take in preparing and writing a report. Make sure to keep this summary it might come in handy when you are pressed for time and cant go back to the textbook in order to put together an actual report.
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Questions True-False 1. Reports may be prepared in pre-printed form, letter, memo, and manuscript formats. 2. The indirect approach saves time and makes the report easier to understand by giving readers the main idea first. 3. An example of a topical organization is arranging material by categories. 4. Solicited proposals are best organized by using the clients criteria as the main points. 5. Use pie charts to help your audience understand large amounts of detailed information. 6. Organizational charts are good for showing a sequence of events from start to finish. 7. The most successful reports present all sides of the issue fairly and equitably. 8. The body of the report includes the major divisions that present, analyze, and interpret the information you gathered during your investigation. 9. Report and proposal contents should be identical. 10. A letter of transmittal is the letter that authorized the report in the early stages of the study of the problem.
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Multiple Choice 11. You should use an indirect approach for your report or proposal when your: a. b. c. d. Audience is receptive. Audience is skeptical or hostile. Proposal is a solicited proposal. Report is long and complicated.
12. Which of the following would be an effective visual to detail the annual sales of 60 stores in a local shopping mall? a. b. c. d. Pie chart Bar chart Table Area chart
13. Which of the following would be an effective visual to compare the fourth-quarter sales of the five regions of a retail organization? a. b. c. d. Pie chart Bar chart Table Organization chart
14. For the most successful proposal, use the AIDA model and: a. b. c. d. Package your proposal attractively. Adopt a you attitude. Prove that your proposal is workable. Do all the above.
15. Which of the following is an example of impersonal and formal style in a report? a. b. c. d. I recommend we purchase new computers for the marketing department. We expect to have new computers in the marketing department. You should purchase new computers for the marketing department. The company should purchase new computers for the marketing department.
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16. In what part of the report text would you find an explanation of the primary and secondary sources consulted and methods used? a. b. c. d. Close Body Introduction None of the above
17. Words or phrases that tie ideas together and help navigation through a report by showing how one thought is related to another are called: a. b. c. d. Headings. Transitions. Authorizations. Transmittals.
18. Supplementary report parts include which of the following? a. b. c. d. Bibliography Synopsis List of illustrations None of the above.
19. A fully developed mini version of the report itself, which may contain headings, transitions and even visual aids is called: a. b. c. d. A synopsis. A conclusion. An executive summary. All of the above.
20. Why should a writer use visual aids? a. b. c. d. To support the primary message. To help the reader understand the message. To make the report more interesting. To do all of the above.
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Answers 1. True 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False 6. False 7. True 8. True 9. False 10. False 11. B 12. C 13. B 14. D 15. D 16. C 17. B 18. A 19. C 20. D
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Chapter 11 Developing Oral and Online Presentations
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Chapter 11 Developing Oral and Online Presentations Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to:
Understand how oral presentations can build a career Plan a presentation Cater to the audience in a presentation Organize an oral presentation Write a presentation Use visuals in a presentation Use multimedia in an online presentation Completing a presentation Deliver an oral presentation Handle questions and feedback responsively
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Introduction In this chapter, you will be introduced to oral presentations, and learn how to plan, write, and complete them effectively. Delivering effective oral presentations, both formal and informal, is an important part of the job for many business employees over the course of their careers. The chapter begins by noting how you can build their careers with oral presentations. Next, we analyze the purpose of the presentation and discuss the profiling of the audience. Once this analysis is complete, the chapter guides you through the steps of planning, writing and completing effective presentations, including the introduction, body and close of the presentation. We will then go on to discuss the development of electronic and online material for the presentation. The section addresses some of the advantages and disadvantages of using visual aids, providing guidelines for designing visual aids that will enhance any oral presentation. Finally, the chapter looks at effective delivery techniques for oral presentations, including tips on getting ready to speak, overcoming anxiety, presenting visuals effectively, and handling audience questions. Building Your Career with Oral Presentations Oral presentations delivered in person or online, offer important opportunities to put all your communication skills on display. If the thought of giving a speech makes you nervous, remember that: Everybody gets nervous Being nervous means you care about the topic, your audience, and your career success You can convert those nervous feelings into positive energy that helps you give more compelling presentations
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Planning Your Presentation When planning oral presentations, the tasks are essentially the same as for written communication projects. Rather than follow each aspect of the three-step writing process, we will look at the stages most relevant to the planning of an oral presentation or speech.
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Anticipate your audience
Try to anticipate the likely emotional state of your audience by trying to determine if your audience is going be:

Supportive Interested but neutral Uninterested Apprehensive Hostile
After doing this, work out the challenges an oral presentation may have to your audience. Would you, for example, require visual aids to maintain the audiences attention? You need to make sure that audience members hear and remember what you say by working around the following constraints: Audience members cannot skip back through printed pages to review something you said Audience members cannot skip ahead if they do not need certain information
To get your main idea across most effectively, try to figure out the one message you want audience members to walk away with. Thereafter, compose a one-sentence summary that links your subject and purpose to your audiences frame of reference.
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Budget for time
Effective presentations never run over time. Always keep to the time limit. When planning how long your presentation is, remember that audience attention levels and retention rates drop sharply after 20 minutes. To estimate the time required to present your material, remember that most people speak between 125 and 150 words per minute, so you can record a snippet of your presentation and then go back and count how many words you have used. This will give you an estimate on how much material you can cover in a given time frame.
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Planning short speeches
When organizing short speeches on routine or good news, use the direct approach: Plan your introduction to arouse interest and to give a preview of what is to come Prepare the body to explain the who, what, when, where, why, and how of your subject Use the final section to review the points you have made and close with a statement that will help your audience remember the subject of your speech
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Planning long speeches
When organizing longer speeches, treat them like reports (but be careful not to make it sound like one): If your purpose is to motivate or inform, use direct order and a structure suggested by your subject (comparison, importance, sequence, chronology, geography, or category) If your purpose is to analyze, persuade, or collaborate, organize your material around conclusions or recommendations or around a logical argument A three-act storytelling structure might also be helpful in order to break the length of the speech. In Act I you would introduce the story you are going to tell. In Act II, you would explore the complication, evidence, support points, and any other information. In Act III, you would resolve all the complications and present a solution that addresses the problems introduced.
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Start organizing
To ensure effective organization, prepare your content outline in several stages:

State your purpose and main idea Organize your major points and sub points in logical order Identify main points in the body and then outline the introduction and close Identify transitions between major points or sections Prepare your bibliography or source notes Choose a compelling title Create a speaking outline:
The following steps will help you prepare an effective speaking outline:

Start with the planning outline and then strip away anything you do not plan to say directly to your audience Condense points and transitions to key words or phrases Add delivery cues Arrange your notes
Now that you know how you are going to speak to your audience and how your oral presentation will be approached on paper and in practise, you are ready to begin writing.
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Writing Your Presentation Although you typically do not actually write out a presentation word for word, you still engage in the writing process. Keep the following in mind before starting the process: Your style needs to be adapted to fit the occasion Be aware of the audiences size and composition Make sure you know what the subject is Make sure you know what the main purpose or desired outcome is Work within or according to any budget you might have Consider the time available for presentation The venue of the presentation The availability of visual aids What type of tone you would like to use Whether or not you will be able to carry notes or flash cards Whether a microphone will be available Whether you will be speaking from a stage or platform, and/or from behind a podium or lectern
Like written documents, an oral presentation has three parts: 1. Introduction 2. Body 3. Close In the introduction, you will: Arouse audience interest o To arouse interest in your introduction, make sure you can give audience members a reason to care and to believe that they can benefit from your presentation
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Build your credibility o Mention your accomplishments o Tell listeners briefly who you are and why you are there o Mention a few aspects of your background. o Or ideally, get someone else to introduce you and do all of the above
Preview your message o Summarize your main idea o Identify your supporting point o Indicate the order in which youll develop those points.
In developing the body of the presentation, you should: Use words to connect various parts and ideas o Use one or two transitional words to link sentences and paragraphs o Use transitional sentences to link major sections of your presentation o Have reviews and previews that stress the connection between your ideas every time you shift topics Hold your listeners attention during the body of your speech o Relate your subject to your audiences needs o Anticipateand answeryour audiences questions o Use clear, vivid language and throw in some variety o Show how your subject is related to ideas with which your audience is already familiar. Ask for opinions or pause occasionally for questions or comments, if appropriate Illustrate your ideas with visuals (see the following section in the chapter)
In the close of the presentation you should: Tell listeners that you are about to finish Restate your main point Describe the next steps you want your audience to take End on a strong note
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Electronic and Online Presentation At this point, you will need to know that most oral presentations in the modern workplace are accompanied or complemented by an electronic or online presentation. Without delving into the types of software or applications available for organizing such presentations, we will now look at the elements of a successful online presentation. A visual electronic or online presentation can support and improve the quality of your oral presentation by: Creating interest Illustrating points that are difficult to explain in words alone Adding variety Increasing the audiences ability to absorb and remember information
The most popular aids to enhance oral presentations are electronic presentations that present slides that contain text, visual information, special effects and even videos. To create effective slides, let accuracy and simplicity guide you. Firstly, simple materials take less time to create than complex materials and secondly, simple materials reduce the chances of distraction and misinterpretation.
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Slide content
When writing content for text slides, keep your message short and simple: o Limit each slide to one thought, concept, or idea o Limit content to 20 or 25 words - no more than five or six lines of text containing about 3 or 4 words per line o Avoid full sentences or full blocks of text o Phrase list items in parallel form to simplify reading o Use active voice o Avoid long sequences of text-only slides
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Graphics in slides
By modifying graphic visuals for slides, you reduce the detail and avoid long sequences of text-only slides mix in visuals to hold the audiences attention.
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Colour in slides
When using color in slides, keep the following in mind: o Color increases an audiences willingness to read o Contrasting colors increase readability whereas colors closer in hues decrease readability o Colors may have different meaning for different mindsets and even cultures
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Design
Slides have two layers or levels of graphic design: o Background: Corresponds to paper in a printed report; usually stays the same from slide to slide o Foreground: Contains the unique text and graphic elements that make up each individual slide In general, the more quiet your background, the better. Your foreground artwork can be functional photos, technical drawings, charts, or even decorative artwork that is there simply to enhance the look of your slides. When selecting fonts and type styles for slides: o Use both uppercase and lowercase letters, with extra white space between lines of text o Limit fonts to one or two per slide o Choose font sizes that are easy to read from anywhere in the room (generally 24- to 36-point type for electronic presentations) To achieve design consistency in your slides create a master slide, showing the colors, fonts, and other design elements you have chosen.
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Special effects
You can add punch to an oral presentation with judicious use of special effects such as: o Sound Sound effects can be an entertaining way to introduce an idea or break boring parts of a presentation o Animation Use animation not simply for animations sake but in support of your message Functional animation involves motion that is directly related to your message, such as a highlight arrow that moves around the screen to emphasize specific points in a technical diagram Decorative animation, such as having a block of text cartwheel in from off-screen, does not have any communication value and can easily distract audiences. o Video clips Video clips can explain an idea easily and also give you a chance to let the audience hear a difference voice other than your own o Transition effects from one slide to the next Transitions control how one slide replaces another on screen by adding motion between slides Although subtle transitions can ease your viewers gaze from one slide to the next, many transitions available can be too distracting. Choose carefully o Hyperlinks When you need flexibility in your presentations or need to share different kinds of files with the audience, you can rely on two features: 1. Hyperlinks instruct your presentation software to jump to another slide in your presentation, to a website, or to another program entirely 2. Action buttons are pre-programmed hyperlink icons that let you perform such common tasks as jumping forward or backward to a specific slide or opening a document or spreadsheet Before we move on to completing presentations, remember that while online presentations have many benefits, they also have a few drawbacks.
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To ensure successful online presentations, regardless of the system you are using: Keep your presentation as simple as possible Ask for feedback frequently Consider the viewing experience from the audience members point of view Make sure your audience can receive the sort of content you intend to use Allow plenty of time for everyone to get connected and familiar with the screen they are viewing Most of all, do not get lost in the technology
Completing Your Presentation To complete your speech you will need to: Finalize your slides and support material o Add and delete slides o Reposition slides o Check slides for design consistency o Verify the operation of animation and transition effects Prepare to speak Practise your delivery Overcome anxiety Handle questions responsively Support material
Structure your presentation by making use of the following as support material: o A title slide o Agenda and program details o Navigation slides
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To supplement your presentation, you can hand out copies of printed handouts during or after your presentation.
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Delivery
You have several delivery methods to choose from:

Memorizing - not usually a good choice for beginners Reading - sometimes necessary when delivering masses of information Speaking from notes - usually the best method
Practising your delivery is helpful because so many things can go wrong in a presentation, including: Equipment glitches Confusing slides Timing problems
A day or two before you are ready to step on stage for the presentation, make sure you can give a positive response to the following questions: Can you present your material naturally, without reading from your slides? Is the equipment working - and do you know how to operate it? Is your timing on track? Can you easily pronounce all the words you plan to use? Have you decided how you are going to introduce your slides? Have you anticipated likely questions and objections?
Completing several practice runs will help you stay on track, maintain a conversational tone and boost your confidence and composure.
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If you still feel anxious, you can overcome your anxiety and feel more confident about speaking by: Preparing more material than necessary Practising Thinking positively Visualizing your success Taking a few deep breaths Being ready Being comfortable Not panicking Concentrating on your message and your audience, not on yourself Maintaining eye contact Keep the presentation going Questions and answers
The question-and-answer period gives you a chance to obtain important information, emphasize your main idea and supporting points and build enthusiasm for your point of view. To handle questions responsively, be sure to remember these key points:

Learn enough about your audience members to get an idea of their concerns and think through potential answers Pay attention to nonverbal signals Avoid the temptation to sidestep difficult or complex questions Maintain control by cutting off questioners without offending them Maintain your composure Conclude your presentation on time
Activity 9 Prepare a mock oral presentation on how to put together an effective oral presentation, and then deliver it to some family and friends. Your time limit is 10 minutes and you must use slides to illustrate at least five aspects of an oral presentation (carefully consider which parts require graphic representation).
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Questions True-False 1. Oral presentations are not for everyone, so if you are nervous when speaking, you should not attempt an oral presentation 2. Long oral presentations that exceed the time limit demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the topic at hand. 3. A good closing arouses audience interest and establishes your credibility. 4. To effectively gain the attention of audience members, you can tell a story that illustrates an important point. 5. Visual aids are distracting to an audience and should only be used when you need to fill time in your oral presentation. 6. The most effective slides are ones that are simple and accurate. 7. If you wish to excite your audience, add tones of blue to your slides. 8. When designing slides, you should key slide text in all capitals, to make the materials easier for the audience to read. 9. Handouts can be both useful and distracting. 10. Memorizing your speech is the safest delivery method, especially if your speech is a long one.
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Multiple Choice 11. When organizing your presentation, which of the following should you do? a. b. c. d. Define the main idea Limit the scope Choose your approach Do all of the above
12. Which of the following is important in a good introduction? a. b. c. d. Preview your presentation Connect your ideas Leave a strong and lasting impression None of the above is important in a good introduction
13. Which is NOT an advantage of a visual aid in an oral presentation? a. b. c. d. It creates interest It adds variety to the presentation It gives the audience a lot to do It gives the audience a chance to absorb the content
14. The advantages of using electronic slides to support a presentation include which of the following? a. b. c. d. They are simple to use, requiring no extra equipment to show They can be altered during the presentation The speaker can add animation, sound, hypertext, and other multimedia effects They are fragile and bulky to transport
15. When selecting a background design for electronic slides, the speaker should: a. b. c. d. Choose backgrounds with busy patterns to entertain the audience. Choose a design that is simple and appropriate for the presentation subject. Avoid all the presentation softwares collection of background designs. Do none of the above.
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16. The most effective and easiest presentation delivery mode is: a. b. c. d. Memorizing the presentation. Reading the presentation. Speaking from notes. Impromptu speaking.
17. To become a more confident speaker: a. b. c. d. Prepare more material than necessary. Rehearse. Visualize your success. Do all of the above.
18. While giving a presentation with accompanying slides, you should: a. b. c. d. Read the slides aloud to make certain that the audience has time to follow along. Show a visual first and then introduce it. Use speakers notes to jog your memory, but avoid reading the slides. Practice no more than once to avoid becoming overconfident.
19. To handle audience questions effectively, you should: a. b. c. d. Maintain control of the situation. Stay at the podium as long as necessary to answer every question in detail. Tell hostile audience members that you will answer them once they calm down. Do none of the above.
20. Speaking before a group offers which of the following opportunities? a. b. c. d. Immediate audience feedback Immediate modification to suit audience needs A chance to build your image in a company All of the above
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Answers 1. False 2. False 3. False 4. True 5. False 6. True 7. False 8. False 9. True 10. False 11. D 12. A 13. C 14. C 15. B 16. C 17. D 18. C 19. A 20. D
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Chapter 12 Building Careers and Writing Rsums
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Chapter 12 Building Careers and Writing Rsums Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to:
Understand how to secure employment in todays job market Understanding how to approach the employment process Organize an approach to the employment process Prepare rsums Plan rsums Write rsums Complete rsums Proofread rsums Distribute rsums
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Introduction This chapter teaches you how to put together a rsum and pitch yourself in employment messages to potential employers. First, you are introduced to the concepts needed to understand how to secure employment, as well as how to approach the employment process. This includes researching companies, making contacts, and networking. The chapter then discusses how to plan and prepare, write and complete effective rsums, by loosely using the three-step writing process. In particular, the dos and donts are discussed, along with the normative methods for distributing a rsum across different mediums. Understanding How to Secure Employment in Todays Job Market Understanding how employers approach the hiring process is just one of many insights and skills you need in order to conduct a successful job search. Employers use several methods to find new employees, including personal referrals. Since as many as 80 percent of all job openings are never advertised (the hidden job market), it is up to you to take action to get yourself noticed. The major job boards have grown so popular that some employers are overwhelmed with rsums from these sources, and some job seekers fear it is becoming impossible to stand out from the crowd when hundreds or thousands of people are applying for the same jobs. Employers approach the employment process in some of the following ways: Looking first for candidates within their organization Relying heavily on referrals from people they know and trust Sending recruiters to university campuses to conduct interviews Recruiting through employment agencies, state employment services, temporary staffing services, and employment bureaus operated by trade associations Accepting unsolicited rsums
In addition, in order to keep tabs on all the applicants in various stages of the recruiting process, many companies now use computerized applicant tracking systems to capture and store the hundreds or thousands of rsums they receive each year.
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How to Approach the Employment Process The employment process can consume many hours of your time over weeks or months, and organizing your efforts in a logical, careful manner can help you save time. Approach the employment process by finding out: Where the job opportunities are Which industries are strong Which parts of the country are booming Which specific job categories offer the best prospects for the future Everything you can about individual organizations Finding opportunities
Most of the time, the best opportunities present themselves when you have your finger on the pulse of the industry or business you would like to be employed in. Stay abreast of business and financial news through: Websites that focus on business Subscribing to industry websites with the latest in news, jobs, events and even opinion columns and blogs Following industry leaders or companies on social networking sites like Twitter A newsfeed aggregator that automatically updates you on interesting professions and companies In addition to searching want-ads and signing up for campus interviews, you can do online research to gather detailed information about your prospective employers and look for and respond to job openings. Do not limit your research to easily available sources, however. Companies are likely to be impressed by creative research, such as interviewing their customers to learn more about how the firm does business.
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Networking
Networking is the process of making informal connections with mutually beneficial business contacts. Look for networking opportunities wherever people with similar interests gather, both online and in person: Read news sites, blogs, and other online sources Participate in student business organizations Visit trade shows that cater to an industry you are interested in Volunteer in social, civic, and religious organizations
Remember that networking is about people helping each other, not just about other people helping you. To become a valued network member, you need to be able to help others in some way. While it is also advisable to network via social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIN, be careful not to come across as being too forceful and presumptuous. Do not treat potential employers or companies like social friends online. Comment and reply if appropriate, keeping it professional at all times. Also keep in mind the parameters set out in Chapter 8 for the use of social networks and media in the business world. Preparing Rsums Planning and preparing your rsum include all the steps in preparing any other business message: Analyzing your purpose and audience Gathering pertinent information Selecting the best medium Organizing your rsum around your strengths
Your rsum is a structured, written summary of your education, employment background, and job qualifications as well as a persuasive business message intended to stimulate an employers interest in meeting you and learning more about you and intended to get you an interview with prospective employer. Bear in mind that rsums and CVs are essentially the same. The term curriculum vitae is used instead of rsum in some professions and more widely, but CVs do tend to be more detailed.
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Think of a rsum as the skeleton document, which you can always adapt to suit a specific job application. Before preparing your rsum, gather all the information that you might possibly need: Specific dates, duties, and accomplishments from any previous jobs you have held Every piece of relevant educational experience (formal degrees, skills certificates, academic awards, or scholarships) Relevant information about personal endeavors (dates of your membership in associations, offices you may have held in a club or professional organization) You may need various forms of your rsum, including: A traditional version printed on paper A Word document A plain-text document that you paste into online forms A PowerPoint presentation A multimedia rsum available online or on CD-ROM
Explore all your options and choose those that (a) meet the requirements of target employers and (b) allow you to present yourself in a compelling fashion. Starting with a traditional paper rsum is a great way to organize your background information and identify your unique strengths. The most successful rsums convey that you: Think in terms of results Know how to get things done Are well rounded Show signs of career progress and professional development Have personal standards of excellence Are flexible and willing to try new things Communicate effectively Include a little information in all categories (education, employment, and so on) Emphasize the information that does the best job of aligning your career objectives with the needs of your target employers
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When putting the document together, make sure to address the common problems that might trigger and employers skepticism, such as: Frequent job changes Gaps in work history Inexperience Over-qualification Long-term employment with one company Job termination for cause Criminal record
Choosing the Best Organizational Approach You can focus attention on your strongest points in the planning of your rsum by adopting the best organizational approach: 1. Chronological 2. Functional 3. Combination of chronological and functional
1. Chronological Rsum A chronological rsum emphasizes your work experience, placing that section in the most prominent position (immediately after your name and address and optional objective). Develop the work section of your chronological rsum: List your jobs sequentially in reverse order, beginning with the most recent position and working backward toward earlier jobs For each listing, describe your responsibilities and accomplishments If you are a recent graduate, you can vary this approach by putting your educational qualifications before your experience
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The chronological approach has three key advantages: 1. Employers are familiar with it and can easily find information. 2. It highlights growth and career progression. 3. It highlights employment continuity and stability. 2. Functional Rsum The functional rsum, sometimes called a skills rsum, emphasizes your skills and capabilities, identifying employers and academic experience in subordinate sections. This pattern stresses individual areas of competence rather than job history. The functional approach has three advantages: 1. Employers can see what you can do for them, without having to read through every job description. 2. You can emphasize earlier job experience. 3. You can de-emphasize any lengthy unemployment or lack of career progress. The functional approach is not popular with some employers, who may think that you are trying to hide something. So if you do not have a strong, uninterrupted history of relevant work, the combination rsum might be a better choice. 3. Combination Rsum The combination rsum includes the best features of the chronological and functional approaches, but it has two potential disadvantages: 1. It tends to be longer than a chronological rsum. 2. It can be repetitious if you have to list your accomplishments and skills both in the functional section and in the chronological job descriptions.
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Writing Rsums When writing your rsum, help ensure success by: Treating your rsum with the respect it deserves Giving yourself plenty of time and not putting it off until the 11th hour Learning from good models Not getting frustrated by the conflicting advice you read about rsums
The last point is particularly important to remember when writing a rsum because there are many templates that can be used for a rsum and even more different ways in which the document can be approached. The key is to identify what would suit you best while still following the normative guidelines for putting a rsum together. You need to also keep in mind that you will need, at some point, to adapt your rsum to suit a specific audience so consider how you would do the following, even before you begin writing: Be ready to translate your past accomplishments into perceived future potential Be prepared to translate your skills and experiences into the terminology of the hiring organization Know yourself and your audience in order to focus on the strengths needed by potential employers To compose an impressive rsum, state your information as forcefully as possible. Try to use a simple, direct style: Use short, crisp phrases instead of whole sentences Avoid using the word I Start your phrases with strong action verbs Quantify the results and offer proof so that your claims do not come across as empty puffery
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Begin your rsum by identifying yourself and providing your contact information: Your name Physical address (permanent and temporary) E-mail address Phone number(s) Personal webpage or e-portfolio URL (if you have one)
You can also state a career objective (a statement of what you have done and what you would like to do in the future), but some experts advise against it, because stating an objective becomes apparent from your qualifications and experience. A stated objective can also label you as a person who is interested in only your own future and not that of the companys. A good alternative to including a career objective is to provide a summary of qualifications or a career summary, which offers a brief recap of your career with the goal of presenting increasing levels of responsibility and performance. It is, however, advisable to include a career objective if you are changing your profession or your qualifications do not tie up with the position you are applying for. A career objective, in this case, would make it clear that you are committed to the change in your career. In the education section, present your academic background in depth: List the name and location of each school you attended (starting with the most recent) Include the term of your enrollment (in months and years) for each entry List your major and minor fields of study for each entry Include significant skills and abilities you have developed in your course work List the degrees or certificates you have earned at each school, university or technikon List the courses that have directly equipped you for the job you are seeking Indicate any scholarships, awards, and academic honors youve received Include any off-campus training sponsored by business or government List any relevant seminars or workshops you have attended (and any certificates you received) Mention high school or military training only if those achievements are pertinent to your career
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In the work experience section, highlight the relationship between your previous responsibilities and your target field: List your jobs in reverse chronological order (with the current or last one first) Include any part-time or intern positions, even if unrelated to your career objective If you have worked your way through school or university, say so Include the name and location of each employer Briefly describe what each organization does State your functional title for each job State how long you worked on each job (from month/year to month/year) Devote the most space to the jobs that are related to your target position Mention any significant achievements on the job (including facts about your skills and accomplishments) You might include a section describing other aspects of your background that pertain to your career objective, for example: Command of another language Travel experience Skills in operating computers, specific software, or other specialized equipment
You may insert information at the bottom of your rsum about additional materials that are available. You might want to say that work samples are available upon request. In a section titled Activities and Achievements you might list volunteer activities that demonstrate your abilities and list career-related activities such as member of the Student Marketing Association. Do not include personal data on your rsum unless it enhances the employers understanding of why you would be the best candidate for the job.
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Exclude information such as: Items that would encourage discrimination (gender, marital or family status, age, race, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, etc.) Salary information Reasons for leaving jobs Names of previous supervisors A photo of yourself Your ID number or student ID Number
The availability of references is usually assumed, so you do not need to put References available upon request at the end of your rsum. However, be sure to have a list of several references ready when you begin applying for jobs - you will probably be asked for it at some point in the selection process. Somehow, the idea that everybody lies on their rsums has crept into popular consciousness, and dishonesty in the job search process has reached epidemic proportions. Applicants with integrity know they do not need to stoop to lying to compete in the job market. More than 90 percent of companies that find lies on rsums refuse to hire the offending applicants, even if that means withdrawing formal job offers. If you are not sure whether to include or exclude a particular point, ask yourself the following: Would you be willing to say the same thing to an interviewer in person? If the answer is no, leave it out of your rsum. You need to be confident enough to back your skills with your motivation and drive, and this will come across when a potential employer reads your rsum, even if you do not have exaggerated qualifications or experience. Completing Rsums As with any other business message, you need to complete your rsum by: Revising it Producing it Proofreading it Distributing it
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The ideal length of your rsum depends on the depth of your experience and the level of the positions for which you are applying. When revising your rsum, ask yourself if your document: Is too long or wordy Is too short or sketchy Is difficult to read Is poorly written Displays weak understanding of the business world or of a particular industry Is printed on poor-quality paper Is full of spelling and grammar errors Is boastful Has a gimmicky design
To achieve good rsum design, focus on simplicity, order, plenty of white space, and easy-to-read type face. Make your sub-headings easy to find and easy to read. Use lists to highlight your most important qualifications and leave plenty of white spaces even if it means you have to use two pages rather than one. The use of colour is not necessary, but if you must add colour, make sure it is subtle and sophisticated. You may want to produce your rsum in as many as six forms: 1. Printed traditional rsum 2. Printed scannable rsum 3. Electronic plain text file 4. Microsoft Word file 5. HTML format 6. PDF file Some applicants also create PowerPoint presentations or video to supplement a traditional rsum.
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When you are ready to print your traditional rsum: Avoid papers with speckles or other designs Choose a slightly heavier, high-quality plain paper designed specifically for rsums and other important documents White or off-white paper is the best colour choice Use a well-maintained, quality printer that has adequate toner
When you format your scannable rsum, be sure to: Use a clean, common sans serif font such as Optima or Arial, 10 to 14 points Avoid italics and underlining Make sure that characters do not touch one another, including the slash (/) Do not use side-by-side columns Do not use ampersands, percent signs, accented characters, or bullet symbols Put each phone number and e-mail address on its own line Print on plain white paper Place your name on every page, first to last Check the companys website or call the human resources department to learn of any specific requirements When adding keywords to your scannable rsum: Use nouns, rather than verbs Use abbreviations sparingly Include 20 to 30 words and phrases that define your skills, experience, education, professional affiliations, and so on Place your keyword list right after your name and address Creating a plain text version of your rsum into an online form is faster, easier, and less prone to errors than the scanning process. Plain text is just what it sounds like: no font formatting, no bullet symbols, no colours, no lines or boxes, and so on In some cases, an employer or job-posting website will let you upload a Microsoft Word file directly. Before submitting a Word file to anyone, make sure your system is free from viruses. It is hard to make a good first impression if your file was responsible for crashing your potential employers system!
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The benefits of creating your HTML version of your rsum include sending it as a fully formatted e-mail message, posting it on your personal webpage, and including it in your e-portfolio. Proofreading is extremely important if you really want to impress employers. Your rsum must therefore be perfect. When proofreading your rsum: Check all headings and lists for clarity Make sure that your spelling, punctuation, and grammar are correct Ask at least three other people to read it too
How you distribute your rsum depends on: The number of employers you are targeting Employer preferences for receiving rsums
When mailing your traditional and scannable rsums: o Use a flat A4-size envelope or, even better, use Priority or Registered Mail o Consider sending both scannable and standard formats to each employer When faxing your traditional and scannable rsums: o Make sure the employer prefers rsums via fax o Include a standard fax cover sheet o Set the fax machine to fine mode to ensure the copying quality is good When e-mailing your rsum: o Do not send attachments o Insert plain text into the body of the e-mail message When submitting your rsum online, be sure to follow site instructions carefully. When posting a rsum on your website, find some way of providing potential employers with your URL.
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When posting your rsum online, consider the following: o Create an e-portfolio o Create a personal website, which can include your e-portfolio o Create a profile on one or more social networking sites o Post your rsum on general-purpose job websites, such as Indeed.co.za o Post your rsum on specialized websites, such as BizCommunity.com o Post your rsum with a staffing service o Keep an eye out for any new channels that emerge in the coming years Before you upload your rsum to any site, make certain you learn about its confidentiality protection. Activity 10 Simply prepare your rsum, taking into account all that you have learned in this chapter.
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Questions True False 1. An effective rsum is one that never needs to be changed or adapted. 2. A portfolio can give employers tangible evidence of your professionalism. 3. A rsum should be a minimum of two pages to provide detailed information for potential employers. 4. A scannable rsum is easier to produce and send to an employer than a plain text (ASCII) rsum. 5. All a rsum can do is provide and opportunity for an interview. 6. A chronological approach is a common way to organize a rsum and places an emphasis on work experience. 7. Avoid using sentence fragments on a rsum; write using only complete sentences. 8. Experts agree that all rsums should include a career objective. 9. To save the prospective employer time, in the employment history section of your rsum include only the company name, your functional job title, and the dates you worked at the company. 10. Claiming to be self-employed is a good way to cover employment gaps.
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Multiple Choice 11. To determine what you have to offer an employer, examine your: a. b. c. d. Functional skills. Education and experience. Personality traits. All of the above
12. Which of the following will make you appear valuable to potential employers? a. b. c. d. A work history that is explained clearly and unambiguously in a rsum A rsum that is planned carefully and makes for easy reading Having your rsum prepared by a rsum writing service Doing both a and b
13. An effective rsum is: a. b. c. d. Tailored to various audiences and situations. Nothing more than a simple list of jobs youve held. Your guarantee that you will get the job you want. None of the above.
14. Which of the following rsum organizational patterns would be effective for someone who is redirecting a career or who has little continuous career-related experience? a. b. c. d. Combination Chronological Functional None of the above
15. Which of the following would be the best wording to describe your employment? a. b. c. d. Valiantly performed duties of stock clerk Streamlined stocking procedures and increased productivity by 10 percent Stocked shelves I stocked shelves
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16. On your rsum, stating your objective or summarizing your qualifications: a. b. c. d. Gets you the job you are after. Helps the recruiter categorize you. Gives the recruiter too much information. Does none of the above.
17. Which of the following is NOT an efficient way to find a potential employer? a. b. c. d. Posting a rsum on your website Submitting your rsum online Faxing your rsum Surfing the web randomly for employment
18. Which of the following is a form of rsum deception? a. b. c. d. Preparing separate rsums with different objectives when you have different types of qualifications Listing 20012002 as employment dates for a job that you held from November 2001 to February 2002 Listing the degree you are pursuing with an expected date of completion All of the above
19. When preparing a rsum in scannable format: a. b. c. d. Include the same information found on your traditional rsum. Put your name on its own line at the top of each page. Provide a list of keywords. Do all of the above.
20. Which of the following should you include at the beginning of your rsum? a. b. c. d. Your ID number Your physical and email addresses Your current salary range Your photograph
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Answers 1. False 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. True 7. False 8. False 9. False 10. False 11. D 12. D 13. A 14. C 15. B 16. B 17. D 18. B 19. D 20. B
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Chapter 13 Applying and Interviewing for Employment
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Chapter 13 Applying and Interviewing for Employment Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Write application letters Write follow-up letters Understand the interviewing process Recognize the stages in an interview Deal with the different types of interviews Know what employers look for in an interview Prepare for a job interview Interview confidently and successfully Deal with expected questions Deal with awkward or unexpected questions Negotiate through salary talks in the employment process Write follow-up notes Write messages of inquiry Write messages requesting a time extension Write letters of acceptance Write letters of resignation
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Introduction This chapter focuses on how to prepare for and successfully complete job interviews. It begins by focusing on writing application letters. You will then be introduced to the interview process, including screening, selection, and final interviews. A section detailing the different types of interviews follows. The chapter then moves on to preparing for the interview, with guidelines on doing research, thinking ahead about questions, bolstering confidence, polishing interview styles and creating a favourable impression through body language and appearance. Following that, the chapter discusses successful interview techniques and the three stages of interviews (the warm-up, the question-and-answer session, and the close), and offers suggestions for handling each one. The chapter closes by focusing on common follow-up messages: letters of thanks, letters of inquiry, letters requesting an extension, letters of acceptance, letters declining a job offer, and letters of resignation. Writing Application Letters and Related Employment Messages In addition to your rsum, you will need to know how to write an application letter when seeking employment for a specific post or at a specific company. In addition, you should also know how to write follow up letters. The Application Letter
Accompanying your rsum with an application letter (also sometimes called a cover letter) lets readers know what you are sending, why you are sending it and how they can benefit from reading it. The purpose of your application letter is to get the reader interested enough to read your rsum, so it is best to learn something about the organization you are applying to and address your letter with the name, title, and department of the person to whom you are writing.
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In your application letter you should: Be as clear as possible about the kind of opportunity you seek Show that you understand the company and the position Never volunteer salary information unless an employer asks for it Keep it shortand keep e-mail cover letters even shorter Show some personality and even some relevant knowledge about the company Meticulously check your spelling, mechanics, and grammar
Organize your application letter like your rsum by: Using the AIDA model Focusing on your audience Emphasizing reader benefits Making sure your style projects confidence without being arrogant
The opening paragraph of your application letter has two important tasks to accomplish: 1. It should clearly state your reason for writing. 2. It should give the recipient a reason to keep reading by demonstrating that you have some immediate potential for meeting the companys needs. To build interest and create a desire in the middle section of your application letter, try to: Be specific and back up your assertions with convincing evidence Be sure to discuss each requirement specified in the ad (if you are writing a solicited letter) Mention salary requirements only if the organization has asked you to state them Refer the reader to your rsum by citing a specific fact or general point covered there
The final paragraph of your application letter has two important functions: 1. To ask the reader for a specific action (usually an interview) 2. To facilitate a reply.
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To motivate action, you should do the following: Offer to come to the employers office (or its nearest representative) at a convenient time Include your e-mail address and phone number, as well as the best time to reach you or you could take the initiative and say that you will follow up with a phone call Keep in mind the difference between a solicited application letter and an unsolicited one. A solicited application letter is in response to an announced job opening and you will usually know what qualifications the organization is seeking. An unsolicited application letter is sent to an organization that has not announced an opening so you will need to do some research to identify the requirements the position is likely to have. Be careful not to simply repeat the brief from the job opening in a solicited application. On the other hand, do not be sparse with information in an unsolicited application by assuming that the employer knows what you (or they) want. The Follow-Up Letter
You may send a follow-up letter if your application letter and rsum fail to bring a response within a month or so. A follow-up letter can demonstrate that you are sincerely interested in working for the organization, persistent in pursuing your goals. The letter can also give you a chance to state ways in which you, for example, have upgraded your skills or the efforts you have made in making yourself a better employee. Understanding the Interviewing Process An employment interview is a formal meeting during which both you and the employer ask questions and exchange information. The objective is to see whether the applicant and the organization are a good fit for each other. As you begin to prepare for your interview, keep two vital points in mind: 1. Recognize that the process takes timestart your preparation and research early. 2. Do not limit your options by looking only at a few companies.
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Interview Stages
Before deciding to make a job offer, most employers interview an applicant two or three times in the following stages: o Screening or preliminary stage o Selection stage o Final stage Interviews at the preliminary screening stage help employers screen out unqualified applicants and are generally held on your university or technikons campus, the company offices, or via telephone or computer. These interviews are limited in time, so keep your answers short while providing a few key points that will differentiate you from the other candidates. Interviews at the selection stage allow organizations to narrow the field a bit further. Your best approach in selection interviews is to: Show keen interest in the job Relate your skills and experience to the organizations needs Listen attentively Ask insightful questions that show you have done your research
Final stage interviews may occur on the spot or a few days later by phone, mail, or e-mail. It may be conducted by high-ranking executives who can make hiring and compensation decisions and are conducted to sell you on the advantages of joining the organization. Different Types of Interviews
At any stage, any one of a few different types of interviews may be conducted. Some of the most common types include: o Structured and unstructured interviews o Panel and Group interviews o Behavioral interviews o Situational interviews o Working interviews o Stress interviews
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In structured interviews, the interviewer (or a computer) asks a series of prepared questions in a set order. This type of interview allows employers to identify candidates who do not meet the basic job criteria. It also allows employers to compare answers from multiple candidates. In open-ended or unstructured interviews, the interviewer adapts his or her line of questioning based on the answers you give and any questions you ask. In a panel interview, you meet with several interviewers at once, while in group interviews, one or more interviewers meet with several candidates simultaneously to see how they interact. Perhaps the most common type of interview these days is the behavioural interview, in which you are asked to relate specific incidents and experiences from your past. Employers use behavioural interviews because behavioural questions require candidates to use their own experience and attributes to craft answers. Behavioural interviews are also used to assess applicants job-related technical skills and ability to work under pressure, coordinate with others, and resolve conflict. A situational interview is similar to a behavioural interview except that the questions focus on how you would handle various hypothetical situations on the job. A working interview is the most realistic type of interview. Here, you actually perform a job-related activity during the interview, like solve a common problem of the business or write a business message. The most unnerving type of interview is the stress interview, during which you might be asked questions designed to unsettle you. You might also be subjected to long periods of silence, criticism, interruptions, and or even hostile reactions by the interviewer. The key here is to remain as composed and calm as possible, realizing that your reaction is what you will be assessed on. Media for Interviews
In addition to encountering a variety of interview formats, expect to be interviewed through a variety of media. Employers trying to cut travel costs and demands on staff time often interview candidates via Telephone E-mail Instant messaging (though very rarely) Video conferencing systems
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Webcams Online interviewing systems
Virtual online interviews can range from simple structured questionnaires and tests to sophisticated job simulations that are similar to working interviews. Pre-employment Testing Integrity tests Measures how truthful and trustworthy you can be as an employee Gauges personality traits and attitudes that are relevant to the business or company Measures the level of knowledge or skills required for a particular position Measures analytical and cognitive abilities of the candidate such as comprehension and problem-solving Background checks The most typical test conducted before employment, background checks verify your education and confirm your work experience. In addition, you should assume that every employer will conduct an online search on you so be careful what comes up on your social networking profiles or on pages you might have commented on (for more, see Chapter 8) Preparing for a Job Interview When preparing for interviews, be sure to: Demonstrate an understanding of the companys operations, its markets, and its strategic and tactical challenges Dig a little deeper into the company so that you can demonstrate your interest in the company Personality tests Job skills tests Cognitive tests
Many interviews are accompanied or followed by pre-employment testing. Common tests include:
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Plan for the employers questions by giving a little extra thought to some tough questions like these: What was the hardest decision you ever had to make? What are your greatest weaknesses? Where do you want to be five years from now? What did you not like about previous jobs you have held? Tell me about yourself (This can often be the most tricky. Be careful not to get too personal, but do not make it seem like your response is scripted and insincere) When planning questions of your own, think about what you would like to find out: Are these my kind of people? Can I do this work? Will I enjoy the work? Is the job what I want? Does the job pay what I am worth? What kind of person would I be working for? What sort of future can I expect with this organization?
To bolster your confidence: Correct or offset aspects of your appearance or background that make you uneasy Focus on your strengths Focus on how you can help the organization
To polish your interview style, you can stage mock interviews with a friend or using an interview simulator as well as identify opportunities for improvement by having your mock interview partner critique your performance or critique yourself. In the most business environments, the following non-verbal behaviour will help you have a successful interview: Maintaining eye contact Smiling frequently (but not insincerely) Sitting in an attentive position Overcoming voice problems such as speaking too rapidly, too loudly, or too softly
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The following look will serve you well in just about any interview situation: Neat hairstyle Conservative dress in dark solid colours or a subtle pattern such as pinstripes; Conservative tie (classic stripes or subtle patterns) for men if they choose to wear a business suit Limited jewellery (men, especially, should wear very little jewellery) No visible piercings other than one or two earrings (for women only) No visible tattoos Stylish but professional-looking shoes (no casual shoes) Clean hands and nicely trimmed fingernails Little or no perfume or cologne (some people are allergic and many people are put off by strong smells) Exemplary personal hygiene
Although all of the above are generally acceptable in a business environment, make extra certain that your gestures or dress does not offend anyone, especially in culturally diverse workplaces. Planning ahead is essential. Consider placing the following items in a good-quality briefcase or bag: A small notebook A pen A list of the questions you want to ask Several copies of your rsum An outline of what you have learned about the organization Any past correspondence about the position A small calendar A transcript of your academic record A list of references A portfolio containing samples of your work, performance reviews, and certificates of achievement
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Another way to be composed and ready when you arrive is to plan to arrive early: Know when and where the interview will be held Verify the route you will take (even phoning the interviewers secretary to ask directions) Find out how much time it takes to get there Allow a little extra time in case you run into a problem on the way
Finally, be ready when you arrive by relaxing once you get there: If you arrive early, use this time to review the key messages about yourself that you would like to get across in an interview Be respectful to everyone you encounter Refrain from chewing gum, eating, or drinking while you are waiting
Interviewing for Success The key to interviewing well is to realize that every interview goes through a set structure or routine, and recognizing which stage you are in helps you keep calm, and essentially in control of the interview. Every interview proceeds through three stages: 1. The warm-up 2. The question-and-answer stage 3. The close 1. The Warm-Up The warm-up is often the most important of the three stages because first impressions do often last, and an interviewer poorly trained in interviewing techniques may make up his or her mind in even as little as the first 20 seconds of contact with a candidate. Body language is crucial at this point. Make sure to stand or sit up straight, maintain regular but natural eye contact, and do not fidget. Common questions in this stage include: Why do you want to work here? What do you know about us? Tell me a little about yourself
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2. The Question and Answer Stage In the question-and-answer stage, be sure to: Let the interviewer lead the conversation Never answer a question before he or she has finished asking it Avoid one-word yes-or-no answers as much as possible Use the opportunity to expand on a positive response or explain a negative response Pause before responding to a difficult question Think through the implications of the question
When it is time for you to ask questions, be sure to: Consult your prepared list of questions Probe for what the company is looking for in its new employees Zero in on any reservations the interview might have about you so that you can dispel them
Note the interviewer to gauge how your comments are being received. These signs might include: Facial expression Eye movements Gestures Posture
You need to learn to recognize these signs and adapt accordingly. For example, if you notice an interviewer fidgeting during your answer, round the answer up quickly because that might be a sign that the interviewer is losing interest. If your interviewer asks these personal questions, how you respond depends on how you feel about revealing the information asked for, what you think the interviewer will do with the information, and whether you want to work for a company that asks such questions. Remember that you always have the option of simply refusing to answer, or you could tell the interviewer that you think a particular question is unethicalalthough either of these responses is likely to leave an unfavourable impression.
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If you do want the job, you might respond to discriminatory questions by: Asking how the question is related to your qualifications Explaining that the information is personal Responding to what you think is the interviewers real concern, and perhaps even; Answering both the question and the concern
If you choose to answer an unethical or unlawful question you run the risk that your answer may hurt your chances, so always think carefully before answering. Also, ask yourself whether you want to work for an organization that condones illegal or discriminatory questions or that does not train employees enough to avoid them. 3. The Close When the interviewer is trying to conclude the session, he or she may: Ask whether you have any more questions Check the time Sum up the discussion Simply tell you that the allotted time for the interview is up
When you get the signal, you should not linger, but you should: Thank the interviewer for the opportunity Express your interest in the organization Try to pin down what will happen next Considering Offers Accept it Request time to think it over (the best course)
If the interview ends with an offer of employment, you may either
If you receive a job offer, you might want to discuss salary, but make sure that you let the interviewer raise the subject first.
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Salary Negotiations
If you are not satisfied with the salary being offered, you might be able to negotiate depending on the following factors: Market demand for your particular skills Overall strength of the job market Company compensation policies Companys financial health Other job offers you might have
If salary is not negotiable, consider negotiating other benefits such as: Signing bonus Profit sharing Pension and other retirement benefits Health coverage Vacation time Other valuable elements Interview Notes
Interview notes can help you refresh your memory of each conversation, improve your performance during future interviews and help you keep track of any follow-up messages you will need to send. Following Up After an Interview Following up after an interview has many advantages when it comes to completing the interview and employment process. These include: Showing that you really want the job and are determined to get it Giving you another chance to demonstrate your communication skills and business etiquette Bringing your name to the interviewers attention once again Reminding the interviewer that you are waiting to know the decision
However, be careful not to irritate the interviewer or employer with constant follow-up messages or reminders. One of the ways to do this is to follow up in the form of a thank-you message.
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Thank-You Messages
In a thank-you message (whether it is a phone call, an e-mail message, or a letter), you should: Express your thanks within two days of the interview Acknowledge the interviewers time and courtesy Convey your continued interest Reinforce the reasons that you are a good fit for the position Ask politely for a decision
To write successful thank-you messages, try to: Keep them brief Organize them like a routine message (see Chapter 5) Demonstrate the you attitude Sound positive without sounding overconfident Message of Inquiry
If the interviewer fails to respond at all, it might be in order to send a message of inquiry. A message of inquiry politely asks the interviewer whether a decision has been made on your employment, and can be sent either a few days after the interviewers promised date of a decision or, as a general rule, two weeks after the interview. You can also make it clear in a message of inquiry that you will not accept another job offer until you have received an answer from the interviewer. Request for Time Extension
You might need to also request a time extension at some point if you need time before you move to a new employer. When requesting a time extension, be sure to: Open with a strong statement of your continued interest in the job Ask for more time to consider the offer Provide specific reasons for the request Assure the reader that you will respond by a specific date
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Letter of Acceptance
When you want to accept an offer, send a letter of acceptance within five days that: Begins by accepting the position and expressing thanks Identifies the job that you are accepting Covers any necessary details Concludes by saying that you look forward to reporting to work Conveys your enthusiasm and eagerness to cooperate
Remember that any written acceptance or correspondence is legally binding. Letter Declining a Job Offer Use the negative message plan (see Chapter 6) Open warmly State the reasons for refusing the offer Decline the offer explicitly Close on a pleasant note, expressing gratitude Letter of Resignation When writing a letter declining a job offer, be sure to:
When writing a letter of resignation: Follow the advice for negative messages Make the letter sound positive State your intention to leave Give the date of your last day on the job Give your employer at least two weeks notice
Activity 11 Imagine you are about to interview yourself. Prepare some questions you would ask as the interviewer, and then prepare your answers. Would you be satisfied with those answers if you were the interviewer? If not, go back, change and practise a better response to the question.
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Questions True-False 1. Employment interviews work both ways in that both the interviewer and interviewee can gain information from the process. 2. During the screening stage of interviews, you should try to differentiate yourself from other candidates. 3. Open-ended interviews are especially useful in helping employers judge interpersonal skills. 4. It is not necessary to learn about the organization and the job before the actual interview. 5. You should expect the interviewer to ask you questions about work habits, personal attitudes, and education. 6. An applicant should not ask questions during the interview; only the interviewer should be asking questions. 7. Non-verbal behavior has a significant effect on the interviewers opinion of you. 8. Because most companies today allow their employees to wear casual dress, an applicant should always arrive in casual dress for an interview. 9. It is acceptable to smoke in the waiting area prior to your interview. 10. The applicant should be the person who raises the subject of salary during an interview.
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Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following correctly presents the typical sequence of interviews a company will use to select new employees? a. b. c. d. Screening, selection, final Screening, final, orientation Selection, final, orientation None of the above.
12. In which type of interview does the interviewer ask a series of prepared questions in a set order? a. b. c. d. Stress interview Situational interview Open-ended interview Structured interview
13. Which is the best recommendation for planning for the employers questions? a. b. c. d. Practice your answers to questions employers routinely ask. Memorize responses so that you appear well-rehearsed. Clear your mind of all employer questions before entering the room to provide unrehearsed Call and request a list of questions a few days prior to the interview.
answers.
14. Plan a list of questions that you can ask during an interview, which will help you: a. b. c. d. Convey your knowledge of interview activities. Evaluate the organization and the job. Impress the interviewer. None of the above.
15. In most business environments, you are more likely to have a successful interview if you: a. b. c. d. Provide very brief answers to all questions asked, being sure to limit hand gestures. Keep eyes lowered as a sign of your respect for the interviewer. Smile frequently, maintain eye contact, and sit in an attentive position. Speak as rapidly as possible to convey the most information in the amount of time allotted for the interview.
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16. Which of the following should you take with you to an interview? a. b. c. d. Two copies of your rsum An outline of what you have learned about the organization A small notebook All of the above
17. Which of the interview stages is most important? a. b. c. d. The warm-up The question-and answer stage The close All of the above
18. Interviewers sometimes ask discriminatory questions during interviews. How should you respond if you want the job? a. b. c. d. Tell the interviewer that you think the question is unethical Simply refuse to answer the question Ask how the question is related to your qualifications None of the above
19. A message thanking the interviewer is organized like: a. b. c. d. A bad-news message. A routine message. A persuasive message. None of the above.
20. In a request for a time extension to decide about a job offer, you must pay extra attention to: a. b. c. d. Identifying the other company you are considering. Emphasizing how many offers you have from other companies. Specifying when you will be able to give an answer. None of the above.
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Answers 1. True 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. False 7. True 8. False 9. False 10. False 11. A 12. D 13. A 14. B 15. C 16. D 17. A 18. C 19. B 20. C
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Chapter 14 Mastering Interpersonal Communication and Becoming an Effective Communicator
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Chapter 14 Mastering Interpersonal Communication and Becoming an Effective Communicator Upon completion of this chapter, the student should be able to: Apply the understanding of the communication process to interpersonal Skills Improve their performance in teams Know the advantages and disadvantages of working in teams Know how to write collaboratively Develop business etiquette Make meetings more productive Lead and participate in meetings Improve their listening skills Recognize various types of listening Understand the listening process Overcome barriers to effective listening Improve non-verbal communication skills Become an effective and successful communicator
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Introduction The final chapter of this module focuses on mastering perhaps the most important facet of business communication interpersonal communication skills. The chapter begins with a short trip back to Chapter 1 and a reminder of how the communication process works and how understanding it can build your career, especially when applied to interpersonal skills. You will go on to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of teamwork and collaborative writing, with a focus on interpersonal communication within teams. This section addresses how to prepare for and conduct an effective meeting as well as how to be an effective meeting member and abide by etiquette standards in teams and social settings. You will also learn about the invaluable skill of listening, the various types of listening, the listening process, and sound strategies for improving your listening skills. Finally, you will be presented with suggestions for improving their non-verbal communication skills.
Building Your Career Through Interpersonal Skills Most of this module has focused on planning, writing and completing business messages in a written or oral form, but this only forms one half of the communication process taught to you in the first chapter. It is vital for a communicator to realize that receiving business messages is much more important than sending them, because it involves decoding signs and learning the language of business in the process. Understanding this and applying it to your daily interaction with people can ensure that you get the most out of business communication. It will also benefit both yourself and the people you interact with. What many overly ambitious business people fail to recognize is that listening and collaborating forms a huge part of effective communication, and that the most successful people are those who hear what people want and use that need or desire to trade their own objectives or desired outcomes.
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Furthermore, communicators who leave an impression and create their own opportunities are the ones who have strong interpersonal skills, as well as strong written and spoken skills. If you want a successful career, you need to sharpen and work on your interpersonal skills. Improving Your Performance in Teams A team comprises two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve their goal. Teams are important in todays workplace and help an organization succeed by: Improving productivity Improving creativity Increasing employee involvement Increasing employee job security
The most effective teams share the following characteristics: Have a clear sense of purpose Communicate openly and honestly Reach decisions by consensus Think creatively Know how to resolve conflict
A successful team can provide a number of advantages: Increased information and knowledge Increased diversity of views Increased acceptance of a solution Higher performance levels
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Teams need to also be aware of and work to counter the following potential disadvantages: Groupthink When individuals go along with everyone else on the team, even though everyone else is wrong Hidden agendas Cost Co-ordinating group activities, schedules, etc. can be quite costly When private motives affect group interaction When some members do not contribute their fair share Free riders
Teams are often expected to collaborate on reports, websites, presentations, and other communication projects. These guidelines will help teams work together successfully: Select collaborators carefully Agree on project goals before you start Give your team time to bond before diving in Clarify individual responsibilities Establish clear processes Avoid writing as a group Verify tools and techniques
A variety of writing collaboration tools exist that allow team members to work together. These tools include group review, multi-author blogs, and content management systems. These systems allow specific team members to read, edit, and save specific files. Revision control goes one step further and allows only one person at a time to check out a document. It also records all the changes that person makes so that team members efforts are not duplicated.
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Developing Your Business Etiquette Etiquette is now considered a vital business skill and is important for getting along with team members and while you are out in public. Etiquette in the Workplace
Proper etiquette in the workplace helps you appear polished, professional, and confident. Proper etiquette also helps you put others at ease so they are comfortable enough to do business with you. Factors that influence etiquette in the workplace include: Your personal appearance Your personal grooming Your smile Your mobile phone use Etiquette in Social Business Settings Make sure your appearance and actions are appropriate to the situation Get to know the customs of the culture when you meet new people When introducing yourself, include a brief description of your role in the company When introducing two people, speak both their first and last names clearly and offer some information about each person to ease them into a conversation Introduce the lower-ranking person to the senior-ranking person When you have been introduced to someone, repeat that persons name as soon as possible
Since you represent your company when you are out in public, follow these steps:
Business is often conducted over meals. Remembering these steps will help you be more effective in these situations: Choose foods that are easy to eat Refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages during the meal Do not discuss politics, religion, or any other topic likely to stir up emotions during the meal Online Etiquette
This has been covered earlier in this module, but it is worth mentioning again that your online profile as a business communicator is very important.
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Remember that you represent your company whenever you are online, so think carefully when posting information about yourself on social networking sites or leaving comments on blogs. Making Your Meetings More Productive Meetings are a primary communication venue for todays businesses. By preparing carefully, conducting meetings effectively, and using meeting technologies wisely, you will be able to help your company make better use of meeting times. The two most frequently reported problems with meetings are: 1) Holding a meeting when distributing a message would do the job, and 2) Holding a meeting without a specific goal. Productive meetings therefore require: Identifying your purpose of the meeting prior to calling onewhether it is an informational or a decision-making meeting Selecting participants whose presence is essentialfor informational meetings, larger groups can be invited. For decision-making meetings, invite only those who are in a direct position to help the meeting reach its objective Choosing an appropriate time and facilitymorning meetings are often more productive Setting and following an agendaproductive agendas identify what needs to be done at the meeting to accomplish the goals, which issues will be of greatest importance to all participants, and what information must be available to discuss these issues An effective leader contributes to the success of a meeting by: Keeping the meeting on track Following agreed-upon rules Encouraging participation Participating actively Closing the meeting effectively Participants should receive a copy of the minutes as soon as possible after a meeting
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With advances in technology, virtual teams and meetings are becoming more popular. Video conferencing (combines audio communication with live video) and Web-based meeting systems (combines the best of instant messaging, shared workspaces, and videoconferencing) are two other advances that allow employees more flexibility when meeting. Some companies are also making use of virtual worlds. In this context, professionals can create online versions of themselves (avatars) to participate in meetings, training sessions, sales presentations, and casual conversations with customers. When conducting meetings online or over the phone, make sure you have done extra planning, including determining how everyone will stay engaged and has the opportunity to contribute. Improving Your Listening Skills Effective listening strengthens organizational relationships, alerts the organization to opportunities for innovation, and allows the organization to manage growing diversity both in the workforce and in the customers it serves. The goal of content listening is to understand and retain the information in the speakers message. The goal of critical listening is to understand and evaluate the meaning of the logic of the speakers message, including the logic of the argument, the strength of the evidence, the validity of the conclusions, the implications of the message for you and your organization, the speakers intentions and motives, and the omission of any important or relevant points. The goal of empathic listening is to understand the speakers feelings, needs, and wants so that you can appreciate his or her point of view, regardless of whether you share that perspective. No matter what mode listeners are using, they should always try to engage in active listening and make a conscious effort to turn off their own filters and biases to truly hear and understand what the other party is saying. Most of us listen at or below 25 percent efficiency rate (in other words, we listen properly to only a quarter of what is being said), remember only about half of what is said during a 10 minute conversation, and forget half of that within 48 hours.
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It is therefore important for the communicator to understand the five steps of the listening process to improve listening skills: Receiving Physically hearing and acknowledging the message Assigning meaning to sounds Storing information for future processing before acting on it Applying critical thinking skills to the speakers message Reacting to the message Decoding Remembering Evaluating Responding
Keeping the above in mind, good listeners are able to recognize and overcome barriers such as: Selective listening Allowing your mind to wander while others are speaking. Most people process information at up to 500 words per minute; yet, most people speak at a rate of 120 to 150 words per minute Prejudgment Think Point 5 Think back to what you have learned from Chapter 1, where we outlined the communication process, and consider how much easier sending an effective message would be if the audience was more attentive and devoted more effort to decoding and understanding your message. It works the same way the other way around, so think of how you can improve your listening skills in order to become an effective communicator as well as receiver of information. Making up your mind before truly hearing what a person has to say Moulding a message to fit what listeners already believe about a given subject Selective perception Thinking faster than people speak
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Another very powerful tool for improving interpersonal communication is to remember people, what they do and what they have said. To improve your long-term memory, remember these tips: Associate new information with something closely-related Categorize the new information into logical groups Visualize words and ideas as pictures Create mnemonics such as acronyms or rhymes
Not only is a good memory impressive to senior business partners and potential employers, the information you retain can also be used in your work and overall career. Improving Your Non-verbal Communication Skills Non-verbal communication is the process of sending and receiving information, both intentionally and unintentionally, without using written or spoken language. Non-verbal communication plays two important roles: complementing verbal language and revealing truth. Non-verbal communication can be grouped into a few general categories: Facial expressions Expressions reveal almost all of your emotions, and the type and intensity of these expressions can indicate attention, influence others and even assert dominance Gesture and posture Confident gestures and postures can indicate the confidence of a businessperson The way in which the voice is controlled and modulated can indicate how competent and in control the speaker is, thereby asserting authority Personal appearance The way in which you carry yourself and your appearance can reflect your confidence and abilities as a businessperson All of the above contribute greatly to how people will respond to you in the workplace. If you are able to convey positive abilities via non-verbal communication, then people will unconsciously react more positively to suggestions or requests. Vocal characteristics
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You should also be sure to look for non-verbal cues from others, especially facial expressions, and gesture and posture. This will give you a slight edge in understanding what that person needs or is looking to achieve, leading to improved communication, which in turn, leads to achieving your goals. Remember that communication always works both ways, and that being aware of how the communication process works and sensitive to how you send and receive business messages (written or spoken) can be the deciding factor between being successful in business and failing in it. Activity 12 Think of all the non-verbal ways in which you can command more authority and build your career. Do you think you can achieve this? Write down how you think you can adapt your non-verbal skills and list the outcomes you think these skills will yield.
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Questions True-False 1. Groupthink is a positive force found in team projects. 2. Before you call a meeting, you should determine the purpose of the meeting and plan to invite only those people whose presence is essential. 3. Meeting agendas should be distributed at the beginning of a meeting, not prior to the meeting. 4. To speed up a meeting and enhance productivity, let one or two key members dominate the meeting to eliminate the need for parliamentary procedure. 5. Effective listening is blocked when you jump to conclusions and close your mind to additional information. 6. Strategies for effective listening include tuning out dry subjects and taking extensive notes. 7. When attending a business lunch, you should treat the meal like any other business meeting in the office. 8. When a person controls their voice and speaks with authority, the message the person is trying to convey tends to get lost. 9. Your facial expression reveals both the type and the intensity of your feelings. 10. When a person focuses on communicating effectively, they lose sight of their business goals and objectives.
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Multiple Choice 11. Which of the following best describes groupthink? a. b. c. d. Some team members have private motives that affect the groups interaction. Individuals willingly set aside personal opinions and go along with everyone else, even though everyone else is wrong. Some team members dont contribute their fair share, and others notice. None of the above
12. When conducting and attending meetings, the leader should do which of the following to help ensure a successful meeting? a. b. c. d. Keep the meeting on track. Follow parliamentary procedure. Encourage participation. All of the above.
13. Which of the following correctly describes the sequence of the listening process? a. b. c. d. Receiving, remembering, decoding, responding, and evaluating. Responding, evaluating, remembering, receiving, and decoding. Receiving, decoding, remembering, evaluating, and responding. None of the above.
14. Prejudgment involves a. b. c. d. Listening selectively. Taking control of the conversation. Jumping to conclusions and closing your mind to additional information. Thinking negatively.
15. Which of the following is a habit of a bad or poor listener? a. b. c. d. Tuning out if delivery is poor. Judging content. Taking limited notes. Avoiding distractions.
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16. Which of the following would NOT be a good habit to develop when interacting with people? a. b. c. d. Standing upright Maintaining eye contact Smiling excessively Paying attention closely
17. Which of the following would be a good habit to develop when listening to people? a. b. c. d. Selective listening Focusing on the first and last thing the person says Reacting or responding to what the person is saying Selective perception
18. Which of the following is the primary site for expressing your emotions? a. b. c. d. Face Voice characteristics Gestures Feet
19. Which of the following could be used to assert authority? a. b. c. d. Voice control Posture Appearance All of the above
20. Which of the following is NOT a good tip for improving your nonverbal skills? a. b. c. d. Smile genuinely Adopt a handshake that matches your personality and intention Be aware that people may give false nonverbal cues Smile to make someone happy or when necessary to avoid the appearance of being negative
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Answers 1. False 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. True 6. False 7. True 8. False 9. True 10. False 11. B 12. D 13. C 14. C 15. A 16. C 17. C 18. A 19. D 20. D
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Bibliography Bovee, C. & Thill, J. (2010). Business Communication Essentials: A SKILLS BASED APPROACH TO VITAL BUSINESS ENGLISH. 4th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson. Chandler, F.G. (1995). Fundamentals of Business Communication. Chicago: Irwin. Koontz, H. & Weihrich, H. (1990) Essentials of management 5th edition. Rensburg, R.S. & Bredenkamp, C. (1991). Aspects of business communication. Cape Town: Juta. Robbins, S.P. (2003) Essentials of Organisational behaviour. 7th edition. Prentice Hall India Private Limited: New Delhi. Rudansky- Kloppers, S. (2002). Business Communication in perspective. South Africa: New Africa books.
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CERTIFICATE IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

MODULE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION 1T Study Guide

Chapter 1 Understanding Business Communication

Adapting an Audience-Centred Approach

Chapter 2 Planning Business Messages

Chapter 3 Writing Business Messages

Using Bias-free Language

Follow these steps when choosing strong or unique words:

Forming Coherent Paragraphs

Cause and effect o Focussing on the reason for something

Classification o Showing how an idea is broken up into categories or stages

Problem and solution o Presenting a problem and offering a solution

Chapter 4 Completing Business Messages

To then review the organization of that content, ask the following:

Chapter 5 Writing Routine and Positive Messages

Chapter 6 Writing Negative Messages

Breaking Bad News

To send effective negative employment messages:

When refusing requests for recommendation letters:

When delivering bad news to job applicants:

Chapter 7 Writing Persuasive Messages

Organizing Your Information

When writing your message you should:

Persuasion as a Positive Activity

Chapter 8 Crafting Messages for Electronic Media and Social Media

Planning E-Mail Messages

In particular, be aware of the following guidelines:

Chapter 9 Understanding and Planning Reports

Below is an example of an effective proposal presenting all of the above:

Analyzing the Situation

Organizing Your Information

Chapter 10 Writing and Completing Reports

Making use of technology

By the end, your report should look something like this:

Chapter 11 Developing Oral and Online Presentations

Anticipate your audience

Supportive Interested but neutral Uninterested Apprehensive Hostile

Budget for time

Planning short speeches

Planning long speeches

To ensure effective organization, prepare your content outline in several stages:

You have several delivery methods to choose from:

Chapter 12 Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Chapter 13 Applying and Interviewing for Employment

Webcams Online interviewing systems

If the interview ends with an offer of employment, you may either

Chapter 14 Mastering Interpersonal Communication and Becoming an Effective Communicator

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