Writing skills

Business Communication

Written Communication

Stages of Writing Process

Organizing and Composing messages

Writing Effective Email messages

Writing goodwill, good and bad messages

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Learning to write is learning to think

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Written messages allow more control, mechanical efficiency and convenience for both sender and receiver

Written messages are your best choice when -

You are communicating a routine matterYou are worried about urgency or ambiguity You need or want a document recorded.Your communicating complex and / or numerical informationYou want to give your receiver time to deal with the message at his or her convenience



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Advantages

Ready Reference.

Legal Defence.

Promotes Uniformity.

Mass Access.

Suitable for Distance

Communication.

Image Building.

Accurate and Unambiguous.

Permanent in Nature.

Permits Substitutions and

Revisions.

Disadvantages

Limited to literate world.

Time Consuming.

Lot of paper work.

Needs expertise in expression.

Lack of immediate feedback.

Costly than oral communication.

More man hours needed.

No immediate clarification.


Draft an outline at the beginning by proper planning.

Focus on the audience, purpose, topic and desired outcome.

Structure the Introduction, Body and Conclusion in a systematic and logical order.

Focus on each paragraph. Understand the reader’s perception. Avoid grammatical mistakes. Use proper vocabulary, punctuations, commas,

colons and semi-colons.

Tips for effective Written Communication

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Avoid using slang language. Avoid using “you” while making any criticism. Always start with a positive phrase. Always write the name of the company and the

person correctly. Keep sentences short, clear and concise. Avoid repetition and too many irrelevant details. Elaborate on the technical language and jargons

used. Effectively use the charts, graphs, diagrams and

pictures.


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Never express your anger, frustration, irritation and aggression in written communication.

Proof read the document before sending. Use proper communication channel. Get a proper feedback. Continuously update yourself to improve

written skills.


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1. Identify your purpose2. Analyze your audience3. Choose your ideas4. Collect data to support your

ideas5. Organize your message

5 step writing process

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1. Identify your purpose

Is it informational? Is it persuasive? Are you trying to negotiate a

contract/deal?

All messages have a “relational “purpose.

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Business Communication2. Analyze your audience

Your message has to be seen from the receiver’s point of view.

Be sensitive to your audience needs with a “you” attitude.

• To help us process this order, we must ask for another copy of the requisition.

• So that your order can be filled promptly, please send another copy of the requisition.

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Business Communication3. Choose your idea

Ideas depend on the type of message, the situation, and the cultural context(national and international).

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Know company policies, procedures, product details, customer details etc.

4. Collect your data

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5. Organize your message

Outline your message Prepare a draft Different approaches for different

cultures.

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Basic Organizational Plans

For letters and memos, you can choose one of the four organizational plans

Direct – Request Good news Bad news Persuasive – request plan

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Direct – Request Good news

Bad news Persuasive – request plan

Use the Direct – Request plan when the purpose is to make a request that requires less persuasion.Use the Good news plan to grant requests, announce favorable information.

Direct approach (begin with main idea)

Indirect approach (states main idea later)

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Organizing and composing messages


Indirect Approach When you expect resistance to your

message, such as in a bad-news message or a persuasive request.

You should not present the main idea in the first paragraph.

Begin with a pleasant, neutral statement, then give an explanation before you introduce the idea.(“Porch”)

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Business CommunicationGood News

When your message is favorable or neutral, you can use the good-news plan.

•Best news or main idea•Middle – Explanation, all necessary details, educational information, resale, Sales promotion.•Positive, friendly ending, motivation to action, willingness to help further, appreciation.

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Bad News

A bad-news message varies from a good-news message in tone, structure, and information. In bad-news messages it is important that your tone be appropriate.

Put yourself in the reader’s place.

Show confidence in the reader

Single people out when you praise them, put them in a

group when you criticize them.

Be courteous and shield the reader’s pride.

Talk with, not down to, the reader.

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Bad NewsStructure the message

Buffer Explanation and analysis of circumstancesFriendly, positive close

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BufferBuffers should be neutral in tone: avoid misleading the reader into thinking the news is good.

Explanation and AnalysisExplanation are often crucial to the effectiveness of a negative message.


Bad News

Friendly, Positive close

• Endings should be positive, with reader friendly

requests, assurances, and reader benefits.

• Invite future patronage, cooperation,

suggestions or compliances

• Express continued interest, service and offer

assurances.

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Bad News

Honesty, tactfulness and caution are necessary when

responding to a request for a recommendation for a

person about whom you have unfavorable information.

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When you have made a mistake, it is often best to admit your error in the beginning of your message.

Letters of resignation should include a reason, appreciation for people you are leaving, and a cordial ending.

Negative replies to requests

Business CommunicationTips for Email writing

Objectives To effectively write an email pertaining to the

purpose/ subject of the mail

Understand the nuances of writing a good mail Write mails that are concise but precise Comprehend the rules of writing e-mails

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Write a meaningful subject line

The receiver scans the subject line in order to decide whether to open, forward, file, or trash a message.

Tips for Email writing

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Subject: [Blank] This could come across as arrogant, or at the very

least, thoughtless.

Subject: "10 confirmed for Friday... will we need a larger room?"

Upon reading this revised, informative subject line, the recipient immediately starts thinking about the size of the room, not about whether it will be worth it to open the e-mail.


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Subject: "Important! Read Immediately!!“ What is important to you may not be important to

your reader. Write an informative headline that actually communicates at least the core of what you feel is so important: "Emergency: All Cars in the Lower Lot Will Be Towed in 1 Hour.“

Subject: "Follow-up about Friday“ Fractionally better -- provided that the recipient

remembers why a follow-up was necessary.


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Subject: "That file you requested."

If you're confident your recipient will recognize your e-mail address, and really is expecting a file from you, then this would be fine.


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Keep the message focused and readable Avoid fancy typefaces. Don't depend upon bold

font or large size to add nuances. Avoid attachments that are too large or too many. Use standard capitalization. • All-caps comes across as shouting, and no caps

invokes the image of a laziness. Regardless of your intention, people will respond accordingly.

Proofread • If you are asking someone else to do work for

your work take the time to make your message look professional.


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Don't assume privacy Don't send anything over e-mail that you wouldn't want

posted -- with your name attached -- in the break room. E-mail is not secure.

Identify yourself clearly

Be kind -- don't flame – Just don't hit "Send" while you're still angry.


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Respond Promptly If you want to appear professional and courteous, make yourself available to your online correspondents.

Show Respect and Restraint Be tolerant of other people's etiquette blunders.

Distinguish between formal and informal situationsAlways know the situation, and write accordingly.


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Thank you

Writing skills

Business

business communication

email writing

main idea

news message

writing

subject

news

reader