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CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 2

PlanningPlanningBusinessBusinessMessagesMessages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 2

Purposeful Persuasive Economical Audience oriented

The best business writing isThe best business writing isThe best business writing isThe best business writing is

Following a process can make you a better writer or speaker.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 3

Approximately how much time should be spent at each stage?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 4

Analyzing Your Purpose Analyzing Your Purpose and Channeland Channel

Identify your purpose. Why are you writing? What do you hope to achieve?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 5

Select the best channel.Select the best channel.Select the best channel.Select the best channel.

E-mail

Fax

Letter

Memo

Report

Telephone

Voice mail

Meeting

Conversation

Web site

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 6

How important is the message? How fast do you need feedback? Is a permanent record essential? What is the cost of the channel? How much formality do you desire? How confidential or sensitive is the

message?

Select the best channel.Select the best channel.Select the best channel.Select the best channel.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 7

Profiling the AudienceProfiling the Audience

Primary Audience Who is the primary reader? What are my personal and professional

relationships with that person? What does the person know about the

subject? What kind of response should I expect?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 8

Profiling the AudienceProfiling the Audience

Secondary Audience Who else might see or hear this

message? Are they different from the primary

audience? How must I reshape the message for

the secondary audience?

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 9

Spotlight Audience BenefitsSpotlight Audience BenefitsSpotlight Audience BenefitsSpotlight Audience Benefits

Focus your statements on the audience, not the sender.

We are promoting a new hospitalization plan that we believe has many outstanding benefits.

You will enjoy total peace of mind with our affordable hospitalization plan that meets all your needs.

Try this:Instead of this:

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 10

Develop a “You” ViewDevelop a “You” ViewDevelop a “You” ViewDevelop a “You” View

Emphasize second-person pronouns (you/your) instead of first-person pronouns (I/we, us, our)

Before we can allow you to purchase items on this new account, we must wait two weeks to verify your credit.

You may begin making purchases on your new account in two weeks.

Try this:Instead of this:

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 11

Conversational LanguageConversational LanguageConversational LanguageConversational Language

The undersigned takes pleasure in . . .

I’m happy to . . .

Try this:Instead of this:

It may be of some concern to you to learn that your check has been received and your account has been credited for $250.

We’ve credited your account for $250.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 12

Positive LanguagePositive LanguagePositive LanguagePositive Language

Employees may not use the First Street entrance during remodeling.

Employees may use the Market Street entrance during remodeling.

Try this:Instead of this:

We cannot fill your order until we receive an exact model number.

We can fill your order once we receive an exact model number.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 13

Inclusive LanguageInclusive LanguageInclusive LanguageInclusive Language

Have you called a salesman?

Have you called a salesperson?

Try this:Instead of this:

Every executive has his own office.

All executives have their own offices.

Every executive has an office. All executives have offices. Every executive has his or

her own office.

This alternative is wordy and calls

attention to itself

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 14

Plain LanguagePlain LanguagePlain LanguagePlain Language

Avoid federalese, bureaucratese, and inflated language.

Federalese: Each person to whom the request is herein addressed is henceforth solicited to submit, or to have his or her department representative submit, to the Department of Labor official described above, a comment on whether the proposed plan, in his or her considered view, meets the requirements of the 2003 law.

Simple Translation: You may wish to comment on whether the proposed plan meets the requirements of the 2003 law.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 15

Try this:

Will you please complete this research by June 1.

You must complete this research by June 1.

Instead of this:

I am sick and tired of being the only one who removes jammed paper from the copier!

Let me show you how to remove jammed paper so that you can complete your copying.

Courteous LanguageCourteous LanguageCourteous LanguageCourteous Language

Avoid sounding demanding, preachy, or rude.