Business Communication Essentials FOURTH EDITION Welcome to this brief benefits tour of Business Communication Essentials, Fourth Edition. We’ve selected a dozen pages from the text to illustrate some of the many unique features that make BCE4 an ideal teaching and learning resource for your business communication course. To hear audio commentary on each page, click this icon:
Transcript
1. Business Communication Essentials FOURTH EDITION Welcome to
this brief benefits tour of Business Communication Essentials,
Fourth Edition. Weve selected a dozen pages from the text to
illustrate some of the many unique features that make BCE4 an ideal
teaching and learning resource for your business communication
course. To hear audio commentary on each page, click this
icon:
2. Contents in Brief Preface xiii Prologue P-1 [unit 1 ]
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FOUNDATIONS 3 CHAPTER 1 Understanding
Business Communication in Todays Workplace 4 CHAPTER 2 Mastering
Interpersonal Communication 28 [ unit 2 ] THE THREE-STEP WRITING
PROCESS 47 CHAPTER 3 Planning Business Messages 48 CHAPTER 4
Writing Business Messages 68 CHAPTER 5 Completing Business Messages
92 [ unit 3 ] BRIEF BUSINESS MESSAGES 115 CHAPTER 6 Crafting
Messages for Electronic Media 116 CHAPTER 7 Writing Routine and
Positive Messages 143 CHAPTER 8 Writing Negative Messages 172
CHAPTER 9 Writing Persuasive Messages 200 [ unit 4 ] LONGER
BUSINESS MESSAGES 231 CHAPTER 10 Understanding and Planning Reports
and Proposals 232 CHAPTER 11 Writing and Completing Reports and
Proposals 260 CHAPTER 12 Developing Oral and Online Presentations
310 EMPLOYMENT MESSAGES AND JOB [ unit 5 ] INTERVIEWS 337 CHAPTER
13 Building Careers and Writing Rsums 338 CHAPTER 14 Applying and
Interviewing for Employment 365 APPENDIX A Format and Layout of
Business Documents A-1 APPENDIX B Documentation of Report Sources
A-20 APPENDIX C Correction Symbols A-26 Video Guide VG-1 Handbook
of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage H-1 Answer Key AK-1 References R-1
Acknowledgments AC-1 Index I-1 v
3. xx Preface Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14
Learning objectives More emphasis on drafting Comparable to BCE3
More emphasis on rsum New emphasis on the and revising online
content, fraud, rsum formatting, growing use of behavioral
principles of graphic design, and media choices for interviews
verifying the quality of visuals, rsums and completing reports From
the Real World Retained: About the New: About removing Retained:
About poorly Retained: About using the importance of using clear
barriers between the designed rsums being job interview to give
language when speaker and the tossed out without even employers a
good idea of communicating about audience being read who you are
and what you complex topics offer Chapter content (subject areas
New section on drafting New advice for The first section, Building
Reorganized information that were added, clarified, online content
anticipating and a Career with Your on common types of expanded,
streamlined, or New coverage of proposal- responding to the
Communication Skills, is interviews updated for this edition)
writing software emotional state of now in the new Prologue Added
coverage of panel Heavily revised section on presentation Revised
coverage of interviews illustrating reports with audiences
employers approach to Situational and behavioral effective visuals,
including New advice on the employment process interviews separated
as visual literacy and six using a three-act Added information
about two distinct types principles of effective storytelling
networking etiquette Added coverage of visual design structure for
New coverage of career working interviews New coverage of data
presentations objectives, qualifications Added section on
visualization summaries, and career interview media, which
summaries includes e-mail and IM, Revised coverage of video, and
online activities and interviews achievements Revised coverage of
Revised coverage of what employers look for personal data and in an
interview references Replacement of the New coverage of Plan to
Look Good PowerPoint and video section rsums Revised Discussing
Salary section Model documents and New: Data visualization New:
Writing New: Effective New: Effective solicited other exhibits
using a cloud tag (Figure readable content chronological rsum
application message 11.9) (Figure 12.5) (Figure 13.5) (Figure 14.1)
New: Digital image New: Slide master New: Combination manipulation
(Figure (Figure 12.6) rsum (Figure 13.6) 11.12) New: Slide sorter
New: Ineffective rsum view (Figure 12.7) design (Figure 13.7) New:
Navigation and support slides (Figure 12.8) New: Moving blueprint
slides (Figure 12.9) End-of-chapter exercises New questions on
integrating New questions on New questions on rsum New questions on
visuals and text, visual design, presentation skills, writing,
networking, plain- situational and behavioral and wiki revision
ethical design choices, text and HTML formats, and interviews and
slide show qualifications summaries animation Cases 2 new cases 4
new cases 2 new cases Comparable to BCE3 COURSE PLANNING GUIDE
Although Business Communication Essentials follows a traditional
sequence of topics, it is struc- tured so that you can address
topics in whatever order best suits your needs. For instance, if
you want to begin by reviewing grammar, you can ask students to
read Chapter 5,Completing Business Messages and then the Handbook
of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage. Conversely, if you want to begin
with employment-related communication, you can start with the
Prologue, Building a Career with Your Communication Skills,
followed by Chapters 13 and 14. The following table suggests a
sequence and a schedule for covering the chapters in the textbook,
with time allocations based on the total number of class hours
available.
4. 80 Unit 2: The Three-Step Writing Process Creating Effective
Sentences Making every sentence count is a key step in creating
effective messages. Start by selecting the optimum type of sentence
and then arrange words to emphasize the most important point in
each sentence. Choosing from the Four Types of Sentences A simple
sentence has one main Sentences come in four basic varieties:
simple, compound, complex, and compound-com- clause. plex. A simple
sentence has one main clause (a single subject and a single
predicate), although it may be expanded by nouns and pronouns
serving as objects of the action and by modifying phrases. Consider
this example (with the subject underlined once and the predi- cate
verb underlined twice): Profits increased in the past year. A
compound sentence has two main A compound sentence has two main
clauses that express two or more independent but clauses. related
thoughts of equal importance, usually joined by and, but, or or. In
effect, a compound sentence is a merger of two or more simple
sentences (independent clauses) that are related. For example:
Wages have declined by 5 percent, and employee turnover has been
high. The independent clauses in a compound sentence are always
separated by a comma or by a semicolon (in which case the
conjunctionand, but, or oris dropped). A complex sentence has one
main A complex sentence expresses one main thought (the independent
clause) and one or clause and one subordinate clause. more
subordinate thoughts (dependent clauses) related to it, often
separated by a comma. The subordinate thought, which comes first in
the following sentence, could not stand alone: Although you may
question Geralds conclusions, you must admit that his research is
thorough. A compound-complex sentence has A compound-complex
sentence has two main clauses, at least one of which contains a two
main clauses and at least one dependent clause. subordinate clause:
Profits have increased in the past year, and although you may
question Geralds conclu- sions, you must admit that his research is
thorough. Writing is usually most effective if it To make your
writing as effective as possible, strive for variety and balance
using all balances all four sentence types. four sentence types. If
you use too many simple sentences, you wont be able to prop- erly
express the relationships among your ideas, and your writing will
sound choppy and abrupt. If you use too many long, compound
sentences, your writing will sound monotonous. Using Sentence Style
to Emphasize Key Thoughts Emphasize specific parts of In every
message, some ideas are more important than others. You can
emphasize key ideas sentences by through your sentence style. One
obvious technique is to give important points the most Devoting
more words to them space. When you want to call attention to a
thought, use extra words to describe it. Consider Putting them at
the beginning or at the end of the sentence this sentence: Making
them the subject of the The chairperson called for a vote of the
shareholders. sentence To emphasize the importance of the
chairperson, you might describe her more fully: Having considerable
experience in corporate takeover battles, the chairperson called
for a vote of the shareholders. You can increase the emphasis even
more by adding a separate, short sentence to augment the first: The
chairperson called for a vote of the shareholders. She has
considerable experience in corporate takeover battles. You can also
call attention to a thought by making it the subject of the
sentence. In the following example, the emphasis is on the person:
I can write letters much more quickly using a computer.
5. 182 Unit 3: Brief Business Messages Planning Writing
Completing Analyze the Situation Adapt to Your Audience Revise the
Message Verify that the purpose is to refuse a Adjust the level of
formality based Evaluate content and review readability warranty
claim and offer alternatives; on the degree of familiarity with the
to make sure the negative information the audiences likely reaction
is audience (relatively formal is best in wont be misinterpreted;
make sure disappointment and surprise. this case); maintain a
positive your tone stays positive without being Gather Information
relationship by using the you artificial. Verify warranty
information and attitude, politeness, positive emphasis, and
bias-free language. Produce the Message research alternatives to
present to Emphasize a clean, professional the customer. Compose
the Message appearance. Select the Right Medium Use a
conversational but professional Choose the best medium to deliver
Proofread the Message style and keep the message brief, this
message; the customer submitted Review for errors in layout,
spelling, clear, and as helpful as possible. the claim via e-mail,
so a response and mechanics. via e-mail is appropriate. Distribute
the Message Organize the Information Deliver your message via
e-mail. Focus on the main idea, which is to refuse the claim;
select the indirect approach based on the audience and the
situation. 1 2 3 Buffers the bad news by starting with a point on
which the writer and reader agree States the bad news indirectly
Subtly lets the customer while emphasizing the know that he made a
mistake, appropriate uses of the but doesnt blame him directly
product Gives the customer options for the next step, including a
helpful link to the companys website Encourages future purchasing
in a way that indicates a desire Closes on a positive note by to
help the customer avoid a thanking the customer and repeat of this
mistake looking to the future Pointers for Refusing Claims Use the
buffer to indicate that you received and understand the request or
complaint. In the body, provide an accurate, objective account of
the transaction. Make the refusal clear without being abrupt,
insulting, or accusatory. Maintain an impersonal tone that doesnt
offend the reader. Dont apologize for refusing, since your company
hasnt done anything wrong. If appropriate, offer an alternative
solution. Emphasize your continued desire for a positive
relationship with the customer. Close with resale information if
appropriate. Make any suggested actions easy for the reader to
follow. Figure 8.4 Effectively Refusing a Claim Vera Shoemaker
diplomatically refuses this customers request for a new saw blade.
Without blaming the customer (even though the customer clearly made
a mistake), she points out that the saw blade is not intended to
cut steel, so the warranty doesnt cover a replacement in this
instance. If you deal with enough customers over a long-enough
period, chances are youll get a request that is particularly
outrageous. You may even be convinced that the person is being
dishonest. However, you must resist the temptation to call the
person dishonest or incompe- tent. If you dont, you could be sued
for defamation, a false statement that damages some- ones
reputation. (Written defamation is called libel; spoken defamation
is called slander.) To successfully sue for defamation, the
aggrieved party must prove (1) that the statement is false, (2)
that the language injures the persons reputation, and (3) that the
statement has been communicated to others.
6. Handbook of Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage The rules of
grammar, mechanics, and usage provide the answered all the
questions, ask your instructor for an answer guidance every
professional needs in order to communicate suc- sheet so that you
can score the test. On the Assessment of cessfully with colleagues,
customers, and other audiences. English Skills form (page H-3),
record the number of questions Understanding and following these
rules helps you in two you answered incorrectly in each section.
important ways. First, the rules determine how meaning is The
following choices apply to items 15. Write in each encoded and
decoded in the communication process. If you blank the letter of
the choice that best describes the part of dont encode your
messages using the same rules your readers or speech that is
underlined. listeners use to decode them, chances are your
audiences will not extract your intended meaning from your
messages. Without a A. noun firm grasp of the basics of grammar,
mechanics, and usage, you B. pronoun risk being misunderstood,
damaging your companys image, los- C. verb ing money for your
company, and possibly even losing your job. D. adjective In other
words, if you want to get your point across, you need to E. adverb
follow the rules of grammar, mechanics, and usage. Second, F.
preposition apart from transferring meaning successfully, following
the rules G. conjunction tells your audience that you respect the
conventions and expec- H. article tations of the business
community. ____ 1. The new branch location will be decided by next
You can think of grammar as the agreed-upon structure of a week.
language, the way that individual words are formed and the ____ 2.
We must hire only qualified, ambitious graduates. manner in which
those words are then combined to form mean- ____ 3. After their
presentation, I was still undecided. ingful sentences. Mechanics
are style and formatting issues such ____ 4. See me after the
meeting. as capitalization, spelling, and the use of numbers and
symbols. ____ 5. Margaret, pressed for time, turned in unusually
Usage involves the accepted and expected way in which specific
sloppy work. words are used by a particular community of peoplein
this case, the community of businesspeople who use English. This In
the blanks for items 615, write the letter of the word or handbook
can help you improve your knowledge and awareness phrase that best
completes each sentence. in all three areas. It is divided into the
following sections: ____ 6. (A. Russs, B. Russ) laptop was stolen
last week. Diagnostic Test of English Skills. Testing your current
____ 7. Speaking only for (A. me, B. myself), I think the new
knowledge of grammar, mechanics, and usage helps you policy is
discriminatory. find out where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
This test ____ 8. Of the five candidates we interviewed yesterday,
offers 50 items taken from the topics included in this hand- (A.
who, B. whom) do you believe is the best choice? book. ____ 9.
India has increased (A. its, B. its) imports of corn Assessment of
English Skills. After completing the diag- and rice. nostic test,
use the assessment form to highlight the areas ____ 10. Anyone who
wants to be (A. their, B. his or her) own you most need to review.
boss should think about owning a franchise. ____ 11. If the IT
department cant (A. lie, B. lay) the fiber- Essentials of Grammar,
Mechanics, and Usage with optic cable by March 1, the plant will
not open on Practice Sessions. This section helps you quickly
review schedule. the basics. You can study the things youve
probably already ____ 12. Starbucks (A. is, B. are) opening five
new stores in learned but may have forgotten about grammar,
punctua- San Diego in the next year. tion, mechanics (including
capitalization, abbreviation, ____ 13. The number of women-owned
small businesses (A. number style, and word division), and
vocabulary (includ- has, B. have) increased sharply in the past two
ing frequently confused words, frequently misused words, decades.
frequently misspelled words, and transitional words and ____ 14.
Greg and Bernyce worked (A. good, B. well) together. phrases).
Practice sessions throughout this section help ____ 15. They
distributed the supplies (A. among, B. between) you test yourself
and reinforce what you learn. Use this the six staff members.
essential review not only to study and improve your English skills
but also as a reference for any questions you The following choices
apply to items 1620. Write in each may have during this course.
blank the letter of the choice that best describes the sentence
structure problem with each item. Diagnostic Test of English Skills
A. sentence fragment Use this test to determine whether you need
more practice with B. comma splice grammar, punctuation, mechanics,
or vocabulary. When youve C. misplaced modifier H-1
7. 6: Crafting Messages for Electronic Media 123 For the latest
information on using IM in business, visit
http://real-timeupdates.com/bce and click on Chapter 6. CREATING
EFFECTIVE BUSINESS BLOGS A blog (short for web log) is an online
journal that is much easier to personalize and update Blogs have a
unique ability to than a conventional website. In a sense, a blog
combines the global reach and reference value encourage interaction
with a large, geographically dispersed audience. of a conventional
website with the conversational exchanges of e-mail or IM. Good
business blogs pay close attention to several important elements:
Communicating with personal style and an authentic voice. Most
business messages designed for large audiences are carefully
scripted and written in a corporate voice that is impersonal and
objective. In contrast, successful business blogs are written by
individ- uals and exhibit their personal style. Audiences relate to
this fresh approach and often build closer emotional bonds with the
bloggers organization as a result. For instance, Microsofts Channel
9 video blog, or vlog (http://channel9.msdn.com), features
informal, personable video clips in which several of the companys
technical experts answer questions and criticisms from software
developers.25 Delivering new information quickly. Todays blogging
tools let you post new material within minutes of writing it or
filming it. Not only does this feature allow you to respond quickly
when neededsuch as during a corporate crisisit also lets your
audiences know that an active conversation is taking place. Blogs
that dont offer a con- tinuous stream of new and interesting
content are quickly ignored in todays online environment. Choosing
topics of peak interest to audiences. Successful blogs cover topics
that readers care about. For instance, General Motorss popular
FastLane blog (http:// fastlane.gmblogs.com) features top
executives writing about GM cars and respond- ing to questions and
criticisms from car enthusiasts. The people who read the blog and
write comments obviously care about cars and want the latest
information from GM.26 Encouraging audiences to join the
conversation. Not all blogs invite comments, Most business blogs
invite readers to although most do, and many bloggers consider
comments to be an essential feature. leave comments. Blog comments
can be a valuable source of news, information, and insights. In
addition, the relatively informal nature of blogging seems to make
it easier for companies to let their guard down and converse with
their audiences. To guard against comments that are not helpful or
appropriate, many bloggers review all comments and post only the
most helpful or interesting ones. Understanding the Business
Applications of Blogging Blogs are a potential solution whenever
you have a continuing stream of information to The business
applications of blogs share with an online audienceand particularly
when you want the audience to have the include a wide range of
internal and external communication tasks. opportunity to respond.
Here are some of the many ways businesses are using blogs:27
Project management and team communication. Using blogs is a good
way to keep pro- ject teams up to date, particularly when team
members are geographically dispersed. For instance, the trip
reports that employees file after visiting customers or other
external parties can be enhanced vividly with mobile blogs, or
moblogs. Company news. Companies can use blogs to keep employees
informed about general business matters, from facility news to
benefit updates. Blogs also serve as online commu- nity forums,
giving everyone in the company a chance to raise questions and
voice concerns. Customer support. Building on the tradition of
online customer support forums that have been around since the
earliest days of the Internet, customer support
8. 6: Crafting Messages for Electronic Media 137 some say they
are getting tired of all the adsboth ads on the site itself and
pop-up ads. A few say they are switching to other [ BLOGGING SKILLS
websites with fewer advertising intrusions. Your site traffic 5.
Legitimate and Legal: Defending Technology Sales to Chinese numbers
are holding fairly steady for now, but youre worried Police
Agencies Cisco, a leading manufacturer of computer net- that the
few visitors leaving ESPN.com might be the start of a working
equipment, is one of several technology companies that significant
exodus in the future. have been criticized recently for selling
high-tech equipment to Your task Write an e-mail message to your
manager, police agencies in China. After the Chinese government
killed expressing your concern about the amount of advertising con-
hundreds of protestors in Tiananmen Square in 1989, U.S. offi- tent
on ESPN.com. Acknowledge that advertising is a vital cials began
restricting the export of products that could be used source of
revenue but share what youre learned about site vis- by Chinese
security forces. The restrictions cover a range of low- itors who
claim to be migrating to other sites. Offer to lead a tech devices,
from helmets and handcuffs to fingerprint powder comprehensive
review effort that will compare the advertising and teargas, but
not certain high-tech products, such as the net- presence on
ESPN.com with that of other sports websites and working equipment
that Cisco sells, which can conceivably be explore ways to maintain
strong advertising sales without used by security forces in ways
that violate human rights. Critics alienating readers.45 contend
that by not restricting products such as Ciscos, the U.S.
government is not enforcing the full intent of the restrictions.
Moreover, they suggest that Cisco could be enabling abuse. For [
E-MAIL SKILLS example, its Chinese marketing brochure promotes the
equip- 3. Must Be an Opportunity in Here Somewhere: The Growing
ments ability to strengthen police control. Market of Women Living
Without Husbands For the first time in Your task Write a brief post
for the Cisco executive blog that history (aside from special
situations such as major wars), more explains the following points:
The company rigorously follows than half51 percentof all U.S. adult
women now live with- all U.S. export regulations; the companys
marketing efforts in out a spouse. (In other words, they live
alone, with roommates, China are consistent with the way it markets
products to other or as part of an unmarried couple.) Twenty-five
percent have police organizations throughout the world; the
products are never married, and 26 percent are divorced, widowed,
or mar- simply tools, and like all other tools, they can be applied
in good ried but living apart from their spouses. In the 1950s and
into or bad ways, and responsible application is the customers the
1960s, only 40 percent of women lived without a spouse, but
responsibility, not Ciscos; and if Cisco didnt sell this equip-
every decade since, the percentage has increased. In your work ment
to the Chinese government, another company from as a consumer trend
specialist for Seymour Powell (www. another country would.48
seymourpowell.com), a product design firm based in London that
specializes in the home, personal, leisure, and transporta- tion
sectors, its your business to recognize and respond to [ IM SKILLS
demographic shifts such as this. 6. The Very Definition of
Confusion: Helping Consumers Sort Your task With a small team of
classmates, brainstorm possi- Out High-Definition Television
High-definition television can ble product opportunities that
respond to this trend. In an be a joy to watchbut, oh, what a pain
to buy. The field is lit- e-mail message to be sent to the
management team at Seymour tered with competing technologies and
arcane terminology that Powell, list your ideas for new or modified
products that might is meaningless to most consumers. Moreover, its
nearly impos- sell well in a society in which more than half of all
adult women sible to define one technical term without invoking two
or three live without a spouse. For each idea, provide a
one-sentence others, leaving consumers swimming in an alphanumeric
soup explanation of why you think the product has potential.46 of
confusion. The manufacturers themselves cant even agree on which of
the 18 different digital TV formats truly qualify as high
definition. As a sales support manager for Crutchfield [ E-MAIL [
PORTFOLIO SKILLS BUILDER (www.crutchfield.com), a leading online
retailer of audio and video systems, you understand the frustration
buyers feel; your 4. Help Is on the Way: Encouraging Ford Dealers
The Big staff is deluged daily by their questions. Three U.S.
automakersGeneral Motors, Chrysler, and Fordhavent had much good
news to share lately. Ford, in par- ticular, has been going through
a rough time, losing billions of Your task To help your staff
respond quickly to consumers dollars and being overtaken in sales
volume by Toyota. who ask questions via Crutchfields online IM chat
service, you are developing a set of canned responses to common
ques- Your task Write an e-mail message to be sent to all Ford
deal- tions. When a consumer asks one of these questions, a sales
ers in North America, describing an exciting new model about
advisor can simply click on the ready-made answer. Start by to be
introduced to the public. For this exercise, you can use writing
concise, consumer-friendly definitions of the following either an
upcoming Ford model you have researched in the terms: resolution,
HDTV, 1080p, and HDMI. (On the automotive media or a fictitious car
of your own imagination Crutchfield website, click on Learn,TVs,
Blu-ray & Gaming, (make sure its something that could
conceivably be introduced and then Televisions to learn more about
these terms. by Ford).47 Answers.com and CNET.com are two other
handy sources.)49
9. 158 Unit 3: Brief Business Messages Test Your Knowledge 1.
What are three guidelines for asking a series of questions in a
routine request? 2. Should you use the direct or indirect approach
for most routine messages? Why? 3. What six pieces of information
must be included in a letter of recommendation? 4. How can you
avoid sounding insincere when writing a goodwill message? 5. What
are six guidelines for writing condolence messages? Apply Your
Knowledge 1. Why is it good practice to explain that replying to a
request could benefit the reader? 2. Your companys error cost an
important business customer a new client; you know it, and your
customer knows it. Do you apologize, or do you refer to the
incident in a positive light without admitting any responsibility?
Briefly explain. 3. Youve been asked to write a letter of
recommendation for an employee who worked for you some years ago.
You recall that the employee did an admirable job, but you cant
remember any specific information at this point. Should you write
the letter anyway? Explain. 4. Every time you send a direct-request
memo to Ted Jackson, he delays or refuses to comply. Youre
beginning to get impatient. Should you send Jackson an e-mail
message to ask whats wrong? Complain to your supervisor about
Jacksons uncooperative attitude? Arrange a face-to-face meeting
with Jackson? Bring up the problem at the next staff meeting?
Explain. 5. Ethical Choices You have a complaint against one of
your suppliers, but you have no documentation to back it up. Should
you request an adjustment anyway? Why or why not? Practice Your
Knowledge Exercises for Perfecting Your Writing Revising Messages:
Direct Approach Revise the following short e-mail messages so that
they are more direct and concise; develop a subject line for each
revised message. 1. Im contacting you about your recent order for a
High Country backpack. You didnt tell us which backpack you wanted,
and you know we make a lot of different ones. We have the canvas
models with the plastic frames and vinyl trim, and we have
10. 136 Unit 3: Brief Business Messages Expand Your Knowledge
Exploring the Best of the Web Surfing Your Way to Career Success
Ready to Start Blogging? Blogging is easy to do if you have Bove
and Thills Business Communication Headline News the right
information. Start with the helpful tutorials at offers links to
hundreds of online resources that can help
www.website101.com/RSS-Blogs-Blogging. More than 30 you with this
course, your other college courses, and your brief articles cover
everything from creating a blog to career. Visit
http://businesscommunicationblog.com and attracting more readers to
setting up RSS newsfeeds. Learn click on Web Directory. The
Letters, Memos, E-Mail, the techniques for adding audio and photo
files to your blog. Instant Messages, Blogs, and Web Content
section connects Review how search engines treat blogs and how you
can use you to a variety of websites and articles on routine,
positive, search engines to help more people find your blog. Then
and negative messages; persuasive messages; letters and answer the
following questions. memos; e-mail; IM; blogging; and web writing.
Identify three websites from this section that could be useful in
your Exercises business career. For each site, write a two-sentence
summary 1. What are five ways to attract more readers to your blog?
of what the site offers and how it could help you launch and 2. Why
are blogs good for marketing? build your career. 3. What is a
newsfeed, and why is it a vital part of blogging? MyBCommLab.com
Use MyBCommLab.com to test your understanding of the concepts
presented in this chapter and explore additional materi- als that
will bring the ideas to life in video, activities, and an online
multimedia e-book. Additionally, you can improve your skill with
prepositions, conjunctions, and articles by using the Peak
Performance Grammar and Mechanics module within the lab. Take the
Pretest to determine whether you have any weak areas. Then review
those areas in the Refresher Course. Take the Follow-Up Test to
check your grasp of prepositions, conjunctions, and articles. For
an extra challenge, take the Advanced Test. Finally, for even more
reinforcement, go to the Improve Your Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
section that follows the cases, and complete the Level 1:
Self-Assessment exercises. CASES Apply the three-step writing
process to the following cases, as assigned by your instructor.
[[BLOGGING BLOGGING SKILLS SKILLS [ E-MAIL SKILLS 1. Come on to
Comic-Con: Explaining the Benefits of Attending 2. Keeping the Fans
Happy: Analyzing Advertising on ESPN.com Comic-Con International is
an annual convention that high- ESPN leads the pack both online and
off. Its well-known cable lights a wide variety of pop culture and
entertainment media, television sports channels are staple fare for
sports enthusiasts, from comic books and collectibles to video
games and movies. and ESPN.com (http://espn.go.com) is the leader
in sports From its early start as a comic book convention that
attracted websites. Advertisers flock to ESPN.com because it
delivers mil- several hundred fans and publishing industry
insiders, Comic- lions of visitors in the prime 18- to 34-year-old
demographic Con has become a major international event, with more
than group. With a continually refreshed offering of sporting news,
120,000 attendees. columnists, video replays, and fantasy leagues
(online competi- tions in which participants choose players for
their teams, and Your task Several readers of your pop culture blog
have been the outcome is based on how well the real players do in
actual asking for your recommendation about visiting Comic-Con in
live competition), ESPN.com has become one of the major San Diego
next summer. Write a two- or three-paragraph post- advertising
venues on the web. ing for your blog that explains what Comic-Con
is and what As an up-and-coming web producer for ESPN.com, youre
visitors can expect to experience at the convention. Be sure to
concerned about the rumblings of discontent youve heard address
your posting to fans, not industry insiders. You can from friends
and read in various blogs and other sources. learn more at
www.comic-con.org.44 ESPN.com remains popular with millions of
sports fans, but
11. http://businesscommunicationblog.com
12. http://real-timeupdates.com/bce 1 Read messages from the
authors and access over 175 media items available only to
instructors. (Students have access to their own messages,
assignments, and media items.) 2 Click on any chapter to see the
updates and media items for that chapter. 4 Subscribe via RSS to
individual chapters to get updates automatically for the chapter
youre currently teaching. 3 Scan headlines and click on any item of
interest to read the article or download the media item. Every item
is personally selected by the authors to complement the text and
support in-class activities. 5 Media items are categorized by type
so you can quickly find podcasts, videos, PowerPoints, and
more.