Effective Written Effective Written CorrespondenceCorrespondence

For Technical & Business Writers• Creating Results-Oriented Letters, Memos & Emails

Writing ProcessWriting Process

PreparingPreparing

brainstormbrainstorm

researchresearch

assess audienceassess audience

define purposedefine purpose

DraftingDrafting

RevisingRevisingre-read forre-read for

–contentcontent–stylestyle–structurestructure– formatformat

Choosing Technical LevelChoosing Technical Level

High - expert, professional peerHigh - expert, professional peer Semi - counterpart in different Semi - counterpart in different

departmentdepartment Non - layperson Non - layperson

Level of Technical Level of Technical ExpertiseExpertise

EqualEqual -- specialized specialized

languagelanguage LessLess -- avoid jargonavoid jargon RequestedRequested -- avoid long introsavoid long intros

Decision- Decision- -- offer clear recsoffer clear recs MakerMaker

Political, Ethical, Legal Political, Ethical, Legal ConsiderationsConsiderations

Predisposition of Predisposition of AudienceAudience

Previous Previous CommunicationCommunication

Exaggeration, Exaggeration, Understatement or Understatement or False PromisesFalse Promises

Elements of StyleElements of Style

ConciseConcise

OrganizedOrganized

NaturalNatural

Appropriately FriendlyAppropriately Friendly

Is it natural…Is it natural…Or is it something else?Or is it something else?

““It is imperative that It is imperative that managerial managerial facilitation pertaining facilitation pertaining to orientation of new to orientation of new employees be employees be undertaken at all undertaken at all levels of authority…levels of authority…blah blah blah….”blah blah blah….”

Something else...Something else...

““Your presentation stunk. I told you Your presentation stunk. I told you NOT to use slides. Didn’t you NOT to use slides. Didn’t you attend my training sessions on attend my training sessions on public speaking??? Obviously, you public speaking??? Obviously, you weren’t paying attention!”weren’t paying attention!”

Standard Parts of a LetterStandard Parts of a Letter

HeadingHeading

Inside Inside AddressAddress

SalutationSalutation

Letter TextLetter Text

Complimentary CloseComplimentary Close

SignatureSignature

Identifying initialsIdentifying initials Enclosure notation Enclosure notation Copy notationCopy notation

Structure of Business Structure of Business LettersLetters

IntroductionIntroduction -- Identify yourself Identify yourself and and purpose purpose

Body Body -- Details/backgroundDetails/background

ConclusionConclusion -- Sum up/encourage Sum up/encourage action action

Letters - OpeningsLetters - Openings

Avoid “ing” openers (Referring…)Avoid “ing” openers (Referring…)

Avoid phrases that end with prepsAvoid phrases that end with preps

(With reference to…)(With reference to…)

Avoid redundancy/announcing (I Avoid redundancy/announcing (I

am writing to inform you… The am writing to inform you… The purpose of this letter…)purpose of this letter…)

PreparingPreparing

BrainstormingBrainstorming

ResearchingResearching

Assessing AudienceAssessing Audience

Defining PurposeDefining Purpose

OrganizingOrganizing

FormattingFormatting

Sequencing InfoSequencing Info

OutliningOutlining

Create a PatternCreate a Pattern

Time Pattern - problem descriptions, brief Time Pattern - problem descriptions, brief histories, informational summaries histories, informational summaries

with with recommendations or forecastsrecommendations or forecasts

• Discuss what has occurredDiscuss what has occurred• Discuss current situationDiscuss current situation• Discuss futureDiscuss future

Letter - Space PatternLetter - Space Pattern

Use for orientations Use for orientations or informational or informational descriptionsdescriptions

• issue at a distanceissue at a distance

• issue nearer issue nearer

• issue at handissue at hand

Letter - Changing Letter - Changing Perspective PatternPerspective Pattern

Explanations, analyses, Explanations, analyses, evaluations, personal evaluations, personal disclosures, disclosures, adjustmentsadjustments

Explain former positionExplain former position Describe crucial event Describe crucial event

of insightof insight Assess current viewAssess current view

Letter - Causal PatternLetter - Causal Pattern

Personnel evaluations, Personnel evaluations, problem analyses, problem analyses, sales/marketing sales/marketing assessments, trouble assessments, trouble reportsreports• Discuss surface Discuss surface

symptomssymptoms• Describe immediate Describe immediate

causescauses• Examine deeper Examine deeper

causescauses

Letter - Proportional Letter - Proportional PatternPattern

Meeting/discussion Meeting/discussion summaries, market summaries, market descriptions/analyses, descriptions/analyses, personnel/attitudinal personnel/attitudinal evaluationsevaluations

• Review majority viewReview majority view• State opinion of State opinion of

smaller groupsmaller group• Discuss even smaller Discuss even smaller

minorityminority

Writing Effective MemosWriting Effective Memos

Usually an internal documentUsually an internal document

Client Memo - team perspective Client Memo - team perspective Consistent with company specsConsistent with company specs Less formal than letterLess formal than letter One message to several partiesOne message to several parties Generally informal/less time to writeGenerally informal/less time to write Provides written record of messageProvides written record of message

Language for Language for CorrespondenceCorrespondence

Simple, directSimple, direct• ““This serves as This serves as

notification of our notification of our agreement, as agreement, as per…..”per…..”

• Say, instead: Say, instead: “Beginning on May 9, “Beginning on May 9, all orders will meet all orders will meet specifications….”specifications….”

Avoid trite phrasesAvoid trite phrases

• attached please find…attached please find…

• in reference to….in reference to….

• each and every one of each and every one of you….you….

• Say, instead:Say, instead:

– attachedattached

– regardingregarding

– each of youeach of you

You Attitude - Reader You Attitude - Reader AwareAware

I or WeI or We• I appreciate your I appreciate your

hard workhard work

• We need your crew We need your crew to follow proceduresto follow procedures

• Our department is Our department is backlogged so your backlogged so your order is delayed...order is delayed...

You-AttitudeYou-Attitude• Your hard word on the Your hard word on the

manual was valuablemanual was valuable

• Your crew will benefit Your crew will benefit from the new from the new proceduresprocedures

• Your order will be Your order will be shipped on May 1….shipped on May 1….

Memo - Format and PartsMemo - Format and Parts

Follow co. specsFollow co. specs

Include all Include all names/titlesnames/titles

Omit courtesy Omit courtesy titlestitles

Address large grpsAddress large grps

Clear/limiting Clear/limiting subject linesubject line

Initial name on Initial name on FromFrom line line

Memo - StructureMemo - Structure

IntroductionIntroduction - - First paragraphFirst paragraph

Orient reader - how much background?Orient reader - how much background?

State purpose State purpose without without announcing announcing

Summarize key pointSummarize key point

Memo - Succeeding Memo - Succeeding ParagraphsParagraphs

Easy to read at a glanceEasy to read at a glance Focused on one issueFocused on one issue Logically organizedLogically organized Reader-friendlyReader-friendly

Include facts/details needed for reader toInclude facts/details needed for reader to

make informed decisionmake informed decision

Break into manageable partsBreak into manageable parts

Use headings, bullets, numbers as neededUse headings, bullets, numbers as needed

Memo - ConclusionMemo - Conclusion

Let reader know Let reader know exactlyexactly what he or what he or she is required to do she is required to do as follow-upas follow-up

Include specific info to Include specific info to help reader complyhelp reader comply

Memo - Good News/Bad Memo - Good News/Bad NewsNews

Good or Neutral NewsGood or Neutral News

• Direct openingDirect opening• ExplanationExplanation• Sales Appeal (if Sales Appeal (if

appropriateappropriate• Friendly closeFriendly close

Bad NewsBad News

• Opening BufferOpening Buffer• Logical ExplanationLogical Explanation• NewsNews• Constructive follow-Constructive follow-

upup• Friendly CloseFriendly Close

Effective E-Mail MessagesEffective E-Mail Messages

Try to keep message Try to keep message to one screen-fullto one screen-full

Copy only readers Copy only readers with a need to knowwith a need to know

Headline message Headline message with clear subject linewith clear subject line

Use paragraph Use paragraph divisions, bullets, divisions, bullets, indentation, headingsindentation, headings

Make clear what you Make clear what you want reader to dowant reader to do

Manage your image Manage your image as a communicatoras a communicator