Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 2-1 Chapter 2 Writing for Business Audiences.

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd.Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 2-1

Chapter 2Chapter 2

Writing for

Business Audiences


Improving Your Business WritingImproving Your Business Writing

The best business writing is• Audience-oriented

• Purposeful

• Economical

To improve your writing skills, you need• An effective writing process

• To study model messages

• Practice


The Writing ProcessThe Writing Process

Stage 1: Prewriting

Analyzing

AnticipatingAdapting

Stage 2: Writing

ResearchingOrganizing

Composing

Stage 3: Revising

RevisingProofreading

Evaluating


Selecting the Best ChannelSelecting the Best Channel

Importance of message Amount and speed of feedback required

Necessity of a permanent record

Cost of the channel

Degree of formality desired

Best practices in your company


Choosing Communication Channels

Choosing Communication Channels

Written: E-mail, instant message, fax, letter, memo,

report or proposal

Spoken:Telephone, voice-mail, face-to-face conversation or group meeting, video- or teleconference


Audience BenefitsAudience Benefits

Instead of this:We offer evening language courses that we know are excellent.

Try this:The sooner you enroll in our evening language courses, the sooner the rewards will be yours.

Improve your messages by using reader benefits.


Polite “You” ViewPolite “You” View

Instead of this:

I have scheduled your vacation to begin May 1.

Try this:You may begin your vacation May 1.

Improve the tone of your messages with a polite “you” view.


Positive LanguagePositive Language

Instead of this:

If you fail the exam, you will not qualify.

Try this:You will qualify if you pass the exam.

Positive language improves the tone of a message.


Inclusive LanguageInclusive Language

Instead of this:Have you called a salesman?

Every executive has his own office.

Try this:Have you called a salesperson?

All executives have their own offices.


Try Your SkillTry Your Skill

Change this sentence to show the benefits for the reader. We cannot send your order from our

warehouse until June 1.

Your order will be sent to you June 1.



Change this sentence to show the benefits for the reader. We cannot send your order from our

warehouse until June 1.

Your order will be sent to you June 1.



Change this sentence to show the reader benefits. I have 15 different financial plans to offer my

investors.

You have 15 different financial plans available.


Five Ways Technology Can Improve Your Business Writing

Five Ways Technology Can Improve Your Business Writing

Collecting information electronically Using templates Improving correctness and precision Adding graphics for emphasis Designing and producing professional-

looking documents, presentations, and webpages


End

Copyright © 2008 by Nelson Education Ltd. Ch. 2-1 Chapter 2 Writing for Business Audiences.

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