Chapter 9 - Business Writing in Action

IRBs (invitation for bid)

are often job-specific in that they encompass a project that requires a timeline, labor, and materials. For example, if a local school district announces the construction of a new elementary school, they normally have the architect and engineering plans on file, but need a licensed contractor to build it.

Always remember that letters represent you and your company in your absence. In order to communicate effectively and project a positive image,

be clear, concise, specific, and respectful; each word should contribute to your purpose; each paragraph should focus on one idea; the parts of the letter should form a complete message; the letter should be free of errors.

Letters

brief messages sent to recipients that are often outside the organization; They are often printed on letterhead paper, and represent the business or organization in one or two pages. Shorter messages may include e-mails or memos, either hard copy or electronic, while reports tend to be three or more pages in length.

logos refers to

logic or reason

What does a business proposal do?

makes the case for your product or service.

A memo's purpose is

often to inform, but it occasionally includes an element of persuasion or a call to action.

pathos refers to

passion and enthusiasm

An analytical report

presents information with a comprehensive analysis to solve problems, demonstrate relationships, or make recommendations.

Netiquette

refers to etiquette, or protocols and norms for communication, on the INTERNET.

Courtesy Copies or "CC"

The abbreviation "CC" once stood for carbon copies but now refers to courtesy copies. Just like a "CC" option in an e-mail, it indicates the relevant parties that will also receive a copy of the document.

RFPs (request for proposal) typically

specify the product or service, guidelines for submission, and evaluation criteria

Gain the audience's attention with drama, humor, or novelty and follow with specific facts that establish your credibility, provide more information about the product or service, and lead to your call to action to make the sale.

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If the person is a one-hander, and knows all the abbreviations common to texting, you may be able to use similar codes to communicate effectively. If the person is a two-hander, you are better off using fewer words and spelling them out. Texting can be a great tool for connecting while on the go, but consider your audience and your company, and choose words, terms, or abbreviations that will deliver your message.

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Letters may serve to introduce your skills and qualifications to prospective employers, deliver important or specific information, or serve as documentation of an event or decision. Regardless of the type of letter you need to write, it can contain up to fifteen elements in five areas.

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Memo's often represent the business or organization's interests. They may also include statements that align business and employee interest, and underscore common ground and benefit.

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Memos are brief business documents usually used internally to inform or persuade employees concerning business decisions on policy, procedure, or actions.

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Memos are often announcements, and the person sending the memo speaks for a part or all of the organization.

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Never write or send anything that you wouldn't want read in public or in front of your company president.

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Your sales message will compete with hundreds of other messages and you want it to stand out (Price, D., 2005). One effective way to do that is to make sure your attention statement(s) and introduction clearly state how the reader or listener will benefit.

true; Will the product or service save time or money? Will it make them look good? Will it entertain them? Will it satisfy them?

The grapevine

The unofficial, informal communication network within an organization; often characterized by rumor, gossip, and innuendo.

Introduction

This is your opening paragraph, and may include an attention statement, a reference to the purpose of the document, or an introduction of the person or topic depending on the type of letter. An emphatic opening involves using the most significant or important element of the letter in the introduction.

Enclosures/Attachments

This line indicates what the reader can look for in terms of documents included with the letter, such as brochures, reports, or related business documents.

Maximize Scannable Résumé Content

Use Key Words "scannable" "use stand out terms"; Follow Directions "if you know employer is looking for certain skills, put them"; Insert a Key Word Section (Consider a brief section that lists common words associated with the position as a skills summary: customer service, business communication, sales, or terms and acronyms common to the business or industry.); Make It Easy to Read (You need to make sure your résumé is easy to read by a computer, including a character recognition program. That means no italics, underlining, shading, boxes, or lines.); Printing, Packaging and Delivery

A résumé

a document that summarizes your education, skills, talents, employment history, and experiences in a clear and concise format for potential employers.

Business proposals

are documents designed to make a persuasive appeal to the audience to achieve a defined outcome, often proposing a solution to a problem.

RFQs (request for quotation) emphasize

cost, though service and maintenance may be part of the solicitation.

Ethos refers to

credibility

Reports

documents designed to record and convey information to the reader; part of any business or organization; they serve to document specific information for specific audiences, goals, or functions. The type of report is often identified by its primary purpose or function.

What is an unsolicited business proposal?

has not been directly or indirectly solicited; They require a thorough understanding of the market, product and/or service, and their presentation is typically general rather than customer-specific.;

An informational report

informs or instructs and presents details of events, activities, individuals, or conditions without analysis "just the facts"

A letter has fifteen parts, each fulfilling a specific function.

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Informational and analytical reports require organization and a clear purpose.

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Letters are brief, print messages often used externally to inform or persuade customers, vendors, or the public.

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Signature

Five lines after the close, you should type your name (required) and, on the line below it, your title (optional).

Common Proposal Elements

IDEA (Effective business proposals are built around a great idea or solution; want your document and its solution to stand out against the background of competing proposals. What makes your idea different or unique? Business proposals need to have an attractive idea or solution in order to be effective.);

two main categories for reports

Informational or Analytical

Reference (Re:)

Like a subject line in an e-mail, this is where you indicate what the letter is in reference to, the subject or purpose of the document.

Close

"Sincerely" or "Cordially" are standard business closing statements; Closing statements are normally placed one or two lines under the conclusion and include a hanging comma, as in Sincerely,

What is the emphasis on in a business proposal?

Persuasion!

Tips for Effective Business Texting

1. Know your recipient (distinguish when it's ok to use abbreviations etc. coworker vs. boss and such), 2. Anticipate unintentional misinterpretation, 3. Contacting someone too frequently can border on harassment. 4. Unplug yourself once in awhile (take a break from the phone), 5. Don't text and drive (Being in an accident while conducting company business would reflect poorly on your judgment as well as on your employer)

Salutation

A common salutation may be "Dear Mr. (full name)." But if you are unsure about titles (i.e., Mrs., Ms., Dr.), you may simply write the recipient's name (e.g., "Dear Cameron Rai") followed by a colon. A comma after the salutation is correct for personal letters, but a colon should be used in business. The salutation "To whom it may concern" is appropriate for letters of recommendation or other letters that are intended to be read by any and all individuals.

Logo/Contact Information

A formal business letter normally includes a logo or contact information for the organization in the header (top of page) or footer (bottom of page).

Main Parts of a Résumé

Contact Information, Objective, Education, Work Experience

Delivery (Optional)

Sometimes you want to indicate on the letter itself how it was delivered. This can make it clear to a third party that the letter was delivered via a specific method, such as certified mail (a legal requirement for some types of documents).

Your product or service may sell itself, but if you require a sales message, you may want to consider these strategies for success:

Start with your greatest benefit; Take baby steps (don't overwhelm), Know your audience, Lead with emotion, follow with reason.

Date

The date should be placed at the top, right or left justified, five lines from the top of the page or letterhead logo.

Three elements that are integral parts of your business proposal that require your attention

Ethos (refers to credibility), pathos (refers to passion and enthusiasm), and logos (refers to logic or reason) - why is this needed in proposal? Well, Who are you and why should we do business with you? Your credibility may be unknown to the potential client and it is your job to reference previous clients, demonstrate order fulfillment, and clearly show that your product or service is offered by a credible organization.

Virginia Shea's Rules of Netiquette

Remember the human on the other side of the electronic communication. Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life. Know where you are in cyberspace. Respect other people's time and bandwidth. Make yourself look good online. Share expert knowledge. Keep flame wars under control. Respect other people's privacy. Don't abuse your power. Be forgiving of other people's mistakes (Shea, 1994). [[The golden rule (treat others as you would like to be treated) is relevant wherever there is human interaction.]]

Effective, persuasive proposals are often brief, even limited to one page.

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Tips for Effective Business E-mails

1. Proper salutations should demonstrate respect and avoid mix-ups in case a message is accidentally sent to the wrong recipient. [For example, use a salutation like "Dear Ms. X" (external) or "Hi Barry" (internal)]; 2. Subject lines should be clear, brief, and specific. This helps the recipient understand the essence of the message. (Example: "Proposal attached" or "Your question of 10/25."); 3. Close with a signature. (Identify yourself by creating a signature block that automatically contains your name and business contact information.); 4. Avoid abbreviations; 5. Be brief. Omit unnecessary words.; 6. Use a good format. Include line breaks between sentences or divide your message into brief paragraphs for ease of reading. A good e-mail should get to the point and conclude in three small paragraphs or less.; 7. Reread, revise, and review. Catch and correct spelling and grammar mistakes before you press "send."; 8. Reply promptly. Watch out for an emotional response—never reply in anger—but make a habit of replying to all e-mails within twenty-four hours, even if only to say that you will provide the requested information in forty-eight or seventy-two hours.; 9. Use "Reply All" sparingly. Do not send your reply to everyone who received the initial e-mail unless your message absolutely needs to be read by the entire group.; 10. Avoid using all caps. Capital letters are used on the Internet to communicate emphatic emotion or yelling and are considered rude.; 11. Test links. If you include a link, test it to make sure it is complete.; 12. E-mail ahead of time if you are going to attach large files (audio and visual files are often quite large) to prevent exceeding the recipient's mailbox limit or triggering the spam filter.; 13. Give feedback or follow up. If you don't get a response in twenty-four hours, e-mail or call. Spam filters may have intercepted your message, so your recipient may never have received it.

Memo Format

A memo has a header that clearly indicates who sent it and who the intended recipients are; Date and subject lines are also present, followed by a message that contains a declaration, a discussion, and a summary; an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The declaration in the opening uses a declarative sentence to announce the main topic. The discussion elaborates or lists major points associated with the topic, and the conclusion serves as a summary.

Business Proposal

An effective business proposal informs and persuades efficiently. It features many of the common elements of a report, but its emphasis on PERSUASION guides the overall presentation.

Conclusion

An emphatic closing mirrors your introduction with the added element of tying the main points together, clearly demonstrating their relationship. The conclusion can serve to remind the reader, but should not introduce new information. A clear summary sentence will strengthen your writing and enhance your effectiveness. If your letter requests or implies action, the conclusion needs to make clear what you expect to happen. It is usually courteous to conclude by thanking the recipient for his or her attention, and to invite them to contact you if you can be of help or if they have questions. This paragraph reiterates the main points and their relationship to each other, reinforcing the main point or purpose.

A sales message has the five main parts of any persuasive message.

Attention Statement (Use humor, novelty, surprise, or the unusual to get attention.), Introduction, Body, Conclusion, Residual Message (Make the sale, make them remember you, and make sure your final words relate to the most important information, like a contact phone number.)

Five Tips for Effective Business Memos

Audience Orientation (Always consider the audience and their needs when preparing a memo); Professional, Formal Tone; Subject Emphasis; Direct Format (Memorandums are always direct. The purpose is clearly announced.); Objectivity (Memos are a place for just the facts, and should have an objective tone without personal bias, preference, or interest on display. Avoid subjectivity.);

Body

If you have a list of points, a series of facts, or a number of questions, they belong in the body of your letter. You may choose organizational devices to draw attention, such as a bullet list, or simply number them; this is your CORE CONTENT

E-mail (electronic mail)

In business, it has largely replaced print hard copy letters for external (outside the company) correspondence, as well as taking the place of memos for internal (within the company) communication (Guffey, 2008). E-mail can be very useful for messages that have slightly more content than a text message, but it is still best used for fairly brief messages.

Recipient Note (Optional)

This is where you can indicate if the letter is personal or confidential.

Return Address

This is your address where someone could send a reply. If your letter includes a letterhead with this information, either in the header (across the top of the page) or the footer (along the bottom of the page), you do not need to include it before the date.

Businesses expect to see information in a specific order, much like a résumé or even a letter. Each aspect of your proposal has its place and it is to your advantage to respect that tradition and use the categories effectively to highlight your product or service.

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A sales message

the central persuasive message that intrigues, informs, persuades, calls to action, and closes the sale.

A sales message combines emotion and reason, and reinforces credibility, to create interest in a product or service that leads to a sale.

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A targeted proposal is your most effective approach, but recognize the importance of gaining company, service, or brand awareness as well as its limitations.

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A text message is a brief written message sent and received using a digital device. It is useful for informal, brief, time-sensitive communication.

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Business communication in written form requires skill and expertise. From text messages to reports, how you represent yourself with the written word counts.

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Choose a type of report by its function, and display the information in a vivid way that is easily understood.

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A résumé will represent your skills, education, and experience in your absence. Businesses increasingly scan résumés into searchable databases.

yes so make sure is legible by computers (don't use crazy fonts, italics, bold, super small font size etc.)

Sales messages are often discussed in terms of reason versus emotion. Every message has elements of ethos, or credibility; pathos, or passion and enthusiasm; and logos, or logic and reason.

true, because buyers make decisions based on emotion as well as reason, and even if they have researched all the relevant facts about competing products, the decision may still come down to impulse, emotion, and desire.

Business proposals need to target a specific audience.

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E-mail is useful for both internal and external business communications. The content and formatting of an e-mail message should reflect professionalism and follow the rules of netiquette.

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One effective way to address informal, unofficial speculation is to spell out clearly for all employees what is going on with a particular issue.

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Reports come in all sizes, but are typically longer than a page and somewhat shorter than a book.

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Social customs that exist in traditional, live, human interaction also influence the rules and customs by which we interact with each other in the online environment.

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The audience or reader may have their own idea of what constitutes a specific type of letter, and your organization may have its own format and requirements. This chapter outlines common elements across letters, and attention should be directed to the expectations associated with your particular writing assignment. There are many types of letters, and many adaptations in terms of form and content, but in this chapter, we discuss the fifteen elements of a traditional block-style letter.

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While e-mail and text messages may be used more frequently today, the effective business letter remains a common form of written communication. It can serve to introduce you to a potential employer, announce a product or service, or even serve to communicate feelings and emotions.

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Your written business communication represents you and your company: your goal is to make it clear, concise, and professional.

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Preparation Line

If the letter was prepared, or word-processed, by someone other than the signatory (you), then inclusion of initials is common, as in MJD or abc.

Elements of a Business Letter

Return address, date, reference, delivery (optional), recipient note (optional), Salutation, Introduction, Body, Conclusion, Close, Signature, Preparation Line, Enclosures/Attachments, Courtesy Copies or "CC", Logo/Contact Information

Two Types of Business Proposals

Solicited and unsolicited

Traditional Categories of a Business Proposal

follow these traditional categories: 1. Cover Page (Title page with name, title, date, and specific reference to request for proposal if applicable); 2. Executive Summary (Like an abstract in a report, this is a one- or two-paragraph summary of the product or service and how it meets the requirements and exceeds expectations.); 3. Background (Discuss the history of your product, service, and/or company and consider focusing on the relationship between you and the potential buyer and/or similar companies.); 4. Proposal (The idea. Who, what, where, when, why, and how. Make it clear and concise. Don't waste words, and don't exaggerate. Use clear, well-supported reasoning to demonstrate your product or service.) 5. Market Analysis (What currently exists in the marketplace, including competing products or services, and how does your solution compare?); 6. Benefits (How will the potential buyer benefit from the product or service? Be clear, concise, specific, and provide a comprehensive list of immediate, short, and long-term benefits to the company.); 7. Timeline (A clear presentation, often with visual aids, of the process, from start to finish, with specific, dated benchmarks noted.); 8. Marketing Plan (Delivery is often the greatest challenge for Web-based services—how will people learn about you? If you are bidding on a gross lot of food service supplies, this may not apply to you, but if an audience is required for success, you will need a marketing plan.); 9. Finance (What are the initial costs, when can revenue be anticipated, when will there be a return on investment (if applicable)? Again, the proposal may involve a one-time fixed cost, but if the product or service is to be delivered more than once, and extended financial plan noting costs across time is required.); 10. Conclusion (Like a speech or essay, restate your main points clearly. Tie them together with a common them and make your proposal memorable.)

A memo

is normally used for communicating policies, procedures, or related official business within an organization. It is often written from a one-to-all perspective (like mass communication), broadcasting a message to an audience, rather than a one-on-one, interpersonal communication. It may also be used to update a team on activities for a given project, or to inform a specific group within a company of an event, action, or observance.

Strategies for Effective Letters/A letter has 5 main areas

1. The heading, which establishes the sender, often including address and date 2. The introduction, which establishes the purpose 3. The body, which articulates the message 4. The conclusion, which restates the main point and may include a call to action 5. The signature line, which sometimes includes the contact information

The résumé serves three distinct purposes that define its format, design, and presentation:

1. To represent your professional information in writing 2. To demonstrate the relationship between your professional information and the problem or challenge the potential employer hopes to solve or address, often represented in the form of a job description or duties 3. To get you an interview by clearly demonstrating you meet the minimum qualifications and have the professional background help the organization meet its goals

Reports are typically organized around six key elements:

1. Whom the report is about and/or prepared for 2. What was done, what problems were addressed, and the results, including conclusions and/or recommendations 3. Where the subject studied occurred 4. When the subject studied occurred 5. Why the report was written (function), including under what authority, for what reason, or by whose request 6. How the subject operated, functioned, or was used

What is a solicited business proposal?

If you have been asked to submit a proposal it is considered solicited. The solicitation may come in the form of a direct verbal or written request, but normally solicitations are indirect, open-bid to the public, and formally published for everyone to see. A request for proposal (RFP), request for quotation (RFQ), and invitation for bid (IFB) are common ways to solicit business proposals for business, industry, and the government.