“My success was not just because of hard work.” Show Porter Gale, author of Your Network is Your Net Worth, in a Forbes interview, revealed that much of her success can be attributed to relationships she made throughout the years. She stressed that one’s “net worth” is not anchored on the size of one’s portfolio or network but on the quality of affairs and on one’s “ability to define and stay true to your passions and values and that working with other people who share them will allow you to build a strong and enduring interpersonal safety net that will carry you through any financial calamity to greater output and personal fulfillment.” Indeed, communication is the soul of any business. It serves as both the content and channel for one’s decisions, ideas, tasks, solutions, plans, and need to belong and solidify your sense of culture and self. In fact, a Towers Watson study attests that companies that communicate with courage, innovation, and discipline are more effective at engaging employees and producing ideal business outcomes. One type of communication that is used almost everyday in the corporate world is business writing: from emails, memos, new policies and instructions to huge client presentations, research and development, and marketing campaigns. Even profit-making and nonprofit organizations in the field of aeronautics, according to a survey by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), are into communication the whole time. It says respondents use:
Fundamentally, poor business writing is costly and leads to disastrous events. A Los Angeles Business journal article explained that billions of dollars are lost due to insufficient writing skills among business people. It happens, for example, when a customer does not understand the email, marketing tool, or proposal by a company because of wrong grammar or awkward style and tone. The article adds that customers encountering poorly written materials might form an undesirable impression of how a company runs its business. This post is a part of a series of guides on business writing. Today, we will tackle:
What is Business Writing? Business Writing is a type of written communication, usually with standard structure and style. According to the Capella University, it addresses the needs of specific audiences and has prose and lists for a particular topic that concerns business. Advantages and Disadvantages of Written Communication The Inc. Magazine website details what makes written communication work … and worse: Pros
Cons
To prevent such disadvantages, there are principles and techniques that people can apply. Elements to Consider Before Writing A Business Document 1) The Purpose. This will serve as the direction, the reference, and the path of your details. This will set the tone, the style, and structure of your letter. This is your message and your goal. Defining your purpose will set things right at the very beginning. For example, if your purpose is to excite and invite the employees to join the annual talent contest of the company as a team-building effort, you cannot bore them with long paragraphs explaining how the activity will help boost their productivity, write too formal sentences, or use heavy office or work jargon. The purpose tells you to keep your lines light yet still professional, use bullets, and add an exclamation point or two at the end of the memo. To determine how the document will appear, it is only critical to ask yourself first if your purpose is:
2) The Audience. Another significant step in order to make an impact on your audience is to know them. For example, if you simply send a letter to employees about attending a conference on a Sunday and reiterating that it is a requirement, a portion of your workforce might resume to work with worries in their heads because they have religious obligations to meet on Sundays. If you can tailor your letter without touching any religion, culture or sensitive issue in an uncomfortable way, work would be much smoother and solidarity among the people will remain intact. Here are methods you can take to know your audience better:
Grammar and Language in Business Writing iFixit CEO Kylie Wins, in his controversial post at the Harvard Business Review blog, claims that “grammar signifies more than just a person’s ability to remember high school English. I’ve found that people who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing — like stocking shelves or labeling parts.” He furthers that in his company where programming, like writing, is crucial, “the devil’s in the details. In fact, when it comes to my whole business, details are everything. I hire people who care about those details.” For clients or partners, language may echo a company’s competence, culture, openness to development, and way of treating business. Hence, there is a need to prevent grammatical errors and inappropriate writing in business communication. On words, phrases, and sentences The book “Effective Business Communication,” by Ronnie Bouing, suggests that complex and general nouns and wordy lines should be avoided. There should be less jargon–unless it is a technical document–and more specific words and brief yet strong phrases. Let’s take a look at his examples:
The Miami University presents the following pointers:
Here are other tips for better business writing:
The Pepperdine University – Graziado School of Business and Management lists several action words you can use in professional writing:
On overall grammar editing: The Harvard Business Publishing details ways to edit grammar and mechanics:
On formatting: Headings and bullets – Headings are used to underscore the main points, form white space, and make it easy for readers to scan the document. Bullets, on the other hand, are often for series of items. They are useful because a huge volume of data can be converted into “small, digestible bites,” making the reading experience smooth and the paper easier to navigate. Tables – These are used when subjects or options are being compared or contrasted to one another. These tools will avoid the repetition of the company names and categories throughout the text. There would be less words because the data no longer needs extensive explanation. Maps, flowcharts, and diagrams – These are for more complex data or connections of data that text alone can no longer detail substantially. These also aid in presentations, saving more time and other resources. Bold face and italics – To emphasize specific points to readers , you can put the words in boldface or in italics. On using sources: The Miami University gives pointers for acknowledging sources in business documents, especially those that present proposals: a) Readers should be able to identify sources. State full URLs, names of websites, and authors’ names using a consistent citation method. b) Avoid using direct quotes and instead paraphrase them or state them in your own words. This will also give the impression that you have a solid grasp of the evidence for your proposals. c) Provide explanation for outside materials so readers will not come up with an interpretation that is different from yours. d) Use only persuasive and credible sources. This will make your document more reliable and convincing. On content development and organization of ideas: Ideas in your business should flow in a logical manner to keep the whole discussion smooth and all thoughts cohesive. The Purdue University has guide questions for reviewing professional papers
For content development, you can ask the following as you re-check your content:
Types of Business Communication Barbie Carpenter of Demand Media, a digital marketing agency, in an article, shares the four types of business communication: 1) Results-Oriented Communication. This type of correspondence encourages people, especially those in the office, to take actions or follow specific instructions. An example of this is a memo with the weekly goals of a team. It is expected to be motivational to produce solid results. 2) Informational Communication. Some documents are eyeing a goal, but some are simply to inform the audience. For example, an email can be about a change in a policy, a help manual for a particular program or facility, or changes in the organizational structure. These papers are expected to be clear to avoid misinterpretation. 3) Negative Communication. There are inevitable events in the workplace that may not be pleasing to everyone. Writing about them requires careful planning. “For example, a human resources specialist might have to write a letter about a layoff or severance package. In this type of communication, the writer should use a firm but empathetic tone and write succinctly to provide essential information in a direct manner.” 4) Persuasive Communication. This refers to proposals or applications for a government grant, funding, or partnership. Lines should be convincing and positive to make an impression and hook the recipient to consider or act on the plan. Which of the following is the first step in conducting effective business research?Step 1: Identify and develop your topic.
Which of the following is a goal of business writing quizlet?The goal of business writing is to get the desired reaction from your receiver while building/maintaining goodwill. You just studied 11 terms!
Which of the following are characteristics of effective and compelling business message frames?Which of the following are characteristics of effective and compelling business message frames? They are memorable. They use rational and emotional appeal.
Which type of tone is best for business messages?"The business writer should strive for an overall tone that is confident, courteous, and sincere; that uses emphasis and subordination appropriately; that contains nondiscriminatory language; that stresses the "you" attitude; and that is written at an appropriate level of difficulty" (Ober 88).
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