BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCECH. 4, TOPIC 2

PREPARING EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTS

•Five traits of effective documents▫5 C’s of business writing

Clear Concise Courteous Complete Correct

▫Planned well and prepared carefully

PREPARING EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTS, CONT’D

•Preparing a document includes three stages:▫A rough draft is written▫Revised or edited as needed▫Proofread and corrected for final presentation

•Drafting – stage one▫Purpose

Written to inform, persuade or describe Clear understanding of why writing the document

▫Message Tone (writing style, manner) as important as

content

PREPARING EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTS, CONT’D

Points to keep in mind Prepare an outline Focus on the reader – the “you” approach Give message a positive tone Avoid negative words Always be courteous

▫Audience Know certain things about the reader Is the document external or internal

distribution

PREPARING EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTS, CONT’D

▫Response How will reader use this document

make a decision Gain information

State message and response clearly•Revising and Editing – stage two

▫Process of making changes to refine the document

▫Primary purpose of editing is to make certain the message is accurate and says what the writer intends

PREPARING EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTS, CONT’D•Editing is polishing by making changes in

response to these questions:▫Improve word choice?▫Transitions smooth, flowing logically?▫Should points order be changed?▫Inconsistencies in writing to be corrected?

•Standard proofreaders’ marks are used for editing changes that are understood by others (see p. 131 in text)

PREPARING EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTS, CONT’D•Proofreading – stage three

▫Careful, overall check of the document▫Verify changes in editing phase made

correctly▫Check numbers/unusual spellings in original

documents▫Use spell checker, then complete manual

proofreading▫Spelling feature limited in identifying errors

(“there” or “their” will not be detected)

Message Types•Positive or Neutral Messages

▫Reader not disappointed with a positive(good news or agreement) or neutral(simply relays facts – neither positive or negative) message

▫Examples: Placing or confirming orders Placing request for information Filling or extending request for credit

Message Types•Negative messages

▫Involves refusal or message disappointing or upsetting to the reader

▫Keep reader’s goodwill (friendly feeling or attitude)

▫Examples of negative messages Refusing a request for an adjustment, credit Canceling a service Reporting unfavorable results

▫Use indirect approach▫Begin with neutral statement

Message Types•Persuasive messages (designed to

convince reader)▫Influence reader to take desired action▫Sales letters, collection letters and donation

letters require persuasive messages▫Collection letters require stages of

persuasion Strong reminder stage Inquiry stage Urgency stage

Business Letters

•Written message to a person or an organization

•Usually written to someone outside of the company

•As letter writer, you are the company’s representative

•Your letter helps reader form an opinion about the company

Business Letters•Reasons for writing business letters are:

▫Requesting information or an action▫Giving information or fulfilling a request▫Being courteous or maintaining goodwill▫Explaining or stating a position▫Selling goods or services

•Presentation of business letters▫Primary purpose is to convey a message

Business Letters, cont’d •Good first impression characteristics of a

business letter▫Margins and spacing pleasing to the eye▫Each letter part correctly placed within the

letter▫Appropriate stationery is used▫No obvious errors▫Print is neat and clear▫No smudges or fingerprints

•Make your letter as attractive as possible

Business Letters, cont’d•Letter parts

▫Follow a standard protocol (generally accepted customs or rules)

▫Those who receive business letters expect to see them using certain letter parts

▫Standard letter parts Printed letterhead Date Letter address salutation

Business Letters, cont’d Body Complimentary close Signature, printed name, and title

▫Optional letter parts Mailing notations Attention line Subject line Enclosure notation Separate cover notation Copy notation Postscript Reference initials Multiple-page heading

Business Letters, cont’d•If more than one page required

▫Heading Name of addressee Word “page” Page number Letter date

•Business letter formats (arrangement or layout, as of text on the page)▫Using standard format increases efficiency

for writer and recipient

Business Letters, cont’d•Block

▫All lines begin at left margin▫Paragraphs are NOT indented

•Modified▫Date, complimentary close and signature

block (writer’s signature, typed name, and title) begin at horizontal center of page

▫First line of paragraph may be indented

Business Letters, cont’d

•Punctuation styles▫Open

No punctuation used after the salutation or the complimentary close

▫Mixed Colon placed after salutation Comma placed after the complimentary close

Business Letters, cont’d•Repetitive letters

▫Letters used over and over again ▫Same letter sent to hundreds of different

readers▫Standard text is called “boilerplate text”▫Custom text is called “variables”▫Special word processing feature called

“mail merge” will allow writer to combine standard and variable text automatically

Envelopes • Most letters sent outside the company• Require an envelope for mailing• Reader forms opinion of document when

viewing the envelope• Envelope must be of proper size and material

acceptable to the USPS (United States Postal Service)

• Envelopes include the following information:▫Recipient’s name and address▫Sender’s return address▫Special addressee notation▫Special mailing notation

Envelopes, cont’d•USPS format

▫Use all capital letters in the address▫Omit punctuation except for hyphen in zip

code▫No numbers or attention line should appear

at top of address▫Special mailing notation below the stamp

area▫Special addressee notation (ex.

Confidential) below the return address

Memos • Informal document used within an organization• More formally called a memorandum• Useful for giving same information to several

people• Can give instructions or explain procedures• Can be created using a memo template or wizard

in word processing software• Standard parts of a memo

▫Heading (TO, FROM, DATE, SUBJECT)▫Body

• Optional parts▫Copy notation▫Enclosure notation

Memos, cont’d•If recipient nearby, can be placed in

person’s inbasket or mailbox•If different location, sent in an interoffice

envelope•If confidential, place in envelope and

mark Confidential•If prepared well, recipient forms a

positive image of you as an employee

Email •Message sent electronically•Users connected to internet send and

receive messages all over the world•Workers use email for routine messages

with people inside and outside of the company

•Email is appropriate for short, informal correspondence

•Files containing more information may be attached

Email, cont’d•Inexpensive, fast and easy to use•However, emails are recorded (they may

be viewed by people other than the original recipient)

•May be read by employer or coworkers•NEVER write an email message that you

would not want other employees or your supervisor to read

Email, cont’d•Addresses

▫Be careful when recording an email address

▫Case sensitive▫If written incorrectly, will not be delivered

to the intended address•Features

▫Headings ▫Section for the body

Improving Communications in Organizations•Memos and email most commonly used

written messages within an organization•Memos should be used to provide

confidential information•Email appropriate for many short, in-

house messages•Both should be written clearly and

concisely

Improving Communications in Organizations

•Guidelines for improving memo and email messages▫Keep message short▫Use a descriptive subject line▫Follow a logical sequence in presenting

information▫Write using a positive tone▫When communicating online, observe

proper netiquette (guidelines for proper online behavior)

▫Honor others’ rights of privacy

Desktop Publishing

•Product brochures, newsletters, and flyers use a unique format and design different from business letters

•They use fancy fonts (style of design for type characters)

•They use graphics (clipart, photos or other images)

Desktop Publishing• Guidelines

▫Use consistency in design▫Use ample “white space” (area of page with no

text)▫Create pleasing balance of elements (headings,

body text, images)▫Create contrast in design by placing different

objects next to each other▫ Include artwork or photos relevant to the message▫Use fonts that are easy to read▫Use all capitals sparingly ▫Avoid widow lines (lines left alone)▫Avoid large horizontal spaces between words