2. Chapter 2, Slide 2
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Basics of business writing
Business messages are different from
college essays, term papers, and
messages to friends.
Conciseness and clarity count.
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ZSOLT NUYLASZI
3. Chapter 2, Slide 3
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Purposeful
Persuasive
Economical
Audience oriented
The best business writing is
Following a process can make you
a better writer or speaker.
4. Chapter 2, Slide 4
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
The Writing Process
5. Chapter 1, Slide 5
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 5
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Approximately how much time
should be spent at each stage?
6. Chapter 2, Slide 6
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Analyzing Your Purpose
and Channel
Identify your purpose.
Why are you writing?
What do you hope to achieve?
JON FEINGERSH / ICONICA / GETTY IMAGES
7. Chapter 2, Slide 7
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Select the best channel.
E-mail
Fax
Letter
Memo
Report
Telephone
Voice mail
Meeting
Conversation
Web site
8. Chapter 2, Slide 8
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
How important is the message?
How fast do you need feedback?
Is a permanent record essential?
What is the cost of the channel?
How much formality do you desire?
How confidential or sensitive is the
message?
Select the best channel.
9. Chapter 2, Slide 9
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Profiling the Audience
Primary Audience
Who is the primary reader?
What are my personal and professional
relationships with that person?
What does the person know about the
subject?
What kind of response should I expect?
10. Chapter 2, Slide 10
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Profiling the Audience
Secondary Audience
Who else might see or hear this
message?
Are they different from the primary
audience?
How must I reshape the message for
the secondary audience?
11. Chapter 1, Slide 11
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 11
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Adapting to Task and Audience
12. Chapter 2, Slide 12
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Spotlight Audience Benefits
Focus your statements on the audience,
not the sender.
We are promoting a
new hospitalization
plan that we believe
has many outstanding
benefits.
You will enjoy total peace
of mind with our
affordable hospitalization
plan that meets all your
needs.
Try this:
Instead of this:
13. Chapter 1, Slide 13
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 13
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Adapting
to Task
and
Audience
14. Chapter 2, Slide 14
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Develop a “You” View
Emphasize second-person pronouns
(you/your) instead of first-person pronouns
(I/we, us, our)
Before we can allow you to
purchase items on this new
account, we must wait two
weeks to verify your credit.
You may begin
making purchases
on your new account
in two weeks.
Try this:
Instead of this:
15. Chapter 2, Slide 15
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Quick
Check
These are better:
You can now purchase
HP computers at
discounted prices.
We are now offering
HP computers at
discounted prices.
Revise these sentences:
We are pleased to
announce that you have
been approved to enroll
in our leadership
training program.
Congratulations! You
have been selected to
enter our leadership
training program!
Develop a “You” View
16. Chapter 1, Slide 16
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 16
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Adapting to Task and Audience
17. Chapter 2, Slide 17
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Conversational Language
The undersigned takes
pleasure in . . .
I’m happy to . . .
Try this:
Instead of this:
It may be of some concern
to you to learn that your
check has been received
and your account has been
credited for $250.
We’ve credited your
account for $250.
18. Chapter 1, Slide 18
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 18
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Employ
Positive
Language
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
19. Chapter 2, Slide 19
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Positive Language
Employees may not use
the First Street entrance
during remodeling.
Employees may use the
Market Street entrance
during remodeling.
Try this:
Instead of this:
We cannot fill your order
until we receive an exact
model number.
We can fill your order
once we receive an
exact model number.
20. Chapter 2, Slide 20
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Quick
Check
These are better:
You will be paid
promptly once the job is
completed satisfactorily.
We must withhold
payment until you
complete the job
satisfactorily.
Revise these sentences:
If you fail to follow each
requirement, you will not
receive your $50 rebate.
By following each
requirement, you will
receive your $50 rebate.
State Ideas Positively
21. Chapter 2, Slide 21
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Unprofessional Conversational Formal
Found in
Some comic strips
and songs, some
commercials, some
conversations,
some IM and e-mail
messages
Business
messages, novels,
most newspapers,
and most
magazines
Scientific writing,
legal documents,
scholarly books,
formal essays,
proclamations
Levels of Language Use
22. Chapter 2, Slide 22
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Unprofessional Conversational Formal
Characterized by
Incorrect grammar,
unpredictable
sentence structure,
inappropriate
punctuation, slang,
vulgarisms
Correct grammar
and punctuation,
conversational
tone, simple
sentence structure,
familiar words
Correct grammar,
serious tone,
complex sentence
structure,
polysyllabic words
Levels of Language Use
23. Chapter 2, Slide 23
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Levels of Language Use
Unprofessional Conversational Formal
Examples
wasted
nab
bad-mouth
dough, bread
stewed, plastered
I ain’t
humongous
tight
ruined
catch
criticize
money
intoxicated, drunk
I’m not
enormous
frugal
annihilated
apprehend
disparage
currency
inebriated
I am not
prodigious
penurious
24. Chapter 2, Slide 24
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Quick
Check
You have 15 financial
plans from which to
choose.
I have 15 different
financial plans to offer my
investors.
We want all newly hired
employees to use our
carpooling program for at
least three months.
As a newly hired
employee, you won’t
have to drive to work for
the first three months
because you can
carpool.
Revise to create reader benefits.
25. Chapter 2, Slide 25
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Quick
Check
I’m happy to welcome
you to our staff.
The undersigned takes
great pleasure in
welcoming you to our
staff.
Per your request, we are
sending under separate
cover your May invoice.
As you requested, we
are sending your May
invoice separately.
Revise the following to sound
conversational.
26. Chapter 2, Slide 26
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Hidden Messages
Some words and phrases convey a
negative and unpleasant tone. They
may imply a hidden message that the
writer does not intend. Think twice
before using the following negative
expressions.
27. Chapter 1, Slide 27
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 27
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Hidden Meaning
You are careless
But I don’t believe you
You are careless
It’s probably untrue
I am right
You are not smart
You are at fault
You are inefficient, stupid
and careless
Negative Language
You overlooked
You state that
You failed to
You claim that
You are wrong
You do not understand
Your delay
You forgot to
28. Chapter 1, Slide 28
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 28
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Use
Inclusive
Language
Employ
Positive
Language
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
29. Chapter 2, Slide 29
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Inclusive Language
Have you called a
salesman?
Have you called a
salesperson?
Try this:
Instead of this:
Every executive
has his own office.
All executives have their own
offices.
Every executive has an office.
All executives have offices.
Every executive has his or
her own office.
This alternative is
wordy and calls
attention to itself
30. Chapter 2, Slide 30
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Quick
Check
These are better:
Tenants may move in
on May 1.
As soon as we receive
your credit information,
we can ship your order.
Positive and Inclusive Language
Marcello Luna is the
new accountant.
No tenant may move in
until May 1.
Revise these sentences:
Because you failed to
include your credit
information, we cannot
ship your order.
Marcello Luna is the new
Mexican accountant.
31. Chapter 1, Slide 31
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 31
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Draw on
Familiar
Words
Adopt
Plain
Language
Use
Inclusive
Language
Use Positive
Language
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
32. Chapter 2, Slide 32
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Plain Language
Avoid federalese, bureaucratese, and inflated
language.
Federalese: Each person to whom the request is herein
addressed is henceforth solicited to submit, or to have his or
her department representative submit, to the Department of
Labor official described above, a comment on whether the
proposed plan, in his or her considered view, meets the
requirements of the 2003 law.
Simple Translation: You may wish to comment on whether
the proposed plan meets the requirements of the 2003 law.
33. Chapter 2, Slide 33
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Familiar Words
encounter meet
extrapolate project
obligatory required
terminate end
Avoid long, difficult, and unfamiliar
words. Use short, simple, and common
words whenever possible.
Less familiar words Simple alternatives
34. Chapter 1, Slide 34
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e Chapter 2, Slide 34
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Choose
Courteous
Language
Use
Inclusive
Language
Use Positive
Language
Sound
Conversational
Cultivate
A “You”
View
Spotlight
Audience
Benefits
Create a
Message That
Suits Your
Audience
Draw on
Familiar
Words
Adopt
Plain
Language
35. Chapter 2, Slide 35
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Try this:
Will you please complete
this research by June 1.
You must complete this
research by June 1.
Instead of this:
I am sick and tired of
being the only one who
removes jammed paper
from the copier!
Let me show you how to
remove jammed paper
so that you can
complete your copying.
Courteous Language
Avoid sounding demanding, preachy, or rude.
36. Chapter 2, Slide 36
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Quick
Check
You may have difficulty
ending the contract.
OR: It may be difficult
to end the contract.
You may encounter
difficulty in terminating the
contract.
As stipulated, we
extrapolated the budget
figures for two years.
As required, we
projected the budget
figures for two years.
Revise the following using
simple language
37. Chapter 2, Slide 37
Mary Ellen Guffey, Essentials of Business Communication, 8e
Will you use workbooks
during the required
training period?
Will you utilize workbooks
during the obligatory
training period?
We anticipate that a
majority of the alternative
will be sufficiently
fundamental to meet our
requirements.
We expect that most of
the choices will be
sufficiently basic to
meet our needs.
Revise the following using
simple language