This document provides an overview of best practices in business writing and communication. It discusses effective communication, barriers to communication, ethical business communication, formal and informal communication channels, intercultural business communication, writing tips, delivering positive and negative messages, electronic messages, business presentations, reports and proposals. The key takeaway is that a successful business writer must know their audience, understand the purpose of communication, be clear and concise in writing, and select the appropriate tone and channel.

1. Best Practices in
Business Writing and Communication
Jaymie Brain
ORG 536 – Contemporary Business Writing and Communication
Colorado State University – Global Campus
Dr. Robert Olszewski
November 19, 2013

2. Introduction
Good business relationships are contingent upon
effective communication
What is effective communication?
(Condron, 2012)

3. Effective Communication
Communication: The process of exchanging
information
Effective: Successful in producing desired
intent or results
Effective + Communication = Exchanging
information to successfully produce a
desired intent or result
(Definition: Communication, 2013; Definition:
Effective, 2013; Condron, 2012)

4. Barriers to Communication
Barriers block, distort, or alter the information
Shannon’s Communication Model
Barriers to Communication
Message
Listener
Perceived
Sender
Intended
Feedback
Examples of barriers:
Non-assertive behavior
Task-preoccupation
Anger or frustration
Personal bias
Team diversity
Organizational structure
Interruptions
By identifying barriers and applying
countermeasures, people can effectively
(Fitchard, 2007)
communicate

5. Ethical business communication
Ethics is a corporate and individual concern
Channels
Written
Verbal
Electronic
Visual / In-Person
Originators
Teams
Committee Members
Subject Matter Experts
Individuals
External Communication
Corporate Announcements
Press Releases
Alignment Documents
Mission Statements
Confidentiality Agreement
Code of Conduct
Code of Ethics
Disconnect between
internal and external
communications
Internal Communication
Legal Documents
Informal Messages
(DeCay, 2011)

6. Formal & Informal Channels
Formal Communication
• Supported arguments
• Main points fully evolved
• Thorough
• Limited emotions
• Written in third person
Informal Communication
• Exploratory
• Speculative
• Writer-based
• Emotional
• First person narrative
Internal or external communication may be
formal or informal
(Johnson, Donohue, Atkin, & Johnson, 1994)

7. Intercultural business communication
From individuals or groups
within or between countries
in a business environment
from different cultures
Considerations:
• Directness
• Openness
• Individualism vs. collectivism
• National, corporate, and business cultures
• People are members of more than one culture
• Corporate policy
• Individual preferences
(Varner, 2000)

8. Intercultural business communication
The ability to communicate, negotiate and
effectively work with people from other cultures is
vital to business.
To foster understanding:
• Maintain formality
• Show respect
• Communicate clearly
• Be inclusive
• Limit use of slang, acronyms, and emotions
(Varner, 2000)

9. Writing tips for the business
professional
The Avoid List
• Common grammatical errors
• Jargon
• Unnecessary use of long words or sentences
• Oversimplifying
(Coster, 2010; Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

10. Writing tips for the business
professional
The audience is the most important factor in
business writing.
Knowledge level?
Relationship?
Interest level?
Possible
reactions?
Know the audience
(Guffrey & Loewy,
2000)

11. Writing tips for the business
professional
Use a writing
process
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

12. Writing tips for the business
professional
Business messages should be
Purposeful
Economical
Audience Oriented
Persuasive
Remember
PEAP
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

13. Writing tips for the business
professional
The Do List
• BLUF - Bottom Line Up Front
• Clarity
• Use plain English
• Limit emotions
• Active Voice
• Simple, clear, and concise language
(Coster, 2010; Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

14. Positive and negative messages
Is the coach conveying a
positive or negative
message?
How about this coach?

15. Positive and negative messages
Actions speak louder than words…the technique of
reading people is an art.
Body language can
• Repeat the message being said
• Contradict what words are saying
• Substitute for verbal message
• Accent or make the message stronger
Over 65% of all communication is non-verbal.
(Shukla, 2009)

16. Positive and negative messages
Positive messages
• Convey more information
• Are more pleasant to read
• Tells what is and what can be done
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)

17. Positive and negative messages
Delivering good news:
• Open with a clear message
• React to the conversation
• Close with tasking, action request, or a thank
you
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)

18. Positive and negative messages
When delivering bad news:
• Explain position clearly and completely
• Maintain professionalism
• Convey empathy and sensitivity
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)

19. Positive and negative messages
Direct or Indirect Strategy
• Use a direct strategy for news that is not damaging or that may
be overlooked
• Use an indirect strategy for news that is personally upsetting,
may provoke a hostile reaction, or is unexpected (sandwich
approach)
Sandwich Approach
Buffer
Bad News
Closing
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012 ; Shukla, 2009)

20. Electronic messages and digital media
• Efficient and quick
• Select most effective channel, not most
preferred channel
• Maintain professionalism
• Reach global audience in seconds
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

21. Choosing Communication Channels
Channel
Best Use
Blog
When one person needs to present information
Email
When feedback is necessary
Face to Face
For a rich, interactive medium; used for persuasive and bad news
Face to Face – Group
When group decisions are important.
Fax
When a written record and speed is important across international
boundaries
Instant Message
When online and need a quick response
Letter
When a written record or formality is required
Memo
Written record to clearly explain policies and procedures
Phone Call
When delivering or gathering information quickly
Report or Proposal
When delivering considerable data, internal or external
Voice Mail Message
To leave important or routing information for the receiver
Video or Audio Call
When members are geographically dispursed
Wiki
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)
When digital information must be maid available to otherss

22. Business Presentations
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Steps
Know the audience
Know the material
Write the speech
Build the presentation
Rehearse & refine
Deliver the Presentation
Strike a balance
between boring and
flashy
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

23. Business reports, plans and proposals
Purpose is to
• Solve Problems
• Provide services
• Sell Products
Framework
• Identify purpose in first paragraph
• Define and discuss goals
• Organize findings
• Discuss actions, resolution, or recommendation
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

24. Key Concepts
A successful business writer must:
• Know the audience
• Understand the demand for good writing
• Know the end state and the path
• Be explicit, clear, and concise
• Be interesting
• Organize thoughts
• Select tone and channel for best results
• Prewrite, write, revise
(Guffrey & Loewy, 2012)

25. Additional Resources
• For more information
– Essentials of Business Communications
– Shockingly effective presentations
– Competent Speaker Evaluation Sheet

26. References
Condron, F. (2012). The 30 best business practices of all time. Profit, 31(2), 33.
Coster, H. (2010, May 3). Ten tips for better business writing. Forbes. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/03/better-business-writing-leadership-careers-tips.html
DeKay, S. H. (2011). Doing what’s right: Communicating business ethics. Business Communication Quarterly,
74(3), 287-288. doi:10.1177/1080569911413813
Guffrey, M.E. & Loewy, D. (2012).Essentials of business communicaton, 9th edition. Mason, Ohio: Cengage
Learning.
Johnson, J., Donohue, W. A., Atkin, C. K., & Johnson, S. (1994). Differences between formal and informal
communication channels. Journal of Business Communication, 31(2), 111-122.
Fitchard, K. (2007). Shannon’s specter. Telephony, 248(9), 32-36.
Koury, F. (2011). PUT IT IN WRITING. Smart Business Indianapolis, 8(7), 4.
Matthews, M. (2008, March). ARA are a great way to showcase best practice. Chartered Accountants Journal.
Polito, J. M. (2013). Effective Communication during difficult conversations. Neurodiagnostic Journal, 53(2), 142152.
Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, P. (2010). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most. New York,
NY: Penguin Books.
Varner, I. I. (2000). The theoretical foundation for intercultural business communication: A conceptual model.
Journal of Business Communication, 37(1), 39-57.
Yates, K. (2008). Becoming an ROI builder: Delivering effective employee communication. Employment Relations
Today (Wiley), 35(1), 19-23. doi:10.1002/ert.20184