THE WRITING PROCESS

AND THE MAIN FORMS

OF BUSINESS MESSAGE
(CH5)
BUS/EMB500
Mhb

The Importance of Skillful

Writing
Which one is important?
- Skillful Oral Communication
- Skillful Use of Graphics
- Skillful Written Communication

While hiring organizations tend to place writing

skills ahead of other communication skills.
Organizations seek strong writing skills while
considering whom to promote

A MODEL OF THE WRITING PROCESS

Planning

Drafting

Revising

Determining
goals

Being Flexible
Keeping going

Revise content,
structure
and format

Using your own

favorite strategies

Editing sentence and

words

Analyzing the
audience
Gathering and
collecting
Analyzing and
organizing
Choosing a form

Proofreading

Planning the Message

Problem-solving Approach

Determine the goal

Analyze your audience

Gather information

Analyzing and organizing the information.

Choosing a form, channel and format

Drafting

Avoid perfection when drafting

- Being perfect at the first place may cause forgetting important
pieces and purposes.
- Premature perfection will slow down your progress which may
frustrate you.

Keep going
- Do not let minor problem or grammar distract you. Revise letter.
- Drafting relatively quickly will enable you to put all your ideas
and thoughts.

Use any other strategies that will keep you working

productively
- Write at your most productive time of a day/ write in chunks/
start with your favorite part/ take breaks/ . whatever works for
you!

Revising

Revision requires going back over to your draft carefully several

times.

It is recommended that you follow Levels of Edits

Revising: top level concerns whether or not you all necessary

information, if the pattern of organization logical, if overall
message coming through and if formatting is appropriate.

Editing: Focus on your style. Flow of the sentences so that

readers can easily follow. Whether the sentences emphasizing
the right things. Combination pieces of information in a coherent
manner. Choice of words.

Proofreading: Mechanical and grammatical elements

Finally, get feedback from others

The Importance of Readable

Formatting

Do not put off your readers with a daunting physical

format.

The writer is responsible for making the important

formatting decision. (No secretary or Assistant now a
days)

Type, font, heading, typographical emphasis,

numbers/bullets
etc.

Read through the memo at page 93-94

Letters

The oldest form of business communication. Letters are still

an important form of business communication.

In business, letters are primarily for external audiences.

There are variation in formats

Date, inside address, salutation (Dear Ms..), body,

complimentary close (sincerely yours).

Other needed items are: subject line, attention line,

return address (if letterhead is not used)

March 07, 2013

Professor/Dr. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury

Dean, School of Business
North South University
Baridhara, Dhaka
Sub: (if required)
Atten: (if required)
Dear Sir/ Dear Mr. Chowdhury:
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Sincerely yours,
Gentleman
HR Director
Encl
Cc:

Memorandums (Memos)

Memos are internal letters. Email has largely taken over

their function, but they are still medium in some situation.

Larger companies use/used to have printed template.

Memo vary widely in formality organization to organization

Memorandum
Memo/ Memorandum

To:

Faisal Rahman, Production Director

From: Faruque Khan, HR Director

CC:

Mustak Karim, Chittagong Plant Manager

Date: March 07, 2013

Ref: Safety Committee Meeting Held on Feb. 25, 2013
_______________________________________________________________________________________
As agreed in safety meeting, I request you to do necessary action to prepare safety
manual
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

EMAIL
In a very short time , email has become a

mainstream form of business communication.

Pros:

It eliminates Telephone Tag

Saves time
Facilitates fast decision
Cheap
Provide a written record.

Cons:

It is not confidential. Can be shared with others easily.

Does not show emotion ( when as a substitute of telephone
or face-to-face
communication
May be ignored or delayed ( Huge influx of emails)

EMAIL
The Prefatory Elements

The mechanical parts are standardized through template of

the software you use except the message.

To: , Cc:, Bcc:, Subject:, Attachment:, Message:

The Message Beginning

Formal : Ms, Mr., Dr., Professor etc. before last name with
Dear usually at the beginning.

Informal: First name with Dear usually at the beginning.

Our subcontinent? Other Countries?

When you are writing some one you dont know/not sure who
to address?

EMAIL
The Message Structure

Generally top down approach for short messages.

Longer messages usually follow more complex pattern (discuss
later). Some resembles business reports or some other
document form.

Email Formality

Complicated to discuss because email messages are extremely

diverse. It may range from highly informal to formal.
Casual : casual language (whatever someone feel like)
Informal : Informal language resembles polished conversation.
Formal: Formal language keeps a certain distance between
writer and reader.

EMAIL
Traits of Effective Email

Conciseness: Cut non essentials and write concisely. Minimize

references to previous communications. ( >>> <<<)

Clarity: Use the technique of ch2 and ch3

Courtesy: We all want to receive courteous and fair

treatment (highly culture sensitive)

Correctness: Correctness is desired even in quick, informal

messages.

EMAIL
Closing of the message

Thanks, Regards or whatever appropriate

Depends on the reader and formality of the message.

(signature with all detail, first name, etc.)

Emphasis devices in email

Depends on the system you are using.

Initialisms in Email

FYI, BTW, LOL !

Inappropriate Use of Email

Some authorities suggest not to use email when:

The message is long, complicated or requires negotiation.

Questions or information need clarification and discussion.

The information is confidential and sensitive, requires security,

or could be misinterpreted.

The message is emotionally charged and really requires tone

of voice or conversational feedback to soften the words or
negotiate meaning.

The message is sent to avoid direct contact with the person,

especially if the message is unpleasant and uncomfortable or
seems too difficult to say face-to-face.

The message contains sensitive issues, relays feeling, or

attempts to resolve conflict. Email may make conflict worse.

The Newer Media in Business

Writing

Text Messaging

Instant Messaging

Social Networking ( face book, , MySpace, Twitter,

LinkedIn)