Business Communication Chapter 5 Writing Business Messages Writing Business Messages Continues The Discussion The

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5: Writing Business Messages 5-1

Chapter 5: Writing Business Messages

Chapter 5 continues the discussion of the three-step writing process with the writing step. The two tasks

covered here are adapting to your audience (including being sensitive to audience needs, building strong

relationships, and controlling your style and tone) and composing your message (including choosing

powerful words, creating effective sentences, and crafting unified, coherent paragraphs). The chapter

concludes with advice on writing message for mobile devices.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Adapting to Your Audience: Being Sensitive to Audience Needs

Using the “You” Attitude

Maintaining Standards of Etiquette

Emphasizing the Positive

Using Bias-Free Language

Adapting to Your Audience: Building Strong Relationships

Establishing Your Credibility

Projecting Your Company’s Image

Adapting to Your Audience: Controlling Your Style and Tone

Using a Conversational Tone

Using Plain Language

Selecting the Active or Passive Voice

Composing Your Message: Choosing Powerful Words

Understanding Denotation and Connotation

Balancing Abstract and Concrete Words

Finding Words That Communicate Well

Composing Your Message: Creating Effective Sentences

Choosing from the Four Types of Sentences

Using Sentence Style to Emphasize Key Thoughts

Composing Your Message: Crafting Unified, Coherent Paragraphs

Creating the Elements of a Paragraph

Topic Sentence

Support Sentences

Transitions

Choosing the Best Way to Develop a Paragraph

Writing Messages for Mobile Devices

Learning Catalytics is a “bring your own device” student engagement, assessment, and classroom

intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real-time diagnostics. Students

can use any modern, web-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more

information on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative.

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LECTURE NOTES

Section 1: Adapting to Your Audience: Being Sensitive to Audience Needs

Learning Objective 1: Identify the four aspects of being sensitive to audience needs when writing business

messages.

If your intended audience members think a message does not apply to them or doesn’t meet their needs,

they won’t be inclined to pay attention to it.

Using the “You” Attitude

Adopt the “you” attitude by:

• Replacing terms that refer to yourself and your company with terms that refer to your

audience

Maintaining Standards of Etiquette

Maintain the highest standards of etiquette:

• Be courteous to members of your audience.

Emphasizing the Positive

Emphasize the positive:

• Soften the blow of negative news.

• Criticize constructively without dwelling on a person’s mistakes.

Using Bias-Free Language

Use bias-free language by avoiding words and phrases that unfairly and even unethically categorize

or stigmatize people in ways related to:

• Gender

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Class discussion question: Have you ever been put off by biased word choices another person made

while communicating with you (in writing or in person)? In the matter of age, for example, has an older

person ever referred to you as a “kid,” even though you think of yourself as an adult? Conversely, if

you’re an older student, have younger students ever referred to you as “grandma” or “grandpa,” even in a

humorous way? What effect did these word choices have on your relationship with the other party?

Section 2: Adapting to Your Audience: Building Strong Relationships

Learning Objective 2: Explain how establishing your credibility and projecting your company’s image

are vital aspects of building strong relationships with your audience.

Establishing Your Credibility

Credibility is the measure of your believability based on how reliable you are and how much trust you

evoke in others.

To establish your credibility, emphasize:

• Honesty

• Objectivity

Credibility can take a long time to establish—and it can be wiped out by a single careless or foolish

mistake.

Projecting Your Company’s Image

Project the proper image for your company by subordinating your own views and personality, if

necessary, and mastering your company’s style.

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Section 3: Adapting to Your Audience: Controlling Your Style and Tone

Learning Objective 3: Explain how to achieve a tone that is conversational but businesslike, explain the

value of using plain language, and define active and passive voice.

Style is the way words are used to achieve a certain tone (i.e., the impression made by your words).

Using a Conversational Tone

To achieve a conversational tone:

• Understand the difference between texting and writing.

• Avoid stale and pompous language.

Using Plain Language

Plain language is a way of presenting information in a simple, unadorned style that your audience can

easily grasp without struggling through specialized, technical, or convoluted language.

Selecting the Active or Passive Voice

In active voice, the subject performs the action and the object receives the action.

In passive voice, the subject receives the action.

Use the active voice to:

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Generally avoid the passive voice because it:

• Is cumbersome

However, the passive voice is best in some cases to demonstrate the “you” attitude:

• When you need to be diplomatic

Class discussion question: Have you ever noticed anyone using the passive voice to avoid taking

responsibility for a situation or a mistake? For example, someone might say “mistakes were made” rather

than “I made a mistake.” What effect might this have on the speaker or writer’s credibility? Can the

passive voice be ethically misused in this way?

Section 4: Composing Your Message: Choosing Powerful Words

Learning Objective 4: Describe how to select words that are both correct and effective.

As you compose your first draft:

• Look for opportunities to improve on your outline by rearranging, deleting, and adding ideas (as

long as you don’t lose sight of your purpose)

You can jog your brain to overcome writer’s block by:

• Skipping to another part of the document

As you create and refine your messages, learn to view your writing at three levels:

• Strong words

If you have questions about grammar and usage, be sure to consult handbooks or online guides.

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The words you choose to use must be correct because:

• Grammatical or usage errors cause you to lose credibility with your audience.

Successful writers and speakers take care to find the most effective words and phrases to use.

Rich languages such as English provide you with a variety of options when choosing words.

Selecting and using words effectively is often more challenging than using words correctly because it’s a

Understanding Denotation and Connotation

Words may have two meanings:

• The denotative meaning is the literal or dictionary meaning.

Balancing Abstract and Concrete Words

A word may be:

• Abstract (expressing a concept, quality, or characteristic)

Blend abstract terms with concrete ones to be as effective as possible.

Even though they’re indispensable, abstractions can be troublesome.

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Finding Words That Communicate Well

To find the words that communicate well, think carefully about the right words to use for each

individual situation:

• Choose powerful words.

Section 5: Composing Your Message: Creating Effective Sentences

Learning Objective 5: Define the four types of sentences and explain how sentence style affects emphasis

within a message.

To make every sentence count:

• Arrange carefully chosen words.

Choosing from the Four Types of Sentences

You can choose from four types of sentences:

• Simple: one main clause (single subject and single predicate)

• Compound: two main clauses that express two or more independent but related thoughts of

When constructing sentences, choose the form that matches the relationship of the ideas you want to

express.

Using Sentence Style to Emphasize Key Thoughts

You can emphasize key ideas through sentence style by:

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• Making a thought the subject of a sentence

• Placing the key idea either at the beginning or the end of a sentence

In complex sentences, the placement of the dependent clause hinges on the relationship between the

ideas expressed.

Section 6: Composing Your Message: Crafting Unified, Coherent Paragraphs

Learning Objective 6: Define the three key elements of a paragraph, and list five ways to develop unified,

coherent paragraphs.

Readers expect each paragraph to:

Creating the Elements of a Paragraph

A paragraph is made up of several elements:

• Topic sentence—introduces the topic, gives readers a summary of the general idea that will

be covered in the rest of the paragraph, and reminds audiences of the purpose of each

Establish transitions by:

• Using connecting words

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Transitions are able to:

• Serve as mood changers

Use transitions to help readers understand your ideas and follow you from point to point:

• Inside paragraphs, to tie related points together

Choosing the Best Way to Develop a Paragraph

Develop a paragraph in one of five ways:

• Illustration

In practice, you’ll occasionally combine two or more methods of development in a single paragraph.

Think through other alternatives before accepting your first choice.

Section 7: Writing Messages for Mobile Devices

Learning Objective 7: List five techniques for writing effective messages for mobile readers.

Reading is more difficult on small screens, and users’ ability to comprehend what they read on mobile

Technique #1: Use a linear organization

In a printed document or on a larger screen, readers can easily take in multiple elements on a page

and jump around the page to read various parts without feeling lost.

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To simplify reading, organize with a linear flow from the top to the bottom of the message or

article.

Technique #2: Prioritize information

Small screens make it difficult for readers to scan the page to find the information they want

most, so put the most-needed information first.

Technique #3: Write shorter and more-focused messages and documents

Mobile users often lack the patience or opportunity to read lengthy messages or documents.

Technique #4: Use shorter subject lines and headings

Mobile devices, particularly phones and smaller tablets, can’t display as many characters in a

single line of text at a readable font size as the typical computer screen can.

Technique #5: Use shorter paragraphs

In addition to structuring your message, paragraphs have a visual role in written communication.

5: Writing Business Messages 5-11

HIGHLIGHT BOX: THE ART OF PROFESSIONALISM

Being Dependable and Accountable

1. To estimate project requirements when one hasn’t completed an identical or similar project in the

past, a smart first step is to seek advice from colleagues or superiors. Chances are that someone else

in the organization has done something similar. A second method is to break the project down into its

2. No, being accountable doesn’t mean you never make mistakes. It means that you (a) make every

effort to avoid mistakes, (b) take responsibility if you do make mistakes, and (c) if possible, take

corrective action to compensate people affected by your mistakes.

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT SHE TAKES ON THE WORLD

Individual Challenge

Two changes will shift more emphasis to the point about the tiny percentage of companies that venture

capitalists fund. First, move the clause to the end of the sentence, so it is the last point readers see.

Second, use a transition to signal the change of tone from positive to negative.

Team Challenge

Option (d) does the best job of providing the necessary information in a way that is sensitive to the

audience’s needs.

a. This one veers off the topic by suggesting starting up an entire company, rather than setting

oneself up as an independent contractor.

5: Writing Business Messages 5-12

d. This one balances the seriousness of the situation with the motivational appeal of an inspiring

challenge.

Two phrases in particular demonstrate sensitivity to audience needs:

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

5.1. The “you” attitude is not simply a matter of using one pronoun rather than another; it’s a matter

5.2. Establishing credibility with an audience of strangers will help listeners find you believable,

5.3. Passive voice is appropriate when you are diplomatically mentioning a problem or error, when

5.4. An abstract word expresses a concept, quality, or characteristic and is generally broad. A concrete

5.5. A word’s denotative meaning is the literal meaning that would be found in the dictionary. The

5.6. Writers can emphasize key ideas through sentence style by describing an important element with

more detail, adding a separate, short sentence to augment the thought, making a thought the

5.7. The topic sentence is the sentence that introduces the topic of the paragraph so that readers know

5: Writing Business Messages 5-15

Writing: Demonstrating the “You” Attitude These revisions reflect the reader’s viewpoint: [LO-1]

AACSB: Written and oral communication

5.27. So that you can be served quickly, please bring your credit card to the store with you.

5.29. Do you need a bright, capable person to handle basic accounting tasks in your office? If so, please

5.30. Here is the $25 refund you requested.

5.32. Your strategy presentation this morning reinforced my belief that you are the ideal person to lead

our growth into the future.

5.33. Please accept our apologies for the delayed payment on your invoice. We recently upgraded our

5.35. I’ve been able to make great use of online news sources to stay on top of important breaking news

items, such as the MyTravel and Thomas Cook merger talks.

Writing: Emphasizing the Positive These revisions have a more positive slant: [LO-1] AACSB:

Written and oral communication

5.36. So that your credit rating can be preserved, please remit your payment within 10 days.

5.38. We will ship your Baby Cry doll in 10 days.

5.40. The damage to your waterbed was caused by unusual conditions that are not covered by the

guarantee. However, we will be happy to send you a replacement valve for $9.50, plus postage.

5.41. Maggie certainly is outgoing.

5.43. Pilots must have the ability to stay calm under pressure, and they must be trained to cope with

any problem that arises.

5.45. Sam Nugent is still an active sales representative.

5.46. Students should think through the overall message they want to send so that each tweet is an

effective message on its own and that all four work together as well. The first tweet will be the

5.47. Students should start by considering the anticipated effects of any staff reductions, both short

term and long term, on the community in which this company does business. For instance, some

employers have enough impact on a single community to affect transportation, education, tax

revenues, and other issues to a significant degree. What if a state agency diverts funds from

highway maintenance to build an elementary school that is needed, in part at least, to

accommodate the children of those employees—only to find that enrollment drops by the time

they finish construction? The state would then be left with an extra school and dilapidated roads

5.65. begin

5.67. use

5.69. help

5.71. find out

5.73. complete

5.75. change

5.77. make

5.79. large

These phrases replace the obsolete versions: [LO-4] AACSB: Written and oral communication

5.81. Here is

5.83. In response to (your inquiry)

5.84. Please be aware

5.86. Management publicized the high profits.

5.88. The Santee Company services our computers.

5.90. Remind students of the importance of unity, flow, and variety in composing paragraphs. The

possibilities are numerous, but here are some methods of development for the five topics: [LO-6]

5.91. One possible solution demonstrating the benefits of transitions (italicized): [LO-6] AACSB:

Written and oral communication

5.92. One possible solution demonstrating the benefits of transitions (italicized): [LO-6] AACSB:

Written and oral communication

Whether you’re indulging in a doughnut in New York or California, Krispy Kreme wants you to

ASSISTED GRADING QUESTIONS (accessed on MyBCommLab)

5.94. Two aspects of digital media tend to make them prone to inadvertent etiquette breakdowns:

immediacy and leanness. First, it’s easy to fire off a message within seconds, particularly in

response to a message that may have rubbed someone the wrong way. This immediacy can

5.95. The most effective way to make abstract ideas feel more concrete is to support abstract terms with