Chapter7

Usingthethree-stepwritingprocessforroutineandpositivemessages

questionHowtoproduceeffectivemessagesefficiently?Youshouldfaceinnumerousroutineandpositivemessagesduringthetypicalbusinessday.Mostbusinesscommunicationisaboutroutinematters:orders,information,companypolicies,claims,credit,employees,products,operations,andsoon.Theyarerarelylongorcomplex.Contents:three-stepwritingprocesshelp

youproduceeffectivemessagesefficientlyStep1.PlanYourMessageStep2.WriteYourMessageStep3.CompleteYourMessagePlanyourmessage—fourtasksofplanningFirstMakesureyourpurposeisclear,andyouknowenoughaboutyouraudiencetocraftasuccessfulmessage.SecondGatherallinformationyouraudienceneedstoknowfrompresentationsetupstoluncharrangementstoparking,thatsavesyouandyouraudiencethetimeandthetroubleofadditionalmessagestofillinthegaps.thirdSelecttherightmediumforthemessageandtheaudience,e-mailandinstantmessagingmaybeuseful,butprintedmemosandlettersarestillcommon.fourthDefiningyourmainidea,limitingyourscope,selectingadirectoranindirectapproachandoutliningyourcontent.Writingyourmessage1Adaptyourapproachtoyouraudience.Yourattitudeshouldbepolite,emphasizethepositive,andusebias-freelanguage,Makeyourwritingasactiveaspossible.3Openwithaclearstatementofmainidea,includeallnecessarydetailsinthebody,andthenclosecordially.2Bemorepractice,whenyourmainideaiswelldefinedalready,limitthescopeofyourmessage.CompleteyourmessagereviseEvaluatingcontentandorganizationtomakesureyouhavesaidwhatyouwanttointheorderyouwanttosayit,reviewreadability,duceDesignyourdocumenttosuityourpurposeandyouraudience,carefulfontselection,theuseofwhitespace,ofreadLookingfortypes,errorsinspellingandmechanics,alignmentproblems,poorprintqualityandsoon.distributeChooseadistributionmethodthatbalancescost,convenience,time,security,andprivacy.nowadayselectronicalwayiseffective,onintranets,extranets,orwebsitesandblogs,orviae-mailandIMfordifferentaudiencesEFFICIENCIALCOMMUNCIATIONMAKINGROUTINEREQUESTSCommunication--Makingrequestsforinformation,action,producesadjustments,orothermattersisaroutinepartofbusiness.

--Inmostcasesyouraudiencewillbepreparedtocomply,aslongasyou’renotbeingunreasonableoraskingsomeonetodosomethingtheywouldexpectyoutodoyourself.--Byapplyingaclearstrategyandtailoringyourapproachtoeachsituation,you’llbeabletogenerateeffectiverequestsquickly.StrategyForRoutineRequests

Likeallbusinessmessages,routinerequesthavethreeparts:--anopening--abody--acloseUsingthedirectapproach,openwithyourmainidea,whichisaclearstatementofyourrequest.Usethebodytogivedetailsandjustifyyourrequests.Thenclosebyrequestingspecificaction.StateYourRequestUpFrontBeginroutinerequestbyplacingyourrequestfirst-upfrontiswherestandsoutandgetsthemostattention.Ofcourse,gettingrighttothepointshouldnotbeinterpretedasalicensetobeabruptortactless.PayattentiontotoneEventhoughyouexpectafavorableresponse,thetoneofyourinitialrequestisimportant.Insteadofdemandingaction,softenyourrequestwithwordsuchaspleaseandIwouldappreciate.AssumeyouraudiencewillcomplyAnimpatientdemandforrapidserviceisn’’tnecessary.Youcangenerallymaketheassumptionthatyouraudiencewillcomplywithyourrequestoncethereasonforitisclearlyunderstood.PunctuatequestionsandpoliterequestsdifferentlyApoliterequestinquestionformrequiresnoquestionmark:““WouldyoupleasehelpusdeterminewhetherKateKingsleyisasuitableapplicantforthisposition.””Adirectquestionwithinyourmessagedoesrequireaquestionmark:““DidKateKingsleydemonstrateanabilitytoworksmoothlywithclients?””BeSpecificStatepreciselywhatyouwant.Forexample,ifyourequestthelatestmarketdatafromyourresearchdepartment,besuretosaywhetheryouwantaonesummaryorahundredpagesofrawdata.ExplainandJustifyYourRequestUsethebodyofyourmessagetoexplainyourinitialrequest.Maketheexplanationasmoothandlogicaloutgrowthofyouropeningremarks.Ifpossible,pointouthowcomplyingwiththerequestcouldbenefitthereader.Forinstance,ifyouwouldlikesomeassistanceinterpretingcomplexdata.pointouthowabetterunderstandingofquality-controlissueswouldimprovecustomersatisfaction.AskthemostimportantquestionsfirstIfcostisyourmainconcern,youmightbeginwithaquestionsuchas““Whatisthecostforshippingthemerchandisebyairversustruck?””Thenyoumaywanttoaskmorespecificbutrelatedquestionsabout,say,discountsforpayingearly.DealwithonlyonetopicperquestionIfyouhaveanunusualorcomplexrequest,breakitdownintospecific,individualquestionssothatthereadercanaddresseachoneseparately.Don’’tputtheburdenofuntanglingacomplicatedrequestonyourreader.Thisconsiderationnotonlyshowsrespectforyouraudiencestimebutalsogetsyouamoreaccurateanswerinlesstime.RequestSpecificActioninaCourteousCloseCloseyourmessagewiththreeimportantelements:1)Aspecificrequest,2)Informationabouthowyoucanbereached3)Anexpressionofappreciationorgoodwill.Whenyouaskreaderstoperformaspecificaction,askthattheyrespondbyaspecifictime,ifappropriate.Plus,byincludingyourphonenumber,e-mailaddress,officehoursandothercontactinformation,youhelpyourreadersrespondeasily.AskingforInformationandActionWhenyouneedtoknowaboutsomethingtoelicitanopinionfromsomeone,ortorequestasimpleaction,youusuallyneedonlyask.Inessence,simplerequestssay.WhatyouwanttoknoworwhatyouwantreaderstodoWhyyou‘remakingtherequestWhyitmaybeinyourreaders’interesttohelpyouStrategyforRoutineRepliesandPositiveMessagesContextStartwiththeMainIdeaProvideNecessaryDetailsandExplanationEndwithaCourteousCloseUseadirectapproachforpositivemessages.Weusuallyusethedirectapproach.1、placeyourmainidea.2、usethebodytoexplainalltherelevantdetails.3、closecordially.StartwiththeMainIdeaInsteadofThisIampleasedtoinformyouthatafterdeliberatingthemattercarefully,ourhumanresourcescommitteehasrecommendedyouforappointmentasastaffaccountant.WriteThisCongratulations.You’vebeenselectedtojoinourfirmasastaffaccountant,beginningMarch20.ExampleYoureducationalbackgroundandinternshiphaveimpressedus,andwebelieveyouwouldbeavaluableadditiontoGreenValleyProperties.Asbenefits.Inthatregard,youwillmeetwithourbenefitsmanager,PaulaSanchez,at8a.m.onMonday,march21.Shewillassistyouwithallthepaperworknecessarytotailorourbenefitpackagetoyourfamilysituation.Shewillalsoarrangevariousorientationactivitiestohelpyouacclimatetoourcompany.ProvideNecessaryDetailsandExplanationInsteadofThisNo,wenolongercarrytheSportsgirllineofsweaters.WriteThisThenewOlympiclinehasreplacedtheSportsgirlsweatersthatyouaskedabout.Olympicfeaturesawiderrangeofcolorsandsizesandmorecontemporarystyling.ExampleThezipperonthecarryingcaseyoupurchasedisdouble-stitchedandguaranteedforthelifeoftheproduct.ThekitchenAidmixeryouorderedisourbest-sellingmodel.Itshouldmeetyourcookingneedsformanyyears.EndwithaCourteousCloseYourmessageismostlikelytosucceedifyourreadersareleftfeelingthatyouhavetheirbestinterestsinmind.Youcanaccomplishthistaskeitherbyhighlightingabenefittotheaudienceorbyexpressingappreciationorgoodwill.Iffollow-upactionisrequired,clearlystatewhowilldowhatnext.see”Checklist:WritingRoutineRepliesandPositiveMessages”toreviewtheprimarytasksinvolvedinthistypeofbusinessmessage.StrategyforroutinerepliesandpositivemessagesContentsAnopeningStartwiththemainidea.AbodyProvidenecessarydetailsandexplanation.AcloseEndwithacourteouscloseStartwiththemainideaByopeningyourroutine