Chapter 3-Positive Emphasis.pdf

Positive Emphasis Chapter 3 Basics of Business Writing Business messages are different from college essays, term papers, and messages to friends. Conciseness and clarity count. Analyzing Your Purpose and Channel Why are you writing? What do you hope to achieve? Select the be...

Positive Emphasis Chapter 3 Basics of Business Writing Business messages are different from college essays, term papers, and messages to friends. Conciseness and clarity count. Analyzing Your Purpose and Channel Why are you writing? What do you hope to achieve? Select the best channel  Profiling the Audience 1. Primary Audience 2. Secondary Audience  Spotlight Audience Benefits Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Adapting to Task and Audience  Spotlight Audience Benefits Focus your statements on the audience, not the sender. Instead of this: Try this: We are promoting a new You will enjoy total peace of hospitalization plan that we mind with our affordable believe has many hospitalization plan that outstanding benefits. meets all your needs.  Spotlight Audience Benefits Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Cultivate A “You” View Adapting to Task and Audience  Develop a “You” View Emphasize second-person pronouns (you/your) instead of first-person pronouns (I/we, us, our) Instead of this: Try this: Before we can allow you to You may begin making purchase items on this new purchases on your new account, we must wait two account in two weeks. weeks to verify your credit.  Develop a “You” View Revise these sentences: These are better: We are now offering HP You can now purchase HP computers at discounted computers at discounted prices. prices. We are pleased to announce Congratulations! You have that you have been been selected to enter our approved to enroll in our leadership training program! leadership training program.  Spotlight Audience Benefits Create a Message That Suits Your Audience Cultivate Sound A “You” Conversational View Adapting to Task and Audience  Conversational Language Instead of this: Try this: The undersigned takes pleasure I’m happy to... in... It may be of some concern to We’ve credited you to learn that your check has your account for been received and your account $250. has been credited for $250.  Spotlight Audience Benefits Employ Create a Cultivate Message That Positive Suits Your A “You” Language View Audience Sound Conversational Adapting to Task and Audience  Positive Language Instead of this: Try this: Employees may not use the First Employees may use the Street entrance during Market Street entrance remodeling. during remodeling. We cannot fill your order until We can fill your order once we we receive an exact model receive an exact model number. number.  Positive Language Revise these sentences: These are better: We must withhold payment You will be paid promptly until you complete the job once the job is completed satisfactorily. satisfactorily. If you fail to follow each By following each requirement, you will not requirement, you will receive receive your $50 rebate. your $50 rebate.  Spotlight Audience Benefits Use Cultivate Inclusive Create a A “You” View Language Message That Suits Your Audience Employ Sound Positive Conversational Language Adapting to Task and Audience  Inclusive Language Instead of this: Try this: Have you called a Have you called a salesperson? salesman? Every executive has his  All executives have their own own office. offices.  Every executive has an office. This alternative is  All executives have offices. Wordy and calls  Every executive has his or her own attention to itself office. Inclusive and positive Language Revise these sentences: These are better: No tenant may move in until May 1. Tenants may move in on May 1. Because you failed to include your As soon as we receive your credit information, we cannot ship credit information, we can ship your order. your order. Marcello Luna is the new Mexican Marcello Luna is the new accountant. accountant.  Spotlight Audience Draw on Benefits Cultivate Familiar A “You” View Words Create a Message That Adopt Suits Your Sound Plain Audience Conversational Language Use Use Positive Inclusive Language Language Adapting to Task and Audience  Courteous Language Avoid sounding demanding, preachy, or rude. Instead of this: Try this: You must complete this Will you please complete this research by June 1. research by June 1. I am sick and tired of being Let me show you how to the only one who removes remove jammed paper so that jammed paper from the you can complete your copying. copier!  Courteous Language Revise these sentences: These are better: You may encounter You may have difficulty difficulty in terminating the ending the contract. contract. OR: It may be difficult to end the contract. As stipulated, we As required, we projected extrapolated the budget the budget figures for two figures for two years. years.  Levels of Language Use Unprofessional Conversational Formal Found in Some comic strips Business Scientific writing, and songs, some messages, novels, legal documents, commercials, some most newspapers, scholarly books, conversations, and most formal essays, some IM and e-mail magazines proclamations messages  Levels of Language Use Unprofessional Conversational Formal Characterized by Incorrect Correct grammar Correct grammar, grammar, and punctuation, serious tone, unpredictable conversational complex sentence sentence structure, tone, simple structure, inappropriate sentence structure, polysyllabic words punctuation, slang, familiar words vulgarisms  Levels of Language Use Unprofessional Conversational Formal Examples wasted ruined annihilated nab catch apprehend bad-mouth criticize disparage dough, bread money currency stewed, plastered intoxicated, drunk inebriated I ain’t I’m not I am not humongous enormous prodigious tight frugal penurious  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. Hidden Messages Negative Language Hidden Meaning You overlooked You are careless You state that But I don’t believe you You failed to You are careless You claim that It’s probably untrue You are wrong I am right You do not understand You are not smart Your delay You are at fault You forgot to You are inefficient, stupid and careless Positive Emphasis End of Chapter 3