Business Writing Strategies and Professional Communication Standards

The Importance of Communication in Business

  • Foundational Roles of Communication:
    • Making sense of ourselves.
    • Influencing our environment.
    • Navigating personal and professional relationships.
    • Building and sustaining communities.
    • Solving complex problems.
    • Coordinating collective action.

Ways to Improve Business Writing: Chapter 3

  • Rule 1: Begin with Topic Sentences:

    • Paragraph Unity: A high-quality paragraph must have unity, meaning it discusses only one central idea or topic.
    • Topic Sentence Function: This sentence explicitly states the main idea of the paragraph.
    • Placement: The topic sentence should ideally be placed at the very beginning of the paragraph to make the purpose immediately clear.
    • Example 1 (Corporate Culture): Business slang flourishes within rich corporate cultures. Examples include Google engineers using the term "dogfooding" to describe testing their own products, design firms like IDEO using "napkin sketches" for early drafts, and Netflix employees referring to "the algorithm gods" regarding data shifts. These terms serve as cultural shorthand.
    • Example 2 (Meeting Agenda): Today’s meeting will discuss upcoming goals, hiring, and grants. The agenda includes hiring for the coming year, a review of agency goals requested by Maheen (affecting hiring preferences), grant proposal deadlines, and the formation of a committee for drafting proposals.
    • Example 3 (Waste Reduction): There are four ways to reduce waste: separating recyclables from regular trash, donating old items like toys and appliances, choosing products with minimal packaging, and composting yard waste and kitchen scraps (excluding meat and fat).

  • Rule 2: Use Transitions to Link Ideas:

    • Purpose: Transition words and phrases signal the logical connections between ideas, telling the reader if the next sentence continues a thought or starts a new one.
    • Addition and Sequence: And, also, First, second, third, in addition, likewise, similarly, finally, furthermore, moreover.
    • Illustration and Specification: For example (e.g.e.g.), indeed, to illustrate, namely, specifically.
    • Contrast and Alternatives: In contrast, on the other hand, or, but, however, nevertheless, on the contrary.
    • Cause and Effect: As a result, because, consequently, for this reason, therefore.
    • Time and Sequence: After, as, before, in the future, next, then, until, when, while.
    • Summary and Conclusion: To summarize, end, in conclusion, finally.

  • Rule 3: Use Active Verbs Most of the Time:

    • Active Voice: The verb describes an action the subject is performing.
      • Example: "The customer received 500500 widgets."
    • Passive Voice: The verb describes something being done to the subject. Note: Passive is a matter of structure, not tense.
      • Example: "Five hundred widgets were received by the customer."
    • Revision Examples (Passive to Active):
      • Passive: The business plan was written by Tyrone King.
      • Active: Tyrone King wrote the business plan.
      • Passive: As stated in my resume, I have designed Web pages…
      • Active: I designed Web pages for three student organizations.
      • Passive: Either the trucks must be parked inside the warehouse…
      • Active: Park the trucks inside the warehouse or unload the material…

  • Rule 4: Use Verbs – Not Nouns – to Carry Sentence Weight:

    • Impact: Using verbs instead of nominalizations (nouns made from verbs) makes sentences more forceful and up to 25%25\% easier to read.
    • Avoid Hidden Verbs: Nouns ending in -ment, -ion, and -al often hide the true action.
      • Instead of "Make an adjustment," use "Adjust."
      • Instead of "Reach a conclusion," use "Conclude."
      • Instead of "Make a referral," use "Refer."
      • Instead of "Perform an investigation," use "Investigate."
    • Refinement Example:
      • Weak: The financial advantage of owning this equipment instead of leasing it is 10%10\% after taxes.
      • Better: Owning the equipment rather than leasing it will save us 10%10\% after taxes.

  • Rule 5: Vary Sentence Length and Structure:

    • Short Sentences: Sentences under 1010 words add "punch" and emphasis.
    • Long Sentences: Sentences exceeding 30−4030-40 words are generally too long. However, long sentences can be useful for showing how ideas link, avoiding choppy writing, and reducing repetition.

  • Rule 6: Use Parallel Structure:

    • Definition: Ensuring words, phrases, and clauses in a list or series maintain the same grammatical and logical form.
    • Correction Example 1:
      • Faulty: The update process requires checking the server logs, to restart the system, and that you document any errors.
      • Parallel: The update process requires checking the server logs, restarting the system, and documenting any errors.
    • Correction Example 2 (UX Design):
      • Faulty: Good UX design means understanding the user, testing prototypes, and that you refine the interface.
      • Parallel: Good UX design means understanding the user, testing prototypes, and refining the interface.
    • Correction Example 3 (Production):
      • Faulty: The producer asked the team to film the interview, editing the footage, and that they upload the final cut.
      • Parallel: The producer asked the team to film the interview, edit the footage, and upload the final cut by noon.

  • Rule 7: Tighten Your Writing:

    • Eliminate words that contribute no meaning.
    • Combine sentences to remove redundancy.
    • Using Parallelism to Tighten:
      • Extended version: These are the benefits: Use tracking information, let them scale, and the customer can always rely on us.
      • Tightened version: Our message focuses on customer benefits, tracking information, scalability, and reliability.
    • Example (PowerPoint Reports): They work best when the discourse community is well defined, visuals can carry the message, and oral comments explain and connect ideas.

  • Rule 8: Put Readers in Sentences:

    • Second-Person Preference: Use "you" rather than third-person pronouns (he, she, one, an employee).
    • Revision Example:
      • Third-person: An employee must submit their expense report…
      • Second-person: You must submit your expense report within 1010 days of completing your trip…

  • Rule 9: Use Accurate, Appropriate, Ethical, and Familiar Words:

    • Accurate Denotations: Words like "pound" have multiple meanings (weight, shelter, currency, verb); the best word depends on context.
    • Appropriate Connotations: Be mindful of emotional associations (e.g., "pre-owned car" vs. "used car"; "sales representative" vs. "salesperson").
    • Ethical Implications: Present information positively but truthfully (e.g., "pressure-treated lumber" vs. "arsenic-treated lumber").
    • Familiar Words: Choose common vocabulary over obscure terms (e.g., "send out" vs. "emit"; "scrape off dead skin cells" vs. "exfoliate").

  • Rule 10: Use Technical Jargon Limitedly:

    • Use jargon only when it is essential and the reader knows it.
    • Jargon Example: "Initiate the procurement process by leveraging internal resources to ascertain cost efficiencies…"
    • Plain English Revision: "Start the purchasing process by using your internal resources to find cost savings before contacting outside vendors."

Canadian Business Phrases and Idioms

  • "Touch base": A brief check-in (e.g., "I'll touch base with you next week about the project's progress").
  • "At the end of the day": Used to summarize a point (e.g., "At the end of the day, we need to increase sales").
  • "Circle back": To revisit a topic later (e.g., "Let's circle back to the budget discussion after we have the sales figures").
  • "Keep me in the loop": A request to stay informed (e.g., "Keep me in the loop on any changes to the client's requirements").
  • "Going forward": Indicates future plans (e.g., "Going forward, we'll implement new strategies").
  • "On the same page": Ensuring mutual understanding and agreement.

Communication Patterns: Direct vs. Indirect

  • Direct Pattern (Frontloading):

    • Structure: The main idea appears in the opening or first paragraph, followed by explanations.
    • When to Use: When the audience is pleased, mildly interested, neutral, or eager for results.
    • Benefits: Saves the reader's time, sets a proper frame of mind, and prevents frustration.
    • Hypothetical Scenario: Asking a friend to dinner doesn't require "warming them up"; a direct request is best.

  • Indirect Pattern:

    • Structure: Begins with something positive/soft or an explanation, with the main idea appearing in the middle or at the end.
    • When to Use: When the audience may be displeased, hostile, disappointed, needs to be persuaded, or if the information is sensitive.
    • Benefits: Promotes acceptance, prevents immediate disappointment, and sets a proper frame of mind.
    • Hypothetical Scenario: Asking a boss for a large sum of money for a conference requires persuasion and stating benefits before the actual request.

Comparison of Writer-Focused vs. Reader-Focused Language

  • Writer-Focused:
    • "I'm writing to ask you if you could send me… I need them for my report."
    • "I can help you with any adjustments you may need…"
    • "I am delighted to inform you that your vacation request has been approved."
  • Reader-Focused:
    • "Please send me last quarter's financial statement so that I can include the numbers in our department's report."
    • "If you need to make adjustments to our webpage, I can help you."
    • "You'll be glad to hear that your vacation request has been approved."

Formatting Business Communications

  • General Standards:

    • Use Single-spaced, Block Format for all business writing (letters, emails, reports).
    • Assignments submitted double-spaced after a first warning will not be marked.

  • Business Letter Format:

    • Margins: Left margin must be lined up; bottom margin 3−63-6 spaces; side margins 2.5 cm−3.5 cm2.5\,cm-3.5\,cm.
    • Spacing: Single-space within paragraphs; double-space (one blank line) between paragraphs. Do not indent paragraphs.
    • Salutation: Use a formal salutation followed by a colon (mixed punctuation). Use first names only if on a first-name basis.
    • Headings: Bold or underline; triple-space before a new heading (22 blank spaces).
    • Signature: Leave 3−43-4 spaces for the name and title.

  • Email Format and Etiquette:

    • Subject Lines: Must be concise, specific, and clear. Use "REQ:" to indicate a response is required. Effective subject lines highlight good news or frame the message type (positive, negative, persuasive).
    • Salutations: Use names (Hi, Kim; Dear Ms. Cohen).
    • Signature Block: Include full contact information (name, title, company, address, phone, fax).
    • General Rules: Do not type in all caps or all lowercase. Emails are considered public and permanent records.

Examples of Unprofessional (Unwanted) Emails

  • Issue: Poor Subject Lines/Informality: "Subject: hi teacher" or "Subject: Yo Prof".
  • Issue: Vague Requests: Asking if anything "important" happened during an absence suggests other class time is unimportant.
  • Issue: Unrealistic Expectations: Asking to complete all missed assignments from a semester in the final two weeks after poor attendance.

Questions & Practice Activity

  • Task: Write a brief, direct approach email to an individual in a professional field to request an informational interview.
  • Requirements:
    • Follow direct approach structure.
    • Include a specific subject line.
    • Tailor content to the audience, purpose, and professional circumstances.
    • Adhere to block formatting guidelines.