Getting Started. Agenda. Effective Business Writing Casey Lucius, Ph.D. 8/31/2017

Transcription

1 Effective Business Writing Casey Lucius, Ph.D. Getting Started This workshop will give you a refresher on basic writing concepts and an overview of the most common business documents giving you that extra edge in the workplace, and improving your communication skills. Your business writing can serve as persuasive evidence of your competence, your personality, your management style. Wilma Davidson Agenda 1:00 1:50: Introductions, Goals, Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation 1:50 2:00: Break/questions 2:00 2:50: s and social media 2:50 3:00 Break/questions 3:00 3:50: Formal business documents 3:50 4:00: Break/questions 4:00 4:50: Proofreading and Publication 4:50 5:00: Conclusion 1

2 Introductions Name City/agency Career background Family Activity: circle up! Learning Objectives Know the basic structure of agendas, messages, business letters, business proposals, and business reports. Know tips and techniques to use when deciding the most appropriate format to use. Gain an overview of Request for Proposals, Projections, Executive Summaries, and Business Cases. Learn techniques to improve proofreading skills. Discuss peer review and understand how it can help improve your writing skills. Understand guidelines for printing and publishing your writing. Others? Working with Words The rat the cat the dog chased killed ate the malt All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life. Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana. When all other means of communication fail, try words. Anonymous 2

3 Spelling There are commonly misused words, particularly sets of words often mistaken for each other. Affect vs. Effect Our income has been affected (influenced) by the global recession. The global recession had a dramatic effect (result) on our income. Make sure you pronounce words properly. Difference vs. Diffrence Note that there are acceptable spelling variations in the different kinds of English. Color vs. colour Center vs. Centre Use spelling resources Spelling What is the most commonly misspelled word in the English language? Mispelled or Misspelled Argument or Arguement Embarrass or Embarass Greatful or Grateful Principle or Principal Until or Untill Their/They re/there Grammar Here are two grammar issues most writers have trouble with. (ending in a preposition) Subject verb agreement The City Councilmembers is going to the conference. Verb tenses Present, Past, Future Perfect, Past perfect, Future perfect Michael Johnson has managed this company for the past 5 years Mr. Myers had been sitting in a meeting when the client called. I will have finished by 10pm 3

4 Creating a Cheat Sheet Issue Rule Example Its vs. It s Its is the possessive, third person, singular adjective, typically referring to something other than a person. The machine spread its claws. It s the fastest engine for this job. It s, short for It is Issue Rule Example Affect vs. Effect Affect is a verb and can be replaced with the word influenced The rain affects my mood. Effect is a noun and can be replaced with the word result The effect of my work was that I got another recommendation. Punctuation Commonly used punctuations include: Period (. ) Question Mark (? ) Exclamation Point (! ) Comma (, ) Colon ( : ) Apostrophe ( ) Semicolon ( ; ) 4

5 Types of Sentences Declarative We are writing to inform you that your account will be expiring in ten days. Interrogative Will you be renewing your account this year? Imperative Please inform Joseph that we will be expecting his payment on Monday. Exclamatory Congratulations for getting promoted to Vice President! Take a Break Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style. Matthew Arnold Questions? Second Module Paragraphs and organization in writing Meeting agendas s and social media 5

6 Creating Paragraphs Now it s time to discuss how you can put your well written sentences together for best results. Clutter is the disease of American writing. We are a society strangling with unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargons. - William Zinsser The Basic Parts The 3 Basic Parts of a Paragraph: 1. Topic Sentence 2. Supporting Sentence 3. Closing Sentence Organization Methods The following are some tips in organizing your paragraphs: Keep your main idea central and at the beginning. Decide how to best explain your main idea. Whenever possible, outline first before starting on any writing. Exercise writing your outline 6

7 Meeting Agendas Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it s not all mixed up. A. A. Milne Agenda Basic Structure The basic structure of an agenda includes: Date, Time, Location, and Estimated Duration of the Meeting Purpose of the Meeting Advanced Preparation Guidelines List of Invited (or Confirmed) Attendees Items for Discussion Person in Charge for each item Approximate Time to be spent on each item Choosing a Format The agenda format to use depends on: When the attendees are going to view the agenda The context of the meeting The purpose of the agenda What works well for Council members and the public 7

8 Writing the Agenda When writing the agenda, consider the following factors: Priority of Items Logical Flow Timing Writing E mails is a convenient and effective medium to conduct business communication. We will discuss etiquette guidelines on how to address an message, as well as grammar and acronym rules in the body of the . Almost overnight the internet has gone from a technical wonder to a business must. Bill Schrader Etiquette Using emojis To, cc, bcc sending an to the wrong person Why privacy is important s reflect your competence Treat communication the same as a business letter How to maintain a neutral tone Keeping an the right length 8

9 Rules In business s (or texts, letters, proposals, agendas) avoid abbreviations such as BTW, IMHO and LOL Always reread an before hitting the send button If in doubt ask a co worker to read it before sending Be clear in the subject line Edit it on a chain or break the chain Use a professional salutation (not Hey ) Double check you have the right person in the To line Add a professional signature line Acknowledge s sent to you Communication on Social Media Facebook Twitter YouTube Texting Take a Break Questions? 9

10 Business writing Letters Reports Proposals Third Module Only a mediocre writer is always at his best. - Eddie Snipes Writing Business Letters A formal letter usually contains the following sections: Sender s full name and address Addressee s full name and address Date the letter is sent (or assumed to fall into the hands of the receiver) Formal Salutation e.g. Dear + Formal Address A Subject Heading e.g. Re: Job Opening for Quality Control Officer Letter Body Formal Closing e.g. Respectfully yours, Sincerely yours, Name and Signature of the Sender 10

11 Choosing a Format The format of your business letter depends on: The stage of your working relationship with the letter recipient. The seniority of the recipient. Your letter s privacy. Writing the Letter Tips on how to write a business letter: Keep your purpose in mind when writing a business letter. Write with a positive tone. Follow standard spelling and grammar rules, even if your letter is informal. Personalize your business letter. Writing a Proposal The following is the basic structure of a business proposal: Company/City/Agency Overview Statement of the Problem (also referred to as the Need Statement) Background and Benefits (mostly used for unsolicited proposals) Scope of Services/ Deliverables What, Who, When, Where, How, How much Contact Details References 11

12 Choosing a Format There is no one universal format for business proposals. The format that you should use depends on: Intended recipient of the proposal May need to include financial statements, cover letter, strategic plan, etc. The scale/ scope of the project For grant proposals develop a POC at state/federal agency and ask exactly what they want. Writing the Proposal Make sure your business proposal is: Targeted Well substantiated Persuasive Organized 12

13 Basic parts of a report: Overview Background/ Project Scope Main Body Conclusions Writing Reports Choosing a Format Be guided by the: The purpose of the report The seniority of your readers Your readers technical knowledge The scale of the project Standard protocol in your organization Examples? Writing the Report Keep the purpose of the report in mind when writing your report. Stick to objective data (facts), unless there is a section for personal opinions/recommendations. Write to your audience. 13

14 Requests for Proposals Effective RFPs should at least explain: What the project is What exactly do you require as output (your deliverables) Timeline, budget, legal stipulations How proposals would be reviewed Your contact information Projections Projections are documents that show estimates of future performance, alongside data that can substantiate your predictions. The most common projection document is a financial projection, which shows future income based on present and anticipated cash flow. Can be short term or long term Executive Summaries An executive summary usually includes the following sections: Overview of the project Mission Statement Management and Staff Market and Customer Your Competitive Edge Operations Financial Projections and Plans 14

15 Take a Break Questions? Forth & Final Module Business Cases Proofreading Publishing I just wrote a book, but don t go out and buy it yet, because I don t think it s finished yet. - Eddie Snipes Business Cases A Business Case is justification for a proposed project or undertaking We have to put forward a case to the city manager as to why this training is necessary" Cases should include: Background of the problem/opportunity Problems encountered Options considered and cost benefit analysis Solution selected and implementation strategy Expected costs of the project 15

16 A Proofreading Primer Here are some tips on effective proofreading: Know the difference between proofreading and editing Avoid proofreading immediately after writing. If possible, put the material aside for a few hours or a day before starting the process. Go slowly, considering every word. Read what is actually on the page and watch if you re filling in blanks. Look for one error at a time. You can start at different parts of the paper every time to avoid the negative effects of familiarity with the text. How Peer Review Can Help Peer review is the process of submitting your work to the scrutiny of another writer, an expert or a fellow member of your team, with the goal of getting constructive feedback. Peer review is different from proofreading Choose your peer reviewer wisely See peer review as an opportunity to grow and learn; don t get hurt feelings Printing and Publishing Here are some tips on printing and publishing your business documents: Have it professionally printed Always check the print preview before printing a document. Put final documents in pdf before sending to print. Check quality of graphics, pictures and clip art, as well as type of paper and ink. To be sure, always have a print draft for review before making many copies. 16

17 Challenge! Is anyone willing to submit writing for publication? Article in QC Magazine Editorial in your local newspaper Professional journal article Public Management Magazine Governing Magazine Cities (an international, peer reviewed journal) City, Culture and Society Journal Topic ideas? Nuggets to Remember: Make a spelling/grammar cheat sheet A sentence can be grammatically correct and still really confusing Good agendas will lead to well run meetings In all of your writing, keep your main idea central Mind your tone in s and social media Display competence over confidence Seek proofreaders and peer reviewers who will help you improve your writing There are some things that should never come to an end; learning is one of them. Casey Lucius Resources Abell, A. (2003). Business Grammar, Style and Usage. Aspatore, Inc. Blake, G. & Bly, R.W. (1992). The Elements of Business Writing: A Guide to Writing Clear, Concise Letters, Memos, Reports, Proposals and Other Business Documents. Longman. Forsyth, P. (2006). How to Write Reports and Proposals (Creating Success). Kogan Page. Sant, Tom (2003). Persuasive Business Proposals: Writing to Win More Customers, Clients and Contracts. AMACOM. No two persons ever read the same book. Edmund Wilson 17

18 Contact Information Thank you! Casey Lucius, Ph.D