Business Writing Review

Los datos del curso son:

• Módulos: 3
• Duración: 6 Meses máximo (Hasta 15 Abril 2011)
• Dedicación:
  • Estimada: 1 semester Unit (15 h + 15 * 1,5) o sea 1 crédito ECTS
  • Real: veremos. Yo calculo unas 30 a 40 h
• Precio: 550 USD (unos 400 euros)
• A Distancia: por Internet
• Libro Referencia: Writing That Works de Kenneth Roman y Joel Raphaelson. Es Imprescindible.
• Evaluación. Actividades y Trabajos
• Profesora: Margaret Steen

Writing That Works:

• People that write well do well (task oriented)
• It takes time to write well (think and practice)

Don't Mumble:

• Come right out and do it
• Make Organization clear (structure your writing)
• Make it short (paragraphs, sentences, words)
• Make Active and Personal (down-to-earth)
• Good Language (Grammar, no mispelling, no typos ...)
• Specific (don't exaggerate)
• Don't write like bureaucrat (plain and current languge)
• Think about your reader

Using Computers

• Write First, Format Later
• Make your file/folder names understandable
• Make Backup of your file
• Be Cautious:
  • Make Hard Copy ProofReading
  • Spell/Grammar Check with caution (or don't use them)
  • Use Serif Fonts
  • Emphasize (bold/italics) with caution

How to write a memo:

• It is like a internal letter
• Put a title
• Address properly
• Call to Action
• A Memo is a permanent record (Be careful)
• Handwritten Memos could be quite good (praise/apreciattion)

How to write a Business Letter

• Address properly and without errors
• Think Carefully about Salutation and sign-off
• Consider beginnig with a title or a hard first sentence
• Stop when it would be enough
• Call to action (be specific)
• Typical Letters:
  • Ask for Something: What We Want, Why and Thanks
  • Saying no: Be considerd, never answer with angry and leave doors open
  • Complaining: write to get something done / include everything / Be clear, concrete, firm
  • Answer Complaining: Consider complain / say what to do / apologyze / leave door open
  • Short Letter (1 or 2 sentences): it can stablish your interest

Writing an email

• Time is a Problem (mostly answering time)
• Writing effective emails are time/decission savers
• How-to:
  • Think about the Subject (clear and compelling)
  • Address Properly (cc/bcc/to)
  • Cut to the point (a page scroll)
  • Provide Context
  • Beware of tone and netiquette
  • No email is private (Beware)
  • When not to email: instant com or paper value

Political Correctness

• Avoid hurt feelings (unintencionally)
• Let be sensitive (not hypersensitive)

Writing a resumé (so you get an interview)

• Communicate in Writing (and check it by phone)
• Think about it (skills, market, contribution)
• It's important: summarize and keep it simple
• Balance what to put in/leave out
• Acompanning Letter
  • Think about the reader
  • Pick his interest
  • Different Readers, different letters
  • Identify what job are you looking for
  • Address properly (individual, not title)
  • Be Specific and Factual
  • Be Personal, Direct and Natural
  • Propose a next step (be specific)
  • Follow-up interviews in writing

Editing Yourself to ...

• Shorten. Cut it out if it is not essential
• Clarify. No mumbling
• Simplify
• Accuracy and Precision. Are your facts right?
• Order and Logic
• Make sure nothing is left out
• Review Tone. Is the tone right?
• Improve Appearance
• Examine Reader's point of view

And finally ... let time elapse between drafts and ask for opinion

Making it easy to read

• Use Heading Properly
• Keep Paragraphs Short
• Use Typographic Devices (for clarity and emphasis)
• Use Numbered/Bulleted to logic
• User Upper/LowerCase properly
• Use Space for clarity (subheadings, between lines and paragraphs)
• Handle Numbers consistently
• Number your pages
• Make Charts and Tables easy to handle

Writing for an Audience: Presentations and Speeches

• Think about your audience and your message (reading vs viewing)
• Standard Logic (take action): objetive / background / facts / conclusions / recomendations / next steps
• The Pyramid Principle (iceberg)
• How to Organize:
  • Keep Things Simple (KISS Principle)
  • Tell where you're going
  • Talk about them (their interest)
  • Think Headlines/Keywords
  • Involve Audience (Engagement)
  • Start and Finish Strong
• Speeches
  • Start Fast
  • Your point of view
  • Write your speech
  • Leave them thinking
  • Keep it short
  • Sound easy

Reports that make things happen

• A plan is a recomendation (before approvement) and a commitment to action (after)
• Write to action (decissions). Have a purpose (a stick to it)
• Recomendations
  • Build a foundation of facts
  • State recommendations clearly
  • Make it a call to action
• How to write
  • Make it clear Why
  • Structure it
  • State facts (fully and accurately)
  • Separate Opinion from Fact
• Corporate Reports: WRite to specific persons (Buffet's sisters)

Sell Ideas

• Recommendations that persuade:
  • Selling (not presenting)
  • Tell where you are going
  • Lead People through Headings
  • Recommend early (don't surprise)
  • Emphasize Benefits
• Grants Proposals:
  • Get to the point (fast)
  • Meet Their needs (tell how to)
  • Organize (to persuade)
  • Make it urgent
  • Improve your product
  • Make it to get read (don't be dull)

Asking for money:

• Direct Marketing
• Test, Test, Test
• Value of your customer
• What works Best:
  • Make the offer right
  • Start Fast
• How to:
  • Get people to open teh envelope (or mail)
  • Find the audience, then the message
  • Don't be afraid of long letters (if grab attention, relevant facts and attractive offer)
  • Invite to read (don't be dull)
• Fund Raising letters:
  • Say Thanks, Then Please
  • Get to the point (how much?)
  • Make personal