Professional Documents
Culture Documents
After planning steps in communicating the message have been completed we have to consider specific
writing principles to help us choose right words, syntax and sentences for our letters, reports and
memorandums.
1. Correctness
2. Conciseness
3. Clarity
4. Completeness
5. Concreteness
6. Consideration
7. Courtesy
8. Confidence
9. Conversational tone
1) Correctness:
To be correct in communication the following principles should be borne in mind:
2) Conciseness:
Business executives are dead busy. They don’t have time to go through unnecessary lengthy messages.
The writer is also a loser if he writes wordy messages, because it involves more time and money to type
and read. Conciseness makes the message more understandable and comprehensible. To achieve
conciseness the
The message should be laconic. Conciseness should not ne accomplished at the cost of completeness
or courtesy. In business writing, less in more, spare is fair, lean is keen.
Clarity:
Clarity demands that the business message should be correct, concise, complete, concrete and with
consideration. To accomplish these, observe the following:
Completeness:
The message should be complete to bring desirable results. It should include everything the reader wants
or needs. We should be able to know the reader’s background, viewpoints, needs, attitudes and emotions
to determine the extent of information to be included in the message.
1. The message should answer all the questions in the order they were asked.
2. Give some additional information, if important.
3. Ensure to answer 5 W’s and any other essentials.
5 W’s (five questions) are as follows:
Who
What
Where
When
Why
Concreteness:
The business writing should be specific, definite, unambiguous and vivid rather than vague & general.
The following guidelines lead to concreteness.
1. Use specific facts and figures. Avoid words like few, quick, soon etc.
Consideration:
Consideration refers to your attitude, empathy, the human touch and understanding of human nature.
Consideration means the message with receiver, in mind. You should try to visualize your readers their
desires, problems, emotions, circumstances and possible reaction to your request.
Courtesy:
“ Everyone gains where courtesy reigns” is a good age-old slogan for written and oral communication.
Courtesy is more important and advantageous in business writing than it is in face to face communication
or conversation. Courteous messages strengthen present relations and make new friends. Courtesy is a
goodwill builder.
In normal situations people tend to behave courteously. However, in unpleasant circumstances they tend
to act otherwise. They may lose their temper and go discourteous. In fact irritating situations are the test
of courtesy. A businessman may get irked if his receivable amount becomes overdue by many cays,
weeks or even months. Such a situation calls for cool mindedness and courtesy.
Confidence:
Your letter will be more successful when you show confidence in yourself, confidence in your reader and
confidence in your message. Letters with optimistic tone take into account neglect and negative issues.
Confidence in communication creates positive tone; confidence in yourself is produced when you believe
or apologetic. Show your reader that you are decisive, positive, confident and straightforward rather than
diffident dubious, indecisive and negative.
To have confidence in your reader means that you assume the reader will do that is right until otherwise it
is proved. You should give your reader the benefit of the doubt.
You lose confidence in your message when you write I hope, I trust, if, why not. Such phrases should be
avoided. Spend the time necessary in designing a letter so that the message accomplishes the business
objectives.
If you lack in confidence the following undesirable results will tend to occur.
Conversational Tone:
Your letter should be read as it you are talking to the reader. The tone should be comfortable, natural,
conversational, unpretentious and inconspicuous. Business letters are not scholarly dissertations.
Conversational tone makes the writer emphatic. You should avoid legalese and business jargons such as
beg to advice, please find enclosed herewith, or thanking you in anticipation. To accomplish
conversational tone.
1. The language may become formal making communication ineffective and weak.