GEC – PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION

MODULE 8

LESSON 8 – WRITTEN MODES OF PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

INTRODUCTION
No matter your field, having professional communication skills is essential to success in today's
workplace. This book covers key business communications topics that will help you in your career,
including intercultural communication, team work, professional writing, audience analysis and adapting
messages, document formatting, oral communication, and more.

OVERVIEW
Different professions use different genres. However, you will note that there are communicationmaterials
that cut across professions. They communicate important information about a certain organization,event,
or individual.

Some of these communication materials are the memoranda, minutes of the meetings, business letters,
and business proposals. Moreover, with the advent of technology, there are now new forms of
communication materials using social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. All these
communication materials are considered as genres and they cut across the different professions and/or
disciplines

OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. identify the various genres used across professions;
b. show understanding of the structure of various genres used across professions; and
c. create your own business letter, memorandum and minutes of the meeting.

LESSON PROPER

BUSINESS LETTERS, MEMORANDA, MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS

Business letters are a common form of writing in any organization. The traditional parts of a
business letter are:
a. heading
b. inside address
c. salutation
d. body
e. complimentary close
f. signature

Generally, the business letter follows a certain format. When plain bond paper is used, the
conventional heading includes the address of the writer and the date when the letter is written.A modern
heading uses the company’s stationery which bears the company’s logo, address, telephone number,and
other information. The date when the letter is written is simply indicated. The heading is followedbythe
inside address which indicates the name of the recipient of the letter, his/her designation/position in a
company or organization, and the company’s address. It is also possible that the recipient h as no business
or company affiliation. In this case, the letter writer merely indicates the recipient’s address. This part is
followed by the greeting or salutation, and the body of the letter which is clear, simple, and focused.The
body normally has three paragraphs, the first of which provides the reason for writing. The second
paragraph gives more specific details about the information provided in the first paragraph while the last
paragraph emphasizes the reason for writing and expresses gratitude to the reader for taking time outto
read/review the letter. The next part is the complimentary close and the last is the signature.

The following templates illustrate the parts and formats of a business letter.
 186 Int. Dolores Street Conventional Heading
Arnaiz Avenue (Writer’s Contact Information)
Pasay City
December 5, 2018 Date

Mr. David Ruiz

Proprietor
Inside Address
Zenith Enterprises
(Recipient’s Contact Information)
28 Dart Street
Paco, Manila

Dear Mr. Ruiz: Salutation

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Body of the letter

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Sincerely yours, Complimentary close

George Santillan
Signature above typed/printed name

Template of a business letter with a modern heading and utilizing the modified block format:
 Note that there is a need for you to adjust the content of your letter depending on the purpose
for writing. As it is, there are different kinds of business letters: letter of application, le tter of resignation,
letter of acceptance, follow-up letter, and the letter of appreciation, among others.

It is also possible that you write professional emails when you apply for work or for otherbusiness
purposes. Remember that when you write a business e-mail message, you write it the way any other
business correspondence. It is important that you always fill in the subject line so as not to leave the
recipient of the message guessing as to what the message is all about. Then begin your e -mail with a
professional greeting, followed by the body, closing, and signature. Include your full name and contact
information such as e-mail address and phone number.

Another communication material is the memorandum. The term memorandum can be shortened
or abbreviated by calling it a memo. A Latin term which means “it must be remembered,” the memo is
usually issued and disseminated by those occupying mid-level positions and up in an organization. It is
written to serve as a reminder to one’s constituents who need to do next so that errors in the committed,
it may or it will not happen again.

How do you construct an effective memorandum? As in any form of writing, organize your
thoughts very well so that clarity is achieved in the first stance or at the outset. Th e first part should
contain the most important information. Thus, indicate the information you want and the reason forsuch
by presenting relevant information. The succeeding parts may discuss in specific terms what has been
indicated in the first part of the memo. Your conclusion should also be clear so that the readers will know
what to do after reading it. Note that an effective memorandum is one that is written in a powerful
manner so that the readers will be convinced to act upon it. Address the memorandum only to those who
are concerned. Review the memo before releasing it especially if it contains confidential information.
Remember that memos, just like any form of writing, can serve as a permanent record in any office or
organization.

Memos have the same structure. This is the template for a memorandum:

MEMORANDUM

TO: (Sendee)
FROM: (Sender)
DATE:
SUBJECT: (Some memos use RE to mean regarding)

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Sending a memo via electronic mail is acceptable but you still need to follow the correct format.
It is also better if a memo is sent as an attachment to the e-mail.

A third important communication material is the minutes of a meeting. Organizations,

institutions, agencies, and even smaller units or offices hold meetings from time to time. It is important
that things discussed in the meeting are documented so that you can always refer to them when issues
arise in the future. It is possible that any clarification on matters that have been previously addressedare
found in the minutes of meeting held in the past. Thus, it is important that records are kept properly.Soft
and hard copies are highly recommended.

Below is a template of the minutes of a meeting:

 MINUTES OF THE MEETING
(Name of Organization)
(Date of the meeting was held)

List of Attendees
o Present
o Absent

I. Approval of Agenda
II. Review and Approval of Minutes of the Previous Meeting
III. Business Arising from the Minutes
IV. New Agenda
V. Adjournment

Signature of the one who prepared the minutes/date

Approval of the person occupying the top position in the organization

BUSINESS PROPOSAL

When the company you work for wants to venture into a project with another organization, you
may be asked to write a business proposal. The purpose of a business proposal is to attract clients or
secure support from possible investors or organizations. You may also write one for your own use if you
are a freelancer. Generally, proposals have the same template. Because there are numerous competing
companies nowadays, it is important that you produce a well -written proposal so that you will have an
edge over the others. Your goal is having the proposal approved by your prospective client so doyourbest
to attain that objective. You need to know and understand your target client in developing a proposal that
has a sound methodology, a viable solution to the problem that the company is facing, a realisticschedule,
and a reasonable and justifiable budget.

A good proposal cannot be prepared overnight. If you are targeting a client, research about it
exhaustively. Know how it operates. Design a method by which you can outshine other competitors who
also wish to submit a proposal on the same ground. Note that some prospective clients you meet in the
course of your career may suddenly request for a proposal, do not be disheartened as the experience will
still add to your journey as a professional.

Business proposals generally have three major parts: the problem statement, the proposed
solution, and the costing or pricing. Make sure that you begin with the Executive Summary which
highlights what you or your company is all about, the services it provides, and how it differs from the
others. This should be your selling point. Think of an added value that you or your company can offer that
will make it outdo the other organizations of the same nature.

After the Executive Summary, proceed to the problem statement or what your prospective client
is encountering. The client should be convinced that you perfectly understand the situation that it is in.
This should be followed by the proposed solution which explains how you can address or resolve the
concern/s besetting the client. You should then offer a sound method by which you will address the
problem, spelling out the step-by-step procedure that you will employ to carry out your plan effectively.
The step-by-step procedure will likewise require a timetable or the schedule for the completion of the
project. Make sure that your timetable is realistic. It is not a good idea that you merely impress your
prospective client but are not able to deliver and meet the client’s ex pectations. Stating a bit of your
qualifications and your vast experience in the field can be highlighted in this part so that you canconvince
the prospective client that you are the best choice and the most qualified to take on the job and bring
success to the client. The last major part is the costing. You need to state the price of the services you will
render if given the chance. It is all up to you and your company if you want a one -time payment or a
payment on a staggered basis depending on the nature of the project.
 Finally, there are no hard and fast rules as regards the length of the proposal. What is more
important is that it is complete with the information needed including those that your prospective client
may ask for. Your proposal should be accompanied by a cover letter and should begin with a Title Page
with your name/name of the company indicated, the company to whom the proposal is being submitted,
as well as the date when it is submitted.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS

To date, FACEBOOK has become the most popular social media website. Developed by Mark
Zuckerberg in the early 2000s, Facebook allows you to link with the people whom you have not yet met
and re-connect with family, friends, and acquaintances and to stay in contact with them. You need to
create your own account first and your personal profile. You may include information you want to be
known by other people either in private or public depending on the kind of status you have. You may
upload pictures, and write your views on the Facebook wall which may or may not call attention. Your
Facebook friends may “like,” react, or comment on your post.

Facebook, however, is not limited to individuals as it is also used nowadays by organizations and
companies. It is the fastest way to reach out to others and disseminate information. If a company is going
to organize an event such as a convention, lecture, or symposium, it uses Facebook to spread the
information. Many events become successful because of online advertising and announcement s. Online
postings such as those in Facebook and Twitter are also the cheapest way to advertise events and achieve
optimum results.

Finally, LinkedIn as a social networking service is used for professional networking.Employersuse

this site to post job vacancies while interested applicants post their curriculum vitae or resume. LinkedIn
is a very effective way to connect professionals and establish professional linkages.

When you share your curriculum vitae via LinkedIn, there is no need to post your h ome address
and other personal details. You may just limit your presentation to your professional qualifications such
as your educational background, work experience, and achievements as a professional. This way, youcan
avoid exposing yourself to some external threats.

LEARNING ASSESSMENT

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Directions: Check your understanding of the input by answering the following questions.

1. Aside from the genres presented above, what are the other communication materials or genres used
across professions? Name at least three and give a detailed structure of each.
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2. How different are these genres in terms of structure when compared to their online counterparts?
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3. In what instances would the traditional form of genres be useful? What about their online versions?
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LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

Directions: Using the format above, make a letter of application. You may use a separate sheet of paper
or use the box below.
 LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

Directions: Using the format above, make a memo. You may use a separate sheet of paper or use the
box below.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

Directions: Using the format above, make the minutes of a meeting. You may use a separate sheet of
paper or use the box below.

Reference: Marilu Ranosa Madrunio and Isabel Pefianco Martin, Purposive Communication Using English
in Multilingual Contexts, C & E Publishing, Inc., 839 EDSA, South Triangle, Quezon City