WELCOME

Writing Consultants for Professionals

Effective Business
Writing: Women in
ETFs

Presented by Lynn Kearney, Ph.D.

and Norma Lana for Women in ETFs

November 5, 2020
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Effective Business Writing

OBJECTIVES

§ Build a writing strategy

§ Organize for the reader
§ Keep language simple
§ Design for visual appeal
§ Manage emails

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Effective Business Writing

Build a Writing Strategy

OBJECTIVES

Build a writing strategy

§ Analyze your audience
Organize for the reader
§ Determine your purpose
Keep language simple
§ Focus your message
Design for visual appeal
Manage emails § Create the right tone

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Effective Business Writing – Build a Writing Strategy

Analyze Your Audience

§ What’s in it for them?

§ How much detail do they expect?
§ What will motivate them to act?
§ What do they know about the
content?

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Effective Business Writing – Build a Writing Strategy

Determine Your Purpose

§ Why am I writing?
§ What do I want my audience
to know?
§ What do I want my audience
to do?
§ What is my point of view?

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Effective Business Writing – Build a Writing Strategy

Focus Your Message erer

§ What are my key points?

§ Where do I want to place them?
§ How can I support my key
points?
§ What structure is best for my
content?

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Effective Business Writing – Build a Writing Strategy

Focus Your Message erer

Where do you find the writer’s key

message?
In the case of international or global ETFs,
the fundamentals of the country that the
ETF is following are important, as is the
creditworthiness of the currency in that
country. Economic and social instability
will also play a huge role in determining
the success of any ETF that invests in a
particular country or region. These factors
must be kept in mind when making
decisions regarding the viability of an ETF.
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Effective Business Writing – Build a Writing Strategy

Focus Your Message erer

How quickly can you find it now?

Investors should consider the following
factors when assessing an international or
global ETF: country and currency
creditworthiness, economic strength, and
social stability.

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Effective Business Writing

Organize for the Reader

OBJECTIVES

Build a writing strategy § Use Reader’s Logic, not Writer’s

Logic
Organize for the reader
§ Present key message first
Keep language simple
§ Move buried treasure to the top
Design for visual appeal
§ Avoid repetition
Manage emails

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Effective Business Writing – Organize for the Reader

Writer’s vs. Reader’s Logic

STORY Reader’s Logic
§ ________________ opens with your
conclusion and grabs
§ ________________ your audience’s
MESSAGE attention.
§ ________________
§ ________________ vs. STORY
§ ________________
MESSAGE § ________________
Writer’s Logic
leads to a § ________________
conclusion. Readers
must wait to hear § ________________
your key ideas.

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Effective Business Writing – Organize for the Reader

Writer’s Logic
Where do you find the writer’s key message?
Sit-tech has reported its results for 1Q20. Net income rose
from $200 million to $250 million compared to our forecast
of $230 million and the consensus forecast of $220 million.
We have revised our financial model and have increased our
2020 full-year net profit forecast to $320 million from $270
million and our 2021 forecast from $310 million to $350
million.

As a result, we are increasing our EPS forecasts from $1.20 to

$1.30 for 2020 and from $1.40 to $1.50 for 2021. Our 12-
month target price is raised from $20 to $25. This implies a
total return of 23%, compared with 11% previously, and so we
are raising our rating from Hold to Buy. The company has
shown strength and resilience amid Covid market
fluctuations.
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Effective Business Writing – Organize for the Reader

Reader’s Logic
How does Reader’s Logic reveal the key point up front?
Upgrading to Buy from Hold on resilience and strength
Sit-tech’s 1Q20 results exceeded our forecast and consensus
expectations, with net income up 25%, despite Covid market
fluctuations.

Raising 2020 EPS forecast by 8%; 2021’s by 7%

We are increasing our forecasts to $1.30 from $1.20 for 2020
and to $1.50 from $1.40 for 2021.

Increasing price target by 25%

Our 12-month price target has risen to $25 from $20 for a 23%
total return, compared with 11% previously.

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Effective Business Writing

Keep Language Simple

OBJECTIVES § Eliminate unnecessary jargon

Build a writing strategy and language

Organize for the reader § Use plain English

Keep language simple § Compose declarative sentences

Design for visual appeal § Limit sentences to 20-35 words

Manage emails § Maintain parallel structure

§ Select strong, active verbs
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Effective Business Writing – Keep Language Simple

Stock Phrases to Avoid

Avoid Use
By virtue of the fact that —
Despite the fact that Although
Due to (to begin sentence) Because
Exhibited Use precise verb
Experienced Use precise verb
Going forward —
In this regard, regarding About
Note, please note Lead with key point
On a ____ basis Weekly, monthly, annually
On two separate occasions Twice
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Effective Business Writing – Keep Language Simple

Parallel Structure – Before

ABC announced that it:
§ Intended to scale down its 2020 capex plan
from EUR 4.8bn to EUR 3.3bn.
§ Was seeking a strategic partner for its gas
business.
§ Targeted asset disposals of EUR 800
minimum.
§ Will increase sales for 2021.
§ Cost reductions for 2021 look likely.

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Effective Business Writing – Keep Language Simple

Parallel Structure – After

ABC announced that it intended to:

§ Scale down its 2020 capex plan from
EUR 4.8bn to EUR 3.3bn.
§ Find a strategic partner for its gas
business.
§ Target asset disposals of EUR 800
minimum.
§ Increase 2021 sales by 20 percent.
§ Reduce 2021 costs by 10%.

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Effective Business Writing – Keep Language Simple

Linguistic, Cultural, and Gender Writing Differences

Consider the Following:

§ Gender differences disappear with training
§ Language and culture are not divorced
§ Denotation and connotation count
§ Neutral language and clarity minimize cultural
and linguistic differences

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Effective Business Writing

Design for Visual Appeal

OBJECTIVES
§ Limit sentence and paragraph length
Build a writing strategy
§ Create a map to help readers skim
Organize for the reader § Use headings to break up text
Keep language simple § Use bold strategically
Design for visual appeal § Avoid bullet blur
Manage emails § Limit subordination to two levels
§ Design clear graphics to complement text

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Effective Business Writing – Design for Visual Appeal

Design for Visual Appeal – Original

If a U.S. futures exchange or exchange member determines that a futures or options

on futures contract traded on its Electronic Trading System has taken place in error
or at an unrepresentative price outside the “No Bust Range” (i.e., a “mistrade”), the
exchange may, within its sole discretion, cancel the trade. If an exchange
believes that a transaction may be a mistrade, it will typically initiate a text message
alert over its ETS and to the quote vendor network indicating that the trade is under
review. The exchange will also attempt to directly contact the parties to the
transaction in question. If the exchange subsequently determines that the trade
price was an error or an unrepresentative price, it has the authority to bust the
trade. If the exchange determines that the trade should be busted, it typically
notifies its members via a text message over the ETS and to the quote vendor
network, and in some cases via e-mail to all registered users, that the trade in
question and possibly all other trades that may have been executed outside the No
Bust Range subsequent to this one are busted.

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Effective Business Writing – Design for Visual Appeal

Design for Visual Appeal – Revised

A U.S. Futures Exchange may take the following actions if it and/or an Exchange member determine
that an irregular trade has occurred.

Cancel a trade
A U.S. futures Exchange determines that a futures or options on futures contract traded on its Electronic
Trading System has taken place in error or at an unrepresentative price outside the “No Bust Range”
(i.e., a “mistrade”).

Notify involved parties of a mistrade

A U.S. Exchange believes that a transaction may be a mistrade. In this case, it typically will send a text
message alert over its ETS to its members and to the quote vendor network indicating that the trade is
under review. The Exchange also will attempt to contact the parties to the transaction in question.

Bust a trade
The Exchange subsequently determines that the trade price was an error or an unrepresentative price. In
this instance, it has the authority to bust the trade. The Exchange typically sends a text message alert
over the ETS to its members and to the quote vendor network if it busts a trade. The Exchange will e-
mail all registered users alerting them that the trade in question and possibly all other trades that may
have been executed outside the No Bust Range subsequent to this one are busted.
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Effective Business Writing

Manage Emails

OBJECTIVES § Compose a compelling subject line

Build a writing strategy § Structure using Reader’s Logic
§ Stay declarative
Organize for the reader
§ Watch tone and language choices
Keep language simple
§ Limit paragraphs to four lines
Design for visual appeal § Proofread for accuracy
Manage emails § Organize attachments
§ Consider threads

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Effective Business Writing – Manage Emails

Email – Original
Date: November 5, 2020
To: Rhonda Janes <Rhonda.Janes@xyz.com>
From: Alex Lines <Alex.Lines@xyz.com>
Subject: Data Report

Hi Rhonda,

I was originally looking at a cash report and was unaware of whether old data was available for stock. I have
managed to set up a report for stock and the date range does go back as far as 2004. I am not looking at this
stage for a specific product, but am trying to create a fairly generic report in which position data can be
obtained for specific accounts when required. I appreciate that current data will be available via TXW but in
this case we are looking for data prior to this. Would it be possible for you to take a look at the attached
report for me? I have set up this report so that I can run queries for position data, but the only data it returns
is on plug accounts reconciled within our group. Tried running it for individual accounts that I know have
positions, but no data is returned - not sure what I have done!

Any advice you can provide would be much appreciated.

Thanks & Regards

Alex
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Effective Business Writing – Manage Emails

Email – Revision
Date: November 5, 2020
To: Rhonda Janes <Rhonda.Jane@xyz.com
From: Alex Lines <Alex.Lines@xyz.com
Subject: Please Review | Historic Position Data Model

Hi Rhonda,

Would you please help me create a generic report that pulls in position specific data at the
account level?

Attached is my report, which does not return the correct historical data.

I have identified the following errors:

§ My current report only pulls in historical data for plug accounts.
§ Individual accounts with known positions do not appear.

Please let me know if you need more details.

Thanks,
Alex
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Tips for Success
Effective Business Writing

§ Make it count – build a composing strategy

§ Make it clear – use Reader’s Logic
§ Make it simple – streamline your language
§ Make it pretty – design for quick reading
§ Make it work – impress your readers

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Effective Business Writing – Keep Language Simple

Do’s and Don’ts – First, the Do’s

Do Do
Anticipate your audiences’ Maintain parallel structure in lists
expectations. and sentences.
Use Reader’s Logic: Structure Proofread for punctuation,
documents from most to least spelling, grammar, tone, and
important content. design.
Streamline for unnecessary language Conduct a final read for clarity
and jargon. and concision.
Compose short, declarative sentences: Review for tone and language
subject, verb, object. choices.
Design for visual clarity. Limit Review, reorganize, and revise
paragraph length. when necessary.
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Effective Business Writing – Keep Language Simple

Do’s and Don’ts – Now, the Don’ts

Don’t Don’t
Forget to write for your audiences. Design cluttered or difficult to skim
documents.
Structure documents with writer’s Use bold or underline for emphasis
logic. within a sentence or paragraph.

Begin sentences or paragraphs with Create bullet blur by subordinating

dependent clauses. more than two levels.

Write clichés or stock phrases. Write long paragraphs in emails or

reports.
Compose sentences over 35 words. Send documents before reviewing
them.
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Tips for Success
Effective Business Writing

Keep in Touch
Send us your grammar, punctuation, or composing
problem, and we will get back to you with a solution.

You can reach us as follows:

Norma at Lana Media Group
917.689.6175
lanamediagroup@gmail.com

Lynn at The Write Effect

Phone: 212.249.2861
lkearney@stern.nyu.edu 27