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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

CHAPTER 5:
SHORT WORKPLACE MESSAGES AND MEDIA
Instructor: TRAM NGUYEN
DIGITAL-AGE EMAIL MESSAGES AND MEMOS

ELECTRONIC MESSAGES PAPER-BASED MESSAGES


• Email • Business letters
• Instant messaging • Interoffice memos
• Text messaging But wait
• Podcasts They are also usually composed
• Wikis on computer now
• Blogs
• Social networking
HOW WORKPLACES MESSAGES ARE CHANGING

• Messages are shorter and more


frequent
• Respond time is much speedier
• One-on-one to one-to-many
transmissions
• User-generated contents
• Social media networks
• Cloud data storage
LAYOUT #1 - EMAIL: WHEN TO WRITE IT

• Short, informal messages that request


information, provide information and
respond to inquiries
• Messages to multiple receivers and
messages that must be archived Email CANNOT replace
face-to-face, or
(saved) telephone
• Cover document when sending longer communication in the
attachments, eg: when you attach a workplace
proposal, assignments, etc.
WHY EMAILS ARE HATED

• Email overload • Everlasting evidence

Once you press the “send” button


(and are not quick enough to press
“undo”), you email is gone. Forever.
WRITING PLAN FOR INFORMATIONAL EMAILS
*or the minimum expectation of emails*
WRITING PLAN FOR INFORMATIONAL EMAILS
*or what we expect to receive from students*

Your email’s layout should always include these elements


Pro tip from Tram:
• SUBJECT LINE Leave the Recipient’s email BLANK until
you have composed everything else.
• OPENING
• BODY Finish this last

• CLOSING
*please*
EVALUATE THESE SUBJECT LINES

1 2

4
3

5
SUBJECT LINE: BE COMPELLING

1.Summarize the purposes, or main ideas of the message


2.It should make the recipients want to open the message

Pro-tip:
Be receiver-oriented. Be clear and condensed. Be polite.

BC Monday - Submission of CV assignment – Nguyen Van A


BC – Incorrect final score on Edusoft
Urgent question about BC midterm exam
Letter of absence – BC 01/01/2021
OPENING

1. Include a greeting
• Dear + title + name (Ms. Tram not Mrs. Tram, Mr. Tram or Professor Tram)
• Hi Steven (informal – to a close colleague etc.)
• To whom it may concern (if you don’t know the exact name of the recipient)
• Introduce yourself – in case the recipient is not yet aware of who you are

2. Reveal the main idea immediately but in expanded form


BODY

• Explain and justify the main idea


• Group similar ideas together into a section
• Avoid wordiness but don’t sacrifice clarity
STAGE 3: REVISING – avoiding wordiness

What a business message should look like


1.Concise – to make it easy to read and understand, and save the time of the reader
• Eliminating flabby expressions
Eg: due to the fact that = because
• Drop unnecessary words and lead-in
Eg: We are sending this announcement to let everyone know that… → go
straight to the point
• Get rid of redundancies
Eg: “please kindly” or “please feel free to” = please OR kindly OR feel free to
• Purge empty words
Eg: We are aware of the fact that ….
STAGE 3: REVISING – avoiding wordiness

2. Clear and simple – your goal is to express, not to impress


• Don’t try to be “over” businesslike
Eg: in accordance to your wish = as you wish
• Dropping clichés
Eg: first and foremost
• Avoid slang and buzzwords
• Rescuing buried verbs
Eg: After the meeting, we have reached the conclusion that = we have
concluded that
• Controlling exuberance
• Choosing clear, precise words
Eg: The event attracted a huge crowd = The event attracted 518 people
BODY

• Use headings and other high-skim techniques when


appropriate
BODY

Main idea

Details

Main idea

Details in numbered list


CLOSING: EFFECTIVE GOODBYE
1. Conclude with the following information (where appropriate)
• Action information
• Dates or deadline
• Summary of the message
• Closing thought

2. Use a signature with your contact information


Redundancy
okay okay… don’t shout at me
like this…
polite ending for the last
assignment
ENDING THE EMAIL

• Best, Should not be used in professional environment


• Thank you, Your friend
• Many thanks, Cheers
• Sincerely, Peace
• Respectfully, Thanks a bunch
• Regards, Chat soon
• Kind regards, Yours truly
• Best regards, Yours faithfully
• Warm wishes,
• With gratitude,
EXAMPLE OF AN WELL-ORGANIZED EMAIL
Main idea & purpose of sending the
email

Reason for the request

Details of the request – presented with


bullet points to improve readability

Call for action + deadline

Signature
PRO-TIPS FOR MANAGING EMAILS

• Understand that email IS business


writing
→Read and re-read Chapter 2, 3, 4 :D
• Check your email at certain time of the
days, don’t look at it 24/7
• Obtain approval before forwarding
• Resist humour and sarcasm.
• Double-check, triple-check before
hitting SEND
LAYOUT #2 - MEMO: WHEN TO WRITE IT

• An intra-office communication channel that is used


to convey events, changes or essential information,
e.g. meetings, projects, policies, procedures..
• Best used when:
✓A message is too long for email
✓A permanent record is required
✓Formality is needed
✓Employees may not have email
MEMO: STRUCTURE

Company’s name

Date compose
Recipient
Sender

Subject line
MEMO: STRUCTURE

Opening
Purpose of the message

Further
explanation

Give an overview of the


suggestions
MEMO: STRUCTURE
State the points
BODY in order

Be short and
straightforward

Make the details


clear

Use bullets to make


the memo readable
MEMO: STRUCTURE

CLOSING
Summarize the main
ideas again

Call to action

See page 126 in your textbook for an example of a fully-formatted memo


INSTANT MESSAGING AND TEXTING IN THE WORKPLACE
USING SOCIAL NETWORK SITES AND COMPANY NETWORK

• Learn your company’s media policies. • Don’t spread rumors, gossip, and
• Separate work and personal data. negative defamatory comments.
• Avoid sending personal e-mail, IM • Don’t download and spread cartoons,
messages, or texts from work. video clips, photos, and art.
• Be careful when blogging, tweeting, or • Don’t download free software and
posting on social networking sites. utilities to company machines.
• Keep sensitive information private. • Don’t open attachments sent by phishy
• Stay away from pornography, sexually e-mail
explicit jokes, or inappropriate screen savers

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