UNIT-5

PUBLICATIONS

1.COMPANY PROFILE.

2.NOTICE.

3.PRODUCT MANUAL.

4.USER MANUAL.

5.STANDARD OPERATING MANUAL.

6.WRITING ARTICLES FOR MANAGEMENT AND JOURNALS.

7.RESEARCH REPORTS

8.ANNUAL REPORTS.

9.EXERCISE.
 COMPANY PROFILE

Introduction

To make a good impression and invite clients to your new business, you better prepare
a company profile and make it part of your marketing tool. According to the definition, a company
profile is a professional introduction of the business which aims to inform the audience about its
products and services. Or it is defined as the firms historical description, its structure, resources, the
rate of performance as well as its reputation.

Why is Company Profiles important?

Your company profile is among the most important aspects of your business. Without one, you'll
find it difficult to draw investors and customers alike. With a mediocre one, your customers will have
a bad impression of you. But with a great one, you'll get a flood of interest that will invigorate your
business and help you further your goals.

Summary of the news

before the internet, company profiles were already written but the impetus came in the 90's, with
the coming of the internet, business owners were motivated companies to create websites. The
conventional "about us” page was the origin of company profiles. Nowadays, it has a well-structured
form that includes numbers as well as financial and human resources. Expect another metamorphosis
of a company profile in the near future.

Future Impact
 The best place for company information is online. Company profile information can be a message
to an Internet community numbering in the millions. It is a way to broadcast the qualities of both
service and product. Company profile online information has to be done properly in order to be
successful. It is more than just posting a phrase or two.

Nobody wants to be annoyed by tedious sentences. If the content is poor then it is no surprise that
visitors move on quickly. It takes some effort to prepare online material but it is worth it. Good
content can hold a person for up-to-the-minute and that is almost a lifetime in e-commerce.

A professional company profile is considered as one of the most effective marketing tools
nowadays. Its main goal is to create clients’ awareness about the company, provide information
about the organization’s services, and help with recruitment efforts. A company profile can also
present a detailed overview of the company’s mission statement, its history, products, and the
people behind it. But what exactly are the company profiles and why are they so important to your
brand?

What is a company profile?

A company profile or a business profile is an introduction to a company’s story. It is a key aspect

of any company strategy and can be introduced even in a small business. The majority of company
profiles are created to fulfill at least one of the following purposes: to allow potential customers to
get acquainted with the company’s values and to inform them about your company’s mission. The
most significant factor of creating a company’s profile is to provide potential investors with the
company’s mission statement. The other is to attract new customers, increase sales, and foster
customer loyalty. Very often a company profile includes such information as the company’s
founding and origin. It can also be used internally for employees to get a general idea of the
company’s values.
 NOTICE

There are two means of communication, Formal and Informal. Notice writing is a formal means of
communication. The purpose of notice writing is to bring to notice a certain piece of information to a
group of people. They are generally pinned in any common area where the concerned people can read
them.
It is one of the common methods of communication. It gives important information about
something that is about to take place or has taken place. It is usually meant for a wider audience and
is put up in a public place for easy accessibility.

What is a Notice?

Notice is a formal, written, or printed announcement for a group of people. It is written in a very
precise language avoiding any extra details.
Basically, notices are a tool for disseminating information regarding any occasion or issue. They
reach a large number of people in less time, that is why they are precise and brief in nature.
If it will not be precise, then the readers might not devote so much time only for reading it. And, it
must be an art of a writer that he can express a long message in the shortest words possible. Plus,
being simple is an extra advantage. Make sure you do not include any extra details as it may
misinterpret the real message. If you are still feeling confused, then check the format of the notice
given below. With this, you will get a fair idea of writing a good notice.
Format of a Notice

 Name of the Organisation - It refers to the name of the institution of which the person writing a
notice is a part. It is written on the top of the page, it helps the readers identify who issued the notice.
 Title - ‘Notice’- This title says” notice’, It lets the readers know that they are going to read the
notice.
 Date - The date is written on the left corner of the notice after leaving a tile. As the notices are
formal communication, the date of issuing a notice is very important. The date should be written in a
proper format, which is clear and easily understandable.
 Heading - Heading explains what the notice is about in brief. Heading should reflect the content
of the meeting. It is just like a ‘subject’ of an email, which gives a synopsis or purpose of the
communication
 Body - The body of the notice includes the main content for which the notice was issued. The
body should contain all the necessary information required in the notice like the time of an event,
venue of the event, and a date and it should be written in a passive voice without the use of first-
person.

Tips on Notice Writing

 A Well-Written Notice Must Inform the Readers About Five Questions

These five questions are considered the prime pillars of good notice writing, the first one is
what is yet to occur. This will increase the curiosity of the readers and they will keep waiting for
another question after this. Then, they obviously want to know the place of where the actual address
is.
After where, the place of when comes, then who comes into the picture. ‘Whom’ is the last
one. Now,

 What is Going to Happen

The notice should explicitly state the event or information about which the notice is
written.

 Where It Will Take Place

 If it is an event then a place should be mentioned with a complete address and landmarks
so that the reader can locate the venue without any hassle.

 When It Will Take Place

The time should be written along with the place, make sure the time is a very important
part and should be rechecked before issuing the notice.

 Who Can Apply or is Eligible For It

The notice should state who it concerns and an unwanted crown can gather. It should be
mentioned who all are eligible for that particular event on which the notice is issued.

 Whom to Contact or Apply to

The issuing authority of notice should leave a piece of contact information for people to
reach out to them.

 No Extra Details

Any kind of extra details is not required in notice writing, as it will only deviate people
from the main topic. Notice has to be not more than 50 words.

 Follow the Structure

Following the notice writing format is highly recommended as it is uniformly accepted and
could be noticed at once.

 Appropriate Heading

Heading should be appropriate and should have content about the main purpose of the
notice. If the heading is ambiguous people might get confused and leave the notice unread.

 Clarity

Even if the message is short, it has to be very clear to the minds of the reader. Sometimes
in cutting short the message we lose the clarity. Notice has to be precise and accurate.
Thus, good notice writing is based on precise detail with no additional matter. Just like
other write-ups, notice also has a structure that you need to follow while writing. Next comes a strong
and appropriate heading, this can be a game-changer as it is the first one noticed by the readers. And,
the last one is clarity, no need to explain that if a notice message is not clear it is of no use, so make it
clear.

PRODUCT MANUAL

What’s a Product Manual?

Product manual, also known as User guide, Instruction manual or a brochure is intended to give
assistance to people using a particular system.

It is usually written by a technical writer, although user guides are written by programmers,
product or project managers, or other technical staff, particularly in smaller companies.

User guides are most commonly associated with electronic goods, computer hardware and
software, although they can be written for any product.

Why do we need Product Manuals?

Let’s say, you built a nice product and you want to release that into the market, but users do not
know how the product works or how to use it. This is where a user manual comes into the picture.
 Whenever we buy a product like these, we always tend to check the Technical user manual for
instructions on how to use the product.

For example, you buy a mixer grinder and you do not know how to use it, you open the
instruction manual and learn about it and then use the appliance as given in the instruction manual.

How does a Product manual looks like?

Here are two snapshots from the product manuals.

The first one tells the specification/parts of a product and the second one shows how the product
works or the technical instructions on how to use the product.
Now, why is translation of product manuals important?

 When a product is released, any user tends to open the user manual to check how can they
use the product.
 And if the brochure just comes in English, Or Chinese if the product was bought from china.
 Of course, not everybody understands English or Chinese.The user is left clueless on how to
use the manual.
 Translation of Product manuals becomes important for the products that are sold across the
borders.
 If your consumers are non-native English speakers, then it is equally important to translate
your product manual into your end-users’ native tongue.

How to do the translation of user manuals?

 There are several companies that offer such translation services for product manuals. Below
are some of the examples,
 These companies offer translation of product manuals as a service.
 You provide the manual/brochure and they translate it, redraw, typeset everything and give
you the translated version of the user manual which is time consuming and also expensive.
The reason is, they have separate teams which do the Translation and Design of the entire
manual.
 Translators just take care of the text translation from language A to language B.
 The other team DTP or Graphic Designers, then take the text of language B back and put on
the original image after erasing the text of language A.
 Hence it’s a complex process which involves coordination and takes a lot of time for the
translated manual to be delivered.

Here is how it looks,

How do we ease this process?

To ease the process and save time for the customers, we have built the tool ImageTranslate that
does OCR, translation, redrawing and typesetting online in one editor.

Here’s how ImageTranslate works:

 Take a picture/scan the product manual. (Make sure the picture is clear enough)
 Sign up with ImageTranslate. Upload the image by clicking on new image.
 Select the source language (The language its already in) and target language (the language
you want to convert it into).
 Uncheck the “create regions automatically” if your manual has a lot of text. (To know more
about how to create regions, check out this video)
 Click on Next Your translated image will be ready in a few seconds. (Note: If you uncheck
“create regions automatically”, you have to draw the regions separately for translating the
manual).
 You can download them and print the entire product manual and read it in your desired
language or share it with your friends or colleagues.
 Here’s an example of a product manual of a DSLR camera translated with ImageTranslate
from English to Spanish.

USER MANUAL.
 User manuals are crucial for ensuring the proper and safe usage of any product. Whether for a
new kitchen appliance, a piece of software, or a piece of machinery, User manuals are an excellent
resource for learning about and making the most of the device in question.

An important factor in the success of a business is the level of client satisfaction they are able to
achieve. Access to thorough and understandable instructions is highly valued by consumers since it
gives them faith in their ability to utilize the product and cuts down on their need for customer
service.
Video user guides provide a visual demonstration of the product’s capabilities and usage.
Companies can also increase the number of people who can utilize their user manuals by providing
them in more than one format.

So, user manuals are an invaluable tool for ensuring successful product utilization and happy
customers. Companies may do a better job of guiding their users and enhancing the user experience
if they provide clear and thorough instructions. Let us start with its benefits first.

What are the Benefits of a User Manual?

 A user manual’s primary value lies in its ability to educate consumers about the product’s
functionality. Users can learn how to use the product to its full potential with the help of
clear and comprehensive instructions.
 A user’s handbook is a great resource for answering queries and getting more information
about the product. As such, user manuals serve as an essential tool for consumers, giving
them the knowledge they need to make the most of the device they have purchased.
 User manuals assist in limiting the likelihood of injuries and product damage by outlining
the proper use of the product in great detail. When it comes to products that could pose a
threat to consumer safety or violate any laws, this is crucial.
 Users can protect themselves and others from harm and ensure compliance with applicable
safety and legal laws by following the steps outlined in the user manual.
 User manuals serve multiple purposes, including educating consumers, protecting against
product abuse, and boosting consumer efficiency and output. Users can save time and effort
learning how to use the product since the instructions are straightforward and succinct.

 In companies that rely on a variety of goods, this can help ensure that all staff are fully
versed in their use.
  By empowering end users with their knowledge to resolve simple problems without
involving support staff, user manuals can cut down on the need for such assistance. Access
to a detailed user manual reduces the need for users to contact customer assistance and
allows them to solve their own problems.
 This benefits the user in terms of saved time and effort, but it also helps the customer service
department by reducing their workload.
 User guides aid in adhering to safety and regulatory laws. Accidents and injuries can be
avoided with the help of user manuals because they will know the safe use of the product.
 In addition, they can inform consumers of any laws that may affect them, such as those
pertaining to data protection and security. Users can safeguard themselves and others, as
well as ensure they are in compliance with applicable legislation, by following the steps
outlined in the manual.

 So, there are many advantages to having a user manual for both customers and businesses.
They guide consumers in comprehending the product and its functions, avoiding its misuse,
maximizing the product’s efficiency and productivity, decreasing the need for customer
service, and guaranteeing adherence to all relevant safety and legal standards.
 All of these things work together to make the product more enjoyable to use and increase
customer satisfaction.

What are the Main Elements of a User Manual?

Here are the major elements of a good user manual that you must know.

Language
One of the most important aspects of a good user handbook is straightforward language.
Technical jargon or abbreviations that may be unfamiliar to some consumers should be avoided in
user guides. The language should be easy to understand, simple, and direct language to deliver
explanations and instructions

Layout
A decent user handbook will contain both simple language and a well-thought-out layout. The
guide should be broken down into sections, with each section devoted to a certain feature or set of
instructions.Each section’s order and content should make sense, with similar ideas and details kept
together. This facilitates quick navigation across the text and clear comprehension of its
organization.

Instructions

Additionally, it is crucial to have a quality user handbook for clear instructions and explanations.
Instructions on how to use the product and an overview of its features and capabilities should be
included in the manual. Users can better grasp the procedure if the instructions are straightforward
and include all the information they need.

Instructions that include pictures or graphics tend to be better understood and more useful
because they show the reader what they should be doing. This is especially helpful for items that
have a lot of moving parts or require elaborate procedures.

Options for people with disabilities, such as translation and large print, should be included in any
high-quality user manual. By providing these alternatives, businesses guarantee that customers of
all abilities and preferences will have access to the manual.

4Index or search tool

Moreover, a quality user guide would have an index and search bar to facilitate quick and easy
navigation. This is useful in any manual, but especially those that are lengthy or complicated and
have numerous sections. Users can save time by quickly finding the data they need using an index
or search tool.

All in all, a high-quality user manual should have clear and concise writing, a well-thought-out
layout, extensive but understandable instructions, and explanations, drawings or graphics,
accessibility choices, and an index or search tool.

Businesses can provide a more useful and extensive resource for their customers if they
incorporate these features.

How to Create a User Manual?

There are a number of stages that must be taken when writing a user manual to guarantee that the
end product is complete, understandable, and useful.
 Obtaining background data on the product and how it will be used is the first stage in writing a
user manual. Acquiring this knowledge requires familiarity with not only the product’s features and
operations but also the specific demands and expectations of the target audience.
Companies should ensure that the user manual provides all important information and satisfies the
demands of the target audience by conducting extensive research on the product and its intended
use.

In next step in writing a user guide is zeroing in on the manual’s intended readers. The first step
is to figure out who will be utilizing the product and what they anticipate from it. By identifying the
manual’s intended readers, businesses may create instructions that are clear and simple to follow.
After the information has been collected and a specific audience has been defined, the following
step is to organize the data and choose the most effective presentation format. Determining the
manual’s overall structure and the individual sections and subsections to be included are part of this
process.

Determining whether the handbook should be electronic, printed, or videotaped is also a part of
this process. Companies may make a user manual that is simple to read and understand by first
choosing how the information will be presented and then following that with the right format.

The next is to write it down in an easy-to-understand fashion. This necessitates writing the
guidelines and explanations in plain English so that everyone may follow them.
It could also include the incorporation of images or illustrations to aid in comprehension and serve
as examples. Manuals that are well-written and easy to read help businesses guarantee customer
satisfaction.

Then, after the user manual has been prepared, it is put through a series of tests to ensure its
accuracy and usefulness. The manual is put through its paces by a sample of actual users, who then
offer critiques on its readability and thoroughness.
This can assist in finding any mistakes or omissions, as well as spots where more information is
needed.

Before releasing the manual to the public, businesses should put it through rigorous testing to
guarantee that it is both accurate and effective. Also, make sure to keep the handbook updated.
It’s possible that some portions will need to be expanded upon, while others may need to be revised
to account for the product’s evolution.
 Firms can guarantee that their customers are using the most up-to-date information possible on
their product by maintaining an up-to-date manual.

By adhering to these guidelines, businesses will be able to develop a user handbook that is both
thorough and useful.

Beneficial Tips for Writing a User Manual

It is crucial to adhere to specific best practices to ensure that user guides are effective and beneficial
for users. Maintaining an up-to-date handbook that reflects the latest version of the product is a
crucial best practice.

If a product is upgraded, the user guide should be revised to reflect the new features and
instructions. That way, they can rest assured that they’re getting the most up-to-date information
possible about the product.

 One must-follow rule is to communicate in straightforward, understandable language. Using

technical jargon or abbreviations that the average reader may not be familiar with is not
recommended when writing a user manual.
 The use of clear, uncomplicated language helps businesses ensure their products are
understood and used by their target demographic.
 To aid readers in finding exactly what they’re looking for, it’s essential to employ both
unambiguous language and well-organized headings and subheadings. These need to be
written so that the topic or aspect being described is readily apparent.
 Including a troubleshooting section for typical situations is also recommended. It’s
especially useful for products with complicated features or procedures because it lets
customers fix typical problems on their own time.
 Lastly, it’s crucial to distribute the guidebook in a variety of mediums, whether digital,
printed, or visual. Businesses may accommodate a wider range of customers with varying
requirements and preferences by making the manual available in more than one format.
 Generally, businesses can produce successful, user-friendly, and widely available user
manuals by adhering to these guidelines.
User Manual Examples

Here are examples of businesses whose user manuals have been so effective at boosting product
satisfaction that they’ve written sequels.

 Apple’s user manuals are a great example because of their straightforward language, ordered
and logical structure, and thorough instructions and explanations. Therefore, consumers
have a simpler time learning how to use and operate Apple products, which in turn boosts
their effectiveness and efficiency.
 Siemens, a worldwide technology corporation that manufactures a myriad of devices for a
variety of sectors, is another firm whose user guides have proven effective. The user
manuals published by Siemens are well-known for their thoroughness and clarity, as well as
the helpful drawings and graphics they employ.
 Siemens has increased customer satisfaction and decreased the need for customer care
thanks to the company’s clear and concise user guides.
 These examples show how successful user manuals may help businesses and what kind of
outcomes those manuals can produce. Companies can boost user happiness by providing a
more pleasant interface and more detailed instructions.
 It has the potential to boost efficiency and output while simultaneously decreasing the
amount of time spent providing assistance to customers. So, user manuals are extremely
important to customers.
 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

An SOP is a procedure specific to your operation that describes the activities necessary to
complete tasks in accordance with industry regulations, provincial laws or even just your own
standards for running your business. Any document that is a “how to” falls into the category of
procedures.

TYPES OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE:

 Checklists: A checklist or the to-do list is one of the simplest methods of writing a standard
operating procedures (SOP) document. A checklist can be created on an online note-taking
app like bite or can be printed out and handed over to employees.
 Step-by-Step List: Similar to checklists, a step-by-step bullet list works in the same way
where you describe a procedure in relevant, easy-to-follow steps.
 Hierarchical ListS: If your procedures are more complex and need additional info, you
can create hierarchical checklists or bullet lists. If you are unable to explain a task in a single
step and at the same time, don’t want to make the SOP lengthy, adding hierarchical steps can
be beneficial.
 Process Flowchart: Flowcharts are a wonderful way to represent how a process works
visually and help give better context around the workflow. A flowchart also shows how one
step is related to another, helping employees conceptualize the whole concept and have a
better understanding of the work they are doing.
WRITING ARTICLES FOR MAGAZINES AND JOURNAL:

A magazine is a periodical aimed at the general public and Journals are scholarly periodicals aimed at
researchers or specialists. A journal contains original research articles. But a magazine contains
articles pertaining to current events or general interest topics.

Important Tips for Magazine and journal Article Writing:

 Make sure to choose a topic that you're an expert on or you feel interested in
 Choose interesting angles
 Research
 Create an outline
 Write your articles

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS:

 Magazine articles may be written by journalists or professional writers.

 Journal articles are written by subject experts. Magazines are edited by journalists.
 Journals are peer reviewed by experts or scholars in the field.
 RESEARCH REPORTS:

 A research report is a publication that reports on the findings of a research project or

alternatively scientific observations on or about a
subject.
 A research report is a document prepared by an analyst or strategist who is a part of the
investment research team in a stock brokerage or investment bank.
 A research report may focus on a specific stock or industry sector, a currency, commodity or
fixed-income instrument, or on a geographic region or country.

TYPES OF RESEARCH REPORTS:

Research Report Summary:

The entire objective along with the overview of research are to be included in a summary
which is a couple of paragraphs in length. All the multiple components of the research are explained
in brief under the report summary. It should be interesting enough to capture all the key elements of
the report.
Research Introduction:
There always is a primary goal that the researcher is trying to achieve through a report. In
the introduction section, he/she can cover answers related to this goal and establish a thesis which
will be included to strive and answer it in detail. This section should answer an integral question:
“What is the current situation of the goal?”. After the research was conducted, did the organization
conclude the goal successfully or are they still a work in progress – provide such details in the
introduction part of the research report.
Research Methodology:
This is the most important section of the report where all the important information lies.
The readers can gain data for the topic along with analyzing the quality of provided content and the
research can also be approved by other market researchers. Thus, this section needs to be highly
informative with each aspect of research discussed in detail. Information needs to be expressed in
chronological order according to its priority and importance. Researchers should include references
in case they gained information from existing techniques.
Research Results:
A short description of the results along with calculations conducted to achieve the goal will
form this section of results. Usually, the exposition after data analysis is carried out in the
discussion part of the report.
Research Discussion:
The results are discussed in extreme detail in this section along with a comparative analysis
of reports that could probably exist in the same domain. Any abnormality uncovered during
research will be deliberated in the discussion section. While writing research reports, the researcher
will have to connect the dots on how the results will be applicable in the real world.