Which Step Is Typically Included in the Reviewing Stage of Developing an Effective Business Message?

What you'll learn to do: Place the iii parts of the writing process

Writing a message that is consistently well received can become a habit, but it tin be hard for new writers to reach. The iii part writing process ensures the best effect each time.

Good writers plan their letters, oft using an outline or notes made before writing the bulletin. Lack of a plan earlier writing may seemto save a writer time, only it can confuse the author once she begins, and it slows the receiver. The advice will not exist at its best that way. This module discusses how to improve speed and clarity in communication. With a solid outline, the actual writing focuses on phrasing and word choice. This module discusses how to discussion the message with a you-view. Finally, the message is reviewed and revised. This module provides the terminal clean-up tools to help you proofread during the revising step.

Learning Outcomes

• Discuss the importance of the planning stage in the writing procedure
• Write a business concern message based on an outline using the appropriate components of a business message
• Revise a business message for tone, message, and correctness

Planning Business organization Letters

While this whole module is virtually writing, most of thethinking virtually what you are going to write happens before yous compose a unmarried sentence. Planning and outlining is where your analysis and organisation get done, so that when you lot're ready to write, all you have to worry about is sentence construction, word option, and tone—which is more enough!

Think those school days when teachers required outlines before you could start writing your paper? They may have referred to it as part of a "pre-writing" phase. It turns out those outlines are life skills, non just busy work. Every bit adult business communicators, you should nonetheless commit to outlining. An outline serves equally a road map for what you're going to write,and it aids in breaking weak writing habits. Outlines set a writer up for success. Unlike in schoolhouse, they do not need to be formally typed and numbered; they tin be on a notepad or scrap to the side of the keyboard. That said, using your word processor's outlining function is a groovy way to keep your outline tidy, and cut and pasting makes it easy to rearrange your lodge.

First, determine how the receiver of this communication likely feels nearly the communication: positive, neutral or negative. Focus on what the receiver feels based on the receiver's situation. Practice not cistron in "How I'd similar to hear this news." The receiver has non researched this bulletin, might not accept heard parts of the topic before, or has the background you take. The receiver may have a different work responsibility and may need background to fully capeesh the communication. Factor all of that into the audition analysis. This is you lot-view planning. Y'all-view thinks about what the receiver wants and needs to understand. Practise not factor in your own feelings.

Planning is the key first step in the writing procedure because it enables the writer to brainstorm thinking about how the last product will be created and evaluated. It is the get-go step in establishing your accountability and reliability as a author. Remember that when yous are writing for a corporation or organization, your writing lives on equally legal documentation and reference. Writers are no less responsible for accountability for their work than are lawyers and medical personnel. Solid planning leads to reliable final documents.

Skipping the pre-writing stage is similar taking a vacation without first choosing a destination: If you don't know where yous're going, how will you get there? Fortunately, pre-writing tin take many forms, and there are strategies that suit every blazon of writer.

The strategies and processes used in the pre-writing phase not only help the author formulate a topic and solidify ideas, they as well serve as a kind of rehearsal for the rest of the writing process. As the writer uses the vocabulary associated with a particular topic, he or she becomes well-versed in the subject and is able to express ideas with more conviction, organisation, and clarity. All of this brings to heed the old joke, "How exercise you become to Carnegie Hall?" The respond, of course: "Do. Exercise. Practice."

Simply equally a musician must practice their instrument in club to achieve their goal, the practise undertaken during the pre-writing stage guides the writer toward a specific goal. That goal is to develop a well-defined topic that will eventually be couched in the language of a succinct thesis or hypothesis.

Planning starts with audition reaction, which maps to an organizational structure for the document.

Earlier in this module, iii audience types were introduced: positive, neutral, and negative. These audiences may receive positive, negative, or persuasive letters:

• Positive messages are routine or good news. The receiver is probable to react positively or neutrally.
• Negative messages are bad news. The receiver is likely to react negatively.
• The overlapping category is persuasive messages. The audience is expected to need encouragement to deed equally the sender desires. In some cases, the receiver is more like a positive audience. In other cases, the receiver is more similar a negative audience.

All messages contain three or four blocks:

1. News: Whether adept news or bad news, the message states its point conspicuously. In that location receiver should clearly empathize the news unambiguously.
2. Reasons: The reasons section supports or explains the news. This is the needed detail to aid the receiver'south agreement or action.
3. Goodwill and Action: This is the closing paragraph where the sender provides a brief, sincere remark designed to continue the working relationship. The endmost paragraph is not finished without some detail or reminder related to the purpose of the communication, or call to action.
4. Buffer. This is usually just found in negative and some persuasive letters. A buffer starts a message where the reader is likely be to the negative side of the continuum by warming the reader to the topic, but not laying out the entire effect of the message.

Depending on your audience reaction, you will place these blocks in a unlike order:

Positive Message Outline

The basic organizational outline for a positive message uses the blocks introduced above in that same lodge: news, reasons, and goodwill and action. Remember, this is the outline for writing the entire message (the second footstep in the writing procedure). The blocks are the labels of the outline department where the author collects notes and thoughts on that part or paragraph. With these notes, the writer can write the entire message without stopping to look for particular.

In this example of a positive bulletin, assume the sender is confirming the receipt of a indistinguishable shipment and has agreed to provide credit.

Organization Block	Purpose	Notes for the Message
News	With a positively inclined receiver, the main idea is in the showtime paragraph, offset judgement. The reader wants to know some and is receptive, so the writer should just say it:	credit due iii/31
Reasons	This is the body of the message that contains the detail supporting the news	"The Leadership Experience" duplicate received. Invoice attached. Credit processed against acct 234-2345
Goodwill and Action	Acknowledge and try or relationship with the receiver. Confirm whatsoever commitments.	She sent clear detail. Should run into on April statement.

Negative Bulletin Outline

The generic organizational outline for a negative message uses the three blocks news, reasons, and goodwill and action. It uses these organizational blocks in a dissimilar order and also adds the buffer block. Retrieve this is the outline for writing the entire bulletin (footstep 2 in the writing process). With these notes, the writer can write the entire message without stopping to look for detail.

In this example of a negative message, assume the sender is delivering the bad news nigh a delay in the promised send date of a volume. The receiver needs this to fix for a 2 calendar week training conference but didn't order it early plenty.

Arrangement Section	Purpose	Notes to write message from….
Buffer	Starts the message past being on topic, but not clearly laying out the news. It is of import to start neutrally then equally to avert getting the reader's expectations set to high.	Been a customer for many years.
Reasons	This is the body of the message that contains the particular supporting the news. Reasons must have you-view. Avert mentioning policy or rules as this merely encourages the reader to escalate to a higher level of direction.	Very popular title. good quality takes time.
News	The bad news is stated directly, yet gently. Offer any offsetting news, if possible. Avert apologizing. It can bring on legal guilt in extreme situations. In many cases, the sender'southward company did nothing wrong. If truly necessary and in alignment with company policy, then repent.	book delayed by seven days. focus on her receipt added complimentary aircraft.
Goodwill and Action	Avoid sounding trite just express interest in standing the good relationship. Confirm the delivery engagement.	past good experiences. delivery april v Notice in that location is missing punctuation and capitalization. These are simply notes, so those issues will exist cleaned up in the following steps.

Persuasive Bulletin Outline

The simplest agreement and approach to persuasive letters is to determine how probable the receiver is to comply with the sender's wishes. If the audience is positive, then follow that outline. For negative audiences you need to employ a different arroyo.

It is helpful to overlay these structures with the marketing concept of Sensation, Interest, Desire, and Action (AIDA).

This strategy starts with the opening of a positive or negative bulletin. The opening should include an attending grabbing opening, such equally a fact, question, or something to catch the receiver'due south interest. Adjacent, direct your writing to discuss more details to interest the receiver in this state of affairs. The desire is about how the receiver's help or action matters. Finally, the closing includes the specific activity requested of the receiver.

Practice Question

Writing Business Messages

It'due south also helpful to retrieve at this stage that you're not actually starting from a bare page, even with your get-go typhoon. You've got the raw materials of your pre-writing, outlining, and source gathering at mitt to build from.

From Planning to Writing

At this stage of the process, the purpose and organisation of your message is already decided. Now yous need to craft the words and phrasing for each part of the message.

Whichever outline you've started with, information technology can seamlessly morph into a offset draft only by choosing an area to attack. Start fleshing it out with full sentences, complete thoughts, and relevant sources.

The format for the advice matters. Letter formats and layout are discussed at the stop of this module.

Before examining types of messages, there are skills to have in hand.

Writing Skills

Subject Line

The subject line is surprisingly of import in business concern communications. It is plant in both e-mail and memo formats. Field of study lines are a mini introduction to the message. However, they do not supplant the need for bailiwick to be addressed in the starting time paragraph of the communication.

What	Avoid	Try
Subject Line	Regarding next Tuesday's meeting	Items to bring for Next Tuesday's meeting
First line of the message	Will you bring the pens and pencils?	Will you lot bring pens and pencils to side by side Tuesday's meeting?

Subject field lines are succinct introductions to a direct, negative, or persuasive message

What	Avoid	Try
Straight Message	Conference Dates	Please confirm conference dates
Negative Message	Trouble!	Confirmation needed Guild 3145
Persuasive Bulletin	Demand a Speaker	Speaking Opportunity for You

Check to encounter if your field of study lines laissez passer a simple list of questions:

• Is the main thought credible from the bailiwick line?
• Is information technology more than a phrase than full sentence?
• Tin the receiver judge the urgency with respect to whether they must read the message now or can leave it for later?
• Will the receiver exist able to observe this bulletin again easily based on your field of study line?

Constructing Buffers

Buffers are a specific component of negative letters. They allow the writer to showtime the bulletin without fully disclosing the bad news that is coming. Buffers must exist more than an unrelated how-do-you-do such as "How about those Broncos?" They must lead in to the topic while avoiding negative overtones. At the same time, a buffer shouldn't promote an untruth or enhance the recipient's hopes but to dash them. For example, in writing to a chore applicant, the subject area line, "You are our best candidate" only to follow in the body with "only unfortunately, we needed to hire from within the visitor, and so you didn't get the task" is needlessly brutal. On the other hand, "You lot are i of many impressive candidates," is both honest and accordingly gratuitous while serving as a buffer.

Buffer Topic	Sample	Reason for the "No"
Item of Agreement	Planning a 250 person hymeneals is quite an undertaking.	The larger ballroom is booked on that date.
Compliment	The American Cancer Society provides first-class support to the community of Centennial, MO.	The organization cannot fund the charity golf tournament this year.
Reasons	With the increase in interest rates, there is a decline of 5% in new client calls.	At that place are account reassignments planned.

Negative Words and Tone

Business relationships are like all relationships. At that place are ups and downs. At times employees, customers, and others must hear news that is not to their choosing. 2 important skills save the human relationship while delivering the bad news. In all situations, the sender works to avoid negative words and tones. These words and tone tin can overshadow even the best message, similar grey clouds on a warm summer twenty-four hour period.

With negative letters there comes a fourth dimension where the bad news must be stated. A skilled writer who plans the message well has this part of the message contained to a single area of the communication. Yet, when maxim "no," the meaning must be clear. Sometimes the most diplomatic form of clarity is achieved with a skilled "unsaid no." Consider how the following are articulate, yet avert a negative word or tone.

Avoid	Endeavor
April 23 is not bachelor.	Rooms are available April xx–22 or Apr 24–29.
Snakes are not allowed on the plane.	Please see our pet policy that allows cats, dogs, and peacocks. (Add "only" if needed—only cats, dogs, and peacocks.)

You-View

In defining positive letters, both skillful news and expected news fit the category. However, some expected news may non please the receiver. The you-view in writing helps the sender proceed an overall good relationship to the receiver. Consider the following:

Avoid	Effort	Why
Practice not park in Lot C. Information technology is being resurfaced.	While Lot C is resurfaced, Lots A and B should be used.	The direct object "you" is assumed with the teaching of "exercise not." Coupling a "you" with a "no" in the same sentence is likely to annoy or feel accusatory to the receiver, thus damaging the relationship. State what is possible rather than what is not.
I tin't await to assistance yous.	I wait forward to helping you lot.	Here is something the sender wants to do, but the example clouds the positive desire with the negative "tin can't." If yous as the sender are eager, so exist eager rather than disruptive the issue with a negative.
The merits is forthcoming, all the same, some other form is needed.	Another course is needed earlier the merits is processed.	"Yet" is frequently considered a negative give-and-take since it contradicts what comes before. The word "but" works in a like fashion.

Writing a Positive Bulletin

Consider the post-obit example outline constructed in the planning procedure:

News	Demand quote on security components
Detail	four PCs, 2 printers, 1 wireless router. Demand itemized cost, warranty/mtc, installations engagement
Goodwill and Action	two year contract in identify. Hope for April 15.

With this outline in identify, the message is formatted as a business letter or email as the situation warrants.

Comments on Section	Equally Written
Offset Paragraph: Outset the message with the news. This is a positive message. Focus on the receiver and realize all she wants to know is "what do I need to exercise". The message opens with a you-view. The "Delight" is proverb "you need to" merely in a positive manner. The principal idea is easy to find. It is not hidden by unnecessary phrasing or preamble that does not advance the purpose of the message.	Please provide a quote for updated security systems.
2nd Paragraph: Using paragraphs respects the reader by providing white spacing thus making the message easier to read. Paragraphs provide logical breaks to aid in understanding and retention. Bullets do not exist except as office of a paragraph. There is the introduction to the paragraph and then the lists. Lists are easier on the eyes through apply of white space. They help in memory. It volition be easy for the receiver to marking off items as completed. List items are constructed in a parallel mode.	With your familiarity of our system, please maintain compatibility and quote for the following items. 4 PCs 2 printers 1 wireless router In the response, delight address the following questions: How much is the total and itemized price? How much is the warranty and maintenance price? When is the earliest installation date?
Final paragraph: Encourages the relationship with a specific note of goodwill. Provides a crisp reminder of the activity needed.	Thank you for being and so easy to work with over the past two years. If possible, please provide this quote by April fifteen. If it will exist later, please call to let united states of america know.

Writing a Negative Message

Presume that the outline for this negative message constructed in the Planning procedure is the following. Notice that in that location is a typo where "april" is not capitalized. For the outline, that is simply fine. These are organizational notes that only the writer sees:

Buffer	Long relationship of mid-april conventions. By relationship
Reasons	New personnel. Competitive month and rates
News	Conference date must move earlier or back one week
Goodwill and Action:	Disbelieve. Must hear by March 5

With this outline in identify, the message is formatted as a business organisation letter or email, equally the state of affairs warrants.

Comments on Section	As Written
Buffer: Showtime paragraph — Outset the message with a note that relates to the bulletin, one that both agree on. Do not exist so cheerful as to mislead the audience, nor set a dark tone that may cause additional trepidation in someone is almost to be disappointed. By not immediately confirming availability, the reader can begin to ready for the upcoming news.	Your organization has been a longtime partner of Aspen Club, and nosotros have been honored to be your location of choice for your annual April conference. Thank you for your recent letter regarding next month'south availability.
Reason: Second paragraph. It is and then tempting to write reasons for a no from the perspective of the sender. "We are all full." "Company policy says." Reasons in a negative message offer the reader a way to meet it from the writer's standpoint. If the message is well written, by the the time the "no" comes, the receiver will be in complete agreement.	With such a warm winter, your choice of Aspen Lodge remains one desired by many organizations eager to come west. The Club is always popular with local organizations due to the low off-season rates, which ways facilities book rapidly and early.
Reason continued: Either 2nd or third paragraph. Here is the hardest role of the message. The reader is probable anticipating beingness turned down past at present. It is upward to the sender to make the "no" clear, only not harsh. This may be done directly or with an Unsaid no. This writing assumes the group always comes on and had requested the second weekend. One fundamental issue to sentinel out for when delivering negative messages in this mode is that you lot might work to avoid negative words and then intently that y'all make the bulletin difficult to understand. In this case, talking near the weekends thatare available leaves the bulletin pretty articulate.	With the second weekend already reserved, would you prefer the offset or 3rd weekend?
Final paragraph: Encourages the relationship with a specific note of goodwill. Provide a crisp reminder of the action needed.	Delight call by Friday March 31st, to confirm which of the two remaining weekends best suit your needs. Aspen Lodge is booking chop-chop, and we promise to accept practiced friends similar ABC visitor here again this year. Because you have been such a loyal partner, nosotros are offering a 5% discount for whichever weekend yous do end up choosing.

Writing a Persuasive Message

With persuasive letters, the audience analysis in the planning stage will bespeak yous in the right direction. This example outline assumes that the receiver needs a push button to have the solution being presented. In this instance, a marketing team has planned to practice some focus groups in Manhattan among a hard-to-find consumer segment (allow'south say, left-handed teenage girls who similar both crocheting and motocross racing). The facility that'due south finding and scheduling the participants is having a hard time finding enough of these girls in Manhattan, then they want to loop in a partner facility simply across the river in New Jersey. Information technology's going to cost the marketing team more money, which they've anticipated just still won't like, and information technology volition involve extra travel. Here's one manner to present that news.

Buffer / Attention	More than diverse research participants in Manhattan and Newark
Reasons / Interest	A more than diverse set of participants in ii locations
News	Nosotros can't find plenty qualified people in Manhattan, so nosotros're calculation our Newark location
Goodwill and Action:	Travel between locations on a deluxe chartered coach motorbus at no actress cost

With this outline in place, the message is formatted equally a business letter or e-mail, as the situation warrants.

Comments on Section	As Written
Buffer: First paragraph— Commencement the bulletin with a note that relates to the message, one that both concord on. Do non be so cheerful every bit to mislead the audience, nor prepare a dark tone that may cause additional anger in someone is well-nigh to be disappointed. Past starting with the good news, the writer can offset any disappointment or badgerer at the bad news.	Thank you for entrusting united states with this interesting and challenging recruit. We're calling on all of our experience to brand sure we observe you the best participants to meet your research needs and finding girls who non only meet the specifications but also represent a range of ethnicities and income levels.
Reasons: Second paragraph— It is and so tempting to write reasons for a no from the perspective of the sender. "We are all full." "Visitor policy says." What reasons in a negative message exercise are to offer the reader a way to see information technology from the writer's standpoint. If well written past the the time the "no" comes the receiver will exist in complete agreement.	Equally you've known from the get-go of the project, finding participants that see your specifications was going to exist difficult, and we are about halfway recruited. We have placed ads in the newspapers and online, and we accept asked motocross courses to recommend members who might qualify.
Reasons continued: Either 2d or tertiary paragraph— Here is the hardest part of the message. The reader is likely anticipating some sort of bad news past now. It is up to the sender to make the difficulty clear simply not harsh. Even with the Goodwill action, there's likely to be some annoyance on the part of the receiver.	However, nosotros seem to have stalled in finding people to come to our Manhattan facility. Equally we see it, we take 2 choices. Nosotros can relax the specifications, which might h2o down your data, or we tin reach out to a partner company in Newark. Between the two facilities, we believe we can fully recruit your research report. As we discussed at the proposal stage, this volition incur extra cost, and we recognize that you had non built travel to Newark into your schedule. Therefore, we take taken the freedom of reserving a deluxe coach bus and commuter at our expense to move your team from their base in Manhattan to the facility in Newark on the days you will be there.
Final paragraph: Encourages the human relationship with a specific note of goodwill. Provide a crisp reminder of the activeness needed.	Please let united states of america know whether this solution is acceptable or whether you would similar to loosen your participant specifications. Please also tell us whether we can help with anything else, including changing hotel accommodations using our corporate disbelieve. We are very much looking forward to hosting you and your team for this groundbreaking research. If I hear from you by Midweek morning, I can lock in whichever option yous choose and motility forward with the work.

Practice question

Revising Concern Messages

Once you've written your message beginning to end, you lot may be feeling pretty proud of yourself and ready to move on to your adjacent job. Well, not quite. Information technology's time to clarify, refine, and reorganize to make sure your message is exactly what you want it to be.

The Art of Re-Seeing

Revising is the rearrangement and fine tuning of a fully adult—if not totally completed—draft so that the thesis or hypothesis is aligned with the writer'due south purpose,the audience's needs and characteristics, the development of the argument, and the persuasive conclusion.

A Critical Step

Revising, for many writers and teachers of writing, is the about critical footstep in any writing process. It is also the stride that often frustrates many writers because it can exist hard to maintain objectivity and focus when looking then closely at your own piece of work.

Many writers find it benign at this stage to have someone else read the certificate they accept been working on, since it is also shut to the writer's thoughts and emotions. Remember that when yous inquire someone for a critique of your work, y'all are not request for praise for your brilliance merely rather asking to have your work made even ameliorate and more constructive for its purpose. Also go along in heed that merely because someone makes a suggestion doesn't mean you take to accept it. Unless that person is your dominate, of course.

The demand to revise acknowledges the probable scenario that no one's writing is perfect as presented in the latest typhoon. Willingness to revise means that the author recognizes the dynamic nature of communication and that revisions are required in guild to clearly articulate ideas and meet the expectations of the audience. Effective written expression is the consequence of careful revisions.

Practice Question

Revision Skills

A Two-Step Revision Process

In the revising process the writer does two things:

1. Ensures the final messages accomplishes the goal identified in the planning step. This is content evaluation.
2. Ensures the grammar and proofreading stride has corrected any errors. This makes sure the wording is like shooting fish in a barrel to read for the receiver and that the writer's reputation is well-served by a professional document.

Proofreading Skills

Fragments

As the concluding readings of the message, curt or long, completes, make sure there are whole sentences.

Run-Ons

On the other side of fragments are sentences that go on and on and on. Beware the run-on sentence.

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Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/the-three-part-writing-process/

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