Business documents and correspondence

2

Housekeeping

› mobile phones› break times› toilets› emergencies

© smallprint

3

Workshop overview

At this workshop the following will be addressed:

› identification and planning of business documents

› document purpose and audience› formats› key points to be covered › draft documents› checking written documentation› using electronic communication

© smallprint

4

Workshop expectations

What do you know about the topic?

What do you need to know?

What outcomes do you expect from this workshop?

© smallprint

5

Topic 1

© smallprint

Requirements, methods and standards

6

Business writing

© smallprint

Business writing relates directly to the organisation's image and professionalism.

7

Protocols

© smallprint

Know your organisation’s protocols and expectations.

8

Activity

© smallprint

9

Business Requirements

What shall I write?

© smallprint

10

Activity

© smallprint

11

Topic 2

© smallprint

Audience and document purpose

12

Intended audience

‘When something can be read without effort, great effort has gone into its writing.’ 

(Enrique Jardiel Poncela)

© smallprint

13

Audience

Make sure your writing can be understood by the audience for whom it is intended.

© smallprint

14

Activity

© smallprint

15

Collect and collate the necessary information

You might write to: ›inform›persuade›motivate›question›promote

© smallprint

16

Conveying accurate information

© smallprint

What do you want me to do?

Is this information correct?

What if it is wrong?

17

Complex documents

© smallprint

Complex documents can contain text, pictures, graphs, tables, diagrams.

The design element will be dependent on the document purpose.

18

Activity

© smallprint

19

Topic 3

Format and structure

© smallprint

20

Style

Design elements include:›page size›page shape›margins and paragraph indentation›photographs and illustrative material›colour›white space›fonts ›justification and alignment›capitals ›headings›lists and tables›logos, branding, organisational identity requirements

© smallprint

21

Great rules for writing

1. Do not put statements in the negative form.

2. And don’t start sentences with a conjunction.

3. If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.

4. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

5. Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.

6. De-accession euphemisms.

7. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.

8. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.

9. Last, but not least, avoid clichés like the plague.

(William Saffire)

© smallprint

22

Activity

© smallprint

23

Different documents

‘Be obscure clearly.’

(E.B. White)

© smallprint

24

Courtesy:

›good manners ›social conduct›polite behaviour

© smallprint

25

Editing

© smallprint

Ya think we can edit out the beard?

26

Proofing

© smallprint

‘The wastebasket is a writer's best friend.’ (Isaac Bashevis Singer)

‘Proofread carefully to see if you left any words out.’(Unknown)

‘The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.’ (Robert Cormier)

27

Activity

© smallprint

28

Topic 4

Emailing — electronic communication

© smallprint

29

Email

© smallprint

Communication and connectivity.

30

Electronic communication

Electronic tools

© smallprint

31

Managing emails

Regularly clean out emails.

Permanently delete those that are no longer needed.

© smallprint

32

Recording emails

Develop an effective system for storing the emails you need to keep.

© smallprint

33

Activity

© smallprint

34

Summary

Before leaving today please share:›1 t thing you learned›1 new practice you will undertake at work ›1 activity you enjoyed

Thankyou for your attendance and participation.

© smallprint

35

Two thoughts

‘A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one.’ 

(Baltasar Gracián)

‘I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.’ (Mark Twain)

© smallprint