Critical Thinking
MyBCommLab
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Improves Student
Engagement Before, During, and After Class
Decision Making
Prep and
Engagement
• Video exercises – engaging videos that bring business concepts to life and explore business topics
related to the theory students are learning in class. Quizzes then assess students’ comprehension of
the concepts covered in each video.
• Learning Catalytics – a “bring your own device” student engagement, assessment, and classroom
intelligence system helps instructors analyze students’ critical-thinking skills during lecture.
• Dynamic Study Modules (DSMs) – through adaptive learning, students get personalized guidance
where and when they need it most, creating greater engagement, improving knowledge retention,
and supporting subject-matter mastery. Also available on mobile devices.
• Business Today – bring current events alive in your classroom with videos, discussion
questions, and author blogs. Be sure to check back often, this section changes daily.
• Decision-making simulations – place your
students in the role of a key decision maker. The
simulation will change and branch based on the
decisions students make, providing a variation of
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students receive a grade, as well as a detailed report
of the choices they made during the simulation and
the associated consequences of those decisions.
• Writing Space – better writers make great learners—who perform better in their courses. Providing
a single location to develop and assess concept mastery and critical thinking, the Writing Space offers
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BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
Polishing Your Professional Presence
3RD
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BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
Polishing Your Professional Presence
Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco
Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto
Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo
3RD
Barbara Shwom
Northwestern University
Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder
North Carolina A&T State University
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Editor in Chief: Stephanie Wall
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Shwom, Barbara Lynne.
Business communication : polishing your professional presence / Barbara Shwom and Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder.
— Third edition.
pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-13-386330-7 — ISBN 0-13-386330-1 1. Business communication. 2. Business writing. I. Snyder, Lisa
Gueldenzoph. II. Title.
HF5718.S525 2016
651.7–dc23
2014043504
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 10: 0-13-386330-1
ISBN 13: 978-0-13-386330-7
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vii
Dedication
To our husbands for their partnership in both our personal and professional lives, and to our
families for their patience with and support of all our endeavors.
To our students for challenging us to learn more every day, to stretch our perspectives, and to be
better teachers.
To our colleagues in our universities, in the Association for Business Communication, and in business
for providing valuable feedback and insight about best practices in polishing professional presence.
–Barbara and Lisa
About the Authors
Barbara Shwom
Barbara Shwom, PhD, is Professor of Instruction in Writing at Northwestern University, where
she teaches in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Kellogg School of Management, and
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. For more than 30 years, she has designed
and taught communication courses that have influenced this textbook, including Writing in Or-
ganizations, Communicating Complex Data, Engineering Design and Communication, and How to
Become an Expert in Roughly 10 Weeks. Professor Shwom’s teaching at Northwestern has been recog-
nized by both an outstanding teacher award and an appointment as a fellow of Northwestern’s Searle
Center for Teaching Excellence. Professor Shwom has gained industry experience as the managing
principal of Communication Partners, a consulting practice that works with clients from a range of
industries, including biotechnology, high tech research and development, pharmaceuticals, manage-
ment consulting, market research, financial services, engineering, and consumer products. Professor Shwom’s research interests include
evolving genres of business communication, visual communication of data, and methods of persuasion. In addition to many articles,
she is also the coauthor of a textbook on graphics and visual communication for managers. She currently sits on the Board of Directors
of the Association for Business Communication and the editorial review board of Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
and has served as president for both the Association for Business Communication and the Association of Professional Communication
Consultants.
Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder
Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder, PhD, is a Professor and the Chairperson of the Department of Business
Education in the School of Business and Economics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical
State University in Greensboro. She earned a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from
Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where she also received a master’s degree in Business
Education. Her Bachelor’s in Business Education is from Northern Michigan University.
Dr. Snyder is widely published in journals such as the Business Communication Quarterly,
Journal of Business Communication, Business Education Digest, The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal,
and NABTE Review. She regularly presents sessions on business communication and instruc-
tional practices at local, regional, and national professional development events, workshops,
and conferences. Dr. Snyder received the Meada Gibbs Outstanding Teacher Award from the
Association for Business Communication, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Business Education program at Bowling
Green State University. She also has received the Innovative Instructional Practices Award from Delta Pi Epsilon, the Distinguished
Service Award from the Ohio Business Teachers Association, and the Collegiate Teacher of the Year Award from both the North
Carolina Business Education Association and the Southern Business Education Association.
Dr. Snyder currently serves as a Regional Vice President of the Association for Business Communication, the National Presi-
dent of the Association for Research in Business Education, the Research Coordinator for the National Association for Business
Teacher Education, and the Past-Chair of the Policies Commission for Business and Economic Education. She is also actively
involved with the National Business Education Association.
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viii
Brief Contents
VISUAL WALK-THROUGH xviii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xxii
PART 1 | Understanding the Foundations of Business Communication
1 Developing Your Professional Presence 2
2 Working with Others: Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Team Communication 30
3 Managing the Communication Process: Analyzing, Composing, Evaluating 74
PART 2 | Delivering Effective Messages
4 Communicating Routine Messages and Building Goodwill 114
5 Communicating Persuasive Messages 144
6 Communicating Bad News 182
7 Using Social Media in Business 218
PART 3 | Researching, Proposing, Reporting, and Presenting
8 Finding and Evaluating Business Information 256
9 Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals 296
10 Preparing Business Reports 330
11 Preparing and Delivering Business Presentations 396
PART 4 | Persuading an Employer to Hire You
12 Communicating Your Professional Brand: Social Media, Résumés, Cover Letters, and Interviews 450
APPENDIX A Formats for Business Documents 507
APPENDIX B Documentation and Reference Styles 522
APPENDIX C Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions 538
APPENDIX D Answer Key to Grammar Exercises 566
APPENDIX E Proofreader’s Marks 574
GLOSSARY 579
INDEX 584
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Contents
VISUAL WALK-THROUGH xviii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xxii
PART 1 Understanding the Foundations of Business Communication
1 Developing Your Professional Presence 2
SQ1 Why is it challenging to communicate well? 4
Communication is a complex process 5
Communication is affected by context 5
Communication is more than transmission of messages 5
SQ2 What are the benefits of being a good communicator? 6
Effective business communicators have a competitive edge in the job market 6
Communication skills will contribute to your company’s and your own success 7
SQ3 What characteristics will help you communicate effectively? 8
Being strategic 8
Being professional 10
Being adaptable 16
SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION @ WORK hhgregg 19
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 20 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 21 ◾ KEY TERMS 22 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 22 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 22 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 23 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 25 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 26 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 27 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 27 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 27 ◾ REFERENCES 28
2 Working with Others: Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Team Communication 30
SQ1 What listening skills will help you communicate better with others? 32
Hearing accurately 33
Comprehending and interpreting 33
CULTURE Facial Expressions Are Not Universal 36
Evaluating 37
Responding 37
SQ2 How can you help others listen well when you speak? 38
Focus on your audience 39
Share the conversation 39
Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language 39
Support your message with good nonverbal communication 40
Avoid language that triggers a negative response 40
Frame negative comments positively 41
SQ3 How can you manage interpersonal conflict? 41
Identify the cause of the conflict 42
Select an appropriate management technique 45
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SQ4 How can you improve your communication with people
from different cultures? 47
Understand how cultures differ 47
Develop strategies that help you communicate with diverse groups 50
ETHICS Apple Faces Ethical Challenges Abroad 50
SQ5 How can you work effectively as part of a team? 51
Assemble an effective team 52
Agree on team goals and standards 52
Pay attention to team development and dynamics 53
Develop good leadership practices 54
Plan for effective meetings 55
Be a good team member 56
TECHNOLOGY Using Social Media to Collaborate 58
CONVERSATIONS @ WORK ESPN Radio 59
CASE SCENARIO Working as a Cross Cultural Team 60
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 62 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 63 ◾ KEY TERMS 64 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 64 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 64 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 65 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 69 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 69 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 70 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 70 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 71 ◾ REFERENCES 71
3 Managing the Communication Process: Analyzing, Composing, Evaluating 74
SQ1 What are the benefits of analyzing? 77
Analyzing the purpose focuses the message 77
Analyzing the audience helps you meet their needs 78
Analyzing the content ensures a complete message 78
Analyzing the medium helps you choose the best delivery option 80
ETHICS How to Handle information That Conflicts with Your Position 80
SQ2 What is involved in composing? 82
Deciding when and where to compose 82
Organizing the message 82
Drafting the content 85
Designing a professional format and delivery 85
CULTURE Composing for a Global Audience 90
SQ3 How does evaluating improve your communication? 91
Evaluating content helps you achieve your purpose and outcome 91
Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves comprehension 91
Evaluating for style and tone helps you project a professional image 94
Evaluating for correctness increases your credibility 95
Reviewing feedback helps you become a better communicator 96
TECHNOLOGY Using “Track Changes” to Get Feedback on a Draft 97
ACE @ WORK Coca-Cola Company 99
CASE SCENARIO Using ACE to Improve Communication Results 100
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 102 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 103 ◾ KEY TERMS 104 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 104 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 104 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 105 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 110 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 111 ◾ SPEAKING EXERCISES 112 ◾
SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 112 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 112 ◾ REFERENCES 113
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
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PART 2 Delivering Effective Messages
4 Communicating Routine Messages and Building Goodwill 114
SQ1 How do you compose messages containing questions and requests? 116
Decide between a direct or an indirect message 116
Provide reasons for the request 117
Adopt a “you” perspective and include audience benefits 118
Conclude with gratitude and a call for action 119
SQ2 How do you compose informational messages? 120
Reply to questions with a direct answer 120
Respond to customer requests and comments by creating goodwill 121
TECHNOLOGY Using Technology to Simplify Routine Communication:
Scheduling a Meeting 122
Highlight key points in confirmation messages 124
Organize routine announcements so they are easy to skim 125
Format instructions so readers can easily follow the steps 126
Keep text and IM messages short and focused 126
ETHICS Is Blind Carbon Copy (bcc) Like Spying? 127
SQ3 What kinds of messages build goodwill in business relationships? 128
Thank-you messages 128
Congratulatory messages 128
Sympathy messages 128
“For-your-information” messages 128
CULTURE Differences in Saying Thank You 130
PAPERLESS OFFICES @ WORK Trend Hunter 133
CASE SCENARIO A Days Work of Routine Messages 134
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 136 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 137 ◾ KEY TERMS 138 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 138 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 138 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 139 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 141 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 142 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 142 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 142 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 143 ◾ REFERENCES 143
5 Communicating Persuasive Messages 144
SQ1 How can the ACE process help you persuade your audience? 146
Analyzing helps you plan your message 146
Composing implements the persuasive plan 148
Evaluating helps you review the draft for effectiveness 150
SQ2 What are the basic elements of persuasion? 151
Building credibility 152
Constructing a logical argument 152
Appealing to your audience’s emotions 154
ETHICS Avoiding Logical Fallacies 156
SQ3 What types of business messages typically require persuasion? 159
Recommendations for action 159
Requests for favors 159
Persuasive customer claims 161
TECHNOLOGY Composing a Persuasive Recommendation with Presentation
Software 162
Sales messages 164
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SQ4 How can you use persuasion to improve teamwork and collaboration? 167
Use persuasion to motivate others 167
Incorporate persuasion into the team decision-making process 167
CULTURE Adapting Persuasive Appeals 168
SOCIAL PERSUASION @ WORK Earthjustice 169
CASE SCENARIO Starting a New Businesss 170
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 172 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 173 ◾ KEY TERMS 175 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 175 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 175 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 176 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 178 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 179 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 179 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 179 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 180 ◾ REFERENCES 181
6 Communicating Bad News 182
SQ1 How should you analyze and plan a bad-news message? 186
Ask questions that help you develop content 186
Select the best medium to achieve your goal 187
TECHNOLOGY Can You Email, Text, or Tweet Bad News? 188
SQ2 What are effective strategies for composing bad-news messages? 189
Decide where to state the bad news 189
Phrase the bad news clearly 192
Soften the bad news 192
Close the message positively 194
CULTURE Did You Hear the Bad News? 194
SQ3 How should you evaluate bad-news messages? 195
Evaluate the message’s clarity, honesty, and sense of goodwill 195
Evaluate the business result 196
SQ4 What types of bad-news messages are common in business? 196
Denying requests or turning down invitations 196
Denying customer claims 196
Rejecting recommendations or proposals 197
Acknowledging mistakes or problems 197
Communicating performance problems 200
Communicating negative change 200
ETHICS Apologizing for Mistakes 203
BAD NEWS @ WORK Kosta Browne Winery 204
CASE SCENARIO Making the Best of Bad News 205
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 208 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 209 ◾ KEY TERMS 210 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 210 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 210 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 211 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 213 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 214 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 215 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 215 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 215 ◾ REFERENCES 216
7 Using Social Media in Business 218
SQ1 How can businesses plan, implement, and evaluate a social media
strategy? 220
Analyze goals, audience, and social media options to develop a social media strategy 220
Compose effective social media content for each platform 221
Evaluate the success of your social media efforts 221
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CULTURE The Effect of Culture on Social Media and E-Commerce 224
SQ2 What are good practices for composing and publishing social media
content? 225
Facebook: Post Strategically 226
Twitter: Be short and focused 227
Pinterest: Engage with visual content 228
Blogs: Offer insights, advice, and information 229
TECHNOLOGY Making Social Media More Efficient 230
SQ3 How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific
communication goals? 232
Use social media to build goodwill 232
Use social media to persuade 236
Control the spread of bad news through social media 240
ETHICS Can You Trust Consumer Reviews in Social Media? 242
SQ4 How can you, as an employee, use social media responsibly? 242
Follow guidelines to avoid damage to you and your company’s reputations 242
SOCIAL MEDIA @ WORK Northwestern University Press 243
CASE SCENARIO Developing a Social Media Program 244
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 246 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 247 ◾ KEY TERMS 248 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 248 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 248 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 249 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 250 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 250 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 251 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 251 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 251 ◾ REFERENCES 252
PART 3 Researching, Proposing, Reporting, and Presenting
8 Finding and Evaluating Business Information 256
SQ1 How do you determine what information you need? 258
Analyze the research question and topic 259
Identify audience concerns and needs 260
Establish the scope of the research 261
Define research activities 261
Develop a work plan 262
SQ2 How do you conduct research in print and online sources? 263
Gather relevant print and electronic files 264
Search the web strategically 264
Use an online index or database to find articles and business data 265
Use a library or bookseller to find relevant books 265
Follow leads in good sources 267
Evaluate your sources for credibility 267
TECHNOLOGY Going Beneath the Surface of the Web 268
CULTURE Researching Countries and Cultures Online 270
SQ3 How do you conduct primary research? 271
Conduct survey research to gather information that is easy to compare 271
Conduct interview research to gather in-depth information 274
Conduct observational research to understand how people act 276
ETHICS How to Be an Ethical Researcher 277
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xiv
SQ4 How can you use social media in your research? 278
Search for experts 278
Post questions to your network and beyond 278
Gather anecdotal evidence 279
SQ5 How can you effectively organize the results of your research? 279
Build your reference list as you research 279
Organize documents and notes on your computer and “in the cloud” 280
Organize your findings by research questions 281
CONDUCTING RESEARCH @ WORK HealthScape Advisors 283
CASE SCENARIO Researching to Answer Business Questions 284
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 286 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 287 ◾ KEY TERMS 288 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 288 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 288 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 289 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 291 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 293 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 293 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 293 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 294 ◾ REFERENCES 295
9 Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals 296
SQ1 How do you use ACE to prepare an effective proposal? 298
Analyze: Understand the purpose, context, and content 298
Compose: Develop persuasive content 300
Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of the proposal 303
SQ2 What types of business proposals should you be prepared
to write? 303
Proposals for action or change 303
Solicited sales proposals 304
Unsolicited sales proposals 307
Grant proposals and other proposals for funding 308
ETHICS Does Your Proposal Demonstrate Integrity? 311
TECHNOLOGY Submitting Online Proposals 312
SQ3 How do you structure and format a formal proposal? 313
Read RFPs carefully to identify content requirements 313
Structure a formal proposal like a formal report 313
Use proposal-writing software to increase efficiency 313
CULTURE Writing Proposals for Different Cultures 318
PROPOSALS @ WORK TapWalk 320
CASE SCENARIO Proposing a Corporate Volunteer Program 321
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 322 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 323 ◾ KEY TERMS 324 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 324 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 324 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 325 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 327 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 327 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 328 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 328 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 328 ◾ REFERENCES 329
10 Preparing Business Reports 330
SQ1 How can ACE help you write a business report? 332
Analyze to understand purpose and report type 332
Analyze to understand audience needs 333
Analyze to choose the best medium 333
Compose your report to meet audience expectations 333
Compose using an objective and easy-to-read style 336
Evaluate by reviewing on your own and getting feedback from others 336
CULTURE Making Reports Reader-Friendly for International Audiences 337
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xv
SQ2 What types of short, routine reports are typical in business? 338
Progress reports 338
Meeting minutes 338
Trip reports 338
Feasibility reports 338
SQ3 How should you structure longer, formal reports for print and online
distribution? 344
Organize the report into useful sections 344
Design the report for your audience and purpose 344
TECHNOLOGY How to Use Software Features to Help Format Formal
Reports 362
Choose the best electronic format for online distribution 362
SQ4 What guidelines should you follow for writing report decks? 365
Understand why and when to use report decks 365
Design the deck effectively 365
Design the deck content to be easy to follow 365
SQ5 How do you integrate tables and graphs into reports? 369
Choose the best form of display: table or graph 370
Choose the best type of graph 370
Design graphs and tables to communicate 370
Integrate data displays within the text 374
ETHICS Representing Data Ethically 376
SQ6 How should you document your research? 377
Determine what needs to be documented 377
Prepare the documentation 378
CASE SCENARIO Reporting Results to a Client 379
REPORTS @ WORK Pew Research Center 381
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 382 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 383 ◾ KEY TERMS 384 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 384 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 384 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 385 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 390 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 392 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 392 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 393 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 393 ◾ REFERENCES 394
11 Preparing and Delivering Business Presentations 396
SQ1 What do you analyze when planning a business presentation? 398
Analyze your purpose and desired outcome: Why are you presenting? 399
Analyze your audience: Who will be listening, and what do they care about? 400
Analyze your message: What will you say to achieve your desired outcome? 400
Analyze your setting: Where will you present? 401
Analyze your medium options: How will you deliver your message? 401
SQ2 How do you compose the presentation? 403
Organize the content 403
Identify the role that slides will play 407
Create a storyboard 409
Develop a template 409
Design individual slides 409
Evaluate your slides in a practice session 413
Create effective handouts 421
TECHNOLOGY The Pros and Cons of Prezi 422
SQ3 How do you deliver and evaluate the presentation? 423
Set the stage 423
Control your body 424
Use your voice effectively 424
Present your visuals effectively 425
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Coordinate with your team 425
Evaluate the audience’s response 427
ETHICS Avoiding Plagiarism in Presentations 427
SQ4 How do you handle questions and answers? 428
Plan for a question-and-answer (Q&A) session 428
Answer questions skillfully 428
SQ5 How do you adapt your approach for online presentations? 429
In a live online presentation, manage the audience experience 430
In a podcast, provide content that offers lasting value 430
CULTURE Meeting Audience Expectations 432
PRESENTATIONS @ WORK SwipeSense 434
CASE SCENARIO Culinary Adventure Tour Presentation 435
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 440 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 441 ◾ KEY TERMS 442 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 442 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 442 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 443 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 446 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 447 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 447 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 448 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 448 ◾ REFERENCES 449
PART 4 Persuading an Employer to Hire You
12 Communicating Your Professional Brand: Social Media, Résumés, Cover Letters, and Interviews 450
SQ1 How do you polish your professional presence for a job search? 452
Analyze your career goals, strengths, and skills 452
Compose your brand message and strategic social media content 453
Evaluate your virtual professional image 455
SQ2 How do you compose an effective résumé? 459
Analyze your options for organizing your résumé 459
Compose effective résumé content 461
ETHICS Exaggerating Your Résumé Is Dangerous 465
Evaluate your content and design 466
CULTURE Selling Your Cross-Cultural Skills 467
SQ3 How do you find job opportunities and submit applications? 468
Analyze your options for finding job opportunities 468
Compose persuasive cover letters 468
Select a medium for submission and follow up as necessary 471
SQ4 How do you prepare for a job interview? 476
Analyze how to benefit from different types of interviews 476
Compose good answers—and good questions 476
TECHNOLOGY Preparing for Virtual Interviews with Skype 479
Evaluate your professional appearance 480
SQ5 How can you make a positive impression during and after an interview? 481
Project a professional presence 481
Compose effective post-interview messages 481
Evaluate your performance 490
SOCIAL RECRUITING @ WORK Silicon Labs 491
CASE SCENARIO Starting an Employment Search 492
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 16 07/05/15 1:33 am
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW 494 ◾ VISUAL SUMMARY 495 ◾ KEY TERMS 496 ◾
REVIEW QUESTIONS 496 ◾ CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 496 ◾ KEY CONCEPT EXERCISES 497 ◾
WRITING EXERCISES 501 ◾ COLLABORATION EXERCISES 501 ◾ SOCIAL MEDIA EXERCISES 502 ◾
SPEAKING EXERCISES 502 ◾ GRAMMAR EXERCISES 503 ◾ REFERENCES 503
APPENDIX A Formats for Business Documents 507
APPENDIX B Documentation and Reference Styles 522
APPENDIX C Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions 538
APPENDIX D Answer Key to Grammar Exercises 566
APPENDIX E Proofreader’s Marks 574
GLOSSARY 579
INDEX 584
xvii
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 17 07/05/15 1:33 am
xviii
Visual Walk-Through
NEW
A new chapter focuses on how businesses develop
a social media strategy and use social media to
communicate with stakeholders. This chapter
complements integrated social media content throughout
the text, including relevant and timely social media
applications and examples, as well as social media
exercises in every end-of-chapter section.
218
7
Using Social
Media in
Business
Email is the most widely used written business communication
medium* and is appropriate for both informal and formal
messages. To ensure you use an effective writing process, apply
the ACE model—even for short, informal messages.
Analyze your purpose, audience, and content before you begin
writing.
Compose by organizing the content, creating a first draft, and
designing a professional format.
Evaluate by revising, editing, proofreading, and—when possible—
incorporating feedback.
This reference guide provides advice about how to write an effective
business email from the top down, from entering the recipients on the
“To” line to the complimentary closing and signature block.
Recipients
What are the To, Cc, and Bcc lines used for?
• To: The “To” line is for the primary audience of your message.
When writing to several people, separate email addresses with
commas.
• Cc: The “Cc” line (“courtesy copy”) is for the secondary audience
of your message—people who may need to know the information
but are not the primary audience. For example, you might Cc your
supervisor as an FYI or your assistant to help you follow up.
• Bcc: The “Bcc” line (“blind courtesy copy”) is used in two
circumstances: (1) when you have a long distribution list that
you don’t want to show and (2) when you need to send the
message to someone without the knowledge of the primary
(or secondary) audience. In this second situation, you could
alternatively forward your sent message with an explanation.
Subject Line
How do you write a good subject line?
• Keep the subject line short, but meaningful.
• If the subject line needs to be longer than five words, begin
the subject line with the most important information so the
recipients can determine whether they need to read your email
now or later. Examples: “Meeting request”, “Important: Buy your
plane tickets today”, and “Response needed: Is any money left in
the account?”.
Analyze
Analyze
Com
po
se
Com
po
se
ACEACE
Evaluate
Evaluate
Attachments
How should you announce that an attachment is included?
• If the recipient requested the information in the attachment,
mention the attachment in the first paragraph.
• If you are including the attachment as supplemental
information, mention the attachment in the body or closing of
the message.
What guidelines should you use for attachments?
• Size: Try to keep attachments to 10 Mb or less. Many businesses
impose a size limit on attachments. For larger files, ensure your
audience can receive them, or upload your files to an online
service like DropBox and include a link in your email.
• Format: If the recipient needs to modify the attachment, send it
in its original format, such as a Word or Excel file. However, if
you don’t want the recipient to modify the file, send it as a PDF,
which also reduces the file size.
Salutation
What’s the best salutation to use? And how do you
punctuate salutations?
• When writing to co-workers you know well, use just their first
name or precede it with “Hi” as a friendly gesture. Punctuate
this in one of two ways. You can use a comma to separate the
greeting from the person’s name and add a colon at the end (“Hi,
John:”). Alternatively, you can use just a comma at the end (“Hi
John,”).
• When writing to superiors, colleagues you don’t know well, or
people outside your organization, use good judgment based
on how you would address the recipient in person. In formal
situations, last names may be appropriate (“Dear Mr. Smith:” or
“Hello, Mr. Smith:”). Note that no comma separates “Dear” from
the name. End with a colon or comma, depending on the level
How to Write Effective Business Email
Get the Best Results from Your
Communication
At the heart of the book is a flexible communication
process called ACE—Analyzing, Composing, and
Evaluating—that applies to any situation, from simple
email messages to formal business presentations.
As you go through the book, you continue to acquire
knowledge about how to apply this framework and why it
is important.
“I anticipate using the ACE communication process beyond
this course when I write emails, prepare papers, and apply for
internships and jobs because the first impression of writing is
very important.”
—Andronico P., Student at the University of California–Santa Barbara
NEW
A laminated pull-out reference card on how to
write business email is provided that you can use
throughout the course and after the course ends.
ACE
Analyze
ACE
Compose
ACE
Evaluate
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 18 07/05/15 1:33 am
xix
Business Focus
An “@ WORK” section in each chapter highlights contemporary
businesses and professionals who are implementing the core
concepts of each chapter.
3
I’ve built credibility in two ways: intelligent communication and
dependability. The way you ask for something is just as impor-
tant as what you’re asking for. When I request a favor, I offer
something in return. Even if there isn’t much I can do for that
person, he will remember (and appreciate!) the gesture. It’s also
important to be reliable. If somebody asks you to do something,
do it—and get it back to her before the deadline. You earn more
responsibility as you build a dependable reputation.
Ryan Croy
University of Tennessee
Content Writer @ Asurion
New Hires @ Work
P
h
o
to
c
o
u
rt
e
sy
o
f
R
ya
n
C
ro
y
“I like all the examples of the various
communications, such as emails, memos,
thank-you notes, etc. I use them as a guide
when I am writing.”
—Kenneth P., Student at
Middle Tennessee State University
UPDATED
New Hires @ Work
The New Hires @ Work
feature helps you imagine
yourself as part of a larger
business communication
community. At the
beginning of each chapter,
and on select pages
within each chapter, a
recent graduate describes
communication challenges
on the job and how
communication skills help
meet those challenges.
ACE @ WORK Coca-Cola Company
Social media has revolutionized how people communicate.
Facebook, for example, has more than 800 million users
who use the site to stay in touch with family, friends, and
coworkers. Like individuals, companies recognize and use
the power of social media to communicate in creative
ways. The Coca-Cola Company is world-renowned for
being an effective user of social media. For many years,
Coca-Cola has ranked first in the number of Facebook fans
among all companies. As of October 2014, Coca-Cola had
almost 90 million likes. Redbull was a distant second with
45 million. 12
Coca-Cola has achieved this level of social media
participation—an average of 5,000 social media conversa-
tions a day about the Coca-Cola Company 13 —by following
a well-designed social media strategy that involves collabo-
rating with customers to build stories about the brand. 14
The ACE communication model can help us understand
how Coca-Cola achieves its social media goals.
• Analyzing. According to Jonathan Mildenhall, Coca-
Cola’s Vice-President of Global Advertising Strategy
and Creative Excellence, Coca-Cola’s goal is to com-
pose the “world’s most engaging content” by telling
verbal and visual stories about Coke that are so lively,
positive, and “contagious” that they encourage people
to tell their own Coke stories, earning Coca-Cola a
“disproportionate share of popular culture.” Being suc-
cessful at this strategy requires Coca-Cola to analyze
which stories will provoke interest and show people’s
emotional attachment to the brand and determine
which technology platforms—or mediums—can best
tell the story. A YouTube video about a Coke Happi-
ness Machine, which generated more than 15,000
“likes,” is the kind of social media entry that prompts
people to tell their own Coca-Cola stories. 15
• Composing. How does Coca-Cola go about compos-
ing stories that provoke interest and encourage others
to tell Coke stories? The company uses an approach
it calls “dynamic storytelling.” This approach involves
breaking a story down into small incremental ele-
ments that can be dispersed through multiple social
media channels to involve its audiences in a conversa-
tion about the brand. Consumer responses via social
media expand the story. On Flickr, consumers are in-
vited to post photographs—visual stories—of their ex-
periences with Coca-Cola. 16 On the “Heritage” portion
of the Coca-Cola website and on Facebook, consum-
ers are invited to share their verbal stories. 17
• This distribution of creativity expands connectivity,
empowers consumers, and creates new content. Ac-
cording to Mildenhall, “consumer-generated stories
outnumber Coca-Cola company-generated stories on
most of our brands.” 18
• Evaluating. Coca-Cola continuously monitors all of
its social media communication. Coke’s social me-
dia team reads consumers’ stories and feedback to
evaluate the success of the social media strategy as
a whole, and to respond to individual issues as they
arise. In addition, Wendy Clark, Coke’s Senior Vice
President of Integrated Marketing, states that Coke
answers every question posted to the Twitter account,
which requires more personnel than its customer ser-
vice telephone lines. 19
Clearly, Coca-Cola has leveraged social media outlets
as an effective method of communicating. CEO Muhtar
Kent stated, “The world of communication is evolving at
a fast pace. . . . Today consumers are much more empow-
ered. You need to communicate with them. . . . [We have]
the largest Facebook page of any single brand—and it
wasn’t even created by us. . . . Five years ago social media
was 3% of our total media spending. Today it’s more than
20% and growing fast.” 20
picturesbyrob/Alamy
Icamerastock/Alamy
EFFECTIVE
John:
Please review the attached revised policies for our proposed summer-hours
work schedule. We will discuss these revisions plus any additional revisions
you propose, at our next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 10.
If you have the opportunity to review the revisions and suggest additional
changes by the 8th, please send me your input so I can update the agenda.
Otherwise, plan to present your findings at the meeting on the 10th.
Thank you for your time and effort in helping us with this proposal.
Sincerely,
Tonya
Tonya Wyoll
Assistant Manager, Sales
ABC Communication, Inc.
PH: (419) 555-4533
FX: (419) 555-4501
Summer-Hours Policy Changes
John Harris
Practical Advice
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 19 07/05/15 1:33 am
mailto:J.Harriss@abccomm.com
xx
Ethics, Technology, and Culture
Every chapter includes an in-depth focus
on ethics, technology, and culture. To build
your skills in these areas, you will see end-
of-chapter exercises linked to each feature
that challenge you to think critically about
these topics and provide you with hands-on
practice.
“We encounter all three in the
modern workplace and to exclude
them from our teaching would be
negligent. I like the integration into
each chapter because it mirrors actual practice where these features are
married to our day-to-day business communication functions and part of
our response consideration.”
—Gina L. Genova, Professor at University of California–Santa Barbara
ETHICS
IS BLIND CARBON COPY (bcc) LIKE SPYING?
In your email program, the bcc— blind carbon copy —feature
allows you to copy someone on an email without the recipient
knowing it. Does sharing an email “secretly” with someone else
raise any ethical issues? Consider three different scenarios for
sending a bcc :
• Using bcc to reduce long recipient lists. You send an email to
all employees who are late submitting their travel reimburse-
ment requests and warn them that they will not be reimbursed
unless they submit their requests today. The list of names is
long, and if you pasted all the email addresses into the email
cc box, it would fill the screen. By using the bcc feature, you
help ensure that your recipients focus on the message content
rather than be distracted by an overly long header.
In this case, the use of bcc is very functional. You can also
argue that it is more ethical than including everyone on the
cc line. Recipients don’t need to know the names and email
addresses of all the others who have missed the deadline.
Making this information visible in the email may embarrass
some people on the list.
• Using bcc to enable centralized tracking of information. You
report a problem to the technical support group for one of the
The technical support people would act no differently if they
knew the head of IT was copied or if the copying was blind.
• Using bcc to share information with interested parties. You
write an email to negotiate the price of a product with a new sup-
plier. Your colleague in another department in your company
has asked to be bcc’d on your messages to this supplier. She wants
inside information so that she can negotiate a low price with
the same supplier on a different product she intends to buy. She
would prefer that the supplier not know that she has this infor-
mation. Your colleague argues that her main responsibility is to
get the lowest price possible for your company. She has an obliga-
tion to use whatever information is available to get that low price.
This use of a bcc could be considered unethical since your
colleague intends to use the information to disadvantage the
recipient.
As you compose emails, how do you decide if you should use a bcc
and if it is ethical? Apply these two tests:
1. Are you trying to deceive the “to” recipient by hiding the fact
that other people also will receive the email?
2. Can the recipient be disadvantaged or hurt if the content in
the email is shared with the bcc readers and the recipient
TECHNOLOGY
COMPOSING A PERSUASIVE RECOMMENDATION WITH PRESENTATION
SOFTWARE
When you need to make a recommendation to a small group or
even to just one person, you may decide to present the informa-
tion in slide format rather than create a word-processed report or
handout. Businesses are increasingly using presentation software
as a composing tool for sharing information that needs to be read,
presented, and discussed interactively. These boardroom presenta-
tions are designed so that they can stand alone and be read inde-
pendently, in contrast to ballroom presentations that are designed
to be visual support for a presenter. 27
Recommendation presentations, like all boardroom presenta-
tions, provide all their evidence and reasoning clearly on the slides
so that the audience can refer to the slides later when making
decisions. Four key principles will help you create a logical and
persuasive recommendation presentation:
1. Organize your presentation into well-defined sections that
3. Write message headlines : short sentences or meaningful
phrases at the top of the slide that represent your main ideas.
4. Present material in the body of the slide that supports the
main idea in your headline.
To see these four principles in action, review the following rec-
ommendation presentation prepared by a not-for-profit organization
focused on health and nutrition. The slides are designed to be pre-
sented in meetings with individual state legislators to persuade them to
introduce legislation requiring calorie labeling in Illinois restaurants.
As you read the presentation, notice how it follows the four
principles. The presentation is divided into three sections: Prob-
lem, Causes, and Proposed Solution. Every slide supports one
main idea. Message headlines help the persuasive argument flow
from slide to slide. And, the material on each slide supports the
slide’s headline.
CULTURE
DID YOU HEAR THE BAD NEWS?
In the United States and many other Western business cultures,
people tend to communicate bad news explicitly. They may soften
the bad news by using a buffer or subordinating it, but at some
point in the message, they will state the bad news. For example, if
you ask an American whether he has finished analyzing data for a
meeting, a bad-news answer might sound like this:
• Although the analysis isn’t complete, we have enough for the
meeting.
• The analysis was more difficult than I anticipated, so I’m not
quite ready.
Sometimes an American will imply the bad news, but even then
the message is obvious.
• If we can move the meeting to Friday, I’ll be able to complete
the analysis.
By contrast, in many Eastern cultures, including India, people say
“no” in a very different way. They may ignore the question, change
the subject, respond with another question, or make a statement
• Is tomorrow good for you?
• Let me ask my team.
• We’ll try our best.
• We have been working late every night.
Within the Indian culture, these answers would not be considered
evasive. The audience would understand that all these answers
equally mean that the analysis is not ready and the speaker is un-
comfortable saying “no.”
When you communicate with people from different cultures,
listen very carefully to be sure you hear the bad news and do not
assume a positive answer. Similarly, you may need to change the
way you deliver bad news—and even good news. For example, if
an American answers “ the analysis will probably be ready ,” someone
from India may assume that you are saying “no.” Any kind of quali-
fication or hesitation will be perceived as a negative reply. The best
way to say yes in India is to say “yes” and to repeat the detail:
• Yes, we will be ready tomorrow.
We have created a focused book that
effectively presents and practices the
core communication competencies
in 12 chapters. Part 1 addresses the
core communication competencies of
business communication, ranging from
audience analysis and the communication
process to document design, intercultural
communication, and collaboration.
The remaining parts focus on specific
applications of these competencies:
delivering effective messages through
traditional, electronic, and social media;
researching, proposing, reporting, and
presenting; and applying and interviewing
for a job.
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 20 07/05/15 1:34 am
xxi
The book’s main headings are structured as numbered study questions. These
questions are answered in subheadings throughout the section. The end-of-chapter
summary and “Key Concept Exercises” are also grouped by both the study question
and the subheadings. This structure helps you focus on the key points of the
chapter, assess what you know, and complete exercises that help you polish your
skills.
Case Scenario
Each chapter concludes with a realistic case scenario
that relates to the content of the chapter. This feature
is an excellent tool for reviewing the chapter content to
ensure that you have learned it and can apply it.
Comprehensive Grammar
Review
Appendix C includes a complete grammar
text that you can use for reference or for
independent review. You can test your
knowledge with exercises at the end of each
chapter. Answers are in Appendix D.
This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
The first three weeks of your internship at Baer, Kramer, & Dreslin
Market Research in Nashville were great. You enjoyed brainstorm-
ing marketing ideas with your manager and designing a survey for an
important client. However, the past week has been pure misery. Your
supervisor assigned you to join three other interns on a team to create
a comprehensive online handbook for interns. Each summer, the com-
pany hires seven interns at your location in Nashville and seven more
in the company’s data processing department in New Delhi, India. You
will work on your project with one other intern from the Nashville of-
fice and two interns from New Delhi.
Planning the first meeting was difficult. You lost two days of work
trying to set a meeting time because there is a 10 1/2-hour time differ-
ence between Nashville and New Delhi: at 9 am Central Daylight Time
in Nashville, it is 7:30 pm in New Delhi. You suggested a 7 am telecon-
ference, but your Nashville teammate, Roberto, said he could not arrive
in the office early for a meeting. You suggest an 8:30 am teleconference,
which would be 7 pm in New Delhi, but both your New Delhi team-
mates, Maansi and Anant, are vague about whether they could stay late.
You beg Roberto to arrange to get to work early just one day so that
your team can hold a kick-off meeting. Roberto admits that he could
easily get to the office early, but prefers to sleep later. “And anyway,” he
admits, “I didn’t sign up for human resources work when I accepted
an internship in consumer research. How will this help me get a job?”
Finally, you are able to convince Roberto to accommodate Maansi
and Anant. The first meeting is scheduled for 7:30 am Central Daylight
Time. The meeting seems to begin well enough. Everyone arrives on
time, the teleconferencing system works, and the meeting starts with
friendly introductions. Within five minutes, though, you know you are
in trouble. When Anant introduces himself, he speaks so quickly that
you miss everything he says. You would be too embarrassed to ask him
to repeat it, so you remain quiet and pretend to understand. After the
introductions, things get worse. No one has thought to make an agenda,
so no one knows what the team is trying to accomplish. After a few
moments of painful silence, you say, “Well maybe we should just start
sharing ideas about coming up with a plan for the online handbook.”
Anant jumps right in. You don’t understand much of what he says,
but you do hear the words “user interface,” “programming,” “database,”
and “search functions.” You and Roberto look at each other in amaze-
ment. Why is Anant talking about computer programming? And why
is he continuing to talk without stopping for five minutes? Is it rude to
interrupt? Finally, Roberto says, “Anant, it sounds like you may have
some good ideas, but we don’t understand. We thought our job was
to plan an online handbook.” Anant replied, “That’s what I’m talking
about.” Throughout all of this Maansi remains silent. After the first
meeting, you feel that it is going to be a long five weeks until the end of
your summer internship.
Question 1: What interpersonal, intercultural, and teamwork com-
munication issues are emerging in this scenario?
Listening for Understanding
After your first team meeting, Roberto says, “It doesn’t sound like
Maansi and Anant will be too helpful on this project. Maybe we should
a good point. The project would be easier to complete without partici-
pating in a cross-cultural team. And you ask yourself “Why are Maansi
and Anant on this team? Why am I on this team? What are we sup-
posed to be doing?”
You decide that this confusion stems from a communication
problem—not with Maansi and Anant but with your supervisor. You
thought you were listening intently when she asked you to “come up
with a plan for an online handbook.” But did you really understand
what she meant? You were too intimidated to ask any clarifying
questions:
• What does “plan” mean? What is the goal of the team?
• Is there some reason you and Roberto were put on the team? Is
there some specific reason Maansi and Anant are on the team?
• What should be the final deliverable this summer?
With these questions in mind, you propose this plan to Roberto: “Let’s
try to arrange a meeting with our supervisor this afternoon. Rather
than just sitting there and listening, let’s ask lots of questions to be sure
we understand. At the end of the meeting, we can summarize what we
learned and email it to Maansi and Anant. We need to be sure we all
have the same idea of what we are supposed to do.”
Question 2: Listening involves a number of specific skills: hearing,
comprehending and interpreting, evaluating, and responding. Which
of these areas contributed to the communication problem in this
scenario? Identify specific examples.
Framing Negative Criticism Positively
Fortunately, the meeting with your supervisor is helpful. Through
much questioning and paraphrasing, you and Roberto identify four
tasks for the summer: evaluate the material in the current paper hand-
book, gather information from current interns in both locations, put
together a content outline for the website, and develop an easy-to-use
structure for the website.
Although the meeting is successful, you are angry at Roberto be-
cause he simply cannot hide his contempt for this project. Before the
meeting, he whispers to you, “Let’s just get this meeting over with. No
one needs a handbook. This project is just more busywork for interns.”
You find it difficult to begin focusing on content in the meeting be-
cause you are fuming about Roberto’s attitude. Originally, you were
looking forward to working with Roberto because he is smart and cre-
ative, but now you are afraid that his attitude may stand in the way of
completing the project.
You prepare two different ways to talk with Roberto about this:
• Option 1. “Roberto, you are so negative all the time. I know you
really don’t want to do this project, but that’s our job. We both
need good evaluations from this internship. If you don’t change
your mind-set, you’ll cause us both to fail.”
• Option 2. “Roberto, I’m really looking forward to working with
you. You always have such great ideas. But, I’m worried that you
don’t think this project is important and won’t give it your best
effort. I want to get a strong evaluation from this internship.
I know if we work together we can plan a great handbook—and
I think we can have a good time working together.”
Question 3: How would you describe the difference between the
two approaches? Which approach would help Roberto accept the
CASE SCENARIO
Working as a Cross-Cultural Team
–
e
–
f
e
e
Sentence-level skills
diagnostic test
The following test covers common sentence-level errors. After
you have completed the test, ask your instructor for the answer
sheet to score your answers. Use the Skills Assessment Table
following the test to record your scores in each category. The as-
sessment will identify the skill areas you need to strengthen and
where to find their associated rules in this appendix.
Use and Formation of Nouns
and Pronouns
Each of the following sentences is either correct or contains an
error. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If the
sentence contains an error, underline the error and write the
correct form in the blank.
1. _____ Our supervisor wanted George and I to come in early
on Tuesday.
2. _____ If your sure that everyone has left, turn out the lights.
3. _____ I will speak with whoever is in the office this morning.
4. _____ For three months in a row this Dealership had the
highest sales.
5. _____ There are fewer jobs and less employments during a
recession.
Use and Formation of Adjectives
and Adverbs
Each of the following sentences is either correct or contains an
error. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If the
sentence contains an error, underline the error and write the
correct form in the blank.
6. _____ Most consumers prefer the least costly of the two
service plans.
7. _____ He sees badly in the dark because of his cataracts.
8. _____ Remember to drive slow in a school zone.
9. _____ Wasn’t it snowing real hard last evening?
10. _____ The timing of the winter sale was absolutely perfect.
Sentence Fragments, Run-On (Fused)
Sentences, and Comma Splices
Each of the following sentences is either correct or incor-
rect. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If it
is incorrect, insert the punctuation and/or wording that
would make the sentence correct. Adjust capitalization as
necessary.
11. _____ When people enjoy their jobs. They usually perform
better.
12. _____ Many younger employees rate job satisfaction over
high salary, they want meaningful work.
13. _____ Baby boomers, on the other hand, have spent their
lives working to get ahead their goal has been to reach
the top.
14. _____ Finding the right balance between work, family, and
leisure that fits a person’s personal and professional
goals.
15. _____ Women usually have a more difficult time than men,
however, achieving this balance.
Subject–Verb Agreement and
Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement
Each of the following sentences is either correct or contains an
error. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If the
sentence contains an error, write the correction in the blank.
16. _____ Each generation defines their relationship to work.
17. _____ There is sometimes considerable differences in
attitudes.
18. _____ Members of one generation believes in “living to work.”
19. _____ Conversely, the goals and philosophy of the next
generation is “working to live.”
20. _____ To be satisfied, everybody has to find what works best
for them.
Commas
Each of the following sentences is either correct or incorrect in
its use of commas. If the sentence is correct, write “C” next to it.
If it is incorrect, insert or delete punctuation to make it correct.
21. _____ Many cultures value recreation, and family time highly
and business practices reflect these norms.
22. _____ In Europe for example workers get at least a month of
vacation in the summer.
23. _____ Although some businesses stay open many are closed
for most of August.
24. _____ Posting an “On Vacation” sign in the window collect-
ing the family and gassing up the car business owners
across the continent head for the beach or the moun-
tains.
25. _____ This practice of closing up shop and going on vacation
for a month which annoys Americans traveling abroad
in August is considered “therapeutic and necessary for
good physical and mental health” says Doris Perneg-
ger an Austrian travel agent.
Commas and Semicolons
Each of the following sentences is either correct or incorrect in
its use of commas and semicolons. If the sentence is correct,
write “C” next to it. If it is incorrect, insert or delete punctuation
to make it correct.
26. _____ In France the workweek is 35 hours; but most Ameri-
cans still work a 40-hour week.
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 21 07/05/15 1:34 am
xxii
Instructor Resources
At the Instructor Resource Center, www.pearsonhighered.com/irc, instructors can easily register to gain access
to a variety of instructor resources available with this text in downloadable format. If assistance is needed, our
dedicated technical support team is ready to help with the media supplements that accompany this text. Visit
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The following supplements are available with this text:
• Instructor’s Resource Manual
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A Word of Thanks
Writing a textbook requires a high-
performing team to complement what
we, as authors, can do. We have been for-
tunate to work with such a team of tal-
ented and dedicated people at Pearson.
The following publishing professionals
have guided our experience. Some have
been with us since the first edition; oth-
ers have joined the team for this third
edition. We are grateful to all of them for
their dedication and commitment.
Judy Leale
Jackie Martin
Ginny Munroe
Lenny Ann Raper
Nicole Sam
Janet Slowik
Denise Weiss
Stephanie Wall
The feedback and guidance of many
business communication instructors and
their students helped shape the content
and features of this book. We greatly
appreciate their assistance and commit-
ment to the craft of preparing students to
communicate effectively in business.
Class Testers
We are grateful to both the instructors
who class tested manuscript versions of
each chapter and to the more than 1,000
students who provided recommenda-
tions on how to make the chapters the
best they could be.
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Houston–Downtown
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College
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Florida
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Barbara
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California
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Illinois–Chicago
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Barbara
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State University
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Santa Barbara
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University
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Joyce Lopez, Missouri State University
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retired
Acknowledgments
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Elizabeth Metzger, University of South
Florida
Lisa Murray, University of
Tennessee–Knoxville
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Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Deborah Richey, Owens Community College
Sandra S. Rothschild, University of Arizona,
retired
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Sally Stanton, University of Milwaukee
Jan Starnes, University of Texas–Austin
Reviewers
Some of the following instructors have
reviewed the entire book; others have
provided feedback on key sections. We
are grateful to everyone for their input
and advice to ensure the content is both
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University
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Community College
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University
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University
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Technical College
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of Texas at Austin, McCombs School
of Business
Joyce Lopez, Missouri State University
Anna Maheshwari, Schoolcraft College
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 23 07/05/15 1:34 am
xxiv
Joan Mansfield, University of Central
Missouri
Jeanette S. Martin, University of Mississippi
Gary May, Clayton State University
Dorothy McCawley, University of Florida
Renee McConnell, University of Arizona,
retired
Lisa McCormick, Community College of
Allegheny County
Patricia McLaughlin, St. Ambrose University
Jane McPhail, College of William & Mary
Lisa Meloncon, University of Cincinnati
Elizabeth Metzger, University of South
Florida
Annie Laurie I. Meyers, Northampton
Community College
Gregory H. Morin, University of Nebraska,
Omaha
Charles Moses, Clark Atlanta University
Lisa Murray, University of
Tennessee–Knoxville
Pam Needham, Northeast Mississippi
Community College
Dawn New, Indiana University
Jim Nugent, Oakland University Department
of Writing and Rhetoric
Nancy Nygaard, University of
Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Ephraim Okoro, Howard University
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University
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Karen Otto, Florida State University at
Jacksonville
Marvin Parker, Fort Valley State University
Pamela Passen, School of Business—Office
Administration
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College
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(previously Penn State)
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Joy Roach-Duncan, Murray State University
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Florida
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University
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University
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College
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retired
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Accuracy Checkers
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Contributors to the
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Graduate Assistants
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Wisconsin–Milwaukee
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A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 24 07/05/15 1:34 am
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
Polishing Your Professional Presence
3RD
A01_SHWO3307_03_SE_FM.indd 25 07/05/15 1:34 am
1
Developing Your
Professional
Presence
2
S
e
rg
ey
N
iv
e
n
s/
S
h
u
tt
e
rs
to
ck
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 2 30/04/15 2:14 pm
3
SQ3SQ1
I’ve built credibility in two ways: intelligent communication and
dependability. The way you ask for something is just as impor-
tant as what you’re asking for. When I request a favor, I offer
something in return. Even if there isn’t much I can do for that
person, he will remember (and appreciate!) the gesture. It’s also
important to be reliable. If somebody asks you to do something,
do it—and get it back to her before the deadline. You earn more
responsibility as you build a dependable reputation.
Why is it challenging to communicate
well? pages 4–6
Communication is a complex process
Communication is affected by context
Communication is more than transmission of
messages
STUDY QUESTIONS
Ryan Croy
University of Tennessee
Content Writer @ Asurion
What characteristics will help you
communicate effectively? pages 8–19
Being strategic
Being professional
Being adaptable
New Hires @ Work
MyBCommLab®
Improve Your Grade!
Over 10 million students improved their results using the Pearson MyLabs.
Visit mybcommlab.com for simulations, tutorials, and end-of-chapter problems.
What are the benefits of being a
good communicator? pages 6–8
Effective business communicators have a
competitive edge in the job market
Communication skills will contribute to your
company’s and your own success
SQ2
P
h
o
to
c
o
u
rt
e
sy
o
f
R
ya
n
C
ro
y
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 3 30/04/15 2:14 pm
professional presence Your ability
to project competence, credibility, and
confidence in your communication.
communication The process by which
participants not only exchange messages
(information, ideas, and feelings) but also
co-create and share meaning.
Chapter 1 | Introduction
What do employers look for in people they hire to be future
leaders? Clearly, employers are looking for competence—
your ability or potential to do the job you are hired to do.
They are also looking for credibility. In other words, they
want employees who have good character and real substance,
who are trustworthy, and who will represent the organization
well. Just as importantly, they are looking for confidence. That
doesn’t mean that they admire arrogance. Instead, it means
they want employees and leaders who have an attitude and
style of communication that inspires confidence in others.
These three elements—competence, credibility, and
confidence—form the core of professional presence.1
Some people equate presence with the “wow” factor that
allows you to make a great first impression, similar to
the peacock that is the emblem of this book.2 While that
wow factor is certainly impressive, presence goes deeper
than that. Presence emanates from within, reflecting your
comfort with yourself and the rapport you develop with
people around you. In addition, your professional pres-
ence depends on your ability to communicate so that oth-
ers recognize your competence, are eager to listen to what
you have to say, trust you, and have confidence in you.
How do you develop presence? While you are in
school, you have undoubtedly been developing your
competence as you take courses in your major and other
fields. Ideally, you have also been learning how to learn,
so that you can continue to increase your competence
on the job. Your credibility is based in part on your char-
acter, which you have been developing since you were a
child. You also earn credibility by doing good work, be-
ing trustworthy, and empathizing with others, showing
that you understand their needs and point of view. You
develop confidence by believing in yourself and by learn-
ing communication skills that allow you to project that
belief as you communicate your ideas. Confidence also
comes from the knowledge that you can use your critical
thinking abilities to adapt what you have learned as new
situations arise.
This book and this course are designed to help you
polish your professional presence by developing the com-
munication competencies that will set you apart from
others, no matter what career you pursue. Communica-
tion is what makes presence possible. Think of this first
chapter as a preview of the book. It will help you under-
stand why communication is challenging, what benefits
you will receive by learning to communicate well, and
what characteristics you should be able to demonstrate
when you complete this course.
SQ1 Why is it challenging to communicate well?
Professional presence depends on communicating well, and that is not an easy task. Even in
its most basic form, communication is a complex process of encoding and decoding messages
(information, ideas, and feelings). However, as communication theory has developed, our un-
derstanding of communication has evolved. Communication is more than just the exchange
of messages. It is the process by which people co-create and share meaning. Success in com-
munication is affected by an array of factors that go beyond the language you use, including
the physical, social, and cultural context in which you communicate; your relationship with
your audience; and the audience’s knowledge and expectations. The following sections provide
more insight into why communication is so challenging.
4
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 4 30/04/15 2:14 pm
Why is it challenging to communicate well? 5
Communication is a complex process
Early models of the communication process began to uncover some of the complexities of
communication. The transmission model focused on a single communication exchange and
portrayed communication as the linear transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver.3
A sender has an intention; selects a medium of communication; encodes that intention into
words, images, or actions; and sends the message through that medium. The receiver gets that
message and decodes it to understand its meaning, unless the message is blocked by some kind
of noise or barrier.
The concept of barriers helps explain why communication often fails. Barriers come in
many forms. They may be physiological. For example, if you are speaking to someone who
has hearing loss or a migraine headache, he may not be able to listen effectively and interpret
what you are saying. Barriers may be psychological. If you compliment someone who does not
trust you, she may interpret that compliment as a subtle criticism. Semantic barriers arise from
language that is ambiguous or difficult to understand. If a colleague rushes late into a meeting
and says to you, “I was held up at the train station,” you might ask if the robber had a gun, when
your colleague simply meant that the train was delayed. Language barriers arise from senders
and receivers not using a shared language. Sometimes the problem is obvious: The sender
speaks only Spanish and the receiver speaks only English. Sometimes the problem is less obvi-
ous. For example, employees who are new to a company or industry may not yet understand
the jargon people use.
Despite its contributions to communication theory, the transmission model does not pro-
vide a rich enough view of communication. For example, it does not take into account the
iterative back-and-forth process that communicators use to ensure understanding. Receiv-
ers become senders as they provide verbal and nonverbal feedback. Messages and meanings
evolve in this back-and-forth exchange. Nor does the model account for the various contexts
that affect a sender’s encoding choices and a receiver’s decoding process.
Communication is affected by context
Later models of communication address the complexities of feedback and context. For exam-
ple, the interaction model of communication portrays communication as a dynamic process.4
Messages evolve as senders and receivers communicate in turn and give each other feedback.
The interaction model also introduced the concept of context—the external circumstances
and forces that influence communication. This model considers the physical context in which
communication takes place, including the physical distance between communicators as well
as what’s going on around you. For example, shouting across a noisy room is different from
whispering in someone’s ear. The model also considers psychological context: what’s going on
in the communicators’ minds. Someone who fears losing a job may interpret a boss’s comment
differently than someone who feels secure.
The transaction model of communication expands on the concept of context and recog-
nizes that communication is influenced by a broader set of external forces: social, relational,
and cultural.5 Social context refers to the set of learned behaviors and norms that guide com-
munication choices. In some social contexts (such as a classroom), you may wait to be ac-
knowledged before speaking. In other social contexts, you will talk more freely and may even
interrupt someone else. Relational context arises from past history and current relationships
with your audience. For example, if you have had a difficult relationship with someone, you
may choose to email that person rather than talk face to face. Cultural context acknowledges
that one group’s set of learned behaviors and norms may be different from another’s. For ex-
ample, if you come from a culture that is comfortable being direct and straightforward, you
may have difficulty communicating in a culture where people imply negative messages rather
than communicate them directly.
Communication is more than transmission of messages
The transactional model of communication also offers a different view of why people com-
municate. People communicate for an array of reasons other than just to transmit or clarify
messages—for example, to form and maintain relationships, to persuade others, to learn, to
increase self-esteem, to develop new ideas, and to work collaboratively. Communication is
medium The method you use to deliver
your message (for example, telephone,
face-to-face meeting, email, text message,
or website).
encode To translate the meaning of a
message into words, images, or actions.
decode To interpret the words, images,
and actions of a message and attach
meaning to them.
barrier An obstacle that gets in the way
of effective communication.
feedback Any form of verbal or nonverbal
response to a message.
context The external circumstances and
forces that influence communication.
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 5 30/04/15 2:14 pm
6 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
more than an exchange of information. It is the means by which we influence the world and
create meaning.
The communication model illustrated in Figure 1.1 builds on past models, incorporat-
ing the range of complexities recognized today. In a business communication class, you will
learn to account for all of these complexities as you make and implement your communication
decisions.
FIGURE 1.1 Model of Communication Process
Barriers Barriers
Medium
Medium
GOALS
GOALS
encoding
COMMUNICATOR
decoding
encoding
COMMUNICATOR
decoding
Ph
ys
ica
l c
on
te
xt
Psy
cho
logi
cal
con
text
Social context
Relational context
Cultural context
Physical context
Psychological context
Social context
Rela
tion
al c
onte
xt
Cu
ltu
ra
l c
on
te
xt
CO-CREATED
MEANING
As the previous section described, being an effective communicator is challenging. Not ev-
eryone is good at it. If you take advantage of this course to become a better communicator,
you will benefit in several ways. In addition to enhancing your professional presence, you will
also develop skills that will give you a competitive edge in the job market, contribute to your
company’s success, and contribute to your personal success.
Effective business communicators have
a competitive edge in the job market
Employers want to hire good communicators. Surveys and interviews of corporate recruiters
make this very clear. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) routinely
surveys employers to determine the skills and qualities that employers most value in employ-
ees. In a recent survey, employers rated the following communication-related skills as more
important than technical knowledge:6
• Ability to work in a team structure
• Ability to verbally communicate with people both inside and outside the organization
• Ability to obtain and process information
Communication also dominates the list of the “Skills Companies Demand in New Gradu-
ate Business School Hires,” compiled by the Graduate Management Admissions Council. Of
the 25 skills ranked in order of importance by the survey’s respondents, the top rated were oral
communication, listening skills, written communication, and presentation skills.7 Recruiters
interviewed at a university career fair made a similar point. They wanted to recruit people with
“communication and writing skills,” as well as “more polish, confidence, and passion,” which
are elements of nonverbal communication and professional presence.8
Ironically, although these communication skills are widely considered important, few
people in the workplace have mastered them well enough to meet employers’ needs. A report
produced collaboratively by American Express and Millennial Branding found that “managers
have an overall negative view of young workers, and point to their lack of soft skills regarding
SQ2 What are the benefits of being a good communicator?
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 6 30/04/15 2:14 pm
What are the benefits of being a good communicator? 7
communication and interpersonal interactions, time management abilities and willingness to
work as a team.”9 Similarly, the New Graduates’ Workforce Readiness study found that many
employers were dissatisfied with the communication skills of their college-graduate employ-
ees, specifically citing deficiencies in written communication, leadership, professionalism, and
creativity.10 Business blogger Jon Felperin goes so far as to call the current situation a “writing
skills deficit.”11 Many applicants themselves are aware of this problem; a recent survey by Lee
Hecht Harrison found that 24 percent of job seekers believed their writing skills needed im-
provement for success on the job market—again, more than any other skill.12
When employees come to the job with insufficient communication skills, employers need
to provide on-the-job training—and that costs time and money. A recent study conducted
by the American Management Association found that of the 721 senior-level professionals
interviewed, 66 percent said they invested company resources in training their employees in
communication skills—more than any other kind of professional activity.13
This bad news for the workforce may be good news for you. It means you have an op-
portunity to stand out in the crowd. If you are able to apply the range of skills you learn in this
course, you will be a valuable asset to your business, which will increase your professional suc-
cess and perhaps even your income. You will also be able to use these skills to be more effective
in your personal life.
Communication skills will contribute to your
company’s and your own success
Because communication is a valued commodity in the workplace, it can enhance your profes-
sional and personal success in a variety of ways.
Communication skills will make you a more valuable employee
Companies want good communicators because good communication is profitable: it saves
money and it makes money. Consider the following ways in which better communication skills
can increase your value to your company:
• Writing. Clear, effective writing can save organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars,
while ineffective communication can cost time and money. For example, Federal Express im-
proved the readability of a ground-operations manual, making it so much easier for employ-
ees to read that the company saved an estimated $400,000 in the first year due to increased
efficiency.14
In the public sector, the state of Washington found it was losing tax revenue because busi-
nesses did not clearly understand an important letter explaining the requirements about a spe-
cific type of tax. After the state simplified the letter, the improved communication led to an
additional $800,000 of tax revenue being collected.15
If you have good writing skills and good critical thinking ability, you can contribute to this
kind of cost savings and impress your employer.
• Listening and speaking. Writing is not the only communication skill that makes you a more
valuable employee. As a salesperson, you can bring in more sales if you know how to listen
effectively to customers’ needs, demonstrate how a product or service meets those needs, and
close the sale at the end of a conversation. As a customer service representative, you can retain
customers and attract new ones by answering their questions efficiently and communicating
solutions to their problems. As a team member who collaborates well with other team mem-
bers to solve problems, you may be able to bring a product to market earlier, increasing the
opportunity to sell the product.
• Developing communication strategy. If you work at a managerial or executive level, you may
have the opportunity to influence how your organization communicates with employees, in-
vestors, and the general public. That communication can directly impact the organization’s
success. Research by a global consulting firm found that companies that are highly effective
at communicating also experience greater employee satisfaction and productivity as well as
greater confidence by investors. As a result, these companies financially outperform their peers
more often than companies that communicate less effectively.16
• Implementing social media. Your expertise with social media also can benefit your company. Ef-
fective communication through social media—such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter—improves
social media Web-based applications,
such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter,
designed to promote social interaction.
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 7 30/04/15 2:14 pm
8 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
employee satisfaction and builds brand awareness to reach more customers.17 Additionally, if
you run your own small business as an entrepreneur, your communication abilities will be espe-
cially critical because you will be responsible for most, if not all, of your company’s social media
communication.18
Communication skills may improve your salary
Employers who recognize the value of communication skills may pay a premium to get em-
ployees with those skills. Kip Tindell, the CEO of the Container Store, explains that commu-
nication is at the heart of his company’s success, and he is willing to pay double the industry
average for a great employee who has the right skills. Tindell said, “one great person could
easily be as productive as three good people,” so paying twice as much is a bargain.19
Good communication skills can improve your personal life
If you learn good business communication skills—such as speaking and writing clearly, be-
ing aware of who will receive your message, listening to others, and persuading others—you
can apply those skills in your personal life to improve your relationships with friends and
family. In addition, you may be able to use your communication skills to persuade your
cell phone provider to give you a refund or negotiate a better deal on a car. These benefits
confirm that studying business communication and practicing your skills will generate a
positive return on your investment of time and energy, both for your professional career and
your personal life.
As you begin to polish your professional presence, consider your current skills and abilities.
Think about your core abilities: writing, speaking, and interpersonal communication. The best
business communicators—those who have real presence, are able to connect with other peo-
ple, and successfully deal with communication challenges—share the specific characteristics
illustrated in Figure 1.2. These are the characteristics that make writing, speaking, and other
interactions effective. The remainder of this chapter previews these characteristics, which you
will continue to develop throughout the course and throughout your career. As you read about
them, perform a quick self-assessment: What are your current strengths, and what gaps do you
need to fill to become a more effective communicator?
Being strategic
The best communicators always have a communication strategy—a plan for what and how to
communicate to ensure that their message achieves its purpose. Strategic communicators are
always making decisions, asking themselves these questions:
• What do I want to accomplish with this communication? What is my goal?
• Who is my audience? With whom should I communicate to accomplish my goal?
• What content will my audience need?
• What medium will work best: a face-to-face meeting, teleconference, email, presentation,
report—or a combination of medium options?
• How can I frame and organize the message to state the main point and effectively support it?
As these questions suggest, to be a strategic communicator, you must be purposeful, audience-
oriented, and—in many cases—persuasive.
Purposeful
Business communication involves more than self-expression. It needs to be purposeful and
constructed to achieve an intended outcome. You can judge the effectiveness of your com-
munication by whether it accomplishes its purpose. For example, when you write a cover
letter for a job, the letter is effective if you get an interview. Other features of effective
communication—such as grammatical correctness, clarity, and conciseness—will also help
you achieve your purpose.
SQ3 What characteristics will help you communicate effectively?
communication strategy A plan for
what and how you are going to communi-
cate to ensure your message achieves your
purpose.
purpose The reason why you are
communicating.
outcome The result of your communica-
tion; what you want the recipients of your
message to know, do, or feel about the
subject of your message.
New Hires @ Work
Shruti Shah
University of Florida
Operations Analyst Development
Program Intern @ JPMorgan Chase
I was surprised how broad
but significant being a good
communicator is. It does not
just involve giving power-
ful presentations; it
also involves asking
the right ques-
tions, carrying
conversations with
coworkers and
managers, and
contributing
during meetings.
Photo courtesy of Shruti Shah
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 8 30/04/15 2:14 pm
What characteristics will help you communicate effectively? 9
FIGURE 1.2 Characteristics of
Effective Business Communicators
Strategic
Professional
Adaptable
• Purposeful
• Audience-oriented
• Persuasive
Effective business communicators are . . .
• Appropriate to the situation
• Clear and concise
• Ethical
• Current with technology and
social media
• Able to work with many cultures
• Collaborative
Consider the two versions of the email message in Figure 1.3 by Zack Kramer, a business
major and a member of his university’s chapter of Students for a Cleaner Environment. The
two emails appear to have similar purposes: to get information from a civil engineering profes-
sor for one of the club’s projects. However, only one of them is likely to get Zack what he wants.
(You will learn more about being purposeful in Chapter 3: Managing the Communication
Process.)
FIGURE 1.3 How to Write a Purposeful Email
Hello. My name is Zack Kramer. I’m on a student team working on a
screening system that keeps sand out of a river intake (the Concord River,
to be exact). Our current problem now is that the water looks like chocolate
because it is so sandy, and because of that, the sand build-up at the bottom
of the river seeps through the holes of the deep intake, creating a mess
inside the intake because of the cementing, problems with filtrations, and
obviously unclean water. On behalf of our team, we are looking for
somebody in the civil engineering department with some experience in that
area who can enlighten us with some past ideas used in other rivers, or
perhaps recommend some of his/her own ideas and/or literature. Could you
please forward this email to the professors in your department so that we
can get some help?
Thanks
Zack
fluid dynamics
civilengineering@portola.edu
Request for Help in Fluid Dynamics
Dear Professor Smith:
Professor Jones, the faculty advisor for Students for a Cleaner Environment,
suggested that our design team contact you because you are an expert in
fluid dynamics. Our club is currently designing a screening system for an
intake valve on the Concord River, and your work on particles in rivers
relates to our project. I know that our group would benefit tremendously
from your expertise.
Would you be willing to meet with a few members of our team for about 15
minutes later this week to speak with us about the flow patterns of
suspended particles in river water? If you are willing to meet with us, please
let us know when would be a good time for you.
If you are not available, could you recommend someone else in your
department who may be able to help us?
We would be very grateful for any thoughts you might have on our project.
Thank you for your consideration.
Thank you,
Zack Kramer
zack.kramer@portola.edu
jonsmith@portola.edu
INEFFECTIVE
Avoid broad, untargeted email addresses and
vague subject lines.
Avoid long paragraphs that force the reader
to hunt for your point.
Address the email to a specific
person rather than an entire depart-
ment to ensure a response. Use a
formal salutation (“Dear Professor
Smith”) when writing to someone for
the first time.
Use a clear, specific subject line to
alert the reader to the email’s
purpose.
Get to the point quickly to show
respect for your reader’s time, and
keep sentences relatively short.
Ask a very specific question that is
easy for the receiver to answer.
Position the question in a visible
location, at the beginning of a
paragraph.
Avoid unclear questions that require extra
steps—here, asking the recipient to forward
your email on to someone else.
EFFECTIVE
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 1.3’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 9 30/04/15 2:14 pm
mailto:civilengineering@portola.edu
mailto:jonsmith@portola.edu
mailto:zack.kramer@portola.edu
10 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
Audience-oriented
Good business communicators understand that their messages must reach and influence their
audience—the person or people for whom a message is intended. Being able to influence an
audience requires two complementary sets of skills. First, you must be a good reader and lis-
tener so that you can understand audience concerns. Second, you must be able to compose
messages that address those concerns and are also easy to understand.
Reading and listening provide you with insights into what is important to the audience. For ex-
ample, when a good communicator receives an email asking a question, she replies only after read-
ing it carefully to identify why the writer is asking the question and what kind of answer he needs.
Being a good listener is arguably even more important than being a good reader. Research
suggests that people in school and in the workplace spend much more of their communication
time listening than they do speaking, reading, or writing.20 Too often people assume they are
good listeners simply because they hear things every day. However, hearing is not the same
as listening. Active listening is a learned skill that requires you to focus on the speaker, make
sense of the information that he or she presents, and, when possible, provide feedback about
the information to ensure you understand it correctly.
An active listener works to interpret meaning to understand both what a person is say-
ing and why that person is saying it. An active listener will perceive emotional cues and body
language—and even think about what is not being said. For example, if a person’s voice sounds
strained, he may be nervous or concerned about the information he is communicating. Or if
a person is using defensive body language, such as crossing her arms, she may feel skeptical
or upset, although her words do not convey that same meaning. If you develop good listening
skills, your coworkers and customers will communicate with you more frequently and more
fully. As a result, you will be able to communicate with them more effectively. (You will learn
more about active listening in Chapter 2: Working with Others.)
Once you understand your audience, communicating effectively with that audience re-
quires answering two questions:
1. What content will your audience need or want? Your communication should address the
questions on the audience’s minds and anticipate the possible objections.
2. How can you make the message easy for your audience to understand? You will increase
the chances that people will accurately read or listen to the message if you organize it for easy
comprehension.
Figure 1.4 illustrates two versions of a business recommendation. To evaluate whether these
documents are audience-oriented, try reading them in two steps. First, glance at each version
for about 10 seconds to see what stands out and to determine which one is easier to read. Then,
read each version more carefully to identify which one more clearly provides reasons and ex-
planations that will be compelling to the audience.
Persuasive
When you want to influence people’s thoughts or actions, your message needs to be persuasive.
Persuasion is the process of influencing your audience to agree with your point of view, recom-
mendation, or request. In your daily life, you often need to communicate persuasively. You may
be persuading people to accept a proposal or recommendation, give you a refund, agree with
your argument, donate money to a charity, become a customer, or remain a customer—the list
goes on and on. The more persuasive you are, the more effective your communication will be.
Being persuasive requires thinking about the topic from your audience’s point of view.
What benefits do you offer? What audience objections do you need to address? What
reasons and factual evidence support your claim? In Figure 1.5 on page 12, Fran Patera of
MaxiWeb Web Hosting wants to persuade a potential customer to switch to MaxiWeb as its
Internet provider. As you read Fran’s message, notice how she stresses benefits, addresses
actual and potential objections, and provides support for her claims. (You will learn more
about persuasion in Chapter 5: Communicating Persuasive Messages.)
Being professional
A survey by York College of Pennsylvania’s Center for Professional Excellence found that pro-
fessionalism is a key issue for students entering the workforce: “Almost 40% of faculty re-
sponded that less than half of students demonstrate professionalism.”21 Professionalism refers
audience Anyone who receives a
message and for whom a message is
intended.
active listening A learned skill that
requires you to attentively focus on the
speaker’s communication, interpret the
meaning of the content, and respond with
feedback to ensure understanding.
New Hires @ Work
Bailey Anderson
University of Northern Iowa
IT Service Management—
Communications Team Intern
@ Principal Financial Group
The most surprising aspect of
being a good communicator
in my work has been
asking lots of questions.
Questions show you
care about the work you
are doing. You might
even ask a question
that your boss
hasn’t thought of,
which brings a
new perspective
to the table.
persuasion The process of influencing
your audience to agree with your point of
view, accept your recommendation, grant
your request, or change their beliefs or
actions in a way that facilitates a desired
outcome.
professionalism The qualities that
make you appear businesslike in the
workplace.
Photo courtesy of Bailey Anderson
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 10 30/04/15 2:14 pm
FIGURE 1.4 How to Compose an Audience-Oriented Business Recommendation
Matt Leonard
Santé Système Blood Pressure Monitor
I am enclosing for your examination a mock-up monitor produced by Santé. Please keep me
informed of progress as the evaluation continues.
Hello, Matt:
Best regards,
Chris
Santé Système has expressed interest in participating in the manufacture of our new home blood
pressure monitor in France. On my recent trip to Europe, I had the opportunity of discussing this
with George Bonet of our French subsidiary. The situation in France is that registration will take
upwards of 12–18 months unless some local assembly/manufacturing can occur within France. If
some assembly process could occur at Santé, George projects that registration could be
accomplished within six months. Currently, two competitors, Acme and Globics, are pressing for
large-scale automated programs of similar technology. Our French subsidiary has a number of
Santé units out on trial now, which have been well received but further activity will be extremely
difficult pending registration. Could I ask you and your people to investigate the possibility of
providing Santé with parts, which they can assemble and incorporate into locally produced final
packaging? George will be forwarding to Santé about 25 sets of parts that Santé can use to
develop an assembly procedure. Once they have assembled a complete monitor, we can test it
and make a decision. George projects first-year sales of such a blood pressure monitor in France to
be between 8,000–10,000 units.
Hello, Matt:
INEFFECTIVE
EFFECTIVE
Matt Leonard
Recommendation to Evaluate Partnership with Santé Système
On my recent trip to Europe, I met with George Bonet of our French subsidiary to discuss a partnership
with Santé Système for manufacturing our new home blood pressure monitors in France. I am writing
to get your approval on a recommended plan and to propose next steps.
Recommendation
Based on this conversation, I recommend that we evaluate the possibility of Santé’s participation by
allowing them to assemble several test units for us.
Rationale for Working with Santé
• Working with Santé will substantially speed the process of getting the product on the
market in France. Registration in France will take 12 to 18 months if assembly occurs in the
United States. If assembly takes place in France, registration will take only six months. Our
French subsidiary has a number of monitors out on trial now. The units have been well
received, but we will have difficulty growing sales until the product is registered.
• Working with Santé, we may be able to beat our competitors to market. Our
competitors, Acme and Globics, are pressing for large-scale production programs of
similar technology.
• Getting to market quickly will allow us to capture a share of a substantial market.
George projects first-year sales of such a monitor in France to be between 8,000 and 10,000 units.
Next Steps
Will you please:
• Investigate the possibility of providing Santé with components that they can assemble and
incorporate into locally produced final packages. George will be forwarding to Santé about
25 sets of parts to use to develop an assembly procedure. We can then (1) test a prototype
on an in-house machine to understand its performance and (2) make a decision.
• Examine the enclosed mock-up kit produced by Santé, which demonstrates their
proposed look of the product and confirm that it is acceptable.
Pleast let me know by February 25 if you anticipate any problems with the procedure.
Best regards,
Chris
chris.dillard@rumson.com
Avoid long, unbroken paragraphs,
which force your audience to look
for information that is important to
them. Instead, compose your
message with the audience’s needs
in mind.
Avoid mixing together
recommendations, requests, and
justifications for your proposals.
Structure a coherent,well-organized
proposal that leads your reader
through your recommendations,
rationales, and next steps.
Identify the purpose
of the message in the
subject line.
Make your
recommendation
easy to find.
Use bullets to list
reasons and next
steps.
Provide specific
content your
audience needs
to know.
Use headings to
outline the
organization.
Avoid generic subject lines
that do not convey the purpose
of the communication.
What characteristics will help you communicate effectively? 11
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 11 30/04/15 2:14 pm
mailto:chris.dillard@rumson.com
12 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
FIGURE 1.5 How to Compose a Persuasive Letter
June 25, 20XX
Mr. Will Johnson
SaveOnCrafts
1349 Lothrop Street
Topeka, KS 66605
Dear Mr. Johnson:
Thank you for meeting with me last week to discuss changing your web hosting company from
your current provider to MaxiWeb. We believe that MaxiWeb will offer you two important
benefits.
The first benefit is reliability. With our integrated backup systems, we average only five minutes
of outage time per month. According to an independent survey published in E-Commerce
Today, your current provider loses connectivity at least once per day. I have enclosed an article
from E-Commerce Today that provides a method for estimating what this amount of down time
may be costing your company in lost sales.
The second benefit is responsiveness and customer service. MaxiWeb has the highest customer
service rating in the industry. Unlike many other providers, we offer 24-hour telephone support
from our home office in Houston. Our average time for resolving problems is less than 30
minutes.
At the meeting, you expressed concern that MaxiWeb may cost more per month than your
current service. As an attachment to this letter, I’ve included a detailed comparison between
MaxiWeb’s flat fee, which includes all services, and Interflex’s fee structure, which requires you
to pay for each service separately. By the time you add up all the extra services you need, I think
you will find that Interflex’s yearly cost is 10 percent more than our flat fee.
Only a few days are necessary to set up and test your site. We will be glad to coordinate that
work with your IT department. In more than 95 percent of cases, the actual transfer is so quick
and seamless that you will not lose even one sale from your site.
I will call you next week to see if you have any additional questions. We are ready to begin the
transfer process as soon as you authorize it.
Sincerely,
Fran Patera
Director of Sales
Enclosures
Begin with a
clear
purpose.
Focus on benefits.
Present them in
separate,
clear paragraphs to
make them easier
to see and
provide support for
claims.
Respond to actual
objections
your audience has
raised.
Anticipate and
respond to
potential
objections
your audience
may raise.
Use the closing
to emphasize
next steps and to
make it easy for
your reader to
implement the
change you are
proposing.
letter
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 12 30/04/15 2:14 pm
to the qualities that make you appear businesslike in the workplace. Professionalism is ex-
pressed by your actions, your attire, your wording in an email, your body language during
a meeting, your tone of voice on the telephone, and your attention to correct grammar and
proofreading. However, professionalism goes beyond projecting a professional image. It also
involves living up to the standards of your profession, including ethical standards. An effective
professional communicator is appropriate to the situation, clear and concise, and ethical.
Appropriate to the situation
Different situations require different behavior. For example, if you have lunch with friends,
you may not think to stand up when a new person joins you at the table or to introduce that
person formally to the others. In addition, you may assume it is okay to tell your friends funny
stories about another student. However, during a business lunch, professionalism requires that
you observe etiquette and actively participate in conversations without disrespecting others.
Etiquette errors become barriers that negatively impact other people’s perceptions of you.
Professionalism is as important in writing as it is in speaking. For example, assume you just
found out you have to cancel your evening plans because your marketing team needs to finish a
new client proposal before an 8 am meeting. You may want to email this message to your team:
“hey guys, i hope you didn’t get too wasted last night, cuz we gotta pull an all-nighter tonite to get
that project done by 8 am or we’ll be in deep trouble! i’ll order pizza—what should I get?”
The informal style and wording may be appropriate for your friends. However, informality in
the workplace can be a problem because your email could be forwarded to others at the company.
The challenge is to be professional in your work email without being overly formal. A more pro-
fessional message would use standard English and eliminate references to personal life as well as
negative references to the project and supervisor: “Hi John, Deepa, and Elaine: It looks as if we will
have to work late tonight to meet the 8 am deadline. I’ll order a pizza for us—any requests?” Consider
the two emails in Figure 1.6 on page 14 and assess the level of professionalism in each one.
Clear and concise
In school, you may have developed a wordy writing style to fulfill word-count requirements
in assignments such as a 500-word essay. You may also have developed the habit of writing
complicated sentences to sound sophisticated and well educated. If you have developed these
bad habits, you will need to change them to sound professional in the workplace. In business,
people value clarity and conciseness. Clarity is the quality of being unambiguous and easy to
understand. Clear communication has only one possible meaning. In addition, it uses simple
words in well-constructed sentences and well-organized paragraphs. Conciseness means that
a message uses no more words than are necessary to accomplish its purpose. Clarity and con-
ciseness are valued in business because time is a scarce resource. Your audience will under-
stand a clear and concise message faster than a wordy and complicated one.
Consider the two versions of a voice mail message in Figure 1.7 on page 15. The ineffective
message is long and unorganized. The effective message is short and to the point.
Ethical
As a professional, you are likely to face a number of ethical dilemmas that are difficult to re-
solve. Ethics are the principles you use to guide decision making, leading you to do the right
thing. However, the right thing is not always immediately obvious, and making the wrong
decision may put your career, your colleagues, your customers, or your company at risk. Be-
ing ethical means telling the truth, taking responsibility for your actions, and imagining the
impact of your actions on others.
• Telling the truth. Assume your supervisor asks your team to prepare a persuasive presentation
to support her recommendation that your company move some of its manufacturing facilities
to Mexico. Most of your research supports the move because it will save the company money
without decreasing product quality. However, you are not certain you have done enough re-
search into the labor situation in Mexico. You have heard rumors that the move may expose the
company to risks resulting from excessive employee absenteeism and turnover. You don’t have
time to do more research because your supervisor is presenting the information tomorrow.
Here is your ethical dilemma: Should you mention the potential risk, which will weaken your
argument? Or should you ignore this potential risk and present the strongest case you can to
support the move to Mexico? After all, your supervisor has asked you to put together a strong
New Hires @ Work
Sam Sharp
Michigan State University
Planning Supervisor @ Team
Detroit
My advice for new hires:
Don’t ever be seen
without a notebook
or a pen. Write
everything down.
Take advantage of
being the new kid;
ask questions—
but don’t be the
person who
asks the same
one twice.
clarity The quality of being unambiguous
and easy to understand.
conciseness Using no more words than
necessary for a message to accomplish its
purpose.
ethics The principles used to guide
decision making and lead a person to do
the right thing.
What characteristics will help you communicate effectively? 13
Photo courtesy of Samantha Sharp
ook
n.
of
kikid;d;
—
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 13 30/04/15 2:14 pm
14 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
FIGURE 1.6 How to Convey Professionalism in an Email
INEFFECTIVE
EFFECTIVE
Hello All!!!!!
Here’s the latest on the Ice Glide Hockey Study.
So far, we’ve completed 26 interviews (9 NHL pros) in 3 cities. Because we
weren’t able to secure more professionals for the interviews on such a short
recruitment timeline, we’ve decided to supplement the research with 6 additional
NHL player telephine interviews. Today, i will send out invites for listeing to the
telephone interviews on Mon. and Tues. It’ll be ALMOST LIKE an on-site
research situation in that you will be able to sen in “notes” to the moderator for
additional probes or questions during the interview. Too bad thought the call itself
will be for listening only, so our side of the phone line will be muted. If you do
have follow up questions for the moderator, we can notify the “conference call
host to pass the question along to the moderator. There are a limited number if
phone lines for the calls, so pelase plan on listening to the interviews in the
conference rooms noted on the invitations. Do not try calling from your
invidual offices!! i am attaching an Interim Topline Report of the research so far.
Bob
Regards,
Bob
Robert Parker
Senior Marketing Manager
Matrix Marketing, Inc.
Columbus, Ohio 43085
www.MatrixMarketing.com
O: 614.555.2843
F: 614.555.2801
To All Members of the Ice Glide Hockey Skates Marketing Team:
We are planning to do six telephone interviews with NHL professionals as part of
the Ice Glide Image Study. You will be able to listen in on these calls.
Current Situation
So far, we’ve completed 26 in-person interviews (nine of which were with NHL
professionals) in three cities. Because we were not able to secure more NHL
professionals for the interviews on such a short recruitment timeline, we’ve
decided to supplement the research with six additional NHL player telephone
interviews.
Invitations and Dates for Interviews
Today, I will send invitations for listening to the telephone interviews, which will
occur on Monday and Tuesday (November 15 and 16).
Ground Rules for Listening In
• The call will be for listening only. Our side of the phone line will be muted.
• Much like an on-site research situation, you will be able to send “notes” to the
moderator for additional probes or questions during the interview. If you do
have follow-up questions for the moderator, we can notify the “conference call
host” to pass along the question to the moderator.
• There are a limited number of phone lines for the calls, so please plan to listen
to the interviews in the conference rooms noted on the invitations. Do not try
calling from your individual offices.
I am attaching an Interim Topline Report of the research so far.
NHL Interviews for Glide Image Study
NHL Interviews for Glide Image Study
greg.jones@MatrixMarketing.com; whitney.haines@MatrixMarketing.com;
sydney.quinn@MatrixMarketing.com; paige.madison@MatrixMarketing.com;
elise.kaylin@MatrixMarketing.com; gavin.alexander@MatrixMarketing.com
greg.jones@MatrixMarketing.com; whitney.haines@MatrixMarketing.com;
sydney.quinn@MatrixMarketing.com; paige.madison@MatrixMarketing.com;
elise.kaylin@MatrixMarketing.com; gavin.alexander@MatrixMarketing.com
Avoid informal elements
such as vague greetings,
exclamation points and
emoticons in business
messages.
Avoid a single, long
paragraph, which shows a
lack of forethought and
organization.
Avoid typos. Nothing is
less professional than a
carelessly composed
business message.
Address emails to
specific recipients.
Use headings and
paragraphs to provide
clear organization and
content.
Proofread to ensure
proper spelling,
capitalization, and
punctuation.
Use bullets to make
items easy to scan.
End your email with a
complimentary closing
to project a professional
image.
Sign all emails with a
signature block that
identifies you, your
position, and your
contact information.
argument because management really wants to move several facilities to Mexico. In addition,
you have no actual evidence that there will be a labor problem.
This scenario places you in an ethical dilemma in which you must choose between two
competing responsibilities. The first is your responsibility to tell the truth. If your presentation
gives the impression that no problems exist in moving facilities to Mexico, you would not be
living up to that responsibility. The second is your responsibility to your supervisor and your
organization. If your supervisor wants a change that you believe may be risky to the organi-
zation, you face a difficult decision. You might think, “I’ll just give my supervisor the strong
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 1.6’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 14 30/04/15 2:14 pm
mailto:greg.jones@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:whitney.haines@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:sydney.quinn@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:paige.madison@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:elise.kaylin@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:gavin.alexander@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:greg.jones@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:whitney.haines@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:sydney.quinn@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:paige.madison@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:elise.kaylin@MatrixMarketing.com
mailto:gavin.alexander@MatrixMarketing.com
http://www.MatrixMarketing.com
argument she asked for, and she can do with it what she likes.” However, if you feel tempted to
respond in this way you might want to impose the headline test on your actions. How would
you feel if the company had problems in Mexico, and you logged on to your favorite news site
to read this headline: “Business analyst failed to inform company of potential labor risks”? If the
headline makes you feel uncomfortable or guilty, then you have probably acted against your
own ethical principles. In general, it is better to tell your supervisor the entire truth: There are
unconfirmed rumors of labor unrest in Mexico that should be investigated before reaching a
final decision. This allows everyone to make the best and most informed decision.
• Taking responsibility for your actions. As a business communicator, you may not always eas-
ily identify the best and most ethical course of action to take. However, a good communicator
recognizes the responsibility to try. Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon.com, illustrated this charac-
teristic in handling an ethical and public relations crisis. Amazon realized it was inadvertently
acting unethically by selling electronic access to books that it did not own the digital copyrights
to sell, including George Orwell’s novel 1984. To correct that ethical mistake, Amazon deleted
the book from customers’ online libraries and returned the purchase price to the customers.
Amazon thought this was the ethical thing to do, but customers who had purchased the
book were angry. What right did Amazon have to delete the book from their libraries without any
warning or communication? Imagine how you would feel if you needed a book from your elec-
tronic library to study for an exam the next day and the book had simply disappeared. Custom-
ers did not expect this type of treatment from a company that presents itself as customer-centric.
While Bezos could easily have explained or defended his actions, instead he posted an apology
on the Amazon discussion forum, taking responsibility for a decision that hurt customers, acknowl-
edging that the company deserved the criticism it received, and vowing to make better decisions
moving forward.22 Customer response in the discussion forum was overwhelmingly positive, and
the media picked up the story, praising Bezos for taking responsibility for the company’s actions.
• Imagining the impact of your actions on others. As you begin your professional career, you
may need to think carefully about the distinction between the behaviors you consider person-
ally acceptable and those considered acceptable in business. For example, people who actively
participate in social networking are so comfortable with openness and sharing that they may
not always maintain the boundary between material that a business owns and material that
an individual employee may keep and share. In fact, a recent national business ethics survey,
conducted by the Ethics Resource Center, found that active social networkers were more likely
than others in the workplace to believe it is acceptable to keep copies of confidential company
documents in case they need them in the next job with a different employer or to take copies
of work software home to use on personal computers.23
In most businesses, this behavior would be considered ethically questionable. Imagine the
potential impact of these actions on others. For example, if you take electronic copies of con-
fidential documents when you leave a job and if your computer gets lost or stolen, you are not
likely to report the incident to your previous employer. If the documents contain trade secrets
or other proprietary information, you put the company at risk.
INEFFECTIVE
Hi, Ahmad. This is Don. The meeting yes-
terday went on for two hours after you left
and there was a lot of discussion about
the new pricing system and how it will
affect our sales and marketing campaign.
No one could really agree about what the
impact will be, which isn’t surprising since
we didn’t have your charts to review, and
we never agree about anything right away,
so we decided to hold another meeting on
Friday, which you are welcome to come to
but you don’t really have to. But what we
do need from you are the sales projections
for the four regions, which you never got a
chance to present yesterday. Can you get
those to Mary by Friday morning? Also, if
you don’t plan to come and there’s anything
else you want us to discuss, let me know.
EFFECTIVE
Hi, Ahmad. This is Don. I’m sorry we didn’t
have a chance to discuss your sales pro-
jections at the meeting yesterday. We’ve
scheduled a new meeting to discuss them
at 2 PM on Friday. Could you let me know
if you are available to attend? If not, please
get the sales projections to Mary by noon
on Friday so she can distribute them at the
meeting. Thanks.
FIGURE 1.7 How to Compose a
Voice Message That Is Clear and
Concise
What characteristics will help you communicate effectively? 15
You will learn more about
ethics and communication throughout
the book. Each chapter includes an ethics
feature that focuses on an aspect of ethics
relevant to the chapter topic. Look for the
ethics icon.
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 15 30/04/15 2:14 pm
16 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
Being adaptable
The business world evolves continually, requiring you to adapt both as an employee and a
communicator. Think of all the changes that occur during a typical person’s business career.
For example, a person who began to work for IBM in the mid-1980s joined a company whose
key business was building and selling stand-alone mainframe computers for large corporate
clients. IBM basically had one product to make and one product to sell to one kind of cus-
tomer. Communication with those clients—and with colleagues—took place by phone calls,
letters, memos, and face-to-face meetings.
However, in a few short years, the world changed dramatically. IBM employees saw the
company’s one product being overshadowed by the personal computer and networks. The In-
ternet was rapidly growing as both a means of communication and a business platform. Clients
began looking for software solutions, not hardware products. So IBM changed its focus from
being a product provider to a service provider.
During this change, an employee who wanted to remain at IBM had to learn to adapt—no
longer focusing on communicating the benefits of one product, but listening to client needs
and providing a solution to those needs. Employees also had to adapt to other cultures because
IBM’s customer base outside the United States was growing. In addition, employees needed to
become more collaborative as IBM created more global teams to serve its global customers. New
communication media—email, video conferencing, online meetings—replaced the old ones.24
These kinds of huge transformations continue today. Before 2003, Facebook and social
networking between businesses and customers did not exist, and before YouTube launched in
2005, there was no easy way to post videos on the web. Now Facebook and YouTube are two of
the most standard tools of business communication.
It is impossible to predict how business will change in the future and how communication
will change as a result. Only one thing is certain: More change will come, and as a business
communicator, you must learn to adapt—to new technologies, new cultures, and new ways of
working with others.
Current with technology and social media
Being an effective business communicator requires that you take advantage of new commu-
nication technologies such as smartphones and tablets as well as new communication media
such as Web 2.0 applications and social media. Technology changes so quickly that the hard-
ware and software applications you use now will likely be outdated by the time you reach the
workplace. New options—and new challenges—will arise to make your business communica-
tion both more efficient and more prone to error. You will need to adapt to these changes as
well as to the ways businesses use familiar platforms. To take the best advantage of technology,
communicators continually need to address three questions: What is the best technology for
the task? How can I avoid the technology traps that hinder effective communication? And how
can I use technology to enable the most effective communication?
Choosing the best technology for the task. Imagine you are working for a company in Palo
Alto, California. You are collaborating on a project with a team in your company’s Tokyo office
where the time zone is 16 hours ahead. At the end of your workday at 5 pm, it is 9 am the next
day in Tokyo. You need to update your Tokyo colleagues about your progress on the project
for the day so they can continue the work. What technologies can you use to do this? As the
following analysis shows, no technology is perfect. You will need to make thoughtful decisions.
• Should you call your colleagues to let them know the status of the project? The advantage
of a phone call is that your colleagues can ask questions. The disadvantage is that there is no
written documentation of your update. If someone in Tokyo misses your phone call, he won’t
have access to the information.
• Should you email your colleagues? Email is very efficient, and it allows you to communicate
with many people at once. But sending an email does not guarantee that your colleagues will
read it, especially if they receive many emails in a day. In addition, email is not always reliable
because there may be network delays or someone’s spam filter may block your message.
• Should you upload your documents to the company intranet? Uploading to an intranet or
a shared server offers the advantage of having all the documents in a central location that
employees with the password can access. The disadvantage, though, is that your colleagues in
Tokyo will need to remember to go to the site to download documents. The documents aren’t
delivered to their mailboxes.
LinkedIn, a social networking site,
grew from half a million members
in 2004 to more than 300 million
members in 2014.
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 16 30/04/15 2:14 pm
• Should you use a team wiki? A wiki is a collaborative web application accessible by multiple
users that allows everyone to update material within a shared space. Wikis offer the same ad-
vantages and disadvantages as a company intranet. In addition, wikis allow people to track the
history of changes.
Avoiding technology traps. Technological competence goes beyond selecting a commu-
nication technology. It also requires knowing how to avoid traps. Have you experienced any of
the following situations?
• You’ve created a PowerPoint presentation that includes some specialized fonts. When you pre-
sent it using someone else’s computer, your specialized fonts don’t work. All you see is gib-
berish. (To solve this problem, communicators need to learn how to “embed” fonts within a
PowerPoint or Word document.)
• Your classmate sends you a web document filled with pictures. When you open the document,
you see no pictures. Instead, you see boxes with red Xs in them. (This problem is solved by
“inserting” graphics rather than pasting them.)
• You’ve written a post for your company’s blog that unexpectedly draws controversy in the com-
ments section. It is important to be aware of potential miscommunications, culturally insensi-
tive language, or other interpretations of your words that do not match your intentions. (A
smart communicator expresses herself carefully and in clear language to avoid these problems.)
• You are starting a Facebook page for your new business, and a fan of your company tags you
in an offensive post, which then appears on your own wall. (This problem is solved by paying
attention to privacy and access settings on your page, controlling who can tag you in their posts
and enabling you to review any posts before they reach the public.)
As a good communicator, you don’t need to know all technologies, but you do need to think
about the implications of technology choices and use your options wisely.
Adapting familiar technology to business use. You will also need to adapt to the business uses
of familiar social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and YouTube as well as
social media platforms that are used primarily for business, such as LinkedIn and SlideShare.
You may already be using social media to connect with friends, to broadcast your current
activities, to share pictures, and even to play games. However, businesses use social media
strategically to accomplish a number of different goals:
• Reach customers. Think of all the ways that companies use social media to reach customers,
promote their products and services, enhance brand awareness, and build a community of
fans.25 Examples include YouTube videos of new products, community discussion boards on
corporate websites, coupons and discounts distributed through Facebook fan pages, and social
media promotions designed to generate customer interest. When Eastman Kodak asked its so-
cial media followers for input on a name for a new product, the company received over 20,000
submissions in four days. In response to growing social media coverage, Kodak created a chief
listening officer position to serve as an “air traffic controller” of the company’s incoming and
outgoing social media communications.26
• Provide customer support and education. For example, salesforce.com, the enterprise cloud-
computing company, uses YouTube to host training videos and best-practice webinars about
its software. Potential customers also have access to the videos and comments from current
customers. This education and validation builds consumer confidence.
• Find new employees through social recruiting.27,28 Social media outlets such as LinkedIn and
Facebook are excellent places to publicize jobs and search for new employees. The real estate
company Trulia, named one of the best places to work in the San Francisco Bay area, even
rewards employees for creating a buzz about the company and sharing the company culture
through their own social media networks. Trulia estimates that it attracts 80 percent of its new
hires through social media channels.29
• Strengthen employee satisfaction. The e-commerce company Shopify developed a social me-
dia site it calls Unicorn, where employees post their ideas and accomplishments. When em-
ployees read something on Unicorn that they think is a particularly good idea, they can vote
to reward the innovator, using a pool of funds that the company has set aside for this purpose.
Shopify has found that this use of social media increases employee communication, creativity,
collaboration, and satisfaction.30
By being adaptable to changes in technology, businesses create communication opportunities
and strengthen their connections with employees, customers, and the general public.
wiki A collaborative web application that
allows multiple users to contribute and
update material within a shared space.
Screenshot from Salesforce.com.
Copyright © salesforce.com, inc.
What characteristics will help you communicate effectively? 17
You will learn more about busi-
ness uses of social media in Chapter 7: Using
Social Media in Business. In addition, each
chapter includes a technology feature that
focuses on an aspect of communication tech-
nology relevant to the chapter topic. Look for
the technology icon.
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 17 30/04/15 2:14 pm
18 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
Able to work with many cultures
As workplaces become more diverse and companies become more global, the chances increase
that you will communicate with people from many countries and backgrounds, including peo-
ple who are not native English speakers. To keep your writing and speaking easy to understand
by a diverse audience, use short sentences and avoid idioms—expressions that mean some-
thing different from the literal meaning of their words. Idioms, such as “we are on the same
page,” may confuse people who are unfamiliar with them.
Even people who are adept at English may come from cultures that approach business
and communication differently than you do. Culture refers to the learned and shared pat-
terns in a society. People demonstrate their culture through values, ideas, and attitudes—
and their approach to communication. Some cultures, such as the Chinese, are more
formal than others. Chinese businesspeople follow a prescribed set of rules about how to
show respect to managers and other senior colleagues. People from other cultures, such as
Germans, are more concerned with punctuality and may be offended if someone arrives at
a meeting 10 minutes late.
Cultural differences can lead to communication challenges. Consider this scenario fo-
cusing on a British and Chinese company doing business together.31 Communication chal-
lenges arise from one key difference between Chinese and British business cultures: Chinese
businesses are hierarchical. This means that in China, senior members of the company are
accorded special respect and treated differently than their employees. British businesses are
more democratic or egalitarian. This means that in Britain everyone is accorded equal respect.
The British company hired a Chinese firm to act as the sales representative for its prod-
ucts in China. The British regional manager in charge of Asia Pacific sales created an email
distribution list to communicate efficiently with the entire group in China. The head of sales
in China was insulted at being included in the list with junior colleagues. This method of com-
munication does not show enough respect to the head of sales.
As you can see from this scenario, basic communication decisions that seem normal in
your own cultural context may offend colleagues from another culture. By increasing your
awareness of cultural differences and keeping an open dialogue with your colleagues, you can
adapt your behavior as needed. If the British manager had learned more about Chinese cor-
porate culture, he probably would have sent the communication only to the Chinese director,
who then could decide how to communicate the information to his employees.
Cultural sensitivity does not apply only to international communication. People who dif-
fer in age and in gender may also be separated by cultural differences. Even within the same
country, younger people are likely to be less hierarchical and formal than their older counter-
parts. While the older head of sales from the Chinese firm may have been insulted at receiving
information at the same time as his junior colleagues, the junior members may have responded
differently. Like their younger British counterparts, they may have felt that respect is earned
rather than owed based on hierarchy.32
Even if you conduct comprehensive research on a culture, you will not be able to predict
every intercultural problem. However, your attempt to accommodate cultural differences will
communicate professionalism and respect.
Collaborative
In school, you complete much of your work on your own. Even when you work on a group
project with other students, the grade you earn at the end of the class is usually an individual
one. In business, although you will routinely have to communicate as an individual, many of
your projects will be team-based because they are too big to be completed by just one person.
As a result, collaboration—working together to achieve a common goal—is crucial in the
workplace.
Being collaborative requires that you adapt to the working style of many different peo-
ple. In addition, it requires that you coordinate, compromise, negotiate, and manage conflict.
For example, assume you work for an airline and have been assigned to a cross-disciplinary
team that is researching various ways to decrease costs. Your team has 30 days to complete its
idiom An expression that means some-
thing other than the literal meaning of its
words.
culture The learned and shared attitudes,
values, and behaviors that characterize a
group of people.
collaboration The process of working
together to achieve a common goal.
You will learn more about
working with other cultures in
Chapter 2: Working with Others.
In addition, each chapter
includes a culture feature that focuses on
an aspect of communication technology
relevant to the chapter topic. Look for the
culture icon.
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 18 30/04/15 2:14 pm
research and present findings and recommendations to management. Think about all the deci-
sions you need to make to coordinate your work:
• How to identify talents of team members and divide the research
• How and when to share information with each other
• What criteria to use to evaluate the options
• Which options to present to management
• How to organize your presentation
• How to divide the task of writing the presentation
• How to organize and deliver your recommendations to management
In the process of working together and making these decisions, you and your teammates are
likely to experience disagreements and conflicts. Perhaps one teammate, based on his research,
firmly believes that the best option for decreasing costs is to eliminate the lowest-volume routes
that the airline flies, while another teammate argues that her research shows this option has
hidden public relations costs. As this scenario suggests, effective communicators need to know
more than just how to research, write, and present. They also need to know how to coordinate
work, manage conflicts, and negotiate agreements. (You will learn more about communicating
effectively in groups in Chapter 2: Working with Others.)
◾ In summary, businesses and other organizations are looking for employees
with professional presence and strong communication skills. However, becoming a successful
communicator at work is not as simple as you may first believe. In addition to developing core
skills in writing, speaking, and interpersonal communication, a good communicator needs to
be strategic, professional, and adaptable. Practice is the key to gaining these competencies and
developing a competitive edge at work and in other facets of your life.
SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION @ WORK hhgregg
As one of the nation’s leading and fastest-growing retailers
of home appliances and consumer electronics, hhgregg
(www.hhgregg.com) has a growing need for store
managers who have the skills to be successful on the job.
According to Charlie Young, hhgregg’s chief human re-
sources officer, communication tops the list of those skills.
How a manager communicates is important for success.
Young divides communication skills into three
categories: interpersonal communication, writing, and
speaking.
• Interpersonal communication. In a retail environ-
ment, interpersonal communication is at the top of the
list. Young stresses that employees need the ability to
listen, understand, and build relationships with others.
“If you can’t build a relationship with subordinates,
peers, and managers, you’re going to have trouble.”
• Writing. At hhgregg, writing—especially email—
needs to be concise, specific, and direct. “Being
verbose in business is not looked on well. I may get
150 emails in a day, and I need them to be actionable.
If I have to write back and forth with you multiple
times, that will impact my ability to give you what you
want.” Young advises thinking through what you want
before writing and then stating it clearly.
• Speaking. The advice about writing applies to
speaking also. “People’s attention spans are short.
Unless you have someone cornered in a room, you
need to get your message out quickly. Think in
two-minute increments. Even if you have a more
complicated issue to discuss, begin with a two-minute
message.”
Young has some final advice for students who are
looking for a long and successful career at hhgregg or in
any business: “Remember that communication is
situational. You need to make different decisions in
different situations. But great communicators have one
thing in common: They can take a complex issue and break
it down into actionable items. If you want to get people
to act, you need to really understand your topic and boil
it down so that others understand.”
Source: Interview with Charlie Young. Copyright © 2012 by hhgregg.
Reprinted with permission.
What characteristics will help you communicate effectively? 19
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 19 30/04/15 2:14 pm
http://www.hhgregg.com
Why is it challenging to communicate
well? (pages 4–6)
Professional presence—your ability to project competence,
credibility, and confidence—depends on communicating well,
and that is not an easy task. Communicating well requires un-
derstanding some foundational principles.
• Communication is a complex process. Communicating
even a single message involves many steps: having an inten-
tion, encoding that intention into a message, selecting an
appropriate medium, decoding the message, and providing
effective feedback. Barriers often block successful commu-
nication. Successful communication requires overcoming
physiological, psychological, semantic, and linguistic barri-
ers. These complexities are magnified when you consider that
communication rarely involves a single exchange but instead
an interaction in which messages and meanings evolve.
• Communication is affected by context. Within a commu-
nication interaction, a range of contexts may affect someone’s
ability to understand your communication: that person’s physi-
cal or psychological state, the specific social situation that dic-
tates expectations, your relational history with that person, and
the broader cultural context of learned behaviors and norms.
• Communication is more than just transmission of messages.
Adding to the complexity is the fact that people communicate
not just to transmit messages but for an array of other reasons:
to form and maintain relationships, to persuade others, to learn,
to increase self-esteem, to work collaboratively and develop
new ideas, and to get work done. Communication is the means
by which we create meaning and influence the world.
even implement social media will increase your value as an
employee. Additionally, the skills that you use on the job
will help you in your personal life to improve relationships,
negotiate better deals, and persuade others.
Study Questions in Review
End of Chapter
SQ1
SQ2 What are the benefits of being a good
communicator? (pages 6–8)
Being a good communicator will benefit you and any organiza-
tion you work for.
• Effective business communicators have a competitive
edge in the job market. Research continually shows that
employers want to hire good communicators. Yet employers
find too few people who communicate well.
• Communication skills will contribute to your company’s
and your own success. Your ability to write well, listen and
speak effectively, develop communication strategies, and
SQ3 What characteristics will help you
communicate effectively? (pages 8–19)
Your writing, speaking, and interpersonal communication skills
are clearly important. But the best business communicators—
those who have real presence, share a number of specific
characteristics that make their writing, speaking, and other
communication effective.
• Being strategic. Effective communicators are purposeful
and design their communication to achieve a specific out-
come. They are also audience-oriented, considering what
content the audience requires and also what organization,
format, and language will make the content easy to under-
stand. Finally, when their communication purpose requires
persuading others to agree and/or to act, effective com-
municators know how to be persuasive and influence the
audience’s thoughts and actions. Three useful techniques for
persuasion are (1) identifying benefits, (2) anticipating audi-
ence objections, and (3) providing reasons and evidence to
support claims.
• Being professional. Professionalism refers to the qualities
that make you appear businesslike. Business communicators
appear professional when they act in a manner appropriate
to the situation, are clear and concise, and live up to the ethi-
cal standards of their profession.
• Being adaptable. Effective communicators are adaptable.
Being adaptable means being willing and able to change to
meet new business needs. In business, communicators must
adapt to remain current with technology, including social
media, which changes very quickly. In addition, because
business is increasingly global and values diversity, commu-
nicators must adapt to work well with other cultures. Finally,
since many business projects require teamwork and coordi-
nation with others, communicators must adapt their work
styles to collaborate well with others.
20
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 20 30/04/15 2:14 pm
Persuasive
Christian Tucker
Georgia Southern University
Intern @ Bank of America
Audience-Oriented
Anna Van Cleef
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Business Analyst – Audit Liaison
@ Georgia-Pacific, LLC
Purposeful
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Ethical
Alicia Carroll
Northwestern University
Social Media Supervisor
@ Resolution Media
Clear and Concise
Suzie Loveday
Eastern Kentucky University
Grants Management Officer
@ Frontier Nursing
University
Appropriate to
the Situation
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Collaborative
Able to Work with
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Rachelle Holloman
Belmont University
Business Continuity Administrator
@ HCA Healthcare
Current with Technology
and Social Media
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Bianca Robles
Eastern Kentucky University
Human Resources Representative
@ Hendrickson Trailer
Commercial Vehicle
Systems
Amber Klosterman
Megan Sugrue
Northwestern University
Social Media Coordinator
@ Viacom International
Media Networks
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My job requires me to communi-
cate with different cultures in
different countries. There are
always cultural communi-
cation barriers, and
these increase when
communicating from a
distance. But after a
year of daily calls, it
has become much
easier for me to
communicate across
cultures.
I didn’t always enjoy working with others on
the group projects in my classes, but the
collaborative skills I learned school
are very valuable in the workplace.
Teamwork can be intimidating,
especially when you’re new and
don’t know all the industry
terminology. But if you don’t
speak up and participate, no one
will know your strengths or what
you’re capable of accomplishing.
You have to ask questions
and build positive working
relationships so you can learn
how you can help the
company be successful.
In communicating via email, I
try to use an informative
subject that will be useful in
future searches for the
email. I begin with a
personal introduction and
then think about what I
want to convey and
communicate it clearly.
After completing the
e-mail, I proofread
and then send.
Writing professionally is extremely
important, especially in my position
as a grant writer. If I do not
show professionalism in my
writing and communica-
tion, people will not take
me seriously. This, in
turn, could negatively
impact funding
opportunities for my
employer.
I use WebEx because I communicate
with employees in twenty states.
With WebEx, I can share my
screen with them and record
the meetings if necessary.
WebEx also allows me
know who is on the call
without having to
stop and ask each
time someone
joins.
When you communicate clearly
and concisely, there isn’t a lot
of room for conflict and
misunderstanding.
Over-communicating is
much better than
under-communicating.
When developing our social
media strategy, it’s important
for us to be transparent
and authentic. If we
need to say “sorry, we
messed up,” we will.
When we develop internal apps
for BOA employees, our
proposals focus on what
the users can and can’t
do with the new app,
demonstrate how it’s
going to make their
work better, and
show them what’s
in it for them. It’s
all about focusing
on the end-user.
In manufacturing, the most
important thing is production
and numbers. But in HR, it’s
our job to persuade decision
makers to take people into
account, also. Without the
people to produce the
product, we have no
product.
University of Northern Iowa
Quality Control Analyst
@ Principal Financial
Group
Elon University
Distribution Relationship & Sales
Coordinator
@ Brown Advisory
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Active listening p. 10
Audience p. 10
Barrier p. 5
Clarity p. 13
Collaboration p. 18
Communication p. 4
Communication strategy p. 8
Conciseness p. 13
Context p. 5
Culture p. 18
Decode p. 5
Encode p. 5
Ethics p. 13
Feedback p. 5
Idiom p. 18
Medium p. 5
Outcome p. 8
Persuasion p. 10
Professional presence p. 4
Professionalism p. 10
Purpose p. 8
Social media p. 7
Wiki p. 17
Key Terms
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 What is professional presence?
2 What does it mean to encode and decode a message?
3 Identify three barriers to communication.
4 Identify three types of contexts that can influence communication.
5 In what ways can communication skills save money or make
money for a business?
6 Define active listening.
7 Define culture. How does it influence communication?
8 How does being concise differ from simply reducing the length of
your communication?
9 How does business use of social media differ from personal use?
10 Why are collaborative skills necessary in the workplace?
Review Questions
1 The chapter recommends that communicators address poten-
tial audience objections. Describe a communication scenario—
either from your personal experience or a hypothetical business
example—where you expect the audience might have objections.
What would the objections be, and how would you address them?
2 Imagine that you are trying to persuade a teammate to agree with
an idea for a presentation, and the teammate accuses you of be-
ing manipulative—trying to influence someone for your personal
benefit. What is the difference between being persuasive and be-
ing manipulative?
3 Assume that your supervisor asked you to lie to a customer in an
email about why a shipment is delayed. Would it be unethical for
you to write the email if you believe it is wrong to lie? Conversely,
would it be unethical for you to refuse to write the email if you
believe you have a responsibility to your employer? How would
you resolve this issue?
4 Imagine you have been asked to collaborate on a project with a
colleague whose work style is very different from yours. For exam-
ple, you like to plan carefully and follow a schedule, whereas your
colleague is spontaneous. You like to write thorough drafts that re-
quire only minimal revision, whereas your colleague likes to write
incomplete drafts and revise heavily later. Based on these differ-
ences, you think it would be more efficient and cost- effective for
the company to have you work on this project by yourself. Should
you make that argument to your supervisor? What might be the
benefits of collaborating? What are the drawbacks?
5 Although it is important to consider your audience’s potential
questions and objections when you communicate, you may not
always know a lot about the people in your audience in advance.
Imagine, for example, that you are sending a business proposal to
a new client you have never met before. How can you learn more
about your audience before writing the proposal?
6 Cross-cultural communication requires you to use clear language.
What are some of the other challenges of communicating across
cultures?
7 Students who are not used to writing professional emails some-
times make the mistake of composing them as if they were text
messages. What are some key elements of text messages that you
should avoid in professional emails?
8 Businesses use different social media tools for different purposes.
Based on your knowledge of Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube,
how do you expect businesses would use each tool?
9 Readers often judge a person’s professionalism based on whether a
document is spell-checked and free of grammatical errors. Do you
believe this is a fair basis for making a judgment?
10 Some people argue that using emoticons in business emails is un-
professional. Others say that emoticons are useful because they
help the audience interpret the writer’s intention more effectively.
Would you choose to use emoticons in your business email? Ex-
plain why or why not. Provide evidence or reasoning to support
your decision.
Critical Thinking Questions
22 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
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Why is it challenging to communicate well?
(pages 4–6)
1 Communication is a complex process
Think of a personal or business experience when someone “decoded”
your message incorrectly and misinterpreted your meaning. Write a
brief paragraph explaining the situation and the result.
2 Communication is affected by context
Think of a personal or business situation when you tried to persuade
someone with whom you have a personal or business relationship. In
that situation, how did the relational context affect your credibility? In
other words, was the audience more or less likely to believe you, based
on their personal history with you? Write a brief paragraph explaining
the situation and the result.
3 Communication is more than transmission of messages
Think of a personal or business situation when you had a conversation
with someone that resulted in a new and shared understanding, differ-
ent from what you originally intended to communicate. Write a brief
paragraph explaining the situation and the result.
What are the benefits of being a good
communicator? (pages 6–8)
4 Effective business communicators have a competitive
edge in the job market
Use an online job bank, such as Monster, to search for job advertise-
ments related to your career goals. How many of them include commu-
nication skills in their descriptions or requirements? Summarize your
findings in a paragraph that outlines your career goals, two or three
jobs you found, and the communication skills they require.
5 Communication skills will contribute to your company’s
and your own success
Typically when people think about business success, they think of fi-
nancial success. In addition to making and saving money, what other
business benefits can result from employees’ effective communication?
Write a paragraph identifying and explaining at least two additional
benefits.
What characteristics will help you
communicate effectively? (pages 8–19)
6 Being strategic—purposeful
Read the following memo and identify its main purpose. Rewrite the
subject line and the first sentence of the memo to make them clearer.
Key Concept Exercises
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memo
TO: Gloria Paradi
FROM: Josh Benson
DATE: March 23, 20XX
SUBJECT: Staffing
This office has not had the benefit of full staffing at any
time in the past year. There is no relief from continual
pressure due to a limitation of staff. An analysis of
overtime during the November/December time period
provides a clear indication of the inability of the office to
enjoy full coverage of all the required work within regular
work hours. Additional help can be usefully provided in
purchasing, design, fabrication, assembly, and shipping
since we are understaffed in all areas. As we can set
aside no time for training right now, it is required that all
new employees be experienced.
7 Being strategic—audience-oriented
Many years ago, the U.S. government’s General Services Adminis-
tration (GSA) posted the following bulletin on the walls of build-
ings around Washington, D.C., to warn workers about the dangers of
working around pigeon droppings. After you read this message, write
a memo to your instructor recommending three changes to make it
easier for the audience to find the most important ideas.
bulletin
Bulletin: Potential Biological Hazard
Background: During evaluations in a historic building
that GSA proposes to restore, a large accumulation of
pigeon droppings was discovered, which had collected
through long habitation of the birds. Samples of the
droppings were collected and analyzed by the Centers
for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.
Discussion: The CDC identified the droppings
as containing a fungus capable of causing very
serious infection in humans. This fungus is called
“Cryptococcus Neoformans.” It attacks the lungs,
central nervous system, skin, eyes, liver, and joints and
has a marked target of the brain and meninges. It is
Chapter 1 End of Chapter 23
SQ1
SQ2
SQ3
(continued)
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8 Being strategic—persuasive
You are the manager of a large supermarket that borders a residential
neighborhood. A customer who lives nearby comes into the store and
says, “I am completely out of patience with the trucks that make deliv-
eries to your store. Deliveries start at 7 am and end at 9 pm. Early in the
morning and into the evening, trucks are banging their trailers into the
loading docks. And the engines! The drivers keep the trucks running
while they’re making deliveries. I can’t talk with friends in my yard
because of all the noise of the trucks. And it’s not just the noise. The
trucks also block the alley so I sometimes can’t get out of my garage to
get to work in the morning.”
To respond, you could just choose to explain the situation. Clear
reasons exist for each of the behaviors that the neighbor is complain-
ing about:
• Local laws have set truck delivery hours from 7 am to 9 pm. To
accommodate all the deliveries, management needs to spread
them throughout the day.
• The engines are on in refrigerator trucks because they run the
generators that keep food from spoiling.
• The trucks block the alley for only a short time while they are
waiting for other trucks to leave. Drivers politely move if they are
asked.
However, suppose your main goal is to retain this “neighbor”
as a customer and increase goodwill. In that case, you may choose to
respond in a way that is more persuasive. Brainstorm content to in-
clude in your response. As you brainstorm, consider these persuasive
techniques:
• Show that you understand your audience’s concern.
• Address the objections.
• Show the benefits to the audience.
As part of your brainstorming, think of possible solutions to the
problem. If you mention possible solutions, your response may be even
more persuasive. Be prepared to discuss in class or submit your re-
sponses, according to your instructor’s directions.
9 Being professional—appropriate
You work for HungerFighters United, a not-for-profit organization
dedicated to eradicating hunger in the United States. One of your
colleagues, Sheryl Greene, drafts a letter to a potential donor who has
also expressed an interest in volunteering for your organization. Sheryl
gives you a copy of the letter to review before sending it. You think it
sounds friendly, but you wonder if Sheryl is projecting a sufficiently
professional image of herself and HungerFighters. Identify at least five
changes you would suggest that Sheryl make.
contained in the accumulation of excretion of birds and
pigeons in old nesting areas and in soil contaminated
with bird and pigeon droppings.
Workers who work around or demolish bird and
especially pigeon habitations should use extreme
caution due to the potential risk of illness involved when
disturbing accumulation prior to decontamination.
Infection is primarily due to inhalation. Prevention
is possible by wearing appropriate face masks and
personal protective clothing.
Recommendation: If such an area is identified, do
not disturb it. Leave the area and report the finding
immediately to your supervisor. Supervisors will
coordinate with Regional Accident and Fire Prevention
Branches for evaluation, preventive measures, and
decontamination action.
Further information: Avoid a suspected area until it has
been determined not hazardous.
letter
December 14, 20XX
Ms. Anita Lawrence
4949 Daily Drive
Cleveland, OH 44101
Dear Anita:
As mentioned in my voice mail to you today, I am
enclosing my card and other information that you might
be interested in.
I have been with HungerFighters United in the Detroit
Office since 1997 and have just moved to Development
Director of the Midwest region … long title but the
work is pretty much the same except I’ve expanded
from Detroit to 11 states and am encouraged by the
wonderful reception I’ve received and especially by
the powerful resources Midwesterners are sharing with
the families we serve.
Steve Cannon mentioned that you might consider
reaching out to others in your circle of friends. If you
would like to host a gathering in or around your area,
that would be an idea. We have wonderful stories to tell,
literature to share, and handouts people can take home.
Or, a small group in a restaurant or your home is also
effective. At any rate, this serves as an introduction to
our efforts and ideas on expanding the help we need to
end hunger.
I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season and
look forward to talking to you in the New Year.
Gratefully,
Sheryl Greene
Director of Development
10 Being professional—clear and concise
Select a message you received, such as a letter from a company or an
email from a colleague. Identify specific content that can be revised
to be clearer and more concise. Offer specific revisions based on the
content presented in the chapter. Prepare to present your suggestions
in class or submit it according to your instructor’s directions.
11 Being professional—ethical
Your supervisor is preparing a speech for the company’s chief executive
officer to distribute to shareholders. He asks you to read the speech
and provide feedback on how effective you think it will be. As you
read the speech, you think you recognize some of the points—and the
wording—from a speech by a financial analyst you heard a few weeks
ago on C-SPAN television. You fear parts of your supervisor’s speech
are plagiarized. You wonder if you should tell him that you recognize
some of that speech from another source, but you decide not to for two
reasons. First, if you tell your supervisor the speech sounds familiar, he
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may get angry or insulted. Second, the speech was televised very late at
night, so it’s unlikely that many people watched it. Evaluate the pros and
cons of that choice. Is your choice ethical? Be prepared to discuss your
decision in class or submit it according to your instructor’s directions.
12 Being adaptable—current with technology
You are planning to hold a conference call with three other people,
and you are looking for a technology that balances expense and con-
venience. Three kinds of conference call services are available to you:
• Option 1. Everyone calls in to a toll-free number. Your credit
card will be charged 4 cents per minute for each person on the
call. If people need to join the call late, they can do so without
inconveniencing the rest of the participants.
• Option 2. Everyone calls in to a long-distance number. Each
person pays whatever he or she would normally pay for a long-
distance call. For two people, it will be free because their tele-
phone service offers free long-distance calls. The remaining two
people will each pay 7 cents per minute. They will each need to
be reimbursed. This option offers the same call-in convenience
as Option 1.
• Option 3. You initiate a web-based conference call using Skype.
This call will be free for everyone. However, all participants need
to be available at the moment you call them. Otherwise, you will
need to repeatedly redial their numbers until they are available. If,
for some reason, any calls are dropped, participants will have no
easy way to rejoin the conference call.
The technology choice must balance costs versus convenience.
Which option would you choose—and why? Be prepared to dis-
cuss your choice in class or submit it according to your instructor’s
directions.
13 Being adaptable—current with social media
Choose a company that interests you, and search for it on Facebook,
LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter. Based on what you find, write a
message to your instructor explaining how the company uses each so-
cial media tool, whether you believe the company uses each tool effec-
tively, and why or why not.
14 Being adaptable—collaborative
You are working with a team of five colleagues to research and write a
report recommending a new sales strategy for your client. Because you
are a very good writer, you are designated the lead writer on the proj-
ect. Everyone else is writing drafts—except for one colleague, Emma
Yamaguchi. Emma has recently transferred to the United States from
the Tokyo office, and her English writing is weak. Your team thinks
Emma is contributing quite a lot to the project with her quantitative
analysis, which is strong. Everyone is happy with the distribution of
labor— except Emma. She transferred to the United States to improve
her written English, and now she finds she isn’t being given the op-
portunity. Fortunately, she confides in you and tells you that she’d like
to help with writing the report. How can Emma contribute in ways
that will help improve her English writing but will not compromise the
quality of the final product? Think of two or three ideas that you can
suggest to the team and to Emma. Be prepared to discuss your ideas in
class or submit them according to your instructor’s directions.
15 Being adaptable—able to work with other cultures
Reread Exercise 14. Assume that you suggested to Emma that she write
one short section of the report, which another teammate can then edit.
Emma writes her part, and you volunteer to edit that section. Emma
gasps when she sees all your edits. She looks down and tells you she is
ashamed to have submitted such poor-quality work.
You are shocked by her response because you thought you were
helping her learn to write better English. As you read more about Japa-
nese culture, you think that your response has made Emma “lose face,”
that is, feel embarrassed. How could you handle the situation differ-
ently in the future? What approach can you take that will make Emma
feel comfortable rather than ashamed? Be prepared to discuss your sug-
gestion in class or submit it according to your instructor’s directions.
16 Analyzing communication effectiveness
In January 1996, Philadelphia experienced one of the most paralyzing
snowstorms in its history. In one day, two and a half feet of snow fell,
making travel treacherous. Some employers closed their doors com-
pletely. Others encouraged their workers to stay at home. Still others
expected everyone to fight through the storm to get to work.
J. Richard Carnall, chair of PNC Bank’s mutual fund operation, was
one of the employers who expected workers to fight through the storm.
On the day following the snowstorm, Carnall was furious that only 30
percent of the staff reported to work. He wrote a memo to employees
expressing his outrage that so many employees decided to stay home.
He praised employees who came to work, stressing that the banking
profession requires uninterrupted service to bank customers. And he
scolded employees who did not come in, saying that they should have
taken advantage of local hotels the night before when weather reports
began predicting a major storm. He made it clear that, in the future,
he expects employees to use “common sense” if they expect weather to
interfere with their commute and to stay at local hotels rather than be
stranded at home when a storm is predicted.
Employees who received this memo were very upset. In fact, one
worker leaked the story to the Wall Street Journal, which published it,
causing significant embarrassment to the writer.33
Is Mr. Carnall being strategic and professional in writing this
memo? Write an email to your instructor, analyzing the effectiveness of
Mr. Carnall’s communication according to the following criteria:
• Strategic—Is it purposeful, audience-oriented, and persuasive?
• Professional—Is it appropriate to the situation, clear and concise,
and ethical?
Explain why you think the communication does or does not meet each
of those criteria.
17 Analyzing communication effectiveness
In July 2007, Apple released the iPhone at a price of $599. Only two
months later, the company dropped the price by 33 percent to $399.
The early iPhone customers were angry about the sudden drop in
price and felt they had overpaid for the product. See the letter on the
next page that Steve Jobs wrote to these customers. Not surprisingly,
members of the news media received the message and shared it with
the general public.34 Write a one- or two-paragraph email to your
instructor, providing your assessment of whether or not you think
this is an effective business communication. Provide support for your
answer.
Writing Exercises
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letter
To All iPhone Customers:
I have received hundreds of emails from iPhone customers who are upset about Apple
dropping the price of the iPhone by $200 two months after it went on sale. After reading
every one of these emails, I have some observations and conclusions.
First, I am sure that we are making the correct decision to lower the price of the
8GB iPhone from $599 to $399, and that now is the right time to do it. iPhone is a
breakthrough product, and we have the chance to ‘go for it’ this holiday season. iPhone
is so far ahead of the competition, and now it will be affordable by even more customers.
It benefits both Apple and every iPhone user to get as many new customers as possible
in the iPhone ‘tent.’ We strongly believe the $399 price will help us do just that this
holiday season.
Second, being in technology for 30+ years I can attest to the fact that the technology
road is bumpy. There is always change and improvement, and there is always someone
who bought a product before a particular cutoff date and misses the new price or the
new operating system or the new whatever. This is life in the technology lane. If you
always wait for the next price cut or to buy the new improved model, you’ll never buy any
technology product because there is always something better and less expensive on the
horizon. The good news is that if you buy products from companies that support them
well, like Apple tries to do, you will receive years of useful and satisfying service from
them even as newer models are introduced.
Third, even though we are making the right decision to lower the price of iPhone, and
even though the technology road is bumpy, we need to do a better job taking care of our
early iPhone customers as we aggressively go after new ones with a lower price. Our
early customers trusted us, and we must live up to that trust with our actions in moments
like these.
Therefore, we have decided to offer every iPhone customer who purchased an iPhone
from either Apple or AT&T, and who is not receiving a rebate or any other consideration,
a $100 store credit towards the purchase of any product at an Apple Retail Store or
the Apple Online Store. Details are still being worked out and will be posted on Apple’s
website next week. Stay tuned. We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone
customers.
We apologize for disappointing some of you, and we are doing our best to live up to your
high expectations of Apple.
Steve Jobs
Apple CEO
18 Planning a virtual team meeting
Imagine that you are working on a team with members in the United
States, Singapore, and the Netherlands. You need to check in with each
other at least once a week to address issues and plan for the upcoming
week. This requires that you decide on a technology for your weekly
discussions. You are considering the following options:
• Email
• Wiki
• Internet chat
• Teleconferences
• Videoconferences
Use your favorite search engine to learn more about these technolo-
gies. If you have five members in your team, assign one technology to
each team member. Then collaborate to create a chart that analyzes the
pros and cons of each option. As a team, determine which technology
(or technologies) you would choose and explain why. Be prepared to
discuss your chart in class or submit it according to your instructor’s
directions.
19 Increasing cultural sensitivity
Divide into teams of three to five students—or work as a whole class.
Select at least three cultures not represented by anyone on your team.
When you identify cultures, do not limit yourself to thinking about dif-
ferent countries of origin. Also consider the following variables:
• Region of the country (for example, the South or the Northeast
in the United States)
• Ethnicity
• Age (for example, people in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, and so on)
• Gender
• Disability
Collaboration Exercises
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For each of the cultures you have identified, list two or three
“communication characteristics”—things to keep in mind when
communicating with people of that culture. Illustrate each with a con-
crete example.
Prepare a class presentation of your findings. If the findings of dif-
ferent teams conflict, have a class discussion about why the teams drew
different conclusions about a particular culture.
20 Analyzing business Facebook pages
Imagine you work for a local restaurant in a small city. The owner of the
restaurant would like to begin using social media—especially a Face-
book page—to publicize the restaurant and attract customers. She has
asked you to find two restaurant Facebook pages that you believe are
effective and to summarize the key features you believe make the pages
effective. Depending on your instructor’s preferences, write a brief re-
port or prepare a brief presentation analyzing the two fan pages.
21 Identifying how for-profit and not-for-profit
organizations use Twitter
Go to Twitter.com and search for one for-profit company you like and
one not-for-profit organization whose cause you support. Both must
have Twitter accounts. Select at least three tweets produced by each
organization. Identify the purpose of each tweet and then write a brief
summary (less than 100 words) analyzing how each organization uses
Twitter to communicate.
Social Media Exercises
22 Informal impromptu presentations
a. Describe a time when you were very successful at achieving a
specific communication goal, such as persuading someone to do
something. Identify at least one reason for your success.
b. Describe a time when you wanted to achieve a specific goal with
communication but were unsuccessful. Identify at least one rea-
son that you were not successful.
c. Based on your experience, give your classmates one or two tips
about collaborating successfully with a teammate.
d. Do you think you are better at writing or at speaking? Provide
examples to support your answer.
e. Think of a time when you have communicated with people from a
different culture. What was your biggest challenge?
23 Executive briefings
a. Are they thinking like business communicators? Find an “of-
ficial email” that you have received from an organization you do
business with—for example, your school, employer, bank, insur-
ance company, or a retail store. Analyze the message to determine
if the writers were thinking like effective business communicators
as described in this chapter. Identify two features of the email that
you can discuss: both can be effective, both can be ineffective, or
you can discuss one example of each.
b. Analyzing cultures. Select a country that you have visited or
would like to visit in the future, and conduct a web or library
search about communication in that country. (Be sure your
sources are authoritative. Do not use Wikipedia.) Make two or
three recommendations about communication for colleagues who
will be traveling to that country.
c. Analyzing professionalism. Imagine you are a small business
owner and need to purchase a product or service (for example, ex-
ecutive coaching). Find two competitive websites that offer what
you’ve chosen. Imagine you were going to choose a vendor based
on the professionalism of the website. Prepare a brief presentation
about which site inspires more confidence, and explain why.
Speaking Exercises
24 Nouns and pronouns (see Appendix C—Section 1.1.1)
Type the following two paragraphs, correcting the errors in use or for-
mation of nouns and pronouns. Underline all your corrections.
Whomever answers the phone may be the only contact a caller
has with a business. Everyone has their own personal prefer-
ences. However, find out how your employer wants the tele-
phone answered, what your expected to say. When you pick up
the phone, it’s important to speak politely and provide identi-
fying information. Clearly state the company’s name and you’re
name. Should you identify the Department, too?
These are the kinds of question’s to settle before the phone
rings. If the caller asks for you by name, say, “This is me.” Don’t
leave the caller wondering who he or she has reached. Remem-
ber that when on the telephone at work, you are the Company.
Grammar Exercises
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 What benefits do companies receive from communicating with social media?
2 In audience-oriented writing, you can make key ideas easy to find by using
headings. How can you make important ideas stand out in a voice mail message?
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ence: How to project competence, confidence, and credibility at
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2. Goudreau, J. (2012, October 29). Do you have ‘executive pres-
ence’? Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/
jennagoudreau/2012/10/29/do-you-have-executive-presence/
3. Shannon, C., & Weaver, W. (1949). The mathematical theory of
communication. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
4. Schramm, W. (1997). The beginnings of communication study
in America. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
5. Barnlund, D. (1970). A transactional model of communica-
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communication theory (pp. 83–102). New York: Harper & Row.
6. National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2013). The
candidate skills/qualities employers want. Retrieved from
http://www.naceweb.org/about-us/press/skills-qualities-
employers-want.aspx
7. Graduate Management Admissions Council. (2014). Cor-
porate Recruiters Survey: 2014 Survey Report. Retrieved
from http://www.gmac.com/~/media/Files/gmac/Research/
Employment%20Outlook/2014-corporaterecruiters-final-
release
8. Voices across the skills gap: Recruiters and students at a col-
lege career fair. (2014, April 11). Retrieved from http://www
.skilledup.com/blog/voices-across-skills-gap-recruiters-and-
students-at-career-fair/
9. Vasel, K. B. (2014, January 30). The skills employers wish
college grads had. Retrieved from http://www.foxbusiness
.com/personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wish-
college-grads-had/
10. The Conference Board. (2008). New graduates’ workforce
readiness: The mid-market perspective. Retrieved from http://
www.conference-board.org/publications/publicationdetail
.cfm?publicationid=1422
11. Felperin, J. (2014, April 21). The writing skills deficit and how
business can navigate it. Retrieved from http://www.skilledup
.com/blog/navigating-writing-skills-deficit/
12. Twenty-eight percent of job seekers feel confident in basic
reading, writing, math and computer skills. (2014, February
26). Retrieved from http://www.lhh.com/about-us/press-
room/twenty-eight-percent-of-job-seekers-feel-confident-in-
basic-reading-writing-math-and-computer-skills.aspx
13. Communication skills rank tops in developing individual
contributors says new survey. (2014). Retrieved from http://
hr.blr.com/HR-news/HR-Administration/Communication/
Communication-skills-rank-tops-in-developing-indiv#
14. Hackos, J., & Winstead, J. (1995). Finding out what users need
and giving it to them: A case study at Federal Express. Techni-
cal Communication, 42(2), 322–327.
15. Washington sees results from plain talk initiative. (2006, De-
cember 10). USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday
.com/news/nation/2006-12-10-washington-plain-talk_x.htm
16. Towers Watson. (2011). Clear direction in a complex world:
How top companies create clarity, confidence and commu-
nity to build sustainable performance. 2011/2012 Commu-
nication ROI Study™. Summary retrieved from http://www
.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/5995/Towers-Watson-ROI-
Survey
References
17. Marketing Profs Research. (2009). The state of social media
marketing. Los Angeles, CA: Marketing Profs LLC. Cited in
Harte, B. (2009, December 10). Introducing “The State of Social
Media Marketing” report. [Web log message]. Retrieved from
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/introducing-the-state-of-social-
media-marketing-report/
18. Mitchelmore, S., & Rowley, J. (2010). Entrepreneurial
competencies: A literature review and development agenda.
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research,
16(2), 92.
19. Bryant, A. (2010, March 12). Three good hires? He’ll pay
more for one who’s great. New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/business/14corners
.html?scp=1&sq=tindell&st=cse
20. See Janusik, L. A., & Wolvin, A. D. (2009). 24 hours in a day: A
listening update to the time studies. International Journal of Lis-
tening, 23(2), 104–120. See also Flynn, J., Valikoski, T., & Grau, J.
(2008). Listening in the business context: Reviewing the state of
research. International Journal of Listening, 22(2), 141–151.
21. Vasel, K. B. (2014, January 30). The skills employers wish col-
lege grads had. Retrieved from http://www.foxbusiness.com/
personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wish-college-
grads-had/
22. Bezos, J. (2009). An apology from Amazon. [Discussion board
message]. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/
forum/?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSES
G&cdMsgNo=1&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=
Tx1FXQPSF67X1IU&displayType=tagsDetail&cdMsgID=
Mx2G7WLMRCU49NO#Mx2G7WLMRCU49NO&tag=
kwab-20
23. Ethics Resource Center. (2012). 2011 national business
ethics survey. Retrieved from http://www.ethics.org/files/u5/
FinalNBES-web
24. Gerstner, L. (2002). Who says elephants can’t dance? Lead-
ing a great enterprise through dramatic change. New York:
HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
25. Stelzner, M. (2012). 2012 social media marketing indus-
try report. Social Media Examiner. Retrieved from http://
www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-
industry-report-2012/
26. Selling Power (Producer). (2010, April 4). How Kodak lever-
ages social media. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www
.youtube.com/watch?v=GlE8_mKjPnQ
27. Culik, A. (2010, August 21). How 35 percent of companies are us-
ing social media, and what turns workers on—and off—to com-
panies. CareerBuilder.com. Retrieved from http://thehiringsite
.careerbuilder.com/2010/08/21/how-35-percent-of-companies-
are-using-social-media-and-what-turns-workers-on-and-off-
to-companies/
28. CareerBuilder.com. (2012, April 18). Thirty-seven percent
of companies use social networks to research potential job
candidates, according to new CareerBuilder survey. Re-
trieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/
thirty-seven-percent-of-companies-use-social-networks-
to-research-potential-job-candidates-according-to-new-
careerbuilder-survey-147885445.html
29. Webster, J. (2012, February 13). Your employees are your
best social recruiters. [Blog]. SocialRecruitingReport.com.
C
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1
28 Chapter 1 | Developing Your Professional Presence
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http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/10/29/do-you-have-executive-presence/
http://www.naceweb.org/about-us/press/skills-qualities-employers-want.aspx
http://www.naceweb.org/about-us/press/skills-qualities-employers-want.aspx
http://www.gmac.com/~/media/Files/gmac/Research/Employment%20Outlook/2014-corporaterecruiters-finalrelease
http://www.skilledup.com/blog/voices-across-skills-gap-recruiters-andstudents-at-career-fair/
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wishcollege-grads-had/
http://www.conference-board.org/publications/publicationdetail
http://www.conference-board.org/publications/publicationdetail.cfm?publicationid=1422
http://www.skilledup.com/blog/navigating-writing-skills-deficit/
http://www.lhh.com/about-us/press-room/twenty-eight-percent-of-job-seekers-feel-confident-in-basic-reading-writing-math-and-computer-skills.aspx
http://www.lhh.com/about-us/press-room/twenty-eight-percent-of-job-seekers-feel-confident-in-basic-reading-writing-math-and-computer-skills.aspx
http://www.lhh.com/about-us/press-room/twenty-eight-percent-of-job-seekers-feel-confident-in-basic-reading-writing-math-and-computer-skills.aspx
http://hr.blr.com/HR-news/HR-Administration/Communication/Communication-skills-rank-tops-in-developing-indiv#
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-10-washington-plain-talk_x.htm
http://www.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/5995/Towers-Watson-ROISurvey
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/introducing-the-state-of-social-media-marketing-report/
http://www.mpdailyfix.com/introducing-the-state-of-social-media-marketing-report/
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wish-collegegrads-had/
http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSES
http://www.ethics.org/files/u5/FinalNBES-web
http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2010/08/21/how-35-percent-of-companiesare-using-social-media-and-what-turns-workers-on-and-offto-to -companies
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thirty-seven-percent-of-companies-use-social-networksto-research-potential-job-candidates-according-to-newcareerbuilder-survey-147885445.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/10/29/do-you-have-executive-presence/
http://www.gmac.com/~/media/Files/gmac/Research/Employment%20Outlook/2014-corporaterecruiters-finalrelease
http://www.gmac.com/~/media/Files/gmac/Research/Employment%20Outlook/2014-corporaterecruiters-finalrelease
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wishcollege-grads-had/
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wishcollege-grads-had/
http://www.skilledup.com/blog/voices-across-skills-gap-recruiters-andstudents-at-career-fair/
http://www.skilledup.com/blog/voices-across-skills-gap-recruiters-andstudents-at-career-fair/
http://www.conference-board.org/publications/publicationdetail.cfm?publicationid=1422
http://www.skilledup.com/blog/navigating-writing-skills-deficit/
http://hr.blr.com/HR-news/HR-Administration/Communication/Communication-skills-rank-tops-in-developing-indiv#
http://hr.blr.com/HR-news/HR-Administration/Communication/Communication-skills-rank-tops-in-developing-indiv#
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-10-washington-plain-talk_x.htm
http://www.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/5995/Towers-Watson-ROISurvey
http://www.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/5995/Towers-Watson-ROISurvey
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wish-collegegrads-had/
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/01/30/skills-employers-wish-collegegrads-had/
http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSES
http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSES
http://www.ethics.org/files/u5/FinalNBES-web
http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2010/08/21/how-35-percent-of-companiesare-using-social-media-and-what-turns-workers-on-and-offto-to -companies
http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2010/08/21/how-35-percent-of-companiesare-using-social-media-and-what-turns-workers-on-and-offto-to -companies
http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2010/08/21/how-35-percent-of-companiesare-using-social-media-and-what-turns-workers-on-and-offto-to -companies
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thirty-seven-percent-of-companies-use-social-networksto-research-potential-job-candidates-according-to-newcareerbuilder-survey-147885445.html
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thirty-seven-percent-of-companies-use-social-networksto-research-potential-job-candidates-according-to-newcareerbuilder-survey-147885445.html
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thirty-seven-percent-of-companies-use-social-networksto-research-potential-job-candidates-according-to-newcareerbuilder-survey-147885445.html
Chapter 3 End of Chapter 29
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1
Retrieved from http://socialrecruitingreport.com/2012/02/13/
your-employees-are-your-best-social-recruiters/
30. Graham, S. (2011, August 2). Using social media to improve
employee communication, collaboration, and even compen-
sation. [Expert blog]. FastCompany.com. Retrieved from
http://www.fastcompany.com/1770955/using-social-media-
improve-employee-communication-collaboration-and-even-
compensation
31. Spencer-Oatley, H. (2007). Rapport in an international
business meeting: A case study. [Online forum comment].
Retrieved from http://dialogin.com/index.php?id=58&tx_
mmforum_pi1[action]=list_post&tx_mmforum_pi1[tid]=
54&tx_mmforum_pi1[page]=1&tx_mmforum_pi1[sword]=
international%20business%20meetings#pid275
32. For insight into China’s younger workforce, see Lynton, N., &
Thøgersen, K. H. (2010, January 25). Reckoning with Chi-
nese Gen Y. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://
www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/jan2010/
gb20100125_065225.htm; also see Lynton, N., & Thøgersen,
K. H. (2010, February 16). Working with China’s Gen-
eration Y. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from http://
www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/feb2010/
gb20100216_566561.htm
33. Power, W. (1996, January 15). Neither rain nor snow shall keep
workers from calculating NAVs. Wall Street Journal, p. B1.
34. Jobs, S. (2007, September 6). Steve Jobs’ letter to iPhone cus-
tomers. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj
.com/article/SB118910674094519630.html
Chapter 1 End of Chapter 29
M01_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH01.indd 29 30/04/15 2:16 pm
http://socialrecruitingreport.com/2012/02/13/employees-are-your-best-social-recruiters/
http://www.fastcompany.com/1770955/using-social-media-improve-employee-communication-collaboration-and-even-compensation
http://www.fastcompany.com/1770955/using-social-media-improve-employee-communication-collaboration-and-even-compensation
http://dialogin.com/index.php?id=58&tx_mmforum_pi1[action]=list_post&tx_mmforum_pi1[tid]= 54&tx_mmforum_pi1[page]=1&tx_mmforum_pi1[sword]= international%20business%20meetings#pid275
http://www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/jan2010/
http://www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/jan2010/
http://www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/feb2010/
http://www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/feb2010/gb20100216_566561.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118910674094519630.html
http://socialrecruitingreport.com/2012/02/13/employees-are-your-best-social-recruiters/
http://www.fastcompany.com/1770955/using-social-media-improve-employee-communication-collaboration-and-even-compensation
http://dialogin.com/index.php?id=58&tx_mmforum_pi1[action]=list_post&tx_mmforum_pi1[tid]= 54&tx_mmforum_pi1[page]=1&tx_mmforum_pi1[sword]= international%20business%20meetings#pid275
http://dialogin.com/index.php?id=58&tx_mmforum_pi1[action]=list_post&tx_mmforum_pi1[tid]= 54&tx_mmforum_pi1[page]=1&tx_mmforum_pi1[sword]= international%20business%20meetings#pid275
http://dialogin.com/index.php?id=58&tx_mmforum_pi1[action]=list_post&tx_mmforum_pi1[tid]= 54&tx_mmforum_pi1[page]=1&tx_mmforum_pi1[sword]= international%20business%20meetings#pid275
http://www.businessweek.com/print/globalbiz/content/feb2010/gb20100216_566561.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118910674094519630.html
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2
Working
with Others
Interpersonal, Intercultural,
and Team Communication
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Working in the Credit Union call center, I learned how to listen care-
fully and match my communication style with the person I am talking
to. If a member gets to the point immediately, I provide information
promptly. If she begins by chatting, I chat, too. And if the member
seems to need a lot of support, I know not to pressure him. Instead,
I give him time to decide and then provide reassurance when he
makes a decision. Great member service involves understanding the
member.
Shannon Rocheleau
Western Michigan University
Member Service Representative @ Consumers Credit Union
New Hires @ Work
31
MyBCommLab®
Improve Your Grade!
Over 10 million students
improved their results using
the Pearson MyLabs. Visit
mybcommlab.com for
simulations, tutorials, and
end-of-chapter problems.
What listening skills will help you
communicate better with others?
pages 32–38
Hearing accurately
Comprehending and interpreting
Evaluating
Responding
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ4
SQ5
How can you improve your
communication with people from
different cultures? pages 47–51
Understand how cultures differ
Develop strategies that help you communicate
with diverse groups
How can you help others listen well
when you speak? pages 38–41
Focus on your audience
Share the conversation
Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language
Support your message with good nonverbal
communication
Avoid language that triggers a negative response
Frame negative comments positively
SQ2
How can you manage interpersonal
conflict? pages 41–47
Identify the cause of the conflict
Select an appropriate management technique
SQ3
How can you work effectively as part
of a team? pages 51–58
Assemble an effective team
Agree on team goals and standards
Pay attention to team development and dynamics
Develop good leadership practices
Plan for effective meetings
Be a good team member
SQ1
P
h
o
to
c
o
u
rt
e
sy
o
f
S
h
an
n
o
n
R
o
ch
e
le
au
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interpersonal communication The
ongoing process of interacting with others
and exchanging information and meaning to
achieve understanding.
emotional intelligence The ability
to perceive and understand emotions and
to use that knowledge to guide your own
behavior and respond to others.
synchronous communication Com-
munication in which all communicators
are present at the same time: face-to-face
conversations, telephone conversations,
and meetings are examples of synchronous
communication.
Chapter 2 | Introduction
Unless you work completely by yourself, your success on the
job depends on working well—and communicating well—
with others: coworkers and teammates, supervisors and
managers, vendors and service providers, and customers
and clients. This ongoing process of interacting with others,
exchanging information and meaning, and achieving un-
derstanding is called interpersonal communication. People
who are good at it typically have what experts call emotional
intelligence—the ability to perceive and understand emo-
tions and to use that knowledge to guide their own behavior
and respond to others.1 Research by experts such as psychol-
ogist Daniel Goleman has shown that emotional intelligence
is as important to good leadership and effective teamwork as
are more traditionally valued skills and capacities.2
Many businesses are concerned that as the world be-
comes more digital, people spend less time developing
their emotional intelligence and interpersonal commu-
nication abilities and, as a result, feel more comfortable
emailing and texting rather than talking with others in
“real-time” conversations and discussions.3 While no one
disputes the value of digital communication, it cannot
replace conversations that encourage people to under-
stand each other’s point of view more deeply rather than
exchange short bursts of information. In a conversation,
you learn to listen actively and pay attention to tone, facial
expressions, and body language—all of which are critical
aspects of emotional intelligence. This kind of synchronous
communication—where all the communicators are present
at the same time—will help you forge the positive and pro-
ductive working relationships that are critical to business.
This chapter will help you strengthen your interpersonal
communication skills, develop your emotional intelligence,
and improve your ability to work well with others. First, the
chapter addresses how to be an effective listener and speaker.
Then, it helps you apply your listening and speaking skills
in three challenging contexts that arise when you work with
others: managing conflict, communicating with people from
diverse cultures, and communicating in teams.
Every day, without thinking about it, you engage in an important communication skill—
listening. In fact, research shows that college students spend more than half their communica-
tion time listening.4,5 In the workplace, listening is widely considered to be one of the most
important communication skills.6 Listening is also a key element of emotional intelligence.
Only when you listen deeply to others (rather than interrupting or thinking about what you’re
going to say next) can you accurately assess the emotional significance of a message. This un-
derstanding will help you respond in a way that shows others that you understand and care.
Most people assume they are good listeners because they have listening experience that
spans their entire lives. Yet decades of research show that listening is a complex process. With-
out good listening skills, people often mishear, misinterpret, misunderstand, and misremem-
ber.7 One common problem is passive listening—hearing what someone says without actively
paying attention to ensure understanding. In business, passive listening leads to costly mis-
takes, unhappy employees, and customer complaints. Here are examples:
• An employee does not pay close attention to a customer providing a mailing address and then
sends a shipment of 1,000 computers to Springfield, Massachusetts, rather than Springfield,
SQ1 What listening skills will help you communicate better
with others?
passive listening Hearing what some-
one says without actively paying attention to
ensure understanding.
32
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What listening skills will help you communicate better with others? 33
Illinois. The shipping and return charges are extremely high, and the customer is angry be-
cause the computers arrive late.
• A manager does not listen carefully—or ask good follow-up questions—when an employee
says she is sick and needs to go home. The manager insists that the employee stay, which ex-
poses the entire office to a contagious flu.
• The social media team does not pay attention to customer complaints on Twitter and product
review sites, and negative product reviews spread throughout the social network.
People rarely become better listeners on their own. However, with study and training, you
can become an active listener and significantly improve your communication skills. This
section will help you master each of the steps necessary for active listening,8 which are il-
lustrated in Figure 2.1. The process begins with focusing attentively on what a speaker says,
actively working to interpret and evaluate the content, and then responding to acknowledge
understanding.
Most active listening skills—especially interpreting and evaluating—are equally useful
when you “listen” to what people say in their writing. Understanding the meaning of an email
message, tweet, or social media posting can be as difficult as understanding the meaning of a
conversation.
active listening A learned skill that
requires you to attentively focus on the
speaker’s communication, interpret
the meaning of the content, and respond
with feedback to ensure understanding.
comprehension How well you
understand what you hear or read.
jargon The specialized language
of a specific field.
FIGURE 2.1 The Active Listening Process
Speaker’s Message
Listener’s 4-Step Response
Hearing
accurately
Comprehending
and interpreting
Evaluating Responding
Listener Speaker
Hearing accurately
Listening typically starts with hearing: perceiving sounds and focusing on them. Because
sounds are all around us, listening requires that you first distinguish the sounds you need and
want to listen to, and then concentrate on fully hearing those sounds.
Some barriers to hearing are physiological. For example, you might have a temporary
hearing problem, such as blocked ears due to a head cold. One significant physiological barrier
to hearing is the speed at which your brain can process what you hear. Most people can process
information twice as fast as the average person speaks. While you are waiting to process more
information, your brain is not fully engaged and you may begin to think of other things rather
than actively listen and focus on the words you hear. Similarly, if you choose to multitask while
listening, your brain becomes engaged in a different task, and you won’t accurately hear what
the speaker says.
The environment around you may also distract you from hearing well. Think about the
last time you tried to have a conversation in a noisy restaurant or talk on your cell phone while
standing at a busy intersection. You probably found it difficult to concentrate on what the
other person was saying. At work, you may be distracted by ringing telephones, people passing
by your desk, or noise from the next office.
The key to hearing accurately is focus. Look at the speaker and concentrate on what he
or she says. Make a comment or ask a question to keep yourself engaged. A benefit of this ap-
proach is that you earn the respect of the speaker by being attentive.
Comprehending and interpreting
You might very clearly hear someone speaking in Portuguese, Dutch, or Arabic, but you prob-
ably can’t comprehend all those languages. Listening comprehension refers to how well you
understand what you hear. In culturally diverse workplaces, language differences—including
accents—can become significant barriers, but they are not the only obstacles to comprehen-
sion. You may have difficulty comprehending vocabulary or jargon that is unfamiliar to you.
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For example, imagine that you accompany a sick friend to a medical appointment. You hear
the physician tell an assistant: “The patient presented with acute febrile illness.” Unless you have
medical training, you probably won’t comprehend that this means your friend suddenly got a
high fever. You may also have difficulty comprehending something that is explained badly, is
confusing, or is contradictory.
Interpretation is different from comprehension. Interpretation involves analyzing the
meaning of what you hear, read, or see to determine its intention. You might misunderstand a
comment because you interpret it from a different frame of reference. For example, imagine you
work in your company’s Los Angeles office and your colleague is meeting with clients in Boston.
Late in the evening, you receive an email from your colleague saying he needs information for a
client meeting and he’d like you to email it to him first thing in the morning. You could interpret
that statement in two different ways. Does he want the information by 9 am in Boston (eastern
time) or by 9 am in Los Angeles (Pacific time)? If you interpret the statement from your frame
of reference—Pacific time—you may be sending the summary too late (noon eastern time).
Understanding what someone really means also requires being empathetic and paying
attention to feelings. Being an empathetic listener does not come naturally to everyone. Both
research and experience show that there is a wide range of individual differences.9,10 Some peo-
ple tend to pay attention to the literal content of communication. Others are skilled at focusing
on the emotional content. Consider this scenario: Ron rushes late into a meeting with Dan and
Erica. Dan asks Ron if everything is okay. Ron looks distracted and tense but says, “I’m okay.”
After Ron leaves the meeting room, Erica comments that Ron seemed very upset when he ar-
rived. Dan responds, “There’s no problem. He said he’s okay.” Dan focused on the content of the
words, and Erica focused on the emotional meaning behind them.
Even if you are not naturally empathetic, you can train yourself to comprehend and inter-
pret more effectively in three ways:
• “listen” to nonverbal communication
• ask questions and paraphrase to ensure understanding
• be aware of gender-specific communication styles
“Listen” to nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication refers to messages that are conveyed through something other
than words—for example, tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures, body language, or other
behavior. These forms of nonverbal communication can help you better understand the nu-
ances of a message and its emotional content:
• Emphasis and tone of voice. Words carry different meanings depending on how they are said.
Imagine someone speaking the simple phrase “I called him.” Say that phrase three times, each
time emphasizing a different word: “I called him”—“I called him”—“I called him.” What three
different meanings do those three statements convey? Now imagine saying those three words
in an angry tone of voice and a happy tone of voice. Each time, you will be conveying a different
meaning. As a good listener, you will benefit from paying close attention to tone of voice and
letting it influence your interpretation of what you hear.
• Facial expressions. If someone says “hello” with a smile, you will interpret a very different
meaning than if someone says “hello” with lowered eyebrows and a clenched jaw. While experts
may disagree about whether facial expression is an unconscious reflection of emotion or a
conscious technique that people use to convey meaning, most people agree that facial expres-
sion is an important element of communication. Beware, though, of assuming that all people
interpret facial expressions in the same way. As you will read in the Culture feature (page 36),
biologists have determined that facial expressions are not universal among all cultures.11
• Body language, posture, and gestures. You can uncover clues about a person’s attitude to-
ward what he or she is saying by observing body language. Is that person ashamed, proud, or
uncertain? The speaker’s posture—and even eye contact or lack of it—can help you interpret
that attitude. In fact, you can often interpret attitude from body language without listening to
any words.
Remember, though, that body language and gestures may be ambiguous. As Figure 2.2
illustrates, gestures can mean different things in different contexts. Accurate interpretation
requires analyzing gestures and facial expressions together.
In addition, gestures must be interpreted within the context of culture. In Japan, it is a
sign of respect to avoid eye contact and look down when an older or more powerful person is
interpretation Analyzing the meaning
of what you hear, read, or see to determine
its intention.
nonverbal communication Messages
conveyed through means other than
words, for example, tone of voice, facial
expressions, gestures, and body language.
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FIGURE 2.2 How to Interpret Nonverbal Signals in Context
NONVERBAL SIGNAL
MEANING COMMUNICATED
IN IMAGE A
MEANING COMMUNICATED
IN IMAGE B
Leaning forward Openness Hostility
Eye contact Friendliness Anger
Extended hands Welcome Accusation, frustration
Chin forward Greeting, openness Irritation
talking to you. In the United States, looking away when someone is talking is often interpreted
as a sign of disrespect or guilt. Before reaching a conclusion about what nonverbal communi-
cation means, consider alternative meanings.
• Behavior. Observing behavior can also help you interpret meaning, especially if the behavior is
inconsistent with a spoken statement. For example, imagine that you work in a clothing store. A
customer complains that the zipper on a jacket is broken and asks you to find a duplicate with
a functioning zipper. As you observe the customer struggle with the zipper, you realize that this
particular zipper is not broken but instead requires more fine motor control than the customer
has. Rather than searching for a duplicate item, you might respond, “Some people have a hard
time with this zipper because it is so small and hard to grip. Can I help you find a jacket with a larger
zipper?” In this case, observing behavior provides more information than listening to language.
Ask questions and paraphrase to ensure understanding
In addition to “listening” to nonverbal behavior, you can improve comprehension and under-
standing by asking questions and by paraphrasing. Questions are straightforward. You can ask
someone to repeat what he or she is saying, or you can offer two alternative meanings and ask
which is correct. For example, you can ask your colleague, “By ‘first thing in the morning,’ do
you mean 9 am Boston time or when I get in to work in the morning in Los Angeles?”
Paraphrasing is a little more complicated than asking for clarification. Paraphrasing in-
volves restating what you hear in different words to ensure that you completely understand.
Because meaning has multiple dimensions, you might paraphrase in multiple ways to cap-
ture those dimensions. As Figure 2.3 illustrates, you can paraphrase to ensure you understand
the literal content, the ultimate intention, and the emotional content—or feeling—behind the
speaker’s statement.
Be aware of gender-specific communication styles
Men and women are often socialized to behave differently from each other and may develop
different gender-related styles of communication.12 Neither style is better than the other.
paraphrasing Restating someone’s point
in different words to ensure you completely
understand.
What listening skills will help you communicate better with others? 35
IMAGE A IMAGE B
Blend Images/Shutterstock Hypestock/Shutterstock
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CULTURE
FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE NOT UNIVERSAL
Not all cultures around the world interpret facial expressions the
same way. In fact, research suggests that people from East Asia
(for example, China, Japan, and Korea) focus mainly on the eyes
when they are reading facial expressions. By contrast, people from
the West (for example, the United States, Germany, and Mexico)
focus on the entire face, including both the eyes and the mouth.13
As a result of this difference in perception, people from East
Asia sometimes confuse surprise, shock, fear, and anger because
these emotions are difficult to extract from the eyes alone. As the
figure to the left illustrates, key differences in these emotions are
reflected by the mouth.
The East Asian focus on the eyes is also reflected in their
emoticons—the series of characters used to represent facial ex-
pressions in emails and texts. As the following table illustrates, in
American emoticons, the face is represented on its side, and dif-
ferences of emotion are represented by the mouth. In East Asian
emoticons, the face is right-side up, and differences in emotion are
expressed by the eyes.
How Emoticons Differ between Eastern and Western
Cultures
EMOTION WEST EAST
Surprise :-0 o.o
Sad 🙁 (;_;)
For a CULTURE exercise, go to Exercise 29 on page 70.
FIGURE 2.3 How to Paraphrase for
Content, Intent, and Feeling
INTENT FEELINGCONTENT
Confirm your
understanding
of the speaker’s
emotions.
“You sound
frustrated that
people seem
to be saving their
vacation time and
burning out
on the job.”
Restate the message
in different words
to ensure you
understand it.
“So you are saying
that you want us
to use our vacation
days before the
end of the year.”
Dig beneath the
content to understand
the reason for
the statement.
“Are you concerned
that too many people
will want to take
vacations in
December?”
“Are you concerned
that people are
working too hard and
need a break?”
Comment from the supervisor:
“I’d like all employees to take at least half of their vacation days by November 1.”
However, communication can break down if people are intolerant of other speaking styles or
draw incorrect judgments about a speaker based on his or her style.
As sociolinguist Deborah Tannen points out, men are often socialized to value autonomy
and independence and therefore learn to communicate in ways that assert independence,
power, and their place in the social hierarchy.14 For example, in conversations, men tend to
interrupt more than women do. In contrast to men, women are often socialized to value con-
nections with other people and to communicate in ways that preserve equity and relation-
ships.15 Therefore, women tend to wait their turn to speak as an act of respect to the speaker.
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In addition, women more often minimize the assertiveness of what they say by using what
linguists call hedges, hesitations, and tag questions:16
Hedge: I don’t know if this is a good idea, but we could get an editor for our
presentation slides.
Hesitation: Um, well, we could, uh, we could get an editor for our presentation
slides.
Tag Question: We can get an editor, can’t we?
Gender-specific characteristics may have negative results in conversation. Interruptions can
easily lead to a communication breakdown, especially when men interrupt women. Males are
often very comfortable with both interrupting others and being interrupted, whereas women
are more likely to get angry or feel silenced. Tag questions, hesitations, and hedges also cause
problems. They lead some listeners to conclude that the speaker lacks confidence and does not
deserve to be taken seriously.17 However, by recognizing gendered characteristics of your own
and others’ language, you can avoid drawing incorrect conclusions about others and instead
pay more attention to their ideas.
Evaluating
Once you fully understand what someone says, you can evaluate. Evaluating is the practice of
critically reviewing and judging what you hear. Is it accurate, well supported, and convincing?
As a listener, you may find it difficult to reach a fair evaluation. Think of all the things that can
block your ability to evaluate fairly. First, you may prejudge a speaker, especially if you find that
speaker to be annoying or distracting. Second, you may prejudge an idea, especially if it is an
idea you have already considered and dismissed. If you don’t listen carefully to the speaker’s ra-
tionale or explanation, you lose the opportunity to reconsider your previous evaluation. Third,
you may jump to conclusions based on the beginning of a message and interrupt the speaker
or tune out while you wait your turn to speak.
Making good business decisions depends on your ability to evaluate as you listen. For ex-
ample, imagine that you own a children’s clothing store. In a meeting with your employees, the
assistant manager suggests that you open another store in an up-and-coming neighborhood on
the west side of the city. For support, she points to the growing population in the neighborhood
and the fact that the three new stores that opened in that neighborhood are doing very well.
Evaluating that proposal fairly requires that you remain open-minded. Even if you live far
away from the west side of the city and would prefer a closer location, you need to consider the
business arguments. Evaluating fairly also requires that you critically analyze what you hear.
Does the success of other new stores necessarily mean that a children’s clothing store will suc-
ceed? To evaluate that opinion, you would need to know how many children live in the area
and what competition exists.
Finally, evaluating fairly requires that you separate emotions from logic. Your assis-
tant manager may try to convince you that a store in that neighborhood will be a path to
wealth and prestige because the neighborhood is so desirable. These emotional appeals may
be strong enough to make you want a store in that neighborhood, even if the rent is ex-
tremely expensive and the children’s clothing market in the neighborhood is not big enough
to ensure a profit.
Responding
Responding has two roles in the listening process: It lets the speaker know that you un-
derstand the point, and it initiates the next step in the conversation. Some responses will
quickly stop any further exchange; others will move the discussion forward. For example, a
response such as “That’s a ridiculous idea” may discourage someone’s further input. By con-
trast, a more tactful response would encourage the speaker: “That’s interesting. How would
that work?”
New Hires @ Work
Suzie Loveday
Eastern Kentucky University
Grants Management Officer @
Frontier Nursing University
People are only human, and we
often focus on getting our
own point across. We do
not take time to listen to
and accept input from
others. Communi-
cation becomes
a lot easier
once we listen
and see the
whole picture.
evaluating The process of critically
reviewing your communication to ensure it is
complete, clear, concise, easy to understand,
and error free.
What listening skills will help you communicate better with others? 37
Photo courtesy of Suzie Loveday
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Responses can be verbal and nonverbal. On some occasions, the nonverbal messages com-
municate more information than the verbal ones. Imagine a coworker says, “I need some advice
about how to describe our new product.” You verbally respond, “Okay.” But what is your non-
verbal message? Did you make eye contact with your colleague and smile as you said “okay”?
Did you gesture for her to take a seat? Or did you keep your eyes on your computer, sigh
deeply, and tense your body? Whichever approach you take, your colleague will interpret your
response based on your nonverbal message. In other words, how you say something is often
taken more seriously than what you say.
To become a more effective responder, pay attention to the type of response you offer.
As Figure 2.4 illustrates, you can respond to a speaker in many different ways. For example,
you can ask a question, give your opinion or advice, disagree, or express empathy.
This set of active listening skills—hearing, comprehending and interpreting, evaluat-
ing, and responding—will help you put your emotional intelligence to work, and thereby
increase opportunities for successful collaboration. As one organizational leader explains,
“If people feel they were listened to, that their views were taken into account, that they had
a chance to show you the world from their point of view, they’re going to be much more
likely to go along with a decision.”18 In addition, active listening can also be self-directed.
Remember that emotional intelligence is also about recognizing your own emotions. Listen-
ing deeply to yourself and your own nonverbal signals (such as a knot in your stomach or a
crack in your voice) can help you identify your emotional responses to workplace situations.
Equipping yourself with knowledge of your own feelings is key to identifying what makes
you most productive and engaged at work and to facilitating a work environment where
others can also thrive.
FIGURE 2.4 How to Respond
in Different Ways
YOUR RESPONSE OPTIONS
Ask a Question What do we need to do to get ready? How long do you think it
will take?
Give an Opinion I think if you have most of the documents they wiII need
tomorrow, they can get a good start.
Give Advice Let’s try to reschedule the audit until next week.
Argue/Disagree Actually, I think we are ready. We have completed everything
on the checklist.
Express Empathy It’s nerve-wracking to get everything ready for a major audit.
You’re doing fine, and I’ll be glad to help.
SPEAKER: “The auditors are coming tomorrow to look at our books. We’re not ready.
I don’t know what to do.”
SQ2 How can you help others listen well when you speak?
Engaging your emotional intelligence is just as important in speaking as it is in listening. Think
of listeners and speakers as partners in the communication process. Just as listeners need to
work hard to understand meaning, speakers need to work hard to engage listeners and make
meaning clear. This section provides six general speaking strategies that help listeners pay at-
tention and interpret your meaning effectively:
• Focus on your audience.
• Share the conversation.
• Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language.
• Support your message with good nonverbal communication.
• Avoid language that triggers a negative response.
• Frame negative comments positively.
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How can you help others listen well when you speak? 39
Focus on your audience
Many speakers fail to connect with the audience’s interests or knowledge about a topic and, as
a result, the audience tunes out. To avoid that problem, follow this advice:
DON’T… DO…
Stay trapped in your own perspective
and fail to connect with your audience’s
interests and knowledge.
Take time to analyze the following questions
about your audience:
• Why will they be interested in what you are
saying?
• What barriers will prevent them from
listening carefully?
• What questions or objections might they
have?
• What is the best way to connect with
them?
For example…
If you want a busy colleague to help you
with a project, don’t begin with details
about the project and state the request
at the end.
For example…
To obtain your colleague’s help, begin by ex-
plaining how your message relates to him or
her. “I could really use your help on my cur-
rent project. It requires the kind of database
programming that you learned on your last
project.”
Share the conversation
Have you ever noticed how some speakers, once they have “the floor,” continue talking for a
long time and resist all attempts of other people to share the conversation? To encourage your
audience to listen to your point, follow this advice:
DON’T… DO…
Monologue or talk for a long time without
letting other participants speak.
Make your point concisely and invite your
audience to respond.
For example…
Don’t say “Please let me finish” or “Don’t
interrupt me” when someone interrupts
you before you finish. This strategy may
give you more time to talk, but your
audience won’t be listening.
For example…
Finish by asking questions to move the
conversation forward: “What do you
think?” or “Has anyone else tried this
approach in the past?”
Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language
When language can be interpreted multiple ways, your audience may arrive at a different
meaning than you intended. To help your audience interpret correctly, follow this advice:
DON’T… DO…
Use ambiguous language—that is,
phrasing that may mean different things to
different people. Pay particular attention to
pronouns.
Make sure your language is specific
and can be interpreted in only one way.
For example…
The pronoun “they” is ambiguous in the
statement: “I called the purchasing man-
agers about the new vendors we want to
use. They are too busy to meet with us
for a few weeks.” Does “they” refer to the
purchasing managers or vendors?
For example…
Replace ambiguous pronouns with nouns:
“I called the purchasing managers about
the new vendors we want to use. The
managers are too busy to meet with us
for a few weeks.”
New Hires @ Work
Ben Lahue
University of Northern Iowa
Quality Engineer
@ John Deere
When working with
our team in India, I
am very care-
ful about the
words I use.
Slang doesn’t
translate well.
Photo courtesy of Ben Lahue
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Support your message with good nonverbal communication
Many studies on the role of nonverbal communication have found that a speaker’s body lan-
guage, facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice carry more significance than the speaker’s
words.19 To ensure that your nonverbal communication supports your message, follow this
advice:
DON’T… DO…
Turn your back to your audience, or tense
your face and body. Using a hesitant tone
of voice or body language that conflicts
with your message can also undermine
your persuasiveness.
Face your audience and maintain eye con-
tact. Keep your face and body language
open and energetic, and speak in an en-
thusiastic tone of voice to help prime your
audience to be receptive to your ideas.20
Use nonverbal signals to reinforce your
ideas and help listeners remember lon-
ger.21 Mirroring the body language of your
audience may also lead to a more positive
response.22
For example…
If you say you are confident, but you fidget
or frown while you speak, your audience
will not have confidence in your words.
For example…
If you smile and maintain eye contact while
you say you are confident, your audience
will more likely believe you.
Avoid language that triggers a negative response
Just as your choice of language can encourage listeners to pay careful attention, it can also
evoke negative emotional responses. If you make your audience defensive or angry, they may
refuse to pay attention to your ideas.
DON’T… DO…
• Use biased language, which suggests
prejudice, prejudgment, or disrespect.
For example, “Kevin, as our resident
geek, tell us your opinion on whether we
should upgrade our computer operating
system.”
• Use neutral language that is more
respectful. For example, “Kevin, you’re
familiar with the pros and cons of the
new operating system upgrade. Do you
think we should implement it now or
wait?”
• Ask provocative questions, which
are designed to annoy and inflame.
For example, “We have three days of
bad data now. Why didn’t you find the
solution earlier?”
• Ask authentic questions, which are
genuine requests for information and
opinions. For example, “How did you
figure the problem out?”
• Use accusatory language, which
focuses negatively on the person rather
than the issue. Examples:
– “Your instructions are confusing.”
– “This is the third time this month that
you have been late.”
• Use positive language, or “I”
language, which focuses on your
perception or response and does not
assign blame. Examples:
– “I got lost on step three of the in-
structions. Could you please explain
further?”
– “I am uncomfortable making excuses
when people call for you. That’s why
I hope you can arrive on time.”
However, if you begin every sentence
with “I” your audience will think
you are egotistical. Remember to
use “you” when you are giving a
compliment.23
(continued)
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How can you manage interpersonal conflict? 41
DON’T… DO…
Use trigger words and phrases that
make people feel dismissed, such as “That
doesn’t concern you.” Other triggers in-
clude absolutes and exaggerations such as
“always” and “never.”24 For example, “You
never get to work on time.”
Use respectful language or “I” language.
Pay attention to people’s emotional
responses to identify trigger words so
that you can find alternatives. For example,
“I feel frustrated that we have started our
morning meetings late for the past
few days.”
Frame negative comments positively
You may find that you need to offer constructive criticism to a coworker or an employee. If
you phrase that criticism simply as a negative statement, your listener may become defensive
or tune out. David C. Novak, president, chairman, and CEO of Yum Brands—whose chains
include KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Long John Silver’s—offers two pieces of advice for giv-
ing feedback: Start out positively and avoid the word but.
The best way to give feedback is to start out with, “This is what I appreciate
about you.” They might have great strategy, good vision, they’re good at ex-
ecution, or whatever you think they’re really doing well. When you start out
by talking to people about what they’re doing well, that makes them very
receptive for feedback because at least you’re giving them credit for what
they’ve done.
Then I say, “And you can be even more effective if you do this.” I think that
really works.25
Novak recommends introducing constructive criticism with the word and, instead of but,
which will undermine the good feelings generated by the opening statement.
SQ3 How can you manage interpersonal conflict?
Even if you follow all of this chapter’s advice about listening and speaking, conflict will
inevitably arise when you work with others. Conflict can include differences in opinion,
disagreements about how to handle issues, complaints about performance or fairness, criti-
cism about the behavior of others, and personality conflicts between people who just do not
get along.
Conflict is one of the most significant and costly problems in a workplace. A study by
CPP, Inc., a company that specializes in conflict management, found that U.S. companies
spend more than 2.8 hours per week addressing workplace conflict, which adds up to ap-
proximately $359 billion in paid hours per year.26 When companies do not effectively ad-
dress conflict and workplace incivility, the negative emotions result in wasted time, loss
of productivity, poor work performance, and decreased work effort, which are also costly
to an organization.27 They may also lead to people leaving their jobs. In fact, a study of
exit interviews from people who voluntarily left jobs found that more than 50 percent of
all resignations resulted from unresolved interpersonal conflict.28 For every employee who
leaves, a business needs to hire and train a new employee, which costs at least 1.5 times that
employee’s salary.29
Of course, not all workplace conflict is bad—in fact, conflict is often productive.
Conflict can be divided into two broad categories: cognitive conflict, which results from
differences in understanding content or tasks, and affective conflict, which results from dif-
ferences in personalities and relationships. All high-performing work teams experience dis-
agreements (cognitive conflict) while collaborating. Working through these disagreements
can have positive results on the quality of team decisions and the final work product.30 As
teamwork expert Paul Glover points out, “If a team always agreed on everything, they’d be
satisfied with the first answer to the problem instead of working, arguing, and debating to
cognitive conflict A conflict that results
from differences in understanding content or
tasks. Working through a cognitive conflict
often leads to better decisions and work
products.
affective conflict A conflict that re-
sults from differences in personalities and
relationships. If affective conflicts remain
unstated and unaddressed, they can lead
to tension, stress, and dysfunctional work
processes.
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figure out the best answer.”31 In fact, some organizations encourage active disagreement and
clashes of opinion. For example, Southwest Airlines teaches managers how to spark conflict
and debate among their staff in order to reach better decisions faster.32 Similarly, at Bridge-
water Associates, one of the world’s biggest hedge funds, founder Ray Dalio encourages his
employees to challenge one another’s views. Dalio says, “I believe that the biggest problem
humanity faces is ego sensitivity to finding out whether one is right or wrong and identify-
ing what one’s strengths and weaknesses are.”33 In an atmosphere where people know how to
challenge others’ ideas respectfully, people’s sensitivity about their ego decreases and their
productivity increases.
However, problems arise if teams allow these cognitive conflicts to become affective con-
flicts. For example, two people working on a marketing plan may disagree about the best way
to reach the company’s target market. If they work through the cognitive conflict, listen care-
fully to each other’s concerns, and achieve consensus, the result may be better than if they
pursued only one idea without challenging it. But if the two people cannot reach agreement
and leave the meeting in anger, this emotional conflict may damage the working relationship.
Problems also arise if conflicts remain unstated and unaddressed, leading to tension, stress,
and dysfunctional work processes.
Although people often use the term conflict resolution to discuss handling conflict, conflict
management is a more helpful term. “Conflict resolution” implies that the conflict will go away.
By contrast, “conflict management” recognizes that some conflicts cannot be resolved. The
next section of the chapter offers you a two-step process for managing conflict: first identify
the cause of the conflict and then decide how to respond.
Identify the cause of the conflict
As Figure 2.5 illustrates, cognitive and affective conflicts generally occur for a few well-defined
reasons. Note in Figure 2.5 that the line between cognitive and affective conflicts is not defini-
tive. In fact, it is sometimes difficult to know whether a conflict is cognitive or affective—for
example, whether you truly object to that person’s idea (cognitive) or you simply do not like
that person (affective). However, analyzing the cause of a conflict is useful because different
causes call for different conflict management strategies.
Competing goals
People who collaborate may not always be motivated to achieve the same goals. In fact, for a
business to succeed, it must work toward a number of goals that are sometimes in competition
with each other. A business strives to make a profit while planning for future growth, keeping
employees and customers satisfied, and meeting governmental requirements for employee and
consumer safety. Employees have their own goals, such as increasing their income, enhancing
their reputation, gaining new customers, getting a promotion, or spending more quality time
with family and friends.
FIGURE 2.5 Causes of Conflict
Faulty
assumptions
Differences
of opinion
Competing
goals
Ego
issues
Relational
issues
Affective conflictsCognitive conflicts
Conflict
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Conflicts routinely arise because people work with different goals in mind. Consider this
scenario:
EXAMPLE ANALYSIS
Marcus and Allison of Green Earth Land-
scapes are barely speaking to each other.
This morning, Marcus promised one of
the company’s best customers, a large
museum, that Green Earth could complete
a major landscape installation by the end
of October. Marcus’s supervisor had told
him that keeping this customer happy
was a high priority because the museum
was responsible for 30 percent of Green
Earth’s revenue last year. When Marcus
approached Allison, who does the schedul-
ing, Allison exploded: “We are 100 percent
booked through the end of the year! We
cannot take on any new projects, no matter
who the client is. I received explicit instruc-
tions from the head of project manage-
ment that we need to keep costs down.
I’m not going to schedule any overtime.
We’d lose money rather than make it. Why
didn’t you talk to me before you made a
promise?”
Marcus’s Goal: To keep the customer
happy.
Allison’s Goal: To keep costs in line by
eliminating overtime.
Conflict: Allison thinks Marcus does what
he wants without concern for the conse-
quences. Marcus thinks Allison always
argues with him and that she doesn’t
understand the big picture of how the
company works. This example illustrates
how easily competing goals—a cognitive
conflict—can disintegrate into an affective
conflict.
RESOLUTION
By recognizing that they each are trying to achieve different goals, they can discuss the
issue with their supervisors to determine which goal has priority. At that point, they can
agree to satisfy the most important goal or collaborate to find a solution that addresses
both goals.
Differences of opinion
Even if people agree on a goal, they may have differences of opinion about how to achieve it.
Consider this scenario:
EXAMPLE ANALYSIS
Rotel Plumbing Supplies wants to be-
come the premier plumbing distributor
in the Southwest. What is the best way
to accomplish this goal? Valerie argues
that investing in marketing and customer
relations is the key because Rotel needs
more and bigger customers. Corrinne
argues that investing in distribution is the
key. To be the premier distributor, Rotel
needs to guarantee next-day delivery,
which will require creating more distribu-
tion centers.
Valerie’s Opinion: Rotel should invest in
marketing and customer relations.
Corrine’s Opinion: Rotel should invest in
distribution.
Conflict: Even though Valerie and Corrine
both want the same thing, they have dif-
ferent opinions about the right strategy.
Differences of opinion also can easily lead
to affective conflicts, especially if the differ-
ences result in a contest of wills.
RESOLUTION
By using a rational decision-making process, which evaluates the pros and cons of each
strategy and may involve some compromise for both parties, Valerie and Corrine can avoid
escalating into an affective conflict.
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Faulty assumptions
People often draw conclusions or make decisions based on faulty assumptions. They do not
have all the information they need, and jump to conclusions. Consider this scenario:
EXAMPLE ANALYSIS
Janelle gave her sales team a schedule of
dates to submit quarterly sales data. She
told them she expected them to meet
these dates. On the due date for the fourth-
quarter data, Shawn realized that he could
include a very large sale worth hundreds of
thousands of dollars if he waited just a few
days to submit his figures. He knew that
Janelle, his supervisor, was interested in in-
creased sales figures, so he decided to wait
and surprise her with unexpectedly positive
results. The next morning, Shawn arrived
to work at 9 am to find an angry email from
Janelle: “Where are your sales figures? I
was up all night preparing a presentation for
management at 8 am and didn’t realize until
4 am that you hadn’t submitted your num-
bers. You knew they were due yesterday. I
looked like a fool at the meeting.”
Shawn’s Assumption: That Janelle cares
more about an increase in reported sales
than about his punctuality.
Janelle’s Assumptions: That Shawn
understands the importance of sending his
reports on time this quarter.
Conflict: Janelle did not consider that her
staff might need to know she had sched-
uled an 8 am presentation that required
up-to-date data. From her perspective,
she had already told them she expected
them to deliver the figures on time. She as-
sumed that they would follow instructions
and no further information was necessary.
Shawn did not consider telling Janelle in
advance the reason why he wanted to sub-
mit his sales numbers later. He assumed
that a few days would not make a major
difference.
RESOLUTION
By sharing more information with each other, Janelle and Shawn can avoid such conflicts.
When Janelle sends the schedule of dates to her sales team, she can explain why she
needs the sales figures by the specific date. More importantly, Shawn can ask Janelle for
an extension on deadlines so he can include the increased sales numbers.
Relational issues
Sometimes people just don’t get along well, and they don’t work to overcome their differences.
You may have heard the old adage, “We like those most who are most like us.” In a workplace
context, this means that most of us prefer to work with people whose styles resemble our own.
For example, if you are detail-oriented, you most likely feel comfortable working with other
detail-oriented people. If you like to make quick decisions, you enjoy working with other de-
cisive people. Styles that differ from our own often create tension—they violate our comfort
zones—and we may place a negative label on that behavior. We may also begin to treat the
other person badly, which leads to conflict. A more productive perspective is to realize that
different styles may complement each other and help a team achieve balance.
The following example illustrates how relational conflicts can stand in the way of produc-
tive discussions about content and substance:
EXAMPLE ANALYSIS
At first, Derek was excited to work on a
new project with his consulting company’s
biggest client because it would give him
a chance to learn new skills and gain valu-
able exposure. However, from the first day
of the project, he has been in conflict with
his new teammate Ed. Ed interrupts him,
argues against his ideas, and then tries to
take credit for his ideas when they work.
Sometimes Ed has a good idea of his own,
but Derek has difficulty acknowledging it be-
cause he is so angry at Ed most of the time.
Derek often finds himself arguing against an
idea just because Ed brought it up.
Derek’s Style: Collaborative, prioritizing
reflective and respectful discussion
Ed’s Style: Antagonistic, prioritizing
fast-pace disputes and debates
Conflict: Different work styles and lack of
understanding of each other’s approaches.
Personality conflicts such as this are
costly to a business. A survey conducted
by researchers at the University of North
Carolina found that:
• 53 percent of workers said they lost
time at work because they worried about
confrontations with coworkers.
(continued)
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• 37 percent said that arguments with
colleagues caused them to reduce their
commitment to the job.
• 22 percent said that they put less effort
into their work because of conflicts with
colleagues.34
RESOLUTION
Derek and Ed’s relational conflict will not simply go away if they ignore it. When you have
a personality clash with someone, explore ways to resolve it. Pick your battles, and argue
only about things that make a real difference. Ask if you can meet to discuss the cause of
the conflict, being sure to listen actively by focusing on the content rather than person-
alities. Use neutral rather than accusatory language. Ask for help from managers, if you
need it. Mediation from supervisors may sometimes be necessary.
Ego issues
Ego conflicts threaten someone’s sense of professional identity or self-image. In professional
contexts, people typically see themselves as honest, reasonable, intelligent, and committed to
the well-being of the organization. When someone accuses you of something negative or chal-
lenges your sense of identity, you may find it difficult to work productively with that person.
Consider the following scenario:
EXAMPLE ANALYSIS
Nadia is the youngest customer relation-
ship manager in the company, and she is
proud of her quick rise through the ranks.
In three years, she has progressed faster
than any other employee and is responsible
for 35 percent of the company’s sales. Yet
whenever she meets with Brian, the head
of engineering, to discuss her customers’
needs, she feels personally insulted. If
Brian does not like what she proposes for
a project, he often says, “We can’t do that.
You’re not an engineer. You don’t know
what you’re talking about.” Or he might
say, “How old are you? You’ve only been
here for three years. I’ve been doing this
kind of work for 20 years, and I know the
best way to get it done.” Things are so
strained between Brian and Nadia that they
avoid face-to-face encounters, resorting to
email to discuss projects.
Nadia’s Perception: Brian won’t take her
seriously despite her rapid advancement.
Brian’s Perception: Nadia doesn’t appropri-
ately value his age and experience despite
his many years on the job.
Conflict: A business disagreement has
become personal, producing an affective
conflict. Both Brian and Nadia feel that the
other person doesn’t adequately value his
or her skills.
RESOLUTION
One wise approach is to shift the focus back to business. Nadia might say, “I know you
have 20 years of experience. That’s why I’m sure you can help me meet this customer’s
needs.” This approach not only shifts the focus of the conversation, but it also offers Brian
a subtle compliment and may make him more willing to take Nadia seriously.
Select an appropriate management technique
As the scenarios in the previous section suggest, not all conflicts are best managed the same way.
If you are involved in affective conflict—one that focuses on relationships or ego—you will need
to address the emotional issues before you can productively discuss the content of your work.
If you are involved in a cognitive conflict, however, consider the five different techniques illus-
trated in Figure 2.6—avoid confrontation, accommodate or give in, compete to win, compromise,
or collaborate.35 This figure provides guidance for choosing a strategy based on the situation.
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TECHNIQUE
USE THIS TECHNIQUE
WHEN…
AVOID THIS
TECHNIQUE WHEN…
EXAMPLE
Avoid confrontation
Deny the problem
exists, change the
topic, screen your
telephone calls, or
avoid the person
completely.
you believe you have no
chance of resolving the
conflict and the conflict
does not interfere with
productivity.
you have any other alter-
native. Problems that are
not addressed tend to
get worse.
Nadia and Brian (introduced on page 45)
used this technique, and it was not ef-
fective. Because of an ego conflict, they
avoided personal interaction. If they con-
tinue to avoid each other and communicate
only by email, they will have no opportunity
to develop shared goals; ultimately, the
customers will suffer.
Accommodate
or give in
Allow the other person
to have his or her own
way.
• you decide that your
position was wrong.
• the conflict is trivial.
• you are negotiating;
sacrifice something
less important to gain
something you want
more.
• maintaining a harmoni-
ous relationship is more
important than the out-
come of the issue.
When accommodation
means sacrificing your
principles and beliefs.
Such accommodation
can lead to loss of self-
esteem or groupthink.
Groupthink is a practice
of achieving unanimity
by eliminating all critical
thinking that threatens
consensus. A groupthink
approach to eliminat-
ing conflict can lead a
group to ignore differing
opinions that may be
valuable.
Imagine you are on a marketing team with
people of diverse backgrounds. Your team’s
goal is to generate cutting-edge marketing
ideas for a new product. During the first
brainstorming session, many ideas come
up. But as soon as the marketing manager
endorses one idea, everyone agrees with
him. You think a different idea might work
better, but don’t want to be the only dis-
senting voice. To show that you “fit with
the company,” you “go along to get along.”
This is an example of groupthink that may
cause the team to settle on a solution that
is wrong, or may sacrifice creativity and
innovation.36
Compete to win
Turn the conflict into a
contest with a winner
and loser, often deter-
mined by a third party.
• a quick resolution is
needed or demanded
and compromise isn’t
possible.
• a third-party, such as
a supervisor, CEO, or
board of directors—is
available to decide the
issue.
immediate action isn’t
critical, and if a more
collaborative strategy is
workable. Competition
can lead to relational
conflicts, especially
when you use competi-
tive tactics such as
rejecting others’ points
of view, finding fault,
and assigning blame.
Marcus and Allison of Green Earth (intro-
duced on page 43) bring their conflict to
the president of the company to decide
which goal to prioritize: keeping custom-
ers happy or keeping costs down. The
president decides to accommodate current
customers. This decision gives Marcus and
Allison a clear direction, but they still need
to work out the personal anger that has de-
veloped between them.
Compromise
Approach the problem
cooperatively so that
all the parties involved
get something they
want or can accept,
but everyone also
sacrifices.
• a quick resolution is
needed or demanded.
• people have differences
of opinion or competing
goals, and a compro-
mise allows each to be
partially satisfied.
the outcome will fail to
adequately resolve the
conflict or achieve the
ultimate goal.
Valerie and Corrinne of Rotel Plumbing
( introduced on page 43) need to present a
budget to the board of directors the next
day, even though they continue to have
differences of opinion: Should they invest
in marketing or distribution? They reach
a compromise and create budgets for
two smaller projects—one on marketing
and another on distribution. Neither gets
e verything she wants, but this solution
offers several benefits: Each gets part of
what she wants, they are able to project a
united front at the board of directors meet-
ing, and they will gather data from the two
projects that may help them resolve their
difference of opinion.
FIGURE 2.6 How to Select an Appropriate Management Technique
groupthink A process by which a group
reaches a decision by eliminating all critical
thinking that threatens consensus.
(continued)
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How can you improve your communication with people from different cultures? 47
TECHNIQUE
USE THIS TECHNIQUE
WHEN…
AVOID THIS
TECHNIQUE WHEN…
EXAMPLE
Collaborate
Work with all parties
to determine the best
possible solution.
collaboration is possible.
This is the best approach
for managing complex
conflicts in the absence of
pressing deadlines. Col-
laboration has the benefit
not only of providing a
solution but also ensuring
buy-in from all parties and
strengthening the rela-
tionships among people.
an immediate resolu-
tion is needed, because
collaboration is a time-
consuming process.
Marcus and Allison of Green Earth realize
they will not be able to easily resolve their
conflict because their supervisors gave
them conflicting requirements. Although
they could individually talk to their supervi-
sors, they decide to work together to find
a solution in the best interest of the com-
pany. Perhaps the company could charge
more for rush jobs, give clients the option
of paying a retainer to leave space on the
Green Earth schedule, or develop a new
procedure for calculating revenues versus
overtime costs. Marcus and Allison then
present these collaborative solutions in a
meeting with their two supervisors.
FIGURE 2.6 (Continued)
You may have heard the saying, “We cannot escape our culture.” Culture describes the learned
and shared patterns in a society. Differences in culture exist among countries, such as the
United States and China, as well as subsets of a population, such as urban and rural. People
are shaped by the cultures they come from, and they develop a set of assumptions about how
to act based on these cultures. For example, for most Americans, the following statements are
noncontroversial truths:
• If you have a 10 am appointment, you should arrive a little before 10 am to be on time.
• If someone makes a mistake, it’s best to be honest (though polite) and point it out so that he or
she has an opportunity to correct the mistake.
• To be efficient, it is important to get right to business quickly at a meeting.
• If you are a man, as a sign of politeness, you should allow a woman to enter a doorway before
you or exit an elevator before you.
Not every culture subscribes to these codes of behavior, however. For example, in a Latin
American culture—that is, in the cultures of North or South American countries where Span-
ish or Portuguese are spoken—you would be rude to jump immediately to business at the
beginning of a meeting, especially a first meeting. Latin American cultures value getting to
know the other person and building a relationship of trust. In Korea, a young woman would be
rude to exit an elevator before an elderly man because respecting elders is highly valued in the
Korean culture. Although it would be unrealistic to try to learn about every culture all at once,
you can prepare yourself to communicate with people from other cultures by taking two im-
portant steps. First, understand some of the key ways that cultures differ, and second, develop
communication strategies that help you communicate with diverse groups.
Understand how cultures differ
Because workplaces are increasingly multicultural and businesses are increasingly global,
learning about other cultures is required, not optional. Cultural understanding will help you
avoid misinterpreting the verbal and nonverbal communication of colleagues and customers
who do not share your culture. It will also help you to avoid displaying ethnocentrism—an
inappropriate belief that your own culture is superior to all others. People who are ethnocen-
tric are often trapped by cultural stereotypes—oversimplified images or generalizations of a
group. Although stereotypes may describe a generally observed cultural norm, if you assume
everyone from that culture follows that norm, you ignore the fact that individuals are, in fact,
SQ4 How can you improve your communication with people
from different cultures?
New Hires @ Work
Winston Taira
Loyola Marymount University
Project Manager @
King’s Hawaiian Holding Company
At King’s Hawaiian Bakery,
our company culture
embraces the Aloha
spirit. This means
we communicate
to each other with
respect and
compassion.
culture The learned and shared attitudes,
values, and behaviors that characterize a
group of people.
ethnocentrism An inappropriate belief
that your own culture is superior to all
others.
stereotypes Oversimplified images or
generalizations of a group.
Photo courtesy of Winston Taira
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individual. People are influenced by many different factors in their lives, including educa-
tion, travel, family values, friendships, and job requirements. Just as it is wrong to assume that
all Americans are loud (a common stereotype), it would be equally wrong to assume that all
French people are rude.
Although it is important to avoid cultural stereotypes, it is equally important to recognize
that cultures do differ. Over the years, anthropologists, sociologists, and intercultural experts
have identified many dimensions of those differences. This section covers five of those dimen-
sions, all of which have implications for business communication.
High context versus low context
Anthropologist Edward T. Hall first used the term context to describe how people deliver,
receive, and interpret messages.37 Hall proposed that cultures exist on a continuum from high
context to low context, as illustrated in Figure 2.7. In a high-context culture, such as in China
or Japan, communicators intend to convey meaning not just through words but also through
the context surrounding the words: how something is said, the nonverbal behavior of the com-
municator and audience, the history of the relationship between the two communicators, and
even the silences in the conversation. In a low-context culture, such as in the United States or
Canada, communicators rely less on context and more on explicit language to communicate a
message as clearly and unambiguously as possible.
Reflecting this difference, people in the United States typically value direct conversa-
tions that immediately get to the point, in contrast to people from Japan, who rely on more
subtle cues. If a Japanese businessperson wants to say “no,” she may not actually use that
word but instead may respond with silence or with a reserved reply such as “That is very
FIGURE 2.7 Continuum of Low- to High-Context Cultures
Rely heavily on
context to
communicate
meaning
Swiss
German
Scandinavian
(for example, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian)
Latin American
(for example, Mexican, Brazilian, Chilean)
United States and Canadian
French
British
Italian
Arabic
Chinese
Japanese
High-Context
Cultures
Low-Context
Cultures
Rely heavily on
explicit language
to communicate
meaning
Context (relating to culture) A term
that describes how people in a culture
deliver, receive, and interpret messages.
Low-context cultures rely on explicit
language to communicate. High-context
cultures derive meaning not just from words
but from everything surrounding the words.
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interesting.” She will rely on you to interpret the message correctly, based on the context of
the communication.
Individualism versus collectivism
Individualism versus collectivism is one of the key dimensions of culture identified by Dutch
intercultural expert Geert Hofstede.38 In an individualistic culture, people value an individu-
al’s achievements, satisfaction, and independent thinking. By contrast, in collectivist cultures,
people put the good of the group or organization before their own individual interests. Obli-
gation and loyalty to the group are more important than one’s own achievement. Harmony is
important.
Individualist and collectivist values influence communication and business in a number
of ways. In the individualistic United States, many companies reward individual leaders—for
example, CEOs and other executives—with multimillion-dollar bonuses for the companies’
successes. By contrast, in more collectivist China, PepsiCo learned during its early years in that
country that rewarding an individual leader was not an effective incentive. When one highly
regarded manager chose to divide his bonus equally among his employees, PepsiCo changed
its practice to reward an entire group when goals are met.39 Similarly, in collectivist cultures,
employees may be embarrassed—or even ashamed—if they are singled out and praised for
accomplishments, whereas in individualist cultures, employees expect to be acknowledged for
individual achievements. Although people in the United States tend to think of individualism
as the norm, there are significantly more collectivist cultures in the world than individualist
cultures.40 U.S. companies that respect these collectivist values and build business practices
around them, as Pepsi did, can be extremely successful. Recently, Pepsi was named one of the
best employers in China.41
Power distance
Power distance is the term Hofstede developed to describe how cultures perceive inequality
and authority. In cultures with high power distance, organizations are formal and hierarchical,
with a clear separation between superiors and subordinates. People are granted respect based
on their position alone. In high-power-distance cultures, people typically expect to conduct
business with others of equal rank. To send a junior executive to meet with a CEO would be
considered an insult to the CEO.
By contrast, cultures with low power distance believe in social equality and therefore have
a more relaxed attitude about title and status. Seniority and age alone do not earn someone re-
spect. Younger workers expect to be taken seriously and respected for the quality of their work
despite their lower status. In low-power-distance cultures, people progress to a first-name ba-
sis much more quickly than in high-power-distance cultures.
Although there is often a correlation between power distance and context, this is not al-
ways the case. For example, French culture is relatively low context and direct. However, the
French have more respect for formality and authority than people from other low-context
cultures, such as Canadians.
Uncertainty avoidance
Uncertainty avoidance relates to how comfortable a culture is with ambiguity, risk, and
change. Cultures that are uncomfortable with uncertainty tend to rely on rituals, rules, and
codes of conduct that help make the future more predictable. For example, employees in these
cultures tend to like clear guidelines that lead to a predictable result. These employees value
learning by observation so that results are repeatable. By contrast, cultures that are more com-
fortable with uncertainty and ambiguity tend to like more flexible work environments that
allow risk-taking and entrepreneurial behavior. These employees value learning by doing, even
though the result may be less predictable.
Attitudes toward uncertainty and ambiguity affect communication on many levels. Cul-
tures that avoid uncertainty are often collectivist and tend to be cautious about integrating new
people into a group. They also value harmony and consensus. Cultures that tolerate uncer-
tainty are open to new people, new ideas, and risks.
individualistic culture A culture
that values an individual’s achievements,
satisfaction, and independent thinking.
collectivist culture A culture that puts
the good of the group or organization before
people’s individual interests.
power distance A characteristic of
cultures that describes how the culture
perceives inequality and authority.
uncertainty avoidance A measure of
how comfortable a culture is with ambiguity,
risk, and change.
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polychronic culture A culture that
has a relaxed attitude toward time and
punctuality.
Time orientation
In addition to cultural context, anthropologist Edward T. Hall introduced the terms mono-
chronic and polychronic to describe two very different cultural orientations toward time.
Monochronic cultures, such as the United States and Northern European countries, value
punctuality and efficiency. Meetings begin on time and are expected to follow a set agenda.
Deadlines are usually strict. Although most monochronic cultures are also individualistic,
some collectivist cultures, such as Japan, also value punctuality and efficiency. In their view,
keeping to an agreed schedule shows respect for the entire group. Polychronic cultures are
more relaxed about time and punctuality. Polychronic cultures typically put people and rela-
tionships before schedules. In a meeting, participants may easily change the order of items on
the agenda. While it is important for work to be completed, people may choose to spend time
building a relationship over completing a task. In polychronic cultures, deadlines can often be
adjusted.
Understanding the various approaches to time is crucial to maintaining smooth rela-
tionships. An American who lived for many years in both Denmark and Latin America said,
“When you are invited to dinner at 7 pm in Denmark, this means you’ll be sitting at the table
at 7 pm. When you are invited to dinner at 7 pm in Argentina, this means you’ll be expected to
arrive at around 8 pm. The only thing they have in common is this: For both cultures, to arrive
at 7 pm would be rude.”
Develop strategies that help you communicate
with diverse groups
You may not know the cultural backgrounds of the people you work with. Figure 2.8 presents
both verbal and nonverbal strategies to help you communicate and work well with people,
regardless of their backgrounds.
For an ETHICS exercise, go to Exercise 17 on page 67.
ETHICS
APPLE FACES ETHICAL CHALLENGES ABROAD
Even when you embrace diversity, overcome stereotypes, and re-
search the differences of other cultures, you may face ethical issues
or conflicts in values that stand in the way of successful business
relationships. Problems may arise when people from different
cultures assume that their way of doing business is the best or only
way. Even more serious problems may arise if a company based in
the United States works with a foreign partner that is involved in
practices considered unethical in U.S. culture. Examples of such
practices include the following:
• Bribery
• Use of child or slave labor
• Poor or unsafe working conditions
• No limit on working hours, no minimum for wages
• Unequal treatment of women
• Disregard for the environment
• Nepotism (for example, hiring or promoting only relatives of
managers or company owners)
Apple faced an ethical dilemma with one overseas partner. Like
many other electronics and computer companies, Apple con-
tracted with manufacturing facilities in countries, including
China, where laborers are paid less than in the United States. This
wage difference is not unethical. However, reports emerged that
the people were forced to work seven days a week and often more
than 10 hours a day. In addition, working conditions in these
factories were unsafe, which led to explosions in two iPad factories
in China, killing four people and injuring 77.42
Was Apple responsible for the abusive working conditions
and safety violations at these overseas facilities? Were the com-
pany’s local contractors responsible? The ethical issues in this
situation are complex. Apple has a supplier code of conduct that
all suppliers agree to follow.43 And following the explosions in the
two Chinese factories, Apple made a commitment to monitor the
plants more closely. However, the abuses continued and critics ac-
cused Apple of ignoring reports of unsafe working conditions and
taking advantage of different ethical practices to increase profits.
As Nicholas Ashford, a former chair of the National Advisory
Committee on Occupational Health and Safety, said, “What’s mor-
ally repugnant in one country is accepted business practices in
another, and companies take advantage of that.”44
Apple, however, contends that it does not want to take advantage
of workers. CEO Tim Cook said that “We believe that workers every-
where have the right to a safe and fair work environment.” To ensure
this safe work environment, Apple engaged an intermediary—the in-
dependent Fair Labor Association—to conduct voluntary audits of all
suppliers’ facilities in China by inspecting the plants and interviewing
workers. Apple’s suppliers have agreed to abide by the results of the
audits and to make changes in wages and working conditions.45
monochronic culture A culture that
values punctuality and efficiency.
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FIGURE 2.8 How to Communicate with Diverse Groups
CATEGORY DO DON’T
Nonverbal
Communication
Pay attention to the other person’s nonverbal
communication and, when appropriate, mirror
it. If you are doing business with someone from
another culture, pay attention to how that person
acts. For example, in the United States, a comfort-
able conversational distance ranges from four feet
to seven feet; in the Middle East, the distance
may be as close as one foot.46 By observing and
learning, you can avoid cultural mistakes.
• Ignore or discount how people from other cultures
maintain eye contact, shake hands, or stand when
talking.
Smile. Look like you are friendly, open, and willing
to communicate.
• Presume that an unsmiling countenance will be
taken more seriously.
Verbal
Communication
Be clear and concise. Remember to talk rela-
tively slowly and pronounce words clearly. To
ensure your meaning is understood, also be very
specific with your choice of words.
• Use idioms, expressions that mean something
other than the literal meaning of their words. For
example, “drive me up the wall” and “pass with
flying colors” are culture-specific and as a result
may confuse people from other cultures
• Use jargon, specialized language of a specific
field. Even business jargon like “in the red” or
“ headcount” may be unfamiliar to people from
other cultures.
Listen carefully. Listen to more than the words
to ensure you understand the intended meaning.
Listen for tone and emphasis.47
• Get distracted by differences in accent and dialect.
Request feedback to ensure understanding.
Ask friendly questions that encourage people
to give you verbal feedback so you can ensure
mutual understanding.
• Assume that smiles and head nodding mean that
people from other cultures understand what you
are saying. These nonverbal responses mean
different things in different countries.
Both Exhibit formality and respect. Americans are
often less formal than people from European and
Eastern cultures. When in doubt, be polite, courte-
ous, and respectful. For example, address people
by their last names (“Hello, Ms. Tsai”) until they ask
you to call them by their first names (“Hi, Fu-Nien”).
• Assume that people from other cultures are
impersonal and distant, as they may be behaving
with decorum appropriate to their culture.
• Attempt humor, since humor often doesn’t
translate across cultures.
This chapter focuses on developing communication skills to help you work effectively with
others. In workplace environments, your work with others will often be accomplished in
teams. A team is more than a group of people working together. An effective team involves
two or more people who recognize and share a commitment to a specific, common goal and
who collaborate in their efforts to achieve that goal.
Teams are integral to an organization’s success largely because one individual does not
have all the skills needed to compete in today’s business world. In addition, if a company needs
to bring a product to market before a competitor does, it cannot wait for one or two people
to do all the work involved. Instead, the company must rely on a well-coordinated team, with
each person doing his or her part to achieve the common goal. Individuals benefit from team-
work, too. By working on a team, you will improve your interpersonal skills, expand your per-
sonal network, and use your best individual strengths while learning new skills from others.
This section suggests six ways you and your teammates can improve team performance and
make teamwork an enjoyable and productive experience.
SQ5 How can you work effectively as part of a team?
idiom An expression that means
something other than the literal meaning
of its words.
team Two or more people who recognize
and share a commitment to a specific,
common goal and who collaborate in their
efforts to achieve that goal.
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Assemble an effective team
If you have the opportunity to assemble a team for a project, choose team members carefully.
Friends are not always the best choices for teammates. The most effective team will be one
composed of individuals with the right skills and attitudes to get the job done well. To select
strong team members, consider the following questions and strategies:
QUESTIONS STRATEGIES
1. How big should my team be? • Create teams of three to five people,
which are typically more productive
than larger ones. Research in teamwork
has shown that as teams grow larger,
individuals contribute less effort.48
• Appoint an odd number of people to
eliminate the possibility of a 50/50 split if
the team votes on a decision.49
• Break into subteams to complete
different parts of the project if you need
more people on a team to complete a
more complex project.
2. What are the skills needed to
complete this team project
effectively?
Identify the work that needs to be done
and the skills necessary for doing it. For
example, if your project involves market
research, identify who has experience
conducting surveys.
3. Who has the time and resources
to contribute effectively to the
team project?
Ask colleagues with area expertise to join
the team or to recommend a substitute.
You may have someone in mind, but if that
person is too busy to do a good job on your
team, get a personal recommendation for an
alternative.
4. Who may be most interested in this
topic (and therefore motivated to
participate)?
Consider prior experience and
professional development. You may
know someone who has worked on the
topic before, or you might consider a new
employee who you know is eager to learn
about the topic.
5. Who is easy to work with? Consider interpersonal skills as well as
project-specific skills. To do their project
well, team members need more than just
skills and knowledge. They also need to
know how to work with others and be able
to identify, confront, and resolve issues as
they arise.
Agree on team goals and standards
For a team to be successful, all team members need to agree on key elements at the beginning
of the project:50
• Goals. Good teams are goal-oriented. All members understand their purpose as a team, share
a concrete goal and vision for success, and believe that what they are doing is worthwhile.
They know their work will make a significant contribution to their organization, their client,
the community, or something they care about. In addition, each individual member must be
willing to do whatever it takes to make the team successful, including helping each other if the
need arises. To promote commitment, teams should make sure that all members get a chance
to participate in decisions and feel they are being heard.
New Hires @ Work
Erica Bowen
University of West Georgia
Advanced Staff Auditor
@ Georgia Department of
Audits and Accounts
At my job, our work requires
collaboration and
teamwork among
auditors of vari-
ous experience
levels and back-
grounds. To
be effective,
everyone has
to share the
same goal.
Photo courtesy of Erica Bowen
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• Expected results. Good teams are also results-oriented. In other words, the team’s success is
measured by results, not effort, and the team is organized to achieve those results. Specifically:
• All team members have a clear role and are held accountable for their contributions.
• Workload is divided equitably. Some tasks may require more effort than others, so it is im-
portant to discuss the work to ensure that the team is aware of each member’s responsibili-
ties and no one is overburdened with too much work.
• The team has an effective communication system to keep all team members informed in a
timely way.
• Team members give each other prompt and helpful feedback on their performance so each
person can do his or her best work.
• Team standards. Finally, good teams have standards and hold each team member accountable
for them. You may develop standards about any or all of the following topics: conducting meet-
ings, communicating between meetings, keeping records, making decisions, and managing
conflict. Working together to create team standards helps a team get off to a strong start. If con-
flict begins to arise during a project, the team standards can help a team resolve the conflict.
Pay attention to team development and dynamics
There is more than one way to approach team dynamics. Different approaches will work better
in different contexts.
For teams that aim to work together for the long term, it can be productive to give team
members time to develop their collaborative working relationship. Figure 2.9 illustrates a model
for understanding team development first proposed by Bruce W. Tuckman. He identified
four stages of development in teams that had no formal team training: forming, storming,
norming, and performing.51
Here is what happens in each stage:
• Forming. When a team first begins to form, everyone is usually polite and considerate. You
exchange information about your schedules, when and where you can meet, and how you can
contact each other. Usually, expectations for the team and its success are high, and conflicts
are not evident.
• Storming. The team eventually begins to encounter problems that aren’t easily resolved. Mem-
bers begin to feel tense and anxious about the success of the project. Some team members
may begin to feel disillusioned and discouraged. As you experience conflict, try to identify the
reasons for the conflict to help the group move to the next stage of development.
• Norming. Norming begins when team members start to manage conflict and establish a con-
sensus about how to work together efficiently. This is the stage at which many teams decide to
create standards about communication and accountability.
• Performing. At the performing stage of team development, team members have learned how
to work collaboratively and are able to use their differences as a source of strength, not weak-
ness. Although problems will continue to arise, a performing team feels comfortable confront-
ing and resolving the problems that might jeopardize the success of the project. Members
begin to enjoy working together and are glad they don’t have to complete the project alone.
They often get so involved and excited about what they are doing that they lose track of time,
and the success of the project becomes more important than individual goals.
FIGURE 2.9 Stages of Team
Development: What Team Members
Do at Each Stage
NORMING PERFORMINGSTORMINGFORMING
Discuss and
resolve problems
Create
standards for
communicating
Plan regular
meetings
Hold members
accountable
Work
collaboratively
Use individual
differences as a
source of strength
Put project above
individual goals
Achieve high level
of productivity
Experience
conflict
and tension
Feel
disillusioned
and
discouraged
Identify
reasons
for conflict
Exchange vital
information
Learn about
each other
Have high
expectations
for success
Act politely and
considerately
forming A stage of team development in
which members get to know each other.
storming A stage of team development in
which teams experience conflict and begin
to confront differences.
norming A stage of team development
in which team members learn how to
manage conflict and work with each other
effectively.
performing A stage of team development
in which team members work collaboratively
and achieve a high level of productivity.
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One reason to study teamwork in a business communication course is so that you can move
more quickly to the performing stage. A performing team may also evolve into a high- performing
team: a team whose members are deeply committed to each other’s growth and success.52
Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson provides an alternative model for
achieving high performance in short-term teams that don’t have time to progress through
Tuckman’s four stages. Because teams often come together and dissolve so quickly, she argues
that the concept of a stable “team” should be replaced by that of a fluid process: teaming.
“Teaming is a verb,” she maintains. “It is a dynamic activity, not a bounded, static entity.”53 This
shift reflects the needs of a complex contemporary work environment, where businesses must
be flexible enough to shift gears quickly and effectively. Because people are often grouped to-
gether only temporarily for specific projects, they often don’t have the opportunity to “gel” over
time and develop stable structures and relationships. Working in these dynamic conditions
requires team members to communicate frequently in order to learn collectively, fix issues
quickly as they arise, and ensure that the best ideas are put into action. To achieve these goals,
Edmondson recommends that participants do the following:
• Ask for help and clarification early and often
• Share information quickly and broadly
• Discuss mistakes
• Try out new strategies and ideas
• Continuously seek out feedback to improve ideas and processes54
Develop good leadership practices
While different team development strategies fit different needs, both Tuckman and Edmondson
emphasize that successful teamwork depends on the vision and guidance that can be provided
only by effective leadership. A team leader may not be the team member who has the most
creative ideas. An effective leader is the person who has the skills to motivate people, manage
work processes, and help the team succeed.
A team can establish leadership in a number of ways. One person can serve as leader, lead-
ership can rotate during phases of the project, or different leaders can take responsibility for
different aspects of the project. It is not crucial for the team to have one single leader. However,
it is crucial for the team to have capable leadership that keeps the good of the team in mind.
Remember that if you volunteer to be a team leader, that role does not put you in charge of the
team. Instead, it puts you in service of the team.
Here is a partial list of ways that a leader can serve the team and help it succeed:
• Establish and maintain a vision of the future. One of the most valuable roles for any leader
is to keep the team focused on the ultimate goal and remind the team why that goal is valu-
able. Teams can easily get bogged down in the details of the work and forget why the project is
worthwhile. A good leader will reenergize team members, refocus them on the goal, and make
the team believe in itself.
• Create a supportive climate. Teams work best when team members feel that they can take
risks and that they will be listened to and respected. A team leader can set the tone for the team
by encouraging creativity and being respectful to everyone.
• Delegate responsibility and assign tasks equitably. Delegating responsibility and assigning
tasks is a balancing act. On the one hand, the team needs to take full advantage of its human
resources and assign people tasks that call on their strengths. On the other hand, teams need
to provide members with opportunities to learn, stretch, and develop new skills. A good leader
can help maintain this balance by considering each individual’s talents and goals. In addition, a
good team leader can help ensure that workloads are shared equitably. As a project progresses,
work assignments may need to shift: Some tasks may prove to be bigger than anticipated, some
may be smaller, and new tasks may arise.
• Establish a timeline. Once the team collaboratively determines a plan for the project, a team
leader can oversee the creation of a timeline to help the team progress and ensure deadlines
will be met. Then, throughout the process, a leader can help the team reevaluate and reassess
the plan. One project scheduling tool that teams often use to establish a timeline and track
the project is a Gantt chart (named after its inventor, Henry Gantt). As Figure 2.10 shows, one
advantage of a Gantt chart is that it helps you manage time by identifying tasks that can take
place simultaneously versus those that need to be completed sequentially.
teaming The process of bringing people
together for a short period of time to solve
a specific problem or complete a specific
project.
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• Keep the project on track. Although individual members of the team may work on separate
tasks, a good leader will bring the team together throughout the project to discuss progress,
encourage group feedback, and share ideas. Scheduling regular meetings keeps the project on
track to meet established deadlines while also allowing for changes in the plan based on con-
tinual input and feedback.
• Manage meetings effectively and encourage positive collaboration. A good leader will use
effective listening, questioning, and restating techniques to ensure that all members of the
team participate in meetings and provide input. Leaders also encourage positive collaboration
among team members and referee any unconstructive feedback or personality conflicts.
• Ensure effective decision making. Although teams can take many approaches to decision
making, important decisions should never be made by giving in to the team member who is
the loudest and most assertive. A team leader can ensure that the team makes fact-based judg-
ments and is able to support all its decisions with sound evidence and reasoning. Although a
good leader will help a team work toward consensus, the leader must also protect the team
against engaging in groupthink, the practice of achieving unanimity by eliminating all critical
thinking that threatens consensus.
• Resolve differences. When team members have differences of opinion and need an impar-
tial point of view, a team leader can take responsibility for listening carefully and offering a
resolution.
Plan for effective meetings
Team meetings are crucial for determining tasks, sharing ideas, and making decisions. To
avoid falling into the trap of holding too many meetings where not enough gets done, plan
your meetings in advance following these guidelines:
• Create an agenda. Base the agenda—a detailed plan or outline for the meeting—on input
from each team member. Figure 2.11 shows an agenda for a team that is developing an on-
line handbook for summer interns. Notice that the agenda provides the list of topics to be
discussed, the names of the individuals responsible for each item, and the amount of time to
spend discussing each item.
FIGURE 2.10 Gantt Chart
agenda A detailed plan or outline of the
items to be discussed at a meeting.
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• Distribute the agenda sufficiently in advance. Distributing the agenda before the meeting
ensures that all the team members know what will be expected, who is responsible, and what
their roles will be during the meeting.
• Assign someone to serve as a timekeeper during the meeting. The timekeeper can keep track
of how well the meeting follows the agenda. If the meeting becomes sidetracked on unrelated
matters or if participants get stuck on unproductive tangents, the timekeeper can bring the
conversation back to the necessary topic.
• Assign someone to serve as a note taker during the meeting. The note taker will pro-
duce meeting minutes, a written description of what was discussed, what was decided,
and what actions will follow. Figure 2.12 shows the minutes of the online handbook team’s
meeting.
• Plan for follow-up. Include a wrap-up as the last item on your agenda. This reminds you to
end the meeting by reviewing the actions and deadlines that everyone agreed upon and sched-
uling the next meeting’s time and place.
Be a good team member
Although a team works together to achieve a common goal, it is still made up of individu-
als. Each individual needs to take responsibility for his or her own tasks and also contribute
FIGURE 2.11 How to Create a Meeting Agenda
agenda
AGENDA
Online Internship Handbook Team
Human Resources Conference Room
Tuesday, July 31, 20XX
4:00–5:00 PM
MEETING PURPOSE:
To kick off the internship handbook project and develop a six-week plan.
I. Introductions 5–10 min.
a. Jay Macintosh, Intern to Director for Human Resources, Team Leader
b. Rachel Ferrera, Intern to Assistant to CEO
c. Arnie Glover, Intern to Temp Pool Supervisor
d. Roberto Washington, Intern, Web Development Department
II. Project Overview – Jay Macintosh 10–15 min.
a. Brainstorm Initial Ideas for Topic Content
b. Assign Responsibilities
III. Web Development Support – Roberto Washington 10–15 min.
a. Discuss Format / Layout Options
b. Determine Resource Needs (Materials)
IV. Six-Week Timeline – Jay Macintosh 10–15 min.
a. Meeting Times
b. Progress Reports and Submission Schedule
c. Interns Who Will Provide Feedback:
1. Sarah Fernandez, Marketing Department
2. Paul Mason, Research & Development
3. Soren Afzabi, Research & Development
4. Melanie Godfarb, Accounting
V. Other? 5–10 min.
VI. Due Next Week: Content Reports
Include the day, time, and place of
the meeting at the top of the agenda.
State the purpose of the meeting to
keep the discussion on track.
List all the topics to be discussed or
all the decisions to be made.
Estimate the amount of time each
item will take. Although you may need
to be �exible with time during the
meeting, the time estimates will help
the team get through all the topics
ef�ciently.
Assign each topic to a team member
and ensure that all team members
have some responsibility during the
meeting. If team members are not
responsible for anything on the agenda,
reconsider whether they need to attend
the meeting.
End by looking ahead to due dates or
the next meeting.
meeting minutes Notes that describe
what was discussed at a meeting, what was
decided, and what actions will follow.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 2.11’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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to a productive working relationship with others. To be a good team member, follow these
guidelines:
• Make a commitment to the team and its goals. At times, it may be tempting to do minimal
work for the team and assume that others will take up the slack. But a team will succeed only
if everyone shares a similar level of commitment. Every member must be reliable and pull his
or her own weight. In addition, every team member must be willing to do whatever it takes to
make the team successful, including helping each other if the need arises.
• Create a collaborative working climate. To work well together, team members need to trust
each other and believe that everyone is working in the team’s best interests. This means that, as
a good team member, you need to be worthy of that trust. Listen to your teammates without
criticism or judgment and give everyone a chance to participate in decision making. Respond
constructively to feedback from others, and address conflicts when they arise rather than let-
ting them grow silently and weaken team cohesion.
minutes
MINUTES
Online Internship Handbook Team
Human Resources Conference Room
July 31, 20XX
Present: Jay Macintosh, Intern to Director for Human Resources, Team Leader
Rachel Ferrera, Intern to Assistant to CEO
Arnie Glover, Intern for Temp Pool Supervisor
Roberto Washington, Intern, Web Development Department
I. Introductions: Jay Macintosh called the meeting to order, introduced himself,
and asked the others to state their department, experience, and skills.
II. Project Overview: Jay Macintosh explained the project goals. The team brain-
stormed ideas for topics and assigned content as follows:
a. Welcome to the Company – Rachel Ferrera
1. History of the Organization
2. Mission / Vision Statements
3. Organizational Chart
4. Your Role as an Intern
b. Policies and Procedures – Arnie Glover
1. Maintaining Work Hours and Reporting Absences
2. Sending and Responding to Email
3. Logging Telephone Calls
4. Using the Internet
5. Using Social Media
6. Submitting Reimbursement Requests
c. Human Resources – Jay Macintosh
1. Salary and Payroll Procedures
2. Health Benefits
3. Educational Resources
4. Applying for Permanent Employment
III. Web Development Support: Roberto Washington explained company policies
about website format, layout, and design options. The team discussed where on
the current company website the internship handbook should be located.
Decision: Roberto will check with his supervisor about content and resource
needs and report to the team by email before the end of the week.
IV. Six-Week Timeline: Decisions:
1. We will meet on Tuesdays from 3–5 PM. Between meetings we will
update each other by email.
2. Jay will send our weekly meeting minutes to his supervisor as our progress
reports.
3. We will send the completed version of our first draft to the other interns
who volunteered for this project to get their feedback by Week 3.
4. We will submit a draft to the Director of Human Resources by Week 4.
5. Roberto will begin putting the material on the web in Week 5.
V. Next Meeting: The team will meet on August 7 to discuss the content reports.
Include the day, time, and place of
the meeting at the top of the agenda.
Include a list of who attended.
Organize content by categories. If
possible, match the agenda.
Focus on what the team decided and
do not repeat everything that was said.
Include assignments (who agreed to do
what) and deadlines (when you agreed
to submit deliverables).
End with decisions about the next
meeting.
FIGURE 2.12 How to Create Meeting Minutes
How can you work effectively as part of a team? 57
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 2.12’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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• Support and encourage your teammates. Individuals appreciate recognition, even when they
are working as a team. A good team member will show gratitude for the efforts of others and
identify how individual contributions support the larger team effort.
• Support team decisions. Even if the team has made a decision that differs from what you
wanted, once the decision is made, support that decision and work toward implementing it. If
you have concern about the decision or believe it may cause problems, voice your concerns to
the team. Do not try to undermine the decision.
• Focus on continuous quality improvement. No matter how well your team is performing,
individual team members may see ways that the team can do better. By making productive
suggestions, you can help improve the team and its results.
◾ In summary, the interpersonal skills you learned in this chapter are
wide-ranging—spanning from basic listening and speaking skills to the more complex skills
of emotional intelligence, managing conflict, working with people from other cultures, and
working well in teams. As you move forward through the course, you will find many opportu-
nities to apply these skills both in the classroom and within team projects.
TECHNOLOGY
USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO COLLABORATE
Most of the conversation about social media in business focuses
on public social media—for example, using Facebook and Twitter
to reach new customers and maintain customer satisfaction, or us-
ing LinkedIn to recruit job candidates. But companies are increas-
ingly investing in social media for internal communication and
collaboration. The terms social collaboration and internal social
media (ISM) are sometimes used to describe this use of technology
to enhance communication and teamwork within an organization.
How do companies use social media and collaboration tools?
• File sharing and real-time collaborative writing. When
teammates need to work on the same document or spread-
sheet, file-sharing tools such as Google Docs ensure that
everyone can access the most up-to-date version available.
Team members who are working in different offices, or even
on different sides of the world, can access a document and
write or edit at the same time. Many companies use wikis
such as ThoughtFarmer for this purpose.55 In a global survey
on social collaboration, sponsored by Microsoft, half of the
10,000 respondents indicated they use social tools for docu-
ment collaboration.56
• Brainstorming and getting feedback on ideas. Companies
that value innovation encourage employees to share ideas and
engage in discussions that develop new ideas. Whiteboards,
blogs, and microblogs, such as Twitter or Yammer, help people
communicate their ideas.
• Sharing knowledge. Wikis have proven to be a great col-
laboration tool for sales teams. Sales representatives need the
newest and best product information available at all times
to understand and sell the goods and services their compa-
nies offer. Wikis ensure everyone has access to up-to-date
information.57
Because organizations adopt internal social media to support
information sharing and collaboration, they often encour-
age employees to suggest ideas for making social media more
effective and functional. As Lisa Bonner, assistant vice president
of contemporary work practices at The Hartford, an insurance
company, attests, developing the best collaborative tools is in
itself a collaborative effort: “After launching weConnect, The
Hartford’s professional social network, many of the ideas came
from our users. We incorporated their ideas, AND invited them
to join our team!”58
For TECHNOLOGY exercises, go to Exercises 25 and 26
on page 69.
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CONVERSATIONS @ WORK ESPN Radio
Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic co-host the ESPN sports
talk show Mike & Mike in the Morning, which airs on both
the radio and television. Five days a week, Mike and Mike
(or their guest hosts) conduct extended conversations with
each other and with guests who visit the studio or call in.
For more than 14 years, the show has been extremely
successful, largely because of Greenberg’s and Golic’s
conversational style.
Greenberg, a broadcast journalist, and Golic, a former
NFL football player, clearly have good chemistry, which
helps them talk comfortably with each other, even when
they disagree. Nonetheless, they both admit that they
work hard to make the conversation flow and ensure ev-
eryone has a chance to voice an opinion. Based on their
experience in the world of broadcasting, Mike and Mike
offer the following advice about how to carry on a good
conversation with colleagues and business acquaintances.
MIKE GREENBERG MIKE GOLIC
Have a plan for a conversation but be open to changes in direction.
“The best conversations are the ones that come about
by accident. It’s good to have a plan, but someone in the
conversation may say something that raises a question, and
then we are off and running in a different direction.”
Find topics that you feel strongly about.
“If you don’t care about a topic, you may just skim the
surface and talk generally, whereas if you really have an
opinion, you can dive down into the details and have a more
interesting conversation.”
Keep the forward momentum.
“A conversation can be anything you want it to be: a
free-flowing exchange of anything. But a conversation can
become stagnant if you are not vigilant. Don’t stay too long
on one point or make the same point over and over again.
When you are in the midst of a conversation, keep moving
toward a goal.”
Put people at ease.
“One thing I try to do is to inject humor in the conversation
to put people at ease. Someone who is at ease will be more
willing to talk and go deeper in conversation with us. If you
get people on edge at the beginning of the conversation,
they tend to be more guarded.”
Don’t talk over each other.
“That has been a huge issue of mine. We are both fairly
cognizant of trying not to talk over each other. We live in
a society where everyone has the ability to say whatever
they want, as quickly as they can. But if you’re talking—and
talking over others—you’re not listening.”
Don’t inject your opinion into a question.
“Because I was an athlete and was asking sports questions,
I used to interject my opinion into a question and make my
question about a minute long. I learned to ask basic how,
what, and where open-ended questions that give the other
person a chance to talk. Ask open-ended questions and let
the other person give his or her opinion. Everyone’s opinion
matters.”
Listen.
“The single most important thing that makes a good
conversation is that everyone involved in it spends as much
time listening as they do talking. Too much conversation
consists of people in two states: talking and waiting to talk.
For me, when I’m in conversation with Mike, I’m listening
to what he says and reacting to what he says—and for me
that’s a conversation.”
Listen.
“You can’t follow-up on what someone says if you don’t
listen. Sometimes one of us or a guest will say something
that begs for follow-up. And if you aren’t listening and just go
on to your next point, you aren’t getting any real value out of
the comment.”
Source: Interviews with Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic.
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This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
The first three weeks of your internship at Baer, Kramer, & Dreslin
Market Research in Nashville were great. You enjoyed brainstorm-
ing marketing ideas with your manager and designing a survey for an
important client. However, the past week has been pure misery. Your
supervisor assigned you to join three other interns on a team to create
a comprehensive online handbook for interns. Each summer, the com-
pany hires seven interns at your location in Nashville and seven more
in the company’s data processing department in New Delhi, India. You
will work on your project with one other intern from the Nashville of-
fice and two interns from New Delhi.
Planning the first meeting was difficult. You lost two days of work
trying to set a meeting time because there is a 10 1/2-hour time differ-
ence between Nashville and New Delhi: at 9 am Central Daylight Time
in Nashville, it is 7:30 pm in New Delhi. You suggested a 7 am telecon-
ference, but your Nashville teammate, Roberto, said he could not arrive
in the office early for a meeting. You suggest an 8:30 am teleconference,
which would be 7 pm in New Delhi, but both your New Delhi team-
mates, Maansi and Anant, are vague about whether they could stay late.
You beg Roberto to arrange to get to work early just one day so that
your team can hold a kick-off meeting. Roberto admits that he could
easily get to the office early, but prefers to sleep later. “And anyway,” he
admits, “I didn’t sign up for human resources work when I accepted
an internship in consumer research. How will this help me get a job?”
Finally, you are able to convince Roberto to accommodate Maansi
and Anant. The first meeting is scheduled for 7:30 am Central Daylight
Time. The meeting seems to begin well enough. Everyone arrives on
time, the teleconferencing system works, and the meeting starts with
friendly introductions. Within five minutes, though, you know you are
in trouble. When Anant introduces himself, he speaks so quickly that
you miss everything he says. You would be too embarrassed to ask him
to repeat it, so you remain quiet and pretend to understand. After the
introductions, things get worse. No one has thought to make an agenda,
so no one knows what the team is trying to accomplish. After a few
moments of painful silence, you say, “Well maybe we should just start
sharing ideas about coming up with a plan for the online handbook.”
Anant jumps right in. You don’t understand much of what he says,
but you do hear the words “user interface,” “programming,” “database,”
and “search functions.” You and Roberto look at each other in amaze-
ment. Why is Anant talking about computer programming? And why
is he continuing to talk without stopping for five minutes? Is it rude to
interrupt? Finally, Roberto says, “Anant, it sounds like you may have
some good ideas, but we don’t understand. We thought our job was
to plan an online handbook.” Anant replied, “That’s what I’m talking
about.” Throughout all of this Maansi remains silent. After the first
meeting, you feel that it is going to be a long five weeks until the end of
your summer internship.
Question 1: What interpersonal, intercultural, and teamwork com-
munication issues are emerging in this scenario?
Listening for Understanding
After your first team meeting, Roberto says, “It doesn’t sound like
Maansi and Anant will be too helpful on this project. Maybe we should
do it on our own. We can come up with a plan for a handbook in a week
and then coast through the rest of the summer.” You think Roberto has
a good point. The project would be easier to complete without partici-
pating in a cross-cultural team. And you ask yourself “Why are Maansi
and Anant on this team? Why am I on this team? What are we sup-
posed to be doing?”
You decide that this confusion stems from a communication
problem—not with Maansi and Anant but with your supervisor. You
thought you were listening intently when she asked you to “come up
with a plan for an online handbook.” But did you really understand
what she meant? You were too intimidated to ask any clarifying
questions:
• What does “plan” mean? What is the goal of the team?
• Is there some reason you and Roberto were put on the team? Is
there some specific reason Maansi and Anant are on the team?
• What should be the final deliverable this summer?
With these questions in mind, you propose this plan to Roberto: “Let’s
try to arrange a meeting with our supervisor this afternoon. Rather
than just sitting there and listening, let’s ask lots of questions to be sure
we understand. At the end of the meeting, we can summarize what we
learned and email it to Maansi and Anant. We need to be sure we all
have the same idea of what we are supposed to do.”
Question 2: Listening involves a number of specific skills: hearing,
comprehending and interpreting, evaluating, and responding. Which
of these areas contributed to the communication problem in this
scenario? Identify specific examples.
Framing Negative Criticism Positively
Fortunately, the meeting with your supervisor is helpful. Through
much questioning and paraphrasing, you and Roberto identify four
tasks for the summer: evaluate the material in the current paper hand-
book, gather information from current interns in both locations, put
together a content outline for the website, and develop an easy-to-use
structure for the website.
Although the meeting is successful, you are angry at Roberto be-
cause he simply cannot hide his contempt for this project. Before the
meeting, he whispers to you, “Let’s just get this meeting over with. No
one needs a handbook. This project is just more busywork for interns.”
You find it difficult to begin focusing on content in the meeting be-
cause you are fuming about Roberto’s attitude. Originally, you were
looking forward to working with Roberto because he is smart and cre-
ative, but now you are afraid that his attitude may stand in the way of
completing the project.
You prepare two different ways to talk with Roberto about this:
• Option 1. “Roberto, you are so negative all the time. I know you
really don’t want to do this project, but that’s our job. We both
need good evaluations from this internship. If you don’t change
your mind-set, you’ll cause us both to fail.”
• Option 2. “Roberto, I’m really looking forward to working with
you. You always have such great ideas. But, I’m worried that you
don’t think this project is important and won’t give it your best
effort. I want to get a strong evaluation from this internship.
I know if we work together we can plan a great handbook—and
I think we can have a good time working together.”
Question 3: How would you describe the difference between the
two approaches? Which approach would help Roberto accept the
criticism?
CASE SCENARIO
Working as a Cross-Cultural Team
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Understanding Conflict
By the second week of the project, the team is working efficiently, with
all team members doing their tasks. Yet there is tension at every team
meeting. Roberto appears to be looking for the fastest way through the
project, and he gets frustrated with your attention to detail. You also
are losing patience with Roberto. He is capable of great work, but it is
never quite finished. Meanwhile, Maansi and Anant continue to focus
just on the programming aspects of the online handbook and aren’t
interested in talking about content. When you ask Maansi to help you
gather information about content needs from New Delhi interns, she
says, “I won’t have time to do that. We can take content from the cur-
rent handbook. To have an excellent handbook, what’s really important
is developing an interactive website.” You find this insulting because
you have been working hard to develop content.
Before bad feelings take over, you decide to schedule a meeting
with your supervisor to talk about these conflicts and see if she has any
ideas about how to handle them. She asks, “What kind of conflicts are
these? Are these personality conflicts? Or do the conflicts stem from
differences of opinion about how to get the best handbook? Or do team
members have competing goals?” As you think about the problems,
you realize these conflicts go beyond simple personality clashes.
The conflict with Roberto seems to be one of competing goals.
Your goal is to create a great handbook. Roberto’s goal from the start
has been to work on a project that will look good on his résumé. Per-
haps you and Roberto can talk and find common ground between
these two goals.
The conflict with Maansi and Anant is different. They seem to
want an excellent handbook. However, they have a very different opin-
ion about what is required to achieve that goal. They believe that pro-
gramming is the key. Existing content can simply be imported into the
new site. As a result, they are not interested in interviewing their fellow
interns to gather information. The New Delhi interns may need dif-
ferent information from the handbook, but you have no way to find
out. Perhaps the best way to address this conflict is simply to accom-
modate Maansi and Anant and let them focus solely on programming.
You and Roberto can determine a different way to gather information
from New Delhi interns.
Question 4: Besides accommodating, what specific actions could
you take to manage the conflict with Maansi and Anant if you de-
cided to avoid, compete, compromise, or collaborate? Which ap-
proach do you believe would lead to the best outcome?
Managing Cultural Diversity
To streamline communication while working with Anant and Maansi,
you set weekly meeting times on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 am
Central Daylight Time, which fortunately works well for both the U.S.
and India team members. Every meeting has an agenda, and teams ex-
change important information in writing before and after the meeting,
which eases the problem of understanding foreign accents. (You were
surprised that Anant had as much difficulty understanding your south-
ern American accent as you had understanding his Indian accent. But
he had learned British English.)
Nonetheless, your team has had some real difficulties working to-
gether. Anant and Maansi always seem busy with several projects, not
just the internship project, and do not treat this one with any urgency.
They are indirect in presenting what they have accomplished, and you
are never confident about how far along they are. At one meeting, when
you ask Maansi to see their prototype website so that you can figure out
how to structure your content, she becomes silent. You hadn’t meant
the question as a criticism, but perhaps she understood it that way.
Anant, by contrast, is never silent and is always trying to engage in an
intellectual debate about various programming techniques. Trying to
figure out how to communicate with people from other cultures with-
out knowing them or their culture has proved challenging.
Question 5: What factors may explain the cultural differences be-
tween the U.S. and Indian team members?
Reaping the Benefits of Teamwork
At the end of the summer internship, despite the conflicts and your
communication challenges, you are surprised at all your team accom-
plished. Working as a team, you:
• Interviewed all the current interns and compiled the results
into a report identifying the most important content for the
handbook
• Developed a site map for the handbook
• Wrote content for two sections of the handbook
• Gathered inspirational quotations from senior management
• Programmed a prototype site
• Conducted a round of user testing
• Developed a list of necessary revisions
You think about two of Roberto’s comments from earlier in the sum-
mer. At one point he complained, “You know, it doesn’t sound like
Maansi and Anant will be too helpful on this project. Maybe we should
do it on our own.” It would have been easier to create the content with
just you and Roberto, but consider how much less work would have
been done: no site mapping, no programming, and no user testing. You
needed people with programming expertise on your team to get that
done. At another point, Roberto asked, “How will this help me get a
job?” The answer to that question is now obvious: You learned to work
collaboratively with others, manage conflict, and complete a compli-
cated project. Compared to other interns who learned only technical
skills in market research, you have developed a transferrable set of
skills that will be crucial on the job no matter what field you enter.
Question 6: Study Question 5 (pages 51–58) describes some of the
characteristics that successful teams share. This team ultimately
was successful. How did it demonstrate these characteristics?
Case scenario 61
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Study Questions in Review
End of Chapter
What listening skills will help you
communicate better with others?
(pages 32–38)
Use active listening techniques to ensure understanding:
• Hear accurately by eliminating distractions and focusing on
the speaker.
• Comprehend and interpret what is being said by observing
people’s behavior, listening to their nonverbal com-
munication, being aware of tone of voice and emphasis,
asking questions and paraphrasing, and being aware of
gender-specific communication styles.
• Objectively evaluate what you hear by remaining
open-minded, focusing on ideas instead of prejudgments
about the speaker, and using sound reasoning.
• Respond to let the speaker know you understand and to
initiate the next step in the conversation.
SQ1
How can you help others listen well
when you speak? (pages 38–41)
Engage listeners and make meaning clear by doing the
following:
• Focus on your audience to analyze the audience’s interests.
• Share the conversation by inviting others to speak.
• Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language to avoid
misinterpretation.
• Support your message with good nonverbal communica-
tion that reinforces your spoken message.
• Avoid language that triggers a negative response.
• Frame negative comments positively.
SQ2
How can you manage interpersonal
conflict? (pages 41–47)
Although cognitive conflict can be productive in improving
team outcomes, affective conflict focusing on personalities does
not enhance team performance. To manage conflict:
• Identify the cause of the conflict, which can include com-
peting goals, differences of opinion, lack of information,
relational issues, and ego issues.
• Select an appropriate management technique. You might
avoid confrontation, accommodate or give in, compete to
win, compromise, or collaborate to find the best solution.
SQ3
How can you improve your
communication with people from
different cultures? (pages 47–51)
Cultural differences affect communication style. To prepare
yourself to communicate with people from other cultures, do
the following:
• Understand how cultures differ. Low-context cultures value
explicit communication, whereas high-context cultures rely
more on subtle cues. Individualist cultures value an individ-
ual’s achievements. By contrast, collectivist cultures put the
good of the group first. Cultures with high-power distance
are very hierarchical. Low-power-distance cultures are less
formal. Cultures also differ in their tolerance for uncertainty
(including ambiguity, risk, and change) and their orientation
toward time.
• Develop strategies that help you communicate with
diverse groups. Be relatively formal, mirror the other
person’s behavior, be clear and concise, talk slowly, request
feedback to ensure understanding, and smile to express
friendliness and willingness to communicate.
SQ4
How can you work effectively as part
of a team? (pages 51–58)
To improve team performance and make teamwork an
enjoyable and productive experience, do the following:
• Assemble an effective team. A group of people with the
correct skills, resources, and attitude is needed to succeed.
• Agree on team goals and standards. Do not expect the
team to perform at a high level immediately.
• Pay attention to team development and dynamics. For
long-term teams, let teams gel through states of forming,
storming, norming, and performing. For short-term teams,
take advantage of “teaming” strategies to learn collectively
and fix issues quickly.
• Develop good leadership practices.
• Plan for effective meetings.
• Be a good team member by doing your job and supporting
other team members.
SQ5
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Visual Summary
LISTENING
• Hear accurately to comprehend and interpret meaning.
• “Listen” to nonverbal communication.
• Ask questions and paraphrase to ensure understanding.
• Evaluate information: is it accurate, well-supported, and convincing?
• Respond to provide feedback.
SPEAKING
• Focus on your audience.
• Share the conversation.
• Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language.
• Support your message with good eye contact, strong and positive
tone, and complementary gestures and facial expressions.
• Avoid biased, provocative, or accusatory language.
MANAGING CONFLICT
• Identify conflict as affective or
cognitive.
• Identify the reason for the conflict.
• Shift focus away from ego and back to
business.
• Decide how to manage conflict: avoid
confrontation, accommodate, give in,
compete to win, compromise, or
collaborate to find the best solution.
WORKING IN TEAMS
• Assemble effective teams by identifying
skills, resources, and interests.
• Determine goals and standards.
• Plan time to form, storm, norm, and perform.
• Develop good leadership by focusing on the
purpose, encouraging participation, creating
timelines, assigning tasks, keeping the project on
track, and resolving differences.
• Plan effective meetings supported by agendas and
minutes.
• Be a good team member through commitment,
collaboration, and continuous quality improvement.
COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES
• Understand how cultures differ.
• Identify dimensions of the specific culture: high or low context?
individualistic or collectivistic? high or low power distance?
comfortable or uncomfortable with uncertainty? monochronic or
polychronic?
• Develop strategies to communicate with diverse groups: use
formality and respect, pay attention to nonverbal cues, be clear
and concise, talk slowly, and request feedback to ensure
understanding.
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64 Chapter 2 | Working with Others: Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Team Communication
Active listening p. 33
Affective conflict p. 41
Agenda p. 55
Cognitive conflict p. 41
Collectivist culture p. 49
Comprehension p. 33
Context p. 48
Culture p. 47
Emotional intelligence p. 32
Ethnocentrism p. 47
Evaluating p. 37
Forming p. 53
Groupthink p. 46
Idiom p. 51
Individualistic culture p. 49
Interpersonal
communication p. 32
Interpretation p. 34
Jargon p. 33
Meeting minutes p. 56
Monochronic culture p. 50
Nonverbal
communication p. 34
Norming p. 53
Paraphrasing p. 35
Passive listening p. 32
Performing p. 53
Polychronic culture p. 50
Power distance p. 49
Stereotypes p. 47
Storming p. 53
Synchronous
communication p. 32
Team p. 51
Teaming p. 54
Uncertainty avoidance p. 49
Key Terms
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 Name two barriers that interfere with hearing.
2 How does comprehension differ from interpretation?
3 What are three types of paraphrasing?
4 Describe how a person “listens” to nonverbal communication.
5 What is the difference between a provocative question and an
authentic question?
6 Under what circumstances is it a good idea to accommodate (or
give in) during a conflict?
7 What is ethnocentrism?
8 Name one way that an individualistic culture differs from a
collectivist culture.
9 What are the four stages of team formation?
10 Describe two ways that file-sharing tools such as Google Docs
help teams collaborate.
Review Questions
1 Some research suggests that emotional intelligence is a stronger
predictor of job success than traditional intelligence—how smart
you are.59 Why do you think emotional intelligence is so impor-
tant for many jobs?
2 Explain a situation—either at home, school, or work—in which you
listened passively and neglected to hear important information.
Describe the negative result and identify how you could have used
active listening strategies to improve your communication process.
3 Designers of consumer products argue that to understand what
customers really need, you have to do more than listen to what
they say. You have to observe what they do. Why do you think
there is often a gap between what people say and what they do?
4 Review the speaking strategies listed at the beginning of SQ2 on
page 38. Divide them into two lists: strategies that you currently
try to use when you speak and strategies that you typically do
not think about. Of the strategies that you typically do not think
about, identify one that you’d like to begin using immediately and
explain why.
5 What words or phrases trigger a negative emotional response from
you? If someone repeatedly uses one of your “trigger words,” what
are your options for responding? Which option would you choose?
6 Some organizations provide the services of mediators to help re-
solve workplace conflicts. What are the advantages of having a
disinterested party resolve a conflict? What are the advantages of
having people involved in the conflict work it out on their own?
7 Imagine you have been hired by a global company that is holding
a two-week orientation for all new employees at the head office in
San Francisco. You will be staying in a hotel for two weeks, and
you have been assigned to share a room with a new employee from
Zurich, Switzerland. What can you do to find out in advance a
little bit about the culture in Zurich? Once you have identified
some characteristics of that culture, what can you do to ensure
that you do not stereotype your roommate?
8 Explain a team situation in which you experienced conflict. What
was the purpose of the team? Why did the affective and/or cogni-
tive conflict occur? How did the team resolve the conflict? What
was the impact on the final product?
9 Imagine you have a teammate who wants to do all the project
work himself because he does not trust anyone else on the team
to produce high-quality results. How would you respond to that
teammate?
10 Social loafing refers to the tendency of certain people to do less
work when they are part of a team than they would when working
independently. What strategies can a team use to minimize social
loafing of team members?
Critical Thinking Questions
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Chapter 2 End of Chapter 65
What listening skills will help you communicate
better with others? (pages 32–38)
1 Hearing accurately
In each of the following situations, identify what you can do to improve
the ability of listeners to hear accurately.
a. One member of your team has a hearing impairment and often
misses key things that are said at meetings. Suggest at least
four things that you and the rest of the team can do to make
it easier for your teammate to hear well. Suggest at least four
things your hearing-impaired teammate can do to hear you
better.
b. At departmental meetings, your mind wanders when your boss is
speaking because he has a monotonous tone of voice and rarely
gets to the point. As a result, during the last two meetings you have
missed important information. What can you do to improve your
ability to hear what your boss says?
2 Comprehending and interpreting—listening to tone of
voice
A speaker’s tone of voice and emphasis provide clues about his or her
attitudes and feelings. Imagine at least two different ways that you can
say each of the following four statements. What are the different mean-
ings conveyed by the different sets of nonverbal cues?
a. I didn’t do anything wrong.
b. We need to talk now.
c. I’ll give you my phone number after the meeting.
d. When did you come up with that idea?
3 Comprehending and interpreting—paraphrasing to
ensure understanding
Learning how to paraphrase in multiple ways is challenging. Note the
two conversational exchanges that follow, with paraphrases in italics.
Identify which italicized statements are paraphrases of content, intent,
and feeling. Remember, when you paraphrase for content, you state
your understanding of the explicit message. When you paraphrase for
intent, you try to uncover why someone made that statement. When
you paraphrase for feelings, you try to uncover the emotions in the
statement.
a. Accounts payable: We keep getting invoices for partial shipments,
and I can’t figure out when a purchase order is completely filled. I
can’t pay an invoice for a partial shipment. The purchase order has
to be closed out before we pay the invoice.
Purchasing: So you are saying that our computer system will not
allow you to pay a partial invoice?
Accounts payable: I don’t know. The computer system might
allow it.
Purchasing: So, it’s company policy not to pay partial invoices?
Accounts payable: Well, it’s not really a company policy. It’s
just so confusing to match these partial invoices with purchase
orders. I’m never sure I get it right, so I don’t think it’s a good
idea for us to do this.
Purchasing: You sound like you might want some help with
the invoices since you’re spending so much time matching the
invoices with the purchase order. Would you like me to match
Key Concept Excercises
them for you? Because I wrote the purchase orders, I can do it
more easily.
Accounts payable: That sounds like a good idea.
b. Interviewer: What gets you excited about public relations?
Interviewee: I’ve been thinking about public relations for a long
time.
Interviewer: Your goal has always been to go into public
relations?
Interviewee: Well, no. My original goal was to be a lawyer, and
I worked as a paralegal for a few years, but there was really no
career path, so I decided to do something else.
Interviewer: So, you were frustrated and that led to a career
change?
Interviewee: Yes, exactly. I want to do something that al-
lows me to be more creative and contribute more to an
organization.
Interviewer: You believe that public relations will make better use
of your talents.
4 Comprehending and interpreting—being aware of
gender-specific communication styles
Although there is no absolute “female” communication style or
“male” communication style, researchers in sociolinguistics have
identified a number of widespread differences between the way men
and women typically communicate. In business, people need to ac-
commodate different styles in order to work well together. In small
groups (or as a whole class), discuss the following three scenarios.
In your past experience, have you noticed these types of differ-
ences? What would you recommend the participants do to bridge
the differences?
a. Ella and Michael are assigned to work on a project together. Ella
goes to her supervisor to ask for clarification of details and to
ensure she understands what the project requires. By contrast,
Michael jumps right in and begins to work. He says he’ll figure
it out along the way. Michael tells Ella she’s wasting time. Ella
believes Michael hates to ask for help or directions.
b. In meetings, Richard illustrates his points with metaphors about
war and sports: “I think we’ll score a touchdown with this new
product. But if we don’t get it to market soon, the competition
will outflank us.” By contrast, Alice uses anecdotes and meta-
phors about relationships and home: “Our products are always
the bridesmaids. This one will be the bride.” Richard and Alice
understand the other person’s metaphors, but they are not com-
fortable with them.
c. At the monthly department meeting, Denise and James’s man-
ager asked for suggestions about how to research a client prob-
lem. Denise spoke immediately and began to make a suggestion.
Before she had time to finish, James interrupted and said, “That
gives me another idea,” and he began presenting his thoughts.
The conversation in the meeting then focused on James’s idea.
Denise waited for a break in the conversation to return to her
point. She quietly tried to interrupt, but could not break the mo-
mentum of the conversation. She left the meeting feeling angry
with James.
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c. Our presentation needs to be perfect.
d. There are just a few small problems to clear up before signing the
contract.
e. Clean up the conference room before the end of the day.
f. Let’s talk after the project is finished.
10 Support your message with good nonverbal
communication
Ask someone you do not know for directions to a nearby loca-
tion, and pay attention to that person’s verbal and nonverbal
communication.
• What is that person’s verbal message; in other words, does the
person provide directions or decline to help, or say something
else?
• What nonverbal elements support that message?
• Are there any nonverbal elements that conflict with that
message?
11 Avoid language that triggers a negative response
Read the following scenario and identify alternatives for the biased
language.
Your first job after graduating is as an internal consultant with
a small, local company. On your first day of work, the vice president
who hired you asked you to come to a meeting where he will introduce
you to the head of every department in the company. As you stand up
at the front of the conference room, the vice president says, “I’d like to
introduce the _______ who has been hired to help us.” Imagine that the
blank was filled in with each of the following terms (consider only the
gender terms appropriate for you):
• Young lady/Young man
• Woman/Man
• Gal/Guy
• Expert
• Consultant
• Genius
• College girl/College boy
Which term(s) would you prefer the vice president use to introduce
you? What are the problems with each of the remaining terms? What
kinds of bias, if any, do they represent?
12 Frame negative comments positively
Although most people do not enjoy providing negative feedback, it is
necessary in most work environments. People respond better to nega-
tive feedback if it is framed in a positive way and if the criticism is not
preceded by “but.” For each of the following scenarios, provide criti-
cism, starting out with a positive comment and avoiding “but.”
a. You asked your assistant, Paolo, to make 50 photocopies of 15 in-
dividual handout sheets that you will use during the training ses-
sion you are conducting tomorrow. Paolo decided that it would be
easier for you to distribute the handouts as one set, so he collated
and stapled the photocopies. However, your plan was to distribute
each handout separately at specific points throughout the training
session. How do you respond to Paolo?
b. Your supervisor, Jean, asks you to suggest how the department
can improve employee morale, which has been low since she took
over six months ago. The former supervisor often told people they
were doing a good job, but Jean has not mentioned anything to
anyone—positive or negative. You are sure that employee morale
5 Evaluating
Your coworker Bob is always complaining about something and makes
only negative comments at meetings. He came into your office this
morning to share a proposal he plans to make in a manager’s meeting
tomorrow. He proposes that the department change the hiring require-
ments so that all new hires have three years of experience in addition to
a bachelor’s degree. He claims that “A college education is not sufficient
for the job.” He supports his claim with this evidence: “The two newest
employees, fresh out of college, have been making mistakes and cannot
seem to learn the details of the job. We have no time to train them. We
need to hire people who are already trained.” He asks if you will sup-
port his idea at the meeting.
Your immediate reaction is “I don’t know.” You have made friends
with one of the new hires, and you know from your own experience it
takes time to learn a job. You were hired right out of college too. You
will need to evaluate this proposal critically before you take a stance.
What steps would you take to evaluate what you heard?
6 Responding
Assume you are working on a project with three other people. One of
your teammates provides great ideas during team meetings, but con-
sistently misses deadlines and provides only partial work. Her lack of
follow-through has significantly slowed the project, and you are now
concerned that your team will not complete the project on time. Your
teammate says she will meet the next deadline. How could you ef-
fectively respond to her statement? Practice six different kinds of re-
sponses: (1) ask a question, (2) make a judgment, (3) contribute an
opinion, (4) give advice, (5) argue or disagree, and (6) express empathy.
Identify the one response you think is best and be prepared to
discuss your answer in class.
How can you help others listen well when
you speak? (pages 38–41)
7 Focus on your audience
Imagine you receive a phone call from an actual friend or relative who
asks you “How is school going?” or “How is your job?” Write a two-
paragraph email to your instructor identifying how you will respond
to this specific audience:
• In the first paragraph, identify the friend or relative you have
in mind and explain what you think that person really wants to
know in asking that question.
• In the second paragraph, explain how you will respond. What will
you tell your friend or relative and why? What won’t you tell him
or her and why?
8 Share the conversation
Observe a conversation at a meeting or between two or three people at
lunch or dinner. Does any one person monopolize the conversation?
If so, does that have any negative results? If the conversation is shared
fairly, how long is each person’s typical turn? How do people signal that
they want to speak?
9 Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language
Each of the following sentences contains at least one ambiguous
phrase. Identify the possible ambiguity and rephrase the statement so
that it has one clear, concrete meaning. Feel free to make up details if
necessary.
a. You did a great job on that report.
b. Mary’s job performance hasn’t been satisfactory this year.
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would improve dramatically if she would share encouraging feed-
back once in a while. How do you tell her this?
c. You and Sheena met during your company orientation two years
ago and were placed in similar positions in two different depart-
ments. Since then, you have met for lunch once a week. Sheena is
known for gossiping about coworkers, and even though you know
it’s not appropriate, you often look forward to her tantalizing tales.
You don’t share the gossip with others, but you know Sheena does,
and you believe this may be why you have been promoted twice
while she has remained in the same position. After the standard
gossip-fest at lunch today, Sheena mentions that she was passed
over yet again for a promotion. She asks you why you think she
can’t seem to get ahead in the company. You do not want to hurt
her feelings, but you do want to see her succeed. How do you
respond?
How can you manage interpersonal conflict?
(pages 41–47)
13 Identify the cause of the conflict
Identifying the cause of conflict is not always easy. Review the five dif-
ferent causes of conflict you learned in this chapter: competing goals,
differences of opinion, faulty assumptions, relational issues, and ego
issues. For each of the following scenarios, identify the cause—or
causes—of the conflict and explain your reasoning.
a. Your company is planning to install a new air-conditioning sys-
tem for the administrative offices. The vice president of opera-
tions has asked you and a coworker to research air conditioning
systems and to recommend one. You and your coworker have nar-
rowed your search to two systems, but you’ve reached an impasse.
Your coworker argues that you should propose the AirCo system
because it is the most cost-efficient to install. You, by contrast,
want to propose CoolRite because it has the best long-term reli-
ability record.
b. You and two classmates have decided to start a small business to
help fund your college education. As part of your planning, you
have asked an art student friend to design a logo for you. You have
all decided that, above all else, the logo must look professional.
Your friend gives you four options to choose from, but you and
your business partners cannot agree on an option.
c. It’s 9 am on Tuesday morning, and it doesn’t look as if your team
paper will be finished and edited to hand in by the 10 am dead-
line. When you received the parts from everyone on Monday at
8 pm, you saw many grammatical and formatting errors that you
needed to fix. You’ve been working on the paper all night. Your
teammates say, “Just print it out and hand it in. It’s good enough—
and it’s important that the paper be in on time.” You say, “We’ll get
points off for grammar errors—and the paper will only be an hour
or so late.” Your teammates are getting angry and feel as though
you are holding them hostage because the edited version of the
paper is on your computer. One of your teammates says, “You are
such a nit-picky perfectionist. That’s what we get for having an
English major on our team!”
14 Select an appropriate management technique
You and a teammate are working on a presentation that will be given
at a budget meeting on Monday. On Thursday night, you think the
project is far from complete. You’d like the presentation to be as
polished as possible, so you suggest to your teammate that you get
together over the weekend to finish it. He says that he wants to fin-
ish the presentation by Friday because he wants to relax over the
weekend. You begin to argue. You know you won’t be able to complete
the presentation in one day. What is the cause of this conflict and how
would you respond?
In a memo to your instructor, explain how you could use each of
the following conflict management techniques:
• Avoid. How could you avoid dealing with the conflict?
• Accommodate. What would you do to accommodate your
teammate?
• Compete. What would a competitive approach look like?
• Compromise. What would a compromise look like?
• Collaborate. What would you do to try to collaborate?
Then identify the approach you would recommend and explain your
selection.
How can you improve your
communication with people from
different cultures? (pages 47–51)
15 Understand how cultures differ
Nonverbal communication differs among cultures. For example,
eye contact is important to establish credibility in the United States.
However, people in Japan and other Asian cultures often show re-
spect by avoiding direct eye contact. Using an Internet search en-
gine or sources recommended by your instructor, research nonverbal
communication in a country or culture other than the United States.
(Tip: Use the search terms nonverbal communication and the name
of the country of your choice.) Be prepared to share your findings
with the class.
16 Develop strategies that help you communicate with
diverse groups
Imagine you are talking to a group of international businesspeople and
in conversation you use one of the following idiomatic phrases (or an-
other one of your choice):
• Drive me up the wall
• Out of sync
• Out of the box
• Threw me for a loop
• That’s cool
Your international visitors ask you to explain. How would you explain
that phrase? What could you have said instead of that phrase in the first
place to be more easily understood?
17 Intercultural issues [Related to the Ethics feature
on page 50]
As you learned in this chapter, different cultures often have differ-
ent perceptions about ethical issues, which can affect international
business interactions. Using your library’s online index of business-
related publications, find at least two recent articles about instances of
bribery between the United States and foreign countries. What com-
panies were involved? How large were the bribes? What did the coun-
tries offer in exchange for the bribes? Were either of the companies
charged under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act? Summarize your
findings in a paragraph or two. Then use your favorite web-searching
tool—such as Google or Bing—to find one of the online “Bribe Pay-
ers’ Indexes.” How do the countries in your articles rank on the list?
Add this documentation to your summary and be prepared to share
your findings in class.
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experience that could have benefited from a team contract. What ele-
ments from the sample contracts would you recommend? Create an
outline of the topics you would include in a team contract for a similar
group experience.
20 Pay attention to team development and dynamics
Some teams do not advance through all stages of the forming, storm-
ing, norming, and performing process. Some teams get stuck in the
storming stage and never reach norming, which is the stage where
team members work effectively with each other. Other teams work
through their conflicts but run out of time before they can effectively
perform. Summarize one of your recent team experiences, using some
(but not necessarily all) of the following questions to help you describe
the development of your team:
• What was the goal or purpose of the team?
• How was the team formed (for example, assigned or selected)?
• What happened during the forming stage?
• Did the team experience any storming? If so, describe what
happened.
• Did your team develop an approach to working together well? If
so, what was it? If not, why not?
• Did the team end up accomplishing its goal?
• Would you want to work with that team again?
21 Develop good leadership practices
Some people are born leaders. Other people have to work hard to de-
velop good leadership skills. Researchers have investigated leadership
styles for decades. As early as 1939, Kurt Lewin identified three ma-
jor leadership styles—authoritarian (autocratic), participative (demo-
cratic), and delegative (laissez-faire).60 Search the web to learn more
about leadership styles and identify one that best represents a lead-
ership style with which you would be comfortable. Document your
source, describe the leadership style, and explain how it best fits your
personality. Summarize your findings in a few paragraphs.
22 Plan for effective meetings
Meetings are common—often daily—events for most businesspeople.
You may be asked to take minutes at a meeting, either as one of your
team assignments or for someone who is not able to attend the meeting.
To practice your note-taking skills, watch a half-hour news broadcast,
either by a local news station or a national network; or attend a semi-
nar or workshop offered by your school. Record the important infor-
mation you hear, and organize the content for easy reference. Because
you won’t have an agenda, you will need to listen (and watch) carefully
for major ideas. Create a professional-looking document similar to the
sample provided in the chapter. Proofread carefully before submitting
your minutes to your instructor.
23 Be a good team member
For each of the following scenarios, identify the conflict and describe
how you would respond. Explain your reasoning.
a. You and four other students have just been assigned to work to-
gether on a presentation that will be delivered in three weeks. You
are appointed as the team leader. After class, you meet briefly with
your team to determine when you can schedule time in the next
few days to meet in the library to plan your project. However, a sin-
gle day and time does not seem to work well for the entire group.
Joe, who is already late for his next class, gets impatient and says
How can you work effectively as part of a team?
(pages 51–58)
18 Assemble an effective team
Assume you are the president of your school’s student investment
club. The provost emailed you to let you know that your group is eli-
gible to apply for a $5,000 grant to support students’ travel expenses
to attend professional development opportunities, such as conferences
and symposiums. You need to submit a three- to five-page proposal
that justifies your group’s financial need, outlines the potential use of
the funds, and demonstrates how your group will benefit. The grant
is competitive, and proposals are due in two weeks. You have eight
people on your executive board but know that’s too many people to
collaborate on this project. Select three or four of the following people
to help you write the proposal. Justify your selections both in terms
of how they would benefit the project as well as how the remaining
people would not.
• Jill Hawthorne, Vice President. Jill is a junior and has been a
member of the group since her freshman year. She will run for
president next year. She admits her writing skills are not good,
but she is creative and never misses a meeting.
• Amber Robinson, Treasurer. Amber is a senior accounting
major. She has been the treasurer for the last two years. She will
graduate this semester and has missed the last several meetings
because she has been out of town on job interviews.
• Pilar Seehorn, Secretary. Pilar is a sophomore. She never says
anything during meetings but takes excellent minutes. She writes
well and regularly sends emails to the executive board and mem-
bership about upcoming events and activities.
• Michael Anderson, Professional Development. Michael is a
senior, but needs another year to graduate. He arranges all the
group’s educational activities. He’s a self-proclaimed people
person and is very outgoing, but he struggles with written
assignments.
• David Miller, Membership. David is a junior marketing major.
He is very creative and outgoing. He managed to increase your
group’s membership by 50 percent in the last two semesters. He
writes well and helped write a similar proposal for a different
group last year.
• Manuel Hernandez, Publicity. Manuel is a sophomore account-
ing major. He is new on the executive board, but he attends every
meeting, writes well, and is very eager to help the group. He is
interested in taking over as treasurer next semester after Amber
graduates.
• Jon Sawyer, Fundraising. Jon is a junior finance major. With
Michael’s help, he raised over $1,000 last semester for the group’s
professional development fund. Jon is very task-oriented, works
hard, and writes well. He has already asked if he could help you
with the proposal.
• Sabrina Trotter, Service Learning. Sabrina is a junior manage-
ment major. She organizes the club’s volunteer activities. With
David’s help, she has managed to double the level of charitable
involvement. She has also asked if she could help you with the
proposal.
19 Agree on team goals and standards
Search the web for “team contract,” and find three examples that out-
line goals and standards for productive working teams. What content
do the examples share? What differences exist? Consider a recent team
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to go ahead and meet without him. He’ll go along with whatever
the group decides and walks away. When asked for his contact in-
formation, he says, “Don’t bother. I’ll catch up with you next class.”
b. Your group meets later that evening without Joe and assigns tasks
to all team members. At the next class session, you tell Joe that the
rest of the team members will research the content and that he has
been assigned to put the content together in a PowerPoint file and
present the summary slide. Joe says, “That’s nuts! I’d have to wait
to work on the file until the rest of you guys have finished your
work, which will probably be the night before the presentation.
No way! That’s not fair!” You disagree.
c. You agree to swap assignments with Joe, but he does not send his
part of the content to you by the deadline. You call him to ask if
you can help, and he says, “Don’t worry. I’m working on it now,
and I’ll bring it to the presentation tomorrow.” You tell him that
you can’t create a summary slide if you don’t have his information.
He says, “You can work it in tomorrow before class and fake your
way through a summary. No problem.” You disagree.
d. During your presentation, Joe’s part takes less than one minute,
which means you have to fill the extra time during the summary
to ensure your team meets the 10-minute requirement. Although
you manage to fake your way through the presentation, you do
not feel that you did as well as you could have if Joe had provided
his information on time. Back at your seats, Joe says to you, “Great
job! We pulled it together. I think we had the best presentation in
the class.” You disagree.
e. At the next class session, your instructor asks your team to write a
one-paragraph assessment of its effectiveness, both in terms of the
team’s collaborative process and the quality of the presentation.
Each team member must sign the assessment. Joe thinks every-
thing was great. You disagree.
24 Analyzing team effectiveness
Select a recent team experience in which you participated, whether
for a sport, organization, or class project. In a few paragraphs, de-
scribe the team and identify the goal for the activity. Then out-
line the pros and cons of the experience. Was the team successful?
Which benefits of effective teamwork did your group experience?
Did conflict occur? What changes may have improved the team’s
effectiveness?
25 Selecting social collaboration tools [Related to the
Technology feature on page 58]
Assume your company is looking to invest in collaboration tools to
support teamwork. Currently, teams in your company share files via
email or by uploading them to a server. You brainstorm on flip charts
and then type up your brainstorming lists. Your supervisor, Maury
Phillips, specifically thinks that web-based collaboration tools will help
teams be more productive. Research at least three of these tools and
write a brief memo (no more than one page) identifying all three tools
and then persuasively recommending one. Be sure to identify key fea-
tures of the tool and why those features will help teams.
26 Using Google Docs for collaboration [Related to the
Technology feature on page 58]
Go to Google Drive at www.drive.google.com and create a Google
account if you do not already have one. If you are not familiar with
the applications, learn about them by reading the support files on the
Google Drive site. Once you are familiar with the applications, create
a few sample files—a document, spreadsheet, and presentation—to
become familiar with the file-creation process. Practice sharing files
with others and publishing them as web pages. Email your sample
documents to your instructor to document your Google Docs
experience.
Writing Exercises
27 Improving active listening skills
In groups of four, assign one of these roles to each group member:
Speaker, Listener 1, Listener 2, and Observer. Complete the following
exercise:
• Speaker: Talk for two to three minutes about a problem you
faced in a past job search or a concern you have about a future
job search.
• Listeners: Use clarifying questions and paraphrases to under-
stand the speaker’s content, intent, and feelings. Consider non-
verbal messages as you paraphrase.
• Speaker: After the conversation ends, describe the degree to
which you feel satisfied that the paraphrasing represented mean-
ing accurately.
• Observer: Point out specific examples of effective and ineffective
techniques the listeners used.
Collaboration Exercises
• Listeners: Discuss how the paraphrasing and questioning felt.
Was it difficult? Awkward? Useful in uncovering additional
meaning? How did you pick up on nonverbal cues?
• Each Individual: Based on what you learned from this exercise,
write an email to your instructor explaining the challenges and
benefits of active listening. Use examples from the exercise to
support your analysis.
28 Analyzing trigger words
Work with a group of three or four classmates to analyze trigger words.
Each person should identify at least two words or phrases that he or she
reacts to negatively. Tell your team how you react when you hear the
words you suggest. Also try to identify the source of this reaction. Does
it result from your upbringing, your past experiences, or an associa-
tion with a particular person? Summarize your team’s discussion and
prepare to report to the rest of the class the most interesting insights.
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web, using the search terms “doing business in Country,” or “business
etiquette in Country,” inserting the name of the country you are re-
searching.) Then compare your findings with your teammates. If you
were hosting a business meeting with representatives from each coun-
try, what factors would you have to consider? As a team, write a memo
to your instructor that summarizes your findings.
29 Comparing cultural differences [Related to the Culture
feature on page 36]
Have each person in your team select a different country. Be sure the
countries represent a range of geographical regions. Research your se-
lected country to determine the cultural differences, such as customs
and body language, that could affect your ability to communicate ef-
fectively with people from this country. (Tip: Begin your search on the
30 Social media and interpersonal communication
Some people argue that reliance on social media prevents a person
from developing good interpersonal communication skills. Other
people take the opposite point of view, arguing that use of social
media may help a person improve interpersonal communication
skills. Take a position on this issue and write a one-page paper argu-
ing your position. Be sure to provide clear reasons and supporting
evidence.
31 Social media conversations and customer support
Research shows that customers appreciate being able to receive cus-
tomer support through social media, for example, through chats,
tweets, or Facebook. Employees who provide this customer support
will be more effective if they have good interpersonal communication
skills. Review this chapter, and identify three specific interpersonal
communication skills that you believe are important in communicat-
ing with customers through social media. Provide explanations and
examples for your three choices.
Social Media Exercises
32 Making informal impromptu presentations
For each of the following topics, prepare a five-minute presentation:
a. Identify your collaborative strengths and weaknesses and describe
one way you could improve your communication skills to become
a better team member.
b. Describe a recent team experience in which your group suffered
from an affective conflict. How was the conflict resolved? If it
wasn’t, how could it have been resolved?
c. Describe a team situation in which your group experienced
groupthink. How could it have been avoided?
d. Have you used an electronic collaboration tool that you have
found effective? Describe the tool, how you have used it, and why
you like it.
33 Presenting executive briefings
As a team, prepare a five-minute presentation on one of the following
topics. Include at least one visual aid.
a. You work for a company in Detroit, Michigan, and the vice presi-
dent of purchasing is planning a series of teleconferences with
business suppliers in various parts of the world: China, Saudi Ara-
bia, Israel, India, and Costa Rica. Each country is in a different
time zone. The vice president has asked you to help schedule these
meetings. He would like each meeting to take place during the
standard workweek for the country and he wants to avoid offend-
ing any participants by suggesting a meeting time that conflicts
with any weekly or daily religious observations for the dominant
religions in these countries: Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Hindu-
ism, and Christianity. Research the time zones, standard work-
week, and days of religious observation in the various countries.
Prepare a five-minute briefing for the vice president, proposing a
series of meeting times and supporting your proposal with your
research. Include at least one visual aid.
b. Your company is considering installing videoconferencing
equipment to support meetings between employees in distant
locations. However, your manager is concerned that the chal-
lenges of videoconferencing will outweigh the benefits. Your
manager has asked you to prepare a five-minute presentation
outlining some challenges and benefits of videoconferencing,
which you will present at the beginning of an executive com-
mittee meeting. Prepare that presentation, including at least one
visual aid. You can find information about videoconferencing by
conducting a web search using combinations of the terms vid-
eoconferencing benefits challenges. Also try virtual collaboration
and telepresence.
c. Your company is considering offering a seminar or workshop in
conflict management. You have been asked to research possible
courses. Conduct a web search to identify three training seminars
in conflict management. Prepare a five-minute executive brief-
ing providing details about the three courses; comparing them
in terms of length, content, and cost; and recommending one of
them. Include at least one visual aid.
Speaking Exercises
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Chapter 2 End of Chapter 71
34 Verbs (See Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation,
Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 1.1.2)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the errors in use or formation
of verbs. Underline all your corrections.
If my first boss had ran his businesses the way he answered the
phone, he would have went broke long ago. Usually he grabbed
the receiver and growls, “Barker.” The person at the other end
probably thought, “That don’t sound like a human, more like a
rottweiler.” If George Barker was a dog, he would probably be
more courteous on the phone. No doubt there was lots of of-
fended customers. The other day he asked my coworker, Jess,
and me to stop by his office. He still answered the phone the
same way. George’s phone offenses amounts to quite a long list.
Instead of “barking,” there is several other things he could say.
“Hello, Barker Contracting” or “This is George Barker” make a
better impression.
Grammar Exercises
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 As described in this chapter, people from the United States are typically both
individualistic and monochronic. How do these characteristics complement each
other? How might they contradict each other? Explain your reasoning.
2 Groupthink occurs when people convince each other to agree. What are
the problems with groupthink, and what can you do to avoid the groupthink
syndrome?
1. Bradberry, T., Greaves, J., & Lencioni, P. (2009). Emotional
Intelligence 2.0. San Diego, CA: TalentSmart. For the original
definition of Emotional Intelligence, see Mayer, J., & Salovey,
P. (1990). Emotional Intelligence. Imagination, Cognition, and
Personality, 9, 185–211.
2. Goleman, D. (2004, January). What makes a leader? Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/2004/01/
what-makes-a-leader/ar/1
3. Turkle, S. (2012, April 22). The flight from conversation.
New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/
2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation
.html?_r=1
4. Janusik, L., & Wolvin, A. (2009). 24 hours in a day. Interna-
tional Journal of Listening, 23(2), 104–120.
5. Emanuel, R., Adams, J., Baker, K., Daufin, E., Ellington, C.,
Fitts, E., & Okeowo, D. (2008). How college students spend
their time communicating. International Journal of Listening,
22(1), 13–28.
6. Flynn, J., Valikoski, T., & Grau, J. (2008). Listening in the busi-
ness context: Reviewing the state of research. International
Journal of Listening, 22(2), 141–151.
7. Wolvin, A. D. (Ed.). (2010). Listening and human communica-
tion in the 21st century. Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.
8. For more detail on the HURIER model of listening, which
this discussion adapts, see Brownell, J. (2010). The skills of
listening-centered communication. In A. D. Wolvin (Ed.),
Listening and human communication in the 21st century
(pp. 141–157). Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.
9. Brody, L., & Hall, J. (2008). Gender and emotion in context. In
M. Lewis, J. Haviland-Jones, & L. Barrett (Eds.), Handbook of
emotions (pp. 395–408). New York: Guildford Press.
10. Spahn, J., & Purses, J. (2012, March/April). 3 steps to em-
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2012/3StepstoEmpathicActiveListening/
11. Gendron, M., Roberson, D., van der Vyver, J. M., & Barrett, L. F
(2014). Perceptions of emotion from facial expressions are not
culturally universal: Evidence from a remote culture. Emotion,
14, 251–262.
12. McHugh, M., & Hambaugh, J. (2010). She said, he said:
Gender, language and power. In J. Chrisler & D. McCreary
(Eds.), Handbook of gender research in psychology (Vol. 1,
pp. 379–410). New York: Springer.
13. Jack, R. E., Blais, C., Scheepers, C., Schyns, P., & Caldera, R.
(2009). Cultural confusions show that facial expressions are
not universal. Current Biology, 19, 1543–1548.
14. Tannen, D. (1991). You just don’t understand: Women and men
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15. Wood, J. (2013). Gendered lives: Communication, gender, &
culture (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
16. Palomares, N. (2009). Women are sort of more tentative than
men, aren’t they? How men and women use tentative language
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http://www.geert-hofstede.com/�hofstede_united_states.shtml
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/�hofstede_united_states.shtml
http://pepsico.com.cn/downloads/pdfs/gongsixinxi_en_20110809
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/ieconomy-apples-ipad-and-the-human-costs-for-workers-inchina. html?pagewanted=all
http://images.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Supplier_Code_of_Conduct
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http://www.industryweek.com/articles/global_business_basics_1907.aspx
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http://www.cuttingedgepr.com/articles/ideal-number-people-in-team.asp
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http://www.management-issues.com/opinion/3291/the-hidden-costs-of-conflict/
http://www.management-issues.com/opinion/3291/the-hidden-costs-of-conflict/
http://www.isquare.com/turnover.cfm
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/ieconomy-apples-ipad-and-the-human-costs-for-workers-inchina. html?pagewanted=all
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(1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychologi-
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52. Thompson, L. L. (2011). Making the team: A guide for good
managers (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. For
the classic discussion on high-performance teams, see
Katzenbach, J., & Smith, D. (1993). The wisdom of teams:
Creating the high performance organization. Boston: Harvard
Business School Press.
53. Edmondson, A. (2012, April 25). The importance of teaming.
Harvard Business School. Retrieved from http://hbswk.hbs
.edu/item/6997.html
54. Edmondson, A. (2012). Teaming: How organizations learn, in-
novate, and compete in the knowledge economy. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
55. Thoughtfarmer. (2012). Retrieved from http://www
.thoughtfarmer.com
56. Microsoft. (2013, May 27). Bring your own service: Employ-
ees want social tools at work, despite company restrictions
and hesitation, reports new Microsoft survey. Retrieved from
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05-27socialtoolspr.aspx
57. Fiorella, S. (2011, July 30). Bringing the sales organization into
the social relationship. [Blog post]. The Social CMO Blog.
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bringing-the-sales-organization-into-the-social-relationship/
58. Bonner, L. (2012, March 26). Five mistakes to avoid when
implementing internal collaboration tools. [Blog post]. Blog-
ging4Jobs. Retrieved from http://www.blogging4jobs.com/
social-media/5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-implementing
internal-collaboration-tool/
59. O’Boyle, E. H., Humphrey, R. H., Pollack, J. M., Hawver, T. H., &
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Managing the
Communication
Process
Analyzing, Composing, Evaluating
74
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Good communication requires a good process. I start by
thinking about why I’m communicating and to whom. I al-
ways try to anticipate the audience’s questions or comments.
This helps me determine what I want to say and how the
reader will interpret my words and the tone of my message.
When writing even a simple email, I carefully edit and proof-
read. A poor choice of words can be embarrassing. I also
keep this in mind when presenting information in meetings.
Feedback is key, especially nonverbal responses during
presentations. My goal is to communicate—both orally and
in writing—in a way that projects a professional image of
both me and my company.
Doug Williams
Elon University
Distribution Relationship & Sales Coordinator @
Brown Advisory
New Hires @ Work
75
What are the benefits of analyzing?
pages 77–81
Analyzing the purpose focuses the message
Analyzing the audience helps you meet their
needs
Analyzing the content ensures a complete
message
Analyzing the medium helps you choose the best
delivery option
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ3 How does evaluating improve your
communication? pages 91–98
Evaluating content helps you achieve your
purpose and outcome
Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves
comprehension
Evaluating for style and tone helps you project a
professional image
Evaluating for correctness increases your
credibility
Reviewing feedback helps you become a better
communicator
SQ2 What is involved in composing?
pages 82–90
Deciding when and where to compose
Organizing the message
Drafting the content
Designing a professional format and delivery
MyBCommLab®
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Over 10 million students improved their results using the Pearson MyLabs.
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Chapter 3 | Introduction
Imagine that a friend asks if you’d like to use his tickets
to attend a professional golf tournament next Friday af-
ternoon. How do you ask your boss for time off on such
short notice? Or imagine that you want to apply for a job
at a company that is not advertising any positions. How
do you decide the best way to contact this company, and
what you should say? This chapter explains a flexible
communication process called ACE—Analyzing, Com-
posing, and Evaluating—that will help you communicate
successfully in any situation. As Figure 3.1 illustrates, ACE
is a circular process, and each ACE step plays a unique
role in effectively communicating a message.
Analyzing “sets the stage” for your business message
and helps you make good decisions. Before you begin to
compose, analyze four important elements. First, determine
your purpose, the reason why you are communicating and
the outcome you want to achieve. Second, analyze your
audience—the recipients of your message. Who are they?
What are their concerns and interests? Third, determine the
content your audience needs—the specific information to
include—which is the substance of your message. If you
do not have all the content you need, determine
where to find it. Finally, determine the best
medium—how you will deliver your
message—by analyzing your options.
Should you communicate by telephone,
face-to-face, email, text message, Twit-
ter, or some other choice? Taking the
time to analyze the purpose, audience,
content, and medium will help you com-
plete the second ACE step: composing.
Composing involves more than putting words on the
page or speaking them aloud. Use your analysis of the
purpose, audience, content, and medium to make deci-
sions about how you will compose the message. Will you
state the main idea first, or after explaining the details?
How much detail do you need to provide? How will you
organize the details? Do you need to be persuasive? How
should you format the message? Once you have a plan in
place, you are better able to draft your message.
Evaluating is the process of reviewing your message
by asking yourself questions, such as these: Have you in-
cluded all the necessary content to achieve your purpose?
Is the message organized well? Is it worded effectively?
Is it formatted professionally? As part of the evaluation
process, share your draft or plan with others to get feed-
back. Reviewing your message and considering feedback
may lead you to return to the first step of the process—
analyzing—to reconsider the decisions you made about
purpose, audience, content, and medium. This circular
approach helps ensure effective communication.
At first, you may be concerned that following the ACE
process will be too time-consuming. However,
with practice these steps will become a
familiar part of your normal commu-
nication routine—even for informal
conversations and email messages.
The more you practice the ACE
process, the more successful your
communication will be. This chapter
will guide you through the ACE process,
providing strategies for each step.
ACE
Analyze
ACE
Compose
ACE
Evaluate
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
FIGURE 3.1
The ACE Communication Process
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What are the benefits of analyzing? 77
SQ1 What are the benefits of analyzing?
Analyzing is the process of looking critically at four elements of your message: purpose, audi-
ence, content, and medium. Analyzing each element offers a distinct benefit. When people fail
to communicate effectively, it’s often because they skip analyzing and planning, and instead
jump ahead to composing the message.
Analyzing the purpose focuses the message
Before thinking about what you are communicating, analyze why you are communicating.
Think about “why” from two points of view: (1) what do you want to do in the communica-
tion, and (2) what outcome would you like to achieve?
Business communication always has a purpose or reason. For example, you may want to:
• inform a client about a problem
• persuade a supervisor to implement a new program
• request permission to extend a deadline
• report financial information to a client
• propose a solution to a problem
By contrast, your desired outcome is what you want your audience to know or do as a result of
the communication. Notice the difference between general purpose statements and outcome
statements in Figure 3.2.
Keeping both your overall purpose and your desired outcome in mind as you write your
message helps you evaluate whether your content supports your goal. For example, consider how
you would address the first item in Figure 3.2. If you think only about your general purpose—to
inform your client that you cannot take on the project—you might draft a message that thanks
the client for his interest, explains that you cannot take on the project right now because you are
fully booked, and concludes with a forward-looking goodwill statement intended to reinforce a
positive relationship between you (or your company) and the audience.
However, if you try to visualize your desired outcome, you may decide that you want the
opportunity to do this project for the client and you do not want the client to look for another
vendor. What kind of message will best help you achieve that outcome? Compare the two ver-
sions of the message in Figure 3.3. The draft message considers only the purpose. The revised
message is designed to achieve a better outcome.
analyzing The process of looking critically
at four elements of your message: purpose,
audience, content, and medium.
purpose The reason why you are
communicating.
content The substance of your message.
medium The method you use to deliver
your message (for example, telephone,
face-to-face meeting, email, text message,
or website).
composing The multistep process of
producing content, organizing it so that
it is understandable from the audience’s
perspective, putting it into coherent
sentences and logical paragraphs,
and then designing a format or delivery
approach that is professional and makes the
communication easy to follow.
evaluating The process of critically
reviewing your communication to ensure it is
complete, clear, concise, easy to understand,
and error free.
outcome The result of your communica-
tion; what you want the recipients of your
message to know, do, or feel about the
subject of your message.
FIGURE 3.2 Examples of Purpose
and Outcome Statements
PURPOSE DESIRED OUTCOME
• To inform my client that I cannot take on a
new project right now.
• My client will postpone the project rather
than hire someone else to do it.
• To persuade my supervisor to approve a
summer-hours work schedule.
• My supervisor will present the plan to
upper management.
• To ask my supervisor for an extension on
a project deadline.
• My supervisor will let me submit the
project next Friday so I can finish it during
the week.
goodwill The positive relationship
between you (or your company) and your
audience.
Analyze
FIGURE 3.3 Achieving a Desired
Outcome
DRAFT REVISION
PURPOSE: To inform my client that I cannot
take on a new project right now.
Thank you for contacting us. We are fully
booked right now and cannot meet your
schedule. We are grateful that you thought
of us and look forward to working with you
in the future.
DESIRED OUTCOME: My client will postpone
the project rather than hire someone else
to do it.
Thank you for contacting us about your
new project. We would like to help you with
this project, and are confident we can do a
fast and outstanding job because we have
worked with you so closely in the past.
However, we are fully booked until June.
If you are able to postpone your project for
six weeks, we can provide you with our top
marketing team and will be glad to extend a
10% discount below our regular rates.
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Analyzing your purpose and desired outcome also helps you determine how persuasive
you need to be. Persuasion is the ability to influence an audience to agree with your point of
view, accept your recommendation, or grant your request. If your communication is purely
informative, no persuasion is necessary. For example, an email to all department employees
about a room change for a meeting simply needs to provide clear and complete information,
as shown in Figure 3.4.
However, many business messages require a persuasive strategy. They need to influence a
recipient either to agree with an idea or to take action. For example, assume you want to con-
vince your supervisor, Cherilyn Martins, to implement a summer-hours work schedule for your
department. Your standard workday hours begin at 9 am and end at 5 pm. A flexible summer-
hours schedule would allow employees to begin and end an hour earlier so that they can take
advantage of the increased daylight and warmer weather during the summer. You propose that
your department’s workday hours begin at 8 am between June 1 and August 31. Because you
want to motivate action, this message clearly needs to be persuasive. Figure 3.5 shows your pur-
pose statement and desired outcome statement. With this desired outcome in mind, you can an-
alyze your audience to get a clearer idea of how you can persuade her and achieve the outcome.
Analyzing the audience helps you meet their needs
When analyzing your audience, consider both primary and secondary audiences:
• The primary audience is the direct recipient of your message—the person or people to whom
your message is addressed.
• The secondary audience is anyone else who may receive a copy of your message (or hear about
it), either from you or from the primary audience.
For example, if you email your supervisor about incorporating a flexible summer-hours sched-
ule and she likes the idea, she may forward your message to the vice president of operations.
Although you planned your message for your supervisor—the primary audience—the vice
president becomes a secondary audience.
Once you have identified your audience, consider the questions listed in Figure 3.6 to de-
termine what content to include as well as how and when to deliver the message. Figure 3.6
also illustrates how you might answer these questions for the summer-hours work schedule
scenario.
To be persuasive, it is important to analyze audience benefits—advantages the recipient
gains from agreeing with or acting on your message. People are more likely to go along with
what you propose if they understand the advantages they—or their business—will gain from
granting your request.
Unfortunately, when trying to persuade others, people often make the mistake of empha-
sizing their own benefits. Focusing on the benefits to you is easy. For example, by implement-
ing a summer-hours schedule, you get to leave work an hour earlier each day. You have more
time to enjoy outdoor activities, family, and friends. Further, if you have the option to choose
summer hours or regular hours each day, you can take advantage of the flexibility to schedule
your work hours to meet your own needs. These outcomes are good for you, but they do not
suggest any benefits for your supervisor or company. Therefore, those benefits are not likely to
persuade your audience.
The challenge is to identify audience-focused benefits, such as those listed in Figure 3.6,
item 6, and then select the ones that will be most effective. You would certainly want to stress
that a flexible summer schedule may improve morale, reduce turnover rates, and increase pro-
ductivity. However, you may choose to leave out the other potential benefits. It will be difficult
to prove that quarterly sales figures will increase, and it would be unwise to suggest that sum-
mer hours will improve employees’ perceptions of your supervisor. Although your supervisor
may consider this a valid reason to change the work schedule, your secondary audience—the
vice president—may not.
Analyzing the content ensures a complete message
In addition to analyzing your purpose and audience, also analyze what content you need to
include. Do you have enough information about the topic or situation to compose your mes-
sage? Do you have enough data to support your main ideas? Or do you need to do additional
research?
Room change for Wednesday’s
meeting
March 28, 2015 2:54 PM
Bill Wembly
Purchasing Manager
Radnor Partners, Inc.
bwembly@radnorpartners.com
To all Department Employees:
Because of scheduling conflicts,
Wednesday’s 2:30 PM meeting will be
held in the second floor lounge rather
than Conference Room B.
Bill
From: DetailsBill Wembly
1 of 50All Mail (31)
FIGURE 3.4 Informational
Message—No Persuasion Needed
persuasion The process of influencing
your audience to agree with your point of
view, accept your recommendation, grant
your request, or change their beliefs or
actions in a way that facilitates a desired
outcome.
audience The recipients of your
communication.
primary audience The person or people
to whom your message is addressed.
secondary audience People other than
the primary audience who may read or hear
your message.
audience benefits The positive out-
comes your audience will experience by
agreeing with or acting on your message.
Photo courtesy of L_amica/Fotolia
New Hires @ Work
Rachelle Holloman
Belmont University
Business Continuity
Administrator @ HCA Healthcare
Your communications precede
you, and you never know
if something you write
will be forwarded
on to others.
Make sure all of
your messages
represent you
well.
Photo courtesy of Rachelle Holloman
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FIGURE 3.5 Sample Purpose
and Outcome Statements
PURPOSE DESIRED OUTCOME
To persuade my supervisor to approve a
summer-hours work schedule.
My supervisor will support the proposal and
believe it is in the best interest of the de-
partment to adopt the plan. She will forward
the proposal to upper management and re-
quest a meeting to discuss it, with the goal
of having the proposal accepted in time to
implement it for the summer.
1. What does the primary and secondary audience already know?
My supervisor and upper management already know about the structure of our
current workday, so I do not need to explain that.
2. What information does the audience need to know—and why?
Both audiences need to know what I mean by “summer hours,” how summer hours
will work in our department, and how the change will affect the productivity of the
department during the summer months.
3. When does the audience need this information?
My supervisor needs the information soon so we can gain support from upper
management in time to implement the change for the coming summer.
4. How will the audience react to this information?
I don’t know how my supervisor or upper management will react, so I will try to
anticipate potential problems and provide solutions.
If the purpose is primarily persuasive, also consider these questions:
5. What questions or objections will my audience have?
My audience may ask these questions:
• How will we ensure that someone is available to answer phone calls after 4 pm if
all employees ask to start and end their day earlier?
• When workdays begin and end earlier, will we have to rearrange lunch hours and
breaks? How will we handle that?
• Will there be additional costs?
• Has this plan worked well in other departments or companies?
• Will anyone think this schedule is unfair?
• Is there any evidence to support the benefits?
6. How will my audience benefit from my idea or proposal?
• Providing flexible summer hours may improve employee morale, which may lead
to the following additional benefits:
a. reduced employee turnover rates
b. increased employee productivity
c. Increased quarterly sales figures
• Providing flexible summer hours may improve employees’ perceptions of my
supervisor.
FIGURE 3.6 Audience Analysis
Questions
For example, assume you have identified the list of potential benefits for a summer-hours
plan illustrated in Figure 3.6 as well as the list of questions your supervisor may ask. Before
composing, you will need to gather the required information. You may be able to get it from
internal sources such as company reports, databases, and experts. Or you may have to consult
external sources such as industry journals, web-based search tools, or experts outside your
company. The following research would provide you with strong content:
• Investigate existing company information. To learn whether other departments in the com-
pany have implemented summer hours, you will need to consult internal sources. You may
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call or email other managers, contact your human resources office, or research the company’s
employee handbook.
• Survey people’s opinions or perceptions. To learn whether employees will support the sum-
mer schedule or think it is unfair, you may need to survey employees.
• Research external sources of information. To learn if other companies have found a summer-
hours schedule to provide tangible benefits, such as increased productivity, you will need to
search external sources. You can conduct primary research, which involves collecting your
own original data. For example, you might call the human resources departments of other
local companies. A more efficient method might be to look in libraries or online sources for
secondary research, which is information other people have collected. For example, the U.S.
Department of Labor provides several articles about flexible schedules.1
You may decide to postpone some of this time-consuming research until you learn whether
your supervisor is receptive to the idea of summer work hours. However, your initial commu-
nication with your supervisor will be stronger if you can communicate that you have done at
least a little research and have objective support for your proposal. More detailed information
about finding and evaluating sources is available in Chapter 8: Finding and Evaluating Busi-
ness Information.
Analyzing the medium helps you choose
the best delivery option
For a message to be effective, it also has to be delivered through the right medium. Figure 3.7
lists many common methods of communication and identifies the advantages and disadvan-
tages of each. Making a good choice about the best medium to use is challenging. For example,
if you need to send detailed financial data to your supervisor, you might choose to present that
information in a spreadsheet and attach it to an email that summarizes the data. However, if
the spreadsheet requires a more detailed explanation, a face-to-face meeting will be more ef-
fective. Social media has expanded the number of medium options available, and companies
are finding creative ways to use them to communicate not only externally with customers but
also internally with employees.2 For example, when Jim Whitelaw, the president of software
company Red Hat, needs to make a major company decision, he solicits employee opinions
and suggestions through an internal social media site called Memo List. He gains good ideas,
and the employees gain a deeper understanding of the issues involved.3 You might use social
media in a similar way and begin a departmental blog about summer hours to give employ-
ees an opportunity to express their points of view and contribute critical information to the
decision-making process.
For an ETHICS exercise, go to Critical Thinking Question 3 on
page 104.
ETHICS
HOW TO HANDLE INFORMATION THAT CONFLICTS WITH YOUR POSITION
Inexperienced communicators often make the mistake of looking
for content that supports their own point of view, rather than look-
ing for content that provides a complete picture of the issue. As an
ethical business communicator, you have the responsibility to pro-
vide information that allows your audience to make good business
decisions—even if that information conflicts with your own ideas.
For example, assume you found positive information about
flexible work hours from a not-for-profit workforce newsletter and
two independent news agencies. You select information from each
source to prepare a short email report intended to persuade your
supervisor to adopt flexible summer hours. However, suppose you
also find a source that suggests that some employees take advan-
tage of the flexibility by arriving to work late and leaving early.
Should you ignore this source because it will weaken your point?
No! If you fail to analyze and address relevant information
that contradicts your point of view, you are committing an ethical
error of omission.
Decide how to deal with that information. Is it strong
enough to make you modify your point of view? Is it weak
enough that you can argue against it? Does it bring up a problem
that you can solve? To be ethical, report the information, cite
the source, and then argue against it or provide a solution to the
problem the source raises. For example, you could suggest that
the company implement a reporting process that documents
employees’ actual work hours. By addressing potentially nega-
tive information, you demonstrate your integrity as a business
communicator as well as your ability to think critically and solve
problems.
primary research The process of
collecting your own data from original
sources.
secondary research The process of
searching published reports, articles, and
books for information other people have
collected.
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FIGURE 3.7 Selecting the Best Medium to Communicate Your Message
MEDIUM ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Face to Face
(one-to-one conversation)
• Allows personal explanation targeted to an individual
• Provides for immediate feedback
• Is not efficient for disseminating information to
many people
• Is not usually permanently documented
(recorded)
Meeting
(several people)
• Disseminates information to many people
• Provides for immediate feedback
• Is documented by minutes
• Can be difficult to schedule
• Is time consuming—takes employees away from
assigned duties
Telephone • Allows personal explanation targeted to an individual
• Allows short messages to be delivered via voice mail
if individuals are not at their desks
• Can provide for immediate feedback if the person
answers the phone
• Is time consuming if individual calls need to be
made to several people
• Is not usually permanently documented
(recorded)
Text Message,
Instant Message
• Allows quick communication
• Creates a permanent record (if saved)
• Is not efficient if message is long,
complex, or sensitive
• Does not ensure immediate feedback
Email • Allows quick communication
• Disseminates information to one or many people
• Creates a permanent record if saved or printed
• May not be a private and secure medium for
sending sensitive content
• Does not ensure immediate feedback because
not everyone checks email regularly
Memo
(printed hardcopy to
audiences within the
organization)
• Can accompany original documents or forms that
need signatures
• Can be used for employees who have no access
to email
• Creates a permanent record
• Incurs costs to copy to many people
• Is delivered more slowly than email
• Does not provide for immediate feedback
Letter
(formatted on letterhead
and either mailed or
emailed to audiences
outside the organization)
• Projects a more “official” or formal image than email
• Can accompany original documents, such as
forms with signatures
• Can be emailed as an attachment for fast delivery
• Creates a permanent record
• Incurs cost of letterhead and postage
• Takes at least a day to deliver unless emailed as
an attachment
• Does not provide for immediate feedback unless
emailed as an attachment
Newsletter
(printed hardcopy,
html-designed email,
or attachment)
• Disseminates a lot of information to many people
simultaneously
• Creates a permanent record
• Incurs cost to copy and distribute by mail
• Does not provide for immediate feedback
Website • Makes information available to anyone with access
• Can be password protected to limit access
• Enables combinations of text, video, and audio
through podcasts, MP3 files, webcasts, webinars,
and webconferencing tools
• Is easy to keep up to date
• May provide for feedback (by linking to feedback
forms)
• Is not effective with audiences who have limited
Internet access
• Requires the audience to access the site
• May not reach the audience
• Does not provide for immediate feedback
• May not provide a permanent record, unless web
files are archived
Social Media:
Networking Websites
(for example, Facebook,
LinkedIn)
• Allows you to communicate to a community of people
who have linked with you and expressed an interest
• Allows interactive communication
• Is easy to keep up to date
• Requires the audience to access the site
• May not reach the audience
• May reach unintended audiences
Social Media: Wikis,
Blogs, and Microblogs
(for example, Twitter)
• Disseminates information to many people
simultaneously
• Encourages discussion
• Is easy to keep up to date
• Allows interactive communication
• Provides a complete record
• Is not effective with audiences who have limited
Internet access
• Requires the audience to access the site or
actively request messages be sent to them
• May not reach the audience
What are the benefits of analyzing? 81
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SQ2 What is involved in composing?
Composing involves more than just putting your thoughts into words. Composing in-
cludes organizing the content so that it is understandable from the audience’s perspective,
putting that content into coherent sentences and logical paragraphs, selecting a medium
that is professional, and then designing a format that makes the communication easy to
follow.
Composing is much easier if you have effectively analyzed your communication situa-
tion first. However, even a simple and well-planned message benefits from at least two drafts.
The first draft allows you to get your thoughts on paper. The second draft allows you to refine
your thoughts and pay more attention to evaluating the language and grammar. More complex
messages may require more drafts to make the message complete, clear, and persuasive. This
section helps you think through some key elements of the composing process: deciding when
and where to compose, organizing the message, drafting the message, and designing a profes-
sional format and delivery.
Deciding when and where to compose
When you write a short email or plan a brief telephone call, you may not need to analyze how
you will manage your time or control your environment. However, when you are preparing a
complex report or presentation, you’ll benefit from making good decisions about the following
factors:
1. Time management. How much time will you need to compose? If you’re working on a
lengthy document or presentation, spread the time across a few days to balance your
workload and ensure “down time” between drafts to give you a more objective perspective
of the content.
2. Environment. Are you able to concentrate on your writing in a quiet location with no distrac-
tions? Or are you more effective in an energetic atmosphere with sounds and movement, such
as a crowded coffee shop? Select an environment that helps you focus.
3. Interruptions. If the phone rings or someone stops by your office, will you stop composing to
chat? If your mind wanders while writing, will you be tempted to check your email? If you are
easily distracted, make a point to control your environment and focus on your task.
A more effective composing process will result in a more effective message.
Organizing the message
Whether you compose a short email or create a detailed presentation, every message you pre-
pare needs an organization that is logical and easy for your audience to follow. Outlining is
an all-purpose tool that can help you plan this organization. An outline allows you to break
a topic into major ideas and supporting details and then list that content in the order you will
present it. Figure 3.8 is an example of a traditional outline with several sections, each with a few
items. Figure 3.9 provides two short outlines, one for an email message and the other for a meet-
ing discussion. Finally, Figure 3.10 illustrates a tree chart outline that provides a visual context
about how the information is connected.
After you plan the overall organization of your communication, consider where you want
to place the main idea. In most business situations, stating the main point directly at the begin-
ning of the message is better than placing it after the details. Audiences will become impatient
if they don’t know why you are communicating with them and how the details support your
message. Figure 3.11A on page 84 illustrates a direct organization. However, in some circum-
stances, it may be more effective to lead up to the main point, using an indirect organization
as illustrated in Figure 3.11B on page 84—for example, when you communicate unexpected
negative news, when you anticipate that your audience will be resistant to your message, or
when you need to provide explanation before your main point makes sense. In the figures, note
the difference in the subject line—the line in the header of the email that communicates what
the message is about and influences whether the audience will read the message. In the direct
approach, the subject line previews the main message of the email. In the indirect approach,
the subject line just introduces the topic.
Compose
direct organization The method of
arranging content in a message to present
the main idea of the message before the
supporting details.
indirect organization The method of
arranging content in a message to present
the supporting details before the main idea.
subject line The line in the header of an
email that communicates what the message
is about and influences whether the audi-
ence will read the message.
outline An organizational plan that identi-
fies key topics in the order they will be
presented.
New Hires @ Work
Shruti Shah
University of Florida
Operations Analyst Development
Program Intern @ JPMorgan
Chase
In composing, I first think
about my audience and tailor
my salutation, message, and
closing accordingly. I use ac-
tive verbs and clear, succinct
sentences that get the mes-
sage across quickly and
accurately. If the message
is long, I break it into
separate sections with
headers and bullets.
The overall purpose
is to be clear and
concise, but
thorough.
Photo courtesy of Shruti Shah
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FIGURE 3.10 Tree Chart Outline
Improved
Morale
Reduced
Turnover
Increased
Productivity
Survey
Employees
Develop
Policies
Create
Assessment
Plan
Supporting Information
Topic
Main Sections
If you are a visual thinker, you might organize your communication using a tree chart, which lets
you see the hierarchical structure and connections between your ideas.
ImplementationBenefits
Proposal for a Flexible Summer-Hours Work Schedule
Introduction
Detailed
Description
outline for a proposal
Proposal for Summer-Hours Work Schedule
PURPOSE: To propose that ABC Communication’s Sales Department adopt a summer-
hours work schedule between June 1 and August 31.
Introduction
• Statement of problem
• Proposed solution
Detailed Description of Proposed Summer-Hours Work Schedule
• Flextime options emphasizing core workday hours
• Suggested policies to ensure balanced staffing
Benefits (documented by primary and secondary research)
• Increased employee morale
• Reduced employee turnover rates
• Increased employee productivity
Implementation Plan
• Survey employees to assess flextime preferences
• Develop policies and procedures
• Create an assessment plan
FIGURE 3.8 Traditional Outline
83
This traditional outline format
summarizes information gathered
for a report about a summer-hours
schedule. Long documents, such
as reports or proposals, may
require several heading levels with
multiple points under each topic.
FIGURE 3.9 Short Outlines
(A) NOTES FOR PLANNING
AN EMAIL
(B) OUTLINE FOR
DISCUSSION AT A MEETING
Notes for Email to Cherilyn
SUBJECT: Update on Summer-Hours
Schedule Proposal
• Ask for feedback on attached rough draft
• Briefly explain research gathered to date
• Outline information to be included
• Thank her for taking time to provide input
Not every outline needs to be
elaborate. This figure illustrates
an outline for a short, informative
email message. Each bullet point
will become a short paragraph in
the email message.
Outlining the content for a short
discussion during a meeting may
require a list of questions you will
answer.
Overview of Summer-Hours Schedule
Proposal
1. What is a flexible summer-hours
schedule?
2. How will the company benefit from
the schedule?
3. How will we avoid/overcome potential
problems?
4. When/how will we implement the
schedule?
5. How will we assess the schedule’s
effectiveness?
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FIGURE 3.11 Direct and Indirect Messages
INDIRECT ORGANIZATION
Cherilyn Martins
Research Supports Bene�ts of Flexible Schedule
According to a number of highly respected sources,
implementing a �exible work schedule can be a very effective
method of attracting and retaining employees. It also may
improve productivity.
A Scripps news article about the future of the workplace
(Erickson, 20XX) offers evidence that creative work schedules
are successful tools for attracting and retaining top talent.
The article further suggests that, given today’s
telecommuting capabilities, “face time is irrelevant …
and … balancing work and family is the priority among
today’s workers.”
The Center for Services Leadership (20XX) also supports
�exible work schedules (throughout the year) to “simultane-
ously achieve the seemingly con�icting goals of becoming
more �exible in employee work arrangements [while]
controlling costs and enhancing service.”
Finally, the Society for Human Resource Management argues
employees who have the option of �exible schedules have
fewer sickness-related absences, thus improving productivity
and pro�ts.
None of the research revealed negative consequences of
offering a �exible work schedule. Please let me know if you
need additional information to support your presentation of
our recommendation to upper management.
Cherilyn Martins
Industry Perspective on Flexible Schedules
DIRECT ORGANIZATION
A
B
As you requested, I researched several external resources
about industry’s perspectives of �exible work hours.
A Scripps news article about the future of the workplace
(Erickson, 20XX) offers evidence that creative work schedules
are successful tools for attracting and retaining top talent.
The article further suggests that, given today’s
telecommuting capabilities, “face time is irrelevant … and …
balancing work and family is the priority among
today’s workers.”
The Center for Services Leadership (20XX) also supports
�exible work schedules (throughout the year) to “simultane-
ously achieve the seemingly con�icting goals of becoming
more �exible in employee work arrangements [while]
controlling costs and enhancing service.”
Finally, the Society for Human Resource Management argues
employees who have the option of �exible schedules have
fewer sickness-related absences, thus improving productivity
and pro�ts.
All this research suggests that implementing a �exible work
schedule offers substantial bene�ts at very low or no
additional cost. None of the research revealed negative
consequences of offering a �exible work schedule. Please
let me know if you need additional information to support
your presentation of our recommendation to upper
management.
FIRST PARAGRAPH:
State main idea
SUBJECT LINE:
Preview main message
MIDDLE
PARAGRAPHS:
Provide support
LAST PARAGRAPH:
FIRST PARAGRAPH:
State the purpose
SUBJECT LINE:
Introduce the topic
MIDDLE
PARAGRAPHS:
Provide details
LAST PARAGRAPH:
Imagine that you presented the summer-hours proposal to your supervisor in a
meeting, and she requested that you email her some follow-up research to
provide an industry perspective of the advantages and disadvantages of summer
hours. If your supervisor liked your proposal, you would organize your email
directly. Note that in a direct email, the subject line previews the main message
of the email.
Use a DIRECT organization to emphasize the main idea
if the audience will have a positive or neutral reaction.
Conclude with any or all of the following:
• Restate main point
• Add a call to action
• Provide deadlines and contact information
Conclude by stating the main idea and any or all of the following:
• Restate main point
• Add a call to action
• Provide deadlines and contact information
If your supervisor was skeptical about your proposal, you would organize your
email indirectly with the main idea after the supporting details. Note that in
the indirect approach, the subject line is more neutral and indicates only the
purpose and topic.
Use an INDIRECT organization to explain the reasons before
the main idea if the audience will be resistant to your idea.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 3.11’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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What is involved in composing? 85
Drafting the content
If you are speaking, drafting means saying your message aloud or in your head so that you can
hear it and evaluate it. If you are writing, drafting involves getting the information on paper
(or the computer screen). Drafting is a creative process. Using your outline as a guide, you can
begin to draft freely knowing that your first draft will not be your final product.
During the drafting stage, writers often experience problems that block their progress.
If you feel each sentence has to be perfect before you begin the next one, you suffer from
perfectionist syndrome. To solve this problem, ignore the editor in your brain while you write
and focus on getting words on the page without revising them. Switching between drafting
and revising is inefficient because the two activities require very different mental processes. In
contrast to the creative process of drafting, revising is a logical process that involves evaluating
the effectiveness of your message in relation to your audience and purpose, and then making
changes in content, organization, or wording, as necessary. Assuming you have given yourself
sufficient time to draft and revise, you can be more creative in your drafting and more logical
in your revising if you separate the activities.
A second problem you may experience when drafting is writer’s block: an inability to be-
gin to write or continue writing, which is often a result of procrastination or impatience. Using
the ACE process will help reduce the problem. Additionally, you can try several techniques to
unblock your thoughts:
1. Free write. Write down anything that comes to mind regardless of whether it is appropriate or
even meaningful. You might create some content that is usable, even if you won’t use all of it.
See Figure 3.12 for an example of free writing.
2. Think aloud. Rather than writing, you may find it more helpful to get your ideas out by speak-
ing anything that comes to mind. Some writers find it useful to record their thoughts, play back
the recording, and then type the most important points they hear.
3. Write the easiest parts first. You don’t have to begin your draft with the first sentence or even
the first paragraph. Begin at any point in the document that is easiest, and then cut and paste
or insert text throughout the writing and evaluating process.
Whether you are free writing, thinking aloud, or writing the easiest parts first, you may find
that once you have some words on the page, the rest of the content more easily falls into
place.
Designing a professional format and delivery
After you have composed your message, arrange it into a professional format that is easy to
read and understand. A document’s format plays a role similar to your dress and behavior
in face-to-face communication. If the style looks professional, then it communicates to an
FIGURE 3.12 Example of Free Writing
free writing
Okay … I need to start the introduction of this report with a statement of the problem and
the purpose of the report. There really wasn’t a serious problem, but the summer-hours
plan sounded like a good idea to me. A friend told me about it at his company, I mentioned
it to some colleagues here, and they thought I should recommend it. So what’s the
problem? Well, low morale could be contributing to our typical third-quarter sales slump.
The summer numbers are always the lowest each year. I can document this with the data I
collected from the last 10 years. But since I found that data after I started the research, it
shouldn’t really be the problem we’re trying to solve, just a possible benefit of the
schedule. So the summer flex hours could be a solution that boosts morale and productiv-
ity thereby potentially increasing third-quarter sales. If I start with that in the introduction
and then support the idea with findings from sources in the middle, I could close with a
recommendation to try summer hours and assess its effect on both morale and sales.
revising A logical process that involves
evaluating the effectiveness of your mes-
sage in relation to your audience and pur-
pose and then making changes in content,
organization, or wording, as necessary.
writer’s block An inability to begin or
continue writing.
drafting A creative process that involves
getting information on the paper or computer
screen before revising and editing it.
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audience that you are professional. If the format is difficult to read or confusing, then it under-
mines your credibility.
Although the specific techniques you use for designing your message will depend on the
medium you choose, some design principles apply to all medium options. For example, good
business communicators do the following:
• Start with an easily-identifiable introduction
• Break messages into short chunks (paragraphs)
• Begin each paragraph with a strong topic sentence that identifies the main point or overall
idea of the paragraph
• Indicate shifts in content by using headings or transitional terms such as first and second or as
a result
• Use bullet or numbered lists for easy comprehension and skimming
• End with a specific conclusion or recommendation
The following sections provide examples of professional formats for email messages, memos,
letters, voice mail messages, and social media postings. Other chapters discuss methods of
creating professional formats for longer and more complex documents, such as reports and
presentations. For a comprehensive formatting guide, see Appendix A: Formats for Business
Documents, or visit mybcommlab.com.
Email messages
Business email messages should focus on only one topic, which is clearly identified in the sub-
ject line. However, one topic does not mean the message should contain only one paragraph.
Consider the two versions of the email message in Figure 3.13. Both messages contain the same
information—the subject line and sentences are identical. However, the design is very differ-
ent. Examine the layout. Which one looks more readable? Which one looks better organized?
Which one looks more professional?
When you write longer emails, you can enhance the organization and design even further
by using five important techniques:
• Clearly identify the topic and purpose in the subject line.
• Begin with a focused first paragraph.
FIGURE 3.13 Poorly Designed versus Professionally Designed Email Messages
EFFECTIVE
John: Please review the attached revised policies for our proposed summer-hours
work schedule. We will discuss these revisions plus any additional revisions you
propose at our next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 10. If you have the
opportunity to review the revisions and suggest additional changes by the 8th,
please send me your input so I can update the agenda. Otherwise, plan to
present your �ndings at the meeting on the 10th. Thank you for your time
and effort to help us with this proposal. Sincerely, Tonya
John:
Please review the attached revised policies for our proposed summer-hours
work schedule. We will discuss these revisions plus any additional revisions
you propose, at our next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 10.
If you have the opportunity to review the revisions and suggest additional
changes by the 8th, please send me your input so I can update the agenda.
Otherwise, plan to present your �ndings at the meeting on the 10th.
Thank you for your time and effort in helping us with this proposal.
Sincerely,
Tonya
Tonya Wyoll
Assistant Manager, Sales
ABC Communication, Inc.
PH: (419) 555-4533
FX: (419) 555-4501
Summer-Hours Policy Changes Summer-Hours Policy Changes
John Harris
INEFFECTIVE
topic sentence A sentence that
identifies the main point or overall idea of
the paragraph. Most frequently, it is the first
sentence in a paragraph.
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• Use topic-specific headings.
• Format important lists as bullet point lists.
• End with a signature block.
The email in Figure 3.14 illustrates all these techniques.
Memos
Memos are hardcopy documents typically sent to internal audiences—people within your
organization. Before email existed, organizations relied on memos for most internal commu-
nication. Today, you are likely to see memos accompanying documents that cannot be sent
electronically, such as booklets, pamphlets, or contracts and legal documents that require sig-
natures. You may also see people producing memo reports if they have important information
that is too long for a typical email message but too short for a formal report with a title page
and table of contents.
topic-specific headings Section or
paragraph titles that are short but include
key ideas. They are often in the form of a
short sentence and include a verb.
bullet point lists Vertically formatted
lists, with each item preceded by a dot or
other simple shape.
memos Hardcopy documents, following
a set format, typically sent to internal
audiences.
internal audiences People with whom
you communicate inside your organization.
What is involved in composing? 87
FIGURE 3.14 How to Format and Design an Email
Cherilyn Martins
Summer-Hours Work Schedule Proposal
summer_hours_proposal
Cherilyn:
At our last department meeting, we brie�y discussed how a summer-hours work schedule
might improve employee morale. I’d like to propose that we try a summer schedule this year.
I believe this change will be very easy and will bene�t our company. This email summarizes
the detailed content in my attached proposal.
How the Schedule Will Work
The summer schedule will begin on June 1 and end on August 31. During those months,
employees can choose to work a normal 9 AM to 5 PM day or come in and leave an hour
earlier (8 AM to 4 PM). This means all employees will be present during the core hours of 9 AM
until 4 PM, when we are busiest. It also means we will not need to adjust lunch hours or
breaks, since the proposed hours are very similar to our current working hours.
Benefits of a Flexible Summer Schedule
In an informal survey, departmental employees responded very positively to the prospect of
having more �exibility in their schedules. In addition, industry research shows that �exible
work hours do the following:
• Attract top talent
• Reduce employee turnover
• Control costs
• Improve productivity
Next Steps
Please let me know if you need additional information or if you would like me to revise the
proposal before next week’s management meeting. I look forward to your response.
Regards,
Tonya
Tonya Wyoll
Assistant Manager, Sales
ABC Communication, Inc.
PH: (419) 555-4533
FX: (419) 555-4501
Clearly identify the topic and
purpose in the subject line.
Begin with a focused first
paragraph that identi�es your
purpose and previews your
content. Strong �rst paragraphs
are increasingly important as more
people read emails on mobile
devices with small screens. No
one wants to scroll to �nd the
main idea of the message.
Use topic-specific headings or
paragraph titles that are short but
include a key idea. For example,
instead of using a generic heading
such as “Bene�ts,” compose a
topic-speci�c heading such as
“Bene�ts of a Flexible Summer
Schedule” to help the audience
immediately grasp the content of
the paragraph.
End emails with a complimen-
tary closing, your name, and a
signature block. The signature
block helps readers quickly �nd
your contact information.
Format important lists as bullet
point lists to make the informa-
tion easy to skim. The listed
items should be parallel—each
using the same grammatical
structure. In this list, each item
begins with a verb.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 3.14’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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Figure 3.15 provides a memo version of the email message in Figure 3.14. As the annota-
tions on this figure explain, memos have a lot in common with emails. For more detailed
advice on formatting memos, see Appendix A: Formats for Business Documents, or visit
mybcommlab.com.
FIGURE 3.15 How to Format a Memo
TO: Ms. Cherilyn Martins, Vice President, Sales
FROM: Ms. Tonya Wyoll, Assistant Manager, Sales
DATE: February 12, 20XX
SUBJECT: Summer-Hours Work Schedule Proposal
At our last department meeting, we brie�y discussed how a summer-hours work schedule might
improve employee morale. I’d like to propose that we try a summer schedule this year. I believe
this change will be very easy and will bene�t our company. This memo summarizes the content in
my detailed proposal, which is attached.
How the Schedule Will Work
The summer schedule will begin on June 1 and end on August 31. During that period,
employees can choose to work a normal 9 AM to 5 PM day or come in and leave an hour earlier
(8 AM to 4 PM). This means all employees will be present during the core hours of 9 AM until 4 PM,
when we are busiest. It also means we will not need to adjust lunch hours or breaks, since the
proposed hours are very similar to our current working hours.
Benefits of a Flexible Summer Schedule
In an informal survey, departmental employees responded very positively to the prospect of
having more �exibility in their schedules. In addition, industry research shows that �exible work
hours do the following:
• Attract top talent
• Reduce employee turnover
• Control costs
• Improve productivity
Next Steps
Please let me know if you need additional infor mation, or if you would like me to revise the
proposal befor e next week’s management meeting. I look forward to your response.
Attachment
memoWrite a header block similar to
that of an email, with the lines in
this order: To, From, Date, Subject.
Follow each of these headings
with a colon and then tab to add
content. The words following the
colon are left-aligned.
Do not include a salutation.
This is a difference between
emails and memos.
As in emails, use short
paragraphs and, if applicable,
headings to make the content
easier to skim.
If any additional documents
accompany the memo, include
the word “Attachment” at the
end of the memo.
Do not include a complimentary
closing or signature block.
letters Formal correspondence, generally
intended for external audiences. Letters
can be sent through postal mail or by email
attachment for quicker delivery.
external audiences People with whom
you communicate outside your organization.
Letters
In contrast to memos, which are intended for internal audiences, letters are generally intended
for external audiences—people outside your organization, such as customers or clients. A let-
ter is considered a more formal method of communication than an email message or memo.
As a result, letters are also used for internal communication when the situation calls for for-
mality. For example, you might receive a letter offering you a promotion, or you might write a
formal letter of resignation if you were leaving a job.
When letters are sent as hard copies, they are printed on company letterhead. Letters can
also be sent electronically as email attachments. In fact, many companies often use electronic
letterhead templates so that letters attached to emails will look the same as printed letters. An
attached letter maintains the formality of the message, while the email transmission takes ad-
vantage of the quick delivery and electronic documentation.
Several letter formats exist, such as block style, modified block, and simplified. However,
block style, as shown in Figure 3.16 and throughout this text, is the most efficient letter style and
the one most commonly used in business. Block-style letters use no indentions or centering.
Instead, all elements begin at the left margin. Paragraphs are separated with a double space.
For guidelines for formatting letters and examples of modified block style, see Appendix A:
Formats for Business Documents, and the resources on mybcommlab.com.
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Voice mail messages
You may think it is odd to consider the design of oral communication because design is typi-
cally considered visual concept. However, voice mail messages will be easier to understand if
you follow the same principles used in designing emails: focus on one topic, keep the message
short, make the main point easy to find, and provide contact information. Take a few minutes
to plan your message before calling. Figure 3.17 on page 90 illustrates two voice mail messages.
Although the version on the left is more formal than the version on the right, both include the
relevant elements described in the annotations.
FIGURE 3.16 How to Format a Letter
O : ( 4 1 9 ) 5 5 5 – 5 5 6 3 q u e r i e s @ c o n s u l t p r o . c o m
F : ( 4 1 9 ) 5 5 5 – 5 5 6 4 w w w . c o n s u l t p r o . c o m
March 21, 20XX
Ms. Tonya Wyoll
Assistant Manager, Sales
ABC Communication, Inc.
114 Main Street West
Newberry, OH 43431
Dear Ms. Wyoll:
Thank you for your interest in our consulting services. I enjoyed our telephone
conversation yesterday and am enclosing our proposal for the professional
development workshop “Engaging Customers with Social Media.”
The goal of this workshop is to help sales professionals harness the power of
social media to increase sales. Participants in this workshop will learn to use
social networks to find sales prospects, get past electronic gate keepers, create
a customer community, and drive customers to your website. Our clients report
that the techniques they learn in the workshop are both easy to implement and
effective.
Please contact me at r.nelson@consultpro.com or 555-5563 at your convenience
to discuss the workshop in more detail or to schedule a session. I look
forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Regina Nelson
Training Director
Enclosure
letter
Prepare your letter on
letterhead stationery.
Center the content vertically
between the letterhead and
the bottom of the page. The
first line of content is the date.
The date is followed by three
blank lines.
Below the date, include the
name and address of the
recipient, called the inside
address.The inside address is
followed by a blank line.
Include a salutation. Saluta-
tions in a business letter
typically use the word “Dear”
before the recipient’s name.
However, some contemporary
writers omit “Dear.” End the
salutation with a colon,
followed by two blank lines.
Begin all paragraphs at the left
margin with no indentation.
Leave extra space between
paragraphs.
End the letter with a compli-
mentary closing, such as
“Sincerely,” followed by three
blank lines to make room for
the signature before the typed
name and title.
Add an “Enclosure” notation if
you are including one or more
additional documents in the
same envelope.
What is involved in composing? 89
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FIGURE 3.17 How to Compose a Voice Mail Message
FORMAL VOICE MAIL INFORMAL VOICE MAIL
Hello, Ms. Nelson. This is Tonya Wyoll
from ABC Communication. My number is
419-555-4533.
I am calling in response to the proposal for
professional development that you sent
recently. I have discussed this with my su-
pervisor and would like to arrange a date
for the workshop.
Again, this is Toyna Wyoll. Please call me
at 419-555-4533. I look forward to talking
with you soon.
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Greet the recipient by name to
personalize the message.
Identify yourself and include your
affiliation or position if the audience is
not familiar with you. Leave a callback
number if you want a return call.
State your purpose and main point.
Let your audience know why you are
calling.
Follow up with details. Use signal
words to help your audience keep track
of ideas. If you say at the beginning
of the message that you want to talk
about two topics, mention each of those
topics by signaling them with words
such as “first” and “second.”
Identify actions. Do you want your
audience to return your call, send you
something, or do something else? If you
are requesting an action, be both polite
and specific.
Provide contact information. Even
if you state your contact information
at the beginning, repeat it, and speak
slowly when leaving your telephone
number. Your audience should not
have to listen to your message again
to be able to write down the complete
number to call.
Sign off by saying goodbye.
Hi, John. This is Tonya.
I’m calling to check on dates when people
in your department are available for a pro-
fessional development seminar on social
media. We’d like everyone in your depart-
ment to attend.
Let me know two or three dates that will
be convenient. If you can send the informa-
tion by Wednesday, I’ll be able to confirm a
date with the presenter.
Please call me at extension 5-4533.
Thanks.
Bye.
CULTURE
COMPOSING FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE
When communicating directly with people from a different coun-
try or culture, think about cultural differences as part of the ACE
process. As you analyze your audience, consider how familiar they
are with American English, how your message will be perceived
when translated into a different language, and whether your mes-
sage reflects or clashes with the culture’s values. To avoid cultural
missteps, ask these three questions:
• Is the translation accurate and natural-sounding? When
Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its first restaurants in China,
the Chinese people liked the food but did not appreciate
the slogan. When translated into Mandarin, KFC’s “Finger
Lickin’ Good” slogan literally meant “Eat your fingers off.”4
• Is the content culturally appropriate? The California Milk
Processor Board found that the familiar “Got Milk?” ads
offended Hispanic consumers. Instead of seeing the ads as
comical, Hispanics found the idea of a Latino mother run-
ning out of milk to be insulting because it implied she was
not taking good care of her family.5 The Milk Processing
Board developed a more culturally effective campaign, with
the slogan “Family, Love, and Milk.”
• Will the visual images communicate as you intended? The
stylized version of the word “Air” printed on Nike Air shoes
offended Muslims because the image resembled the Arabic
word for Allah.6
If your company specifically targets global markets or interna-
tional customers, it’s important to follow standard conventions,
such as those outlined by Tangient LLC’s wiki titled “Editing for
International Audiences”7 and Cultural Savvy, a leading cross-
cultural consulting firm:8
• Use simple words to promote clear understanding. Define
terms that may be confusing and use them consistently
throughout the message.
• Avoid long sentences and complex phrases.
• Maximize visuals and minimize text to communicate your
message more quickly—after all, “a picture paints a thousand
words.”
• Evaluate the message from a non-native speaker’s perspective.
Look for any wording that may be difficult to understand.
Even when you’re not communicating directly to an international
audience, keep in mind that people around the globe who are con-
nected online may see the messages and images that you post to
social media sites, your company’s website, and other electronic
outlets.
For a CULTURE exercise, go to Exercise 26 on page 112.
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How does evaluating improve your communication? 91
SQ3 How does evaluating improve your communication?
The final step in the ACE process is to evaluate your communication to ensure it is complete,
clear, concise, professional-sounding, and correct.
Evaluation may occur at different points for written and oral communication. When you
write, you are able to evaluate these elements before delivering your message. Take the time
to reread, revise, and edit your written drafts several times before sending them. If you skip
the evaluating stage of writing, even for short messages, your message could include incom-
plete thoughts, awkward sentences, and grammatical errors that computer editing tools such
as spelling and grammar checkers may miss. In addition, by the time you get to the end of your
first draft, you may discover new ideas about what to say and how to say it. The evaluating
phase gives you the opportunity to make those changes before you send the message.
By contrast, oral communication allows you to evaluate while you are delivering the mes-
sage based on immediate feedback you receive. Imagine that you are making a point in a meet-
ing. As you look around the room, you can gauge your audience’s reaction and begin to adjust
or revise your explanation on the spot. Written communication does not provide this type of
immediate feedback or the opportunity to revise your message as you are communicating it.
This section describes five ways to evaluate your communication: evaluating for content,
evaluating for clarity and conciseness, evaluating for style and tone, proofreading, and using
feedback to improve your future communication.
Evaluating content helps you achieve
your purpose and outcome
As a first step in the evaluating process, reread the entire document from the audience’s per-
spective. Think about the analysis stage of the ACE process and the purpose and outcome you
identified for the communication. Ask yourself if the document has the right information and
the right approach to achieve your goal:
• Are your purpose and your main point clear? Underline your purpose and main point. If you
cannot find explicit statements to underline, you need to revise your draft.
• Have you provided all the information you need to support your purpose? Consider all the
pieces of information you believe your audience will need to know and mark each of them in
your draft. If any information is missing, revise. If you cannot imagine what your audience will
need to know, ask friends or colleagues to provide feedback.
• Will the organization of that information make sense to the audience? Read the topic sen-
tences of each paragraph. Does each topic sentence identify the main idea of the paragraph?
Do the details of the paragraph relate to the topic sentence? Does the progression from one
topic sentence to the next seem logical?
• Is the message persuasive enough to be successful? If your message is intended to be persua-
sive, identify key objections your audience may have. Also identify audience benefits. Addi-
tional persuasive techniques are addressed in Chapter 5: Communicating Persuasive Messages.
Evaluating for clarity and conciseness
improves comprehension
Achieving clarity means your audience can easily understand your intended meaning. When
language is unclear, the audience may need to read it multiple times and may still misinterpret
the text. To evaluate your writing for clarity, review and edit it to ensure that it complies with
the following advice:
• Use natural-sounding language rather than big words intended to impress. One of the first
mistakes many new employees make is to try to impress their audience by using big words in
long sentences. The best business writing communicates its meaning as quickly and as simply as
possible. People are rarely impressed by writing that is long and difficult to understand, such as
the poorly worded sentences in Figure 3.18 on page 92. The clearly worded sentences in that figure
have the same meaning, but use natural-sounding language that the audience can easily grasp.
• Use concrete language rather than abstract language. Abstract language refers to broad
concepts that an audience can interpret in multiple ways. Consider the sentence “We need
to solve the transportation problem ASAP.” In this sentence, the terms “transportation” and
clarity The quality of being unambiguous
and easy to understand.
abstract language Language that refers
to broad concepts that an audience can
interpret in multiple ways.
ACE
Evaluate
New Hires @ Work
Alison Clark
University of Florida
Assistant Buyer @ Macy’s
I spend more time evaluating
my messages than compos-
ing them. The details affect
audience understanding and
perception, so I evalu-
ate everything—even
short emails—and
revise to ensure the
message meets my
purpose and pro-
motes goodwill.
Photo courtesy of Alison Clark
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“ASAP” (as soon as possible) are abstract. What do they mean? A dictionary defines transpor-
tation as conveyance (carrying, moving, shipping, or hauling), but does everyone think of the
same kind of transportation when they visualize the word? Probably not. Does “ASAP” mean
by today, or by the end of the week, or whenever you have the time to do it? Concrete language
is specific. The more concrete the language is, the more likely it is that you and your audience
will interpret the same message in the same way. Here is a better way to word the original sen-
tence: “By tomorrow morning, we need to determine why trucking shipments are leaving the
warehouse one to two days late.”
If you have trouble looking for the right word to express your meaning, you can use your
word processing software’s thesaurus to identify options. A thesaurus is a reference tool that
provides synonyms and antonyms. Synonyms are words that have the same or similar mean-
ing, such as “quickly” and “rapidly.” Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings, such
as “clear” and “confusing.” However, choose carefully among the words that you see in the
thesaurus, and look up unfamiliar words in the dictionary before using them. Even when a
thesaurus lists two words as synonyms, they may not have the exact same meaning. For ex-
ample, a thesaurus usually lists the word “privileges” as a synonym for “benefits.”9 However, if
you were writing about “employee benefits,” you could not simply swap the word “privileges”
for “benefits.” “Employee benefits” has a different meaning than “employee privileges.”
• Use active voice instead of passive voice. Voice refers to the relationship between the subject
and verb in a sentence. In active voice sentences, the subject performs the action of the verb.
subject verb
ACTIVE VOICE: The employees completed the project early.
In passive voice sentences, the subject does not act. Instead, the subject receives the action
expressed by the verb.
subject verb phrase
PASSIVE VOICE: The project was completed early.
Good business communication relies on active voice because active voice is clearer and more
concise. However, passive voice works well when you do not want to assign blame. For ex-
ample, instead of “Camilla misfiled the contract” (active voice), you can say “The contract was
misfiled” (passive voice). Passive voice also works well when you want to emphasize a certain
word by making it the subject of the sentence. For example, instead of “Roger scheduled the
meeting for Friday at 2 pm” (active voice), you can focus on the meeting by saying “The meet-
ing is scheduled for Friday at 2 pm” (passive voice).
• Avoid slang and clichés. To communicate effectively in business, you need to use words that
your audience will understand. Slang is nonstandard, informal language that may work well
within a certain group but often excludes people from different countries, cultures, and so-
cial groups. Examples of slang include “cool,” “my bad,” “off the chain,” “plugged in,” and “go
missing.” Clichés are commonplace and often overused phrases that have lost their force and
meaning. Like slang, clichés are also specific to cultures and languages, and they may exclude
international audiences. Would a businessperson who learned English in India or China un-
derstand the clichés in Figure 3.19?
Conciseness is as important as clarity. Concise communication is short and to the point,
expressing ideas clearly in the fewest possible words. In business communication, shorter is
usually better. As explained by entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki, managing director of Garage Tech-
nology Ventures, schools “should teach students how to communicate in five-sentence emails
and with 10-slide PowerPoint presentations. If they just taught every student that, American
business would be much better off.” He goes on to say, “No one wants to read ‘War and Peace’
FIGURE 3.18 Using Natural
Language
POORLY WORDED CLEARLY WORDED
• Please apprise me of what transpired
during my absence.
• Please tell me what happened while
I was gone.
• I sincerely appreciate your exertion on
this critically important endeavor.
• Thank you for your work on this
important project.
conciseness The quality of using no
more words than necessary for a message
to accomplish its purpose.
concrete language Language that is
specific, making it likely that everyone will
interpret it the same way.
active voice A sentence structure in
which the subject performs the action of
the verb.
passive voice A sentence structure in
which the subject is passive and receives
the action expressed by the verb.
slang Nonstandard, informal language
that may communicate well within a certain
group but often excludes people from differ-
ent countries, cultures, and social groups.
clichés Commonplace and often overused
phrases that have lost their force and
meaning.
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FIGURE 3.19 Eliminating ClichésCLICHÉ MEANING
• His proposal is all over the map. • His proposal is disorganized.
• The bottom fell out of that investment. • The investment lost money.
• Hiring him was a bad call. • Hiring him was a bad decision.
emails. Who has the time? Ditto with 60 PowerPoint slides for a one-hour meeting.”10 The fol-
lowing advice will help you reduce wordiness in your writing and speaking:
• Edit wordy phrases. When possible, replace multiple words with a single word. Figure 3.20
provides examples of how you can edit wordy phrases to be more clear and concise.
• Eliminate obvious fillers and any information that is not necessary or helpful to achieve
your purpose. When you include extra words and unnecessary information, you waste your
time as you compose the message as well as the audience’s time as they read or listen to it.
Consider the examples in Figure 3.21.
• Eliminate redundancies, the unnecessary repetition of an idea. Consider the examples of
redundancies in Figure 3.22 (redundant phrases appear in the left column).
FIGURE 3.20 Using Concise
Wording
WORDY CONCISE
• This email is in reference to our approval
of your prior request . . .
• We approve your request . . .
• Enclosed in this mailing you will find
three photocopies . . .
• Enclosed are three copies . . .
• If you have any questions, please do not
hesitate to contact me at . . .
• Please contact me if you have any
questions . . .
FIGURE 3.21 Eliminating
Unnecessary Words
WORDY CONCISE
• As you know, we met yesterday to discuss
next year’s budget. Based on the auditor’s
review, I recommend that we . . .
• Based on the auditor’s review of our
budget, I recommend that we . . .
• As your assistant manager, I am sug-
gesting that we review our departmental
procedures.
• I suggest we review our departmental
procedures.
• There are three people who will attend the
meeting.
• Three people will attend the meeting.
FIGURE 3.22 Avoiding
Redundancies
REDUNDANT CONCISE
• Please refer back to the minutes from your
last department meeting.
• Please refer to the minutes from our
last department meeting.
• Advance planning on your project will
allow our departments to combine
together our resources and divide up the
work to be done.
• Good project planning will allow our
departments to combine resources and
divide the work.
• The first issue we need to address is travel
reimbursement. Travel reimbursement is
an important issue to address because
nearly 70% of our employees have ex-
pense accounts.
• First, we need to address travel
reimbursement because nearly 70% of
our employees have expense accounts.
redundancy Unnecessary repetition of
an idea.
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Evaluating for style and tone helps you project a
professional image
Style refers to how you express yourself rather than what you say. Do you use positive or nega-
tive language, big or small words, long or short sentences, strong active verbs or weak passive
voice? The style you choose will affect the tone of your communication. Tone is the image your
language projects about you based on how the message sounds to the audience. Tone in writing
is similar to your tone of voice when you speak. Your tone can be friendly or angry, positive or
negative, formal or casual, professional or unprofessional, courteous or rude.
As you work on conciseness and clarity, your style will become more professional.
You can also improve your style and tone by using positive wording and sounding
conversational.
• Use positive wording. Whenever possible, effective business writers choose positive word-
ing to communicate their messages, even in negative situations. Positive wording creates
an optimistic, encouraging, and often more informative message. For example, consider
the sentences in Figure 3.23. The sentences on the left focus on the negative meaning of the
messages. Note how in each example subtle changes in wording on the right focus on the
positive meaning.
• Sound conversational. Business writing should be conversational rather than academic. Aca-
demic writing often sounds too formal for everyday communication. Conversational writ-
ing style uses relatively short sentences and familiar words. When read aloud, the text should
sound as if the writer is talking with the audience. This style is especially important in social
media messages where the goal is to create interaction and build a positive image about your
corporate brand.
To test the power of reading out loud to achieve a conversational style, see the examples in
Figure 3.24. Read the sentences on the left aloud. Would you speak this way to someone? Prob-
ably not. The sentences on the right convey the same meaning but with a better conversational
style. Use this style of writing in all your messages—both written and spoken.
Another way to test whether your writing is using a conversational style is to use the read-
ing level analysis tool included with Microsoft Word. This tool assesses the readability of your
writing based on sentence length and the number of long, multisyllabic words it contains and
FIGURE 3.24 Using Conversational
Style
TOO FORMAL CONVERSATIONAL
• Henceforth all documentation is to be
completed within two business days.
• Please complete all forms within two
business days.
• As per your instructions, I have initiated
discussions with the previously identified
employees.
• I began talking with the employees you
mentioned last week.
• This new policy will facilitate the
implementation of more beneficial
scheduling decisions.
• This new policy will let us schedule
shipments more efficiently.
FIGURE 3.23 Using Positive
Wording
NEGATIVE POSITIVE
• We will not be able to approve a new
budget until the analysis is complete.
• We will be able to approve a new
budget when the analysis is complete.
• The board has not yet voted on the
salary increases.
• The board will vote on the salary
increases at the next meeting.
• If you do not sign the form before 5 pm,
we will not be able to fund your travel
request.
• If you sign the form before 5 pm,
we will be able to fund your travel
request.
style How you express yourself.
tone The image of yourself that your
language projects based on how the
message sounds to the recipient.
New Hires @ Work
Megan Sugrue
Northwestern University
Social Media Coordinator @
Viacom International Media
Networks
For social media, the lan-
guage you use depends on
the audience you’re address-
ing. For example, MTV’s
target audience is young
people ages 14 to 24.
The language we use
is their language—
we aim to sound
like a friend, not a
business.
Photo courtesy of Megan Sugrue
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Evaluating for correctness increases your credibility
You can spend hours writing a report, but if it is full of errors, your audience may focus more
on your mistakes than on your message. Even an email with typographical errors can give your
audience the impression that you lack attention to detail. A quick scan of a document is not
sufficient to catch problems. Instead, proofread by checking your documents carefully and
systematically for all types of errors, and take advantage of technology tools, such as spelling
and grammar checkers.
FIGURE 3.25 Examples of Reading
Levels
INAPPROPRIATE APPROPRIATE
Grade Level 12.3:
Henceforth, all documentation is to be
completed within two business days.
Grade Level 14.8:
As per your instructions, I have initiated
discussions with the previously identified
employees.
Grade Level 16.6:
This new policy will facilitate the imple-
mentation of more beneficial scheduling
decisions.
Grade Level 5.2:
Please complete all forms within two
business days.
Grade Level 6.0:
I began talking with the employees you
mentioned last week.
Grade Level 8.3:
This new policy will let us schedule
shipments more efficiently.
proofread A systematic process of
reviewing writing for errors.
How does evaluating improve your communication? 95
Familiarize yourself with five types of errors
Most writing errors fall into one of five categories: content errors, spelling and typographical
errors, usage errors, grammatical errors, or format errors.
• Content errors are mistakes in the substance of a message, such as incorrect or missing infor-
mation. To avoid content errors, make a mental list of all things that need to be included and
correct in your document, and review to check them—for example, prices, dates and days of
the week, locations and times of meetings, and deadlines. Ask a colleague to help you proof-
read to provide a more objective perspective.
• Spelling and typographical errors result from lack of knowledge about how to spell words and
from typing too quickly, transposing letters, and duplicating letters. Don’t assume automated
spelling checkers will catch all your errors. Instead, look up spellings of unfamiliar words and
proofread carefully just for spelling errors and typos. Also double check addresses, telephone
numbers, and spellings of names.
• Usage errors are errors in the way language is used, such as using “imply” instead of “infer”
or “economical” instead of “economic.” It is difficult to catch these errors on your own; ask a
colleague to help you find them.
• Grammatical errors are violations of grammar rules, such as sentence fragments, run-on sen-
tences, and incorrect subject-verb agreement (just to name a few). Although automated gram-
mar checkers can help you identify these problems, the tools will sometimes miss errors and
suggest inappropriate changes. You will need to validate suggested changes, and review for
additional grammar errors on your own. To refresh your memory, review the grammar rules in
Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions and complete the grammar
exercises at the end of each chapter of this text.
• Format errors are inconsistencies in design techniques within a document, such as includ-
ing both indented and block-style paragraphs, bullets that do not align correctly, and dif-
ferences in font sizes or styles. To avoid formatting errors, reformat text copied and pasted
from other documents or paste it as unformatted text. Also, use tabs instead of spaces to
align text. Finally, take advantage of automatic formatting features, such as heading styles
and hanging indents.
then assigns your writing a grade level. Don’t assume that your documents should match the
grade level of your audience. Most messages should be written at the eighth-grade level or less
to keep your business writing short and simple. See Figure 3.25 for examples.
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Check systematically for errors
To check systematically for all these types of errors, follow these guidelines:
• Read your work multiple times. If you proofread just once for all errors, you most likely will
not find them all. However, if you narrow each proofreading to scan for a particular problem,
you will be more successful in finding your mistakes.
• Look for your own common errors. Most writers repeat the same kinds of errors based on
their individual writing style. Identify your common errors by reviewing your graded writing
assignments or asking your instructor for assistance. Make a list of these errors and look for
them in your drafts.
• Read your work later. If possible, put some time between your composing and evaluating
stages. Too often, writers quickly compose a first draft and immediately try to proofread their
work. Taking even a five-minute break can clear your thoughts and let you proofread with
a more objective and fresh perspective. Read each word and proofread slowly through the
message.
• Read from the bottom up. Start with the last sentence and read up the page sentence by sen-
tence. This backward approach slows your reading pace and lets you examine the information
out of context to help you find typos and missing words.
• Read your draft aloud. Generally, people speak more slowly than they read. Therefore, read-
ing your draft aloud slows your reading pace and helps you focus on the text and find more
errors. Also, when you hear what you have written, you are more likely to identify a missing
word or notice awkward phrasing.
• Ask a colleague for help. For a more objective perspective, ask a colleague to proofread your
draft. An objective reader can often find errors that you have overlooked. If you routinely proof-
read the work of others, you may want to familiarize yourself with the standard symbols that
professional proofreaders use to mark errors. (To learn proofreading marks, see Appendix E:
Proofreader’s Marks.)
Reviewing feedback helps you become
a better communicator
Whether you ask for it or not, you often get feedback that indicates how effectively you have
communicated. This feedback may take the form of a smile, a puzzled look, a phone call asking
for clarification, or compliance with your request. Even lack of response is a type of feedback.
One of the key advantages of social media communication is that it allows a company to get
continuous feedback on its communication and to adapt its message based on the audience’s
response. Tweets, Facebook postings, and social networking polls all allow companies to eval-
uate their communication as well as their business strategy and brands.11
To take full advantage of feedback, don’t wait for it. Instead, ask for it early in the commu-
nication process and use it to evaluate and revise your communication strategy. For example,
when you share your summer-hours proposal with your supervisor, she may suggest that you
reorganize your content, include additional possible disadvantages, or develop an assessment
plan as part of the proposal. This feedback will require you to spend more time analyzing,
composing, and evaluating, which may be disappointing if you thought you were done with
the writing process. However, the additional work will lead to a more successful proposal.
Also, pay attention to more subtle feedback that you may receive without asking. For ex-
ample, if you email someone but do not receive a response, what does that mean? Did the
audience not receive the message? Or did they choose not to read it because the subject line
didn’t capture their attention? If you send driving directions to a friend and he gets lost, did he
read the directions incorrectly, or were the directions ambiguous? Reviewing the feedback you
receive will help you make better decisions the next time you communicate.
President Barack Obama reading and
editing a speech
Official White House photo by Pete Souza.
Courtesy of Flickr.
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Each reviewer’s
tracks and
comments are
identified by
different colors.
Comments are
inserted in the
margins to
identify
concerns.
Reviewers’
comments are
also identified
by their initials.
Changes are
tracked in
colors to show
suggested
revisions.
TECHNOLOGY
USING “TRACK CHANGES” TO GET FEEDBACK ON A DRAFT
When you ask others to review your writing, the track changes
feature in many word processing programs is a useful tool. Rather
than printing a hard copy of a draft and marking the changes by
hand, your coworkers can make their changes electronically.
As you can see in the following example, the track changes
feature allows you to make corrections, suggest content to add
and delete, and insert comments. The comment boxes include the
reviewers’ initials so you know who is making the comment. Ad-
ditionally, the word processing program automatically assigns dif-
ferent colors to each reviewer so you can easily see who made what
comment or change. You can then review the suggested changes
one by one and accept or reject them. You can also review each
comment, make appropriate changes, and then delete the comment
from the document. When completing the final draft of a collabor-
atively edited document, accept all the remaining tracked changes,
delete all the remaining comments, and then save the file to avoid
sending a message that allows the audience to see your edits.
For a TECHNOLOGY exercise, go to Exercise 24 on page 111.
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◾ In summary, the ACE process will help you communicate more effectively
by ensuring that you analyze, compose, and evaluate in a systematic way. In the following
chapters, you have an opportunity to apply this process to a range of business communica-
tions, from short routine messages through complex reports and presentations. Short email
messages may take only a few minutes to analyze, compose, and evaluate; more complex mes-
sages will require more time. However, as you become an experienced communicator, you
will increasingly be able to go through each step of the process more quickly and effectively,
regardless of the length or purpose of your communication. If you follow the process well, your
messages will more likely achieve your purpose and project a professional image.
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ACE @ work 99
ACE @ WORK Coca-Cola Company
Social media has revolutionized how people communicate.
Facebook, for example, has more than 800 million users
who use the site to stay in touch with family, friends, and
coworkers. Like individuals, companies recognize and use
the power of social media to communicate in creative
ways. The Coca-Cola Company is world-renowned for
being an effective user of social media. For many years,
Coca-Cola has ranked first in the number of Facebook fans
among all companies. As of October 2014, Coca-Cola had
almost 90 million likes. Redbull was a distant second with
45 million.12
Coca-Cola has achieved this level of social media
participation—an average of 5,000 social media conversa-
tions a day about the Coca-Cola Company13—by following
a well-designed social media strategy that involves collabo-
rating with customers to build stories about the brand.14
The ACE communication model can help us understand
how Coca-Cola achieves its social media goals.
• Analyzing. According to Jonathan Mildenhall, Coca-
Cola’s Vice-President of Global Advertising Strategy
and Creative Excellence, Coca-Cola’s goal is to com-
pose the “world’s most engaging content” by telling
verbal and visual stories about Coke that are so lively,
positive, and “contagious” that they encourage people
to tell their own Coke stories, earning Coca-Cola a
“disproportionate share of popular culture.” Being suc-
cessful at this strategy requires Coca-Cola to analyze
which stories will provoke interest and show people’s
emotional attachment to the brand and determine
which technology platforms—or mediums—can best
tell the story. A YouTube video about a Coke Happi-
ness Machine, which generated more than 15,000
“likes,” is the kind of social media entry that prompts
people to tell their own Coca-Cola stories.15
• Composing. How does Coca-Cola go about compos-
ing stories that provoke interest and encourage others
to tell Coke stories? The company uses an approach
it calls “dynamic storytelling.” This approach involves
breaking a story down into small incremental ele-
ments that can be dispersed through multiple social
media channels to involve its audiences in a conversa-
tion about the brand. Consumer responses via social
media expand the story. On Flickr, consumers are in-
vited to post photographs—visual stories—of their ex-
periences with Coca-Cola.16 On the “Heritage” portion
of the Coca-Cola website and on Facebook, consum-
ers are invited to share their verbal stories.17
• This distribution of creativity expands connectivity,
empowers consumers, and creates new content. Ac-
cording to Mildenhall, “consumer-generated stories
outnumber Coca-Cola company-generated stories on
most of our brands.”18
• Evaluating. Coca-Cola continuously monitors all of
its social media communication. Coke’s social me-
dia team reads consumers’ stories and feedback to
evaluate the success of the social media strategy as
a whole, and to respond to individual issues as they
arise. In addition, Wendy Clark, Coke’s Senior Vice
President of Integrated Marketing, states that Coke
answers every question posted to the Twitter account,
which requires more personnel than its customer ser-
vice telephone lines.19
Clearly, Coca-Cola has leveraged social media outlets
as an effective method of communicating. CEO Muhtar
Kent stated, “The world of communication is evolving at
a fast pace. . . . Today consumers are much more empow-
ered. You need to communicate with them. . . . [We have]
the largest Facebook page of any single brand—and it
wasn’t even created by us. . . . Five years ago social media
was 3% of our total media spending. Today it’s more than
20% and growing fast.”20
picturesbyrob/Alamy
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This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
Suppose your employer asks you to inform everyone in the Customer
Relations department about an upcoming workshop on communica-
tion skills. You quickly create the following flyer and post copies on the
break room bulletin board and in the cafeteria.
Communication Skills
Workshop
Wednesday, November 2 @ 2:30 PM
Training Room A
Although your department includes 60 people, when you arrive for the
workshop only 4 people are there. What went wrong? How could using
ACE help improve the communication results?
What Is the Desired Outcome?
Your supervisor may have simply instructed you to tell the employees
about the workshop, but what is the desired outcome? Your supervisor
wants most of the department’s 60 employees to attend. Simply telling
employees that the workshop exists will not achieve that outcome. You
need to persuade them.
What Content Does the Audience Need?
What will the audience need to hear to persuade them to attend? To
answer this question, you need to analyze the audience and anticipate
their questions and objections.
The 60 employees from the Customer Relations depart-
ment are usually busy. They also may believe they are already good
communicators—after all, they are in Customer Relations. They will
attend a workshop only if they are required to do so, if they believe they
will benefit, or if they believe they will enjoy the workshop. Here are
some questions that will be on their minds when they hear about the
workshop and some possible objections they may have to attending.
Possible Questions:
• Is this workshop required?
• Is the presenter good?
• How long will the workshop last?
• Will it be worthwhile?
• How will I benefit from attending?
• Will my manager be upset if I don’t attend?
Possible Objections:
• I have too much work to do.
• I studied communication in school.
• Somebody needs to answer the phones.
• I’m not interested.
• A workshop won’t help me get promoted.
Question 1: What other questions and objections can you antici-
pate? If you revised the message, which questions and objections
would you want to address? Are there any you would choose not to
address? If so, why?
Which Medium Is Best?
You realize now that a flyer was not the most effective way to commu-
nicate about the workshop because some people simply walk past flyers
without reading them. What other options would be better?
Question 2: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the fol-
lowing other options: making an announcement on the company’s
internal website, sending a memo to each employee, sending an
email to each employee, calling each employee?
How Can I Structure My Content?
Assume that you decide to send an email and now have the challenge of
structuring the content. The next page shows a draft.
Question 3: Review how the ACE process led to the improved
message on page 101 by answering the following questions.
Analyzing:
1. What information in the revised version addresses the need for
persuasion?
2. How does the email message emphasize reader benefits?
3. What content appears in the email that was not included in the
original flyer? Why is that content useful?
Composing:
4. Is the information in the email organized effectively? Explain.
5. What determines which information goes in which paragraph?
6. How would you decide whether to organize the content directly
or indirectly?
Evaluating:
7. In evaluating content, are there additional persuasive points you
could add?
8. Does this email message use clear and concise wording as well as
professional tone and style?
CASE SCENARIO
Using ACE to Improve Communication Results
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9. Which elements promote a conversational style?
10. When proofreading this email, which content elements would you
proofread for accuracy?
11. Is the message designed well? Explain.
12. Would you keep the current subject line or would you revise it?
Explain.
email
Customer Relations Distribution
Communication Workshop – November 2
Please mark your calendars for 2:30 PM on Wednesday, November 2, and plan to attend a
To All Customer Relations Employees:
two-hour workshop on Effective Communication Skills, facilitated by Fiona Barnes of MSA
Consulting. The workshop will be held in Training Room A.
Those of you who attended Fiona’s session on CyberEthics know how engaging her
presentations are. Wednesday’s session will cover the basics of the communication process. It will
also offer effective communication strategies that you can use on the telephone, in writing,
and in meetings.
Because communication is so important in our work every day, management is expecting
everyone in the department to attend. Employees from other departments are welcome, too.
Please respond before 5 PM on November 1 by replying to this email.
Thanks,
Dale Levitz, Office Manager
ABC Communication
dlevitz@abccomm.com
(419) 555-4525
Case scenario 101
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How does evaluating improve your
communication? (pages 91–98)
When you evaluate, you assess whether your communication
will be effective and then make changes to improve it.
• Evaluating content helps you achieve your purpose and
outcome. Check to ensure that your main point is clear, you
have included all the information you need, the organiza-
tion will make sense to the audience, and the message is
persuasive enough to be successful.
• Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves
comprehension. Audiences more easily understand
language that sounds natural, is concrete and unambiguous,
and uses no more words than necessary. To achieve clarity,
eliminate abstract wording, unnecessary passive voice, and
slang and clichés. To achieve conciseness, eliminate wordy
phrases, fillers, and redundancies.
• Evaluating for style and tone helps you project a
professional image. Use positive wording. Do not be overly
casual, but keep a conversational style.
• Evaluating for correctness increases your credibility.
To improve your proofreading skills, familiarize yourself
with the different kinds of errors: content, spelling
and typographical, usage, grammatical, and format.
Systematically check for these errors, and take advantage of
technology tools.
• Reviewing feedback helps you become a better
communicator as it helps you identify places to improve
your communication.
What are the benefits of analyzing?
(pages 77–81)
Analyzing puts you in a position to compose a message that
achieves your goals.
• Analyzing the purpose focuses the message. Develop an
outcome-oriented purpose statement, consider how you will
maintain goodwill, and determine whether your message
will need to be persuasive.
• Analyzing the audience helps you meet their needs. Think
about what the audience needs to know, how they will ben-
efit from your message, and what objections they may raise.
Consider both the primary audience and possible secondary
audiences.
• Analyzing the content ensures a complete message. It
helps you determine whether you have enough informa-
tion or need to conduct additional primary or secondary
research.
• Analyzing the medium helps you choose the best delivery
option—such as an email, memo, or social media—to en-
sure that your message reaches your audience effectively.
• Designing a professional format and delivery requires
that you consider specific formatting techniques for emails,
memos (for internal audiences), letters (for external
audiences), voice mail messages, and social media postings.
When appropriate, use topic-specific headings to signal the
structure and meaning of the document.
Study Questions in Review
SQ1
SQ3
End of Chapter
SQ2 What is involved in composing?
(pages 82–90)
Composing is an interactive process involving the following
steps:
• Deciding when and where to compose begins by consider-
ing how to manage your time, choose the best composing
environment, and minimize distractions.
• Organizing the message requires that you determine the
overall structure of the communication. Long documents
may benefit from using a multilevel outline. To organize
short documents, you can use a more informal outline.
When organizing, also decide where to state the main point.
Messages can be organized either directly (main idea first)
or indirectly (supporting details before main idea).
• Drafting the content is a creative process. Save revising (a
logical process) until later. Use strategies like free writing
and thinking aloud to avoid writer’s block.
102
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Visual Summary
FIRST DRAFT
To ALL: We need to reschedule our meeting for next week.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
thnx, dale
REVISED DRAFT
To All Budget Committee Members:
We need to reschedule our budget meeting. Are you available on
Thursday, September 13, at 2 PM?
The accounting department is backlogged and won’t have the pro-
jections we need to make informed decisions about the budget
until Wednesday.
Please reply to all before you leave the office so I can finalize our
meeting arrangements. I will email an update tomorrow morning to
confirm the day/time and location.
Thank you,
Dale
Dale Levitz, Office Manager
ABC Communication
dlevitz@abccomm.com
(419) 555-4525
First paragraph clearly states
the purpose of the message.
Middle paragraph provides
details.
Closing requests a response.
Complimentary closing
is professional.
Signature block includes contact
information.
First draft is quickly written with
only the writer in mind.
Revised draft considers audience needs
and uses the ACE process to achieve
a more effective message.
103
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3ANALYZING
• What is the purpose of the
message and what do
I want the outcome of
this communication to be?
• Who is my audience and
what do they need to know?
• What do I need to say or write in
order to meet audience needs and
achieve the desired outcome?
• Where can I get additional information
if I need it?
• What is the best medium for this
message based on the audience and
content?
COMPOSING
• How can I organize the
message logically?
• Where should I state
the main point: at the
beginning (direct orga-
nization) or toward the end (indirect
organization)?
• How can I make the organization clear
using topic-specific headings and
good paragraphing?
• How should I format this mes-
sage to support my purpose and be
professional?
EVALUATING
• Is the information com-
plete, concise, clear, and
correct?
• Have I anticipated and
addressed my audience’s
questions and concerns?
• Is the tone appropriate?
• Is the message well organized and
designed so that the audience can
skim the text and follow the flow of
my logic?
• Is the message professionally
formatted and effectively proofread?
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104 Chapter 3 | Managing the Communication Process: Analyzing, Composing, Evaluating
Abstract language p. 91
Active voice p. 92
Analyzing p. 76
Audience p. 78
Audience benefits p. 78
Bullet point list p. 87
Clarity p. 91
Clichés p. 92
Composing p. 76
Conciseness p. 92
Concrete language p. 92
Content p. 76
Direct organization p. 82
Drafting p. 85
Evaluating p. 76
External audiences p. 88
Goodwill p. 77
Indirect organization p. 82
Internal audiences p. 87
Letters p. 88
Medium p. 76
Memos p. 87
Outcome p. 77
Outline p. 82
Passive voice p. 92
Persuasion p. 78
Primary audience p. 78
Primary research p. 80
Proofread p. 95
Purpose p. 76
Redundancy p. 93
Revising p. 85
Secondary audience p. 78
Secondary research p. 80
Slang p. 92
Style p. 94
Subject line p. 82
Tone p. 94
Topic sentence p. 86
Topic-specific headings p. 87
Writer’s block p. 85
Key Terms
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 Why is analyzing your purpose important to composing an effec-
tive message?
2 Explain the difference between the primary audience and the sec-
ondary audience.
3 What is the difference between primary research and secondary
research? Describe a business communication situation in which
you would want to research both sources of information to sup-
port your message.
4 Why is it important to consider your audience when analyzing
your medium options?
5 Why is direct organization usually the better choice for business
communication?
6 Explain the difference between being complete, being clear, and
being concise.
7 Compose a sentence that uses passive voice. Revise the sentence
to use active voice.
8 How do the following types of errors differ: content errors, spell-
ing errors, typographical errors, usage errors, grammatical errors,
and format errors?
9 Explain how reviewing feedback helps you improve your commu-
nication strategy.
10 Why should you leave some time between the composing and
evaluating stages?
Review Questions
1 Think about the last paper, report, or business email you wrote.
What percent of your writing time did you spend on each ele-
ment of the ACE process (Analyzing, Composing, and Evaluat-
ing)? Will you change your approach in the future? Explain why
or why not.
2 Analyzing your audience helps you compose effective messages.
However, sometimes you may need to communicate with people
you do not know. What methods can you suggest to learn about
and analyze an unfamiliar audience?
3 Assume that you work for a company that designs and manufac-
tures uniforms and protective equipment. Your company would
like to expand its offerings and is considering manufacturing fire-
fighter uniforms. As part of the research necessary to make this
decision, your supervisor has asked you to gather information
about the market for these uniforms. How big is it? Is it growing
or shrinking? In your research, you found this statement on the
Education-Portal.com website: “According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, www.bls.gov, the occupation of firefighter is projected
to grow faster than the average for all occupations.” However, you
also found several newspaper sources on the web that cite shrink-
ing budgets and personnel cutbacks in fire departments. How
would you present this conflicting information in your report?
Would you need to do any additional research on the topic before
composing? If so, what questions would you research? [Related to
the Ethics feature on page 80]
4 Assume that you work at a bookstore near campus and would like
to propose to your supervisor that the bookstore stay open two
hours later each evening during the week. You need to choose
whether to write your proposal in an email or to request a face-to-
face meeting. Your supervisor has no preference about how you
communicate. Which medium would you choose and why?
5 Refer to question 4 and assume that when you either write or
speak to your supervisor proposing expanded evening hours, you
decide to organize your message indirectly, building up to the
main point. Because you are using an indirect organization, what
content can you include in the introduction of the email or open-
ing of the conversation that will help your audience follow your
logic and understand where you are going? Provide an example.
Critical Thinking Questions
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Chapter 3 End of Chapter 105
6 Assume you work for a supervisor who generally prefers to receive
email messages rather than have face-to-face meetings. Identify at
least two circumstances in which you believe it would be better to
request a meeting to discuss an issue rather than send an email.
Explain your rationale.
7 Assume you work in an academic department at your school as
a work study student, and your department chairperson wants
to enhance communication with all students through social me-
dia. Currently email blasts are sent to all students to inform them
of department events and deadlines. However, the chairperson
knows that students don’t read their email as often as they check
social media. Consider which social media options would be most
effective in sharing department information with students. Ex-
plain your rationale.
8 Retrieve a recent email message that you wrote to someone other
than your family and friends. Do you believe that the email
portrays a professional image? If so, what elements of the email
create that image? If not, what elements undermine that image?
9 Retrieve and read three email messages (or a class paper) you re-
cently wrote, and begin to create your personal list of common
errors. To help you identify them, ask a colleague to help you as-
sess your messages, or seek assistance from your school’s writing
center. What kinds of errors do you frequently make? How can
you ensure you do not continue to make these errors in the future?
10 Much of the advice about evaluating in this chapter refers to writ-
ten communication. What are some ways that you can evaluate
your oral communication, for example, when you speak at a meet-
ing or interview, leave a voice message, or give an oral presenta-
tion? Consider things that you can do in advance of delivering
the oral message, things that you can do while you are delivering
the message, and things you can do afterward that will help you
improve your communication in the future.
What are the benefits of analyzing? (pages 77–81)
1 Analyzing the purpose focuses the message
For each of the following business communication situations, (1) iden-
tify a desired outcome, (2) identify whether achieving that outcome
will require persuasion, and (3) explain your reasoning. For those situ-
ations that require persuasion, list at least two audience benefits that
would make your message more persuasive.
a. Informing department employees of a new form to use when re-
questing expense reimbursement.
b. Convincing your supervisor to create a new staff position in your
department.
c. Informing a subordinate of his frequent tardiness and poor per-
formance, and encouraging improvement.
d. Documenting a subordinate’s tardiness and poor performance
and recommending the employee’s termination in a memo report
to your supervisor.
e. Informing department employees of a mandatory change in vaca-
tion policy: If vacation days are not used by the end of the year,
they will be lost.
2 Analyzing the audience helps you meet their needs
Currently your company does not provide company cell phones for
members of the sales force who travel as part of their regular job re-
sponsibilities. Instead, salespeople are required to submit monthly re-
imbursement requests for business-related calls made on personal cell
phones. This process is time-consuming for salespeople. You would like
to propose that the sales department purchase cell phones for all sales-
people to use for business calls only and then simply pay the monthly
bill. What questions and objections do you think the sales force will
have about this proposal? How will you address the objections?
3 Analyzing the content ensures a complete message
Your supervisor asks you to give a brief presentation at your company’s
annual sales meeting that analyzes sales trends for each of the com-
pany’s three regions over four years. You collect the data about gross
sales and then create the following exhibit.
As you look at the graph, you realize it will raise questions during
the presentation and that you should prepare answers. What questions
and observations about sales do you think your graph will raise? What
additional research would you do to answer those questions?
Key Concept Exercises
4 Analyzing the medium helps you choose the best
delivery option
For each of the following scenarios, identify which medium would be
the best choice to communicate your message. Select your choice from
the list of medium options in Figure 3.7 on page 81 or other options
you deem appropriate. Explain your reasoning.
a. Your employer leaves a message on your voice mail asking you to
work overtime this weekend, but you plan to attend your cousin’s
out-of-town wedding. What medium would you use to explain
why you can’t work overtime?
b. You are developing a new procedure manual for the sales associ-
ates in your department and need input on several issues from
your department manager and training staff. What medium
would you use to gather the input you need?
c. Your supervisor approves your request to schedule a one-hour
yoga class each Wednesday after work. This class is ongoing. How
do you (1) inform all the employees of this new program and
(2) keep publicizing the program throughout the year?
d. You ordered 14 boxes of 8 1/2″ × 11″ copy paper from a local of-
fice supply store, but you received 11 boxes of 8 1/2″ × 14″ legal
paper. After you talk with Paul, an associate manager of the store,
he personally delivers the 14 boxes of standard copy paper to your
office, carries the boxes into your supply room, and retrieves the
boxes of legal paper—all within an hour of your initial contact.
You are so impressed with Paul’s personal attention and quick ser-
vice that you want to inform his supervisor. How do you contact
Paul’s supervisor to recognize his efforts?
e. The weekly Wednesday yoga classes have been so popular that
your supervisor suggests expanding the program to include
weekly healthy living tips, fitness information, and healthy recipe
SQ1 100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Million $
North America
South America
Europe
Years
2012 201320112010
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Accompanies Exercise 3
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c. How is it organized? Does the organization make sense to the au-
dience? What would make the organization clearer?
d. Is the message persuasive enough to be successful? Does it stress
audience benefits? Does it answer key objections the audience
may have?
10 Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves
comprehension
Edit the following sentences to improve their clarity and conciseness.
a. The emergence of the Information Age and its corresponding
technology has forever modified our societal norms and the
methodologies of conducting business in today’s world of Cor-
porate America.
b. Computer technology and its associated software applications in
conjunction with the widespread usage of the World Wide Web
have had the most profound and visible effects of any invention
in modern history.
c. Technologies have dramatically impacted and modified our com-
plex communication systems, exchanges of information, and our
commercial endeavors.
d. As technology permeates nearly every facet of business entities,
the question is whether today’s college students receive adequate
information and assistance as they prepare for the high-tech
world of business.
e. A multitude of employers are now testing prospective employees
prior to employment to determine if their information technology
knowledge and skill levels will meet or exceed their technology
expectations in terms of meeting their workplace needs.
f. For people in the workforce who lack the absolutely essential
knowledge and skills to succeed in today’s highly competitive
world of work, many institutions of higher learning are now be-
ginning to offer distance-learning courses at an astronomical rate.
g. Of the thousands of public universities that offer distance learning
and online educational courses at the collegiate level, many are of
the opinion that they are meeting the needs of tomorrow’s workforce
when in fact they are providing good content, but not the interper-
sonal skills students need to be successful in workplace situations.
h. At the same time that the greater society in general and the world
of academia in particular race to stay abreast of the wealth of new
technologies and the newest software and hardware available,
they appear to be unable to stem the tide of the growing and dan-
gerously pervasive problem of unethical computer use that per-
meates society.
i. It is incredible to believe that for some people the ethical problems
of piracy, identity theft, and computer fraud were unexpected
surprises.
j. Our morals and values can become subjective considering that
what one believes is morally incorrect may not be conceived as
such by someone else.
11 Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves
comprehension—active voice
Edit the following sentences to change passive voice to active voice.
(Note: You will need to supply a subject for the active verbs in some
sentences.)
a. The proposal was written by the marketing team based on in-
depth research.
b. The decision was made to extend overtime allowances by 10
percent.
ideas. How do you deliver this information to your employees
each week? Explain how your choice of medium would change if
the size of your audience changed: 50 employees, 500 employees,
and 5,000 employees.
SQ2 What is involved in composing? (pages 82–90)
5 Deciding when and where to compose
Assume you are interning part-time for a marketing company this se-
mester while taking classes. Your supervisor’s project team is working
on an ad campaign for a new client that produces big and tall men’s
apparel. In preparation for the team’s initial brainstorming session next
week, you’ve been asked to gather preliminary information about the
client’s leading competitors. You’ve researched the three companies
that currently dominate the market and have gathered sample TV ads,
website screen shots, and print media sources. You need to create a
five-page report that summarizes your research. The report is due in
seven days. How much time do you estimate you will need to compose
and evaluate this report? How would you spread that work over the
seven days?
6 Organizing the message
Compare the email messages on page 107. Email A is organized di-
rectly, and Email B is organized indirectly. Note that the only differ-
ence between these two messages is the placement of the main idea:
“My analysis determined that Adaptive Solutions’ website is more ef-
fective based on its ease of use, comprehensive content, and general
appearance.”
a. Under what circumstances would Nichole choose to write a direct
message to Susan? Explain at least two circumstances.
b. Under what circumstances would Nichole write this same mes-
sage indirectly? Explain at least two circumstances.
c. Would you choose to be direct or indirect? Explain why.
d. How would you revise this message (regardless of whether it was
direct or indirect) to emphasize audience benefits?
7 Drafting the content
Select a topic you’re researching for a class or group project—or a topic
assigned by your instructor. Use free writing to fill at least a half page
(typed and single spaced). Print the page and review your free writing.
Then, in a separate paragraph, identify how you might use this free-
written material in your project.
8 Designing a professional format and delivery
Use the formatting techniques outlined in the chapter to improve the
draft letter from Kirchen Art Museum on page 108. Determine the best
place for paragraph breaks. Add headings if you believe they are useful.
Break up paragraphs into bullet points if you find lists.
SQ3 How does evaluating improve your
communication? (pages 91–98)
9 Evaluating content helps you achieve your purpose and
outcome
Refer to the Kirchen Art Museum letter on page 108 and evaluate it for
content, writing answers to the following questions.
a. Are the purpose and main point clear? Underline the statement
of purpose.
b. Does it provide the information needed to support the purpose?
What information does it include? Is anything missing?
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EMAIL A – DIRECT EMAIL B – INDIRECT
Susan:
Best,
Nichole
Nichole Perkins, Consultant
The Fields-Patterson Group
2376 Madison Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30345
www.fieldspatterson.com
PH: 404-555-2646
FX: 404-555-2601
Susan:
My analysis determined that Adaptive
Solutions’ website is more effective based on
its ease of use, comprehensive content, and
general appearance. Let me know if you
need a more detailed analysis of these two
sites. I look forward to working on our own
company’s web design team.
Competitors’ Website Comparison
s.mcewen@fieldspatterson.com
Competitors’ Website Comparison
s.mcewen@fieldspatterson.com
Best,
Nichole
Nichole Perkins, Consultant
The Fields-Patterson Group
2376 Madison Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30345
www.fieldspatterson.com
PH: 404-555-2646
FX: 404-555-2601
As you requested, I compared the websites of
our two main competitors: Creative
Communications (CC) and Adaptive
Solutions (AS). My analysis determined that
Adaptive Solutions’ website is more effective
based on its ease of use, comprehensive
content, and general appearance.
As you requested, I compared the websites
of our two main competitors: Creative
Communications (CC) and Adaptive
Solutions (AS).
The AS website uses a consistent navigation
format throughout its site. The CC menus
differ on several pages, which make finding
specific information very difficult. Additionally,
the AS website describes workshop topics,
provides sample PowerPoint demonstrations,
and links their handout examples. The CC site
lists their workshop topics with a brief
description of each, but does not provide
additional materials. Finally, the overall
appearance of the AS website is more
professional. The content is well organized
and the text is easy to read. I found it difficult
to find information at the CC site and had a
hard time reading the 10-point text.
The AS website uses a consistent navigation
format throughout. By contrast, the CC menus
differ on several pages, which make finding
specific information very difficult. Additionally,
the AS website describes workshop topics,
provides sample PowerPoint demonstrations,
and links their handout examples. The CC site
lists their workshop topics with a brief
description of each, but does not provide
additional materials. Finally, the overall
appearance of the AS website is more
professional. The content is well organized
and the text is easy to read. I found it difficult
to find information at the CC site and had a
hard time reading the 10-point text.
Let me know if you need a more detailed
analysis of these two sites. I look forward to
working on our own company’s web design
team.
c. Because two proposals were submitted, a meeting was scheduled
to discuss the differences.
d. The survey instrument was created to gather information about
the employees’ perspectives.
e. The report will be delivered tomorrow so a decision can be made
before the end of the week.
f. The problem can be solved only after the data have been analyzed.
g. His marketing plan was presented with very convincing support-
ing documentation.
h. Positive feedback about the presentation was received from the
clients.
i. The salary increase will be seen in your next pay check.
j. The retirement party for Ira will be held at the College Club next
week.
12 Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves
comprehension—eliminating slang and clichés
Edit the following sentences by removing the slang and clichés (in ital-
ics) to clarify the meaning. If you are unfamiliar with the cliché, look it
up online before editing.
a. Everyone in the department knows that the buck stops here.
b. His manager thinks she needs to dangle a carrot in front of him to
get anything done.
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c. Please take into consideration the fact that I will not be available
in the afternoon on the 8th.
d. I need advance notice to prepare a speaking presentation on the
basic fundamentals of this project.
e. We combined together the proposals, and after close scrutiny of
the results have come to the consensus of opinion that this project
will be our first priority.
f. Foreign imports are an essential necessity in our business.
g. We extend our grateful thanks that your future plans have secured
our company’s good success.
h. I sincerely believe we can solve the problem by hiring two knowl-
edge experts to work for a limited period of time.
i. He will refer back to the survey responses and separate out the
negative comments so we do not repeat the same problems
again.
j. Whether or not they agree with the temporary reprieve, this issue
still remains a problem.
c. Personally, I think this proposal will go gang-busters with upper
management.
d. She has really been a good soldier about the change in leadership.
e. The union representative said we need to sweeten the pot if we
want to end the labor strike.
f. He will be swimming with the sharks if he tries to present that pro-
posal to the management team.
g. If this stock offer is not accepted, we may take a bath.
h. To be successful in business, you really need to think outside the box.
13 Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves
comprehension—eliminate redundancies
Edit the following sentences to eliminate unnecessary words and
redundancies.
a. You asked me to provide you with my recommendation for the
new sales position, and I believe that Sarah Miller is the best
candidate.
b. Next month’s board meeting will be held on the second Tuesday of
the month, September 8.
letter
Dear Past Member:
Think spring. Think Impressionists. Our blockbuster exhibition—The Influence of
Impressionism—promises to be the finest exhibition on Impressionism ever assembled
by any museum in the past 40 years. So why not get ahead of the crowds? We want to
make sure you have exclusive access to this extraordinary show opening in March. In
fact, for immediate access to The Influence of Impressionism bring the enclosed reply
to the museum on March 18 or 19 to join and attend the Member Previews before the
exhibition opens to the public. As a member, you’ll also receive a members-only
behind-the-scenes experience by attending one of our exhibition lectures given by the
curator and private viewings of the exhibition the first hour of every day—and every
Thursday evening for members only. The Influence of Impressionism will surely be the
highlight of our year—and yours. This landmark exhibition will showcase nearly 250
pivotal paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints. The exhibit will include some of the
most famous works of artists like Matisse, Monet, and Degas. Remember, membership
benefits extend beyond special exhibitions. There are more than 260,000 works of art
in our collection for you to enjoy. Be part of it all and experience the benefits of
membership. These include free admission every day to the entire museum, dining in
our world class roof top restaurant, member discounts at all of our fabulous museum
stores, and access to our Members Lounge. Renew your membership today, and
mark your calendar for your exclusive member-only hours to visit The Influence
of Impressionism.
Sincerely,
Kara Waltman
Director of Annual Giving
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14 Evaluating for style and tone helps you project a
professional image—positive wording
Edit the following negatively worded sentences to sound more
positive.
a. He will not do well on the employment exam if he does not review
the company’s procedures.
b. The committee will not make their decision until next week.
c. The workers will receive no bonus if they do not submit their per-
formance evaluations on time.
d. If you do not present your corporate ID card at the new cafeteria,
you will not receive the 10 percent discount.
e. The project is not yet complete.
f. The reception will not be scheduled if the clients do not sign the
contract.
g. I cannot attend the meeting if this report is not finished on
time.
h. Because the construction plans were not delivered, we could not
determine a timeline for completion.
i. Please do not schedule meetings on Fridays because the sales as-
sociates can’t attend.
j. You do not have access to those documents because you neglected
to complete the registration form.
15 Evaluating for style and tone
helps you project a professional
image—conversational style
Edit the following sentences to im-
prove their conversational style.
a. We do not concur that an equally
advantageous investment oppor-
tunity will manifest itself again in
the future.
b. Scheduling of the meeting is
contingent upon affirmative re-
sponses from all constituents.
c. Kindly refrain from all inter-
ruptions for the duration of the
presentation.
d. Our clients’ allegiance rests upon
our satisfactory achievement of
performance criteria.
e. Utilize the most recently ap-
proved form to make your re-
quest to receive reimbursement
for your travel expenses.
f. Apprise the departmental work-
ers under your supervision that
their efforts have been rec-
ognized and duly noted with
appreciation.
g. We are satisfied with our pre-
identified levels for end-of-year
sales requirements.
h. I am curious as to your thought
processes concerning the amend-
ments to the proposal.
i. My opinion is that his work is not of the caliber to warrant promo-
tion to division manager.
j. I would appreciate your perspectives on this issue in support of
my decision-making process.
16 Evaluating for style and tone helps you project a
professional image—conversational style
Identify a paragraph that you find complicated and difficult to read
from any of these sources: a paper you have written for class, a docu-
ment you have written for work, an email you recently received, a text-
book, a flyer, a magazine, or a brochure. If you do not already have an
electronic copy of the paragraph, key it into your word processing soft-
ware. Using the application’s technology tools (or an online tool you
find through a web search), determine the grade level of the paragraph.
Then make a copy of the paragraph and rewrite it in a conversa-
tional style using simple words in short sentences. Determine the re-
vised version’s grade level. In a three- to five-minute presentation to the
class, display both the original and revised versions and describe how
you revised the paragraph to be more readable. Identify which version
you believe is most effective and explain why.
17 Evaluating for correctness increases your
credibility—proofreading
Proofread the IT department meeting minutes for the following types
of errors: content, spelling and typographical, usage, grammatical, and
IT Department Meeting Minutes
November 31, 20XX
Pat Wall, IT Division Manger, called the meeting to order at 2:05 pm. All IT Department
employees was in attendance.
New Position – Rick Smeldon from Human Resources reported that the new IT
position was posted November 1. Applications will be received through the first of the
year. The recruitment ccmmittee will revue applications in early January and plans to
conduct on-sight interviews during mid- to late Jnauary. HR plans to have the position
filled by February 1.
IT Procedures Manual – The corporate office has asked the Department to update the
IT Procedures Manual given change in policies and technology upgrades during the last
two years. Bonita Ramirez and Sammie Taylor will co-chair the commitee to revise the
current manual. Employees were asked to review and provide suggestion by the end
of the month. A draft willbe provided at the December Department meeting.
Holiday Party – Sheldon Miller volunteered to organize the Departments Holiday
Party. The date is yet to be determined but in holding with past tradition an after-hours
pot-luck event will be scheduled in the employee lounge. Everyone is asked to bring a
rapped gift ($10 limit) to exchange. Details will outlined by email in a few week. Flyers
will be posted as reminder.
Help Desk Requests. Pat Wall stated that although our help desk requests have
increased by 12% since last quarter. Unfortunately, we have not kept up with the
program. Our response rates declined by 8%. New initiatives were discussed, and will
be reiterated at our next department meeting.
Pat Wall adjourned the meeting at 1:55 pm
Respectully submitted by,
Jan Davis
Administrative Assistant
IT Department
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create an error. Do the results of this exercise change the methods you
will use for proofreading in the future? Summarize your findings in an
email message or memo to your instructor.
19 Reviewing feedback helps you become a better
communicator
Assume you are a manager at a bank in Chicago and want to market
new savings products to a growing Hispanic population. You are look-
ing forward to Carlos Sanchez joining your marketing team, because
he has experience working with this population. At the first team meet-
ing, you make several enthusiastic suggestions about ways to market
these products, and you expect Carlos and other teammates to debate
with you, point out weaknesses in your ideas, and make alternative
suggestions. However, Carlos remains quiet. He simply nods and says,
“That sounds like a good idea.” You can’t understand why he has so
little to offer. After the meeting, you mention your concern to another
colleague who suggests that Carlos is reluctant to disagree with you.
Since Carlos grew up in a Latin American culture, he may see himself
as below you in the hierarchy of the team and feel that contradicting
you may be disrespectful.
You want to use this feedback to help you revise your communi-
cation strategy for the next meeting, so that Carlos feels more com-
fortable contributing. Use your favorite web search engine to research
sources that provide information about working effectively with people
from Latin American cultures. Identify some different ways you might
begin the meeting so that Carlos can offer his perspective and sug-
gestions without worrying about disrespecting you. Summarize your
findings in an email message to your instructor.
format. Practice using the standard proofreading marks in Appendix E:
Proofreader’s Marks.
18 Evaluating for correctness increases your credibility—
checking systematically for errors
Type the following paragraph in a word processing software applica-
tion of your choice.
Do to recent security events, are technology
upgrades our scheduled to be implemented
at the beginning of next months. This
change requires you to ask yourself what
applications you current use and predicted
those you may knee during the next fiscal
year. How will you now what you what you
might need in the future? That is a difficult
question to answers. However, you’re in put
is necessary to assure that hour resources
our used correct. Thank in advance for
you’re effort too improve this process.
Enter the words and punctuation exactly as shown. Highlight any er-
rors that you see. Then run the application’s spelling and grammar
tools. Make a list of any (a) spelling errors that the spelling checker did
not find and (b) changes the grammar checker suggested that would
20 Using ACE to make a request
Assume you are a member of a student organization that wants to orga-
nize a business-dress fashion show for students on your campus. Select
a clothing store in your area that sells reasonably priced business attire,
such as suits, shoes, and accessories. You want to showcase the store’s
products in your fashion show by borrowing a dozen outfits and ac-
cessories (six for men, six for women) that will be modeled during the
show. Further, you would like a representative from the store to par-
ticipate in the fashion show by explaining the appropriate fit of cloth-
ing, such as the right length of a tie and the position of a cuff for men,
and the height of a heel, length of a skirt, and appropriate jewelry for
women.
Use the list of ACE questions in the Visual Summary on page 103
to work through the ACE communication process and determine how
you would communicate this message to the store manager. Then pre-
pare the communication. If you choose a written medium, write the
document. If you choose an oral medium, write a script.
After completely evaluating your final draft, print your message
and submit it to your instructor. On a separate sheet, also submit a
paragraph explaining how you implemented the ACE process and how
it helped you prepare this communication.
21 Using ACE to inform and persuade
Assume your student group has successfully organized a business-dress
fashion show (see Exercise 20), which will be presented on February 3
at 7 pm. You now need to compose an email that will invite business
majors to attend the show, free of charge. Use the list of ACE questions
in the Visual Summary on page 103 to work through the ACE commu-
nication process and determine the information you will include in the
email to interest your audience and persuade them to attend. Compose
a draft of the email and ask at least two students who are not in your
class to read the draft and provide feedback. Do they find it clear and
persuasive? Revise your draft based on their feedback, evaluate it thor-
oughly, and submit both your first draft and your revised draft to your
instructor. On a separate sheet, submit a paragraph explaining how you
changed your draft based on feedback.
22 Revising and designing an email message
Craig and Darryl work for a product design firm in New York. This
morning, Craig received a call from a client in Chicago asking if he
and Darryl could fly to Chicago to consult on a new project. Craig and
Darryl agreed, checked their calendars, and chose a 2 pm flight from
JFK Airport the next day. However, when Craig called American Air-
lines to book two seats for the flight, he learned that no seats were avail-
able. He did a little research and decided that, of the options available,
he would prefer to take a later flight leaving from Newark Liberty In-
ternational Airport. See the following draft of Craig’s email to Darryl.
Revise this email to (1) use a direct organization and (2) arrange the
material into effective paragraphs.
Writing Exercises
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email
darryl.mcpherson@FortuneDesigns.com
Travel Plans
Darryl,
Craig
Craig Mertler, Design Manager
FORTUNE DESIGNS
1282 Broadway, Suite 125
New York, NY 10018
www.FortuneDesigns.com
(212) 555-8233
I just got off the phone with American Airlines. There are no seats available on the
2 PM flight from JFK that we planned to take tomorrow. If we have to take a later flight,
I’d like to attend my staff meeting at 3 PM. I checked on the late flights out of JFK.
They are at 7 PM and 9:30 PM, but are very expensive. Also, I remember that the last
time we flew out of JFK in the late afternoon, the traffic was awful. I also checked
flights from Newark so we can take the train from Penn Station. Starting at 6 PM
there are hourly flights, and the fares are significantly cheaper. Let me know what
you think.
23 Revising and designing a voice mail message
Alex and Marika are planning to attend an 8 am meeting with their
boss to discuss a report they completed the night before. On the way to
work, Alex gets into a car accident. The paragraph on the right is the
voice message Alex leaves Marika to tell her that he will not be able to
get to work in time for the meeting. He also needs to tell Marika where
to find the photocopies of the report he made last night. Before Alex
gets to the end of his message, the electronic “operator” interrupts and
says: “If you are satisfied with this message, press 1. If you would like
to record the message again, press 2.” Alex realizes he should revise the
message, and he presses 2. Revise this message for Alex.
voice mail
Marika, this is Alex. You won’t believe what happened on the way
to work today. I was driving down Sherman Avenue when a car ran
a red light and hit me. I’m okay, but I’m at least 30 minutes from
work and my car is undrivable. I can’t leave anyway because the po-
lice officer is writing up the report really slowly, and I need to wait
to get my license back and to make sure the tow truck comes for my
car. Then I’ll need to get a taxi. I’m really glad I have my cell phone
with me. Otherwise, I’d be in big trouble. I don’t know when I’ll get
to work, so can you present our report at the meeting this morning?
The photocopies are on Lucy’s desk because . . .”
24 Writing collaboratively [Related to the Technology
feature on page 97]
Select either Exercise 20 or 21 and compose a first draft. Save the file
and exchange it with another student by sending it as an email attach-
ment. When you open the other student’s file, rename and save it with
“V2” added to the end of the file name. Provide feedback by tracking
changes and inserting comments. Save and return the file to the other
student. Open the feedback (V2) file you receive from the other stu-
dent and rename it with “V3.” Keep the tracks you agree with, make
additional tracked changes based on the comments, and save a final
clean version by accepting all tracks and removing all comments. Save
the final draft as “FINAL” and submit all four versions of the file to
your instructor.
25 Providing and receiving feedback
Feedback is a valuable element of the evaluation process, but many
writers find it challenging both to provide effective feedback and to use
the feedback they receive. This collaborative activity is designed to give
you practice in giving and receiving feedback.
Identify an administrative office at your school that you believe
could be more helpful or could make a change that will benefit stu-
dents. Examples of administrative offices include admissions, financial
aid, student housing, technology support, and athletics, among others.
Alternatively, you can select a student club, a local store, or a local res-
taurant. Before coming to class, write a message to the person in charge
of that organization, offering your proposed change and providing rea-
sons. Be sure to analyze your purpose, audience, and content before
Collaboration Exercises
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your choice (your instructor may assign a specific country or a differ-
ent topic). Research articles that support this topic. Begin with the re-
sources listed in the Culture feature on page 90 and expand your search
to target specific information for your purpose. Ensure each member
of your team selects a different article. Separately, draft an outline of
cultural communication strategies based on your individual articles
by analyzing the content, composing a list of strategies, and evaluating
your outline. Then collaboratively discuss your outlines and create a
single outline that combines all of the articles’ content. Again, use the
ACE process to analyze, compose, and evaluate your final combined
outline. Submit both your individual article outlines and your com-
bined team outline to your instructor.
you write. In class, in groups of three or four, read each other’s draft
letters and, through discussion, provide feedback to each writer. First
discuss the elements of the message you believe are effective, and then
discuss recommended changes. In your evaluation, use the questions
in the evaluation checklist in the Visual Summary on page 103.
Based on the feedback you receive, revise your message and then
evaluate it. Submit both your first draft and revision to your instructor.
26 Exploring cultural communication [Related to the
Culture feature on page 90]
Assume your team of three or four students has been assigned to re-
search strategies for effective cultural communication on a country of
27 Impromptu presentations
Select one of the following topics and plan a brief one- to two-minute
presentation that you organize directly. Begin with the main idea fol-
lowed by supporting information and conclude with a short summary
or wrap-up. Then select a second topic and plan a brief presentation
that you organize indirectly. For this presentation, begin with support-
ing information, followed by the main point with a brief summary or
wrap-up at the end.
a. Describe your last vacation.
b. Explain why you chose your major.
c. Describe your dream job.
d. Explain why you selected this university/college.
e. Where do you see yourself in five years?
28 Executive briefings
Prepare presentations for the following exercises:
a. Analyzing websites. Visit the website of a successful, well-known
company, and print the home page. Based on your analysis, what
is the purpose of the page? Who is the primary audience? Who
might be the secondary audience? Is the page persuasive? Identify
the content of the page and explain how it supports the purpose
of the page.
Prepare a three- to five-minute presentation that conveys this
information to the class. Display the website if possible.
b. The art of persuasion. Most business communication uses some
level of persuasion. Presenting audience benefits is just one of
many strategies writers use to persuade their audience. Search the
web for other methods of persuasion that are applicable to busi-
ness communication and prepare a three- to five-minute presen-
tation that outlines this information for the class.
c. A method to the medium. Selecting the best medium for your
communication is often difficult. Assume you need to commu-
nicate with your professor. Create a realistic scenario or perhaps
share a personal experience. In a three- to five-minute presenta-
tion to the class, describe the situation you need to communicate
and outline the pros and cons of using a face-to-face conversation,
telephone call, or email message.
d. Designing effective documents. Select a business message that
you have received, for example a sales letter, an email or mailing
from a bank or insurance company, a promotional offer from a
credit card company, or a solicitation for donations from a char-
ity. Identify features of the message that you believe are effective,
making the message professional-looking and easy to read. Also
identify features that you find ineffective. In a three- to five-
minute presentation, present your analysis. Either display or dis-
tribute a copy of the message.
Speaking Exercises
29 Analyzing a company’s social media presence [Related
to the @ Work feature on page 99]
Select a company that you have “liked” on Facebook, linked to on
LinkedIn, or followed on Twitter. Analyze the collective social media
presence of that company. Describe how, what, and with whom the
company communicates through social media. Explain the interac-
tion the company supports among its fans or followers, and describe
how the company reacts to negative posts/comments. Summarize your
findings in a one- or two-page memo report or prepare to present your
findings in class using screen shots of the social media sites.
Social Media Exercises
30 Adjectives and adverbs (see Appendix C: Grammar,
Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 1.1.3)
Type the following paragraphs, correcting the errors in use or forma-
tion of adjectives and adverbs. Underline all your corrections.
Does your telephone etiquette speak good of you? Because most
people answer their own phones at work, poor phone manners
make both you and your company look badly. Which greeting
will make the best impression: “How may I help you?” or “What
do you want?” It is important to sound cheerfully on the phone.
Even if you don’t feel well, try to respond positively. A more
simple way to sound positive is to smile when speaking. Smiling
actually does make a person seem more friendlier over the phone.
Some people like to have the most unique telephone greeting in
the office: “Yo, super service representative Skip speaking!” A
greeting like that just makes “Skip” seem real unprofessional. In-
stead of being named “Best Employee of the Month,” he is likely
to be awarded “Worse Phone Manners of the Year.”
Grammar Exercises
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MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 Explain why your first draft should not be your last draft—even for short
messages.
2 Explain a situation in which you have experienced writer’s block. What were you
writing about? How much time did you have to complete the project? Which of
the suggestions to overcome writer’s block from the chapter might have helped
you? Which ones will you use in the future?
1. U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Work hours: Flexible sched-
ules. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/
flexibleschedules.htm
2. Towers Watson. (2013, May 23). Just over half of employers
using social media tools for internal communication, Towers
Watson survey finds. Retrieved from http://www.towerswatson
.com/en/Press/2013/05/just-over-half-of-employers-using-
social-media-tools-for-internal-communication
3. Bryant, A. (2012, March 10). The memo list: Where everyone
has an opinion. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www
.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/business/jim-whitehurst-of-red-
hat-on-merits-of-an-open-culture.html?pagewanted=allm
4. Adler, C. (2003, November 17). Colonel Sanders’ march on
China. Time. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/
magazine/article/0,9171,543845,00.html
5. Raine, G. (2001, August 25). Lost in the translation. Milk
board does without its famous slogan when it woos a Latino
audience. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved from http://www
.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/08/25/BU218202
.DTL
6. Pipes, D. (2006). Nike and 9/11. New York Sun. Retrieved from
http://www.meforum.org/pipes/3960/nike-and-9-11
7. Tangient LLC. (2012). Editing for international audiences. Re-
trieved from http://elliotmedia.wikispaces.com/6.+Editing+
for+International+Audiences
8. Millet, J. (2011). Communicating across cultures. Retrieved
from http://www.culturalsavvy.com/communicating_across_
cultures_using_English.htm
9. Benefit. (n.d.). In The Princeton Language Institute (Ed.), Ro-
get’s 21st century thesaurus (3rd ed.). Retrieved from http://
thesaurus.reference.com/search?r=20&q=benefit
10. Kawasaki, G. (2010, March 19). Just give him 5 sentences,
not “War and Peace.” Interview by Adam Bryant. New York
References
Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/21/
business/21corner.html
11. March, J. (2012, February 27). How to turn social feedback
into valuable business data. Mashable Social Media. Retrieved
from http://mashable.com/2012/02/27/social-data-insights/
12. Statista. (2014, October). Leading product brands with the most
fans on Facebook in October 2014 (in millions). Retrieved from
http://www.statista.com/statistics/265657/leading-product-
brands-with-the-most-fans-on-facebook/
13. The Coca-Cola Company. (2013). Social media principles.
Retrieved from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/
online-social-media-principles
14. Mildenhall, J. (2012, February 29). Coca Cola’s social media
strategy up to 2020. Retrieved from http://www.simplyzesty
.com/viralvideos/coca-colas-social-media-strategy-up-to-2020/
15. Coca-Cola happiness machine. (2010, January 10). [Video].
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com
16. For the Coca-Cola Flickr group see http://www.flickr.com/
groups/thecoca-colaco/
17. For Coca-Cola heritage stories, see http://www.thecoca-
colacompany.com/heritage/stories/index.html. Also, see Coca-
Cola’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cocacola
18. Mildenhall, J. (2011, October 3). Coca-Cola’s Jonathan
Mildenhall—IAB MIXX 2011. [Video]. Retrieved from http://
www.youtube.com
19. Graham, J. (2011, November 8). Coke is a winner on Facebook,
Twitter. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday
.com/tech/columnist/talkingtech/story/2011-11-08/coca-
cola-social-media/51127040/1
20. Ignatius, A. (2011, October). Shaking things up at Coca-Cola.
Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/2011/
10/shaking-things-up-at-coca-cola/ar/1
C
H
A
P
T
E
R
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http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/flexibleschedules.htm
http://www.towerswatson.com/en/Press/2013/05/just-over-half-of-employers-usingsocial-media-tools-for-internal-communication
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/business/jim-whitehurst-of-redhat-on-merits-of-an-open-culture.html?pagewanted=allm
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,543845,00.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/08/25/BU218202.DTL
http://www.meforum.org/pipes/3960/nike-and-9-11
http://elliotmedia.wikispaces.com/6.+Editing+for+International+Audiences
http://www.culturalsavvy.com/communicating_across_Cultures_using_English.htm
http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?r=20&q=benefit
http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?r=20&q=benefit
http://mashable.com/2012/02/27/social-data-insights/
http://www.statista.com/statistics/265657/leading-product-brands-with-the-most-fans-on-facebook/
http://www.statista.com/statistics/265657/leading-product-brands-with-the-most-fans-on-facebook/
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/online-social-media-principles
http://www.simplyzesty.com/viralvideos/coca-colas-social-media-strategy-up-to-2020/
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/stories/index.html
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/stories/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/cocacola
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/talkingtech/story/2011-11-08/cocacola-social-media/51127040/1
http://hbr.org/2011/10/shaking-things-up-at-coca-cola/ar/1
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/flexibleschedules.htm
http://www.towerswatson.com/en/Press/2013/05/just-over-half-of-employers-usingsocial-media-tools-for-internal-communication
http://www.towerswatson.com/en/Press/2013/05/just-over-half-of-employers-usingsocial-media-tools-for-internal-communication
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/business/jim-whitehurst-of-redhat-on-merits-of-an-open-culture.html?pagewanted=allm
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/business/jim-whitehurst-of-redhat-on-merits-of-an-open-culture.html?pagewanted=allm
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,543845,00.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/08/25/BU218202.DTL
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/08/25/BU218202.DTL
http://elliotmedia.wikispaces.com/6.+Editing+for+International+Audiences
http://www.culturalsavvy.com/communicating_across_Cultures_using_English.htm
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/online-social-media-principles
http://www.simplyzesty.com/viralvideos/coca-colas-social-media-strategy-up-to-2020/
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/talkingtech/story/2011-11-08/cocacola-social-media/51127040/1
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/talkingtech/story/2011-11-08/cocacola-social-media/51127040/1
http://hbr.org/2011/10/shaking-things-up-at-coca-cola/ar/1
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4
Communicating
Routine
Messages and
Building Goodwill
114
Rashevskyi Viacheslav/Shutterstock
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For internal routine messages, we use Microsoft Lync, which is
installed on every computer in my place of work. It enables us to in-
stant message, call via Voice Over IP (VoIP), video conference, screen
share, transfer data files, etc. I use Lync on a daily basis to instant
message colleagues about their support tickets, communicate with
team members, and conduct new hire training sessions.
Joshua Burns
Eastern Kentucky University
Global Support—Technical Specialist @ Alltech
New Hires @ Work
115
How do you compose messages
containing questions and requests?
pages 116–120
Decide between a direct or an indirect message
Provide reasons for the request
Adopt a “you” perspective and include audience
benefits
Conclude with gratitude and a call for action
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ3 What kinds of messages build
goodwill in business relationships?
pages 128–132
Thank-you messages
Congratulatory messages
Sympathy messages
“For-your-information” messages
How do you compose informational
messages? pages 120–127
Reply to questions with a direct answer
Respond to customer requests and comments by
creating goodwill
Highlight key points in confirmation messages
Organize routine announcements so they are
easy to skim
Format instructions so readers can easily follow
the steps
Keep text and IM messages short and focused
SQ2
MyBCommLab®
Improve Your Grade!
Over 10 million students
improved their results using
the Pearson MyLabs. Visit
mybcommlab.com for
simulations, tutorials, and
end-of-chapter problems.
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Chapter 4 | Introduction
No matter what medium you use—email, texting,
telephone calls, face-to-face conversations, or social
media—if you take routine communication for granted,
you may make careless mistakes that undermine your
professional presence. Wording errors and typos, sloppy
formatting, missing information, and poor organization
are just a few of the common mistakes that occur when
you compose your message too quickly and don’t take the
time to analyze and evaluate.
This chapter offers guidelines to help
you effectively communicate specific
types of routine messages, includ-
ing questions and requests, infor-
mational messages, and goodwill
messages—messages that give you
the opportunity to establish and sus-
tain a positive relationship with your
audience. Throughout the chapter,
you will see the ACE logo where
the discussion offers new insight on
how to use ACE to prepare routine
and goodwill messages.
Every day, businesses produce millions of messages as a
routine part of getting work done. As a result, you will
have daily opportunities to exercise your communication
skills delivering routine business messages—the short,
nonsensitive, straightforward, day-to-day communica-
tion that asks or answers questions, provides informa-
tion, or confirms agreements.
Routine messages take advantage of every me-
dium available. Although email is currently the most
frequently used medium for routine com-
munication,1,2 email overload has be-
come such a significant problem that
many companies are now relying
on other mediums including tex-
ting and internal social media for
routine internal communication.
In fact, one company, Atos Con-
sulting, has gone as far as banning
the use of email for any routine,
internal communication in order
to increase productivity and social
collaboration.3
SQ1 How do you compose messages containing questions
and requests?
Most day-to-day requests require very little strategizing. When you ask people to do things that
are very easy for them to do or that are clearly part of their job responsibilities, you do not need to
incorporate persuasive strategies. You just need to be clear and polite. However, in some cases, you
will be asking people to do you a favor, something that they have no obligation to do. This second
kind of request often requires more explanation and persuasion. In both cases, you want to ensure
that your audience responds well. The guidelines in this section will help you achieve that goal.
Decide between a direct or an indirect message
Use a direct organization for most routine requests. In other words, begin with your question
or request, often as early as the first sentence. Then support that request with the necessary
ACE
Analyze
ACE
Compose
ACE
Evaluate
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
Compose
116
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How do you compose messages containing questions and requests? 117
explanation or details. Figure 4.1 illustrates the advantages of organizing a request directly com-
pared to an indirect organization or implicit request that only hints at what you want.
In some circumstances, you may find it’s better to organize your request indirectly, with
the request at the end. An indirect organization is a better choice if your audience will not
understand your question or request without knowing the context. Figure 4.2 on page 118 il-
lustrates a message that is better organized indirectly.
FIGURE 4.1 Advantages of
Organizing a Request DirectlyDIRECT ORGANIZATION
Use the DIRECT organization for most
of your routine messages. Here’s an
example. . .
Please send me the latest draft of the
third-quarter sales figures. I know your
report is not yet complete, but we are
discussing the data in tomorrow’s budget
meeting at 4 pm, and the latest version
I have of the third-quarter sales figures is
dated three weeks ago. Thanks!
A DIRECT organization is often the better
choice because it:
• States the request first, before the
details.
• Lets the audience immediately know
why they are reading the message.
• Is usually easier to understand.
With so many messages to navigate
throughout the day, your audience will
appreciate routine messages that are
organized directly.
INDIRECT ORGANIZATION
By comparison, the INDIRECT
organization moves the main idea
after the details. . .
The latest version I have of the third-
quarter sales figures is dated three
weeks ago. I know your report is not yet
complete, but we are discussing the data
in tomorrow’s budget meeting at 4 pm.
Can you please send me the most
up-to-date figures? Thanks!
When the organization is indirect with
the request at the end, the audience may
miss the request if they quickly skim the
message. In addition, the audience may
need to reread the details after reading
the request.
IMPLICIT REQUEST
In all cases, avoid simply implying
your request. . .
The latest version I have of the third-
quarter sales figures is dated three
weeks ago. I know your report is not yet
complete, but we are discussing the data
in tomorrow’s budget meeting at 4 pm.
I will not be able to prepare for the
meeting if I don’t have the latest draft.
If you only imply your request, your
audience will have to figure out what
you want. Are you implying that you have
decided not to prepare for the meeting?
Or are you asking for an updated draft so
that you can prepare? To eliminate that
ambiguity, state your request explicitly.
routine business message A short,
nonsensitive, straightforward communica-
tion that asks questions, answers ques-
tions, provides information, or confirms
agreements.
goodwill message Any message that
gives you the opportunity to establish and
sustain a positive relationship with your
audience.
implicit request A request that hints at
what you want rather than stating it directly.
Provide reasons for the request
As you analyze the content to include in the message, consider how much detail the audience
needs to know. If the reason for your request is not obvious, you will need to explain it, as
Figure 4.2 illustrates. If the audience expects requests like yours, much less detail is required.
For example, most customer requests for refunds or merchandise exchanges—sometimes
called claim requests—require little explanation.
Figure 4.3 on page 119 provides an example of a request a customer submitted to a com-
pany that shipped the wrong order. Many companies provide online customer service support,
and this message was entered on the company’s website. Although it may seem abrupt to be-
gin the message by stating what you want, your audience will appreciate the direct approach.
Companies deal with many claim messages each day, and readers need to find the main point
quickly, followed by a short explanation of the reason. If a claim request requires more ex-
planation or evidence, you would write a persuasive claim, which is described in Chapter 6:
Communicating Bad News.
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FIGURE 4.2 A Request Requiring an Indirect Organization
EFFECTIVE
INEFFECTIVE
jerry.rosado@southstatesbank.com
Request for Names of Contractors in Indianapolis
Hello, Jerry:
Would you please look over the attached list of contractors
in Indianapolis and suggest a few others that I can ask to
submit a bid for work on a new office building?
My company has won a contract for a large office building in
Indianapolis, and we’re now contacting subcontractors to
request bids on the job. I’m having difficulty identifying
qualified heating and cooling contractors.
I need six and have only three. I know that you worked in
Indianapolis for many years arranging construction loans, so I
am sure you are familiar with heating and cooling contractors
there. I’d really appreciate your help and will be glad to return
the favor whenever possible.
Thanks,
Bob
Robert Golterman
Golterman Construction
9898 Weldon Highway
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
615-555-8388
jerry.rosado@southstatesbank.com
Request for a Small Favor
Hello, Jerry:
I have a favor to ask. I know that you worked in Indianapolis
for many years arranging construction loans, so I am sure you
are familiar with heating and cooling contractors there. My
company has won a contract for a large office building in
Indianapolis, and we’re now contacting subcontractors to
request bids on the job. I’m having difficulty identifying
qualified heating and cooling contractors. I need six and
have only three.
Could you please look over my attached list of contractors
and suggest a few more I can add? I’d really appreciate your
help and will be glad to return the favor whenever possible.
Thanks,
Bob
Robert Golterman
Golterman Construction
9898 Weldon Highway
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
615-555-8388
In this case, the DIRECT version is ineffective because
Jerry may be confused by your unusual and unexpected
request, unless you’ve talked to him recently.
Note the following features of direct messages:
• The subject line identifies the main idea.
• The first paragraph explicitly states the request.
• The explanatory details follow.
The INDIRECT version is more effective because the reader
needs context in order to understand the request.
Note the following features of indirect messages:
• The subject line is neutral, indicating only the
general purpose of the message.
• The first paragraph signals that a request is
coming.
• The details prepare the reader for the request.
Adopt a “you” perspective and include audience benefits
Your audience will be more receptive to your request if you compose the message from their
perspective, not your own. In fact, this is true for all communication. Too often, writers and
speakers focus on what they want or what is important to them, often organizing the com-
munication to reflect their own thought process and needs. This “I” perspective is likely to
confuse or bore the audience. By contrast, using a “you” perspective helps you think primarily
“you” perspective An approach to com-
munication that presents the information
from the audience’s point of view. The “you”
perspective focuses on what the audience
needs and wants. It also considers how the
audience benefits from your message.
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FIGURE 4.3 How to Make a Claim
Request
1. Please choose one from the following options that best describes your question: *
Required items indicated with *.
Return
Henry Pinnix
Please send a return authorization number so I can
return the incorrect order I received on August 2
(Order No. 10345-22).
I ordered a Mac version of Adobe Creative Suite,
but received the Windows version. I need the
replacement software by August 9 at the latest,
so I would appreciate rush shipping.
My email address is h.pinnix@realventures.com.
If you need additional information, you can reach
me at (880) 555-1234.
Thank y ou!
h.pinnix@realventures.com
2. What is your name (first and last)? *
4. Please provide a brief description of your question: *
3. We want to make sure you get service as quickly as possible. To help us access
your account, please enter your order number, Adobe ID, or email address: *
claim request
End with an appreciative
sign-off to promote goodwill.
Specifically state what
you want.
Provide a short explanation to
support your claim but include
only the necessary details or
reasons to justify your claim. Too
many details or unnecessary
information may confuse the
audience.
Identify a call for action and, if
applicable, the date needed.
Include your contact informa-
tion to ensure the audience can
follow up with you.
New Hires @ Work
James Pierre-Louis
Elon University
Social Media Coordinator @
The Date Valet
I’ve found that my commu-
nication is much more suc-
cessful when I focus
on the needs of the
people I’m writing
to. I always think
about what they
need or want to
know, and how I
can identify any
perks for them in
my message.
about what your audience needs to know, the questions they may have about your request, and
how they will benefit from your message. Taking a “you” perspective motivates your audience
to respond positively to your request. Figure 4.4 on page 120 illustrates how to transform an “I”
perspective message to focus on the “you” perspective.
Making a request from the “you” perspective requires focusing on audience benefits—
the positive outcomes your audience will experience by responding favorably to the request.
Creating a “you” perspective can be challenging because it requires you to consider other
people’s viewpoints. Although you can never be certain what someone else will perceive as a
benefit, brainstorming ideas can help. As you brainstorm, analyze two different categories of
benefits. Internal benefits are advantages that your audience directly receives from comply-
ing with your request. For example, “By volunteering for this project, you will be eligible for a
bonus of 5 percent of your salary.” External benefits are advantages that someone else—a third
party—gains. For example, “By volunteering your time during Help Our Community Day, you
will not only help our department achieve its community service goals, but you’ll also be helping
our local schools.”
Notice that in all these examples, the word “you” is associated with polite requests and
audience benefits. This is a positive use of “you.” To be effective, avoid using “you” in negative
ways—for example, issuing orders and accusations. In those cases, use impersonal expressions
rather than “you.”
Accusatory statement: You made errors on the forms. You must correct and resubmit them.
Impersonal statement: Please correct the highlighted errors and resubmit the forms.
Conclude with gratitude and a call for action
Two elements are typical at the end of requests: (1) an expression of gratitude or thanks and
(2) a specific call for action that makes clear what you need and when you need it. In short
requests, a simple “Thanks” may be all that’s needed. However, when you request a favor or
something that will be an inconvenience, your audience will appreciate a fuller expression of
gratitude.
audience benefits The positive out-
comes your audience will experience by
responding favorably to your request.
internal benefits Advantages that your
audience will directly receive from comply-
ing with your request. Examples include a
reduced workload, increased professional
recognition, and financial gains.
external benefits Advantages that
someone else—a third party—gains when
your audience complies with a request.
How do you compose messages containing questions and requests? 119
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Figure 4.5 illustrates a short request that is spoken but could also be emailed. In this case,
Stan’s manager is asking him to give a presentation at a meeting on short notice. The manager
chose a face-to-face conversation because doing so might encourage Stan to respond more
positively. Stan would most likely find it more difficult to refuse the request in a face-to-face
conversation, or over the phone, than if he had received the same message by email. Figure 4.6
illustrates a more complex request that requires a detailed call for action as well as expressions
of gratitude.
SQ2 How do you compose informational messages?
Some business messages simply convey information rather than make requests or ask ques-
tions. For example, you may reply to requests, respond to claims, confirm information, make
announcements, or provide instructions. You can consider these messages routine if the in-
formation will not surprise, disappoint, or anger the audience. The following sections explain
how to address each kind of informational message.
Reply to questions with a direct answer
When someone asks you a question in a face-to-face or telephone conversation, you can orga-
nize your message exactly as you would when writing a response. If your response is not con-
troversial or likely to disappoint, begin with a direct answer and then include the details. If you
Compose
Analyze
When asking for a favor, follow this advice:
• Begin by stating the request directly. An introduction or
explanation is not needed unless the favor won’t make
sense without the context.
• Provide a concise explanation or rationale for the favor.
• If applicable, explain why your audience is the best person
to do this favor.
• Express gratitude and offer possible audience benefits.
• Conclude with a call for action. If a deadline is important,
identify when you need the favor.
simple request
Hi, Stan:
Can you cover for me at the 2 pm division meeting
today? I have a client lunch that I’m sure will run long,
and you know all the data we need to report—you
researched everything and put it together. I’d appreciate
your help, and this might be a great opportunity for you
to impress the VP. Sound okay?
FIGURE 4.5 How to Request a Favor
FIGURE 4.4 How to Change the “I” Perspective to the “You” Perspective
Please send me the latest draft of the third-quarter sales
figures. I will be presenting the data in tomorrow’s budget
meeting, and the latest draft I have was dated three weeks
ago. Thanks!
The “I” perspective is ineffective because:
• It focuses on the sender’s needs instead of the audience’s.
• There’s no incentive for the audience to comply.
“YOU” perspective
Will you please send me your updated third-quarter sales
figures today? If the budget committee has the figures to
discuss at tomorrow’s meeting, they can get you a prelimi-
nary budget by Thursday, and you’ll be able to start planning
next year’s sales forecasts. Thanks!
To change the “I” perspective to the “you” perspective:
• Focus on benefits to the audience.
• Revise the wording to avoid personal pronouns, such as
“I,” “me,” and “my,” and instead use “you” and “your.”
• Include audience benefits. In this example, by sending
the sales figures, the audience will receive the budget
information she needs to begin planning sales forecasts.
“I” perspective
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FIGURE 4.6 How to Compose a Written Request for Information
complex request
Reed Hall, Box 1054
Lineville, VA 28615
January 14, 20XX
Ms. Paulina Rashid, Advisor
Students in Free Enterprise
Atlantic University
410 Bedden Hal l
Patterson, VA 28664
Dear Ms. Rashid:
My cousin, Marlina Robertson, is a member of the Students in Free Enterprise (SiFE)
chapter you advise at Atlantic University. She gave me your name and address. We are
hoping to start our own SiFE club here at Tabor College and would greatly appreciate your
answers to a few questions that I did not �nd answered on the SiFE website (www.sife.org).
1. How many student members are required for a club to be recognized by the
governing international organization?
2. Does the governing organization provide any �nancial assistance for newly
developed clubs to support on-campus promotions for membership drives, such
as t-shirts and brochures?
3. Do you develop relationships with other SiFE clubs to collaborate on projects?
Or are the projects competitive?
Since our �rst membership drive is scheduled in March, could you get back to us
before January 31? If you prefer to discuss my questions by phone, please call me at
your convenience at (409) 555-1234.
If SiFE projects can be collaborative, rather than competitive, we would enjoy
developing a collaborative relationship with your SiFE club to design a joint project that
would bene�t both our campuses and communities. I look forward to talking with you
about that once our club is under way.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Sincerely,
Dominique Robertson
Tabor College
When requests need to be put in
context to be clearly understood,
begin with an introduction. A
sentence may be all that is needed
to explain why you’re writing.
End the first paragraph with the
request, phrased politely.
Explain preliminary work you have
done, if applicable, to document that
you are not wasting the audience’s
time.
If you have many questions,
number them to help the audience
respond to each item when they
reply.
Include potential audience
benefits, if applicable, to persuade
the audience to respond favorably to
your request.
Indicate when a response is
needed, and provide contact
information if your audience will
need it. Consider giving your
audience options for replying.
End with an expression of
gratitude for responding to your
request. Although it may seem
presumptuous to thank the
audience for something they have
not yet done, you can usually
assume that routine requests for
information will be accepted
positively, especially if you have
followed these guidelines.
do not have the answer immediately available, then say that right away. Figure 4.7 on page 123 is
a response to the letter in Figure 4.6.
Even though you are direct, be careful not to be too abrupt, especially in email messages. If
someone writes you an email asking a question, respond with more than “yes” or “no.” A one-
word reply may seem dismissive.4 Instead, provide a response that indicates you actually read
the message—for example: “Yes. That sounds like a good plan. Let me know if you need any help.”
Respond to customer requests and comments by creating
goodwill
When a customer requests a refund, exchange, or repair, a business has an opportunity to
create goodwill. Assuming that the company decides to satisfy the customer’s claim, a well-
written response can strengthen the company’s relationship with the customer. However, if you
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TECHNOLOGY
USING TECHNOLOGY TO SIMPLIFY ROUTINE COMMUNICATION:
SCHEDULING A MEETING
Scheduling a meeting with a few coworkers may seem like an easy
task. However, the logistics of coordinating schedules can be a
time-consuming activity, especially if you rely on email to deter-
mine the best day and time. You may end up with a long thread of
replies over several days before you agree on the best option. And
what if you need to coordinate a meeting with 25 people or make a
presentation to 50 people? Without using online scheduling tools,
you would have to set an arbitrary date and hope that most people
can attend.
1. Create a functional and informative meeting invitation.
If you are meeting with Rebecca, do not title your meet-
ing “Meeting with Rebecca.” That will not be helpful to her
when she receives the invitation. Instead, title it “Meeting in
7th floor conference room to discuss budget: Rebecca and
Taylor.” When Rebecca gets the email with the invitation, she
will know exactly who is meeting, where, and why.
2. Attach files you want your invitee to read.
3. When possible, add all attendees at one time. That way,
everyone will know everyone else who has been invited.
4. Schedule automatic meeting reminders to be emailed to your
attendees a day before the meeting and an hour before the
meeting.
When you receive a meeting invitation from someone else,
etiquette requires that you respond to it just as you would respond
to an email. Accept or decline the invitation. If your plans change,
inform the organizer.
Fortunately, technology gives you several options to schedule
meetings. Your company may use specific software designed to
coordinate events, such as Microsoft Outlook’s calendar feature,
which is part of the Office Suite of applications. If you are meeting
with people within the company, you may be able to check their
calendars to find a mutually convenient meeting time.
If you don’t share calendars, or if you are coordinating a
meeting with people outside your organization, online tools—such
as Doodle, fasterplan, and SelectTheDate.com—can help you
quickly identify scheduling options through “polls.” To set up a
poll, enter options for meeting times. The application creates a
link that you then share with participants, who will enter their
names and click on the times when they are available. As the poll
administrator, you can view the poll at any time and identify the
best time to meet.
Once you have determined a time, you can use your calendar
software to communicate that time to participants. Before you do
so, familiarize yourself with the basic etiquette of email invitations:
For TECHNOLOGY exercises, go to Exercise 19 on page 142 and Exercise 25b on page 143.
Feng Yu/Alamy.
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FIGURE 4.7 How to Reply to a Request for Information
letter
January 18, 20XX
Ms. Dominique Robertson
Tabor College
Reed Hall, Box 1054
Lineville, VA 28615
Dear Ms. Robertson:
Congratulations on your goal to begin a SiFE club at Tabor College. Below are the
answers to your questions.
1. Your campus club can be as small or large as you like. SiFE does not require a
specific number of student members to recognize a campus club. However,
based on our experience, you should have at least 15 active members (including
your executive officers) to ensure your club’s success. Of course, the more
members you have the better.
2. Although SiFE does not provide financial assistance to help you promote your club,
I am enclosing several sample documents that we have successfully used here. Your
cousin, Marlina, has helped us design many of these materials. Her desktop
publishing skills are exceptional. Perhaps she can share these files with you.
3. We look forward to developing a collaborative relationship with your SiFE club.
Our current president is Colin Withers. His email address is
cwithers@atlantic.edu. Please contact him to discuss this possibility..
If you have any other questions, please feel free to call me at (409) 555-9874. I would
be happy to serve as a mentor until you establish your own faculty advisor.
Best regards,
Paulina Rashid, M.Ed.
SiFE Faculty Advisor
Enclosures
When replying to requests,
determine the best medium
to respond. Typically,
audiences respond with the
same medium that was used
to make the request.
However, in this case, the
sender chose a letter format
so that she could mail
enclosures (brochures and
flyers). Alternatively, the
materials could be scanned
and attached to an email as
PDFs.
Begin with a direct response
if the audience will respond
favorably to your message.
End with a friendly closing to
promote goodwill.
Then provide explanatory
details. Follow the organization
of the original message by
answering each question in
sequence.
fail to build goodwill when responding to a customer, you may lose more than that customer’s
business. Disgruntled customers often use social media outlets, such as Yelp, to share their bad
experiences with others, which can reach thousands of people. In fact, research indicates that
customers are “more likely to share bad customer service experiences than good ones no mat-
ter what communication channel they used.”5 However, if you are strategic in your response to
a negative comment, you may be able to win back that customer as well as gain the confidence
of new customers. Research also indicates that “customers with issues that are resolved quickly
can often turn into loyal customers and even brand advocates.”6 To achieve a positive result,
craft a response that shows understanding for the customer’s complaint, apologizes when ap-
propriate, and identifies a solution.
Figure 4.8 on page 124 illustrates a positive response to the claim in Figure 4.3 on page 119.
Notice that although the sales representative does not apologize, he does include a goodwill
strategy: the offer of free shipping for the returned item.
The three-part formula—understanding, apology, and solution—works equally well when
responding to complaints received through Twitter, Facebook, or other social media outlets.
Figure 4.9 on page 124 is a Twitter exchange between a customer and Whole Foods Market, the
world’s leading natural and organic grocer. The company’s Integrated Media team monitors all
How do you compose informational messages? 123
New Hires @ Work
Bailey Anderson
University of Northern Iowa
IT Service Management—
Communications Team Intern
@ Principal Financial Group
Pay attention to contex-
tual information, such as
how people sign their
emails. Follow their
formality. If they
sign off with “Dr.
Jones,” refer to
them that way in
your reply.
Photo courtesy of Bailey Anderson
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FIGURE 4.8 How to Respond Positively to a Claim Request
h.pinnix@realventures.com
Corrected Order Will Ship Today
Dear Mr. Pinnix:
We are shipping your corrected order today. SpeedEx has guaranteed
delivery by August 7. The tracking number is 532-23334-63421.
Attached is a return shipping label formatted as a PDF �le that you can print.
Simply tape the label to your return and drop it off at any SpeedEx of�ce. We
prepaid the postage.
Thank you for your continued business. Your satisfaction is important to us.
Sincerely,
Hiemey Halla m
Customer Relations
SoftWarehouse
hiemey.hallam@softwarehouse.com
email
When you can respond positively to a claim:
• Compose a subject line that communicates the positive
response.
• State the positive response to the claim in the �rst
sentence (no introduction is needed).
Follow up with any necessary information:
• Begin the second paragraph by explaining the claim will be
resolved.
• Include an explanation that wins customer con�dence,
rather than an excuse that may result in a negative reaction.
• Do not blame the customer.
• Offer an audience bene�t, if possible. In this case, free
shipping is provided on the return.
End with a friendly closing:
• Express appreciation and a desire for continued business in
the last paragraph.
• End with a complimentary closing and signature block with
contact information.
tweets that mention Whole Foods and addresses complaints immediately. In this exchange, a
customer in London complained that the apples he purchased from his local Whole Foods store
were not good and that the store was “understaffed at the till” (the British word for cash register).
The Integrated Media team at Whole Foods responded within a few hours and defused the situ-
ation—in fact, the response made the initially irate customer feel much better about his experi-
ence. Each tweet from Whole Foods (#2 and #4) was clear and respectful, expressing a “you”
perspective in fewer than 140 characters.
Highlight key points in confirmation messages
A confirmation message acknowledges that you have received information or that you
have understood it correctly. When you make oral agreements with someone, it is a good
confirmation An acknowledgment that
you have received information or understood
a message correctly.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 4.8’s key concepts by going to
mybcommlab.com
FIGURE 4.9 Example of a Twitter Exchange Responding to a Customer Complaint
3 tweets by Twitter users @susborne by Simon Usborne, from TWITTER.COM. Reprinted with permission.
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practice to confirm those agreements in writing afterward. For example, assume that you
see a colleague at lunch and informally chat about next week’s budget meeting. You dis-
cuss possible days to reschedule the meeting and make notes on a napkin. However, you
inadvertently throw away the napkin before returning to your office and need to follow
up to ensure you remember the dates correctly. Compare the two versions of the confir-
mation email drafts in Figure 4.10. The effective version is not only clearer, it is also more
professional.
FIGURE 4.10 How to Confirm Information
DRAFT
REVISION
Meeting times
Hi, Luis:
I enjoyed our lunch this afternoon. It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to
catch up, and I was glad to hear that your son is doing so well in his advanced
placement classes.
By the way, I wrote down the possible days and times for rescheduling our budget
review meeting next week, but I threw away the napkin, and I’m not sure I’m
remembering the options correctly. Are these right? Monday at 9 AM, Tuesday at
2 PM, or Wednesday at 10 AM?
Sorry for the inconvenience. My brain cells are fried
these days.
Thanks,
Bayla
BAYLA MILLANO
Dresner Associates, LLC
Boston | Chicago | Denver
617.555.8775 Ext. 322
617.555.8000 (Fax)
bmillano@dresner.com
luis.martinez@dresner .com
luis.martinez@dresner .com
Confirming Possible Meeting Times
Hi, Luis:
Just to confirm, the possible options for our budget review
meeting are:
• Monday at 9 AM
• Tuesday at 2 PM
• Wednesday at 10 AM
Once you’ve verified the options, I’ll call the rest of the
committee to schedule the best option.
I enjoyed our lunch; it’s been too long since we’ve caught up.
Let’s do it again soon.
Thanks ,
Bayla
PS: Congratulations to Tyler on his academic success!
BAYLA MILLANO
Dresner Associates, LLC
Boston | Chicago | Denver
617.555.8775 Ext. 322
617.555.8000 (Fax)
bmillano@dresner.com
Compose a subject
line that identifies the
information that you are
confirming.
Begin the message
with the confirmation.
Use bullets to make
options or lists easy to
understand when
several details are
included.
If applicable, provide a
reason to respond
quickly (in this case, the
need to call the
committee).
If you include
non-business content
to build goodwill,
subordinate it as a
postscript so that the
message remains
focused on information
you are confirming.
announcement A message that publicly
notifies people of information they need or
want to know.
How do you compose informational messages? 125
Organize routine announcements so they are easy to skim
Announcements are messages that publicly notify people of information they need or want to
know. For example, you might notify customers about a sale or a change in policy, employees
about a new CEO or promotions within the organization, or the public about job opportunities
in your company. Announcements are communicated both externally (social media, company
websites, customer email) and internally (company emails, meetings, flyers). Figure 4.11 on
page 126 illustrates a routine announcement to bank customers. The bank is changing some of
its policies and is required by law to notify customers.
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Format instructions so readers can easily follow the steps
In addition to requests and replies, routine business messages may include procedural informa-
tion or brief instructions about how to do things. Examples include directions to complete a
new travel authorization form, instructions to process budget requests, and procedures for sub-
mitting reimbursement documentation. Good instructions use writing techniques like parallel
phrasing that allow the audience to understand the task and complete it accurately. To make
it easy for the audience to follow the instructions, use the guidelines illustrated in Figure 4.12.
Keep text and IM messages short and focused
As an article on the Inc. website proclaimed, “texting is the new email” in business.7 In a 2014
survey of 500 business professionals, 67 percent said that they use texting for business, with
almost half of those indicating that if they need to leave a message, they would use texting
rather than voice mail.8 Texting is an ideal medium for short routine messages—as long as the
messages can easily be answered by text. Follow these guidelines for evaluating your text mes-
sages in business contexts:
1. Keep the message short and to the point. There is no need to add a salutation (“Hello, Jane”)
to the beginning of a text.
2. Do not text messages that require a long or complicated response. Your audience will not be
able to text back easily.
3. Do not expect a quick response. Although industry research shows that 97 percent of texts
are read within 3 minutes of being sent,9 your audience may be too busy to reply immediately.
4. When texting a client or business acquaintance you do not know well, avoid abbreviations, be
explicitly polite, and use complete sentences so that you do not sound too harsh or flippant.
5. Double check the autocorrect to make sure it has not changed your intended message.
FIGURE 4.11 How to Compose Routine Informational Announcements
Lending Services
Deposit Accounts
Electronic Access
Info Center
Business Services
Contact Us
Applications
• Online Banking
• Telephone Access
• Debit/ATM Access
• Order Checks
• Online Applications
• Online Service Agreement
Online Service Agreement
Announcement
To All Bank Trust Business Customers:
Bank Trust has revised the Online Service Agreement you accepted
when you enrolled to use Bank Trust Online. By electronically signing
that form, you agreed to allow Bank Trust to communicate with you
electronically about your accounts. Here’s a summary of the changes.
The new form:
• Updates the definition of the term “communication” to include
monthly billing or account statements and tax statements.
• States that we may send you PDF (Portable Document Format)
files about your accounts.
• Clarifies that, if you have enrolled to receive paperless
statements, you can withdraw your consent to receive these
communications by sending us an email.
The revised Bank Trust Online Service Agreement will go into effect
on November 16, 20XX, and will be available online for you to review
on that date by logging on and clicking the “Legal Agreements” link
at the bottom of any page.
Home
ATM Locations
Branch Locations
Membership
Employment
Mobile Banking
Español
Calculators
Mortgage
Join Today
Junior Club
SEARCH
Log-in Reset
Identify the intended
audience when communicat-
ing to external audiences
through publically accessible
mediums.
Begin with the main idea by
stating the purpose of the
announcement.
Concisely provide the details
your audience will need.
Emphasize audience
benefits, if applicable,
especially if the announcement
will require the audience to do
something or change the way
they do business with you.
Use active voice and informal
wording, especially when
communicating complicated or
legal information. Use the
“you” perspective throughout
to focus on the audience’s
needs.
Provide contact information
if a response is needed.
However, most announce-
ments are one-way informa-
tional messages.
parallel phrasing A method of using
the same grammatical form for each item
in a list.
ACE
Evaluate
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FIGURE 4.12 How to Write Instructions
New Procedures for Travel Authorization
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. Ask your supervisor to sign and date in box G,indicating his/her approval of your
travel authorization.
email
All Employees
Begin with a brief overview that
helps your audience understand when
and why they need to use the
instructions.
Divide the instructions into
numbered or bulleted steps,
including only one action per step.
Numbers are more effective than
bullets when you want to be able to
refer to other steps in the procedure.
If the sequence or order is not
important, bullets are acceptable.
Begin each step with an action
verb, using parallel phrasing—the
same grammatical form for each item.
If an instruction is conditional (if it
needs to be performed only under
certain conditions) begin the step by
identifying the condition.
Place any needed explanation after
the action rather than before it.
Provide contact information in case
the audience has questions.
Enter the dates you will be away from the office in box E. Date formats must be
entered as MM/DD/YYYY, for example 06/04/20XX to 06/07/20XX.
correctly. If you submit the form before you travel, your absence from the office will be
recorded as a travel day and will not count against your sick days or vacation days.
Enter your name in box A.
Enter your employee ID number in box B.
Enter the travel destination in box C.
Enter the purpose of the travel in box D.
If you will be away from the office for two or more days, identify in box F the name
of the individual who will be responsible for your office duties while you are
traveling. If you are away for fewer than two days, skip box F.
If you have questions, contact Ryan Devlin at Ext. 6632.
Acme has a new travel authorization form. Below are instructions for completing it
ETHICS
IS BLIND CARBON COPY (bcc) LIKE SPYING?
In your email program, the bcc—blind carbon copy—feature
allows you to copy someone on an email without the recipient
knowing it. Does sharing an email “secretly” with someone else
raise any ethical issues? Consider three different scenarios for
sending a bcc:
• Using bcc to reduce long recipient lists. You send an email to
all employees who are late submitting their travel reimburse-
ment requests and warn them that they will not be reimbursed
unless they submit their requests today. The list of names is
long, and if you pasted all the email addresses into the email
cc box, it would fill the screen. By using the bcc feature, you
help ensure that your recipients focus on the message content
rather than be distracted by an overly long header.
In this case, the use of bcc is very functional. You can also
argue that it is more ethical than including everyone on the
cc line. Recipients don’t need to know the names and email
addresses of all the others who have missed the deadline.
Making this information visible in the email may embarrass
some people on the list.
• Using bcc to enable centralized tracking of information. You
report a problem to the technical support group for one of the
software products you use. The head of your IT group has asked
that everyone bcc her on all problem reports. She uses these
emails as an informal log to track the frequency of problems, but
she does not want to be included in follow-up email exchanges.
In this case, the use of bcc is also functional and ethical.
You are not deceiving the intended recipient or using the
information to the disadvantage of the software supplier.
The technical support people would act no differently if they
knew the head of IT was copied or if the copying was blind.
• Using bcc to share information with interested parties. You
write an email to negotiate the price of a product with a new sup-
plier. Your colleague in another department in your company
has asked to be bcc’d on your messages to this supplier. She wants
inside information so that she can negotiate a low price with
the same supplier on a different product she intends to buy. She
would prefer that the supplier not know that she has this infor-
mation. Your colleague argues that her main responsibility is to
get the lowest price possible for your company. She has an obliga-
tion to use whatever information is available to get that low price.
This use of a bcc could be considered unethical since your
colleague intends to use the information to disadvantage the
recipient.
As you compose emails, how do you decide if you should use a bcc
and if it is ethical? Apply these two tests:
1. Are you trying to deceive the “to” recipient by hiding the fact
that other people also will receive the email?
2. Can the recipient be disadvantaged or hurt if the content in
the email is shared with the bcc readers and the recipient
doesn’t know it?
If you can say “yes” to either of these, then do not use the bcc.
For ETHICS exercises, go to Critical Thinking Question 3
on page 138 and Exercise 25a on page 142.
How do you compose informational messages? 127
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Goodwill is a term used to describe the attitude of friendliness and caring that is central to
creating, solidifying, and maintaining relationships. Building and sustaining positive working
relationships through goodwill is critical to your productivity and career success.10 Linda Hud-
son, president of BAE Systems, the largest military vehicle business in the world, explains that,
“It’s incredibly important to realize that relationships define everything that we do, and it’s . . .
the quality of those relationships that makes an organization work.”11 Because relationships
are so important, take advantage of opportunities to express appreciation and thoughtfulness.
Throughout this chapter, you have seen examples of goodwill techniques in routine messages:
expressing appreciation, offering help, using a “you” perspective, and highlighting audience
benefits. In addition to emphasizing goodwill in your routine messages, you can maintain
goodwill and keep the channels of communication open by sending special messages designed
specifically for that purpose. These include thank-you messages, congratulations, expressions
of sympathy, and for-your-information messages.
Thank-you messages
Thank-you messages offer the opportunity to express appreciation and make recipients feel
good about something they have done for you. They also offer you the opportunity to express
and display your professionalism. For example, a well-written thank-you note following a job
interview communicates to an employer that you are motivated, thoughtful, and articulate.
The main challenge in writing a good thank-you note is to include specific content that relates
to the reason why you are thanking someone.
The form your thank-you message takes will depend on the situation. However, your au-
dience may perceive a handwritten note to be an even more meaningful expression of grati-
tude because “a handwritten note can actually help you stand out in this era of overflowing
electronic inboxes.”12 Figure 4.13 illustrates a handwritten thank-you note and two versions of
a thank-you letter, one that is too generic to be effective and one that is more personalized.
Congratulatory messages
Congratulatory messages build goodwill by recognizing someone’s achievements or impor-
tant events, which could be professional or personal. For example, you can write a congratula-
tory message when your supervisor is promoted, your colleague has a baby, or your customer
wins her city’s entrepreneur-of-the-year award. Consider the differences between the two
email messages in Figure 4.14 on page 131.
Sympathy messages
Even if you do not have a close personal relationship with coworkers or business acquain-
tances, they will appreciate your expressions of sympathy when they have experienced a loss.
Many people do not know what to say when a colleague becomes seriously ill or has experi-
enced a death in the family. Although you can take advantage of get-well cards and preprinted
sympathy notes to deliver your messages, also include a few lines that show your compassion
and understanding. Just like thank-you notes, sympathy messages (also called condolences)
are more meaningful when handwritten and sent shortly after you hear about the situation.
Read the example in Figure 4.15 on page 131.
“For-your-information” messages
Although they have no formal name, for-your-information (or “FYI”) messages are sent to
share information or communicate something you believe your audience will appreciate. For
example, when reading an article on the web about a new restaurant in New Orleans, you may
remember that a customer is planning a vacation in New Orleans the next month. Or while
talking to your tax accountant, you may learn about a new tax rule that you think a colleague
may appreciate knowing. You can share your FYI messages by email, social media connections,
or simply stopping by someone’s office for a friendly chat.
SQ3 What kinds of messages build goodwill in business
relationships?
thank-you message An expression of
appreciation when someone has done some-
thing for you.
congratulatory message Communica-
tion sent to recognize someone’s achieve-
ments or important events.
sympathy message (also called
condolences) A message that expresses
compassion and understanding when some-
one experiences a loss.
for-your-information (FYI)
message A message written as an act of
kindness to pass along information you think
someone may appreciate knowing.
New Hires @ Work
Erica Bowen
University of West Georgia
Advanced Staff Auditor @
Georgia Department of Audits
and Accounts
Despite advances in tech-
nology, communication
in the workplace still
benefits from face-to-
face interaction. You
need to think about
which medium
option is most
appropriate for
each situation.
Photo courtesy of Erica Bowen
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FIGURE 4.13 How to Write a Personalized Thank-You Note
INEFFECTIVE THANK-YOU LETTER
EFFECTIVE THANK-YOU NOTE
September 30, 20XX
Mr. Robert Goldberg
Goldbeg, Richeyr, and Short, LLC
9882 West Jefferson
Spring�eld, IL 62704
Dear Mr. Goldberg:
Thank you for speaking at the monthly meeting of Prairie State
Entrepreneurs on September 29. The information in your speech and
additional reference material you provided were both fascinating
and timely.
We hope you enjoyed meeting the members of our organization and
that you will consider returning in the future to continue the discussion.
Thank you again for taking the time to speak at our meeting.
Sincerely,
Charlotte Waltman
President
Dear Mr. Goldberg:
Sincerely,
Charlotte Waltman
President
We were particularly interested in the case studies showing how
inventors lost the ability to patent their work by publicly disclosing their
inventions too early, such as at meetings like ours. Our Board of
Directors immediately voted to require all attendees to sign
con�dentiality agreements at any meeting when a member presents a
new invention.
Thank you again for taking the time to speak at our meeting and for
providing us such valuable information. We hope that you will consider
returning in the future. We would be very interested in your advice
about how to work effectively with a patent attorney.
Thank you for speaking at the monthly meeting of Prairie State
Entrepreneurs on September 29. Our members enjoyed your presentation
on protecting intellectual property rights.
September 30, 20XX
Mr. Robert Goldberg
Goldberg, Richey, and Short, LLC
9882 West Jefferson
Spring�eld, IL 62704
EFFECTIVE THANK-YOU LETTER
Reiterate your appreciation
near the end of the message.
Conclude with a
forward-looking
statement, if applicable.
Mention specific details
and related information
that re�ect the value of the
audience’s actions (for
example, why the attend-
ees appreciated the
speech).
Avoid generic state-
ments that sound as if
they could refer to anyone.
A thank- you message
should sound as if it is
written speci�cally for that
person.
To create an effective
personalized thank-you
message:
When writing a hand-
written thank-you note,
use legible penmanship,
a good pen, and quality
stationery.
Begin by expressing
your gratitude.
Identify the specific
reason why you are
thanking the audience.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 4.13’s key concepts by going to
mybcommlab.com
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CULTURE
DIFFERENCES IN SAYING THANK YOU
A thank-you note or email is more than just a polite gesture. It is
a way to show genuine appreciation for the effort someone has
made and to make that person feel good about the effort. How-
ever, different cultures have different ways of expressing thanks
and perhaps different expectations about the length of the thank-
you note and the amount of detail it includes. The following two
messages are real thank-you notes business students wrote thank-
ing their supervisors for summer internships. Letter 1 is written by
a U.S. student who interned in a U.S. company. Letter 2 is written
by a Korean student who interned in a Singapore company. Both
letters are very polite and were well received by their audiences.
What differences do you notice about the two letters?
Letter 1, the American thank-you letter, follows the advice in
this chapter. The letter is:
• personalized and sincerely expresses thanks.
• short and to the point, an appropriate approach in a
low-context culture.
• informal, which signals the close working relationship
between the student and mentor. This approach is appropriate
in cultures with low power distance.
• detailed, which signals that the writer has spent much time
thinking about what to say to someone he respects. This ap-
proach is appropriate in cultures with high power distance.
letter
Letter 1: North American Thank You
Dear David:
Thank you for providing me with an internship that exceeded
my expectations. I have never had a manager who spent so
much time developing my skills. I have learned so much—not
only about marketing and strategy but also about how to be a
good manager.
I really enjoyed working with you and the rest of the team. I
would love to join the group again next summer and would be
pleased to hear from you.
Thanks again for everything,
Leslie
Letter 2 is written with the Asian culture in mind. The letter is:
• longer and more formal.
• focused on the relationship between the writer and audience,
which is appropriate in high-context cultures.
letter
Letter 2: Asian Thank You
Dear Mr. Jeehun:
Please accept my apology for not writing this letter earlier.
After returning to the United States, I was busy with the
details of moving.
Now that I reflect on my summer internship at Capital
Investors, I see that I was able to complete it successfully
primarily thanks to your consideration and support. I
especially appreciate that you taught me the values that are
necessary to be a successful investment banker.
First, I learned a professional attitude from you. Every kind
manner you showed—such as thorough service for clients,
a fine sense of being a salesperson, and a charismatic but
warm-hearted leadership style—fascinated me.
Second, you showed me devotion to a job. Whenever I
watched you absorbed in work, I felt your passion as an
investment banker and the dignity of the vocation.
Last but not least, I learned it is possible to be a professional
and also enjoy life by seeing you achieve a balance between
work and family. It was impressive that you tried hard to
invest your time and energy in playing with your children
every weekend.
To sum up, having you as a boss during this summer
internship was a great professional and personal experience
for me. I have decided to look to you as my role model, and I
will try to follow you in my career path.
I look forward to seeing you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Dong Gyu Lee
For CULTURE exercises, go to Critical Thinking Question 10
on page 138 and Exercise 21 on page 142.
Taking the opportunity to pass along this information leads to several benefits. First, you
keep channels of communication open, which is an important part of networking. Second,
friendly messages solidify relationships because they have benefits for both parties. You will
get personal satisfaction from writing these messages, and your audience will be pleased to
hear from you. Finally, these messages may start a dialogue that can lead to possible business
benefits. See the example in Figure 4.16 on page 132.
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FIGURE 4.14 How to Compose a Personalized Congratulations Message
INEFFECTIVE
EFFECTIVE
Rebecca.Rex@calyxa.com
Congratulations!
Rebecca:
I was just reading the online version of The Dallas Morning
News—as you know, we used to live there several years ago, and I
like to keep up with the local news.
Anyway, I noticed an article about the Dallas Entrepreneur of the
Year and was so surprised to see you won it this year!
Congratulations! I’m sure it was well deserved.
Thanks,
Peter
Rebecca.Rex@calyxa.com
Congratulations!
Hi, Rebecca:
Why is this message ineffective?
The focus is on the writer rather than expressing
congratulations to the audience.
The congratulations are mentioned as an
afterthought.
The phrase, “I’m sure it was well deserved,”
suggests that others may doubt whether the
recipient deserved the award.
The casual closing of “thanks” does not match
the purpose of the message.
To create an effective congratula-
tory message:
Begin directly by congratulating
the audience for his or her
achievement or important event.
Express confidence that the
accomplishment was well
deserved.
Include relevant supporting
comments that personalize the
message.
As with all messages, end with an
appropriate complimentary
closing, such as “Regards.”
Congratulations on receiving the Dallas Entrepreneur of the Year
Award! I read about it in the online version of The Dallas Morning
News, which I still read online even though I’ve moved from Dallas.
I was so happy for you when I saw the photo of you holding the
plaque.
I know the award was well deserved. The time and effort you put
into your work is exceptional.
Regards,
Peter
Peter Ferguson
Sales & Marketing
Belmont Paper Products
23560 Michigan Street
Middle Plains, MN 56773
(218) 555-6730
(218) 555-6731 Fax
(800) 555-6731 Toll Free
FIGURE 4.15 How to Compose a Sympathy Message
When possible, send a
handwritten note or card
rather than an email message.
Begin with a direct expression
of sympathy.
Personalize the message by
mentioning something specific
about the recipient or the
deceased.
Close on a friendly note, such
as offering to provide assistance.
Write legibly and use a good
pen.
What kinds of messages build goodwill in business relationships? 131
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FIGURE 4.16 How to Compose an
“FYI” Message
Begin with some context so
that the audience understands
why you are sending the
information.
Then state the main point (in
this case, the fact that the intern
valued the recipient as a mentor).
As always, close the message
on a friendly note.
◾ In summary, routine and goodwill messages like those explained in this
chapter are fundamental elements of business communication. They are the day-to-day mes-
sages you produce to get work done and to build and maintain healthy working relationships.
To accomplish your goals with these messages, use the ACE process—Analyzing, Compos-
ing, Evaluating. The ACE process will help ensure that you target the message to your pur-
pose and audience, make it easy to understand, and avoid errors that will undermine your
professionalism.
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Paperless offices @ work 133
PAPERLESS OFFICES @ WORK Trend Hunter
Routine communication can lead to a lot of paper! Al-
though smartphones, tablet PCs, cloud computing, social
media, and mobile devices create the foundation for paper-
less communication, the number of paper documents is
increasing by 22 percent each year, accounting for approxi-
mately 660 billion pieces of paper.13
Why is the number of paper documents going up
rather than going down? There are many reasons. Elec-
tronic access to information paradoxically creates incen-
tives to produce paper documents: When people find
information on the web, they often print a copy so they do
not have to search for it again—and will have a copy if the
web link disappears. In addition, although email messages
have replaced letters and memos, and although docu-
ments are typically transmitted electronically rather than
on paper, the ability to print and copy these documents
is so easy that people choose to print and read offline. As
much research has shown, people often prefer to read on
paper because it is more comfortable and more effective.14
The result is more paper, not less. In fact, according to
Trend Hunter—a “trend community” that features innova-
tive ideas, viral news, and pop culture—the average U.S.
office worker prints 10,000 pages per year.15
Bucking the trend of increased paper usage, Trend
Hunter itself has committed to being a truly paperless of-
fice. The company’s president, Shelby Walsh, suggests that
it’s easier to organize information digitally than in paper
form: “In this day and age, not only is digital communica-
tion a more environmentally-friendly option, but it’s also
more convenient. Trend Hunter uses as little paper as pos-
sible, sending off Trend Reports to our Fortune 500 clients
via PowerPoint files, communicating virtually inside of the
office, and making use of tools on the cloud to stay orga-
nized and keep the company as a whole informed.”
So what technology does Trend Hunter use to commu-
nicate routine information? Walsh says,
Everyone in the office is expected to sign into
Skype from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm so that anyone
can ping them with urgent questions or requests.
In terms of collaboration on projects and sharing
of data, we use Google Drive for everything from
tracking payments to storing training documents
and collaborating in real-time on large-scale ongo-
ing projects. Storing our work in the cloud means
the entire team can access files from all of their
devices as long as they have Internet access.
One piece of communication technology I use
quite frequently is Rapportive. It is a plug-in for
your email inbox that shows you everything about
your contacts within your email. You see an image
of the person as well as where they’re located
and links to their social network profiles. This has
helped me greatly in terms of staying connected
with business partners, clients, and media and
has enhanced my online social networks as well
as my rapport with these people.
Trend Hunter’s paperless efforts also demonstrate their
concern about the environment. Walsh notes, “[W]e have
an Eco category on the site that has driven millions of views
to sustainable and eco-friendly innovations, and we’ve
posted over 15,000 trends about this topic. For those in the
office, it’s great to have the ability to say we truly practice
what we preach. Also, it’s great not to have the extra clutter
of papers and folders lingering around the office!”
Source: Interview with Shelby Walsh.
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134 Chapter 4 | Communicating Routine Messages and Building Goodwill
This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
For the past year, Miguel Ramirez has worked for his father’s insur-
ance agency, Ramirez & Associates Insurance. The small company has
only five employees: Miguel and his father, Carlos; Melinda and Reggie,
both senior associates; and Theresa, the office manager.
On a Friday morning, Miguel opens the office and checks the
company’s voice mail. The first message is from his father, saying he
won’t be in today because he decided to leave for vacation one day early.
The second message is from Reggie, reminding everyone that he will
be out calling on clients. The third message from Melinda says that
the insurance supplier she planned to visit next week requested that
she come today instead, so she will be out of the office all day. The last
message is from Theresa, the office manager, who says she has the flu
and will not be in today. This leaves Miguel in charge.
Miguel sits down at Theresa’s computer and opens the central
email for the office. He also glances at the stack of regular mail on
Theresa’s desk. Here is a summary of the 11 messages he finds.
In the Email:
1. A notice from one of the insurance companies whose products
Ramirez & Associates sells. The company has adjusted auto insur-
ance rates and coverage for all customers in the state based on
claims and costs from the previous year. These changes will affect
almost all customers.
2. A notice from another company that it will not renew the
insurance for a customer who filed three claims during the past
year.
3. Two requests for insurance quotes from new customers.
4. A request from a summer intern for a job recommendation.
5. A request from a corporate client asking that Ramirez & Associ-
ates confirm the details of an insurance policy covering its fleet
of 1,000 cars.
6. A notice that a customer’s claim for wind damage to her garage
will be completely covered by the insuring company, minus the
$250 deductible.
7. An email from Melinda asking someone in the office to place an
order of office supplies with Office-To-Go. She left the list of sup-
plies on her desk, and she needs them by Monday.
In the Regular Mail:
8. Three insurance policies that need to be mailed to customers.
These policies are complex, and the customers will not under-
stand the details without a clear summary.
9. An invitation addressed to Miguel’s father, Carlos, asking him to
speak at a college career night next month. The school requests a
reply within 10 days, and Miguel’s father is not going to be back in
the office for two weeks.
10. A letter from the National Association of Insurance and Financial
Advisors indicating that Carlos Ramirez has been nominated for
the prestigious John Newton Russell Memorial Award, the indus-
try’s highest honor.
11. A news release from Office-To-Go, one of the major office equip-
ment suppliers in the area. The company has been purchased by a
larger corporation, which may affect pricing and delivery policies.
The news release offers no details, but raises many questions
about whether Office-To-Go will remain competitive with other
suppliers.
Analyzing Tasks and Choosing
the Best Medium
Because Miguel is alone, he decides to spend the day following up on
business leads, answering the phone, and responding to emails and let-
ters. As a first step, Miguel uses the first phase of the ACE process to
analyze his communication tasks using three criteria: Do others need
the information quickly? Will the task be easy for me to do, or should
someone else handle it later? Is it in the business’s best interest for me
to answer quickly?
TASK 1: Review the 11 messages and prioritize each item by put-
ting a 1 next to those that must be handled today, a 2 next to items
that should be handled today if there is time, and a 3 next to items
that can wait. Then, for each item, do a quick analysis. Identify the
purpose of Miguel’s communication, the audience, and the best
medium option: letter, memo, email, IM, telephone, meeting, and
so forth. Be prepared to explain your choices.
Composing Good News
in Response to a Claim
Miguel has good news to deliver to his client, Kristina Ivanska. He
received an email from her insurer saying that the company will pay
100 percent of the replacement/repair cost for her roof, which was se-
verely damaged in a wind storm, minus the $250 deductible.
Ms. Ivanska will get her payment in two installments. She will im-
mediately receive a check for $7,242, which is the value of her seven-
year-old roof. Then when she has the roof repaired, the company will
pay the difference between what it has already paid and the actual re-
pair cost minus the $250 insurance deductible. She doesn’t need to rush
to have the roof repaired because she has up to 180 days to submit the
bill for the repairs.
Miguel is eager to communicate this news to Ms. Ivanska, so
he decides to call her. He begins the conversation with good news:
“Ms. Ivanska, I wanted to let you know that Bill Baker, the insur-
ance adjuster, will be stopping by your house next week with a check
for $7,242 to cover your roof damage.” Much to Miguel’s surprise,
Ms. Ivanska was very upset. She said: “But I just got an estimate from
the roofing company for $9,850 to replace the roof. I thought my insur-
ance covered ‘replacement value.’ There’s a $2,500 difference! How can
I pay for that?”
Miguel immediately realizes that he had organized his message
the wrong way. He tries to calm Ms. Ivanska: “Don’t worry. The insur-
ance will cover the full cost except for your $250 deductible. I’m just ex-
plaining it wrong. Let me write you a letter, and I’ll drop it by your house
on my way home. It will make everything clear.”
TASK 2: Write the good-news letter for Miguel. Be sure that it ac-
complishes the following goals:
• Delivers the good news in a way that Ms. Ivanska will under-
stand and that calms her concerns
• Explains what the insurance company will do and what she
needs to do
• Reestablishes her confidence in Ramirez & Associates as an
insurance broker
CASE SCENARIO
A Day’s Worth of Routine Messages
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Case scenario 135
November 18, 20XX
Sales Manager
Office-To-Go
7633 Raintree Drive
Weymouth, MA 02188
Subject: Your Recent Announcement
been a loyal customer of Office-To-Go for the past five years, and this change will greatly inconvenience us.
supplier in the South Shore area. To make a decision, I need to know whether you will be honoring the prices in your current
carrying the same items as in your current catalog. Will you?
I also need to know what freight company you will be using and how insurance will be handled. Will OTG technicians set up
provided above or by email (mramirez@ramirezinsurance.com).
Sincerely,
Miguel Ramirez
I have been planning a large order of furniture and computer equipment with Office-To-Go and was very upset to receive the
announcement that your company has merged with another and may not be carrying the same items. Ramirez & Associates has
I need to determine whether to continue my plans to order from your company or to switch to another office equipment
furniture and equipment catalog and what discounts you will offer for bulk purchases. That assumes, of course, that you will be
the furniture and equipment delivered? What’s the turnaround time from order to delivery? Since I’m also deciding on whether
to use OTG for other things, I’d also like to know whether OTG will be able to personalize stationery on site, or will it have to
be outsourced?
Please respond by November 30 so that I may place an order by the end of the year. You can contact me at the phone number
letter
Accompanies Task 3
Evaluating a Routine Message
After he handles the priority messages, Miguel turns his attention
to the Office-To-Go announcement. Although it looks like a rou-
tine message, it is bad news to Miguel because he spent the past two
months researching new office furniture and computer equipment
from Office-To-Go. He made his choices and was about to prepare
a proposal for his father. Now it is unclear whether the new vendor
will carry the same brands, charge the same prices, or have the same
service agreements.
Miguel decides to compose an email to the Office-To-Go manager
requesting information that will help him decide whether to find a new
vendor. Miguel quickly composes the letter below and hopes to revise
it by the end of the day.
TASK 3: Evaluate this letter and suggest revisions and corrections
Miguel should make before sending it.
Spending a Few Moments
to Create Goodwill
It is 4:45 pm and Miguel has barely left his desk. He has been talking on
the telephone, composing messages, and placing orders. As Miguel sits
back in his chair, he recalls his father saying, “Miguel, every day before I
leave work, I make sure I’ve given someone a ‘gift’—a thank you, a word
of congratulations, or even just a smile. Remember, the time you invest
making someone else feel good will help you build goodwill.”
Miguel has been so intent on his work today that he hasn’t spent
one moment thinking about how to give someone a “gift.” He glances
down at his list of messages, looking for an opportunity to build good-
will for Ramirez & Associates—or for himself.
TASK 4: Review the 11 messages at the beginning of this case
scenario to identify ways to build goodwill. This is a good opportu-
nity to think creatively. Summarize your ideas in a message to your
instructor.
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What kinds of messages build goodwill
in business relationships? (pages 128–132)
Goodwill is a term used to describe the attitude of friendliness
and caring that is central to creating, solidifying, and maintain-
ing relationships.
• Thank-you messages offer you the opportunity to express
appreciation and make your recipients feel good about
something they have done for you. They also offer you the
opportunity to express and display your professionalism.
Thank-you messages range from formal letters to informal
emails, handwritten notes, and telephone calls. The main
challenge in writing a good thank-you note is to include spe-
cific content that relates to the act for which you are thank-
ing someone. A generic note loses much of its effectiveness.
• Congratulatory messages build goodwill by recognizing
someone else’s achievements or important events. These
events could be professional or personal.
• Sympathy messages are written to colleagues and business
acquaintances to show your compassion and understanding.
Although you can take advantage of preprinted sympathy
cards to deliver your messages, also include a few handwrit-
ten lines to personalize the message and promote goodwill.
• “For-your-information” messages are sent to pass along
information or communicate something you believe your
audience will appreciate. These friendly messages keep
channels of communication open, solidify relationships, and
initiate dialogues that may lead to business benefits.
Study Questions in Review
SQ3
136
End of Chapter
How do you compose messages
containing questions and requests?
(pages 116–120)
Most workplace communication involves routine business mes-
sages that are short and to the point. Use the ACE process to
make good decisions when analyzing, composing, and evaluat-
ing your messages.
• Decide between a direct or an indirect message when
composing routine messages that ask questions or make
requests. In most cases, state your request directly. However,
if the audience needs information to understand or be con-
vinced about your request, use an indirect message.
• Provide reasons for the request when necessary.
• Adopt a “you” perspective and include audience benefits
in all messages that ask questions or make requests. Internal
benefits are advantages that your audience directly receives,
and external benefits are advantages that someone else gains.
• Conclude with gratitude and a call for action.
SQ1
How do you compose informational
messages? (pages 120–127)
The best informational messages are direct and easy to read.
They also take advantage of opportunities to build goodwill.
• Reply to questions with a direct answer. Begin with
a positive response, follow the organization of the
original message—using corresponding numbers when
appropriate—and end with a friendly closing.
• Respond to customer requests and comments by creating
goodwill. This is especially important when customers are
requesting refunds, exchanges, or repairs.
• Highlight key points in confirmation messages. A confir-
mation is a message acknowledging that you have received
information or checking that you have understood informa-
tion correctly.
• Organize routine announcements so they are easy to
skim. Announcements are messages that publicly notify
people of information they need or want to know.
• Format instructions so readers can easily follow the steps.
Begin with an overview, divide instructions into numbered
or bulleted lists, and begin each step with an action verb
(or a conditional phrase, if the step is necessary only under
certain conditions). Use parallel phrasing to ensure the same
grammatical form for each item. Position any needed expla-
nation after the action rather than before it.
• Keep text and IM messages short and focused. Do not in-
clude extraneous information or start conversations that will
be hard to continue as texts.
SQ2
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Visual Summary
Will you please send me your updated third-quarter sales figures
today?
If the budget committee has the figures to discuss at tomorrow’s
meeting, they can get you a preliminary budget by Thursday, and
you’ll be able to start planning next year’s sales forecasts. Thanks.
How do you compose
messages containing
questions and requests?
Dear Jerry: I have a favor to ask. I know that you worked in Indianapolis
for many years arranging construction loans, so I am sure you are famil-
iar with heating and cooling contractors there. My company has won a
contract for a large office building in Indianapolis, and we’re now con-
tacting subcontractors to request bids on the job. I’m having difficulty
identifying qualified heating and cooling contractors. I need six and
have only three.
Could you please look over my attached list of contractors and suggest
a few more I can add? I’d really appreciate your help and will be glad to
return the favor whenever possible.
Be DIRECT when your
audience will easily
understand your
question and why you
are asking it.
Be INDIRECT when
the audience needs to
understand the con-
text of the situation
to make sense of your
question or request.
In every routine mes-
sage, adopt a “you”
perspective and
include audience
benefits.
Dear Mr. Pinnix:
We are shipping your corrected order today. SpeedEx has guaranteed
delivery by August 7. The tracking number is 532-23334-63421.
Attached is a return shipping label formatted as a PDF file that you can
print. Simply tape the label to your return and drop it off at any Speed
Exoffice. We prepaid the postage.
Thank you for your continued business. Your satisfaction is important to
us.
Sincerely,
How do you compose
informational messages?
Begin with the main idea.
Highlight benefits, if
there are any.
Follow up with the details.
Number or bullet them if
they are a list.
End with a friendly
closing or contact
information as
appropriate.
What kinds of messages
build goodwill in
business relationships?
Compose thank-you messages,
congratulatory messages,
sympathy messages, and FYI
messages to create, solidify,
and maintain relationships.
Depending on the context:
• Express professionalism.
• Include specific content.
• Recognize achievements.
• Show compassion and understanding.
• Personalize the messages.
SQ1
SQ2
SQ3
137
C
H
A
P
T
E
R
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Announcement p. 125
Audience benefits p. 119
Confirmation p. 124
Congratulatory message
p. 128
External benefits p. 119
For-your-information (FYI)
message p. 128
Goodwill messages p. 116
Implicit request p. 117
Internal benefits p. 119
Parallel phrasing p. 126
Routine business
message p. 116
Sympathy message (also
called condolences) p. 128
Thank-you message p. 128
“You” perspective p. 118
Key Terms
1 Under what circumstances would you choose to use an indirect
routine message rather than a direct one?
2 Why is the “you” perspective important for routine requests?
3 Why is goodwill so important to business communication, espe-
cially when responding to customer requests?
4 What goodwill techniques can you use in routine messages?
5 How can you organize a routine announcement to make it easy
to skim?
6 Explain three formatting techniques that make instructions easy
for readers to follow.
7 What pitfalls should you watch out for in sending business text
messages?
8 Why should you personalize a thank-you message?
9 Describe three benefits of sharing FYI messages with colleagues.
10 What are two communication tools (other than email and telephone)
that facilitate paperless communication of routine messages?
Review Questions
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 Many of the routine messages in this chapter are just a few sen-
tences long. Explain why using each phase of the ACE commu-
nication process—Analyzing, Composing, and Evaluating—is
helpful even for short, routine messages.
2 Explain the possible negative outcomes of sending routine mes-
sages that do not include audience benefits or wording that pro-
motes goodwill.
3 As this chapter explains, in some instances it may be unethical to
include a bcc in an email. Explain a situation, other than those
described in the chapter, in which forwarding an email might be
considered unethical. [Related to the Ethics feature on page 127]
4 Writing a message to request a refund, repair, or exchange pro-
vides one advantage over a telephone call: You have written docu-
mentation of your request and you will receive a written response.
However, sometimes you may prefer to call a customer service rep-
resentative because an oral conversation allows better feedback and
a quicker resolution. If you choose to communicate your claim re-
quest by telephone, what details about the conversation should you
document? What method of documentation would you choose?
5 This chapter explains one reason why you might choose to make a
request in person rather than by email: It may be more difficult for
your audience to refuse the request. What are other reasons you
may choose to make a request in person?
6 If you were granting a customer a refund for a faulty product, why
might you also include a discount for a future purchase? The cus-
tomer is getting what she asked for, so why do more?
7 Assume you need to communicate to all employees a new policy
about business use of texting. Explain the factors that would affect
your choice of medium to share this information.
8 Explain why you should send a thank-you note after all your em-
ployment interviews, even with those companies you are no lon-
ger interested in pursuing.
9 American business culture is competitive. People compete for jobs,
promotions, and raises. In this competitive culture, why would
you concern yourself with building goodwill with colleagues?
10 If you were writing a goodwill message to someone from another
culture, would you choose to follow your own cultural standards
or those of your audience? Why? How could you find out what
those cultural standards are? [Related to the Culture feature on
page 130]
Critical Thinking Questions
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How do you compose messages containing
questions and requests? (pages 116–120)
1 Decide between a direct or an indirect message
Most routine messages should be organized directly with the main
point positioned at the beginning of the message. Rewrite the follow-
ing messages to use a direct approach and revise the wording to create
a more effective message based on clarity, conciseness, style, and tone.
Compare your direct revision to the indirect original. Which version
would you choose to send? Explain why.
a. Email to Professor Fisher: My sister is getting married this week-
end, and I am in the wedding party. It’s a five-hour drive, so in
order to get to the wedding rehearsal Friday afternoon, I have to
leave before noon on Friday, which means I won’t be able to attend
our 2 pm class. I know that missing your lecture will put me at a
disadvantage for next week’s exam, but you said you would take our
term papers early if we got them done, which I did, so it’s attached.
Please confirm that you received the attachment. I’d be happy to
bring by a hard copy if you would prefer. Thanks, [Your Name]
b. Voice mail message to a customer service department: Hi. This is
Kent from Simi Valley Automotive. Last week, we placed an order
from your recent promotional catalog. We ordered 24 sets of your
model #42 windshield wipers. We received the shipment today,
but found 42 sets of your model #24 windshield wipers. Although
we stock both models, our supply of model #42 is very low, and we
now have twice as many model #24 sets. What can you do to help?
Please call me at 555-1234. Thanks!
c. Letter to a prospective tenant: Dear Mr. Abrams: Thank you for
your recent request for additional information about our summer
rental facilities. I agree that we have several interesting options to
choose from, and without specific pricing details, it is difficult to
make an informed decision. If you reserve your rental from the at-
tached pricing list before April 1, I can offer you a 10 percent dis-
count. Enclosed is the price list you requested. Thanks, [Your Name]
d. Memo to department managers: As you know, recycling is a very
important goal for our company. Our efforts to make the planet
clean and green extend beyond our corporate walls. We encourage
every employee to recycle at home as well as work. The original
blue recycling containers that were placed in each break room and
reception area several years ago will be replaced with larger green
containers that have separate receptacles for paper, plastic, glass,
and metals. Please remind the employees in your department to
recycle as much as possible. Thanks, [Your Name]
e. Face-to-face conversation: Hi, Hiro. You know that memo about
the new travel forms we’re supposed to use? Well, I’m going to a
conference next week in Las Vegas—nice, huh?—although I’ve al-
ready asked Thad to cover for me while I’m gone, after reading the
memo, I wasn’t sure if we had to ask someone who is actually in
our department to cover for us. I was hired to replace Thad when
he moved up to management, so he knows my job better than any-
one else—not that I think there will be much for him to do while
I’m gone—but I didn’t want my travel request to get hung up in the
process if I had to ask someone else. Do you know?
2 Provide reasons for the request
Your first job after college requires you to move to a new city, Louisville,
Kentucky, where you don’t know anyone. You want to get involved with
activities outside of work where you can meet people, so you attend a
meeting of the Young Professionals Association of Louisville. Because
you enjoyed the meeting, you sign up to join and provide your credit
card number for the membership fee. Two weeks later as you review
your online credit card statement information, you notice that your an-
nual dues were charged at the $100 premium member fee rather than
the $50 new-member fee that was advertised during the meeting. To get
your $50 back, you email the organization. You do not know the name
of the president or the treasurer. However, you do have a general email
address: YPAL@louisville.net. Draft your email requesting a refund.
3 Adopt a “you” perspective and include audience benefits
For each of the following claim responses, revise the message to use the
“you” perspective and include audience benefits.
a. Thank you for contacting us about the Internet outage in your
area. We restored the connection.
b. We are sorry that one of the pizzas delivered to your office last
week was cold. Enclosed is a refund.
c. We regret that one of the eight office chairs you ordered was dam-
aged during delivery. We are shipping a replacement today.
d. You’re right. You were charged incorrectly. We will credit your ac-
count today.
e. The headset you returned could not be repaired. We’re enclosing a
new one for your convenience.
4 Conclude with gratitude and a call for action
The following email exchange consists of five separate short messages.
Revise the messages to conclude with an appropriate call for action.
Where appropriate, include other techniques such as an expression of
gratitude, a “you” perspective, and audience benefits.
a. Hi, Peter: Will you be able to take on the new Meggison market-
ing project? I’m simply overwhelmed with the Pagel campaign
and don’t know how I would handle both projects simultaneously.
Thanks, Larry
b. Hi, Larry: Sure, I can work on the Meggison project.—Peter
c. Peter: I am so glad you accepted my offer to lead the new Meggi-
son marketing project. I have so much on my plate right now, you
just can’t imagine! I expect you will call me with any questions you
have. I need your proposal as soon as possible.—Larry
d. Larry: Attached is my rough draft for the Meggison proposal.—Peter
e. Peter: Attached are my suggested revisions for the Meggison
proposal.—Larry
How do you compose informational messages?
(pages 120–127)
5 Reply to questions with a direct answer
As the director of human resources at UrbanLife, you receive several
requests each week from students for information about internship op-
portunities at your company. Although you respond to each request
individually, you often reply with the same information. Rather than
typing the same information each time, you decide to create a template
of responses that you can cut, paste, and modify as necessary to person-
alize each message. The requests often include the following questions:
• Do you provide internships? Answer: Yes.
• If so, in what areas? Answer: All departments.
• What is the timeline for reviewing applications? Answer: Usually
a four- to six-week response.
• When during the academic year do you hire interns? Answer: Ac-
cepted throughout the year.
Key Concept Exercises
SQ1
SQ2
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140 Chapter 4 | Communicating Routine Messages and Building Goodwill
10 Keep text and IM messages short and focused
Review the text exchange in the accompanying figure sent through an in-
stant messenger application. What are the advantages and potential dis-
advantages of communicating this information by IM rather than email?
text message
Draft a sample email response that you could use to respond to any
request for internship information. Include the suggested elements:
Begin with the positive response, include all requested information,
and end with a friendly closing. Remember the importance of creating
goodwill with your response by striking an appropriate tone.
6 Respond to customer requests and comments by
creating goodwill
Callan Reis wrote to her company’s employee benefits director to appeal
the director’s decision not to reimburse certain health care expenses. The
benefits director drafted the following message, responding positively
to Callan’s appeal. However, in evaluating this message before sending,
the writer determined the message did not do a good job of promoting
goodwill. What changes would you recommend to the writer?
email
Hello, Callan:
I have reviewed your appeal letter regarding your health care
reimbursement account. Based on the circumstances, and the fact
that you met the original deadline to submit a claim for 20XX, I am
willing to allow the claim. I hope this resolves the matter. Please let
me know if there are any other questions or concerns.
Alice Donnelly
Director, Benefits
Delamore Industries
3298 Ridgeland Highway
Bellevue, WA 98006
Phone: 425.555.8588
Fax: 425.555.5136
a-donnelly@delamore.com
Callan Reis
Your Health Care Reimbursement Appeal
7 Highlight key points in confirmation messages
As a new intern at a large marketing company, you provide assistance to a
wide variety of project managers and their staff. The diverse experience is
valuable but requires significant attention to detail to ensure you remem-
ber what you’re supposed to do for whom and by when. You have been
keeping detailed notes; however, sometimes in the course of running an
errand someone will ask you to do something when you don’t have your
notes with you. This happened today. As you were copying documents
and collating materials into presentation packets for a client meeting,
Lydia Homer, the team leader for the project presentation, looked in the
copy room and said, “Don’t forget to include the original RFP in the pack-
ets. When you’re done with all that, take the packets to Brian for labeling.
Use the 5164 size. Sally has the list of names. Thanks.” Before you could
respond, Lydia hurried down the hall to another meeting. You realize
you don’t know what an RFP is, you don’t know Brian or Sally, and now
you can’t remember whether she said 5164 or 5614. Because your copy
machine has another 500 pages to print, you decide to email Lydia con-
firming the information and asking for clarification. Draft the message.
8 Organize routine announcements so they
are easy to skim
You manage City Kids, a large daycare facility in the downtown area.
You want to announce your expanded hours to your current clientele
as well as employees of local businesses (potential customers) near your
facility. Your old hours were 7:30 am to 6:30 pm. Beginning the first of
next month, you will be open from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm. The daycare
facility has a comprehensive website and an active listserv that includes
each parent’s email address. Create additional information to draft an
announcement, and identify the medium options you could use to dis-
tribute this message. How would the draft change based on the medium?
9 Format instructions so readers can easily follow the
steps
Your company is planning to recruit new employees at several college-
sponsored job fairs and has decided to staff the booths with current
employees from throughout the company. You have a full schedule of vol-
unteers for the fairs. You wrote the short set of instructions in the following
paragraph, which you plan to distribute at an orientation session for vol-
unteers. Before the session, though, you decide to revise the instructions to
make them easier to follow. Reformat (and if necessary, revise) the follow-
ing text to create a one-page instruction sheet for volunteers. As you revise,
consider which steps are separate and which can be grouped together.
What kinds of messages build goodwill in
business relationships? (pages 128–132)
11 Thank-you messages
You work for a large tax accounting firm, and one of your satisfied
customers, Andrea Stockton, wrote a very complimentary email about
you to the senior vice president. The customer also referred a colleague
SQ3
instructions
Protocol for Job Fair Booth Volunteers
Greet the student (that is, prospective employee). Shake
hands and introduce yourself. Ask the student’s name.
Give the student the company brochure. Outline the
nature of the jobs you are recruiting for, without going
into too much detail. Focus on the benefits of working
for our company. Ask if the student has any questions.
Answer any questions you can and take notes about any
question that you cannot answer. Thank the student for
his or her interest in our company and wish the student
good luck in his or her job search.
Accompanies Exercise 9
Accompanies Exercise 6
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Brian, was diagnosed with leukemia. Your client meetings have been
less frequent lately since Jana has been working from home, but you’ve
managed to stay in contact by email. This morning, the first email you
open is from Jana. It’s a message sent to dozens of people informing
them that Brian died peacefully in his sleep a week ago. Jana’s message
thanks the group for their continued support during the past year, and
indicates that donations can be made in Brian’s name to the Children’s
Leukemia Center. Although your instinct is to reply by email, you know
a handwritten sympathy note is more appropriate. Draft your message.
14 “For-your-information” messages
Jim O’Callahan is your company’s vice president of marketing. Last week
you sat next to Jim at a business dinner. In conversation, Jim mentioned
how much he admired Abraham Lincoln as a leader. The next day as
you were browsing through your local bookstore, you saw a book by
Eric Foner, The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery. This
made you think of Jim’s comments, and you bought the book. You’ve read
only three chapters, but you are really enjoying it. You wonder if Jim has
read it. Write a message to Jim that lets him know about this new book.
15 Writing routine messages
Each of the following messages has a problem. It may be too short, too
wordy, or have the wrong tone. For each of the scenarios represented by
the message, compose a new message that you believe is well organized,
includes enough information to be effective, and builds goodwill. Cre-
ate any additional information that you need.
a. Email. Hi, Jane: Attached are the files you requested. Regards, Jill.
b. Voice mail message. This is Maria Martinez from Accounting. I
need more information than you provided on your recent travel
expense report. Please call me at Ext. 1440 as soon as possible.
Thanks.
c. Memo. To All Employees: Please stop throwing away your plastic
water bottles. We have recycling bins in several convenient loca-
tions. Thanks!
d. Flyer posted in break room. Volunteers Needed for Blood
Drive—Call Ext. 550 for Info!
e. Comment made during a meeting. As the chair of the social com-
mittee, I think it’s important that we do a better job of recognizing
birthdays in our department. I’ll take the responsibility of buying
and routing cards for signatures prior to each person’s birthday,
but you all need to chip in. Five dollars per person will cover the
cost of the card and muffin from the coffee shop. Sound okay?
16 Requesting a favor
You own a consulting business that provides communication training.
This morning, Tim Merrick of LabCorp left a voice mail message on
your office phone requesting that you present a one-hour email eti-
quette workshop for his staff of 25 people next week during their pro-
fessional development retreat. You have presented several workshops
for Tim’s company in the past and look forward to continuing your
business relationship with him, but you will be out of town next week
on another consulting job and won’t be available. Rather than reply to
Tim with bad news, you would prefer to find a replacement and decide
to ask one of your associates, Kathryn, to conduct the email etiquette
workshop. Although Kathryn has not presented this topic before, she
is an excellent presenter. You have an email etiquette PowerPoint pre-
sentation, handout materials, and group activities you have used suc-
cessfully in the past. Kathryn just needs to get familiar with the content
to prepare for the workshop. Because you need a response quickly, you
decide to send an email to Kathryn, asking her to conduct the work-
shop. Use the ACE process to analyze the situation, compose the email,
and evaluate it. Submit your final draft email to your instructor.
17 Requesting information
In your role as a human resources specialist, you help new employees
determine which retirement benefit packages best fit their personal
needs. After spending the entire morning meeting separately with
three people about the same issues, you realize that you typically ask
each person the same questions. Rather than continuing to take the
time to collect this information in person, you decide it would be more
efficient to have employees prepare this information ahead of time.
Your questions involve their current age and planned retirement age,
minimum level of annual income needed in retirement for recurring
expenses, anticipated special circumstances in retirement (such as chil-
dren’s college tuition or weddings), desired lifestyle during retirement,
and current rate of savings. You also need to know whether they prefer
low-risk investments that are more stable but may provide less return
on investment or high-risk investments that are less stable but may pro-
vide a high return on investment. Compose a memo to new employ-
ees that will be included with their orientation materials. Your memo
should indicate that as a human resources specialist, you are available
to schedule individual appointments to discuss retirement benefit
packages. You would like the new employees to bring typed responses
to these questions to their scheduled appointments.
18 Respond to claim requests by creating goodwill
Assume you are a private attorney running your practice out of your
home. A friend suggests that creating a website for your business
might enhance your client base and recommends a college student,
Kent Miller. You contact Kent, discuss content and images, and agree
to his hourly fees. A week later, Kent sends you a draft of your web-
site and an invoice for $300. The site looks great, so you send him a
check and thank him for his work. A few days later, Kent emails you
indicating that although he looks forward to continuing to work on
your website project, he is concerned that the check you sent was for
$200, which was $100 less than the invoiced amount. You refer to your
checking account register and realize you made a mistake. Respond to
Kent’s email.
Writing Exercises
(Evan Russert) to your company based on your work. The senior vice
president forwarded you a copy of this email. Send your customer a
thank-you message.
12 Congratulatory messages
This is your fifth year as the head of new client development for a small
consulting company. Your assistant, Madeline, has been extremely
helpful since your first day. After 30 years of service to the company,
Madeline is retiring. You have organized her retirement party and se-
lected a beautifully inscribed silver plaque. However, you’re not sure
what to write in her farewell card. Although you will miss her knowl-
edge and talents, you know she is looking forward to retirement and
plans to begin with a two-week Caribbean cruise. Draft a congratula-
tory message to Madeline.
13 Sympathy messages
You are a sales consultant for a regional distribution company. Your
biggest client, Jana, has also become a good friend. Last year, Jana’s son,
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staff retreat. Create an online poll to determine when everyone can
meet. Identify five different options. Then compose an email message
that explains the meeting and includes directions about how to use the
poll (assume your colleagues have not used this poll feature before).
19 Scheduling a meeting [Related to the Technology
feature on page 122]
Assume you need to determine the best day and time to schedule a team
meeting with eight colleagues to discuss the agenda for an upcoming
20 Identifying audience benefits
As a team, assume that you are the human resources staff for a small
regional hospital with a workforce of approximately 500 (physicians,
nurses, administrators, support staff, and volunteers). Your department
routinely sends messages to all employees. For each of the following
“To All” scenarios, brainstorm audience benefits that you can incor-
porate into the message. Revise each message to include at least one
audience benefit and build goodwill.
a. To All: The employee parking area will be repaved next week. The
crew will pave the north half of the lot on Monday and the south
half on Tuesday. Although half of the employee lot will be avail-
able at all times, arrangements have been made with the volunteer
transportation services unit to run shuttles every 10 minutes from
the overflow parking area to the main hospital entrance. Thank
you for your cooperation.—HR Dept.
b. To All: Next Friday between 10 am and 2 pm, the Volunteers’ As-
sociation will be hosting a bake sale in the lobby area outside the
cafeteria. All proceeds from the sale will support the new free
clinic. Donations are also accepted. Thank you for supporting this
worthy cause!—HR Dept.
c. To All: Our new insurance forms are now available. Please stop by
the HR Dept. to register for the new coverage options. If you don’t
update your records by the end of the month, you will not be able
to select plan options until the next quarter.—HR Dept.
d. To All: The gift shop in the lobby will be renovated next month. To
help reduce the inventory before the renovations begin, all items
have been reduced 25 percent. As usual, your hospital ID badge
gives you an extra 10 percent discount. Thanks for helping us clear
the shelves before we tear them down!—HR Dept.
e. To All: Although our hospital campus has been tobacco-free for sev-
eral years, we’ve recently received several complaints from the custo-
dian services supervisor that cigarette butts have been found in the
garbage cans of several employee bathrooms throughout the build-
ing. Please refrain from using any tobacco products in the hospital
or on the grounds. Thank you for your cooperation.—HR Dept.
21 Exploring cultural expectations [Related to the Culture
feature on page 130]
As a team, select a country and research its customs and expectations for
showing gratitude, saying thank you, and building goodwill. For example,
what are the customs and expectations about gift giving? Is it expected,
discouraged, or optional? Is a written thank-you note more appropriate
than a spoken one? Or is an oral thank you more expected? Each team
member should look at different sources and discuss similarities and dif-
ferences among the findings. Potential resources include the eDiplomat
and CyborLink websites. Use your favorite search engines to find others.
Prepare a two-minute presentation for your class about saying thank you
and building goodwill in that country. Be sure to include a list of your
sources and be prepared to identify which one was most helpful and why.
Collaboration Exercises
22 Analyzing goodwill in companies’ Facebook
announcements
Find announcements from three different companies’ Facebook sites
that communicate routine information, such as a new product offering,
an upgrade, or new version of a software application. Identify the ele-
ments of the messages that communicate goodwill with the audience.
For messages that do not include any content designed to build good-
will, identify how they could be revised to do so. For messages that do,
compare how they create goodwill with the audience. Summarize your
findings in a one- to two-paragraph email to your instructor.
23 Analyzing responses to social media complaints
Use a public social review site—such as Yelp, Amazon, or Trip Advisor—
to find an example of a complaint or negative post about a company’s
product or service. Identify how the company responds to the post
to rebuild goodwill and to give potential customers confidence in the
company. Summarize your findings in a one- to two-paragraph email
to your instructor.
Social Media Exercises
24 Making informal/impromptu presentations
a. Identify a routine message you recently wrote and explain the pur-
pose, audience, content, and medium of the message. Was the message
successful in achieving its purpose? How do you know? Share your
information with your class in a short, informal oral presentation.
b. Identify one situation in which a business sent you a goodwill
message or added goodwill content to a routine message. In a
short, informal presentation, explain what the business commu-
nicated to you and whether the goodwill message made you feel
positively about the business. Explain why or why not.
c. Explain how you have built and maintained goodwill with your
friends. Provide at least three examples.
25 Presenting executive briefings
a. Imagine that your business wants to create a policy about when
and how to use the blind carbon copy (bcc) feature in emails.
Your team has been assigned to draft that policy. As a team,
brainstorm situations when using bcc is effective and acceptable
as well as some situations when it is not. Develop a short set of
guidelines and share them with the class in a three- to five-minute
Speaking Exercises
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presentation that includes a few slides. [Related to the Ethics fea-
ture on page 127]
b. Assume you work for a small consulting company that provides
training workshops and seminars to other companies, primarily in
three states that cover two time zones. Scheduling these events for
your clients involves coordinating schedules among many people,
usually 25 to 40 people. You prefer to use Doodle, but your boss has
heard that other free online scheduling tools may provide more fea-
tures. Review at least three similar scheduling tools and compare the
features they support. Set up polls with each one, research any ar-
ticles or product reviews you can find, and summarize your findings
in a three- to five-minute presentation. Support your presentation
with slides that include screen shots of each scheduling tool as well
as a recommendation slide that outlines why one of the tools is better
than the others. [Related to the Technology feature on page 122]
26 Prepositions and conjunctions (see Appendix C:
Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—
Section 1.1.4)
In the following paragraph, identify the prepositions (P), coordinating
conjunctions (CC), correlative conjunctions (CorC), subordinating con-
junctions (SC), and conjunctive adverbs (CA). There are a total of 10
prepositions and conjunctions. Count correlative conjunction pairs as one.
The way you begin a business call is very important; however, the con-
clusion is equally important. Have you ever been caught in an awk-
ward spot, wondering who should end the call? If you initiated the
call, the convention is for you to conclude it. After you have obtained
the information you need, thank the person you called and then say
good-bye. The person at the other end either can just say good-bye or
can end with a pleasantry: for example, “I’m glad I could help.”
Grammar Exercises
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 Explain the possible negative outcomes of sending routine messages that do not
include audience benefits or wording that promotes goodwill.
2 Why would customers feel better about a response to a complaint if the
response is personally signed and if the responder says he will forward the
complaint to someone who can solve the problem?
1. PRWeb. (2014, April 25). Business communications still
defined by email according to results of new DeskAlerts
survey. PRWeb. Retrieved from http://www.prweb.com/
releases/2014/04/prweb11789898.htm
2. Atos. (2014). Zero Email™ program wins award for excellence
in social collaboration. Retrieved from http://atos.net/en-us/
home/we-are/zero-email.html
3. Taylor, P. (2013, March 13). Atos’ ‘zero email initiative’ suc-
ceeding. Financial Times. Retrieved from http://www.ft.com/
int l/cms/s/0/11384220-8761-11e2-b de6-00144fe ab dc0
.html#axzz30SuQhAfk
4. Shellenbarger, S. (2014, March 12). Email enigma:
When the boss’s reply seems cryptic. Wall Street Jour-
nal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/
SB10001424052702304704504579433233994478174
5. eMarketer. (2013, April 23). On the web, customer service sto-
ries move fast. eMarketer.com. Retrieved from http://www
.emarketer.com/Article/On-Web-Customer-Service-Stories-
Move-Fast/1009834
6. MacDonald, S. (2013, May 23). Why customer complaints
are good for your business. SuperOffice.com. Retrieved from
http://www.superoffice.com/blog/customer-complaints-good-
for-business/
7. James, G. (2013, March 13). 16 rules for business texting. Inc.
Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/16-rules-
for-business-texting.html
8. HeyWire Business. (2014, January 29). HeyWire Business text
messaging survey shows 67 percent of professionals are texting
for business. Retrieved from http://heywire.com/in-the-news/
heywire-business-text-messaging-survey-shows-67-percent-
of-professionals-are-texting-for-business-2/
9. Mobile Marketing Association. (2012). Mobile wake up call:
State of mobile today. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare
.net/gregstuart/state-of-mobile-mma-simmons-final
10. Garfinkle, J. (2014). Building positive relationships at work. Re-
trieved from http://garfinkleexecutivecoaching.com/articles/
bu i l d – p o s it ive – wor k – re l at i ons h ip s / bu i l d i ng – p o s it ive –
relationships-at-work
11. Hudson, L. (2009, September 19). Fitting in, and rising to the top.
An interview with Adam Bryant. New York Times. Retrieved from
12. Lewis, R. (2014, March 22). Quick tips: Handwritten notes
making a comeback. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www
.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/03/22/
money-quick-tips-handwritten-note/6710895/
13. Milliken, G. (2014, January 6). The paperless office: 30-year
old pipe dream? Wired.com. Retrieved from http://www.wired
.com/2014/01/paperless-office-30-year-old-pipe-dream/
14. Jabr, F. (2013). Why the brain prefers paper. Scientific Ameri-
can, 309(5), 48–53.
15. Trend Hunter. (2014). Paper preservation: Innovations that pro-
mote paperless living. Retrieved from http://www.trendhunter
.com/protrends/paper-preservation (see also http://www
.gopaperless.com/Green-Commitment.aspx)
References
C
H
A
P
T
E
R
4
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http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11789898.htm
http://atos.net/en-us/home/we-are/zero-email.html
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/11384220-8761-11e2-bde6-00144feabdc0.html#axzz30SuQhAfk
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304704504579433233994478174
http://www.emarketer.com/Article/On-Web-Customer-Service-Stories-Move-Fast/1009834
http://www.superoffice.com/blog/customer-complaints-good-for-business/
http://www.superoffice.com/blog/customer-complaints-good-for-business/
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/16-rules-for-business-texting.html
http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/16-rules-for-business-texting.html
http://heywire.com/in-the-news/heywire-business-text-messaging-survey-shows-67-percentof-professionals-are-texting-for-business-2/
http://garfinkleexecutivecoaching.com/articles/build-positive-work-relationships/building-positiverelationships-at-work
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/03/22/money-quick-tips-handwritten-note/6710895/
http://www.wired.com/2014/01/paperless-office-30-year-old-pipe-dream/
http://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/paper-preservation
http://www.gopaperless.com/
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11789898.htm
http://atos.net/en-us/home/we-are/zero-email.html
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/11384220-8761-11e2-bde6-00144feabdc0.html#axzz30SuQhAfk
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/11384220-8761-11e2-bde6-00144feabdc0.html#axzz30SuQhAfk
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304704504579433233994478174
http://www.emarketer.com/Article/On-Web-Customer-Service-Stories-Move-Fast/1009834
http://www.emarketer.com/Article/On-Web-Customer-Service-Stories-Move-Fast/1009834
http://heywire.com/in-the-news/heywire-business-text-messaging-survey-shows-67-percentof-professionals-are-texting-for-business-2/
http://heywire.com/in-the-news/heywire-business-text-messaging-survey-shows-67-percentof-professionals-are-texting-for-business-2/
http://garfinkleexecutivecoaching.com/articles/build-positive-work-relationships/building-positiverelationships-at-work
http://garfinkleexecutivecoaching.com/articles/build-positive-work-relationships/building-positiverelationships-at-work
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/03/22/money-quick-tips-handwritten-note/6710895/
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/03/22/money-quick-tips-handwritten-note/6710895/
http://www.wired.com/2014/01/paperless-office-30-year-old-pipe-dream/
http://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/paper-preservation
http://www.gopaperless.com/
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5
Communicating
Persuasive
Messages
144
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Persuasive communication is key to influencing others,
both ethically and with integrity, to see the value in what
I am trying to achieve. Other people have their own
priorities and performance goals. Without persuasive
skills, I would have difficulty helping others understand
how what I am doing can help them meet their
own goals.
Anna Van Cleef
University of Tennessee
Procurement Specialist—Audit Liaison @ Georgia-Pacific, LLC
New Hires @ Work
How can the ACE process help you
persuade your audience? pages 146–151
Analyzing helps you plan your message
Composing implements the persuasive plan
Evaluating helps you review the draft for
effectiveness
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ3 What types of business messages
typically require persuasion?
pages 159–166
Recommendations for action
Requests for favors
Persuasive customer claims
Sales messages
SQ2 What are the basic elements of
persuasion? pages 151–158
Building credibility
Constructing a logical argument
Appealing to your audience’s emotions
SQ4 How can you use persuasion
to improve teamwork and
collaboration? pages 167–168
Use persuasion to motivate others
Incorporate persuasion into the team
decision-making process
145
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Chapter 5 | Introduction
Your ability to engage and persuade an audience is a key
element of your professional presence—and perhaps the
most important ability you can develop as a business
communicator. However, don’t fall into the trap of think-
ing that persuasion means winning arguments. Being ar-
gumentative is rarely a good persuasive strategy. Instead,
think of persuasion as the process of influencing your
audience to change their beliefs or actions in a way that
leads to a desired outcome. In other words, persuasion is
about creating change.
This chapter offers guidelines for applying the ACE
process—Analyze, Compose, and Evaluate—to many
types of persuasive communication. Being persuasive re-
quires that you analyze your audience to understand what
will motivate them and why they may resist your ideas.
It also requires composing with persuasive techniques
that will help you overcome resistance. Finally, it requires
evaluating your communication objectively to ensure
that you are providing the persuasive content that will, in
fact, influence your audience.
SQ1 How can the ACE process help you persuade your audience?
To be persuasive, a message must do more than just state your point of view. It must also moti-
vate your audience to agree with you. Using the ACE process will help you develop a message
that accomplishes this goal.
Let’s consider this example. Assume that you are Pedro Baca, a customer service manager
for an e-commerce company that has an annual goal to increase profits by improving customer
service and cutting costs. To improve customer service, the company installed new computer
software that tracks orders and allows employees to provide customers with immediate, ac-
curate information. To cut costs, the company eliminated the training budget. Now you have a
dilemma. Your employees received only a brief orientation and don’t know how to use all the
features of the new software. Customer complaints have increased, and you fear the company
may alienate customers because of poor service. To solve this problem, you want to persuade
your supervisor, Maria, to authorize money for training.
Your first thought is to write a quick email to Maria to request the funds. You sit down at
the computer and write the following message:
“Maria: I am requesting funding to support a computer training workshop
to ensure my department’s employees will be more productive and cus-
tomer complaints will decrease. I will call your assistant to schedule an ap-
pointment to discuss this soon. Thanks, Pedro.”
This message simply asks for what you want. As you review this message, you wonder how
Maria will react. Instead of sending the message, you rethink it using the ACE process.
Analyzing helps you plan your message
When persuading, you will increase your chances of getting a positive response by spending
extra time on the analyzing phase of the ACE process. Recall that analyzing involves thinking
strategically about your:
• purpose, desired outcome, and business results
• audiences’ and stakeholders’ needs
• content needs
• medium choices
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
persuasion The process of influencing
your audience to agree with your point of
view, accept your recommendation, grant
your request, or change their beliefs or
actions in a way that facilitates a desired
outcome.
146
Analyze
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How can the ACE process help you persuade your audience? 147
Analyze your purpose, desired outcome, and business result
Before focusing on what you will say in your message, think about your goal. What is the pur-
pose of the message (why are you communicating) and what outcome would you like to achieve
(how would you like your audience to respond)? If your audience agrees to your request or
recommendation, what will the business result be? Understanding how your request will affect
others and your business helps you anticipate audience responses.
For example, your message to persuade Maria has the following purpose, outcome, and
business result:
• The purpose is to request funding to support a training workshop.
• The outcome is that your audience (your supervisor) will provide the requested funds.
• The business result is that the employees will be more productive and provide improved cus-
tomer service.
Analyze your audiences’ and stakeholders’ needs
Next, consider how to persuade your audience by analyzing them. Audience analysis involves
imagining yourself in your audience’s position and interpreting your message from your au-
dience’s perspective. Because persuasion involves influencing your audience’s thinking and
behavior, the more you know about your audience, the more persuasive you can be.
Consider both the primary audience, the direct recipients of the message, as well as the
secondary audience, other people who may read or hear your message. The secondary audi-
ence may receive a copy of your message either from you or from your primary audience. You
may even want to consider stakeholders who may be affected by the message. In the computer
training workshop example, your supervisor (Maria) is your primary audience. The secondary
audience may include the vice president of finance if Maria forwards your request to approve
additional funds. Additional stakeholders include employees in the department and custom-
ers. Although employees and customers will not see your message, they will certainly be af-
fected by the outcome.
To create a persuasive message for your audience, focus on analyzing what your audience
needs to know, what might motivate or benefit them, and what might cause them to resist your
proposal. Then design your message to address those needs and issues. Figure 5.1 on page 148
presents Pedro’s analysis and illustrates both how to analyze the audience and how to use the
results to shape the content of your message.
Note in Figure 5.1 that you may respond to potential objections in two different ways:
refutation or concession. You refute points by arguing that they are wrong. Alternatively, you
concede points by admitting that they have merit or are partially correct but do not invalidate
your argument. Think of refutation as saying, “No, that is wrong, and here’s why,” and conces-
sion as saying, “Yes, that may be true, but. . . .”
Whichever approach you use, be sure to state the opposing argument fairly, thoroughly,
and in a way that lets the audience know that you understand their concerns. However, avoid
statements that explicitly articulate potential objections: “You may believe that training is too
costly. However, customer service problems caused by insufficient training will cost more.” You
will be more effective if you simply build your argument so that it accounts for those objec-
tions: “Although training is costly, customer service problems caused by insufficient training will
cost even more.” Remember, the more objections you anticipate and address, the more persua-
sive you will be.
Analyze medium choices
Selecting the best medium for your persuasive message depends on many variables:
• The number of people in your audience and your ability to reach them all in a timely way
• The complexity of your content
• The amount of resistance you expect
• Your audience’s communication preferences
Figure 5.2 on page 149 shows how to choose among various medium options when you
need to persuade an audience.
primary audience The person or people
to whom your message is addressed.
secondary audience People other than
the primary audience who may read or hear
your message.
refutation A response intended to prove
an objection is wrong.
concession An admission that the
opposing point of view has merit but does
not invalidate your argument.
New Hires @ Work
Shannon Rocheleau
Western Michigan University
Member Service Representative @
Consumers Credit Union
Part of my job involves
analyzing credit applica-
tions and recommend-
ing a risk rating.
To persuade my
manager, I need to
support my
recommendations
with facts,
not emotion.
Photo courtesy of Shannon Rocheleau
Analyze
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CATEGORY
QUESTIONS
ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY AUDIENCE (MARIA)
AND SECONDARY AUDIENCE (VP)
CONTENT TO PROVIDE
Information
needs
What does
your audience
know about the
situation?
Maria knows that budget cuts have elimi-
nated all professional development activities
throughout the organization. She also knows
that the company is committed to improving
customer service.
Inform Maria that a costly problem ex-
ists and that the problem is related to
insufficient training. You may have to
research the actual costs associated
with this problem.
What do you
need to tell your
audience?
Maria does not yet know that productivity and
customer service have suffered in your de-
partment because employees have not been
trained to use the new computer systems.
Motivations
and benefits
What will motivate
your audience to
accept your idea or
comply with your
request?
Maria probably will be motivated to solve the
problem once she is aware that it exists. The
VP of finance may be motivated to solve the
problem if he understands that his investment
in the new computer system is not yielding
the expected benefit.
Stress cost savings, improved pro-
ductivity, and customer retention, in
order to highlight benefits for Maria.
Stress an additional benefit for the VP:
The training will increase the value
of the investment he has already
made in purchasing customer ser-
vice software. The company will not
see benefits from the software until
the representatives are adequately
trained.
How will your audi-
ence benefit from
your proposed
idea?
Maria, the VP, and the company will benefit
from improved productivity and customer
satisfaction, as long as it does not cost too
much.
Potential
resistance
What concerns
and objections
will the audience
have?
Maria may argue: (1) that training is the wrong
solution because employees received some
training when the system was installed;
(2) that the department simply cannot afford
the training. She may be hesitant to bring
a request for funds to the vice president of
finance because the company is committed
to cutting costs. The VP will be opposed to
spending more money unless he can see a
clear financial benefit.
Address each potential argument with
refutation or concession.
Possible objection: Employees
already received sufficient training.
Refutation: The training didn’t teach
employees many of the software
functions necessary to deal effectively
with customers’ needs.
Possible objection: Training is costly,
and one of our corporate goals is to
cut costs.
Concession: Although training is
costly, customer service problems
caused by insufficient training will cost
even more.
FIGURE 5.1 How to Use Audience Analysis to Identify Content Needs
Because persuasion is a process, it often requires multiple communications, with each
message contributing to your persuasive goal. For example, if you know that Maria does
not like surprise requests, you might consider sending an email message to mention your
training idea and then scheduling an appointment to discuss the issue in more detail. The
email must be persuasive to ensure that Maria will meet with you and be interested in what
you have to say.
Composing implements the persuasive plan
After you analyze the content to make a persuasive plan, the composing stage helps you put
the plan into action and draft the message. As Figure 5.3 on page 150 illustrates, a well-planned
message will be much more persuasive than a message composed without planning.Compose
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FIGURE 5.2 How to Select the Best Medium for Persuasive Messages
Choose a
Medium Based
on the Criteria
below. Do You
Want to:
One-to-
One
Group
Meeting
Telephone
Text/IM
Memo
Letter
Newsletter
Website
Social
Networking
Wikis,
Blogs
Audience-Related Criteria
Communicate a
personal appeal
to an individual?
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Communicate
with large
audiences?
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Communicate
with people al-
ready interested
in your topic?
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Communicate
with potential au-
diences you can-
not yet identify?
■ ■ ■
Content- and Response-Related Criteria
Communicate
a complex
message?
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Include addi-
tional documents
or supporting
material (images,
charts, video,
etc.) that may
help persuade
your audience?
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Receive imme-
diate feedback
so you can alter
your appeal
“on the fly” if
necessary?
■ ■ ■
Take time to
think about any
objections in the
audience’s reply,
collect evidence
if necessary,
and compose a
response?
■ ■ ■ ■
Give the audi-
ence time to
consider your ap-
peal carefully be-
fore responding?
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Make it more
uncomfortable
for the audience
to respond nega-
tively (given the
interpersonal
interaction)?
■ ■ ■
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FIGURE 5.3 How to Compose a Persuasive Message
UNPERSUASIVE
Maria Cardoni
Request for Funding
Maria:
I am requesting funding to support a computer training
workshop to ensure my departmental employees will be
more productive and customer complaints will decrease.
I will call your assistant to schedule an appointment to
discuss this soon.
Thanks ,
Pedro
Pedro Baca
Customer Service Manager
PILOT PRODUCTS, INC.
pbaca@pilotproducts.com
(817) 555-7764, Ext. 2110
(817) 555-2840, FAX
PERSUASIVE Write a persuasive subject
line. For example, stress a
benefit in your subject line
(proposal to increase…) rather
than just request funding.
Establish that a problem or
opportunity exists. Be sure that
is it a problem or opportunity
that your audience cares about.
If applicable, show that solving
problem or implementing your
idea is feasible. Propose an
option to show that a solution is
possible.
Anticipate objections to
diminish their power.
Show that you understand the
perspective of your audience.
For example, change pronouns
from a focus on the writer (I, my)
to a focus on the company
(our, we).
Identify next steps. Be forward
thinking.
Our new customer service software was installed two weeks ago.
Employees had an excellent orientation session, but the training did
not cover all functions, and employees continue to have problems.
Although the goal of the software is to improve productivity and
customer service, during the past two weeks, productivity has
dropped and customer complaints have increased. Without
additional training, I’m concerned the problems will escalate.
Can we meet this week to discuss possible training options? One
option is an in-depth, half-day workshop offered by the software
manufacturer. The company has agreed to deliver it twice, with half
the employees attending each session, for a total of $5,000. This is
cost effective since our research shows that each customer
complaint costs us approximately $50 in employee time and lost
sales. In the first two weeks of the software installation, we had 75
complaints above average for an estimated cost of $3,750.
Because recent budget cuts eliminated our professional
development budget, I know it will be difficult to make a special
request for funding. However, investing this money in training will
ultimately save us money and ensure that we get full value from our
new software. I can provide you with whatever supporting data you
need. I’ll call your assistant to schedule an appointment.
Thanks,
Pedro
Pedro Baca
Customer Service Manager
PILOT PRODUCTS, INC.
pbaca@pilotproducts.com
(817) 555-7764, Ext. 2110
(817) 555-2840, FAX
Maria Cardoni
Proposal to Increase Productivity and Customer Satisfaction
Maria:
Evaluating helps you review the draft for effectiveness
Even when you have thoroughly analyzed all the elements that contribute to a message and
carefully composed the content, take additional time to evaluate the message before deliver-
ing it. Ask yourself several questions to ensure you have implemented an effective persuasive
strategy. Figure 5.4 enumerates these key questions and provides examples of how you might
respond to them as you evaluate the email to Maria.
Although the final email to Maria is much longer than the original draft, the revised mes-
sage takes advantage of the ACE process and has a greater chance of helping Pedro gain fund-
ing because its content and structure are persuasive.
Evaluate
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 5.3’s key concepts by going
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What are the basic elements of persuasion? 151
FIGURE 5.4 Checklist for Evaluating a Persuasive Message
EVALUATION QUESTIONS EVALUATION OF PEDRO’S EMAIL TO MARIA
✓ Have you convincingly shown that a
problem or opportunity exists?
Yes. The email shows that productivity is dropping and customer
complaints are rising. The email also shows that customer com-
plaints are costly.
✓ Is the proposed solution or plan a good
one?
Yes. The email presents the training option as a realistic solution that
is also cost effective.
✓ Is the evidence and reasoning sound? Yes. The email shows documented evidence that each complaint
costs $50. It provides sound reasoning that the cost of training is
less than the cost of the problem.
✓ Have you addressed all of the objections
that you can anticipate?
Yes. It addresses all the identified objections: Initial training should
have been sufficient, the company has no money, and it’s difficult to
secure special funding.
✓ Have you stressed benefits? Yes, although the benefits are just implied. If this solution solves
the problems, it will increase productivity, reduce complaints, and
retain more customers. The last paragraph of the message ad-
dresses one additional benefit: getting full value from the customer
service software.
✓ Is the message easy to read? Yes. The order of the content is logical (introduce problem, request
meeting to discuss possible solutions, show that solutions are fea-
sible, address objections, and identify next steps). In addition, the
email uses effective paragraphing techniques.
✓ Is the information complete, concise, clear,
and correct?
Yes. The message includes only the necessary information. The
wording is clear, and the language and content are correct.
✓ Do you need to change anything to get the
result you want from your audience?
It looks good. The desired result is a meeting. Evaluate the mes-
sage from Maria’s perspective. Will she believe a problem exists and
the solution is reasonable? Will she believe she will benefit from a
meeting? If so, then the message is ready to send. If not, then re-
vise the message to get the desired result.
To develop the most persuasive content for your communication, you will need to understand
the basics of persuasion. What kind of content will motivate your audience to trust you, be-
lieve your points, agree with your position, and do what you request? You learned about three
elements of persuasion earlier in this chapter, when Pedro prepared his email to Maria. His
persuasive strategy included the following elements:
• Establishing a problem or need
• Focusing on benefits
• Anticipating potential resistance and objections
This section addresses three additional elements that have been recognized as important since
Aristotle identified them as the core of effective persuasion:1,2
• Building credibility (ethos)
• Constructing a logical argument (logos)
• Appealing to your audience’s emotions (pathos)
Most persuasive business arguments combine all these elements, but you may decide to em-
phasize one element more than another.3
SQ2 What are the basic elements of persuasion?
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Building credibility
Many experts suggest that the most critical element in persuasion is credibility.4 If your audi-
ence believes you have expertise and are trustworthy based on your knowledge, character, rep-
utation, and behavior, then they will be predisposed to accept your ideas.5,6 You may already
have credibility with your audience if they know and respect you or if you are an acknowledged
expert. However, if your audience doesn’t know you, you will need to establish credibility. Even
if your audience does know you, it’s important to maintain credibility. Use one or more of the
following techniques to establish and maintain credibility:
• Get to know your audience. Have you ever noticed how skilled salespeople often spend a few
minutes chatting with potential customers before trying to make a sale?7 Talking with your
audience before trying to persuade them allows you to build rapport and trust. It is easier to
persuade an audience who likes you and believes that you understand their worries and goals.8
Getting to know your audience has the added benefit of helping you identify their needs and
concerns so that you can make sure to address them directly in your communication.
• Establish your credentials. You can build credibility with your audience by providing key
credentials, including education, experience, awards, and expertise. You can also mention
your relationship with someone the audience knows, respects, and believes to be credible. This
affinity, or connection with a credible source, will help convince the audience that you are
trustworthy.
• Present your ideas effectively. The quality of your communication also builds credibility. Au-
diences are more likely to believe you if you present an unbiased point of view, organize your
ideas logically, and support those ideas with good research and sound reasoning. Even if you
are not an expert yourself, you can add weight to your ideas by citing authorities and experts.
• Tell the truth. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett reportedly warns that, “It takes 20 years to
build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”9 A person or company with a reputation for
honesty or excellence can quickly lose credibility by making statements that prove to be untrue
or making promises that are not fulfilled. In the past few years, the Internet and social media
have vastly increased the speed with which statements circulate and the scope of the audience
who will be made aware of a company’s mistakes or missteps. Efforts to tap into the credibility-
generating power of social media can also backfire. For example, in 2006, Walmart sponsored a
blog that featured supposedly candid interviews with Walmart employees around the country.
When it was revealed that Walmart was funding the effort, and potentially editing content,
their credibility was damaged and their PR firm was forced to issue an apology.10,11
• Take responsibility for mistakes. One of the best ways to maintain and regain credibility is
to admit personal responsibility.12 Several years ago when Toyota recalled 3.8 million vehicles
for “unintended acceleration,” Toyota Group Vice President Bob Carter stated Toyotas had no
additional problems and accused critics of engaging in “unwarranted speculation.” Soon after,
however, additional problems, including braking problems, came to light. Carter admitted he
“shot some of [his] personal credibility” with his earlier comments.13 These issues, and Toyota’s
unprecedented recall of millions of vehicles following Carter’s acknowledgment, were associ-
ated with a significant drop in consumer confidence. But through accepting responsibility and
avoiding further problems, Toyota has gradually been building back credibility and consumer
trust.14
Because credibility is so critical for capturing an audience’s attention and persuading them
to listen, small companies often devote substantial space on their websites to building cred-
ibility. Figure 5.5 illustrates how one small company presents itself online to instill confidence
in potential clients.
Constructing a logical argument
Developing credibility is a first and critical step in the process, but successfully persuading an
audience also requires additional persuasive techniques, including building a logical argument.
Argumentation means taking a position, supporting the position with reasons, and then
documenting those reasons with evidence. Logical arguments provide the foundation for most
persuasive business messages.
Earlier in this chapter, you considered how Pedro could persuade his supervisor, Maria,
to support his request for funds to provide computer training to the customer service depart-
ment. Pedro emailed Maria a short version of his argument (see Figure 5.3 on page 150) to
New Hires @ Work
Darrell Coleman
Georgia Southern University
Data Analyst @ George Southern
Career Services
You build credibility
by creating a sense
of responsibility
and trust. Once
that foundation
is created, peo-
ple will be more
willing to listen
and follow you.
credibility An audience’s belief that you
have expertise and are trustworthy based on
your knowledge, character, reputation, and
behavior.
argumentation A persuasive appeal
that supports a position with reasons and
evidence.
Photo courtesy of Darrell Coleman
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persuade her to meet with him. Assume that Maria responded to Pedro with the following
email message:
“Pedro, your recommendation makes sense, and your timing is good. I am
scheduled to meet with the vice president of finance tomorrow morning
and would like to present your recommendation so that we can schedule
the training as soon as possible. Please write a one-page document outlin-
ing the reasons and evidence that I can bring to the meeting. Thanks, Maria.”
Figure 5.6 on page 154 shows a way to structure that argument logically by defining the
position, identifying reasons, and outlining evidence.
In a logical argument like the one represented in Figure 5.6, the quality of your evidence
is important. You can collect evidence by conducting your own original research (primary re-
search) or by reading research that others have conducted (secondary research). Your evidence
may take different forms, depending on the argument you are trying to support and the needs
of your audience. Try to diversify your evidence. Like a stool that rests on three legs instead of
one, arguments that combine a number of different types of evidence tend to be stronger and
better balanced than ones that rely solely on a single kind. Consider the types of evidence that
Pedro can use to support his argument:
• Numerical data. Many business arguments are based on numbers. Some arguments require
data about costs, time, or revenue. Other arguments require data about customer preferences
or business trends. You may find some of the numbers you need in published sources. Others
FIGURE 5.5 How to Build a Small Business Website That Establishes Credibility
Provide examples
of previous work.
Provide testimonials
from other clients.
Showcase
successful
projects.
Provide photos
and credentials
of employees to
personalize the
company.
Mention
awards and
affiliations.
New Hires @ Work
Winston Taira
Loyola Marymount University
Project Manager @
King’s Hawaiian Holding Company
As a project manager, I often
need to write requests for
funding not in the budget.
These requests definitely
need to be persuasive,
explaining the reason
the funding is
needed, the return
on investment, and
the benefits to
the company.
What are the basic elements of persuasion? 153
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FIGURE 5.6 How to Structure a Logical Argument
Training customer service reps to use the new system will improve
service and productivity and will also reduce costs.
Since installation, customer
service and productivity have
suffered.
STEP 1
What is your position?
STEP 2
What reasons support
your position?
STEP 3
What evidence
supports your reasons?
The problem is costly. Training is a cost-effective
and efficient solution.
Customer
complaints
have
increased
50 percent.
Number of
customers
served
daily has
decreased
15 percent.
Increased
complaints
cost us
$1,800 per
week.
Complaints
may also
cause us
to lose
customers.
Targeted
training will
cost less than
the cost of
complaints.
Manufacturer
has agreed to
provide the
training within
one week.
will come from company records or from surveys and questionnaires. You can present the data
in tables, graphs, or paragraphs. It’s always important to provide context, like comparisons or
analogies, in order to emphasize the significance of the numbers—and therefore make them
more persuasive.
• Facts. A fact is information documented either by your own research or by an external
source—either way, it must be verifiable. If the fact is not already well known to the audience,
you should cite the source. The more credible the source, the more persuasive the fact.
• Expert authority. For additional support, you may cite the opinions of people with acknowl-
edged expertise.
• Personal experience. Your experiences and observations may provide compelling support for
a claim, although they are rarely conclusive on their own.
• Examples. Although examples are not conclusive evidence, they can clarify your point and
help your audience understand.
Figure 5.7 illustrates how Pedro uses all of these types of evidence in his memo to Maria
and the vice president of finance. As you read the memo, notice how it also follows the logical
structure outlined in Figure 5.6.
Appealing to your audience’s emotions
Although logic is critical for business decisions, logic alone may not always be enough to per-
suade an audience. You may also need to appeal to their emotions.15, 16 Psychologists and other
researchers have identified several techniques for engaging your audience on an emotional level.
Appeal to your audience’s emotional and psychological needs
You may wonder how you can address your audience’s psychological needs, especially when
communicating with an audience you do not know. However, psychologist Abraham Maslow
argued that all people—even people of different cultures and different generations—share a
common set of needs.17 At the basic level are physiological needs of food, clothing, and shelter.
Once those needs are met, people will seek to meet increasingly higher levels of need. Adver-
tisers routinely appeal to these needs as part of their persuasive strategy:
• Safety. Home security companies appeal to the audience’s desire for safety. Banks and invest-
ment companies appeal to the audience’s desire for financial security.
• Love and belonging. Hair products and cosmetics companies appeal to the audience’s desire to
be attractive and admired. Manufacturers of convenience foods appeal to the audience’s desire
for dinners that bring the family closer, even when you have no time to cook.
• Self-esteem. Charities often appeal to the increase in self-esteem that donors feel when con-
tributing to an organization’s good works: Your donation of a dollar a day will prevent a child
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FIGURE 5.7 How to Compose a Persuasive Message Using Logical Arguments
memo
TO: Maria Cardoni
FROM: Pedro Baca
DATE: June 11, 20XX
SUBJECT: Proposed Solution for Costly Customer Service Problems
Problem
Two weeks ago, the customer service department installed new software designed to
improve productivity and customer service. Employees received the standard three-
hour orientation that comes with the software package. However, the training did not
cover the customized functions necessary to process returns, exchanges, and refunds.
In the two weeks that employees have been using the software, we have logged
75 complaints more than average. Customers have complained about dropped calls,
exchanged orders being lost, and refunds not being credited. In addition, because
representatives are addressing so many time-consuming complaints, they are handling
fewer calls, and their productivity has decreased by 15 percent. Although we cannot
prove that lack of training on the new software caused the customer service problems,
the coincidence is too great to be ignored.
These problems are costly to our company. Last year, we researched the cost of
customer complaints and determined that each complaint costs us approximately
$50 in employee time and lost sales. This means that in the past two weeks, handling
the 75 additional complaints has cost us $3,750. If these problems continue, costs will
conservatively exceed $10,000 in two months.
We also need to consider the long-term costs of unhappy customers. According to
sales expert Jonathan Farrington, “the cost of an unhappy customer is much greater
than the cost of any individual lost sale.”* It includes the loss of that person’s future
business and the potential lost sales from people who have talked to the unhappy
customer.
Proposed Solution
I have discussed this problem with the software developer, Mark Richey from Viking
Systems, and he has agreed to provide an additional three-hour training session for all
employees addressing the important customized functions in our system. To ensure
that all employees are trained, he has also agreed to deliver the session twice, with
half of the representatives attending each session.
The cost for this customized training will be $5,000, the exact amount it would have
cost us to add the training to our original purchase. Although the amount may seem
expensive, it is actually cost effective, considering the losses we project if the
customer service problems persist. I do not believe employees will be able to master
the system without training. I’ve spent 10 hours trying to learn all the functions of the
new system on my own, and I still cannot figure out how to issue a refund.
Mark is prepared to deliver the session next week if we can approve the funding. The
more quickly we provide the training, the more quickly we can realize the customer
service benefits from the company’s investment in the new system.
* Farrington, J. (2008). Customer complaints: The income multiplier effect.
CRM-Daily.com. Retrieved from http://www.crm-daily.com
Main idea: Training customer
service reps to use the new
system will improve service and
productivity and reduce costs.
Supporting reason 1: Since
installation, customer service and
productivity have suffered.
Evidence:
• Numerical data about increase in
customer complaints and
decrease in number of customers
served.
• Examples of customer complaints.
Supporting reason 2: The problem
is costly.
Evidence:
• Numerical data from primary
research calculating the cost of
customer complaints.
• Expert authority opinion about the
cost of unhappy customers.
Supporting reason 3: Training is
an effective and efficient solution.
Evidence:
• Numerical evidence that training
will cost less than the cost of
complaints.
• Personal experience showing that
Pedro could not learn the
software without additional
training.
• Facts showing that training can be
offered within a week.
Pedro Bacca’s memo uses
several types of evidence to
persuade his supervisor
Maria to solve a customer
service problem by imple-
menting training. This memo
follows the logical structure
illustrated in Figure 5.6.
from starving. Educational institutions focus on the respect you earn—and the self-respect you
feel—from completing your education.
• Self-actualization. Two of the U.S. Army’s long-lived advertising slogans, “Be all that you can
be” and “Army Strong,” appeal to people’s desire to make the most of their abilities. Advertise-
ments for luxury travel experiences often appeal to travelers who want to “find themselves” in
exotic places.
What are the basic elements of persuasion? 155
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fallacy A violation of logical reasoning
that leads to a flawed argument.
TYPE OF FALLACY DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE FALLACY FROM PEDRO TO MARIA
Appeal to Popular Opinion Offering as evidence statements
such as “everybody knows”
Everybody knows that without training, new
computer systems lead to productivity losses. It’s
obvious.
Hasty Generalization Drawing a conclusion from a
sample that is either too small
or does not represent the larger
population
Two of our most experienced sales reps say
that they are having difficulty with the computer
system. If they are having trouble, it’s likely
everyone is.
Ignoring the Burden of Proof Stating a claim but providing no
evidence to support it
Providing computer training will immediately
reverse our losses.
False Cause Assuming there is a cause and ef-
fect between two things without
proving the relationship
As soon as we got new computers, customer
complaints increased. The new system is clearly
the cause.
False Analogy Supporting an idea by compar-
ing it to something that is not
comparable
We require everyone to receive sufficient instruc-
tion before operating a car. Similarly, we should
require all customer service reps to get sufficient
training before operating the new computer
system.
False Dilemma Asserting that only two choices
exist, while ignoring other options
Either we provide more training or we will
continue to see losses in productivity.
Red Herring Focusing on an irrelevant issue to
draw attention away from a cen-
tral issue
If management wants to cut budgets, then it
would be much better to eliminate executive
bonuses. The company spends millions on
bonuses, and what benefit do we see from that?
Ad Hominem Attack Attacking a person who disagrees
with you rather than addressing
the issues
The managers who instituted the budget cuts are
just a bunch of corporate pencil pushers who don’t
have any idea what employees really need to do
their jobs well.
ETHICS
AVOIDING LOGICAL FALLACIES
When constructing an argument, you may be tempted to
strengthen a weak position by overstating your case, diverting
attention from problems with your position, or even attacking
an opponent. These violations of logical reasoning that lead to a
flawed argument are called fallacies, and intentionally using them
is both dishonest and misleading.
Pedro might have used some of the following fallacies in his
argument to Maria and the vice president of finance. Fortunately
he did not. As you read each, identify what is misleading about the
statement. Avoid fallacies in your own communication, and recog-
nize fallacies when others use them so that you are not persuaded
by unsound ideas.
For an ETHICS exercise, go to Exercise 6 on page 176.
Make appeals based on widely studied psychological principles
Researchers such as Robert Cialdini have identified a number of psychological principles that
help explain why certain types of persuasive appeals are particularly effective.18 These prin-
ciples include:
• Consistency. People like to act consistently and to make decisions similar to the ones they
made in the past. Persuasive appeals often remind the audience of past decisions.
• Social proof. People follow the lead of others they respect. Persuasive appeals often include
names of respected figures and testimonials from past clients.
• Liking. People respond more positively to those whom they like and who like them. Persuasive
appeals often express liking and appreciation for the audience.
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• Reciprocity. People typically want to reciprocate if they receive a gift. The gift can be as small
as a compliment or a recommendation of a book to read. Persuasive appeals often include a
free gift.
• Scarcity. People want things more if those things are scarce. Persuasive appeals often highlight
the exclusivity of their offer.
Figure 5.8 illustrates how one organization combined emotional and psychological appeals to
encourage continued support from a donor who has supported a charitable organization in
the past.
FIGURE 5.8 How to Use Emotional Appeals to Compose a Persuasive Message
letter
November 18, 20XX
Ms. Julie Benjamin
106 W. Third Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94401
Dear Ms. Benjamin:
Thank you for your past support of The Greenwald Center. Your generosity has helped create
opportunities and successes for people in our community who live with disabilities. As you make your
year-ending giving decisions, please consider renewing your support with a gift of $100.
Each year at The Greenwald Center, 5,000 people with disabilities strive to increase their independence
step by step—finding accessible housing or steady employment, learning to read or cook, or
managing household finances. The Greenwald Center supports these efforts one person at a time,
helping people achieve their individual goals. As our four-star rating from Charity Navigator indicates,
every dollar that you contribute goes directly toward helping people.
Here are some of the successes your contribution supported this past year:
• 350 people found jobs ranging from car porter to sales representative
• 93 people learned to read bus signs, make medical appointments, and conduct personal banking on
their own
• 100 percent of families surveyed have learned ways to assist their children’s development at home
In an era of shrinking government support, we increasingly rely on sustainable funding from friends like
you, extraordinary people who see ability in everyone. Your gift can help train a literacy volunteer,
facilitate a “mock” interview session, hire a guest cooking instructor or, in other ways, support the
success of people living with disabilities.
Please use the enclosed self-addressed stamped envelope to return your pledge today or contribute on
our website at www.greenwaldcenter.org.
Thank you for generously continuing to support The Greenwald Center.
Sincerely,
Allan I. Bergman
President/CEO
P.S. As a token of our appreciation, we have enclosed a DVD, Introduction to The Greenwald Center, so
that you can see the good work you are supporting. We also have a limited number of tickets available for
a December 15 holiday concert at City Orchestra. The tickets sell for $75 each, but we will give them free
of charge to donors who request them, on a first-come first-served basis.
2025 Chatham Drive • Burlingame, CA 94010 • P: 808.555.1477 • F: 808.555.1478
Allan I. Bergman
Appeal to consistency
(by praising past action).
Appeal to social
proof (by citing a
“four-star rating”).
Appeal to self-esteem
(“Here are some of the
successes your
contribution supported”).
Appeal to liking and
love and belonging
(by referring to “friends
like you”).
Appeal to
self-actualization (by
describing contributors
as “extraordinary
people who see ability
in everyone”).
Appeal to
reciprocity (by provid-
ing a DVD).
Appeal to scarcity
(by stressing the
limited number of
tickets).
This fundraising letter from
The Greenwald Center uses
several forms of emotional
appeal to persuade a past
donor to contribute again.
The letter also uses quanti-
tative data to illustrate that
the donor’s support makes
a difference.
What are the basic elements of persuasion? 157
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 5.8’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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Show your own emotional commitment
If you want your audience to commit to an idea, they need to know that you are committed to
it also. In other words, you will be more persuasive if you speak—or write—from the heart.19
One reason that Rio de Janeiro won the bid for the 2016 Olympics may have been that Brazil-
ian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva demonstrated extraordinary emotional commitment to
hosting the Olympics. Not only did he spend two years personally lobbying the Olympic com-
mittee and other heads of state, but he also spent the week before the final vote visiting with
members of the International Olympic Committee to make his case. The day before the vote,
he gave a heartfelt speech explaining what it would mean to South America to host the Olympic
Games for the first time in the competition’s history. He described how athletes throughout
South America would be affected by being part of this experience—and how the world would
take notice if the International Olympic Committee awarded this honor to a continent that it
had previously ignored. After the speech, Lula said, “It was extraordinary the emotion we put
into our presentation . . . I almost cried two times during my speech.”20 One delegate of the Inter-
national Olympic Committee commented, “I told the president (Lula), whom I know very well
for a long time, that his speech went under my skin.”21
Use storytelling and powerful language to make evidence
compelling
Although presenting evidence is a key part of any persuasive strategy, storytelling is one of the
most powerful tools you have for shaping your evidence persuasively and engaging your audi-
ence at the same time.22 For example, in 2007, Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s newest product,
the iPhone, during his keynote speech at Macworld, a yearly trade show and developer confer-
ence. He aimed to generate excitement about the device amongst users and investors—and
to prove that Apple continued its cutting-edge product development. In order to outshine
competitors in the smartphone market, Jobs listed the features and functions that were unique
to Apple’s device. But equally as powerfully, Jobs raised audience expectations by locating the
new product within Apple’s history of innovation. He began,
Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes
everything. [You are] very fortunate if you get to work on just one of these
in your career. Apple’s been very fortunate. It’s been able to introduce a few
of these into the world. In 1984, we introduced the Macintosh. It didn’t just
change Apple, it changed the whole computer industry. In 2001, we intro-
duced the first iPod, and it didn’t just change the way we all listen to music,
it changed the entire music industry. . . . Today, today Apple is going to rein-
vent the phone, and here it is.23
In telling this story, Jobs transformed a faceless company, Apple, into a thinking and feel-
ing protagonist who, against all odds, “changed everything.” He framed Apple’s previous
successes as both evidence of the company’s capability to make “revolutionary products”
and as a prelude to the unveiling of the iPhone, implying that the iPhone will be even more
revolutionary than what came before. This strategy made his claim about the “reinvention”
of the phone more emotionally dramatic and more logically persuasive, showing how the
best persuasive strategies employ logic and emotion together. Jobs also used classic per-
suasive speaking techniques, such as parallel sentence structure (“It didn’t just change X, it
changed Y”) and repetition (“Today, today”) to clarify his message and make it more vivid
and memorable. The iPhone went on to become the fastest growing smartphone in 2008,
and Job’s 2007 keynote is widely considered to be one of the most memorable corporate
speeches of the last decade.24–26
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What types of business messages typically require persuasion? 159
SQ3 What types of business messages typically require persuasion?
Fundraising letters (Figure 5.8) and motivational speeches such as Steve Jobs’ 2007 keynote
are two types of persuasive communication you may have to deliver in business. The following
types of communication also require persuasion to influence and motivate the audience:
• Recommendations for action
• Requests for favors
• Persuasive customer claims
• Sales messages
This section discusses some special challenges for each type.
Recommendations for action
When you make a recommendation, you establish that a problem or a need exists, and then
you show how your solution is effective. The content of your recommendation can include a
range of persuasive elements: focusing on benefits, anticipating objections, building credibil-
ity, constructing a logical argument, and appealing to the audience’s emotion.
Pedro’s memo to Maria and the vice president of finance in Figure 5.7 is a recommenda-
tion for action. One challenge for this type of persuasive document is to determine the order
for this content. Should your recommendation be direct, starting with the main point? Or
should it be indirect, building up to the main point? Figure 5.9 on page 160 shows how to choose
between direct and indirect recommendations, and then organize your message accordingly.
In Figure 5.7, Pedro chose to organize his memo indirectly. Even though Maria knows
that a problem exists and requested that he write the recommendation, the vice president of
finance, who will ultimately receive this recommendation, is not aware of the problem. Pedro
needs to establish the importance of the problem before recommending a solution.
Requests for favors
When you ask people to do something that is easy for them to accomplish or that they will be
happy to do, little persuasion is required. By contrast, more persuasion is required if you ask
people to do something that involves effort, requires them to choose between alternatives, or
differs from their plans. In those cases, you will need to make a persuasive request that helps
the audience feel good about doing the favor. If possible, the request will also show how the
audience will benefit from helping you.
For example, assume that as a member of your state’s bar association, you volunteered
to help organize a local awards luncheon for the 450 association members in your area. This
morning—less than a week before the event—you receive a phone call from the keynote
speaker, the mayor, indicating that she is no longer able to speak at the luncheon due to a death
in the family. You have just a few days to find a replacement. Fortunately, you know the perfect
person to contact. Dr. Gunther Maher was your business law professor in college. He retired
last year and has many anecdotes he can share during a keynote presentation. Your concern is
whether he is available and, more important, whether he would be willing to make the presen-
tation with less than a week to prepare. To plan your persuasive request, use the ACE process.
Analyze
Remember to analyze the elements covered at the beginning of this chapter, including your
purpose, your audience and content needs, and your medium choices.
• Purpose: What is your purpose, desired outcome, and business result? You want Dr. Maher
to agree to deliver the bar association keynote presentation next week. If he agrees, the result
will be that the attendees will not mind that the original presenter cancelled.
• Information needs: What does Dr. Maher need to know (what does he already know)?
Dr. Maher may not remember who you are, so you will need to reintroduce yourself. He then
needs to know the date and time of the bar association awards luncheon, the length of his
presentation, why you are asking him to speak at the last minute, and what you would like him
to speak about.
persuasive request A request that
persuades the audience to do you a favor
by making the audience feel good about
doing the favor and, if possible, by stressing
audience benefits.
recommendation A business message
that suggests a solution to a business
problem.
New Hires @ Work
Tony Plemmons
Northern Michigan University
Centralized Carrier Capacity
Specialist @ Nolan
Transportation Group
When I am persuading freight
carriers to carry my load
at an established price,
small talk and confi-
dence go a long way. I
need to convince them
I know what I am talk-
ing about and show
them how they
benefit from the
transaction.
Photo courtesy of Tony Plemmons
Analyze
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• Motivation and benefits: What will motivate Dr. Maher to comply with your request? How
will he benefit? You can appeal to Dr. Maher’s self-esteem. Dr. Maher may be persuaded if
he believes that he can influence the careers of hundreds of lawyers. He might have chosen to
become a professor to help mold the minds of future professionals. This keynote gives him the
opportunity to further influence many of today’s lawyers. This is a benefit to him because it
helps him achieve his personal goals.
• Potential resistance: What concerns and objections will he have? He may be concerned that
he has to prepare carefully for the presentation and he does not have time.
• Medium: What is the best medium for this message based on the purpose, audience, and
content? You need to know quickly if Dr. Maher can fulfill your request, so a telephone con-
versation is the best medium. In a telephone call, you can also answer any questions he has.
Compose
Consider the order and organization of the message:
• Should the message be direct—with the main point at the beginning—or indirect? You
decide that you need to begin the conversation by reintroducing yourself and building your
credibility as a business professional and active member of the bar association. Your request
will be indirect, coming after you have reestablished this relationship.
FIGURE 5.9 How to Organize
Recommendation Messages
BEGIN WITH MAIN POINT
Propose a specific recommendation.
PROVIDE CONTEXT
• Identify the issue, problem, or
opportunity.
• Provide evidence that the
problem or opportunity is
significant.
SUPPORT YOUR PROPOSAL
For example:
• Justify recommendations with
persuasive rationale.
• Describe alternative solutions
and negative implications.
• Address potential objections.
• Stress benefits.
MOTIVATE ACTION
Conclude with a call to action.
your audience
• requests the recommendation,
prefers directness, or is likely to
react positively,
and the recommendation will not
• negatively affect stakeholders or
require additional effort from
stakeholders.
BEGIN WITH CONTEXT
• Identify the issue, problem, or
opportunity.
• Provide evidence that the
problem or opportunity is
significant.
OPTIONAL: ELIMINATE OTHER
ALTERNATIVES
• Describe alternative solutions
and negative implications.
STATE MAIN POINT
• Propose a specific recommendation.
SUPPORT YOUR PROPOSAL
For example:
• Justify recommendations with
persuasive rationale.
• Address potential objections.
• Stress benefits.
MOTIVATE ACTION
Conclude with a call to action.
your audience
• is not expecting the
recommendation,
• prefers indirectness, or
• is likely to react negatively,
and the recommendation will
• negatively affect stakeholders, or
• require additional effort from
stakeholders.
Use DIRECT DIRECT ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZATION if … follows this pattern …
Use INDIRECT
ORGANIZATION if …
INDIRECT ORGANIZATION
follows this pattern …
Compose
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FIGURE 5.10 How to Make a Persuasive Request
voice mail message
Introduce yourself as a former student to
establish credibility. Mention how much you
like the course to appeal to self-esteem
and liking. Preface the request by indicat-
ing that you’re calling to ask for a favor.
Provide context for the request.
Make a direct request.
Address a potential objection: He will not
have time to research material for a speech.
Motivate with self-esteem by praising his
experience and knowledge.
Include audience benefits that appeal to
self-actualization: He will continue to make a
difference in the lives of others.
Conclude with a call for action: Request a
reply and provide a phone number.
Hello, Dr. Maher. This is Alexa Hampton. I was in your business law
class several years ago and found it very useful. I now work as an
associate lawyer at Betts, Miller, and Russo here in town, and I’m
calling to ask you a favor.
I’m on the planning committee for the local bar association, and our
awards luncheon is next Monday. The mayor was our original
keynote speaker, but a sudden death in the family prevents her from
attending. I immediately thought of you as a replacement. Would
you be able to deliver a one-hour speech based on anecdotes and
lessons you learned during your career?
Your years of experience and wealth of knowledge could make a
significant difference in the professional lives of the 450 lawyers
who will attend the luncheon. In a one-hour speech, you will address
more people than you were able to teach in an entire academic year
as a business law professor. I know you are the perfect keynote
replacement for the mayor.
Please call me at 555-1887 as soon as you get this message so we
can discuss the details. I look forward to talking with you soon.
Again, Alexa Hampton, 555-1887.
Thank you.
• How can you best organize the message? Figure 5.10 illustrates how to organize a message that
makes a persuasive request. Figure 5.10 assumes you are leaving a voice message, but the same
organization will work for an actual conversation.
customer claim A request from a
customer to a store or vendor to accept a
return, exchange an item, refund money, or
perform a repair.
Evaluate
Remember to evaluate before finalizing the voice mail message. Consider it from Dr. Maher’s
perspective. How do you imagine he will react when he receives this message? Is the message
persuasive enough to justify a positive response? You can use the evaluation checklist from
Figure 5.4 to review and adjust your message.
Persuasive customer claims
You have probably read store policies with the phrases “no returns,” “all sales are final,” or “lim-
ited warranty.” In those situations, if you want to request a full or partial refund, you need to
submit a customer claim message that persuades the seller that the policy should not apply in
your situation or that it is in the seller’s best interest to fulfill your request.
For example, assume you are starting a home-based business and need a scanner. You pur-
chase a refurbished scanner from a discount electronics store, E-Tronics, which clearly posts
its no-return policy in the store and on every receipt. Although the sales associate who helped
you with the purchase assured you that the scanner would work with your specific laptop
model, you cannot get the scanner to work. You decide to bring both your laptop and the scan-
ner to E-Tronics so the “Tech Team” can fix your problem. However, after seeing your laptop,
they explain that the scanner model was discontinued before your laptop model was created.
Therefore, the driver that you need to enable the laptop to communicate with the scanner
does not exist. They would be happy to sell you a scanner that would work with your laptop,
but they cannot exchange it for your current scanner or refund your money. After explaining
to the store’s manager that a sales associate assured you the scanner and laptop were compat-
ible, the manager provides you with the URL for the E-Tronics customer service website where
you can explain the problem and request a refund or exchange. You return home to draft your
persuasive claim message. Where do you begin? The ACE process can help.
Evaluate
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TECHNOLOGY
COMPOSING A PERSUASIVE RECOMMENDATION WITH PRESENTATION
SOFTWARE
When you need to make a recommendation to a small group or
even to just one person, you may decide to present the informa-
tion in slide format rather than create a word-processed report or
handout. Businesses are increasingly using presentation software
as a composing tool for sharing information that needs to be read,
presented, and discussed interactively. These boardroom presenta-
tions are designed so that they can stand alone and be read inde-
pendently, in contrast to ballroom presentations that are designed
to be visual support for a presenter.27
Recommendation presentations, like all boardroom presenta-
tions, provide all their evidence and reasoning clearly on the slides
so that the audience can refer to the slides later when making
decisions. Four key principles will help you create a logical and
persuasive recommendation presentation:
1. Organize your presentation into well-defined sections that
indicate your logic.
2. Design every slide to support one main idea.
3. Write message headlines: short sentences or meaningful
phrases at the top of the slide that represent your main ideas.
4. Present material in the body of the slide that supports the
main idea in your headline.
To see these four principles in action, review the following rec-
ommendation presentation prepared by a not-for-profit organization
focused on health and nutrition. The slides are designed to be pre-
sented in meetings with individual state legislators to persuade them to
introduce legislation requiring calorie labeling in Illinois restaurants.
As you read the presentation, notice how it follows the four
principles. The presentation is divided into three sections: Prob-
lem, Causes, and Proposed Solution. Every slide supports one
main idea. Message headlines help the persuasive argument flow
from slide to slide. And, the material on each slide supports the
slide’s headline.
For a TECHNOLOGY exercise, go to Exercise 12 on page 177.
30
25
1990 1995 2000 2005 2007
20
15
10
5
0
30
25
1990 1995 2000 2005 2007
20
15
10
5
0
(continued )
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TECHNOLOGY
COMPOSING A PERSUASIVE RECOMMENDATION WITH PRESENTATION
SOFTWARE (Continued)
Most Obese States Chicago-style
pan pizza
Chicago-style
hot dog
35%
10%
33%
30%
1958 2007
25%
20%
15%
5%
10%
0%
•
•
• Chain
restaurants
• 15 or more
locations in the
United States
Who
• Implementation
within a year
• Required to list
calories on
menus
• Enforced by city
governments
What When
• Prevent 30,000 deaths annually
• Reduce health care costs by $50M annually
• Position Illinois as early mover on health
Fast food salad Fast food cake doughnut
Fast food burger Fast food frozen coffee drink
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Analyze
As you analyze, answer the following questions:
• Purpose, desired outcome, and business result: What do you want the audience to do after
receiving this message? You want the store to exchange the scanner for the one that works
with your laptop.
• Information needs: What does the audience need to know? The audience needs to know
what happened and why you are requesting an exchange. The audience also needs to know why
you believe their policy should not apply in this instance.
• Motivation and benefits: What will motivate the audience to accept your idea? How will
the audience benefit? The audience will be motivated by appeals to fairness and integrity:
You purchased the scanner because the sales associate assured you the original scanner
would work with your specific laptop model. The benefit is that you will continue to be a
customer.
• Potential resistance: What concerns and objections will the audience have? The audience
may resist because the store’s stated policy allows no exceptions. Therefore, it is important to
stress that you are requesting an exchange because of a mistake the store made, not a mistake
that you made. You can also overcome resistance by showing you are willing to purchase a
more expensive item if necessary.
• Medium: What is the best medium for this message based on the purpose, audience, and
content? By following the store’s policies, you start with a message posted to the company’s
customer service website to begin the claim process and receive a claim number. Then you plan
to call to speak directly with a customer service representative.
Compose
As you compose, ask the following questions:
• Should the message be direct—with the main point at the beginning—or indirect? Be-
cause you’re writing to a customer service department that knows most messages are based
on problems, they will not be surprised to receive your message. You decide to state the main
point directly.
• How can you best organize the message? Divide the message into clear paragraphs: (1) state
the request; (2) explain the problem; (3) demonstrate goodwill and understanding, and explain
why the policy should not apply; and (4) conclude by providing contact information and ex-
pressing continued confidence in the store. Avoid emotions.
• How should you format this message to be professional and support your purpose? Com-
pose the message in a word processing application, keeping in mind that any formatting will
not apply when you cut and paste the message to the company’s website.
Based on these decisions, you draft the message illustrated in Figure 5.11.
Evaluate
After drafting the message but before submitting it online, evaluate it using the checklist in
Figure 5.4 on page 151. Plan to follow up with a telephone call, if necessary.
Sales messages
Persuasion is also an important element in most sales messages, where your goal is to
motivate someone to buy a product or service. Sales and marketing people often use the
acronym AIDA—attention, interest, desire, and action—to create persuasive sales mes-
sages, brochures, advertisements, and websites. Figure 5.12 summarizes the four AIDA
components.
AIDA relies on the basic components of persuasion that you learned earlier in the chapter
build credibility, construct logical arguments, and appeal to your audience’s emotions.
• Attention. The first part of a sales message should grab the audience’s attention. Your wording
should make the audience want to read or hear more about your product or service by focus-
ing their awareness. In business communication, you can grab the audience’s attention in a
AIDA An acronym used in marketing
to suggest the organization of sales
communication: attention, interest,
desire, action.
Compose
Evaluate
Analyze
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professional way by sharing a startling fact, thought-provoking story, or motivating question.
Consider these examples:
Startling Fact: Did you know that 50 percent of all small businesses fail within the
first five years?
Thought-Provoking
Story:
Imagine yourself running your own business with no one to answer
to except yourself! You’re the boss. Your ideas are taken seriously, and
everyone looks to you for guidance. Sound too good to be true? For
most people it is, but entrepreneurs who use our CustomerBase
software suite have a good chance of achieving this dream.
Motivating Question: Would you like to achieve your full financial potential rather than
limiting your income to a monthly salary? Of course! Make your
dream job come true with the CustomerBase software suite designed
to build your business and increase your financial success.
• Interest. After gaining the audience’s attention, you need to build their interest in the product
or service by describing how you can meet their needs and provide benefits. The better your
audience analysis, the more likely you are to understand—and potentially meet—their needs.
• Desire. Creating a sense of desire involves reducing the audience’s resistance to the sales mes-
sage, which is especially important when you create unsolicited sales communication, or
cold-call sales messages—messages you send to audiences who did not request the information.
FIGURE 5.11 How to Make a Persuasive Claim
online submission
My local E-Tronics store in Eagle Heights, Ohio, sold me a refurbished scanner that does not
work with my computer’s operating system. I would like to exchange it for one that does work
with my computer.
On October 10, 20XX, I purchased a refurbished HP scanner, Model #5770, because a sales
associate at the store mistakenly assured me that this HP scanner would work with my Toshiba
Protégé Z500-S9050 laptop, which is running Windows 7. It was only when I got home that I
discovered that a driver does not exist for Windows 7, only for Vista and Windows XP.
Any sales associate can make an honest mistake, and I am very willing to return this scanner and
purchase one, even a more expensive one, that works with my computer. However, my local
store will not exchange the scanner because of your no returns / no exchange policy. Although
I understand that such a policy may be necessary to keep prices low, in this instance, I believe
that my request to exchange this scanner for one that will work with my laptop is reasonable
given that I received incorrect sales advice.
Please call me at (419) 555-8623 to discuss how we can resolve this matter. I look forward to
hearing from you and enjoying future purchases from your stores.
Sincerely,
Elaine Mackiewetz
Elaine Mackiewetz
Directly state the reason
for the claim.
Clearly explain the
problem and the
technical details.
Demonstrate under-
standing and goodwill.
Explain why the policy
should be waived in this
case (to counter potential
objections).
Appeal to fairness.
Close positively with a
forward-looking statement
that emphasizes a
continued business
relationship (audience
benefit).
FIGURE 5.12 AIDA Approach for Organizing Persuasive Sales Messages
A ttention: Grab your audience’s attention so they want to know more.
I nterest: Build their interest by meeting their needs and emphasizing benefits.
D esire: Create desire through authority, social proof, or perceived scarcity.
A ction: Make it easy for the audience to act and respond.
unsolicited sales communica-
tion Sales messages you send to
audiences who did not request the
information, also called “cold-call sales
messages.”
What types of business messages typically require persuasion? 165
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FIGURE 5.13 How to Use AIDA to Compose an Unsolicited Sales Message
Dear Mr
martin.kline@yahoo.com
Free Trial of CustomerBase Software Suite
. Kline:
Did you know that 50 percent of all small businesses fail within the first five
years? They fail for lack of experience, lack of money, and lack of sales.
Although our CustomerBase software suite cannot provide you with
experience or money, it can help you develop and manage a strong
customer base—an essential element for boosting sales and achieving
success.
Manage Customer Relationships and Increase Sales
The CustomerBase software suite eliminates the stress of managing your
customer relationships. With one user-friendly interface, you can easily
keep track of information about your customers and their needs, generate
custom-designed reports, and effortlessly maintain contact with your
customers.
A survey of 2,500 CustomerBase users from across the country indicates
that using the software contributes to increased sales and long-term
business success. Over 85 percent of these businesses report that they
reached their target market sales goals within the first two years. Compare
that to the national failure rate and it’s easy to see how your investment in
CustomerBase is a sound investment in your future success.
Try It Today
Click here to download a free two-week trial copy of CustomerBase. After
two weeks, you will be prompted to download the full version, which can be
easily charged to your credit card account. In the meantime, please call me
at 800-555-1234 to discuss how CustomerBase can enhance your
business success.
Sincerely,
Parker Davis
Sales Manager
CustomerBase, Inc.
2929 Northeast Highway
St. Paul, MN 55118
Phone: 800-555-1234
email
Grab ATTENTION
with a startling fact.
Build INTEREST by meeting audience
needs (eliminating stress and work)
and providing audience benefits
(better tracking, report generation,
and customer contact).
Encourage DESIRE by appealing to
social proof (indicating that similar
businesses have bought the product).
Motivate ACTION by enabling an
easy response (free trial at the click
of a button) and providing specific
direction (“In the meantime, please
call me…”).
However, reducing resistance is also important in solicited sales communication—messages
you send to audiences who did request the information. Although customers who request infor-
mation want the product or service, you may have to reduce their resistance if the price is more
than they predicted or if the item does not fulfill all their needs. To create a sense of desire, con-
sider using one of the techniques of emotional appeal discussed in SQ2 on page 154. Appealing
to social proof and scarcity can be particularly effective.
• Action. The final step of the AIDA persuasive strategy is to motivate your customer to act
and purchase the product or service. If you want to motivate the customer to download your
software package, the message should take the form of an email that includes a link to easily
download the product. If your sales message is a phone call, you should be able to process the
customer’s order over the telephone. If you are mailing a letter or sales brochure, enclose a
postage-paid return envelope in which the customer can easily place an order. Motivating ac-
tion requires a professional approach. You do not want to assume the customer will purchase
the product, but you don’t want to be vague, either. Motivate action by making the response
easy and providing specific direction.
Figure 5.13 illustrates how to use the AIDA strategy to compose a persuasive unsolicited sales
message. Although AIDA is usually associated with sales messages to a general audience, you
can use the AIDA approach even more effectively in situations when you know the audience.
For those messages, you can apply your knowledge of audience needs to determine what
specific information will effectively grab their attention, build interest, create desire, and
motivate action.
solicited sales communication A
response to a request for sales information.
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How can you use persuasion to improve teamwork and collaboration? 167
You may not think of persuasion as a skill that is useful in teamwork and collaboration. How-
ever, persuasion is just as important in a teamwork context as it is in communication with
managers, customers, suppliers, and potential business partners. When working with people
on a team, your persuasive skills can be useful in two distinctly different ways: They can help
you motivate others to perform to the best of their ability and also help you collaborate with
teammates to make effective decisions.
Use persuasion to motivate others
Have you ever been part of a work team with members who had other priorities or did mini-
mal work? Even if you are not designated as a team leader, you can adopt a leadership role and
use your persuasive skills to help the team—and individual team members—get back on track.
In this context, persuasion means influencing your team members’ attitudes to bring about a
change in behavior.
Effective team leaders use the following techniques to influence attitudes and motivate
people to make a commitment to a team:
• Remind the team why the work is important. As you learned in Chapter 2: Working with
Others, the best teams share a concrete goal and vision for success. Depending on the project,
success may mean that the company will launch a new product or save time and money. Suc-
cess may mean that the organization will better understand the competition or that each team
member will receive a bonus. If team members lose sight of the goal, remind them of their
vision for success and why it is important.
• Help others feel pride in their work. People lose motivation when they feel unappreciated and
when they do not feel good about their work. By showing appreciation and acknowledging team
members’ contributions, you can persuade team members to continue working at a high level.
• Understand and acknowledge the emotions of team members. Emotions can stand in the
way of a team’s success. If a team member is angry or frustrated or feels excluded from deci-
sion making, productivity will decline. Rather than try to convince someone to feel differently,
actively listen to him or her, try to understand the feelings, and acknowledge the validity of
those feelings. With that kind of support, many team members persuade themselves to make
some changes and work harder.28
• Make it possible for a team member to succeed. Sometimes, external factors stand in the way
of team success. For example, team members may have competing responsibilities at home and
may not be able to commit to the team as fully as necessary. If you help people resolve these
conflicts, you may be able to persuade them to work harder on your project. Can you resched-
ule a meeting? Allow them to work from home? Redistribute tasks? Help them with another
project that is taking too much of their time? Helping others makes it more possible for them
to participate in the team and, following Cialdini’s principle of reciprocity, may also lead them
to reciprocate and do more for your project.29
Incorporate persuasion into the team decision-making
process
In the context of decision making, you might think that persuasion means convincing oth-
ers that you are right so that they make the decision you prefer. However, when you work in
a team, persuading others to agree with you can be counterproductive, leading to the type of
groupthink described in Chapter 2: Working with Others. The goal of team decision making is
to generate the best possible solution based on everyone’s input.
One approach to achieve this goal is to ask team members to make a strong persuasive case
for a specific decision and allow other team members to challenge the selection. If you hear the
strongest arguments for each position, then the team can evaluate each position objectively. This
process of persuasion requires all team members to listen carefully and be willing to change their
minds; however, it often produces a better plan of action than any one individual could devise.
SQ4 How can you use persuasion to improve
teamwork and collaboration?
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CULTURE
ADAPTING PERSUASIVE APPEALS
Although many people believe that the key to persuasion is pro-
viding a strong, logical argument, you’ve learned in this chapter
that persuasion depends on many additional factors: strength-
ening your credibility, engaging your audience’s emotions, and
adapting to their preferences.
Adapting is particularly important when you want to per-
suade people from different cultures. You may need to adapt in
these ways:
• Using a different medium for persuasion
• Emphasizing different persuasive content
• Accommodating a different decision-making process
The following two scenarios involve cross-cultural persuasion. If
you were involved in these scenarios, what would you do? After
deciding, compare your answers with those provided (upside
down).
1. You are working on a project with a team of people from
Mexico and the United States, communicating primarily by
email. One of your Mexican teammates often takes three to
four days to respond to messages that you have marked ur-
gent. So far, this has not been a problem. However, now you
need a quick response from him. Your team is running late
on a project deadline, and your ability to meet this deadline
will have a great impact on your performance review. How
would you persuade your Mexican teammate to respond to
you quickly and to help meet the deadline?
a. Write an email message politely explaining exactly what
you need and by when. Apologize for the short notice and
explain that you will both share the success for meeting
the deadline or the blame for missing it.
b. Write an email message explaining the urgency of the
situation, providing detailed instructions, and showing
appreciation for his extraordinary efforts to help you.
Follow the email with a telephone call to ensure he
understands.
c. Call on the telephone to explain the situation and ask for
help. Ask about his workload to see if your request is real-
istic. Invite him to call you to ask for help in meeting the
deadline, and end the conversation by saying you hope to
meet in the future.
2. You are part of a team that is presenting a proposal to a client
in the Netherlands. Your client has sent you a list of people
who will be attending the meeting, along with background
information on each. You notice that they represent a wide
range of functions in the company. You also notice that no se-
nior decision maker will be attending the meeting. Typically,
when your company presents a persuasive proposal, you tar-
get the senior decision maker and aim primarily to persuade
that person. This approach has been successful and led to
quick sales. In this case, what should your team do?
a. Call your main contact and persuade him or her to in-
clude a senior decision maker in the meeting, rearranging
the time of the meeting if necessary.
b. Structure your presentation to provide specific informa-
tion on the benefits of your product for the representa-
tives of each of the functional areas attending the meeting.
c. Structure your presentation in the same way you would
if a senior decision maker attended, leave a handout, and
encourage your main contact to pass this information
along to the senior decision maker.
◾ In summary, being a persuasive business communicator requires that you
adopt a “you” perspective and understand what will motivate your audience as well as what
will prevent them from agreeing with you. The techniques you learned in this chapter are tools
that you can use to address your audience’s needs and concerns—and help your audience agree
with and accept your ideas. If your content is sufficiently targeted to your audience, you may
find that they will persuade themselves to agree with you.
For a CULTURE exercise, go to Exercise 15 on page 178.
Answers
1. C is the best choice. In Mexico, it is important to develop working relationships. A phone call signals that you are making an effort to
build a relationship. In addition, by asking about your colleague’s workload, you are showing that you recognize the value of his work
and that you are not egotistical. This will provide you with credibility. By building a relationship and your credibility, you increase the
chances that your colleague will make an extra effort to help you.
30
2. B is the best choice. Although the Netherlands is a highly individualistic culture, important business decisions are made by consen-
sus.
31
This means that you will achieve more success if you persuade each person in the meeting that his or her specific functional area
will benefit from your product.
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Social persuasion @ work 169
SOCIAL PERSUASION @ WORK Earthjustice
Many not-for-profits use social media—Facebook, Twitter,
and blogs—to connect with current supporters, but these
social media tools are often less effective for communicat-
ing with people unfamiliar with the organization. How can
a not-for-profit capture the attention of potential new sup-
porters and engage them in the issues?
In 2010, the environmental not-for-profit Earthjustice
took advantage of the social media application Foursquare
to communicate with younger audiences, who are tech-
nologically savvy and interested in environmental issues
but uninterested in traditional advertising. Foursquare is a
location-based application that allows users to broadcast
their location to people in their social network through
their smartphones and to “check-in” at locations to earn
points or to activate promotions. Foursquare has more us-
ers in San Francisco, the home of Earthjustice, than in any
other city in the United States.
To attract the attention of these users, Earthjustice
installed interactive billboards in Bay Area Rapid Transit
(BART) stations throughout the city. The billboards did
not ask people to donate to Earthjustice; instead, the
billboards said “every time you check in on Foursquare,
an Earthjustice donor will donate $10” to the issue
described on the billboard: for example, stopping unsafe
oil drilling, protecting Lake Tahoe’s water quality, or
protecting endangered species such as the Pika in the
billboard pictured here.
Georgia McIntosh, Earthjustice’s vice president of
communication, said “We didn’t want to do just another
ad. We wanted to engage people on environmental issues
that are important to Californians, and do it in a way that’s
fun and cutting edge. Location-based technology like
Foursquare is definitely at the cutting edge right now.”
Consider how this billboard takes advantage of the
AIDA approach to persuasion:
Attention: Commuters checking Foursquare notice
that there is a check-in point at the BART station they
are approaching. Alternatively, they see the poster and
notice the Foursquare logo.
Interest: The headline and picture create interest to
read more.
Desire: The billboard triggers the desire to help endan-
gered species, especially because the Foursquare users
will be able to help without spending any money.
Action: For Foursquare users, the action is simple and
takes only 20 seconds: Check in on Foursquare to en-
sure $10 is donated (by someone else) to the cause.
The Foursquare app also shows how many other
people have checked in at that poster, adding the power of
social proof to persuade potential supporters to participate
in this campaign and learn more about Earthjustice both on
Foursquare and on earthjustice.org.
Source: Using Foursquare for environmental causes. (2010). Retrieved
from http://earthjustice.org/features/using-Foursquare-for-
environmental-causes
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170 Chapter 5 | Communicating Persuasive Messages
This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
Kelly Lee and Noah Walker meet in a marketing class and recognize
they have two things in common. First, they enjoy working with ani-
mals. Kelly’s family breeds Irish Setters, and Noah works part time in
a veterinary office. Second, they both want to be entrepreneurs. After
some initial market analysis, they decide to collaborate on creating a
pet daycare center, Pet Haven, that will offer daily workouts for the ani-
mals, hourly playtime and petting with individual handlers, and clean
and roomy cages or containment areas.
To get Pet Haven up and running, Kelly and Noah realize they
must persuade either a bank or other investors to give them a small
business loan. Then they must persuade potential customers to use
their service.
Persuading Lenders to Fund a Loan
When Kelly and Noah go to the bank to discuss a loan for Pet Haven,
the banker is interested in the idea but tells them their interest rate will
be very high because they have an insufficient credit history and no col-
lateral for the loan. To secure a more reasonable rate, he suggests they
ask relatives to co-sign the loan application. In other words, their par-
ents would have to agree to repay the loan if Kelly and Noah could not.
Kelly and Noah decide they need to convince their parents that
Pet Haven is a sound financial idea. To prepare for these meetings, they
brainstorm a list of questions their parents could ask:
• Are you ready to run a business?
• What services will you provide? How do you know these are
the right services? What will you need in order to deliver these
services?
• Who is your customer base? Are there enough customers to sup-
port your business?
• What is the competition in our city? What will you offer to make
you stand out?
• Have these kinds of pet daycare businesses been successful in
other towns?
• How will you market your services to your customers? How will
you communicate and what will you communicate?
• What kind of licensing and credentials do you need?
• Do you have a location yet? What kind of space do you need?
What kinds of equipment do you need?
• What will the start-up costs be for leases, employees, licenses,
advertising, and equipment?
• What size loan do you need? How will you repay this loan from
cash flow?
• Why don’t you get a job first and get some experience? You can
open a business later.
Question 1: How can Kelly and Noah prepare for a successfully
persuasive conversation with their parents?
a. What questions require a logical argument, using claims, rea-
sons, and evidence?
b. How should Kelly and Noah gather information to support
these arguments?
c. How can Kelly and Noah establish credibility about their ability
to run a business and repay a loan?
d. What kinds of emotional appeals might be effective as part of
their argument to their parents to motivate action?
Identifying Benefits and Objections
Based on Kelly’s and Noah’s persuasive business plans, their parents
agree to co-sign the loan. However, they insist that Kelly and Noah
begin to market their business before graduation. As a next step, Kelly
and Noah decide to learn more about their potential customers:
• What do they know about pet daycare services?
• What benefits will they perceive from the service?
• What objections and concerns may prevent them from using the
service?
Question 2: How can Noah and Kelly learn this information? What
would you do?
a. Alone, or with a small group, search the Internet for animal or
pet daycare centers. Select at least two companies and read
their websites thoroughly. List the customer benefits that each
company stresses. Which benefits seem most compelling?
What benefits would you recommend Noah and Kelly stress?
Can you think of other potential benefits that you did not read
about in competitors’ websites?
b. In small groups or as a class, brainstorm objections that pet
owners may raise about the pet daycare concept. What may
prevent pet owners from using Pet Haven’s services? What
will convince them to send their pets? Prepare for this brain-
storm by talking to friends and relatives outside of class and
getting their opinions. For each objection or question, give
Kelly and Noah ideas about how to anticipate those issues in
their marketing materials. What objections should they refute
and how? What objections might they concede and how?
Building Credibility through a Website
Noah and Kelly know that small businesses need to have a presence
on the web to attract customers. However, they are not sure how best
to use a website to increase their credibility with potential customers,
especially because they are new to the business and do not have much
experience
Question 3: Working by yourself or with a small group of class-
mates, identify at least two ways that Noah and Kelly can use their
website to increase their credibility as part of their persuasive
strategy.
CASE SCENARIO
Starting a New Businesss
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Writing a Persuasive Sales Message
As a next step, Kelly and Noah compose two sales letters for Pet Haven.
One is targeted to pet owners in the area. The other is more personal-
ized, targeted to pet owners Kelly and Noah know.
Question 4: Noah and Kelly have brainstormed some claims that
they would like to include in the sales letters. Evaluate each claim to
determine if it can be supported or if it represents a logical fallacy. If
it can be supported, what kinds of evidence would be effective for
each claim? Where can Kelly and Noah find this evidence?
a. If you have a pet and work all day, you can either allow your
pet to remain lonely or take advantage of high-quality daycare
services.
b. Pets that are stimulated during the day are happier and health-
ier than pets left alone.
c. If you are willing to bring a child to day care, then you should
certainly be willing to do the same for your pet.
d. Day care is as good as medicine for a pet’s health. For exam-
ple, Mrs. Jones’s dog was sickly before becoming a daycare
client. Now the dog is healthy and energetic.
e. Daycare clients receive a discount on routine grooming.
Question 5: Noah and Kelly have decided to use the AIDA form for
both letters. Alone or working with a small group of classmates,
draft either of the sales letters. Use your imagination to develop
specific details for the pet owners Kelly and Noah know. End each
letter by asking the audience to go to the Pet Haven website for
more information.
In class, compare and evaluate the various letters to see differ-
ent implementations of AIDA.
Case scenario 171
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How can the ACE process help you
persuade your audience? (pages 146–151)
• Analyzing helps you plan your message by focusing on
your purpose, desired outcome, and business result. Analyz-
ing your primary and secondary audiences’ (and stakehold-
ers’) needs helps you determine the content of the message.
If you anticipate specific objections, you can use refutation
or concession to address them. Analyzing also helps you
select the best medium based on audience-, content-, and
response-related criteria.
• Composing implements the persuasive plan by putting
words into action.
• Evaluating helps you review the draft for effectiveness by
considering whether the message is convincing, proposes a
good solution, includes sound reasoning, anticipates pos-
sible objections, and stresses audience benefits. Evaluating
also ensures a complete, concise, clear, and correct message.
What types of business messages
typically require persuasion?
(pages 159–166)
• Recommendations for action require that you convince
someone that a problem or opportunity exists and that your
idea is a good way to address it.
• Requests for favors involve asking people to do something
that takes effort, requires them to make choices, or differs
from what they had planned to do. For persuasive requests,
you can motivate your audience to comply by making them
feel good about their actions or showing them how they will
benefit.
• Persuasive customer claims are used when a seller is not
obligated to approve a refund, exchange, or repair. There-
fore, you need to persuade the seller that its policy should
not apply in your situation or that it is in the seller’s best
interest to grant your request.
• Sales messages often incorporate the components of
AIDA—an acronym used to suggest the organization of sales
communication: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.
These components are useful in both solicited and unsolic-
ited sales communication.
Study Questions in Review
SQ3
End of Chapter
SQ1
What are the basic elements of
persuasion? (pages 151–158)
• Building credibility enhances the audience’s perception that
you have expertise and are trustworthy. You can build cred-
ibility by getting to know the audience, introducing yourself
effectively, and presenting your ideas persuasively.
• Constructing a logical argument involves making a claim
that is supported by reasons and evidence, which can be in
the form of numerical data, facts, expert opinion, personal
experience, or examples. When constructing arguments,
avoid fallacies, which are violations of logic. They are dis-
honest and misleading.
• Appealing to your audience’s emotions helps you sell your
persuasive idea by appealing to your audience’s emotional or
psychological needs, such as safety, love and belonging, self-
esteem, and self-actualization. Other psychological princi-
ples include consistency, social proof, liking, reciprocity, and
scarcity. You can show your own emotional commitment by
using compelling evidence and powerful language.
SQ2
How can you use persuasion to
improve teamwork and collaboration?
(pages 167–168)
• Use persuasion to motivate others on your team. Remind
the team why the work is important, help others feel pride
in their work, acknowledge team members’ emotions, and
make it possible for each team member to succeed.
• Incorporate persuasion into the team decision-making
process. When team members have different ideas, the goal
should not be for one team member to persuade another
to agree with his or her position. Instead, team members
should present the best cases for their ideas so that the team
can critically evaluate options and develop a collaborative
solution.
SQ4
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Visual Summary
Visual Summary
How can the ACE process help you persuade your audience?
What are the basic elements of persuasion?
1. Building credibility
2. Constructing a logical argument
3. Appealing to your audience’s
emotions
Rely on proven principles:
Maslow: safety, love, belonging, self-esteem, self-actualization
Cialdini: consistency, social proof, liking, reciprocity, scarcity
Show emotional commitment
Use storytelling and powerful language
(continued)
• Purpose, desired outcome, and business result
Analyzing helps you plan your message
Composing
implements the
persuasive plan
• Audience’s and stakeholders’ needs
• Content needs
• Medium choices
Evaluating helps you review the
draft for effectiveness
• Have you convincingly shown that a
problem or opportunity exists?
• Is the proposed solution or plan a good one?
• Is the evidence and reasoning sound?
• Have you addressed objections and stressed benefits?
• Is the information complete, concise, clear, and correct?
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
Training customer service reps to use the new system will improve
service and productivity and will also reduce costs.
Since installation, customer
service and productivity have
suffered.
STEP 1
What is your position?
t
The problem is costly. Training is a cost-effective
and efficient solution.
Customer
complaints
have
increased
50 percent..
Number of
customers
served
daily has
decreased
15 percent.
Increased
complaints
cost us
$1,800 per
week.
Complaints
may also
cause us
to lose
customers.
Targeted
training will
cost less than
the cost of
complaints.
Manufacturer
has agreed to
provide the
training within
one week.
Provide examples
of previous work.
Provide testimonials
from other clients.
Showcase
successful
projects.
Provide photos
and credentials of
employees to
personalize the
company. Mention
awards and
affiliations.
t
STEP 2
What reasons suppor
your position?
STEP 3
What evidence
supports your reasons?
SQ1
SQ2
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174 Chapter 5 | Communicating Persuasive Messages
Visual Summary
What types of business messages typically require persuasion?
How can you use persuasion to improve teamwork and collaboration?
Use persuasion to
motivate others
Incorporate persuasion into the team decision-making process
My local E-Tronics store in Eagle Heights, Ohio, sold me a refurbished scanner that does not
work with my computer’s operating system. I would like to exchange it for one that does work
with my computer.
On October 10, 20XX I purchased a refurbished HP scanner, Model #5770, because a sales
associate at the store mistakenly assured me that this HP scanner would work with my Toshiba
Protégé Z500-S9050 laptop, which is running Windows 7. It was only when I got home that I
discovered that a driver does not exist for Windows 7, only for Vista and Windows XP.
Any sales associate can make an honest mistake, and I am very willing to return this scanner and
purchase one, even a more expensive one, that works with my computer. However, my local
store will not exchange the scanner because of your no returns / no exchange policy. Although
I understand that such a policy may be necessary to keep prices low, in this instance, I believe
that my request to exchange this scanner for one that will work with my laptop is reasonable
given that I received incorrect sales advice.
Please call me at (419) 555-8623 to discuss how we can resolve this matter. I look forward to
hearing from you and enjoying future purchases from your stores.
Sincerely,
Elaine Mackiewetz
Elaine Mackiewetz
online submission
voice mail message
Hello, Dr. Maher. This is Alexa Hampton. I was in your business law
class several years ago and found it very useful. I now work as an
associate lawyer at Betts, Miller, and Russo here in town, and I’m
calling to ask you a favor.
I’m on the planning committee for the local bar association, and our
awards luncheon is next Monday. The mayor was our original
keynote speaker, but a sudden death in the family prevents her from
attending. I immediately thought of you as a replacement. Would
you be able to deliver a one-hour speech based on anecdotes and
lessons you learned during your career?
Your years of experience and wealth of knowledge could make a
signi�cant difference in the professional lives of the 450 lawyers
who will attend the luncheon. In a one-hour speech, you will address
more people than you were able to teach in an entire academic year
as a business law professor. I know you are the perfect keynote
replacement for the mayor.
Please call me at 555-1887 as soon as you get this message so we
can discuss the details. I look forward to talking with you soon.
Again, Alexa Hampton, 555-1887.
Thank you.
memo
TO: Maria Cardoni
FROM: Pedro Baca
DATE: June 11, 20XX
SUBJECT: Proposed Solution for Costly Customer Service Problems
Problem
Two weeks ago, the customer service department installed new software designed to
improve productivity and customer service. Employees received the standard three-
hour orientation that comes with the software package. However, the training did not
cover the customized functions necessary to process returns, exchanges, and refunds.
In the two weeks that employees have been using the software, we have logged
75 complaints more than average. Customers have complained about dropped calls,
exchanged orders being lost, and refunds not being credited. In addition, because
representatives are addressing so many time-consuming complaints, they are handling
fewer calls, and their productivity has decreased by 15 percent. Although we cannot
prove that lack of training on the new software caused the customer service problems,
the coincidence is too great to be ignored.
These problems are costly to our company. Last year, we researched the cost of
customer complaints and determined that each complaint costs us approximately
$50 in employee time and lost sales. This means that in the past two weeks, handling
the 75 additional complaints has cost us $3,750. If these problems continue, costs will
conservatively exceed $10,000 in two months.
We also need to consider the long-term costs of unhappy customers. According to
sales expert Jonathan Farrington, “the cost of an unhappy customer is much greater
than the cost of any individual lost sale.”* It includes the loss of that person’s future
business and the potential lost sales from people who have talked to the unhappy
customer.
Proposed Solution
I have discussed this problem with the software developer, Mark Richey from Viking
Systems, and he has agreed to provide an additional three-hour training session for all
employees addressing the important customized functions in our system. To ensure
that all employees are trained, he has also agreed to deliver the session twice, with
half of the representatives attending each session.
The cost for this customized training will be $5,000, the exact amount it would have
cost us to add the training to our original purchase. Although the amount may seem
expensive, it is actually cost effective, considering the losses we project if the
customer service problems persist. I do not believe employees will be able to master
the system without training. I’ve spent 10 hours trying to learn all the functions of the
new system on my own, and I still cannot �gure out how to issue a refund.
Mark is prepared to deliver the session next week if we can approve the funding. The
more quickly we provide the training, the more quickly we can realize the customer
service bene�ts from the company’s investment in the new system.
* Farrington, J. (2008). Customer complaints: The income multiplier effect.
CRM-Daily.com. Retrieved from http://www.crm-daily.com
Dear Mr
martin.kline@yahoo.com
Free Trial of CustomerBase Software Suite
. Kline:
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years? They fail for lack of experience, lack of money, and lack of sales.
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customer base—an essential element for boosting sales and achieving
success.
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The CustomerBase software suite eliminates the stress of managing your
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customers.
A survey of 2,500 CustomerBase users from across the country indicates
that using the software contributes to increased sales and long-term
business success. Over 85 percent of these businesses report that they
reached their target market sales goals within the �rst two years. Compare
that to the national failure rate and it’s easy to see how your investment in
CustomerBase is a sound investment in your future success.
Try It Today
Click here to download a free two-week trial copy of CustomerBase. After
two weeks, you will be prompted to download the full version, which can be
easily charged to your credit card account. In the meantime, please call me
at 800-555-1234 to discuss how CustomerBase can enhance your
business success.
Sincerely,
Parker Davis
Sales Manager
CustomerBase, Inc.
2929 Northeast Highway
St. Paul, MN 55118
Phone: 800-555-1234
email
Persuasive claims
Requests for favors
Recommendations for action
Sales messages
SQ4
SQ3
I want you to know how much I
appreciate the time and effort you’ve
put into this project. It’s turning out
better than any of us expected.
Here’s why I support hiring a
full-time employee…
But an intern would be less
expensive and give us more
�exibility. Here’s why…
Visual Summary (Continued)
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Chapter 5 End of Chapter 175
Key Terms
AIDA p. 164
Argumentation p. 152
Concession p. 147
Credibility p. 152
Customer claim p. 161
Fallacy p. 156
Persuasion p. 146
Persuasive request p. 159
Primary audience p. 147
Recommendation p. 159
Refutation p. 147
Secondary audience p. 147
Solicited sales
communication p. 166
Unsolicited sales
communication p. 165
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 What elements do you need to analyze to plan your message?
2 What is the difference between your primary audience and your
secondary audience?
3 How is refutation different from concession? Describe the circum-
stances in which you would use one over the other.
4 What are the eight questions you should ask yourself when evalu-
ating your persuasive messages?
5 What techniques can businesses use to build credibility through
a website?
6 What are five types of evidence you can use in a logical argument?
7 What are four types of business messages that typically require
persuasion?
8 What does AIDA stand for?
9 Explain the difference between social proof and scarcity.
10 How does persuasion help team decision making?
Review Questions
1 This chapter defines persuasion as “the process of influencing your
audience to change their beliefs or actions in a way that facilitates
a desired outcome.” In what way is persuasion a process?
2 When you identify potential audience objections to your ideas—as
part of planning a persuasive conversation or written message—
should you address those objections directly as part of your per-
suasive strategy? Or should you ignore them? Describe a situation
where it might be better to address possible objections. Then iden-
tify another situation where it might be better to ignore potential
objections until your audience actually objects.
3 Motivating your audience is particularly important when you are
asking them to do something that is difficult or that they are resis-
tant to doing. Imagine you are writing a persuasive email, request-
ing a colleague to organize your company’s annual summer picnic
this year. Assume the recipient would be initially resistant because
of the responsibility and effort required. What content could you
include to motivate that person to agree to the job?
4 Suppose you are making a presentation to your boss that recom-
mends a change that will eliminate budget overruns. Is it impor-
tant to present details about the budget overruns, or is it better just
to focus on your solution to this problem? How would you decide
the best approach?
5 A study conducted on a college campus found that students solic-
iting donations from other students were twice as effective when
they began their request by saying “I am a student here, too.”32
How would you explain this success? Why did this statement
make the students more persuasive to their audience?
6 In what key ways is a persuasive customer claim different from
other kinds of requests, such as requests for information, a
favor, or a donation? Why are different persuasive techniques
necessary?
7 AIDA—Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action—is a long- established
and widely used pattern for persuasive sales messages. Why do you
think AIDA works so well?
8 In this chapter, you learned about how fallacious reasoning can
be unethical if you intentionally use it to mislead your audience.
What else could you do in an attempt to persuade that could be
considered unethical?
9 To be persuasive, business websites must present a company as
credible. Assume you are starting a new business and you do not
have any customer testimonials or past projects to present on your
website. How else can you communicate credibility?
10 Imagine you are starting a new business and you are developing a
persuasive presentation to give to potential investors. What ques-
tions do you imagine investors would need answered in order to
be persuaded to invest?
Critical Thinking Questions
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How can the ACE process help you persuade
your audience? (pages 146–151)
1 Analyzing helps you plan your message
Assume that you have the opportunity to travel to China during the
summer as part of a Global Business Initiatives project at your school.
The goal of the trip is to visit businesses in that country, learn more
about the differences between American and Chinese businesses, and
make some international contacts. The school will provide the funding
for your trip. Each student, however, is asked to request donations from
local companies to support the project. You decide to approach Keith
Dinsmore, the president of a shoe manufacturing company in your
community, to request a donation. You selected this person because
he graduated from your university and because many of his company’s
products are manufactured in China. Analyze the communication situ-
ation to plan your communication:
a. What should be the specific purpose of your communication?
What specific outcome do you want? Will you ask for a specific
amount of money, or will you have some other message?
b. What information will Mr. Dinsmore need?
c. What reasons or benefits can you offer Mr. Dinsmore to support
why he should donate?
d. What objections do you anticipate? Prepare possible responses for
each objection.
e. What medium should you use to communicate with Mr. Dinsmore?
Should you make your request by email? By phone? Or should you
ask to meet in person? What are the advantages and disadvantages
of each option?
2 Composing implements the persuasive plan
Refer to Exercise 1. Assume that you chose to write a persuasive email
to Mr. Dinsmore. Based on your analysis from that exercise, compose a
first draft of the message.
3 Evaluating helps you review the draft for effectiveness
Refer to Exercises 1 and 2. Evaluate your first draft and explain how it
meets the following criteria. If it doesn’t, explain how you could modify
the message.
a. Have you convincingly shown that a problem or opportunity
exists?
b. Is the proposed solution or plan a good one?
c. Is the evidence and reasoning sound?
d. Have you addressed potential objections and stressed benefits?
e. Is the message easy to read?
f. Is the information complete, concise, clear, and correct?
g. Do you need to change anything to get your desired result?
What are the basic elements of persuasion?
(pages 151–158)
4 Building credibility
a. In your entrepreneurship class, you and three classmates devel-
oped an idea that you would like to turn into a business: a tutor-
ing service for high school and middle school students in your
community. Tutors would be students at your college or univer-
sity who are majoring in the subject that they are tutoring and
who have prior experience tutoring in the subject. The tutoring
services would be advertised online. Prices would be $40/hour if
the clients come to campus and $50/hour if tutors go to the cli-
ents’ homes or other locations. For the business to succeed, you
know that you will need to build credibility with the local school
administration and with local families. Review the approaches to
building credibility on page 152. How would you build credibility
for yourself and your new company?
b. You are a sales associate in the fine china and glassware depart-
ment of an exclusive department store. Every few months, your
department runs a big sale, and your manager requires all associ-
ates to call customers to persuade them to come to the store and
shop during the sale. You feel that you have very little credibility
in these phone calls. The customers believe you are just interested
in increasing your sales commission. Brainstorm ways that you
can build your credibility in these calls so that more people will be
persuaded to shop during the sale.
5 Constructing a logical argument
You work for a development and construction company that special-
izes in commercial real estate. You need to make a persuasive presenta-
tion to your town council, requesting that the town rezone a parcel of
land—Parcel 5812—from residential to commercial in a fast-growing
area so you can build a retail shopping area anchored by a grocery store.
Based on your research, you are going to provide three reasons why the
town should rezone the land for a new shopping area:
1. The residential population in the area is growing while nearby
shopping options are not.
2. The nearest grocery store, which is four miles away in a differ-
ent town, is accessible only by a two-lane highway, suggesting that
without a nearby store, traffic congestion may increase.
3. The retail space will stimulate growth and help increase the town
tax base.
What kind of evidence would you include to support each of these
three reasons? For example, what kind of evidence would help you
prove the residential population is growing?
6 Avoiding logical fallacies [Related to the Ethics feature
on page 156]
The following list includes examples of weak and illogical arguments.
Explain the problem with each. Why should you disagree with each
statement?
a. Of the three ad campaigns presented by the marketing depart-
ment, I think we should go with the second one because it’s the
best.
b. The media is biased against our products. For the past two days,
the City Journal has featured stories about our competitors but
hasn’t mentioned us.
c. Our current travel authorization forms are not efficient. We should
either not require authorization or decline all travel requests.
d. I’m not surprised sales have dropped. The sales reps are com-
pletely incompetent.
e. If democracy is the best way to run a government, then it must be
the best way to run a company also.
f. Sales in our international branches nearly doubled after the CEO
hired a new assistant. We should promote the assistant to vice
president of sales.
Key Concept Exercises
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7 Appealing to your audience’s emotions
You are a real estate agent who has just shown a home to Tom and
Serena Phillips, a young professional couple who seemed very inter-
ested in the property. They are looking to start a family in the next few
years and like the large backyard. They also like the neighborhood and
reputation of the local schools. Most important, the house is in their
price range. They are hesitant to make an offer on the house, how-
ever, because it’s a large investment and because the house needs new
carpeting.
You know this house will not stay on the market long. In fact, you
have two other buyers who have shown an interest. However, you think
this is a perfect house for Tom and Serena, and you’d like to persuade
them to make an offer. They have the facts, so you decide to compose a
message that emphasizes emotional appeals. Review all the techniques
for motivating an audience on pages 154–158. Using at least three of
the techniques, develop content that you could use in your message.
What types of business messages typically
require persuasion? (pages 159–166)
8 Recommendations for action
You are the director of volunteer services for a regional hospital. Most
of your volunteers are retirees who work four-hour shifts one or two
days a week, providing various services such as transporting patients
to X-ray, delivering lab results to doctors’ offices, and greeting visitors
in reception areas. During the summers, many of your volunteers go
on vacation, which leaves you with a lot of empty shifts to fill. Dur-
ing a directors’ meeting, you suggest that the hospital create a summer
student volunteer program to recruit high school and college students.
The job would provide valuable experience to students interested in
pursuing a medical career. However, several of the department heads
expressed concern about whether the student volunteers would be ma-
ture enough or responsible enough to commit to unpaid summer work.
You believe that requiring high GPAs, letters of recommendations, and
interviews will help the hospital select mature and responsible students.
The committee asks you to write a recommendation report outlining
the idea in more detail. Write a persuasive recommendation using the
following outline:
• Propose a specific recommendation.
• Identify the problem that needs solving.
• Provide evidence that the problem is important.
• Propose a solution and support it with persuasive reasoning,
stressing benefits and providing evidence to support your claims.
• Address potential objections.
• Conclude by requesting action.
9 Requests for favors
Assume you are a sales representative for Acme Widget Company.
Acme has just developed a new and improved widget, which you are
planning to present to your biggest account, Southline Manufacturing,
in two days. You are proofreading your sales presentation when your
mother calls to share the sad news that your favorite uncle passed away
this morning and your aunt has asked you to deliver the eulogy. Your
uncle had been ill for some time, so the news was not a shock. How-
ever, the fact that the funeral conflicts with your presentation Monday
morning does cause concern. You know you have to attend the funeral.
Your choice is to ask the client to reschedule the meeting or ask a col-
league to make your presentation for you. Because Southline wants to
make an immediate purchasing decision, you decide to ask another
sales representative, Jamal Harrison, to fill in for you. Jamal does not
know anything about the customer, but he is familiar with the new
widget and he has exceptional presentation skills. Consider audience
benefits and persuasive techniques to convince Jamal to fill in for you.
Draft the message, using whichever medium you think is most appro-
priate, to request that Jamal do you this favor.
10 Persuasive customer claims
Assume you are the purchasing agent for Henderson Market Research.
You process orders for office supplies, equipment, and furniture. The
chairs in the executive conference room are 20 years old and show signs
of wear and tear. The CFO approved the funds to purchase new chairs,
and the CEO’s administrative assistant, Ronda, selected the style and
color to coordinate with the room. You process the order with the same
local office furniture company you’ve always used and were pleased to
receive a substantial discount because the chairs Ronda selected are be-
ing discontinued and the store is selling its remaining stock. All sales of
discontinued merchandise are final. Three weeks later when the chairs
arrive, Ronda calls you complaining that the chairs are the wrong color.
She wanted black chairs, but received brown. Ronda complains that
the brown chairs simply will not work with the color scheme in the
conference room. You quickly retrieve your order and realize that you
entered the wrong SKU number. You tell Ronda you will try to take
care of it as quickly as possible. Compose a message to the office fur-
niture company—Winchester Furniture—explaining the problem and
requesting that it replace the chairs. Your contact person at the furni-
ture company is Danielle Connors.
Use the ACE process. Identify the purpose and outcome of your
message. Analyze your audience to determine what questions and ob-
jections they may have. Identify how you will build credibility, con-
struct a logical argument, and motivate action.
11 Sales messages—AIDA
You are the assistant sales director for a company that is a market
leader in the hand sanitizer industry. You have a new product—the
SaniPlus—that you plan to target to existing business customers
through unsolicited sales messages. The product is a portable, touch-
free dispenser of hand sanitizer. The dispenser stands on the floor, can
be positioned in strategic locations, and can be moved to other loca-
tions. The director of sales asks you to draft a message that incorpo-
rates the AIDA elements to persuade existing customers to purchase
your new product. Create information about the product to support
your persuasive message.
12 Writing logical arguments with presentation software
[Related to the Technology feature on pages 162–163]
As a team, find a website that effectively uses the techniques and prin-
ciples described in this chapter to persuade its audience. Develop a
short slide presentation that identifies three ways in which the website
is persuasive. Organize your slides this way:
Slide 1. Your title slide. Include the name of the website, a screen shot
of the home page, and information that identifies your team and
assignment.
Slide 2. Identify the purpose and audience of the website.
Slide 3. Identify and illustrate the first way in which the site is
persuasive.
Slide 4. Identify and illustrate the second way in which the site is
persuasive.
Slide 5. Identify and illustrate the third way in which the site is
persuasive.
For slides 2–5, use a message headline that briefly states the
main point of the slide. Then, on the body of the slide, present
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lives or works within 100 miles of your location and that the speaker
can address a topic that is, in some way, relevant to the material of
the course. As a team, recommend one speaker by following this
process:
• Identify several possible candidates.
• Develop criteria for making a decision.
• Discuss and evaluate all the candidates. Assign team members to
make a persuasive case for each candidate.
• Collaboratively select one candidate.
• Write a persuasive message to your instructor recommending the
speaker you have chosen and providing reasons to support your
recommendation.
15 Values and persuasion [Related to the Culture
feature on page 168]
If you attend a school with people from other cultures, interview two
or three people of these cultures to gather information about how they
would approach the same persuasive task in their home cultures—for
example, asking a professor to speak at an event, asking a supervisor
to be assigned to a specific project, asking an acquaintance for a ride
to the airport. Compare results relating to different cultures and write
a brief message to your instructor describing your findings. Be sure to
support each finding with evidence.
evidence to support the headline. Evidence may include screen
shots, excerpts of text, and graphics from the website. Use the pre-
sentation on pages 162–163 as an example of how to write message
headlines and support them on the slide.
How can you use persuasion to improve
teamwork and collaboration? (pages 167–168)
13 Use persuasion to motivate others
In small groups, describe recent situations when you had to use persua-
sion to motivate others on a team. If you were successful, explain the
strategies or techniques from this chapter that you used to persuade
your audience. If you were not successful, identify a strategy or tech-
nique that you could have used. Record comments from each person in
the group and analyze your findings. What commonalities exist? Pre-
pare a short report that summarizes your findings.
14 Incorporate persuasion into the team decision-making
process
Assume that you and two or three other students in your class have
been appointed as a committee to propose a guest speaker to talk
to your business communication class. The speaker can be from
the business community, the not-for-profit world, your school, or
some other context. The only requirements are that the speaker
SQ4
16 Writing a persuasive request—intern needed
You are the head of the accounting department for a large company that
hires student interns each summer. You have always requested two or three
interns depending on the needs of your staff. In years past, the human re-
sources (HR) department not only fulfilled your intern requests but was
also able to send you students who were accounting majors. This year, how-
ever, HR announced that due to budget cuts, the internship pool would be
reduced by half. You can request an intern—only one—but HR will assign
interns only to selected departments, and HR cannot guarantee that your
intern, if assigned, will actually be an accounting major. HR will determine
the intern assignments based on justified requests from each department
head. During a department meeting with your staff, you explain the situ-
ation and ask for their input. The group offers the following justification:
• The accounting department employs 15 full-time staff members.
Your department is one of the smallest in the company, yet is
responsible for critical operational and budgetary functions upon
which all other departments depend.
• The company’s fiscal year ends June 30, which means significant
work is required in the summer months to generate year-end re-
ports in addition to regular accounting operations.
• Coincidentally, two employees in the accounting department will
be out on maternity leave, one during May and June, and the other
during June and July. These absences will further limit the depart-
ment’s ability to fulfill its end-of-year responsibilities.
Use the ACE process to write a message to the HR department re-
questing an intern (accounting major, if possible) for your department.
Do not simply repeat the points just outlined. Develop credibility, put
the arguments in an effective order, supply evidence to support your
arguments, and use techniques to motivate action.
17 Writing a persuasive recommendation—university
tablet computers
A friend attends Northern State University (NSU), where all students
receive a tablet computer as part of their tuition. Many of the classes at
NSU use e-books, which significantly reduce textbook costs. You be-
lieve the students at your campus would benefit from the savings as
well as the technology. You want to persuade your school’s administra-
tion to become a “tablet campus.” However, you predict many objec-
tions. The costs to purchase and maintain the tablets are an obvious
concern. Other potential problems include theft and misuse. Addi-
tionally, some faculty may not want students to be distracted by web
browsing and social networking during class. To prepare a persuasive
communication, first identify possible concessions or refutations for
these and other objections. Then focus on audience benefits and other
persuasive strategies you learned in this chapter. Compose a message
requesting a meeting to discuss the program in more detail, and then
draft a presentation to use during the meeting.
18 Writing a persuasive recommendation—afterschool
program
You are an employee of a mid-sized company. You estimate 40 percent of
the employees have school-aged children. You want to persuade the com-
pany to create an afterschool program in the empty warehouse space ad-
jacent to the office building. Obvious objections include the expenses for
personnel, decorating and furnishing the space, toys, and additional lia-
bility insurance. Brainstorm other possible obstacles, determine audience
benefits (for all stakeholders), and use effective persuasive techniques to
sell your idea. Write a short recommendation to the company president.
19 Writing a persuasive recommendation—Foursquare
check-in strategy
Your school recently opened a new food-court-style dining facility in
the student union. Although the union is more convenient for most
students, several fast food restaurants across the street offer value meals
and special deals that are more cost effective for students. To encour-
age students to eat at the new food court, you suggest to the dean of
students that the school establish a Foursquare check-in strategy. The
dean is intrigued by the idea, but she needs more information. Com-
pose a persuasive recommendation to the dean.
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20 Reaching a team decision
As a team, identify an issue in your school or community that you be-
lieve should be addressed. Pick an issue that is important to everyone in
your team. For example, you may believe the school should offer more
career assistance, better dining options, or better on-campus transpor-
tation. Then, as a team, follow this process:
1. Identify several possible solutions.
2. Develop and challenge strong arguments for each solution.
3. Collaboratively determine a team recommendation.
4. Write a message to your instructor identifying the issue, your
team’s proposed solution, and the reasons to support it.
21 Gathering information and evidence
Referring to Exercise 20, gather additional information and evidence
to support your team’s proposed solution. Each person on your team
should ask 10 other students whether they support your proposal and
why. Your goal is to collect persuasive evidence from students to justify
and document your recommendation. Spend a day or two gathering
the feedback and then compare your findings with your team. Identify
commonalities among the responses and make a list of persuasive rea-
sons to support your recommendation. Based on your findings, draft a
persuasive message to the person or committee in a position to imple-
ment your recommendation.
Collaboration Exercises
22 Using emotional appeals in social media
Consider how you have been persuaded by emotional appeals or mo-
tivational strategies through a business’s social media sites. Have you
purchased products or services you would not have known about with-
out these appeals? Or have you received discounts or deals for being
part of the company’s social media community? Describe one compa-
ny’s social media appeals and how they have (or have not) successfully
persuaded you to purchase products or services you may not have oth-
erwise considered. You may be asked to summarize your experiences in
writing, discuss them in small groups, or present them in class.
23 Offering third-party deals through social media
Companies like Living Social, Groupon, and Foursquare are the “mid-
dle men” that offer deals to potential consumers from the companies
that provide the actual products and services. In small groups, discuss
why companies use these middle men rather than offering the deals
through their own social media communities. What are the advantages
and disadvantages of paying another company to offer reduced prices
on your products and services? Summarize your discussion and con-
clusions in writing and be prepared to present them to the class.
Social Media Exercises
24 Impromptu presentations
Make a one- to two-minute presentation designed to persuade your
classmates to do one of the following things:
a. Change their major to yours.
b. Join a new student organization that has an expensive member-
ship fee.
c. Attend graduate school full time immediately after graduation
and defer full-time work, OR attend graduate school part time
while working full time, OR defer graduate school for a few years
to work full time.
d. Spend a year doing public service before entering the workforce.
e. Begin contributing to individual retirement accounts as soon as
they can.
In your presentation, include at least one statement designed to
establish credibility, one logical argument with reasons and evidence,
and one benefit designed to motivate.
25 Impromptu speaking—business role-plays
In a one- to two-minute presentation, explain how you would persuade
your audience in each of the following business situations:
a. Assume you are the new director of fundraising for a not-for-profit
organization. In the past, your organization has created targeted
fundraising events, such as galas and pledge drives, to increase do-
nations and contributions. You think a monthly e-newsletter to reg-
ular donors could keep them informed of how their money is put to
use and promote the events now promoted only through fundrais-
ing letters and web advertising. Although collecting email addresses
and developing an email database would be time consuming, you
believe the benefits would certainly outweigh the effort.
The board of directors supports your idea, but the mem-
bership director—who would be responsible for collecting the
email addresses and distributing the monthly e-newsletter—is
resistant because she is very busy and does not have the time.
You see her at lunch and decide to discuss the matter with her
individually. In one to two minutes, persuade her to agree to
this idea.
b. You are on a sales team that is planning an important presenta-
tion for a prospective client. During the meeting, the team leader
discusses the content to present and the kind of visual aids and
handouts to create. During the discussion, you are surprised that
no one mentions analyzing the audience. You believe that audi-
ence analysis is necessary to create a presentation that meets the
client’s need. In one to two minutes, persuade your team to analyze
the audience.
c. You coordinate the purchase of office supplies and equipment for
your company. Since the company began 22 years ago, it has used
Office Rx as its supply and equipment vendor. You call or email
Office Rx with your order, and the order is personally delivered to
your office within a few business days. As a small local company,
Office Rx does not support online ordering. However, it does not
charge delivery fees. Although the ordering process is tedious, you
prefer this company over the larger online vendors because of its
low prices and friendly customer service. In fact, you usually speak
with the same person, Annette. During a telephone conversation
with Annette to place a new order, you decide to ask her about the
possibility of online ordering. She indicates that the company had
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e. Your company has five mini-vans in the motor pool that it pur-
chased 10 years ago and that need to be replaced. The most im-
portant criteria are that the mini-vans have at least a six-person
capacity and are fuel efficient. Research current purchasing op-
tions and create a visual comparing your three top choices. Then
provide a well-supported recommendation for one of the options.
f. Your company is planning a summer picnic for your employees
and their families in the green space behind your office building.
Roughly 200 people plan to attend. Research two local catering
companies and make a persuasive recommendation based on
your findings. Create a visual to support your presentation.
g. Your employer would like to contract with a university to offer an
online MBA program to support employees’ continuing educa-
tion. Research the current opportunities available online and cre-
ate a visual recommending one.
h. You can use technology to enhance communication and per-
suasion. For example, in addition to processing your purchases,
Amazon.com suggests other products you might be interested in
based on your prior selections. In effect, Amazon is persuading
you to view other items you might not have considered. This is an
example of persuasive technology. Research the concept of per-
suasive technology and report your findings in a brief presenta-
tion. Write a one-page summary (executive briefing) that defines
persuasive technology, describes two examples (other than Ama-
zon), and explains your perception of how the technology affects
the audience. Prepare to present your summary to the class.
never considered online ordering because of its small size and lo-
cal clientele. In one to two minutes, persuade Annette to develop
an online ordering system. Address possible objections and in-
clude benefits for both Annette’s company and yours.
26 Presenting executive briefings—research
Conduct research to prepare for a three- to five-minute presentation
on one of the following topics. Prepare a visual aid to support your
presentation.
a. Select two universities that offer competing business gradu-
ate programs. Research basic information about both programs
(such as location, enrollment size, tuition, and faculty) and then
persuade your audience why one university is a better option than
the other.
b. Select two companies that offer comparable entry-level jobs for
your major. Research basic information about both options and
then persuade your audience why they should apply to work at
one company rather than the other.
c. Select two comparable wireless communication companies that
provide service in your area. Research basic information about
both service providers and then persuade your audience why one
option is better than the other.
d. Assume your audience is in the market for a new car. Research
the pros and cons of leasing versus purchasing. Choose the option
you prefer and convince your audience to agree.
27 Phrases and clauses (see Appendix C: Grammar,
Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 1.2.2)
It is easier to write grammatical sentences when you understand the
difference between phrases and clauses. In the following paragraph,
circle or highlight each phrase. Underline each dependent clause once
and each independent clause twice. There are a total of 10 dependent
and independent clauses and a total of 15 phrases.
In the list of tech-etiquette offenders, the “misguided multi-
tasker” may be the worst, although the “broadcaster” is a close
second. Holding their iPhones under the table, multitaskers send
email or text messages during meetings. The nonverbal message
that they are sending to everyone else is that the meeting is not
important to them. Broadcasters use their cell phones anytime,
anywhere, and they apparently don’t mind being overheard by
others. On a crowded elevator, they will discuss the intimate de-
tails of a medical procedure or they will talk loudly about confi-
dential business matters.
Grammar Exercises
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 If you are persuading someone to make a business decision, why is it important
to include a strong logical argument rather than just appeal to that person’s
emotions?
2 If the goal of persuasion is to influence people to agree with your point of view,
why is listening an important skill in persuasion?
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1. Aristotle. (2006). On rhetoric: A theory of civic discourse (G.A.
Kennedy, Trans.) (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University
Press.
2. Dlugan, A. (2010, January 24). Ethos, pathos, logos: 3 pillars
of public speaking. Six Minutes: Speaking and Presenta-
tion Skills. Retrieved from http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/
ethos-pathos-logos/
3. As examples of combining elements of persuasion, see the es-
says in Kenrick, D. T., Goldstein, N. J., & Braver, S. L. (Eds.).
(2012). Six degrees of social influence: Science, application, and
the psychology of Robert Cialdini. New York: Oxford Univer-
sity Press; Conger, J. (1998, May–June). The necessary art of
persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 84–95; and Cialdini, R.
(2001, October). Harnessing the science of persuasion. Har-
vard Business Review, 72–79.
4. Heinrichs, J. (2013). Thank you for arguing, revised and up-
dated edition: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson can
teach us about the art of persuasion. New York: Three Rivers
Press.
5. Stiff, J. B., & Mongeau, P. A. (2002). Persuasive communication
(2nd ed., p. 107). New York: The Guilford Press.
6. Wallace, E. (2009, May–June). Business relationships that last.
Austin, TX: Greenleaf Book Group Press. Also, Conger, J.
(1998, May–June). The necessary art of persuasion. Harvard
Business Review, 84–95.
7. Cialdini, R. (2009). Influence: Science and practice (5th ed.,
pp. 142–152). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.
8. Many social scientists have done research to confirm what is
called the “liking heuristic.” For a brief literature review, see
Metzger, M., & Flannigan, J. (2013). Credibility and trust of
information in online environments: The use of cognitive heu-
ristics. Journal of Pragmatics, 59, Part B, 210–220.
9. Lipschultz, J. H. (2013, September 4). Social media trust, credibil-
ity, and reputation management. Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved
from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-harris-lipschultz/
social-media-trust-credib_b_3858017.html
10. Gogoi, P. (2006, October 9). Wal-Mart’s Jim and Laura: The
real story. Businessweek.com. Retrieved from http://www
.businessweek.com/stories/2006-10-09/wal-marts-jim-and-
laura-the-real-stor ybusinessweek-business-news-stock-
market-and-financial-advice
11. Gunther, M. (2006, October 18). Corporate blogging: Wal-
Mart’s fumbles. CNN Money. Retrieved from http://money
.cnn.com/2006/10/17/technology/pluggedin_gunther_blog
.fortune/index.htm
12. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner B. Z. (2011). Credibility: How leaders gain
and lose it, why people demand it (revised ed.). San Francisco:
John Wiley & Sons.
13. Eisenstein, P. A. (2010, February 17). Toyota official says cred-
ibility is damaged. MSNBC. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc
.msn.com/id/35369379/ns/business-autos/
14. Kelly, A. M. (2012, March 5). Has Toyota’s image recovered
from the brand’s recall crisis? Forbes.com. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/annemariekelly/2012/03/05/
has-toyotas-image-recovered-from-the-brands-recall-crisis/
15. Conger, J. (1998, May–June). The necessary art of persuasion.
Harvard Business Review, 84–95.
16. Heinrichs, J. (2013). Thank you for arguing, revised and up-
dated edition: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson can
teach us about the art of persuasion. New York: Three Rivers
Press.
17. Maslow, A. (1998). Toward a psychology of being (3rd ed.).
Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. (Original work published in 1962)
18. Cialdini, R. (2009). Influence: Science and practice (5th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
19. Gordon, J. (2006, May–June). Presentations that change minds
(pp. 69–98). New York: McGraw-Hill.
20. Brazil’s weeping President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva revels in
2016 Olympics vote. (2009, October 3). Telegraph.co.uk. Re-
trieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/
olympics/news/6257463/Brazils-weeping-President-Luiz-
Inacio-Lula-da-Silva-revels-in-2016-Olympics-vote.html
21. Grohmann, K. (2009, October 2). Olympics-FIFA’s Blatter moved
by Lula’s Rio 2016 bid speech. Reuters. Retrieved from http://
www.reuters.com/article/olympicsNews/idUSL257623920091002
22. Gray, E. (2003, January/February). Want to be a leader? Start
telling stories. Canadian Speeches.
23. Steve Jobs 2007 Macworld Keynote. Posted by Michael
Noriega, iPhone Keynote 2007 Complete. YouTube.com. Re-
trieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4OEsI0Sc_
s&feature=kp
24. Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2009, March 12). iPhone sales grew 245% in
2008-Gartner. CNN Money. Retrieved from http://tech.fortune
.cnn.com/2009/03/12/iphone-sales-grew-245-in-2008-gartner/
25. Vogelstein, F. (2013, October 4). And then Steve said, “Let
there be an iPhone.’ New York Times. Retrieved from http://
www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/magazine/and-then-steve-
said-let-there-be-an-iphone.html
26. Rosen, R. J. (2013, September 10). The original iPhone keynote
is still amazing to watch. The Atlantic.com. Retrieved from
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/the-
original-iphone-keynote-is-still-amazing-to-watch/279518/
27. For an in-depth discussion of boardroom presentations, see
Gabrielle, B. (2010). Speaking PowerPoint: The new language of
business. Kirkland, WA: Insights Publishing.
28. Making room for emotions at work. (2005). Retrieved from http://
www.managingpeopleatwork.com/Article.php?art_num=3902
29. Cialdini, R. (2009). Influence: Science and practice (p. 49). Boston,
MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.
30. Communicaid Group, Ltd. (2009). Doing business in Mexico:
Mexican social business and culture. Retrieved from http://
www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-
business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Mexico
31. UK Trade and Investment. (2010, February 29). Doing business
in the Netherlands. Retrieved from www.invest.uktradeinvest.
gov.uk/download/107212_100410/Doing%20Business%20
in%20Netherlands.html
32. Aune, K., & Basil, M. (1994). A relational obligations approach
to the foot-in-the-mouth effect. Journal of Applied Social Psy-
chology, 24, 546–556.
References
Chapter 5 End of Chapter 181
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-harris-lipschultz/social-media-trust-credib_b_3858017.html
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-10-09/wal-marts-jim-andlaura-the-real-storybusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/17/technology/pluggedin_gunther_blog
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35369379/ns/business-autos/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/annemariekelly/2012/03/05/has-toyotas-image-recovered-from-the-brands-recall-crisis/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/news/6257463/Brazils-weeping-President-Luiz-Inacio-Lula-da-Silva-revels-in-2016-Olympics-vote.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/olympicsNews/idUSL257623920091002
http://www.reuters.com/article/olympicsNews/idUSL257623920091002
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/03/12/iphone-sales-grew-245-in-2008-gartner/
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/the-original-iphone-keynote-is-still-amazing-to-watch/279518/
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/the-original-iphone-keynote-is-still-amazing-to-watch/279518/
http://www.managingpeopleatwork.com/Article.php?art_num=3902
http://www.managingpeopleatwork.com/Article.php?art_num=3902
http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Mexico
http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Mexico
http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Mexico
http://www.invest.uktradeinvest. gov.uk/download/107212_100410/Doing%20Business%20in%20Netherlands.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/news/6257463/Brazils-weeping-President-Luiz-Inacio-Lula-da-Silva-revels-in-2016-Olympics-vote.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/news/6257463/Brazils-weeping-President-Luiz-Inacio-Lula-da-Silva-revels-in-2016-Olympics-vote.html
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/03/12/iphone-sales-grew-245-in-2008-gartner/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-harris-lipschultz/social-media-trust-credib_b_3858017.html
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-10-09/wal-marts-jim-andlaura-the-real-storybusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-10-09/wal-marts-jim-andlaura-the-real-storybusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-10-09/wal-marts-jim-andlaura-the-real-storybusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice
http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/17/technology/pluggedin_gunther_blog.fortune/index.htm
http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/17/technology/pluggedin_gunther_blog.fortune/index.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35369379/ns/business-autos/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/annemariekelly/2012/03/05/
http://www.invest.uktradeinvest. gov.uk/download/107212_100410/Doing%20Business%20in%20Netherlands.html
http://www.invest.uktradeinvest. gov.uk/download/107212_100410/Doing%20Business%20in%20Netherlands.html
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6
Communicating
Bad News
182
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SQ3
183
SQ4
SQ2
SQ1 How should you analyze and plan a
bad-news message? pages 186–189
Ask questions that help you develop content
Select the best medium to achieve your goal
What are effective strategies for
composing bad-news messages?
pages 189–195
Decide where to state the bad news
Phrase the bad news clearly
Soften the bad news
Close the message positively
STUDY QUESTIONS
How should you evaluate bad-news
messages? pages 195–196
Evaluate the message’s clarity, honesty, and sense
of goodwill
Evaluate the business result
What types of bad-news messages
are common in business? pages 196–204
Denying requests or turning down invitations
Denying customer claims
Rejecting recommendations or proposals
Acknowledging mistakes or problems
Communicating performance problems
Communicating negative change
After the first time I sat in with my boss as he fired someone,
he told me, “The best advice anyone can give on how to fire
someone is in the movie Moneyball.” He pulled up the scene
where the main character says, “Be straight with them, no
fluff, just facts. Would you rather take one bullet to the head
or five to the chest?” In other words, do it quickly and be
upfront. Then, my boss continued, after the action is done,
it’s our job to step in and say, “Here is what I can and will do
to help you from here.”
Bianca Robles
Eastern Kentucky University
Human Resources Representative @
Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems
New Hires @ Work
MyBCommLab®
Improve Your Grade!
Over 10 million students improved their results using the Pearson MyLabs.
Visit mybcommlab.com for simulations, tutorials, and end-of-chapter problems.
P
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Chapter 6 | Introduction
Have you ever received a job rejection letter? Or have
you been told that your proposed plan or idea won’t be
used? Or have you had a request for a refund denied? Bad
news is hard to get—and for that reason it is also chal-
lenging to give. To achieve a good outcome as a commu-
nicator, you need to accomplish a number of goals that
may seem incompatible at first. How can you state the
bad news clearly and at the same time project a positive
image of yourself and your organization? How can you
convince the audience to accept the news with-
out protest or further discussion? And
how can you do all of this without
making your audience feel as if they
have been treated unfairly or even
have grounds for a lawsuit?1
Organizations that routinely
communicate similar bad-news
messages develop standard templates
to accomplish these goals. This explains
why so many job rejection letters sound like the one il-
lustrated in Figure 6.1.
In most instances, you cannot rely on a template
to communicate bad news effectively. However, you
can use the ACE process to think critically about your
“bad-news” situation and compose a message that will
achieve good results. You may even be able to use the bad-
news situation as an opportunity to create goodwill—a
positive relationship between you and your audience.
Figure 6.2 provides a helpful set of questions for
adapting ACE to bad-news messages.
The next three sections of this chapter
address each stage of the ACE process
separately and cover each question
posed in Figure 6.2. How can you an-
alyze and plan a bad-news message?
What strategies are useful for compos-
ing the content? What special challenges
occur when evaluating bad-news messages?
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
ACE
Analyze
ACE
Compose
ACE
Evaluate
184
template A model or file that contains
key features of a document and serves as a
starting point for creating a new document.
goodwill The positive relationship
between you (or your company) and your
audience.
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FIGURE 6.2 Using ACE for Bad-News Messages
• Should you begin with the bad
news or build up to it?
• How can you clearly phrase the
bad news?
• What content and techniques
should you use to soften the
impact of the message?
• How can you close the message
appropriately?
• What is the bad news?
• What business result do you want to achieve?
• How will the audience react to this news?
• What justification and explanation should you include? Is
there anything you can say to soften the bad news?
• Should you include an apology?
• Can you do anything else to project a positive image and
maintain goodwill?
• What is the best medium for this message?
• Is the bad news stated
clearly yet sensitively?
• Will the message convince the
audience to accept the bad
news?
• Does the message project a
good image of you and maintain
goodwill with the audience?
• Will the message achieve a
good business result?
• Have you avoided legal
complications?
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
FIGURE 6.1 A Typical Job Rejection Letter
job rejection letter
9453 Ventura Way
St. Louis, MO 63044
www.Paradigm.Design.com
800.555.6674 | Fax: 314.555.6675
March 15, 20XX
Mr. Harsha Patel
925 Rosedale Street
St. Paul, MN 55118
Dear Harsha:
Thank you for taking the time to meet with our hiring committee and sharing
information about your background and qualifications. We enjoyed meeting you and
discussing your career goals.
Following the interviews, the hiring committee further reviewed the needs of our
marketing department. After much consideration, we have offered the position to
another candidate.
We wish you every personal and professional success with your job search and future
career. Thank you for your interest in our organization.
Sincerely,
Meredith Baldwin
Human Resources Manager
Paradigm Design Group
HOW DOES THE LETTER
EFFECTIVELY
COMMUNICATE
BAD NEWS?
Avoids legal complica-
tions by saying nothing
that can be interpreted
as age, gender, or racial
discrimination.
Convinces the audience
to accept the bad news
by making clear that the
decision is final: another
candidate has been
offered the job.
Projects a positive image
of the organization by
thanking the candidate,
showing appreciation for
his effort, and expressing
interest in his background.
Conveys the bad news
clearly but sensitively by
using positive phrasing.
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186 Chapter 6 | Communicating Bad News
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SQ1 How should you analyze and plan a bad-news message?
Before composing a bad-news message, analyze the situation by asking yourself several ques-
tions that help you develop content. The answers will also help you choose the best medium.
The following sections describe this process in the context of a specific scenario: delivering
bad news to a client.
Ask questions that help you develop content
Assume you run a one-person web development business. Yesterday, you made a proposal to a
new client, Great Expectations Books, a small local business, to add an e-commerce function
to its website. After meeting with the manager, you proposed installing an inventory database
and online ordering function within a month. However, today you receive a request from a
long-time client, South Shore Community Television (SSCT), which needs your immediate
help with a critical repair to its website. This client is one week away from a major fundraising
pledge drive and needs the online pledge function repaired.
You feel obligated to help SSCT for two reasons: (1) You originally programmed the SSCT
website and may be the only person who can fix it quickly, and (2) SSCT is a long-time client
that gives you a lot of business each year. Although you made a commitment to Great Expecta-
tions and do not want to disappoint this new client, you decide to inform the manager at Great
Expectations that you cannot meet the original deadline and need a two-week extension. How
will you deliver this bad news? Analyzing is crucial to developing a message that supports
your business goals and positively affects audience reaction. Consider the analyzing questions
outlined in Figure 6.2.
• What is the bad news? The bad news is that you cannot meet the original deadline, but you
can get the job done with an additional two weeks.
• What business result do you want to achieve in communicating the bad news? You would
like Great Expectations to grant you an extension rather than withdraw its agreement and hire
a new web developer.
• How will the audience react to this news? Although you cannot exactly predict the audience’s
reaction, you can think about the situation from Great Expectations’ perspective. It currently
does not use an e-commerce function and has an informational website that works. You also
know it plans to launch an “order online” advertising campaign at the end of the month. You
think Great Expectations will be disappointed with the extended deadline but won’t be upset
enough to find a different website developer. You would like the company to accept your re-
quest and postpone its ad campaign for two weeks.
• What justification and explanation should you include? To be effective, a bad-news message
should explain the reasons behind the bad news. Of all the features in your message, this expla-
nation has the most power to influence the audience to accept your bad news.23 Consider the
questions the audience may have: “Why can’t you deliver your services in the agreed-upon time?
Why do you need an additional two weeks?” If you want a continued relationship with Great
Expectations, you will need to provide a reason for the delay. You can explain, for example, that
another client has had an emergency that only you can handle. You do not need to name the
client or explain the nature of the emergency.
• Is there anything you can say to soften the bad news? For example, is there any good news to
include? Will the audience benefit in any way? Does this cloud have a silver lining? To soften
the bad news, you can communicate to Great Expectations that you value its business. You can
also let the company know why the other client’s request took priority, without making Great
Expectations feel less important. If you are not able to think of any direct audience benefits in
this situation, you can subtly suggest that this situation demonstrates that your commitment to
customers extends beyond the website development process. You are available for updates and
revisions, especially in critical circumstances when time is an issue. Finally, you might find a
silver lining, or a hidden benefit, in this delay. For example, with more time before program-
ming the e-commerce site, Great Expectations can survey customers to learn more about how
they would like the site organized.
• Should you include an apology? Because you were responsible for not meeting the agreed-
upon deadline—and perhaps delaying Great Expectations’ advertising campaign—you decide
that you owe this new client a sincere apology that acknowledges that you understand the
implications of this delay.
ACE
Analyze
New Hires @ Work
Tony Plemmons
Northern Michigan University
Centralized Carrier Capacity
Specialist @ Nolan
Transportation Group
Sometimes I need to tell
freight carriers that their load
is not ready for pickup, and
they need to find a new one.
Of course, they are
upset, but speaking
to them confidently
and with respect
helps them under-
stand the situa-
tion, gives me
credibility, and
maintains our
relationship.
Photo courtesy of Tony Plemmons
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How should you analyze and plan a bad-news message? 187
• Can you do anything else to project a positive image and maintain goodwill? Your profes-
sionalism and apology will project a positive image. In addition, you can offer your client an al-
ternative, rather than simply agreeing to your request. For example, Great Expectations might
allow you to complete the most critical parts of the project by the original deadline, with the
rest coming later. By giving the company options, you can manage the relationship.
Select the best medium to achieve your goal
The final analyzing question in Figure 6.2 focuses on choosing a medium. When you commu-
nicate bad news, select a medium that best fits the purpose of the message, the audience, and
the situation. Figure 6.3 suggests medium options to use when you want to accomplish specific
goals with a bad-news message.
FIGURE 6.3 Selecting the Best Medium to Communicate Bad News
One-to-
Choose a medium
based on the criteria
below.
Do you want to: One
Group
Meeting Telephone Text/IM Email Memo Letter Newsletter Website
Social
Networking
Wikis,
Blogs
Audience-Related Criteria
Share bad news with a
single person?
Communicate to many
employees and share-
holders simultaneously?
Provide instantaneous news
to people at geographically
diverse locations?
Share bad news with the
public?
Content- and Response-Related Criteria
Share insignificant bad
news quickly, such as
letting your lunch
appointment know you’re
running a few minutes late?
Share important bad
news in a way that does
not seem impersonal or
evasive?
Hear your audience’s tone
of voice and silences,
which convey meaning
and feedback?
See facial expressions and
body language, and hear
tone of voice, which
convey meaning and
feedback?
Encourage immediate
discussion of the news
Prevent immediate discus-
sion or give the audience
(and you) time to carefully
consider a response?
Ensure that you have
written documentation
of the communication?
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TECHNOLOGY
CAN YOU EMAIL, TEXT, OR TWEET BAD NEWS?
Communicators often wonder whether they should avoid email
or text messages for delivering bad news and instead talk to their
audience in person or on the telephone. Most experts agree that,
when possible, a face-to-face conversation is usually the best
choice, especially when the bad news is serious.4,5
When companies choose email or texts to deliver bad news,
they often suffer serious public relations consequences. For ex-
ample, when a Chicago sandwich shop abruptly fired 20 employ-
ees in an email sent just a few days before Christmas, the story
appeared in local and national newspapers, and local blogs printed
the text of the offending email.6,7 Similarly, when Men’s Wearhouse
fired its chairman and advertising spokesperson, George Zimmer,
the public’s negative response reverberated in news stories, blogs,
and tweets.8
Even worse is the practice of firing someone by text message,
which some offenders justify by saying it is their typical mode
of communication.9 However, that is not a good excuse for the
disrespect communicated by this use of texting. Jodie Hernandez
received the following text messages after confusion with her work
schedule at a restaurant: “Ok I’ve text u and mike has called u, I
hate to do a termination by text but I can’t get a hold of u. Ur off
the schedule as of today, pick up ur check.”10 The repercussions of
such a text go beyond hurt feelings. Angry employees may post
negative comments on social media sites, talk to the media, or
even seek legal counsel. A face-to-face conversation may be more
uncomfortable, but will be more effective.
In perhaps the most controversial use of texting to communi-
cate bad news, Malaysia Airlines texted the families of Flight 370,
which disappeared in March 2014. The text read: “Malaysia Air-
lines deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable
doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board
survived. As you will hear in the next hour from Malaysia’s Prime
Minister, we must now accept that all evidence suggests the plane
went down in the Southern Indian Ocean.” In justifying its decision
to send a text message, the airline explained that families were
contacted by telephone calls and that the text was used only as an
additional means of communication.11 However, some families did
first learn the news by text, leading to outrage as well as grief.
Is email, text, or tweet ever a good choice for communicating
bad news? It may be in the following circumstances:
• If you want to give your audience time to think carefully
before having to reply. In the Great Expectations scenario,
you may choose to communicate the bad news by email to
give your audience time to think about the implications of
the news and to consider the best way to respond to your
request.
• If it is crucial that you avoid miscommunication and
misinformation. Some research suggests that people who
are uncomfortable communicating bad news face to face are
more likely to sugarcoat the bad news when talking in person
to reduce their own and their audience’s discomfort. This dis-
tortion can lead to misunderstandings. By contrast, commu-
nicators are more likely to be accurate, complete, and honest
in email because they do not worry about being confronted
by an angry audience.12
• If you need to get the word out quickly. Bad news travels
fast, whether through the grapevine or the media. Steve Blue,
CEO of Miller Ingenuity, suggests getting the “bad news out
as soon as you know it. Some executives think it is better to
keep employees in the dark because telling them the truth
might affect productivity.” However, rumors and gossip are
likely to keep people from focusing on their work.13
• If you need to communicate bad news to many people in
different locations at exactly the same time. When it is
critical to communicate bad news to a broad audience,
companies sometimes use multiple media to ensure the
audience receives the message. For example, when Zappos
.com discovered that its customers’ account information
may have been hacked, it emailed customers with infor-
mation about resetting their passwords. However, Zappos
didn’t stop there. CEO Tony Hsieh tweeted about it, blogged
about it, and created a new page on the Zappos website to
provide detailed information about it. The company also
created dedicated email addresses for both employees and
customers who had questions.14 Although the law in many
states requires companies to communicate the bad news
of “data breaches,”15 not every company chooses to show
as much concern as Zappos did when communicating this
information. Researchers find that when companies earn a
reputation for good communication—as Zappos has—those
companies have a good deal of credibility with their audi-
ence and thus have an easier time communicating bad news
when it arises.16
For TECHNOLOGY exercises, go to Critical Thinking
Question 10 on page 210 and Exercise 2 on page 211.
What medium should you use to communicate the bad news to your client, Great Expec-
tations? Only three options in Figure 6.3 are good choices: a face-to-face meeting, telephone
conversation, or email message. The remaining options will not be effective: Letters take too
long to arrive, memos are for internal communication, text messages are too informal, and
the other choices—newsletters, websites, social media, wikis, and blogs—are clearly not good
choices for individual communication.
Of the three acceptable choices, which is best? A face-to-face meeting would be appropri-
ate, but may take some time to arrange. Both email and telephone have advantages and disad-
vantages. A telephone call allows you to make a personal contact and to hear your audience’s
tone of voice. You will be able to gauge whether the manager at Great Expectations is upset or
not, and you can adjust what you say accordingly. However, the manager may not answer the
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phone immediately, and you will not want to leave the bad news in a voice mail. If you ask for a
return call, you may play telephone tag all day. If the manager does answer the telephone, your
call may be putting him on the spot, suggesting that he needs to answer you immediately. An
email may make your audience feel less pressured, allowing more time to review the original
contract and to think about whether this delay will have serious impacts.
In this case, no one best medium choice exists. You will need to weigh the pros and cons,
thinking about how your audience will react to a surprising telephone call versus an email. You
will need to adjust the wording of your message based on your medium.
The analyzing questions in Figure 6.2 will help you develop what to say in a bad-news message.
The composing questions in this section will help you focus on how to say it. Should you begin
with the bad news or build up to it? How should you phrase the bad news? What is the best
way to soften its impact? And how can you close the message on a positive note to maintain
goodwill?
Decide where to state the bad news
Although most routine messages benefit from a direct organization, the decision of where to
introduce unwelcome news is more complex and depends on the context.17 In bad-news situ-
ations, the direct approach may be a good idea if your audience is expecting to hear from you
and the news will not come as a big surprise.18 In other bad-news situations, you can help your
audience better understand and accept the news by using an indirect organization, providing
explanation before the main idea. An indirect organization allows you to prepare the audience
and explain your position before delivering the bad news.
Figure 6.4 outlines the differences between the direct and indirect approaches for commu-
nicating bad news and identifies the situations when each is likely to be more effective. Note
that the only difference between the two organizations is the relative order of the bad news and
the explanation. Either organization may make use of a buffer—an introductory sentence or
paragraph that softens the bad news.
SQ2 What are effective strategies for composing bad-news
messages?
ACE
Compose
FIGURE 6.4 Selecting the Best
Organization to Communicate Bad
News
DIRECT ORGANIZATION
Use DIRECT ORGANIZATION if … follows this pattern …
INDIRECT ORGANIZA
Use INDIRECT ORGANIZATION if … follows this pattern …
TION
1. Optional: Begin with a buffer.
2. STATE THE BAD NEWS DIRECTLY.
(main idea)
3. Provide supporting explanation.
4. Conclude with goodwill.
your audience
• is unlikely to be upset or angry, or
• expects the news and will not be surprised,
and the news
• is easy to explain and understand,
• is important for the audience to see
immediately, or
• is relevant to health and safety.
1. Optional: Begin with a buffer.
2. Provide supporting explanation.
3. SUBORDINATE THE BAD NEWS.
(main idea)
4. Conclude with goodwill.
your audience
• is likely to be upset or angry, or
• does not expect the news and will be
surprised,
or the news
• is difficult to understand without
introductory explanation.
buffer An introductory sentence or
paragraph that leads up to and softens the
bad-news message.
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Figure 6.5 illustrates why a direct organization is best for an announcement warning
customers about a health and safety problem. If the problem is buried, as it is in the indirect
version in Figure 6.5, the audience may mistake the message for a routine communication and
decide not to read beyond the first paragraph. The more effective direct version solves that
problem by stating the main idea in the first sentence.
By contrast, Figure 6.6 illustrates a bad-news message that needs to be organized indi-
rectly. The email is from a software company responding to a customer’s complaint. After
FIGURE 6.5 Example of a Bad-News Message Requiring a Direct Organization
Dear Richards Electronics Customer:
Thank you for your recent purchase of our LS520 microwave
oven.
Although all of our products are rigorously tested before
they are put on the market, we have found some minor
abnormalities with the model LS520 under certain
conditions. Recent customer experience revealed risk of
overheating and fire when the microwave operates at the
highest level for more than one hour. Therefore, we are
recalling the LS520 and will either refund your full purchase
price or exchange your microwave for another product.
Please contact the retail store where you purchased your
LS520 microwave to arrange to return it, or call our toll-free
number to request free express shipping pickup. We regret
the inconvenience this recall will cause you but assure you
that your health and safety are our primary concern.
Regards,
IMPORTANT PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE
RICHARDS LS520 MICROWAVE OVEN FIRE HAZARD
Dear Richards Electronics Customer:
Richards Electronics is voluntarily recalling the LS520 microwave
oven because we have received 11 reports worldwide of
overheating and fires when the oven operates for longer than one
hour at full power.
Our records indicate you have purchased this model. To protect
your health and safety, Richards advises you to take the following
steps:
• Stop using the microwave oven immediately.
• Return the product to the retail store where you purchased it,
or call us toll free at 888-555-4567 to request free express
shipping pickup. You can either receive a full refund or
exchange your microwave for another model.
We apologize for the inconvenience this recall will cause you. We
are modifying our research protocols to ensure future products
exceed all industry specifications. Your safety and satisfaction
with our products are our primary goals.
Regards,
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE
INEFFECTIVE VERSION?
The ineffective version is misleading. It
begins by thanking customers for their
purchase. Although this is a neutral
buffer, the audience may assume this
message is a routine thank-you letter
and not read the rest of the message,
putting them at risk for a kitchen fire.
No important ideas stand out.
Someone reading quickly may miss
the main point.
WHY IS THE EFFECTIVE
VERSION BETTER?
The bulleted content highlights the
necessary actions so they stand out.
The message concludes with
goodwill by assuring readers that the
company is taking action to prevent
similar problems in the future.
INEFFECTIVE (INDIRECT)
EFFECTIVE (DIRECT)
The effective version gets to the
point directly by announcing the
product re-call in a headline and then
repeating the main idea—the bad
news—in the first sentence.
Although the audience will be
surprised and potentially upset with
this information, their health is too
important not to grab their
attention.
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investigating the cause of the problem, you need to explain that the client was in fact respon-
sible for the problem based on a complex set of circumstances. This message is not only likely
to upset the audience, but it also will be difficult to understand without introductory explana-
tion. As a result, the indirect version of the email illustrated in Figure 6.6 will be more effective
than the direct version.
FIGURE 6.6 Example of a Bad-News Message Requiring an Indirect Organization
INEFFECTIVE (DIRECT)
Ben:
I am following up on your request that Remco refund the cost of your
Vi-Spy software and pay for virus removal because computers protected
by Vi-Spy became infected with a virus. Upon researching the situation,
we have determined that Remco is not responsible for the virus and
resulting damage to your computer system. Thus, we cannot refund the
cost of the program or provide repairs for you under our warranty.
Following your complaint, we dispatched three technicians to your site.
They examined 25 desktop computers and found 5 of these to be
infected with the FishHook virus. None of these computers had current
virus definitions. Upon further investigation, we learned that the users of
these computers had disabled virus protection a month ago when they
were installing new graphics software. Apparently, these users neglected
to reactivate the virus protection until they began noticing performance
problems. The program log shows that the computers were vulnerable for
a period of three weeks, during which time the computers were infected.
Based on your experience, we will be modifying our Vi-Spy installation so
that users who disable the program will be reminded daily to reactivate it.
Once this modification is complete, we will work with your IT staff to
ensure that all your computers have this upgrade installed.
Please let us know if we can offer any other assistance.
Regards ,
Lawrence Higgins
RemCo Sales
323.555.4556
lhiggins@remco.com
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE
INEFFECTIVE (DIRECT) VERSION?
The message begins with the bad news
and shows no goodwill toward the
audience. Instead of expressing
concern over the problem or empathy
for the pain the audience is feeling,
the opening points blame. This approach
will anger the audience.
Vi-Sp y Software Issues WHY IS THE EFFECTIVE
(INDIRECT) VERSION BETTER?
The introduction buffers the bad
news by expressing both
appreciation and concern.
The next paragraph provides a
detailed explanation of how the
writer investigated the issue and
determined responsibility for the
problem.
Vi-Spy Software Issues
Benjamin.Carroll@lattimer-systems.com
Vi-Spy Software Issues
Benjamin.Carroll@lattimer-systems.com
Ben:
Thank you for alerting us about the virus problem on your computer
system. We are as concerned as you are about a potential failure of our
Vi-Spy software and the devastating consequences to our clients.
We dispatched three technicians to your site. They examined 25 desktop
computers and found 5 of these to be infected with the FishHook virus.
None of these computers had current virus definitions. Upon further
investigation, we learned that the users of these computers had disabled
virus protection a month ago when they were installing new graphics
software. Apparently, these users neglected to reactivate the virus
protection until they began noticing performance problems. The program
log shows that the computers were vulnerable for a period of three
weeks, during which time the computers were infected.
While our program does protect against the FishHook virus, there is no
known way to remove the virus once it has infected a computer. The only
option is to reformat the drive, reinstall all software, and import data files
from your backup system. This is a major inconvenience, we know. While
this damage is not covered by our satisfaction guarantee, we will be glad
to recommend cost-efficient service providers who can work with you to
restore your computers and data. Once you have done this and
reinstalled Vi-Spy, your computers will be protected again. We also
encourage you to update your virus definitions daily, to ensure that you
are protected against new viruses that appear.
Based on your experience, we will be modifying our Vi-Spy installation so
that users who disable the program will be reminded daily to reactivate it.
Once this modification is complete, we will work with your IT staff to
ensure that all your computers have this upgrade installed.
EFFECTIVE (INDIRECT)
We appreciate your continued confidence in Vi-Spy. Please let us know if
we can offer any other assistance.
Regards ,
Lawrence Higgins
RemCo Sales
323.555.4556
lhiggins@remco.com
The bad news comes later,
subordinated in the third
paragraph. This is unexpected
bad news, and the reader will
not understand it without prior
explanation. The bad news is
followed by a benefit.
The email concludes with
goodwill, indicating that
RemCo will take extra
measures to help the client
prevent a similar problem in
the future.
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mailto:Benjamin.Carroll@lattimer-systems.com
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Phrase the bad news clearly
The best way to ensure the audience understands the bad news is to state it clearly. If you
convey bad news in vague terms or only imply the answer, the audience may misunderstand.
For example, assume you work for a company that sells MP3 players. You receive an emailed
request from a customer to replace the broken screen of his recently purchased player because
it is still under warranty. Figure 6.7 provides two versions of a reply. The ineffective version
might lead to confusion.
FIGURE 6.7 How to Phrase Bad News Clearly
INEFFECTIVE
We received your request to replace the broken screen on your
MP3 player. We are enclosing a list of authorized third-party
dealers who can replace the screen within two days for a very
reasonable charge.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE
INEFFECTIVE VERSION?
The customer may assume that he can send
you the bill for the “very reasonable charge”
since you did not state that the damage to
the MP3 is not covered under the product’s
warranty.
WHY IS THE EFFECTIVE
VERSION BETTER?
The effective version clearly states
that the warranty does not cover
broken screens.
It also offers advice about how to
prevent broken screens in the future.
We received your request to replace the broken screen on your
MP3 player. Although our warranty covers defects in the
equipment, it does not cover broken screens, since that kind of
damage typically results from accidents rather than defects.
However, we are enclosing a list of authorized third-party dealers
who will replace the screen within two business days for a very
reasonable charge. They also offer a discount on cases that
include screen protectors.
EFFECTIVE
Soften the bad news
Regardless of whether you present the bad news directly or indirectly, you want to “soften
the blow” of the bad news, even if it is expected. You can do this by one of the following tech-
niques: developing an effective buffer, stating the good news before the bad news, subordinat-
ing the bad news, and using positive or neutral language.
Develop an effective buffer
Buffers are introductory statements that lead up to bad news and soften its impact. Buffers may
provide a context for the message or provide positive information that builds goodwill. They
can also “hook” the audience and get them interested in your message. For example, imagine
that you have scheduled a meeting with 30 employees to discuss the problem of having to
either reduce everyone’s hours by 10 percent or lay off three people. Figure 6.8 suggests several
buffer statements you can use at the beginning of the meeting to encourage your audience to
listen to the rest of your message with a positive attitude. Notice that all the buffer statements
in Figure 6.8 indicate that bad news may be coming later in the message. A buffer statement
that does not provide this signal may mislead—and ultimately anger—the audience.
Position good news ahead of bad news
One of the best ways to soften bad news is to begin with good news and audience benefits,
if there are any. United Airlines used this technique when it communicated bad news to its
frequent flyers. The airline would be increasing by 25 percent the number of award points a
flyer had to spend to receive a free flight. In addition, the airline would be charging fees for free
flights booked within 14 days of travel. Instead of beginning the message on its website with
this negative information, United first emphasized some additional changes in the frequent
flyer program that would benefit customers. These changes included an increase in the num-
ber of seats available for free travel and a reduced number of award points required for certain
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free flights. By positioning the good news ahead of the bad news, United was able to soften the
bad news by putting it in a larger context.19
Subordinate the bad news
Although you need to state bad news clearly, you can ease its impact by using subtle subor-
dinating techniques, such as passive voice or a subordinate clause. The term voice refers to the
relationship between the subject and verb in a sentence. In active-voice sentences, the subject
performs the action of the verb. In passive-voice sentences, the subject does not perform the
action of the verb. In the following examples, the passive version avoids placing blame on the
audience.
subject verb verb
ACTIVE: You damaged your MP3 player and invalidated the warranty.
subject verb
PASSIVE: Your MP3 player was damaged by an accident or misuse, invalidating the warranty.
Putting the bad news in a subordinate clause means preceding the bad news with a word like
although, which will soften the impact. The following example shows a comparison of bad
news in the main clause and in a subordinate clause. The bad news is italicized.
Main clause: The repairs on your MP3 player are not covered by the warranty. However, we have
enclosed a list of third-party vendors who can replace the screen within two days for a very
reasonable charge.
Subordinate clause: Although the repairs on your MP3 player are not covered by the warranty,
we have enclosed a list of third-party vendors who can replace the screen within two days
for a very reasonable charge.
Notice that when you place the bad news in a subordinate clause (“Although the repairs on your
MP3 player are not covered by the warranty”), you can emphasize the good news in the main
clause (“we have enclosed a list of third-party vendors”). Another way to de-emphasize the bad
news while remaining clear is to put the bad news in a main clause surrounded by two subor-
dinate clauses.
Main clauses surrounded by subordinate clauses: Although our warranty covers defects in
the equipment, it does not cover broken screens because that kind of damage typically results
from accidents rather than defects.
Use positive or neutral language
The language you use in bad-news messages influences the audience’s response as much as the
organization of the message itself. The tone and style of the message should help the audience
feel good about you, the situation, and themselves. The following guidelines will help you
evaluate your messages for effective language.
1442443 144424443
FIGURE 6.8 Types of Buffer Statements
TYPE OF BUFFER EXAMPLE
Background Information “Over the past six months, the economy has slowed, and our sales have dropped significantly.”
Facts That Signal a Problem “In order to stay in business, our store needs to meet its payroll obligations.”
Good News “Despite the soft economy and slowing sales, we have identified a way to keep the store open and
meet our payroll obligations.”
Thanks or Compliments “Thank you for your efforts this past year to improve sales at our store. Your knowledge of the
merchandise and concern for customers have resulted in our highest-ever customer satisfaction
rating, even in these difficult economic times.”
Generally Accepted Truths “In these lean times, we need to watch our budget and eliminate all unnecessary spending. These
cuts will require sacrifices from us all.”
Empathy with Audience “I know how hard you have worked to keep costs down, so I understand that you might think we’re
unfair coming back to you this year with yet another request.”
123 123 1442443
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• Avoid blaming your audience. Your audience will be more open to accepting the bad news if
you treat them politely and respectfully. Show that you understand their needs and concerns.
Avoid using language that is accusatory or blaming. For example, if you use the word you too
much in a bad-news message, the audience might feel blamed rather than respected.
Accusatory: Your warranty does not cover breakages that you caused.
More neutral: The warranty does not cover accidental breakage.
• Eliminate excessive negatives. First drafts of bad-news messages often use words like unfortu-
nately to convey the bad news. As much as possible, review your wording and remove negative
words and phrases like these: unfortunately, we cannot, your fault, unable, unwilling, misunder-
stand, regret, violate, refuse, reject, deny.
Negative. Unfortunately, we cannot repair your MP3 player free of charge.
More positive. Your warranty includes repair only for manufacturer’s defects, not for acciden-
tal breakage.
Remember, though, that you must remain clear, which will often require using some negative words.
Close the message positively
Several strategies help create a sense of goodwill when communicating bad-news messages,
including using a positive opening, explaining audience benefits, and subordinating the bad
news. The conclusion provides an additional opportunity to stress the positive, instill confi-
dence, and promote goodwill. A positive closing does not mention the negative news or apolo-
gize for it. The closing should be forward-looking and optimistic. Depending on the situation,
any of the following approaches may be appropriate:
• Propose a solution. If your bad news focuses on a problem, you may want to conclude by
proposing a solution: “To increase your investment return next year, I suggest we rebalance your
portfolio to include less risky investments.”
• Propose an alternative. If you are refusing a request, consider whether you can grant a por-
tion of the request or offer an alternative: “We encourage you to contact our affiliates to see if
CULTURE
DID YOU HEAR THE BAD NEWS?
In the United States and many other Western business cultures,
people tend to communicate bad news explicitly. They may soften
the bad news by using a buffer or subordinating it, but at some
point in the message, they will state the bad news. For example, if
you ask an American whether he has finished analyzing data for a
meeting, a bad-news answer might sound like this:
• Although the analysis isn’t complete, we have enough for the
meeting.
• The analysis was more difficult than I anticipated, so I’m not
quite ready.
Sometimes an American will imply the bad news, but even then
the message is obvious.
• If we can move the meeting to Friday, I’ll be able to complete
the analysis.
By contrast, in many Eastern cultures, including India, people say
“no” in a very different way. They may ignore the question, change
the subject, respond with another question, or make a statement
from which you will infer the negative news. In Speaking of India,
intercultural expert Craig Storti illustrates a range of possible ways
someone from India might say no without actually saying it:20
• Who exactly is going to be at the meeting?
• Do you mean all the data?
• Is tomorrow good for you?
• Let me ask my team.
• We’ll try our best.
• We have been working late every night.
Within the Indian culture, these answers would not be considered
evasive. The audience would understand that all these answers
equally mean that the analysis is not ready and the speaker is un-
comfortable saying “no.”
When you communicate with people from different cultures,
listen very carefully to be sure you hear the bad news and do not
assume a positive answer. Similarly, you may need to change the
way you deliver bad news—and even good news. For example, if
an American answers “the analysis will probably be ready,” someone
from India may assume that you are saying “no.” Any kind of quali-
fication or hesitation will be perceived as a negative reply. The best
way to say yes in India is to say “yes” and to repeat the detail:
• Yes, we will be ready tomorrow.
For CULTURE exercises, go to Critical Thinking Question 4
on page 210, Exercise 21 on page 214, and Exercise 26
on page 215.
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they have any internship openings for the coming summer. Enclosed is a brochure listing all our
affiliates and their locations.”
• Create options for future business. If you are turning down a vendor’s proposal because of
technical requirements, you could close your response by inviting the vendor to submit a pro-
posal for a different project. “Our next round of requests for proposals will begin in six months.
We hope you will consider submitting a proposal that meets the enclosed technical requirements.”
• Focus on a benefit. When communicating negative situations, try to focus on the “silver lin-
ing,” if one exists. For example, assume you learn that a new product designed by your com-
pany has flaws. When communicating this bad news to management, conclude by stressing
good news: “Fortunately, the flaw appeared before the design went into production.”
All communication requires evaluation to ensure that the message is effective. For sensitive
communication like bad-news messages, evaluation is particularly important because the mes-
sage can have significant negative business results. As you evaluate your message, look at it
objectively and consider whether it is clear, easy to understand, and honest. Also consider
whether you are communicating a sense of goodwill toward your audience. Then, step back
and put yourself in your audience’s position to evaluate how they are likely to respond and
whether the message will achieve the business result that you intend.
Evaluate the message’s clarity, honesty,
and sense of goodwill
Consider the scenario that began on page 186 of this chapter. You want to give your new client,
Great Expectations Books, the bad news that you cannot complete its project as quickly as you
initially promised. You determined that both telephone and email were appropriate medium
choices. In this situation, however, you decide to convey the bad news in a telephone call rather
than by email, for a more personal touch.
You plan the message before calling. Here is your first version, which takes a direct
approach:
Hello, Bill. I have some bad news. Due to circumstances beyond my control,
I cannot begin working on your website for two weeks. As a result, it will
take me an additional two weeks to complete the project. I hope that you
will understand and be willing to reschedule your promotional campaign
accordingly.
Before you make the phone call, evaluate this message. It is certainly concise, clear, and
easy to understand. However, is it honest? You say circumstances are beyond your control, but
that is not true. You could choose to prioritize Great Expectations over your other client. The
choice is within your control.
Also consider how effective this message will be for maintaining the client relationship. It
does not communicate a sense of goodwill or make the client feel valued. It does not express
appreciation or apologize. It offers no good news or any alternatives. It does not give the client
any reason to work with you rather than hire someone else to do the job. This message clearly
needs revising.
For your second draft, you make a few changes. You use an indirect organization to build
up to the bad news, eliminate dishonesty, provide some reasons for the news, and express
appreciation:
Hello, Bill. I’d like to talk with you about the completion date I promised for
your project. One of my other clients has a time-sensitive web emergency
that has to be addressed by next week. Because that organization’s website
is uniquely programmed, I am the only person who can solve this problem.
As a result, I will not be able to begin your project for two weeks. I appreci-
ate your understanding and your willingness to reschedule your promo-
tional campaign.
SQ3 How should you evaluate bad-news messages?
Evaluate
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Is the second draft better? It softens the unexpected bad news by moving it later in the
message. In addition, this version provides an honest explanation without giving too much
information about the other client, and it does express some appreciation. However, it still
doesn’t apologize, offer alternatives, communicate goodwill, or indicate that Great Expecta-
tions is a valuable customer. It is even a little presumptuous, assuming that Bill will accept the
bad news graciously and reschedule his promotional campaign.
Evaluate the business result
Review the message from your audience’s point of view and think carefully about the business
result you want to achieve. Your goal is to get your client to extend the deadline. However, the
first two drafts of the message gave your client no reason to comply with your request. If you
want this new client to accept your news, you may need to take a different approach. There-
fore, you try a third version: one that offers alternatives and provides a better possible business
result. You also rethink the purpose of this message. Do you want to impose bad news on your
new client? Or would it be better to make a request and allow your client to determine if he
can afford to wait for you?
Hello, Bill. I have a favor to ask. Would it be possible to extend the due date
for your project for two weeks? As I mentioned yesterday, I’m committed to
doing the best possible job for all my clients, and I plan to do an outstand-
ing job for you. However, one of my other clients—a not-for-profit agency—
has an emergency and requires a last-minute reprogramming of its website
so that the site will work with a new server. The work must be done before
the launch of the agency’s annual pledge drive next week. Because I did
the original programming, I’m the only person who can reprogram the sys-
tem quickly. I realize that I made a commitment to you, and I apologize for
any inconvenience a delay will cause. I would very much appreciate your
extending the deadline. If that is not possible, could we identify the most
crucial elements of the project that need to be done by the original deadline,
with the remainder coming later?
The evaluation process led to a very different message than the first draft. The most important
change is that you are giving your client the opportunity to do you a favor or to say “No, you
may not extend the deadline” and to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution. This message is
much more likely to achieve a good business result than the two previous versions.
customer claim A request from a
customer to a store or vendor to accept a
return, exchange an item, refund money, or
perform a repair.
This section provides examples of common types of bad-news messages in business: denying
requests or turning down invitations, denying consumer claims, rejecting recommendations
or proposals, identifying issues or problems, and communicating negative change.
Denying requests or turning down invitations
When you cannot—or are not willing to—grant a request or accept an invitation, you need to
find a tactful, professional way to say “no” and, at the same time, not make your audience feel
guilty for asking. For example, the voice message in Figure 6.9 uses a direct approach to deny a
request. Although the recipient may be disappointed, she will not be offended or hurt by the
direct approach, given the explanation.
Denying customer claims
A customer claim is a request for a replacement item, a refund, or other compensation. When
you are denying customer claim requests, maintaining goodwill is important because you want
to retain your customers’ future business as well as win the business of their colleagues and
acquaintances. Bad news about customer service travels fast and far. Research shows that cus-
tomers tell nearly twice as many people about their bad experiences than they tell about their
good experiences.21
SQ4 What types of bad-news messages are common in business?
Evaluate
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What communication techniques help customers feel good about continuing their rela-
tionship with a company? When you have to communicate bad news, customers need to know
that you value them and have acceptable reasons for denying their request. Most important,
customers need to know the company has corrected all errors and is willing to apologize if it is
at fault. If customers believe that you are listening to them and that they received a fair resolu-
tion, they are likely to remain customers.22–24
Figure 6.10 on page 198 offers an example of a denial message that follows these guidelines.
Notice that the email leads with good news and that the tone of the email is both factual and
polite. It is designed to convince the customer that the company values him.
If you have no good news to offer in response to a customer claim, you still need to be
polite, demonstrate understanding, and offer clear reasons and alternatives. In cases when the
customer is at fault, it may be tempting simply to say, “Company policy does not allow refunds for
nonrefundable rates.” However, this approach will not win customer loyalty. Instead of referring
to the policy, explain the reasoning behind the policy and the refusal. Figure 6.11 on page 199
illustrates one way to deliver the bad news.
Rejecting recommendations or proposals
In today’s team-based businesses, collaboration increases the number of ideas that are
generated—and many of those ideas will need to be rejected. How do you tactfully turn
down someone’s recommendation while maintaining goodwill and ensuring that the person
will continue to contribute ideas for future projects? The key is to express appreciation and
provide a convincing explanation. The email in Figure 6.12 on page 199 delivers bad news
but maintains goodwill. It is polite and respectful, uses neutral language, and has a conver-
sational tone.
Acknowledging mistakes or problems
People are usually very uncomfortable when they need to acknowledge mistakes they have
made or problems they have caused. Yet in business, taking responsibility for mistakes and bad
decisions is critical for maintaining both credibility and goodwill.
When J. P. Morgan Chase lost billions of dollars in risky stock trades, CEO Jamie Dimon
had to share the news with employees, stockholders, customers, and the media.25,26 Given the
severity of the situation, the significance of the bad news, and the large audience with which he
had to share the news, Dimon could not avoid a large-scale public announcement of the bad
FIGURE 6.9 How to Compose a Direct Message Denying a Request
voice mail message
Hello, Ms. Hampton. This is Dr. Maher returning your call. We seem to be
playing telephone tag.
I am sorry I will not be able to accept your invitation to speak at the
luncheon next week. I am honored that you thought of me to replace the
mayor as the keynote speaker. If I wasn’t leaving Sunday for a two-week
cruise, I would have enjoyed the opportunity.
I hope you’re able to find a replacement in time for the event. Please keep
me in mind for future occasions. I’d be happy to help you out when I can.
Goodbye.
Refer to the request to put the
message in context.
• State the bad news directly.
• Ensure goodwill by stating
appreciation for the request.
• Provide enough explanation
to ensure the audience will not
be upset by the news.
Close with a positive and
future-oriented statement.
Dr. Maher, a professor of business law, is responding to a
voice mail message from his former student Alexa Hampton,
requesting that he speak at a professional luncheon. (For
Alexa’s original voice message, see Figure 5.10).
New Hires @ Work
Ben Lahue
University of Northern Iowa
Quality Engineer @ John Deere
When someone suggests
an idea that isn’t feasible,
it’s important to try to under-
stand the concept. Rather
than dismissing the idea right
away, take time to explore
alternatives. People
are generally more
receptive if you con-
sidered the options
and explained
why their idea is
not necessarily
the best.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 6.9’s key concepts by
going to mybcommlab.com
Photo courtesy of Ben Lahue
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FIGURE 6.10 How to Deny Part of a Claim Request
email
Mr. Stevens:
We appreciate your continued loyalty and look forward to fulfilling all your office supply
needs.
Maggie Scher
Tuttle Office Supply
Customer Care Representative
818-555-2251 Ext. 4053
john.stevens@stevenslaw.com
Returning Damaged Printers Use a subject line that
implies the good news.
Express empathy. (“We are
sorry you have experienced this
inconvenience.”)
Position the good news
before the bad news as a
buffer.
Subordinate the bad news in
an “although” clause
(“Although on-site maintenance
is not part of your contract …”)
and offer an alternative
solution.
Close with a forward-looking
statement.
Thank you for contacting Tuttle Office Supply about the 10 printers that were damaged in
shipment due to packaging problems. We are sorry you have experienced this inconven-
ience. To return the printers, please contact United Packers and Shippers (800-555-
1297) who will supply you with new boxes and packing and pick-up instructions. Please
charge the shipping to this account number: 86-2457-31. As soon as we receive the
printers, we will ship you replacements by express delivery.
If you are concerned that the remaining 15 printers also may have suffered some
damage, please run the included diagnostic program, which should catch any problems.
Although on-site maintenance is not part of your contract, if any printer fails the test
or malfunctions within the extended warranty period, please call us immediately at
800-555-6123, and we will arrange a return and replacement.
John Stevens, an unhappy customer, emailed Tuttle Office Supply, asking the
company to replace 10 printers visibly damaged during shipping. He also
requested on-site service to ensure the remaining 15 printers sent in the
shipment are undamaged. Maggie Scher, the customer care representative at
Tuttle Office Supply, is able to replace the broken printers. However, she also
has to communicate the bad news that the company cannot provide on-site
service.
news. Therefore, he chose to acknowledge the mistakes via the medium that companies often
use to communicate with stockholders and the media: a stockholder meeting conference call via
webcast, which allowed stockholders to log in, listen, and ask questions.27 Dimon, who has a
reputation as being blunt and outspoken, took a very direct approach in his announcement. He
announced the bad news, provided an explanation, put it in context to soften it, assumed re-
sponsibility, and explained the bank’s plan to recover and prevent similar events in the future.
The following paragraphs are excerpts from the conference call that illustrate these elements.28
Although you may be unfamiliar with some of the technical language, you can recognize the
various elements of the bad-news announcement:
Announce the bad news. “I would like to thank you all for joining on short notice. I want to
update you on a few items that we have in our just-filed 10-Q. Specifically, we had given
prior guidance that . . . net income in the Corporate segment . . . would be approximately
plus or minus $200 million. We currently estimate this number to be minus $800 million
after-tax. This change is due to two items, . . . slightly more than $2 billion trading loss on
our synthetic credit positions and $1 billion of securities gain, largely on the sale of credit
exposures.”
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FIGURE 6.11 How to Deny a Claim Request
Mr. Franks, thank you for letting us know in advance about the
cancellation. We are sorry you won’t be able to stay with us.
I see you booked the room at our nonrefundable weekend getaway rate.
We offer this rate at a 50 percent discount as a benefit to people who are
able to plan their travel early. Our ability to offer these discounts depends
on being able to count on the income from these rooms. Although your
deposit cannot be refunded with this discounted rate, we would like you
to stay here the next time you are in Memphis, so we’ll be glad to offer
you an upgrade voucher for your next stay.
telephone conversation
Begin with a buffer. In this case,
thank the audience for calling about
the cancelation.
Express empathy. (“We are sorry
you won’t be able to stay with us.”)
Explain the rationale for the policy.
Subordinate the bad news.
Conclude with goodwill. In this case,
a discount is offered for future use.
Imagine you work in the reservations office for Greenways Hotel. You receive
a telephone call from a guest who is cancelling a prepaid reservation for a
one-night stay and requesting a refund. The guest had reserved the room at a
deeply discounted nonrefundable rate, and company policy prevents you
from refunding reservations made at this discounted rate. How will you deny
that request and still maintain positive customer relations and goodwill?
FIGURE 6.12 How to Reject a Recommendation
email
Hi, Sam:
Thank you for your input on the Patterson project. I appreciate the time and effort you
put into your recommendation.
I agree that we could offer Patterson more comprehensive market research if we
scheduled five additional focus groups. In fact, I shared your proposal with the
Patterson marketing team. Although Patterson does not want to spend the extra time
or money for additional focus groups, they were impressed with your analysis and
would like you to take the lead in analyzing the current focus group findings.
Will you be able to present your results at this Friday’s meeting? I look forward to
hearing your analysis.
Regards,
Tena
Tena Crews, Project Manager
MILLER MARKETING GROUP
219 Fisher Street, Suite A
Baltimore, MD 21218
www.MillerMarketing.com
(800) 555-9900, Ext. 600
(800) 555-9923, Fax
Recommendation for Additional Focus Groups
sam.huth@millermarketing.com
Use a neutrally worded
subject line to support an
indirect organization.
Begin with a buffer. Express
appreciation that the audience
offered the recommendation.
Provide enough explanation
to ensure the audience does
not question your rejection.
Subordinate the bad news.
Conclude with a positive,
forward-looking statement.
In this case, it also politely
implies that the rejection is
final.
Assume Sam emailed his supervisor,
Tena, a detailed description of a
recommendation for a client project.
Unfortunately, Tena decides not to
implement it and needs to explain
why. How can she reject his recom-
mendation and retain goodwill?
199
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 6.12’s key concepts by
going to mybcommlab.com
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Provide an explanation. “Regarding what happened, the synthetic credit portfolio was a
strategy to hedge the Firm’s overall credit exposure, which is our largest risk overall in its
trust credit environment. We’re reducing that hedge. But in hindsight, the new strategy was
flawed, complex, poorly reviewed, poorly executed and poorly monitored. The portfolio has
proven to be riskier, more volatile and less effective an economic hedge than we thought.”
Put it in context to soften it. “However unfortunate this event is, I do want to put this in
perspective. One of the reasons we keep a fortress balance sheet is to handle surprises . . . if
you did adjust current analyst estimates for the loss, we still earned approximately $4 billion
after-tax this quarter give or take.”
Assumed responsibility. “Neither of these things absolves us from blame. So speaking for the
Senior Management team and myself, while we can’t assure you we won’t make mistakes, we
will—we can assure you we are going to try not to. These were grievous mistakes, they were
self-inflicted, we were accountable and we happened to violate our own standards and prin-
ciples by how we want to operate the company. This is not how we want to run a business.”
Announced next steps to fix the problem and prevent reoccurrence. “What have we done?
We’ve had teams from audit, legal, risk and various control functions all from corporate in-
volved in an extensive review of what happened. We have more work to do, but it’s obvious
at this point that there are many errors, sloppiness, and bad judgment. I do remind you that
none of this has anything to do with clients.
We’ve had many lessons learned and we’ve already changed some policies and proce-
dures, as we’ve gone along. In addition, you should know that all appropriate corrective ac-
tions will be taken, as necessary, in the future. Most important, some of our best talent from
across the company, particularly traders and risk managers, are fully engaged in helping to
manage the portfolio.”
Not all mistakes are as severe as the one Dimon had to admit, but the elements of his bad-news
message provide a useful guide.
Communicating performance problems
Just as you may need to acknowledge your own mistakes in business, you may also need to
communicate about problems or mistakes that others have made—and hold them account-
able. For example, you may need to tell employees that their performance is poor or tell ven-
dors their service is unacceptable. Although you might think that being sensitive to a vendor
about bad news is not important, in most cases you will want to fix the problem and continue a
positive business relationship. In addition, a disgruntled vendor can easily damage your repu-
tation by complaining to your customers and competitors.
Consider the example of Esther Davies, the vice president of corporate communications
at Central Auto Fabricators. Esther has to communicate bad news to a vendor, Morrell Public
Relations, because the vendor has failed to deliver agreed-upon services. If Morrell cannot
deliver on its agreements, then Esther will need to cancel the service agreement. The best me-
dium would be a face-to-face meeting or a telephone conversation because these options allow
for discussion. However, because Esther has not been able to contact Morrell by telephone, she
decides to write the letter in Figure 6.13. One advantage of any written message is that it docu-
ments the communication. Like other bad-news messages, this letter needs to balance a clear
statement of the bad news with positive statements of goodwill.
Communicating negative change
There’s a saying that “nothing is constant in business except change.” To remain competitive,
businesses need to change their procedures and policies in response to the state of the econ-
omy, customer needs, and new opportunities that arise. Change is so pervasive in business
and industry that “change management” has emerged as a discipline to help organizations
and individuals implement and adapt to change. Communication is typically a key element
in change management plans, especially when change negatively affects an audience, as is the
case with layoffs and reductions in benefits. How effectively you communicate negative change
will have a direct impact on your company’s goodwill, not only with your employees, but with
the community as well. The message in Figure 6.14 on page 202, which communicates a plant
closing, illustrates one way to communicate negative change and still maintain the goodwill of
the audience.
New Hires @ Work
Winston Taira
Loyola Marymount University
Project Manager @
King’s Hawaiian Holding
Company
One of our core values is
“telling it like it is in a way
that can be heard.” For
example, if I have to give
someone bad news to
improve performance, I need
to send a clear and direct
message but
also do it with
respect and
compassion.
Photo courtesy of Winston Taira
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FIGURE 6.13 How to Communicate Performance Problems
letter
22 Denwood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60601 | 312.555.8447
April 2, 20XX
Ms. Cara Denholm
Morrell Public Relations
7943 Callaway Drive
Barrington, IL 60010
Dear Cara:
I am concerned that Morrell is not delivering the publicity our company needs. Since I have
not been able to reach you by telephone, I am writing this letter to be sure that we have a
mutual understanding.
When we hired your firm six months ago, our goal was to increase our company’s exposure
among automobile manufacturers and others in the auto industry. To help us achieve this
goal, Morrell agreed to two major accomplishments:
• A feature story about our business in a top auto industry publication.
• An invitation for our CEO to give a speech at one of three trade organizations.
So far, no one in the company has been interviewed for a feature story, and our CEO has
received no invitations for speaking engagements.
We cannot afford to wait much longer. If your agency is not able to deliver on these promises
within 90 days, we will be forced to cancel our agreement according to the provisions of the
contract we signed.
We’ve admired the work Morrell has done for other companies like ours and hope you can
deliver the same level of results for us. I’d like to schedule a phone conversation next week to
discuss how we can work together to achieve these goals.
Sincerely,
Esther Davies, Vice President
Corporate Communications
Directly state the
problem in general
terms to communicate
the purpose of the
message.
Soften the impact of
the bad news by using
“we,” “our,” and “us”
rather than “you.”
Explain the necessary
details. In this case, the
audience’s commit-
ments are spelled out to
put the problem in
context.
Highlight information
by using bullets. This
formatting technique is
effective when itemizing
several points, either
issues to resolve or
actions to take.
Clearly present the bad
news and, if applicable,
specifically outline
expectations.
Build goodwill by being
positive and forward-
looking in the closing.
Esther Davies, the vice president of corporate communications
at Central Auto Fabricators, has to communicate bad news to a
vendor that has failed to deliver agreed-upon services. How can
Esther be clear about the performance problem and expected
resolution—and still maintain goodwill?
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FIGURE 6.14 How to Communicate Negative Change
Employees@relianttextiles.com
Fayetteville Plant Transition
Colleagues :
With deep regret, I must inform you that as of April 1, 20XX, the Fayetteville, North
Carolina, manufacturing facility will be discontinuing operations and closing permanently.
This decision has been difficult for the company’s management and board of
directors since the plant has been in operation for more than 25 years and many
of you have been working in the plant since it first opened. But competition
from lower-cost apparel manufacturers overseas along with the plant’s older
and less efficient equipment have made it too costly to keep the plant open.
We will be consolidating all of our manufacturing in the Columbia, South Carolina,
plant with its newer, more efficient equipment.
We know this transition will be difficult for you and your family. To help you, the
company will be providing severance payments based on your years of service,
employment counseling, and advice about how to apply for unemployment and
insurance benefits.
You will receive a complete packet of information next Monday, February 14,
including details about your severance payment and final date of employment.
Some of you will be asked to stay on until closing to help with the final
shutdown of plant operations. Others will be leaving before April 1. Your final
date of employment will be included in your packet.
We sincerely appreciate all you have contributed over the years. We thank you
for your service to the company and offer you best wishes for the future.
Jason E. Easterling
President and Chief Executive Officer
Jason.Easterling@relianttextiles.com
Reliant Textiles
email
State the bad news
directly. In this case, the
audience will be expecting
the bad news.
Explain the reasons that
make the negative change
necessary.
Express empathy and focus
on what the negative change
means to the audience.
If applicable, explain how
the company will assist
those who are directly
impacted by the change.
Offer specific details.
Indicate that the decision
is final to avoid any miscon-
ceptions or challenges.
End with a sincere expres-
sion of appreciation.
Jason Easterling, CEO of Reliant Textiles must communicate to all employees in the Fayette-
ville, North Carolina, plant that the plant will be closing and all operations will be moving to
the Columbia, South Carolina, facility. Only half the employees will be offered transfers.
Although this is a final decision, he needs to help employees accept the decision and to
secure their assistance with the plant closing.
Because he wants all plant employees to learn this news at the same time, he holds a
meeting. However, because some employees work a night shift and cannot attend the
meeting, he decides to send an email immediately after the meeting so that he can commu-
nicate simultaneously with everyone in the facility. For workers who do not have email
access, he creates a memo to be distributed at the plant the next day. How can he communi-
cate this change effectively?
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For ETHICS exercises, go to Exercise 15 on page 213 and Exercise 24 on page 215.
ETHICS
APOLOGIZING FOR MISTAKES
You may have noticed that, among all the elements in his
bad-news message (pages 198 and 200), Jamie Dimon did not
apologize to shareholders for the risky investments that led to
J. P. Morgan Chase stock losing almost 30 percent of its value.
Communication experts debate over the wisdom of apologizing
as part of a bad-news message. Some people believe that apologies
are dangerous because they put a business in a defensive position
that could imply legal liability. However, others argue that apolo-
gies can have a positive effect.29–31 Taking a “you” perspective in
the face of a mistake is not only ethical, but also a good business
decision. A strategically worded apology can improve a company’s
public image, facilitate forgiveness, and even decrease damages if
a case goes to court. When crafting a corporate apology strategy,
experts suggest the following advice:32–34
• Announce the bad news quickly.
• Identify the people directly affected by the mistake and show
genuine concern for their well-being.
• Take responsibility for the problem.
• Outline your company’s remedial measures.
• Be honest and direct in your tone.
An apology written by the CEO of JetBlue Airlines provides
an excellent example of a highly effective apology. Several years
ago, a winter storm caused JetBlue to experience flight delays, can-
cellations, and baggage loss that inconvenienced hundreds of cus-
tomers around the country. The news media immediately picked
up the story, painting a negative picture of JetBlue. Rather than
respond defensively, JetBlue’s CEO David Neelman apologized in
personal letters to passengers, on the company website, on You-
Tube, and on television talk shows. Here is the text of the written
apology, which received an overwhelmingly positive response
from both customers and the public.35
Dear JetBlue Customers:
We are sorry and embarrassed. But most of all, we are deeply
sorry.
Last week was the worst operational week in JetBlue’s
seven-year history. Following the severe winter ice storm in
the Northeast, we subjected our customers to unacceptable
delays, flight cancellations, lost baggage, and other major
inconveniences. The storm disrupted the movement of aircraft,
and, more importantly, disrupted the movement of JetBlue’s pilot
and in-flight crewmembers who were depending on those planes
to get them to the airports where they were scheduled to serve
you. With the busy President’s Day weekend upon us, rebooking
opportunities were scarce and hold times at 1-800-JETBLUE were
unacceptably long or not even available, further hindering our
recovery efforts.
Words cannot express how truly sorry we are for the anxiety,
frustration, and inconvenience that we caused. This is especially
saddening because JetBlue was founded on the promise of
bringing humanity back to air travel and making the experience of
flying happier and easier for everyone who chooses to fly with us.
We know we failed to deliver on this promise last week.
We are committed to you, our valued customers, and are taking
immediate corrective steps to regain your confidence in us. We
have begun putting a comprehensive plan in place to provide
better and more timely information to you, more tools and
resources for our crewmembers, and improved procedures for
handling operational difficulties in the future. We are confident,
as a result of these actions, that JetBlue will emerge as a more
reliable and even more customer-responsive airline than ever
before.
Most importantly, we have published the JetBlue Airways
Customer Bill of Rights—our official commitment to you of
how we will handle operational interruptions going forward—
including details of compensation. I have a video message to
share with you about this industry leading action.
You deserved better—a lot better—from us last week. Nothing is
more important than regaining your trust and all of us here hope
you will give us the opportunity to welcome you onboard again
soon and provide you the positive JetBlue Experience you have
come to expect from us.
Sincerely,
David
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◾ In summary, although bad news may disappoint your audience, you still
want them to understand your rationale, to believe you are reasonable, and to feel good about
you and about themselves. This chapter provides techniques that will help you state bad news
clearly and also soften its negative effect. Using these techniques will help you achieve your
overall business goal: to project a positive image of your business and maintain goodwill.
BAD NEWS @ WORK Kosta Browne Winery
In any business, mistakes will happen. Deliver-
ies will be wrong, orders will be lost, and deci-
sions will lead to bad results. How a business
communicates information about those mis-
takes can make the company stand out among
its peers.
Kosta Browne Winery, a small business in
Sebastopol, California, is in an enviable position.
Customers’ demands for its wines exceed what
the vineyard can produce. Twice a year, Kosta
Browne offers current customers, on a private
mailing list, a specific allocation of wine—the
maximum number of bottles that customers are
allowed to purchase. Potential customers who
are not on the mailing list can request to be on a
waiting list for future allocations.
One season, the customers on the waiting
list received a happy surprise: an email discuss-
ing their upcoming allocation of wine. They had
not expected to be offered any products this
year, but here was an offer! Unfortunately, that
email was a mistake. It should have been sent
only to current customers—not to future ones.
The mistake was compounded by the fact that,
a few minutes later, customers who were on
the waiting list received a second email, saying
they would receive no wine. How should Kosta
Browne address this problem?
The company decided to deliver the bad
news—along with an apology—directly and
personally. The following letter was mailed to
each customer on the waiting list who received
a retracted offer. According to co-owner Mike
Browne, “We were sick to our stomachs when
the wrong communication went out. Writing a
personal letter was important to us since our
customers and our future customers are ex-
tremely important to us.”
Chris Costello, Dan Kosta, and Mike Browne, the founders
of Kosta Browne Winery in Sebastopol, California
P
h
o
to
c
o
u
rt
e
sy
o
f
K
o
st
a
B
ro
w
n
e
W
in
e
ry
Source: Interview with Mike Browne.
January 23, 20XX
Mr. Ben Forman
1234 Damian Lane
Bolingbroke, IL 60440
Dear Ben:
Thank you for recently joining the Kosta Browne mailing list. Regrettably,
one of the first correspondences we have had with you may not have been
an enjoyable experience! On the evening of Monday, January 19, we sent
you two errant emails regarding your account and allocations for our
upcoming release of Appellation Pinot Noirs. We sincerely apologize for
the confusion that was caused by this mistake.
We appreciate that you have taken the time and interest to join our
waiting list, and we look forward to offering you wine in the future. Since
we have a limited amount of wine that is already allocated to mailing list
members, we regrettably cannot offer you wine as a consolation at this
time. However, we have marked your account to reflect that you received
these misdirected emails so that when we are able to offer you an
allocation, you will receive a discount on our first shipment as a token of
our appreciation for your patience and continued support.
If you have any further questions or comments, please contact our offices
directly 707-555-7430. We would be happy to talk with you.
Sincerely yours,
Dan Kosta and Mike Browne
letter
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Case scenario 205
This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
Henry Lai is having a bad week. On Monday, Henry got into a minor
car accident on his way to his business communication class. It was
his third accident of the year, and he was late for class. Today, he is
almost late again. As Henry left his apartment, his neighbor stopped
him in the hallway to ask if he read the landlord’s email announcing
an increase in rent. Henry does not know how he’ll handle these extra
expenses. On top of a rent increase, he may need to pay for a repair to
his broken computer printer, which may not be covered by a manufac-
turer warranty. And he also needs to help pay for the anniversary party
he and his brothers are throwing for
their parents in May.
Henry slips into class just in
time to get Professor Anderson’s as-
signment sheet. As Henry reads it,
he begins to smile. This is an assign-
ment he can definitely handle. Profes-
sor Anderson is requiring students
to pick one or two types of writing—
routine, persuasive, good news, or
bad news—and over the next five
weeks collect samples to analyze. The
goal is to evaluate these pieces accord-
ing to the guidelines in the textbook
and suggest revisions. A lot is going
on in Henry’s life, and many people
are communicating with him. In fact,
he could begin the assignment right
after class by reading his landlord’s
email about the rent increase.
Softening the Impact
of Bad News
After class, Henry rushes to the com-
puter lab on campus to check his
email. Would his landlord raise the
rent to more than he could afford?
He is not looking forward to read-
ing the bad news. See the landlord’s
email message to the right.
As Henry finishes reading, he
thinks, “I’d like to stay. This must be a
pretty good email.” Would you agree?
Question 1: Evaluate the landlord’s
email. Would you recommend any
revisions?
Bad News in the Mail
When Henry returns home from
class, he finds a letter in his mailbox
from his auto insurance company.
He opens it, looks at it quickly, and
then puts it aside. At first glance, the letter appears to be announcing a
raise in premiums. He doesn’t have time to read it carefully. Later that
evening, though, he decides to pick it up again to read more carefully.
See the letter on page 206.
Henry has to read the letter twice to understand what it means,
and when he finally understands, he is shocked. This isn’t what he ex-
pected at all! His family has had City Mutual Insurance since before he
was born. How could the company drop him?
Question 2: A reader should be able to understand a bad-news
message quickly—and not feel insulted or abandoned. How would
you advise City Mutual to revise its letter?
CASE SCENARIO
Making the Best of Bad News
tenant-list@Wycoff-Rentals.com
Rental Increase
Dear Tenants:
When you get your lease in the next few months, you will see a 15 percent raise
in rent. I want to explain to you why rent is increasing. I value each of you as tenants
and neighbors, and I hope you will understand and choose to stay at 727 Seward
Street.
As you probably know, both property taxes and the cost of heating fuel have
increased this past year. This winter, it cost me 20 percent more to heat your
apartments—and mine—than the year before. My total costs as landlord have
gone up 30 percent.
The rent increase barely covers these increased costs. In addition, during this
upcoming year, I will be painting the halls and buying new equipment for the
laundry room. I want this building to remain a good place for us to live, and like
every year in the past, this year I will make more improvements.
I know more rent is a hardship since many of you are in school as well as working.
But the rent here is still the most reasonable in the neighborhood.
Please let me know if you don’t plan to stay, but I hope you do.
Sincerely,
Edward Nikaza
Wycoff Rentals
62253 Main Street
Chesterfield, MO 63005
(636) 555-1926
email
Accompanies Question 1
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letter
8851 Lincoln Way, St. Louis, MO 63114
March 15, 20XX
Mr. Henry Lai
727 Seward Street
Chesterfield, MO 63005
Dear Mr. Lai:
At City Mutual Insurance, our ability to provide cost-effective insurance to all our
customers depends on our periodically assessing and reevaluating risk. Our
internal guidelines and policies are carefully constructed to ensure that we
remain a financially secure company. It is in this way that we can provide financial
security to our customers in their times of need. Our guidelines take into
account a number of risk factors, including a customer’s driving record.
When a customer account falls out of the accepted parameters, we have the
legal option to cancel or refuse to renew automobile insurance at the next
renewal date. Based on your recent record of chargeable automobile accidents,
our guidelines require that your automobile insurance be cancelled 30 days from
the date of this letter. You will receive a pro-rated reimbursement check within
60 days, as required by law.
We encourage you to act quickly to secure new insurance since it is required for
all registered automobiles in your state must have insurance.
Adjustment Department
City Mutual Insurance
Accompanies Question 2 hlai@umo.edu
Class Tardiness in Bcomm 371
Dear Henry:
This week you arrived late to class for the third time. As you know, you can have no
more than two unexcused absences or four late arrivals and still pass the class. I
cannot stress enough how serious this is. Business Communication 371 is a
requirement for graduation in your major. You must receive at least a C in this
course. With one more absence or late arrival, you will need to repeat the course in
order to graduate.
Professor Anderson
Milton V. Anderson, Ph.D.
Professor of Business Communication
Department of Business Administration
College of Business, Craig Hall #202
University of Missouri at Chesterfield
Chesterfield, MO 63005
mvanderson@umo.edu
(636) 555-2002
email
Accompanies Question 3
Bad News from the
Professor
After arriving late to his business
communication class a third time,
Henry is not surprised to see an email
from Professor Anderson in his inbox.
Professor Anderson has a strict atten-
dance policy for his course, which
Henry is finding difficult to follow. If
this is a bad-news email, Henry hopes
it is well written. He does not want
to be in the position of critiquing his
teacher in his final project.
Henry reads the email repro-
duced below and wonders: “If I can’t
pass the course, maybe I should drop it.
Is that really the goal of this email?”
Question 3: Is this an effective bad-
news email? Would you recommend
that Professor Anderson make any
revisions?
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mailto:mvanderson@umo.edu
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As a Customer, How Do You Feel?
As Henry prepares to write his final business communication re-
port analyzing messages he has received during the term, he thinks
about how important it is for a business to communicate effectively
with its customers. Henry asks himself, “As a customer, how do I feel
about the people who have been communicating with me? How do I
feel about my landlord, City Mutual Insurance, and Professor Ander-
son? Would I choose to have a continuing relationship with them or
do business with them again? Will I speak positively about them when
talking to others?” These questions remain on Henry’s mind as he
analyzes his last set of business messages: an email from the manu-
facturer of his broken computer printer and a voice mail from the
River Inn where he planned his parents’ anniversary party. Would
he choose to do business with these organizations again?
Question 4: Based on these bad-news communications, would
you like to do business with these organizations?
email
Henry Lai
Repair Options for Gremlin 2740n Printer
Dear Mr. Lai:
As a follow-up to our telephone conversation today, I have
reviewed your warranty as well as the notes from the
authorized technician who examined your nonfunctioning
Gremlin 2740n wireless laser printer. The warranty
protects your printer against manufacturer defects and
mechanical failure for one year from the date of purchase.
However, it specifically excludes damage from accidents
and misuse.
According to our technician, a bent fuser usually results
from dropping the printer or dropping something on the
printer. Therefore, that damage is not covered by our
warranty, even though you purchased the printer less than
three months ago.
We can offer two suggestions for cost-effectively repairing
or replacing your printer. First, if you used a credit card to
purchase the printer, consider contacting the company to
see if it offers buyer protection plans that insure your
purchases against accidental loss or damage. If you must
pay for your own repairs, you may find it more cost
effective to purchase a factory-authorized refurbished
printer directly from Gremlin. We will be pleased to offer
you a $50 discount on this purchase.
Thank you for being a Gremlin customer. We look forward
to being your printer of choice long into the future.
Sincerely,
Tanya Corros
Tanya Corros
Customer Service Representative
Gremlin Corporation
www.gremlincorp.com
Tanya@gremlincorp.com
800.555.5226, Ext. 467
Accompanies Question 4
voice mail message
Mr. Lai. This is Darryl at the River Inn. We need to make some
changes in the arrangements for your party in May. The room
you reserved is undergoing extensive repairs for water
damage caused by the storm and will not be ready by the
15th of next month. All of our other rooms are taken for that
evening. Is it possible for you to change the date of your
event to Sunday the 29th? If not, we will be glad to
completely refund your deposit. Please return my call at your
earliest convenience. I’m at 678-555-1344.
Accompanies Question 4
Case scenario 207
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http://www.gremlincorp.com
mailto:Tanya@gremlincorp.com
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Study Questions in Review
How should you analyze and plan a
bad-news message? (pages 186–189)
• Ask questions that help you develop content. Bad-news
messages require planning to achieve a good business goal
without alienating your audience. To begin planning, ask
questions such as these:
• What is the bad news? What business result would you
like to achieve in communicating the news?
• How will the audience react to this news?
• What justification and explanation should you include?
• Is there anything you can say to soften the bad news?
For example, is there any good news to include? Will
the audience benefit in any way? Does this cloud have a
silver lining?
• Should you include an apology?
• Can you do anything else to project a positive image and
maintain goodwill?
• Select the best medium to achieve your goal. Consider
audience-related criteria, such as whether you need to
share the bad news with one or many people. Also consider
content- and response-related criteria, such as whether you
want to see or hear the audience’s reaction, receive their im-
mediate feedback, or give the audience time to consider a
response carefully.
How should you evaluate bad-news
messages? (pages 195–196)
• Evaluate the message’s clarity, honesty, and sense of
goodwill. Look at your message objectively and consider
whether it is clear, easy to understand, and honest. Also
consider whether the message will maintain a positive rela-
tionship with your audience.
• Evaluate the business result. Review the message from
your audience’s point of view and consider how the audi-
ence is likely to respond. Will the message achieve your
intended outcome? Will it hurt or help your business?
What are effective strategies for
composing bad-news messages?
(pages 189–195)
• Decide where to state the bad news. State it at the begin-
ning (direct organization) when the bad news is expected,
easy to understand, unlikely to upset the audience, or rele-
vant to health and safety. In other situations, use an indirect
organization, stating the bad news after an explanation.
• Phrase the bad news clearly. If you are ambiguous, your
audience may not recognize you are delivering bad news.
• Soften the bad news with a buffer, subordination, and posi-
tive or neutral language. When possible, position good news
ahead of bad news. You may also use passive voice, rather
than active voice, to subordinate the bad news.
• Close the message positively to promote goodwill.
SQ1
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SQ3
SQ4
What types of bad-news messages are
common in business? (pages 196–204)
In business, you may face certain recurring situations that re-
quire you to deliver bad news:
• Denying requests or turning down invitations
• Denying customer claims
• Rejecting recommendations or proposals
• Acknowledging mistakes or problems
• Communicating performance problems
• Communicating negative change
In each situation, follow the basic guidelines for bad-news
messages, and adapt the message to your specific content.
End of Chapter
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Visual Summary
• Should you begin with the bad
news or build up to it?
• How can you clearly phrase the
bad news?
• What content and techniques
should you use to soften the
impact of the message?
• How can you close the message
appropriately?
• What is the bad news?
• What business result do you want to achieve?
• How will the audience react to this news?
• What justification and explanation should you include? Is
there anything you can say to soften the bad news?
• Should you include an apology?
• Can you do anything else to project a positive image and
maintain goodwill?
• What is the best medium for this message?
• Is the bad news stated
clearly yet sensitively?
• Will the message convince the
audience to accept the bad
news?
• Does the message project a
good image of you and maintain
goodwill with the audience?
• Will the message achieve a
good business result?
• Have you avoided legal
complications?
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
Subordinate the bad news.
Use positive or neutral language.
Develop an effective buffer.
Position good news ahead of
bad news.
Close the message positively.
Mr. Stevens:
Thank you for contacting Tuttle Office Supply about the 10 printers
that were damaged in shipment due to packaging problems. We are
sorry you have experienced this inconvenience. To return the printers,
please contact United Packers and Shippers (800-555-1297) who will
supply you with new boxes and packing and pick-up instructions.
Please charge the shipping to this account number: 86-2457-31. As
soon as we receive the printers, we will ship you replacements by
express delivery.
If you are concerned that the remaining 15 printers also may have
suffered some damage, please run the included diagnostic program,
which should catch any problems. Although onsite maintenance is
not part of your contract, if any printer fails the test or malfunctions
within the extended warranty period, please call us immediately at
(800-555-6123), and we will arrange a return and replacement.
We appreciate your continued loyalty and look forward to fulfilling all
your office supply needs.
Maggie Scher
Customer Care Representative
818-555-2251 Ext. 4053
HOW CAN YOU SOFTEN
THE BAD NEWS?
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Buffer p. 189 Customer claim p. 196 Goodwill p. 184 Template p. 184
Key Terms
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 Name two goals that bad-news messages must simultaneously
accomplish.
2 Name one technique an organization might use if it routinely
communicates similar bad-news messages.
3 What questions should you ask yourself to help you develop con-
tent for bad-news messages?
4 What factors should you consider when selecting a medium to
communicate bad news?
5 Under what circumstances should you state the bad news directly?
6 What techniques can you use to soften the bad news in an indirect
message?
7 What are some options for closing a bad-news message on a posi-
tive note?
8 Explain what you should look for when evaluating a bad-news
message.
9 How can you evaluate the business result of your bad-news
message?
10 Identify the best strategies for communicating change.
Review Questions
1 Identify a situation that required you to share bad news in the
past. Were you successful in accomplishing potentially incompat-
ible goals such as being clear and maintaining goodwill? If so, how
did you accomplish that? If not, how could you have accomplished
those goals, based on reading this chapter?
2 Think of a realistic bad news message and describe a positive out-
come that could result from communicating it. Be specific about
the context, the bad news, the audience, the message, and the de-
sired business result.
3 Sincere apologies can be effective tools for communicating bad
news. By contrast, insincere apologies can alienate your audience.
Think of a situation in which you might want to offer someone an
apology. Phrase that apology in an insincere way, as if you don’t re-
ally mean to apologize. Then change it to sound sincere. Describe
some of the features that distinguish the two kinds of apologies.
4 Before communicating bad news in cross-cultural situations, you
should research the cultures’ expectations about the organization
of bad-news messages. Some cultures prefer directness, and oth-
ers value indirectness. Assume you are presenting bad news in a
face-to-face meeting with stakeholders who represent several dif-
ferent cultures, including high-context cultures (Arabic and Latin
American) as well as low-context cultures (German and Scandi-
navian). How do you balance their differing perspectives about
how bad news should be presented? [Related to the Culture fea-
ture on page 194]
5 When possible, face-to-face meetings are usually the best medium
for sharing bad news, even if they need to be supplemented with
an email or memo for documentation. If you are apprehensive
about communicating bad news in person, what can you do to
prepare yourself for a face-to-face meeting?
6 Assume you are on the executive board of a student organization
at your school, and one of your friends is chair of the organiza-
tion’s fundraising committee. Your friend has been doing a bad
job, and the board has asked you to replace him. How would you
communicate this bad news?
7 “Do you want the good news first or the bad news?” This question
is a common method of beginning a face-to-face conversation
when you have both good and bad news to share with an audi-
ence. The response usually is based on the situation. As suggested
in this chapter, you should often position the good news ahead of
bad news in business communication. However, describe a spe-
cific situation in which you might decide to share the bad news
before the good news. Create a scenario that is not already pre-
sented in the chapter.
8 The chapter suggests that you do not justify refusing a customer
claim by saying “It’s company policy.” Instead, explain the rationale
for the policy, without mentioning policy. What if you do not un-
derstand the rationale behind a policy? What can you do?
9 Some bad-news messages, such as job rejection letters, aim to con-
vince the audience to accept the bad news as final. Explain a situ-
ation in which you might not want to convince the audience that
the news is final.
10 In 2011, the Japanese company Line introduced a messaging app
that allows people to message with “stickers”: cartoons of cute ani-
mals (and people) accompanied by captions like “thank you,” “of
course,” and “let’s go shopping.” They offer many stickers to com-
municate bad news, for example, “sorry,” “I’m too busy with work,”
and “I’m broke.”36 What are the pros and cons of communicating
bad news with stickers like these? [Related to the Technology
feature on page 188]
Critical Thinking Questions
210 Chapter 6 | Communicating Bad News
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How should you analyze and plan a bad-news
message? (pages 186–189)
1 Ask questions that help you develop content
Assume you manage a video processing lab where customers bring
in old home movies and have them transferred to DVDs. Yesterday,
a long-time client brought in a video of her daughter’s wedding. She
plans to pick up the DVD in two weeks after she returns from vacation.
Today, one of your employees accidentally damaged the videotape and
all your efforts to retrieve the data have failed. Answer these questions:
a. What is the bad news?
b. What business result do you want to achieve in communicating it?
c. How will the audience react to this information?
d. How do you want the audience to respond?
e. What justification and explanation should you include?
f. Is there anything you can say to soften the bad news? For example,
is there any good news to include (audience benefits)?
g. Should you include an apology?
Be sure to explain and justify your answers.
2 Select the best medium to achieve your goal [Related to
the Technology feature on page 188]
Assume you manage a local clothing store. One of your part-time em-
ployees who frequently misses work or arrives late emails to ask you to
recommend her for a supervisory position. How will you communicate
the bad news that you do not feel comfortable recommending her for a
promotion? What is the best medium for communication: Would you
write an email or choose face-to-face communication? Would you state
the bad news directly or indirectly? Explain your reasoning.
What are effective strategies for composing
bad-news messages? (pages 189–195)
3 Decide where to state the bad news
For each of the following scenarios, explain whether you would orga-
nize the content directly or indirectly when communicating the bad
news, and justify your decision:
a. You are a marketing representative for a textbook publishing com-
pany. You told a customer that a new edition of a book would be
available by July 1, in plenty of time to prepare for use in the fall
semester. Today you learn that the book’s publication has been
delayed and that it won’t be available until August 15, just days
before the semester begins. How would you organize the message
communicating this information to the customer: directly or in-
directly? Compose a brief outline of the content.
b. You are a customer service agent for a company that sells gifts,
cards, and seasonal items such as holiday ornaments through cat-
alog and online sales. Through your website, a customer orders
personalized holiday cards, approves the personalization informa-
tion when finalizing the order, and receives a confirmation email
with a sample of the personalized card. Two weeks later when
the customer receives the order, she calls you to complain about
a misspelling on the cards. Because she approved the personal-
ization when ordering the cards and did not reply to the email
confirming the order, you cannot refund her purchase (obviously,
the cards cannot be resold). How would you organize the message
communicating this information to the customer: directly or in-
directly? Compose a brief outline of the content.
Key Concept Exercises
Chapter 6 End of Chapter 211
c. You are the chief financial officer for a large consulting company.
Due to the recent economic downturn in your industry, the board
of directors asks you to reduce the budget by 20 percent and
strongly recommends cutting staff, which is the largest individual
line item in your budget. Rather than lay off 20 percent of your
employees, you suggest the company incorporate a furlough pro-
gram that reduces the workweek from five to four days. Depart-
ments will rotate days off among their staff to ensure adequate
coverage Mondays through Fridays. The board approves your
plan and asks you to create a preliminary outline of a message that
the CEO will send to employees explaining the furlough program.
Explain whether you would organize the message directly or indi-
rectly, and compose a brief outline of the content.
4 Phrase the bad news clearly
The following badly written messages are partial responses to the sce-
narios outlined in Exercise 3, “Decide where to state the bad news.”
Revise the wording to state the bad news more clearly. For each re-
sponse, identify (1) what phrase is ambiguous, (2) how the audience
might misinterpret it, and (3) what you could say instead.
a. (See Exercise 3a): Thank you for ordering the new marketing text-
book, Marketing Concepts, Third Edition, by Allen and Tate. We
are sure you and your students will be pleased with this new edi-
tion. The revised shipping date is August 10, and the book should
be in your mailbox and at your campus bookstore no later than
August 15.
b. (See Exercise 3b): We can replace personalized items only when
we are responsible for an error.
c. (See Exercise 3c): To help the company stay in business during
these tough economic times, changes will be made to our staffing
procedures to reduce the budget by 20 percent. Check with your
department supervisors to determine how these changes will af-
fect you.
5 Soften the bad news
Rewrite each of the following badly written messages to soften the im-
pact of the bad news.
a. Thank you for your recent order. I’m sorry you think your ship-
ment was not complete. According to our records, all the items
you ordered were delivered. Please refer to the attached copies
of your order form and packing slip to confirm your complete
shipment.
b. Although I hate to do it, we cannot offer bonuses this year due to
declining sales. I’m sorry to disappoint you, especially during the
holiday season. Better luck next year!
c. As we indicated last month, travel budgets have been frozen until
next quarter. Why did you submit a request when you knew I’d
have to deny it?
d. Thank you for your email indicating concern about the monthly
premiums for family health insurance coverage. I agree that the
difference between employee-only coverage ($10) and family cov-
erage ($345) is unreasonable. Your proposal to split the difference
makes sense. I wish I could support it, but the premiums are set by
the insurance company.
e. Sorry to hear your coffee maker broke after only a week. We sell
them, but we don’t fix them. You’ll have to contact the manufac-
turer, who offered the warranty.
SQ1
SQ2
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What types of bad-news messages are common
in business? (pages 196–204)
9 Denying requests or turning down invitations
Assume you are a business professional who hires management majors
for internship positions from the regional university located in your
6 Close the message positively
For each of the badly written messages
outlined in Exercise 5, “Soften the bad
news,” create a concluding statement
or paragraph that closes the message
positively. Use one or more of the fol-
lowing techniques: propose a solution,
propose an alternative, create options
for future business, and focus on a
benefit.
How should you
evaluate bad-news
messages? (pages 195–196)
7 Evaluate the message’s
clarity, honesty, and sense of
goodwill
Two months ago, Marla requested a
week of vacation in early June to par-
ticipate in her children’s end-of-year
school activities. However, yesterday
she found out her husband’s family
reunion would be held over the July 4
holiday. She decides to email her su-
pervisor, Paul, to see if she can request
a change in her vacation schedule. Un-
fortunately, Paul is not able to grant
her request. Evaluate Paul’s email mes-
sage to the right. Is it clear and easy
to understand? Is it honest? Does it
project a sense of goodwill with the
audience? What changes would you
recommend?
8 Evaluate the business result
You are an event planning consul-
tant at Renew Retreat Center. Several
months ago, Rena Murphy at Smith-
Morrison and Associates (SMA) called
you to coordinate the company’s an-
nual volunteer training seminar to
be held at the retreat center May 1–2.
Rena booked the center from 1 pm on
Friday, May 1, through 6 pm on Satur-
day, May 2. Today is April 1, and Rena
emails you to begin working on the lo-
gistics of the seminar. As you retrieve
the reservation from the system, you
realize you accidentally mixed up the
reservation. You have SMA coming
in at 6 pm on Friday and leaving by
1 pm on Saturday. Other events have
already been booked before and after
these times, and it would be difficult
to make changes. Saturday afternoon’s
event is a wedding, and you’re quite sure the invitations have already
been sent. How do you communicate this bad news to Rena without
losing the event? Evaluate the email message to Rena, located above.
Assume you would like to retain this customer’s business. Do you think
that message will help you achieve the result? If so, why? If not, how
would you recommend changing it?
Mmichaels@renthroproducts.com
Vacation Request
Paul O’Brien
Manager, Accounts Payable
Renthro Products
www.renthroproducts.com
Pobrien@renthroproducts.com
800.555.1660, Ext. 812
Marla:
I received your recent request to change your vacation week from the first week of
June to the first week of July. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible this year because
of the end-of-year reports due by July 3. Also, as I am sure you are aware, company
policy clearly states that vacations cannot be taken adjacent to scheduled holidays.
Let me know if you’d like to select a different vacation week or keep your current
first week of June.
Regards,
Paul
email
Accompanies Exercise 7
r.murphy@smith-morrison.com
Reservation Issue
Dear Rena:
I am so sorry, but I did not record your May 1–2 reservation correctly. I mixed up the
times and have your group scheduled to arrive at 6 PM on Friday, May 1, and
leaving by 1 PM on Saturday. Unfortunately, we have already booked other events
for Friday and Saturday afternoons. I’m sorry that we have to cut your seminar so
short and hope that you won’t cancel your event. To make up for the inconvenience,
I can provide a 20 percent discount on your room rates. Please let me know when a
good time to call might be so we can better discuss your options.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
email
Accompanies Exercise 8
SQ3
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city. Paolo Miguel, one of your current interns, emailed you to request
that you serve as the advisor next year for the university’s chapter of Fu-
ture Business Leaders of America. In his request, Paolo emphasized how
much the students can learn from you and how your management skills
can help ensure the organization’s future success. Given your workload
and other community service commitments, you don’t think you’ll have
enough time to devote to this student organization. How will you effec-
tively decline Paolo’s request? Compose an email response.
10 Denying customer claims
You are the shipping manager for a toy company that does most of
its sales through catalog and online ordering. However, you also sell
products to select retail stores across the country, including Toys R Us.
Martha Hagler of Delaware, Ohio, ordered a train set for her grandson’s
fifth birthday. The large set came in a unique tin container, which was
damaged during shipping. Martha emailed your company to complain
about the damage and request that a replacement be shipped to her
overnight. Her grandson’s birthday is in three days, and she wants an-
other train set before the party. However, because the tin containers are
made by another manufacturer and you are currently out of stock, you
cannot replace her order before the party. Reply to Ms. Hagler with the
bad news and an alternative solution.
11 Rejecting recommendations or proposals
You are the assistant principal at a large metropolitan high school. The
head of the business education department, Jacqueline DeMarta, has
complained for years that the computer labs need to be updated. This
morning, she emailed a proposal to purchase 30 new laptop computers
that convert into tablets and could be used in several classrooms to sup-
port teaching and learning. The convertible laptops she wants are $1,000
each. You do not have the funds in the budget to cover her request, and
you are concerned that the laptops would be easier to steal than standard
desktop computers. Your school has experienced several break-ins in the
last year, and you do not want to provide additional targets for future
robberies. Rather than completely deny her request, email Ms. DeMarta
with an alternative solution. Research desktop computers priced at $750
or less that would be applicable for a high school computer lab. Using
what you have learned, compose a response to Ms. DeMarta.
12 Acknowledging mistakes or problems
Use a review site, such as TripAdvisor, Yelp, or OpenTable, to find a
negative customer review that includes a response from the business.
Identify how the response uses the advice in this chapter, or how it
could be revised to provide a more effective response. Copy both the
review and the response, and submit them with your evaluation of
the response. Your instructor also may ask you to provide a revised
response.
13 Communicating performance problems
Part of your job as the assistant manager of a large department store is
to evaluate trainees as they transition from probationary status to regu-
lar full-time employees. Most of the time, you are able to begin your
face-to-face conversations with positive feedback before subordinating
any constructive criticism. However, today you have to tell Phillip that
if he wants to continue to work for the store, he will remain on proba-
tionary status for two more weeks. He has not yet demonstrated that
he can process returns on his own, and he struggles with the computer
when processing any transaction. In fact, none of his supervisors could
provide any positive feedback. How would you begin your face-to-face
conversation with Phillip?
14 Communicating negative change
You work for Plimpton Financial Services, a company that offers an
extremely generous tuition plan for employees. The company pays 100
percent of college tuition for the children of all employees who have
worked at the company for more than five years. This benefit can be
worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for employees with multiple
children. The CEO of Plimpton explains why the company has been so
generous: “If we can take away the worry of paying for college, employees
will concentrate more and be more productive. We value our employees,
and this is a great way to keep them.”
Because of difficulties in the financial market, Plimpton has de-
cided to phase out this benefit over a period of five years. This news
will disappoint and anger many people who have been staying at the
company in order to receive the benefit.
Your job is to plan the announcement. Use the ACE process to
analyze the audience and compose a message. Because you do not have
an actual audience available, imagine yourself as an employee of Plimp-
ton, who has three children to put through college.
15 Apologizing for a mistake [Related to the Ethics feature
on page 203]
Bridgett Sherwood is the owner of Sherwood Florist, a local flower
shop that specializes in customized arrangements. Last Saturday,
Bridgett had floral orders for two large events: a fundraising dinner
at Beaumont Community College’s alumni center, and a wedding and
reception at a nearby church and banquet hall. The college ordered
20 centerpieces to match the school’s colors (purple and yellow) and
integrate their mascot (the pirates). The wedding order also includes
20 purple and yellow centerpieces but without the pirate theme. Dur-
ing delivery, the centerpieces for each event are mistakenly reversed.
The college doesn’t notice the missing pirates from its purple-and-
yellow arrangements, but the bride’s mother, Clarice Branson, is very
upset. No one associated with the wedding noticed the pirates in the
centerpieces until after the guests had arrived at the reception and
Bridgett had left the flower shop. Monday morning, Clarice Branson
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calls Bridgett indicating that she will quickly spread the word about
Sherwood Florist’s ineptness. Bridgett apologizes for the error and
significantly discounts the order. Compose an apology letter to ac-
company the revised bill that will be mailed to Mrs. Branson. Use the
guidelines outlined in the Ethics feature in this chapter to organize
the content of the message. Submit the letter to your instructor for
evaluation.
16 Cancelling a keynote speaker
Your company has invited one of its biggest clients, Vince Embry, to be
a keynote speaker at a company retreat. Vince has cancelled other en-
gagements and arranged his calendar to accommodate your schedule.
Vince also purchased an airline ticket at his own expense and has be-
gun writing his speech. However, you’ve just learned that the company
must cancel the retreat due to budget cuts. Create a message to Vince
communicating the bad news that the retreat is cancelled so he will not
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summarizing her income and expenses. Together you determine a bud-
get and compare it to actual data to help make important decisions
such as ordering merchandise and providing raises.
After two years of continual losses in sales, you believe Patricia
must reduce her payroll. She has consistently refused to consider this
suggestion in the past, stating that her employees are like family, and
she cannot reduce their wages or fire anyone. She’d rather go out of
business. At this point, the data are telling you that she will have to
close her doors if she does not reduce payroll. Five people are on the
payroll, averaging $35,000 a year each. Sales continue to decline, as de-
scribed in the table above. Inventory costs her 40 percent of the sales
price. To help her understand the situation, write a message giving her
the bad news. If possible, support it with a graph that visually repre-
sents the data.
20 Giving bad news to a job applicant
You are the hiring manager for a mid-sized company. You have nar-
rowed the applicants for a managerial position to two: (1) a 22-year-old
college graduate who interned at a different division of your com-
pany two summers ago but has no additional industry experience and
(2) a 48-year-old MBA with over 20 years of experience related to your
industry. Although the older candidate is better qualified, your bud-
get restrictions will not allow you to meet the older candidate’s salary
requirements. Whom do you hire? Indicate the medium you would
choose and draft a bad-news message to one of the applicants.
have the opportunity to speak. Consider what you can offer that will
make up for his inconvenience and expense.
17 Responding to a customer’s complaint
You are a manager at Home Goods, which sells a wide variety of bath,
kitchen, and other household items. Several months ago, you offered a
special sale on a specific FreshAir humidifier, Model 2850. A customer
who purchased one of these humidifiers returned to your store last
week to purchase more filters for the humidifier. However, your store
no longer carries the FreshAir brand. Although the store offers sev-
eral replacement filters for other brands, you do not carry the specific
model the customer requires. He wrote a letter to “The Manager” com-
plaining about the problem and indicating that he plans to tell every-
one he knows not to bother buying products from your store because
you don’t stock the items needed to maintain them. Although you don’t
have the filters in your store, you can special order them. How do you
respond to the letter? What medium would you use? Draft a message.
18 Responding to a customer request
Assume you manage a catering business. Two weeks ago, you met with
Ellyn Jones to discuss the details of catering a reception for her parents’
50th wedding anniversary. The party is in another week. She indicated
that her maximum catering budget for the party is $2,500, and she
signed a contract that outlined a price of $25 per person for up to 100
guests. The contract provided for several “finger-food” stations, includ-
ing a sushi bar, crudités, hot hors d’oeuvres, and a large cake in addition
to punch, tea, and coffee. You special order the sushi from an out-of-
town supplier to be shipped fresh just in time for the event. The rest of
the items are available locally and can be prepared a day in advance.
Today, Ellyn emails you with some bad news. Her mother decided most
of the relatives won’t like sushi and would like to replace that station
with a chocolate fountain. Additionally, she would like to increase the
head count to 120. Your heart sinks when you read the message. With
these changes you will no longer be able to keep the price within Ellyn’s
budget. Not only will you have to pay a $200 cancellation fee if you
cancel the sushi order, but renting the chocolate fountain and buying
the chocolate, dipping foods, and skewers will cost $300 more than the
sushi it is replacing. In addition, accommodating 20 additional guests
will cost $500. These changes bring the cost of catering to $1,000 over
Ellyn’s budget. How do you respond? Decide what your message will
be, which medium you will use, and how you will organize the mes-
sage. Compose a draft.
19 Giving bad news to your manager
You are a part-time accountant for a small, local retail company. You
provide Patricia Zho, the owner of the company, with quarterly reports
Quarter Sales
20XX–Q1 $510,000
20XX–Q2 $480,000
20XX–Q3 $452,000
20XX–Q4 $412,000
20XY–Q1 $389,000
20XY–Q2 $381,000
20XY–Q3 $325,000
20XY–Q4 $315,000
Accompanies Exercise 19
21 Preparing to communicate bad news in other countries
[Related to the Culture feature on page 194]
Your team is organizing a training seminar for new managers who
will be working closely with clients in the four largest markets in your
industry: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. You know that business-
people in these countries have differing expectations about how bad
news should be communicated. Some online research might help. You
may want to start with websites like www.globalbusinessperspectives
.com, www.cyborlink.com, and www.executiveplanet.com. Assign one
country to each of the four members in your team. Each team member
should write a paragraph summarizing best practices for communicat-
ing bad news. Then collaborate on a one-page message that provides
information new managers would find useful when communicating
bad news to clients from each of these countries. Be sure your message
includes an introduction and conclusion.
22 Preparing to communicate change
Assume the dean of academic affairs at your school is considering
adding a one-credit senior seminar as a requirement for graduation.
Although the seminar will provide soon-to-be graduates with benefi-
cial information, such as interviewing skills and résumé writing, most
students perceive the additional requirement as bad news. To help the
dean “sell” the bad news to the student body, your group has been asked
to collect student responses that the administration can address. Each
Collaboration Exercises
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23 Using social media to communicate change
Refer to Exercise 22. Assume the dean of academic affairs has asked
you to help disseminate the information about the new senior semi-
nar requirement. Although the news will be emailed to the campus
community, the dean knows that some students do not read university
emails, especially lengthy emails that explain new policies. You have
been asked to identify social media options for explaining the seminar,
including Twitter and blog posts that come out before the announce-
ment, to help promote a positive perspective. Outline your strategy to
use social media to effectively communicate the senior seminar re-
quirement to the student body, including sample content.
24 Apologies in social media [Related to the Ethics feature
on page 203]
Find an example of a company that posted an apology about a problem
on its website as well as on at least one social media outlet, such as
Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube. Compare the apologies in these differ-
ent social media outlets. Identify the timing of the problem and when
the apology was posted to each medium. For each message, determine
how (or if ) the company acknowledged the mistake, expressed sym-
pathy and concern, explained how the mistake occurred, and showed
how it will prevent the problem from reoccurring. If the company did
not do these things, suggest how the company could have improved its
communication. Summarize your findings in a one-page message to
your instructor, or be prepared to present your findings in class.
Social Media Exercises
member of your group is assigned to collect input from 10 students
across campus (be sure to tell them this is a hypothetical scenario). Do
they think the senior seminar requirement is a good idea? If not, why
not? Meet as a group to combine all members’ data and summarize
your findings to provide the dean with an audience analysis. Provide
suggestions about how the dean can best create a message that ad-
dresses the concerns of those students who will consider the change
to be bad news.
25 Making informal/impromptu presentations
Plan a brief (less than one minute) response for the following scenarios:
a. Your brother gave you two tickets to the final game of the bas-
ketball championship series because he will be out of town and
cannot use his tickets. You plan to go to the game, and you offer
the extra ticket to a friend—a real basketball fan who has done a
number of favors for you. The day before the game, your brother
calls, says his travel plans have changed, and he wants to go to the
game with you. How will you tell your friend you can no longer
take him to the game?
b. You have promised to send 10 bound copies of a document to
your client by overnight express delivery. He needs to distribute
these documents to his board of directors at a meeting the next
afternoon. You package the reports, bring them to the express de-
livery company, fill out the address form, and pay for early morn-
ing delivery. Later that night, however, you realize that you made
a mistake when filling out the address form. You included the
wrong zip code, so the package is on its way to Iowa instead of
Michigan. How will you tell your client that the package will not
be delivered on time?
26 Executive briefing [Related to the Culture feature on
page 194]
You are working with an international team of research and design
specialists that includes engineers from subsidiary offices in several
countries. Last week, you tried to tell Bhavna Asnani from the Mum-
bai office that there was a serious problem with her report. Although
Bhavna speaks fluent English, you had difficulty ensuring that she un-
derstood the problem. She kept changing the subject. Then she merely
agreed with your comments rather than questioning the process or de-
termining a solution to the problem. This morning you share the sce-
nario with your supervisor, who explains how Indian cultures react to
and communicate bad news. Now the conversation makes more sense
to you, and you wish you had not been so direct with the bad news.
To ensure you don’t make the same mistake, you decide to begin to
research how to communicate effectively with international audiences.
Use sources such as CyborLink.com and MannersInternational.com
and summarize your findings in a five-minute presentation including
at least one visual aid.
Speaking Exercises
27 Common sentence errors: Run-on (fused) sentences
and comma splices (see Appendix C: Grammar,
Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 1.3.2)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 run-on or fused
sentences and comma splices (see Section 1.3.2). Underline all your
corrections.
One business etiquette consultant believes that good telephone
manners begin in childhood, children should be taught how to
answer the phone courteously and take messages. Diane Eaves
says, “I work with a lot of people who are technically ready for
work however, they apparently missed a lot of the teaching of
manners.” For instance, asking who is calling can be taught in
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expect listeners to recognize their voice. That may be OK if you
speak frequently with the caller on the other hand it’s mystifying
when a voice you don’t recognize launches right into a subject.
It is the caller’s responsibility to identify himself or herself, if he
or she doesn’t you can politely say, “Excuse me, I didn’t catch
your name.”
childhood then it will be a habit. Parents know how annoying it
is to have a child report that “somebody called and wants you to
call back” Sonny doesn’t remember who it was and didn’t write
down the number. Thank goodness for caller ID it can be a big
help, nevertheless, children should be taught to ask for and write
down names and numbers. It’s surprising how many people
don’t identify themselves when they make business calls, they
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the follow-
ing Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 Why are face-to-face conversations usually the best medium choice for communi-
cating bad news?
2 Some people might consider positive language as “sugar coating” bad news and
being insincere. What are the benefits of using positive language when communi-
cating bad-news messages?
1. DeKay, S. H. (2012). Where is the research on negative mes-
sages? Business Communication Quarterly, 75(2), 173–175.
2. Creelman, V. (2012). The case for “living” models. Business
Communication Quarterly, 75(2), 176–191.
3. Jansen, F., & Janssen, D. (2010). Effects of positive politeness
strategies in business letters. Journal of Pragmatics, 42(9),
2531–2548.
4. Bies, R. J. (2014, March 20). 10 tips for delivering bad
news. CNBC.com. Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/
id/101512079
5. Donnelly, T. (2011, January 14). How to deliver bad news
to employees. Inc. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/
guides/201101/how-to-deliver-bad-news-to-employees.html
6. Bellware, K. (2014, February 4). Sub shop workers offered
jobs back after being fired via email. Huffington Post.com.
Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/04/
snarfs-settlement_n_4719806.html
7. Graham, M. (2013, December 23). The Snarf ’s at 600 W.
Chicago just laid off all its employees via email. Voices: Home
of the Sun-Times Blogs. Retrieved from http://voices.suntimes
.com/business-2/grid/snarfs-600-w-chicago-laid-employees-
email/#.U4pAGfldXh6
8. McNary, R. (2013, December). 7 reasons why fir-
ing someone by email will never make you look good, I
guarantee it. Retrieved from http://rickmcnary.me/7-reasons-
why-firing-someone-by-email-will-never-make-you-look-good-i-
guarantee-it
9. Weber, L. (2013, July 18). Text from the boss: U R fired. The
Wall Street Journal.com. Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/
atwork/2013/07/18/text-from-the-boss-u-r-fired/
10. Zuber, J. (2012, June 11). Is it legal? Getting fired via text mes-
sage. KFox14 News. Retrieved from http://www.kfoxtv.com/
news/news/it-legal-getting-fired-text-message/nPQ7k/
11. Engel, P. (2013, March 24). Here’s the text message Malay-
sia Airlines sent to the families of the lost passengers. Busi-
ness Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/
malaysia-airlines-text-message-to-families-2014-3
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12. Sussman, S., & Sproull, L. (1999). Straight talk: Delivering bad
news through electronic communication. Information Systems
Research, 10(2), 150–166.
13. Stratton. (2013, September 5). How to deliver bad news to
employees. NFIB.com. Retrieved from http://www.nfib.com/
article/how-to-deliver-bad-news-to-employees-48060/
14. The Flip Side. (2012, January 31). Public relations and social
media: How to convey bad news to customers. Retrieved from
http://www.theflipsidecommunications.com/2012/01/public-
relations-and-social-media-how-to-convey-bad-news-to-
customers/
15. Veltsos, J. R. (2012). An analysis of data breach notifications
as negative news. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(2),
192–207.
16. French, S. L., & Holden, Q. (2012). Positive organizational be-
havior: A buffer for bad news. Business Communication Quar-
terly, 75(2), 208–220.
17. Creelman, V. (2012). The case for “living” models. Business
Communication Quarterly, 75(2), 176–191.
18. Halperin, J. (2012, February 13). Presentation tip: Commu-
nicating bad news. Forbes.com. Retrieved from http://www
.forbes.com/sites/propointgraphics/2012/02/13/presentation-
tip-communicating-bad-news/
19. United Airlines. (2006). Announcing new benefits and changes
to your Mileage Plus program. Retrieved from http://www
.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51635,00.html?jumpLink=%
2Fawardchanges
20. Storti, C. (2007). Speaking of India: Bridging the communication
gap when working with Indians. Boston, MA: Intercultural Press.
21. Buttle, F. A. (2011). Word of mouth: Understanding and man-
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22. Hocutt, M. A., Bowers, M. R., & Donavan, D. T. (2006). The art
of service recovery: Fact or fiction? Journal of Services Market-
ing, 20(3), 199–207.
23. Yahalom, T. (2010, April 28). Inc. Retrieved from http://www
.inc.com/guides/2010/04/handling-customer-complaints.html
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http://www.cnbc.com/id/101512079
http://www.inc.com/guides/201101/how-to-deliver-bad-news-to-employees.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/04/snarfs-settlement_n_4719806.html
http://voices.suntimes.com/business-2/grid/snarfs-600-w-chicago-laid-employeesemail/#.U4pAGfldXh6
7 Reasons Why Firing Someone By Email Will Never Make You Look Good, I Guarantee It
7 Reasons Why Firing Someone By Email Will Never Make You Look Good, I Guarantee It
7 Reasons Why Firing Someone By Email Will Never Make You Look Good, I Guarantee It
http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2013/07/18/text-from-the-boss-u-r-fired/
http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/news/it-legal-getting-fired-text-message/nPQ7k/
http://www.businessinsider.com/malaysia-airlines-text-message-to-families-2014-3
http://www.theflipsidecommunications.com/2012/01/public-relations-and-social-media-how-to-convey-bad-news-to-customers/15
http://www.theflipsidecommunications.com/2012/01/public-relations-and-social-media-how-to-convey-bad-news-to-customers/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/propointgraphics/2012/02/13/presentationtip-communicating-bad-news/
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51635,00.html?jumpLink=%2Fawardchanges
http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/handling-customer-complaints.html
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101512079
http://www.inc.com/guides/201101/how-to-deliver-bad-news-to-employees.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/04/snarfs-settlement_n_4719806.html
http://voices.suntimes.com/business-2/grid/snarfs-600-w-chicago-laid-employeesemail/#.U4pAGfldXh6
http://voices.suntimes.com/business-2/grid/snarfs-600-w-chicago-laid-employeesemail/#.U4pAGfldXh6
http://www.forbes.com/sites/propointgraphics/2012/02/13/presentationtip-communicating-bad-news/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/propointgraphics/2012/02/13/presentationtip-communicating-bad-news/
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51635,00.html?jumpLink=%2Fawardchanges
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51635,00.html?jumpLink=%2Fawardchanges
http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/handling-customer-complaints.html
http://www.theflipsidecommunications.com/2012/01/public-relations-and-social-media-how-to-convey-bad-news-to-customers/
http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/news/it-legal-getting-fired-text-message/nPQ7k/
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24. Beard, R. (2014, May 5). 9 customer retention strategies for
companies. Retrieved from http://blog.clientheartbeat.com/
customer-retention-strategies/
25. Langley, M. (2012, May 18). Inside J. P. Morgan’s blunder. The
Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/arti-
cle/SB10001424052702303448404577410341236847980.html
26. Clarke, D., & Henry, D. (2012, June 10). Mr. Dimon goes to
Washington. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters
.com/article/2012/06/10/us-jpmorgan-loss-senate-idUSBRE
85908J20120610
27. J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. (2012, May 10). Investor presen-
tations. Retrieved from http://investor.shareholder.com/
jpmorganchase/presentations.cfm
28. J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. (2012, May 10). Business update.
Retrieved from http://i.mktw.net/_newsimages/pdf/jpm-
conference-call
29. Patel, A., & Reinsch, L. (2003). Companies can apologize: Cor-
porate apologies and legal liability. Business Communication
Quarterly, 11(1), 9–25.
30. Agnes, M. (2012, May 31). When should a brand apologize?
PR Daily.com. Retrieved from http://www.prdaily.com/Main/
Articles/When_should_a_brand_apologize_11782.aspx
31. Lanham, K. (2014, February 10). To apologize or not to apol-
ogize during a crisis—That is the question: 4 reasons why a
company should. Bulldog Reporter.com. Retrieved from
http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/thought-
leaders/to-apologize-or-not-to-apologize-during-a-crisis-
that-is-the-questi
32. Spiegel, L. S. (2014, February 28). Back to basics on corpo-
rate apologies. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://
dealb o ok.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/back-to-basics-on-
corporate-apologies/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
33. Gorgone, K. O. (2013, August 1). “Sorry” indeed: Why most
company apologies suck. Social Media Explorer. Retrieved from
http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/media-journalism/
business-law-apology/
34. Hutcheson, R. (2013, January 4). No regrets: How to de-
liver a good corporate apology. PR Week. Retrieved from
http://www.prweek.com/article/no-regrets-deliver-good-
corporate-apology/1277100
35. Neelman, D. (2007). David Neelman’s flight log. Retrieved
from http://www.jetblue.com/about/ourcompany/flightlog/
archive_february2007.html
36. Tabushi, H. (2014, May 25). No time to text? Say it with stick-
ers. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes
.com/2014/05/26/technology/no-time-to-text-apps-turn-to-
stickers.html?_r=0
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http://online.wsj.com/arti-cle/SB10001424052702303448404577410341236847980.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/10/us-jpmorgan-loss-senate-idUSBRE85908J20120610
http://investor.shareholder.com/jpmorganchase/presentations.cfm
http://i.mktw.net/_newsimages/pdf/jpm-conference-call
http://i.mktw.net/_newsimages/pdf/jpm-conference-call
http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/When_should_a_brand_apologize_11782.aspx
http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/thought-leaders/to-apologize-or-not-to-apologize-during-a-crisis-that-is-the-questi
http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/thought-leaders/to-apologize-or-not-to-apologize-during-a-crisis-that-is-the-questi
http://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/thought-leaders/to-apologize-or-not-to-apologize-during-a-crisis-that-is-the-questi
http://www.prweek.com/article/no-regrets-deliver-good-corporate-apology/1277100
http://www.prweek.com/article/no-regrets-deliver-good-corporate-apology/1277100
http://www.jetblue.com/about/ourcompany/flightlog/archive_february2007.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/26/technology/no-time-to-text-apps-turn-tostickers.html?_r=0
http://blog.clientheartbeat.com/customer-retention-strategies/
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/10/us-jpmorgan-loss-senate-idUSBRE85908J20120610
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/10/us-jpmorgan-loss-senate-idUSBRE85908J20120610
http://investor.shareholder.com/jpmorganchase/presentations.cfm
http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/When_should_a_brand_apologize_11782.aspx
http://www.jetblue.com/about/ourcompany/flightlog/archive_february2007.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/26/technology/no-time-to-text-apps-turn-tostickers.html?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/26/technology/no-time-to-text-apps-turn-tostickers.html?_r=0
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7
Using Social
Media in
Business
R
aw
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e
l/S
h
u
tt
e
rs
to
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A business shouldn’t try to get “likes” on Facebook for the sole pur-
pose of getting “likes.” Companies should know how and why using
social media can support the organization’s or project’s overall objec-
tives. When we develop social strategies for our brands such as MTV,
Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon, it’s important to identify our objec-
tives, whether they are to drive TV ratings, social buzz, fan engage-
ment, or website views. One of the benefits of social media is that it
allows you to test your messages, analyze results, and optimize and
tweak your messaging based on the insights you receive.
Megan Sugrue
Northwestern University
Social Media Coordinator @ Viacom International Media
Networks
New Hires @ Work
219
How can businesses plan, implement,
and evaluate a social media strategy?
pages 220–225
Analyze goals, audience, and social media
options to develop a social media strategy
Compose effective social media content for each
platform
Evaluate the success of your social media efforts
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ3 How can businesses use social
media to accomplish specific
communication goals? pages 232–242
Use social media to build goodwill
Use social media to persuade
Control the spread of bad news through
social media
SQ2 What are good practices for
composing and publishing social
media content? pages 225–231
Facebook: Post strategically
Twitter: Be short and focused
Pinterest: Engage with visual content
Blogs: Offer insights, advice, and information
SQ4 How can you, as an employee, use
social media responsibly? pages 242–243
Follow guidelines to avoid damage to your
and your company’s reputations
MyBCommLab®
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improved their results using
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Chapter 7 | Introduction
In the past, a business would typically advertise on televi-
sion or in newspapers and magazines to let consumers
know about a new product, service, or sale. Today, social
media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and
blogs create new opportunities for businesses to engage
existing and potential customers. For customers, social
media has also created new opportunities to endorse a
business—or criticize it.
Businesses use social media more strategically than
individuals do and have invested significant resources in
researching how to use social media to communicate ef-
fectively with customers. Do not assume that your per-
sonal experience with Facebook or Instagram has taught
you all you need to know. To contribute to your com-
pany’s social media efforts, you will need to be strategic
about how, what, and when you communicate.
Being strategic means making a plan: identifying
what you want your social media presence to accomplish,
which types of social media are best suited for those goals,
and how to get the most value from the platforms you
choose. As a report by the Harvard Business Review indi-
cates, the most effective social media strategies thought-
fully match tools with goals. For example, the report
describes how a large U.S.-based construction company
uses a four-tiered social media strategy to communicate
messages with different goals: (1) Twitter to communi-
cate news to the media, (2) LinkedIn to share content that
customers will value, (3) Facebook to publicize social re-
sponsibility efforts, and (4) a blog to hold conversations
with customers.1 The most successful strategies also in-
corporate regular evaluation, using feedback to identify
what works (and what doesn’t) so costs can be justified
and improvements can be made.
Being strategic also means using social media to
achieve common business communication objectives,
including building goodwill, persuading customers, and
controlling bad news. This chapter provides guidelines
about how to develop a strategy and use different social
media tools effectively to help your business keep pace
with a rapidly evolving marketplace.
SQ1 How can businesses plan, implement, and evaluate a social
media strategy?
Social media offers a suite of powerful tools for helping you engage new customers and main-
tain and strengthen your connections with existing ones. But it’s important to use these tools
strategically. Communicating through social media requires an investment of money and re-
sources, and businesses want to ensure that they get a return on their investment. This section
provides a framework based on the ACE model for developing, implementing, and evaluating
a social media strategy for business. That framework is illustrated in Figure 7.1.
Analyze goals, audience, and social media options
to develop a social media strategy
According to the eBizMBA Rankings, the top five social media sites are Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+.2 However, no business should automatically create accounts
220
Analyze
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How can businesses plan, implement, and evaluate a social media strategy? 221
on all these sites and simply start communicating. To be effective, you need to know what
platforms your target audience uses and what those audiences are looking for on social media.
Figure 7.2 on page 222 outlines a set of questions that will help you and your organization de-
velop a social media strategy.
Compose effective social media content for each platform
Different types of social media have different capacities, and the most effective messages will
take advantage of those differences. For example, Figure 7.3 on page 223 shows the different
ways that the American Red Cross communicates across three different types of social media:
a Twitter feed, a Facebook page, and a blog.
No matter what social media platform you use, you have the opportunity to go beyond the
printed word and use interactive, dynamic features that engage the audience. These features
include links to other sources for additional information, short videos, and photos.
Once you’ve chosen your platforms and your messaging strategy, develop a weekly sched-
ule for social media updates. Figure 7.4 on page 224 illustrates the schedule developed by a
small, independent bookstore.
Evaluate the success of your social media efforts
Developing and implementing a social media strategy requires a business to invest a sig-
nificant amount of time and, often, money. How will you measure the success of your
investment in social media? The more quantifiable your metrics are, the more easily you
will be able to determine whether your communication is a success and how to make it
even better.
As you plan a method for evaluating your social media efforts, refer to the goals you set in
your analysis. Use Figure 7.5 on page 225 to evaluate your social media strategy based on your
specific goals.3,4
How can you gather this information? Social media and web-hosting companies offer
analytic tools that not only measure numbers, such as clicks and “likes,” but also help you
perform qualitative analyses such as “customer sentiment analysis.”5 Qualitative analysis helps
you gauge if, where, and to what extent people are talking positively or negatively about your
business or product online. To gather more information, you can supplement this data with
customer surveys. Experts recommend collecting monthly statistics and conducting regular
evaluations to monitor and adjust your strategy.6
FIGURE 7.1 Using ACE for Social Media
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
Analyze goals, audience, and social media
options to develop a social media strategy.
Evaluate the success
of your social media
efforts.
Compose effective social
media content to implement
the strategy.
Compose
Evaluate
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FIGURE 7.2 How to Create a Social Media Strategy
To create a social media strategy, consider each of the elements on the left and answer the questions on the right.
ELEMENTS STRATEGY QUESTIONS
Goals Why is your company communicating by social media? Which of these goals are you aiming to achieve? (You
may want to achieve more than one.)
• Assert brand leadership?
• Attract new customers?
• Motivate people to talk about your business?
• Persuade people to view your website?
• Create interest in and demand for your products?
• Build a sense of community around your business so that people return to your site for more information?
Audience
(followers)
Who are you trying to reach?
Why will they want to interact online with your business?
Where and how do they access the web? Through laptops? Mobile devices? Their computers at work?
How do they access content? Through following companies on Facebook? Through RSS (really simple
syndication or rich site summary)?
Social media
platforms
What social media platforms should you use to reach these audiences?
What goals do you intend to accomplish through each platform?
Which audience do you intend to reach with each platform?
How can you make your social media content easy for your audience to find?
How can you create connections among your social media platforms? For example, will your tweets link to blogs
and websites?
Timeline for
content
How often should you post on social media?
On what days of the week and at what times of the day should you post new content?
Content What kind of content best supports your goals?
What kind of content will your audience consider valuable?
Contributors Who is responsible for posting content?
Will all the content be “corporate,” or will employees have access to participate in the company’s posts?
If employees post, should the company have guidelines about the differences between personal and
professional communication?
How much will your customers be allowed to contribute, whether via Facebook wall posts, Twitter replies and
retweets, comments on blog posts, or other forms of interactivity?
Monitoring,
reporting, and
responding
Who will be responsible for reading posts and replying on behalf of your company?
Who will track and report the amount of social media interaction?
RSS (really simple syndication or
rich site summary) A format for deliv-
ering frequently changing web content to
subscribers; referred to as an RSS feed or
news aggregator.
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FIGURE 7.3 How to Compose Messages for Different Platforms (Tweet, Facebook, and blog post examples
courtesy of the American Red Cross)
Tweets
Facebook
Blog
Use Twitter to get interesting information and news to
your followers. Compose tweets that are no more than 100
characters to leave room for your followers to reply and
quote you while remaining in the 140 character limit. As
part of those 140 characters, include links to more specific
information.
Use blogs for ideas that require more development, and
pay careful attention to design. To make posts and other
web texts visually appealing and easy to read, use images,
short paragraphs, white space, informative headings and
subheadings, lists, and bold text.
Use Facebook for longer messages,
but keep posts relatively short
(between 100–250 characters) to
increase engagement.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 7.3’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
How can businesses plan, implement, and evaluate a social media strategy? 223
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FIGURE 7.4 Example of a Social Media Schedule
TWITTER FACEBOOK BLOG
3/11
Monday
10:00 am
Announce a new book
12:00 pm
Tweet a link to a book trailer video
5:00 pm
Announce a special one-night only sale
12:00 pm
Post a short article with interesting
information about an author
5:00 pm
Spotlight 1–2 new books
3/12
Tuesday
10:00 am
Tweet a tip from a new “how-to” book
1:00 pm
Link to blog post
5:00 pm
Announce a book signing
12:00 pm: Link to the guest blog
5:00 pm
Post a picture of a book an employee
recommends, with a brief description
11:00 am
Post guest blog with book
review from a customer
3/13
Wednesday
10:00 am
Retweet a book-related tweet
12:00 pm
Link to a published book review
5:00 pm
Link to a coupon for free coffee
12:00 pm
Post a picture of readers in the store
5:00 pm
Ask fans to vote for their favorite
book in a popular book series
3/14
Thursday
11:00 am
Link to today’s blog
1:00 pm
Announce Saturday children’s story hour
5:00 pm
Tweet link to a YouTube video of a favorite
author
12:00 pm
Link to today’s blog
5:00 pm
Post article about books that will be
read during children’s story hour
12:00 pm
Post blog by owner of
bookstore recommending
his favorite book of the
year
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 7.4’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
CULTURE
THE EFFECT OF CULTURE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND E-COMMERCE
Most businesses use social media to attract customers, maintain
customer relationships, and build trust for their brand. They also
use social media as a starting place for e-commerce.
However, global culture and politics impact how social media
serves business purposes. Consider these examples from around
the world:
• Europe. A survey from the European Commission found
that “Only 18% of EU Internet users buy online in another
language frequently or all the time, and 42% said they
never buy online in a language other than their own.”9 This
finding suggests that U.S. businesses that want to attract
European customers would benefit from providing sites in
multiple languages.
• South America and Africa. Research suggests that indivi-
dualistic cultures (which are prevalent in developed econo-
mies such as the United States) are more likely to trust
e-commerce because purchases are backed by mechanisms
based on individualistic cultural norms: guarantees, laws and
policies, and security measures. By contrast, these mecha-
nisms are less relevant in collectivist cultures such as those
in South America and Africa, which rely more on a sense of
community and social position for trust.10
• Asia. Although China does not allow Facebook, Twitter, and
YouTube; China has the most active social media environ-
ment in the world, and social media plays a significant role
in consumers’ purchasing decisions. For example, research
has found that purchasers rely on recommendations from
opinion leaders in their social networks. Purchasers are also
influenced by social media that is entertaining. The cosmetic
company Clinique achieved great success by producing a
40-episode social media drama series called Sufei’s Diary that
displayed Clinique products but that viewers perceived as en-
tertainment. Clinique’s brand awareness rose dramatically.11
For a CULTURE exercise, go to Critical Thinking Question 5
on page 248.
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FIGURE 7.5 How to Evaluate Your Social Media Strategy
Use the following sets of questions to evaluate your social media strategy based on your
specific goal or goals.
GOAL #1
Increase conversation about your business or product
a. How many followers do you have on Facebook or Twitter, or how many people
subscribe to your blog?
b. At what rate are you adding (or losing) new followers or subscribers?
c. How many other websites link to your blogs?
d. How many other bloggers mention your blog?
e. On which platforms are your key customers talking most about your business or
product?
f. What percentage of your content do your followers share with others?
g. What subjects or keywords have been most successful in generating online
conversation?
GOAL #2
Attract new customers
a. What percentage or amount of new traffic has your social media presence driven to
your website?
b. What percentage or number of followers have become customers?
c. How many people have visited your physical or online stores based on social media
reviews or promotions?
GOAL #3
Build community and manage your business’s reputation
a. How many positive comments or recommendations have customers made about your
business online?
b. How many complaints have been made online, what percentage was addressed, and
how quickly were they addressed?
c. What types of messages have been most successful in encouraging engagement,
measured in “likes,” “retweets,” or time spent on a blog page?
What are good practices for composing and publishing social media content? 225
SQ2 What are good practices for composing and publishing
social media content?
Social media content refers to any text, image, audio, or video published through a social media
platform, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or a blog.7
In business, social media content is most effective when it engages your audience, gives
them something of value, makes them trust your company, persuades them to share informa-
tion with others, and motivates them to return to your site. When social media content is used
for marketing, its main goal is to inspire browsers to become customers.
What makes social media content effective? How do you get people to want to read what
you have to say? Social media experts have identified five key characteristics that all effective
social media content shares. They also provide advice about how to implement these charac-
teristics on specific social media platforms.
Social media content is most effective when it is:
• Casual and conversational. Social media content is often less formal than a typical busi-
ness message. In fact, tweets and Facebook posts work best when they are casual and con-
versational. Before posting content, read it aloud to be sure it does not sound too formal
or stilted.8
• Valuable. Focus on topics that are related to your business—and that your audience will find
interesting and useful. Avoid blatant self-promotion or content that is designed only to sell
your company’s products and services. For example, in response to customer requests, the
employment services company Manpower publishes a blog on employment law.12 Fiskars, a
company well known for its scissors and other cutting tools, hosts a popular blog that focuses
Compose
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on scrapbooking and other crafts. Most of the content on the blog is generated by users who
share information about tools and techniques for crafting.13
• Original. Audiences appreciate a new point of view, new insights on a topic, or new informa-
tion they can use. They do not want to read content they already know.
• Passionate. Before you can motivate your audience to care about your topic, you need to care
about it yourself. Consider the “social glue: the one thing you, your business, and your custom-
ers have in common,” and generate posts and tweets based on that concept.14 Show why you
are passionate about your topic, and invite others with similar passion to contribute to the
conversation.
• Interactive. Give your audience something to do or a reason to respond. Ask a question, pro-
vide an offer, or encourage readers to share their stories, ideas, and content.15
When composing social media content, your goal is to create a valuable and engaging social
experience that persuades people to return. The following sections outline strategies for creat-
ing conversational, valuable, original, passionate, and interactive content for four of the most
common social media outlets used to communicate to customers and potential customers—
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and blogs.
Facebook: Post strategically
Surprisingly, very few “fans” actually see the Facebook posts of the businesses that they fol-
low. In fact, one study indicates that fewer than 7.5 percent of fans see a particular post.16
Why is that?
One reason may be that your fans have not been visiting your Facebook page. Most fans
read the posts that appear in their own Facebook newsfeeds. If your posts do not appear near
the top of their newsfeeds, fans may never see them. Facebook uses a complex algorithm to
determine where posts will be positioned on newsfeeds.17 Although numerous factors deter-
mine whether your post appears on someone’s page, one key element is interactivity: The more
a visitor interacts with your Facebook page, the more noticeable your posted material will be
in that fan’s newsfeed.18
In other words, interactivity is the key to being seen on Facebook. The following advice
will help you compose posts that encourage audience interaction and responses—and lead to
wider visibility. As you implement these ideas, be sure to check to see if Facebook has updated
any of its features. New features will offer you new opportunities. Also, be sure to stay cur-
rent with Facebook’s privacy and sharing settings, to ensure that your posts are distributed as
widely as possible.
• Post daily, but not excessively. Clara Shih, author of The Facebook Era: Tapping Online Social
Networks to Market, Sell, and Innovate, suggests a minimum of one and a maximum of five
Facebook posts that are spaced throughout the day. In addition, Shih advises businesses to go
for a “soft sell,” referring to their own merchandise, for example, no more than once a day.19
• Take advantage of social media prime time. Many market research organizations have studied
the best time to post to Facebook. The answer is toward the end of the week. In a study of nearly
100 large retailers’ Facebook posts over six months, marketing researchers found that social me-
dia audiences were most active on Wednesdays and weekends as well as daily between 8 pm and
7 am.20,21 A different study found that the engagement rates are higher on Thursdays and Fridays.22
• Diversify content to keep things lively. Variety is the spice of life: Status messages, videos,
photos, breaking news, links, events, and responses to visitor posts are all effective in generat-
ing interaction.
• Be brief. When it comes to posts, the shorter the better. Facebook posts between 100 and 250
characters are 60 percent more likely than longer posts to receive positive interaction such as likes,
comments, and shares.23 Posts that consist of less than 40 characters receive the most responses.
The shortest posts, “Status-only posts,” generate interaction that is 94 percent above average.24
• Be visual. Visual content receives more attention than text. Photo albums, pictures, and videos
are often more engaging,25 whereas links draw the least amount of interaction.26
• Focus the audience’s attention. Facebook advises that businesses put the most important in-
formation within the first 90 characters of a post.27
• Reward your audience. Offer access to limited opportunities and exclusive deals, such as sales
or coupon codes that are available only online. Motivate users to interact with your business by
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offering the earliest access to events, deals, and rewards, such as discounts and free merchan-
dise to a randomly selected poster.28
• Value your audience: Solicit, listen, and respond. Create posts that ask your audience ques-
tions and/or seek feedback. Posts asking questions are likely to receive twice as many com-
ments as posts that do not request a response.29, 30 By asking questions and responding to
them in a timely fashion, you also show users that you value their input, making them feel like
respected contributors rather than faceless fans.
• Manage important posts to keep them in front of your audience. You can use three Face-
book tools to manage posts. First, you can “pin” highly significant posts to ensure they stay
near the top of your page for one week. Second, you can “star” posts to increase their font size,
making them bigger than the rest. And finally, you can “hide” outdated posts that are no longer
relevant. You can also pay to “boost” your page or turn it into an ad. All these techniques make
it more likely that your audience will see your page.31
Twitter: Be short and focused
In contrast to Facebook, which is a network of socially connected users, Twitter provides a
“selective feed” of content to interested users, giving you many quick opportunities to provide
valuable information and insights.32 Tweets are most effective when they are easy for your
audience to find and share. The following advice will help you write tweets that your audience
will want to read and retweet—resend to others.
• Help your audience find your business by choosing keywords strategically. Potential follow-
ers may look for your business on Twitter using keyword searches, so incorporate keywords
and phrases in your bio and tweets.33 Consider the number of keywords and phrases incorpo-
rated in Boston Harbor Cruises’ Twitter bio: “Whale watches. Thrill rides. Historic tours. Sunset,
lunch and brunch cruises. Provincetown Fast Ferry. Whatever your interest, set sail with us.” 34
Createasphere’s bio offers another good example of utilizing key search terms: “Createasphere:
A world where entertainment technology and creative vision converge.” 35
• Be a tweeter who is worth following. You must have “followers” for your tweets to be seen.
Twitter expert Shea Bennett argues that the worst way to gain followers is to ask people to fol-
low you. A better strategy is to write posts worth reading: Be useful, be consistent, be polite,
be positive, and be interesting.36 Another good technique is to follow the people you want to
follow you. Reach out to them and get involved in the conversation, making it “about them, not
you,” by tweeting, retweeting, and responding to their questions.37
• Keep it short to ensure the greatest exposure. Each tweet is limited to a maximum of
140 characters. However, experts recommend making tweets even shorter: 85 to 100 charac-
ters.38 The fewer characters you use, the easier it is for your followers to retweet the message,
especially if they prefer to use the classic method of retweeting, which is to add “RT” and
“@senders-username” to the beginning of a retweeted message. If you leave sufficient space,
the users may even add their own blurb or endorsement to your tweet when they retweet it to
their followers.39 Note the examples in Figure 7.6 on page 228.
An even shorter tweet also leaves you room to include a link to a blog or website. Twitter will
automatically change all links to a length of 22 characters, even if the original link is shorter.40
• Put the key idea first. Provide the most compelling information in the first 85 to 100 charac-
ters. Then link to the rest of the full story or to a relevant visual picture on a blog or website.41
• Keep the message simple. Keep one tweet to one topic and make it easy to read by being clear
and concise.
• Use “hashtags.” You can help potential followers find you through Twitter’s internal search
engine by adding a hashtag (#) before keywords and phrases. A hashtag-word combination be-
comes a clickable link that leads to other tweets on that topic.42 Combine two-word key terms
into one word (such as “#harborcruise” instead of “#harbor cruise”).43
• Follow up. Typing “@” in front of a specific username on Twitter allows you to aim your tweet
at particular people or groups. You can use this technique to respond to a compliment or com-
plaint, or to respond to a specific question. The comment is posted on your Twitter stream and
shows up in the “mentions” section of the user’s Twitter account. Following up demonstrates
responsiveness and caring, but it is important to use this technique sparingly, as comments
directed to only one person can exclude the rest of your followers.44
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Pinterest: Engage with visual content
Pinterest is a “visual social network.”45 It uses the metaphor of a “pinboard” on which you can
pin visual images, videos, or documents. Before committing time and resources to building
your business’s presence on Pinterest, make sure that your business has valuable visual content
to share. The content may include pictures of your brands or visual stories of people using
your products or services. The following guidelines will help you use Pinterest to communicate
visually.
• Divide your page into several pinboards to capture browsers’ interest. Give each board its
own topic and its own collection of images or videos. Share the “personality and culture of
your brand,” while making it simple for your audience to browse content.46 For example, the
furniture store West Elm has created more than 65 pinboards with titles such as “Under the
Stairs,” “Houseplants,” “Urban Backyard,” and “Pattern,” all dedicated to specialized topics in
decorating and all designed to inspire the store’s followers.47
• Generate original content. Start by building a repertoire of original images because those
tend to be the most popular on Pinterest.48 Instead of pinning only images of your products,
consider the lifestyle that your audience enjoys or to which they aspire. What images would be
compelling for them to see? Pin these to your boards as well.49 For example, Chobani yogurt’s
Pinterest site includes not only pinboards with product recipes, but also pinboards focusing
on health and fitness that are designed to motivate followers to work out and adopt a healthy
lifestyle.50
• Link your images. The intent of Pinterest is to have users click on images they like, draw-
ing users to your business’s website and blog—or to the websites of other companies whose
content you have pinned.51 For example, the Chobani Fit With It pinboard pins images
from other fitness sites, including those of fitness trainers. All pins include links back to the
original sources.52
• Be conspicuous but concise. Use keywords and phrases in your pin descriptions to lead
current and potential followers to your Pinterest boards.53 Like Twitter, Pinterest supports
hashtags to categorize content. However, keep the descriptions concise. It is not necessary to
use all 500 available characters to describe an image. The image should speak for itself and link
to the original source.
• Invite participation. The more compelling your pinned images are, the more likely that they
will draw the audience’s attention and interest. The goal is to motivate your audience to “repin,”
like, and comment on your images. One effective strategy is to include a question in the image’s
description. You can also engage your audience by allowing “followers” to pin images to one
or any of your boards—as both Chobani and West Elm do. When creating a board, you will
be asked the question: “Who can pin?” Click the option of “Me+Contributors,” and fill in the
names or email addresses of trusted contributors you want to include.54
• Create special offers to increase interest in your page. Pin a compelling image to accom-
pany an exclusive promotion, and possibly create a board dedicated to deals available solely to
your followers on Pinterest.55 Consider hosting a contest that invites participants to share an
original image on their Pinterest boards.56 For example, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the T-shirt
company Threadless challenged followers to create a special board for the person they loved
FIGURE 7.6 Examples of Retweeted Content
TYPE OF TWEET
LENGTH
OF TWEET
EXAMPLE
Original message 64 characters SandwichKing: FREE COOKIE with the next
12 sandwich orders! Call 312-555-2345.
Retweet 83 characters CookieLover: RT @ SandwichKing: FREE
COOKIE with the next 12 sandwich orders!
Call 312-555-2345.
Retweet
with added
endorsement
122 characters CookieLover: Get the best cookie in town for
free. RT @ Sandwich King: FREE COOKIE
with the next 12 sandwich orders! Call
312-555-2345.
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and pin on it 10 images of great gifts for that person. At least five of
the gifts had to be Threadless products. The creator of the winning
board received $100 in Threadless credits and a $100 Amazon gift
certificate.57
• Use Facebook to grow your business’s Pinterest presence. If your
business has a following on Facebook, it is possible to use Facebook
as a tool to guide fans to your Pinterest account. Consider the fol-
lowing options:58
• Install a Pinterest tab on your Facebook page.
• Post specials or contests on both Pinterest and Facebook.59
• Post a Facebook status update telling fans why they should also
follow you on Pinterest.
• Create a Facebook post that references and includes a link to one
of your Pinterest boards or to a particular pinned image.
Blogs: Offer insights, advice, and information
Social media experts recommend using a blog as the “hub” of your social media content.60
Facebook posts, tweets, and pins can all link to your blog. Unlike other social media platforms,
blogs offer expansive space where you can communicate original ideas and become a thought
leader in your industry. The following tips provide a good start:
• Find a focus. What is the theme of your blog? What does your audience need or want to know?
What topics will attract your audience to your business?
• Plan how to offer value to your audience. You can provide insight and advice, provide in-
formation that is difficult to find elsewhere, or subtly promote your business by using these
strategies:61
• Writing a tutorial about your product
• Answering questions from the community
• Sharing stories of positive customer interactions
• Do not tout your business’s success. Focus on your audience, not on your business. You may
mention key milestones in your business, such as “we just reached our 10,000th customer,” but
business-focused posts should be used sparingly and only to convey the stability and solidity
of your business.
• Avoid controversial or divisive topics. Unless your blog’s focus is about politics, law, govern-
ment, or religion, don’t address controversial or potentially divisive issues on your business
blog.62 You will likely offend some members of your audience.
• Pay special attention to the headline. Make the title of your blog posts exciting, and incorpo-
rate keywords or questions that may lead search engines directly to your post. If these cannot
be included in a title, weave them into the body of the post.63 For example, consider these
intriguing blog titles:
• Why Businesses are Wrong About Social Media64
• The One Thing You Need to Succeed 65
• 23 Secrets to Booking Cheap Flights66
• Add an image to your blog post to increase appeal, and connect the image to Pinterest. By
pinning a striking image from your blog on Pinterest, you provide the option for other Pinter-
est users to pin your image to their own Pinterest boards. Then, Pinterest users who click on
this image in Pinterest will be led to your original blog post.67
• Format so that readers can navigate easily. Use lists and bullets, bold or italicize key points,
and organize with subheadings. These techniques help readers skim your blog for relevant
information.68,69
• Make it conversational. You have to work hard to make blog posts conversational enough to
invite interaction. Experts suggest being personal in your writing, asking questions to promote
a sense of dialogue, splitting up paragraphs for better flow, and proofreading out loud to hear
how the words sound.70
• Encourage comments, subscriptions, and sharing. To increase the number of readers of
your blog, encourage participation through comments and make it easy for readers to “sub-
scribe” to your blog and share comments through social media. Here are a few techniques
you can use:71
• Add an RSS button to your blog, as well as text that explains that RSS is a method to have
blog posts delivered to a newsreader.
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• Offer email subscriptions to the blog.
• Add a sentence of encouragement to the bottom of the blog template, inviting people to
subscribe if they enjoyed the post they read.
• Offer free downloads only to subscribers.
• Set a schedule for publishing. To gain steady followers, publish posts on a regular schedule.
Although some business bloggers post daily, others find that twice a week is ideal to keep visi-
tors engaged.
• Use a template to write your posts. Using a consistent pattern for blog posts can help you
write more quickly. Michael Hyatt, who writes a leadership blog at michaelhyatt.com, uses the
following organizational pattern:72
• Lead paragraph
• Relevant image
• Personal experience
• Objective statement
• Rationale
• Conclusion
• Discussion question
By ending his blog posts with a question, Hyatt invites discussion, and many of his posts get
80 to 100 comments.73
Other bloggers have developed different templates to organize their posts.74 John Bonini,
who blogs for Impact Branding and Design, offers a simple template for a 350- to 500-word
blog post that is similar to that for a five-paragraph essay—plus a bonus:75
• An attention-getting title or headline
• An introduction that engages the audience, introduces the topic, and provides definitions
the audience needs
• Three clear and highly informative body paragraphs that use plenty of keywords that search
engines can find
• A conclusion that relates the topic—and everything you’ve discussed—back to the audience
• The bonus: a final section that lists the three most important “takeaways” of the article
TECHNOLOGY
MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA MORE EFFICIENT
A company that fully embraces social media communication
may find itself investing a large amount of time generating ma-
terial to post. To make the job more efficient, companies take
advantage of social media tools that speed the process of creating
and finding content to share. The following examples describe
popular tools. You can find many more tools through a simple
web search.
CREATING VISUAL CONTENT
Visual content captures attention on social media, but creating
meaningful visual content other than photos is time-consuming.
These two applications allow you to create infographics and ani-
mated videos quickly and inexpensively.
Creating infographics: Piktochart is an application that
allows you to create graphics—including infographics—
even if you have no graphic design skills.
(continued )
Piktochart.com
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TECHNOLOGY
MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA MORE EFFICIENT (Continued)
Creating animated videos: Wideo’s intuitive user inter-
face allows you to animate visual elements and produce
a high quality video in just a few hours, without any pre-
vious editing experience.
FINDING AND SHARING CONTENT
Not all social media content is original. You can also post links
to existing content that the audience will value. The challenge
is finding and organizing that content. Many tools, such as the
following examples, will help.
Sharing content that highlights your expertise:
Meddle is a free tool that allows you to select excerpts
from articles you read on the web, provide your own
comments and insights, and publish this content on
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn—with only the click of a
button.
Sharing content about your social network: Newsle
is a free tool that finds published news about people in
your social network (LinkedIn or Facebook) that you can
share through social media. Promoting your connections
in this way not only increases your social media content,
but it also strengthens relationships with your connec-
tions and builds goodwill.
For a Technology exercise, go to Exercise 14 on page 250.
Wideo.co
Meddle.it
Sproutel
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SQ3 How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific
communication goals?
Although much discussion of social media in business focuses on marketing and building a
customer base, social media has broader uses and poses some significant risks. On the plus
side, social media offers excellent opportunities to build goodwill with existing and potential
customers. Social media also offers opportunities to interact with targeted users and persuade
them to buy your product or service. However, social media can also amplify the effect of any
business mistake or misstep, and dissatisfied customers have many public ways to broadcast
their unhappiness.
This section focuses on how businesses can get the most benefit from social media by us-
ing it to build goodwill, persuade, and control the spread of bad news.
Use social media to build goodwill
Companies are increasingly using social media to manage relationships with their custom-
ers.76,77 For example, rather than hiring a market research firm to learn what customers think,
a company might use social networking sites to interact with customers, learn about their
preferences, and increase their loyalty. Companies also generate goodwill through their social
media communication by using the following strategies:
• Provide quick responses to questions and concerns
• Provide useful information that audiences want and need
• Build a positive, online community
Provide quick responses to questions and concerns
Social media networks give businesses more opportunities to receive customer suggestions
and complaints—and respond to them quickly to satisfy customers and maintain goodwill. To
do this, some companies hire social media specialists or create social media listening platforms
to monitor reviews, blogs, or posts shared through various social media applications.78 If you
work as a social media specialist, you will need to spend time and effort to inspect social media
for customer questions and concerns. If you are able to respond quickly, you can significantly
improve your customer service and increase sales.
Consider this complaint tweeted to a European airline that charges for baggage according
to weight:
Paid for 25KG but baggage scale at Schilpol allowed only 23. Had to rearrange luggage. Help!
Booking# 2HBA3S
Within 24 hours, the customer service team responded:
I sincerely apologize. I have authorized a refund of the bag fee charged 25.00 Euros plus the excess
fee of 10.00 Euros.
This response helped the company regain credibility with a customer and win loyalty in
fewer than 140 characters.
The following techniques can help businesses respond effectively to customers’ questions
or concerns communicated through social media:
• Monitor online chatter. In addition to “listening” to your own social media sites, set up
Google Alerts and subscribe to RSS (really simple syndication or rich site summary) feeds that
push specific keywords to you. These tools allow you to hear what people are saying about your
company on other social media sites. If a site that you want to monitor does not include RSS
feeds, you can use tools such as Feed43 to create RSS feeds for those sites.
Additionally, you can monitor social media mentions of your company and products
through applications such as HootSuite and TweetDeck that collect data from different sources
and present them on a single-screen display, called a dashboard.79 You can also purchase data
mining reports and analytical metrics from companies such as WebLiquid that gather con-
sumer perceptions based on social media posts.80
• Respond quickly, even if you cannot resolve the issue immediately. Unfortunately, 70 per-
cent of companies ignore Twitter complaints.81 However, research suggests that responding
through social media can improve customers’ goodwill 83 percent of the time.82 When you read
dashboard A single-screen display of
data aggregated from different sources.
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How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific communication goals? 233
a request or negative comment, respond as quickly as possible. Jim Belosic, CEO of Shortstack,
a Facebook application that helps businesses maximize their social media presence, suggests
that “if you take more than a day to respond to a post, you may have just lost a customer.”83 If
you can’t resolve an issue right away, reply to let the customer know you are working on it or,
if the matter is sensitive, ask the customer to contact you individually to work out the details.84
• Use a personal response, not a corporate reply. Let customers know there is a personal pres-
ence behind the computer screen. Rather than quote policy, “speak like a human” by using a
friendly tone, showing empathy, and using your real name.85
Provide useful information that audiences want and need
In addition to reacting to customers, you can build goodwill by proactively enhancing customer
relationships through social media. Psychologists from Rutgers University categorize Twitter
users into two groups: informers who provide useful information to their followers, and me-
formers who Tweet primarily about themselves.86 The informers have more social followers.
Businesses can earn audience goodwill by becoming informers, providing their audiences with
interesting and useful information about products and services. For example, MMM Cupcake
Truck, a food truck in Houston, tweets the truck’s location so customers know where to find
it, and JetBlue tweets information about flight delays. Businesses can also provide educational
content that customers and potential customers will value. For example, Rubbermaid tweets
about organizational and cleaning tips that are useful with or without its products.87 Social
strategist Lisa Barone suggests that businesses increase their presence in the marketplace by
becoming an educational hub and a resource that consumers rely on for information.88
Barone and other experts outline the following suggestions for providing useful informa-
tion through social media:
• Identify your social media goals. What do you want to be an informer about? Consider what
kind of information you can provide that will best inform your audience about your products
or services. Also consider what kinds of information you can provide to educate your audience.
• Broadcast through multiple mediums. You can generate awareness of your company’s prod-
ucts and services by using social media to share information previously shared only by email.
For example, continue to send your newsletters through marketing tools such as Constant
Contact and Fishbowl, but also post them on Facebook and Twitter in order to expand your
audience.89
• Integrate information feeds. If your company supports multiple social media platforms and
website content, combine the sources for a one-stop information shop. For example, Figure 7.7
on page 234 illustrates how to integrate information from different platforms into a blog, like
that of online retailer Zappos, to share more information with a wider social network.
Build a positive online community
You can also use your company’s social media tools to build a positive online community,
which will enhance communication, solidify the company’s reputation, and ultimately build
business.90 One research study found that “customers who engage with companies over social
media spend 20 to 40 percent more money with those companies than other customers.”91
Beachbody, a fitness company that sells exercise programs, exemplifies a company that
builds community through social media. Beachbody sponsors both a message board and
a Facebook page for one of its most popular exercise programs, P90X, an intense set of 12
workouts. Both social media tools provide a community forum for customers and poten-
tial customers—a community that includes hundreds of thousands of people. As Figure 7.8
on page 235 illustrates, P90X fans communicate with other fans. They post photos of their
successes that provide inspiration to others, chat with the company’s fitness advisors to get
professional advice, and ask for advice from other fans. Because Beachbody encourages in-
teraction and commitment, it has achieved an important goal for social media: It has turned
fans into customers.
Here are some strategies to build a positive social media community by engaging and
interacting with consumers and potential customers:
• Create meaningful customer relationships, rather than merely asking your audience to “like
us” on Facebook or “follow us” on Twitter. For example, Best Buy’s dedicated Twitter account,
Twelpforce, is monitored by Best Buy “agents” who respond immediately to customer questions
New Hires @ Work
Darrell Coleman
Georgia Southern University
Data Analyst @ Georgia Southern
Office of Career Services
We use Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram, LinkedIn, and
Pinterest to reach different
audiences. It’s more
likely that univer-
sity students
will see our
Instagram
flyer than
an ad in the
newspaper.
Photo courtesy of Darrell Coleman
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FIGURE 7.7 How to Integrate Information Feeds into a Corporate Blog
Make it easy to subscribe.
Take advantage of cross-platform
integration applications. Facebook
posts are automatically updated in the
side panel.
Link to other company blogs or
websites.
List social media platforms
together in a single, easy-to-
find panel.
Zappos.com
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about products and address customer service issues. This Twitter account allows the “collective
force of Best Buy’s technology pros” to respond to customers one on one.92
• Encourage input through surveys. Use social media surveys to engage consumers in your
company’s decision making about its products and services. You can elicit consumers’ input
about ideas for new products, preferences for service options, or locations for new stores. For
example, the Container Store asked its Facebook fans where they would like to see a new store
located.93 Dell Computer asks customers to visit its Idea Storm page to suggest and vote on
new product ideas.94
• Offer social media followers exclusive perks, such as coupons or discounts.95 As Figure 7.9
illustrates, large companies such as the restaurant chain P.F. Chang’s create mobile applications
to interact with customers through games and rewards programs. However, even small compa-
nies can create check-in specials through Facebook96 and other social media sites.
• Provide a space for customers to interact with each other. When customers interact with
each other in a forum that is “sponsored” by the company, the communication becomes a
cultural transaction rather than an economic transaction, and the customer’s emotional con-
nection with the company increases.
FIGURE 7.8 Message Board That
Allows Fans to Communicate with
Each Other
FIGURE 7.9 Using a Mobile App
to Engage Customers
Create incentive programs, like
Warrior Rewards, to entice
consumers to frequently return.
Design interactive games and
tools, like “Dish of Destiny,” to
personalize products and enhance
consumers’ knowledge about
products (such as menu
items) and services.
Include creative features, like
the MadLib-style “Fortune
Cookie,” to encourage consumers
to share their interactive
experience with friends through
social media connections.
How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific communication goals? 235
P. F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc.
Screenshot from www.Beachbody.com. Copyright by Beachbody, LLC. Reprinted with permission.
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Use social media to persuade
In addition to creating goodwill, social media communication can be ideal for persuading peo-
ple, especially consumers who have indicated some interest in your products and services by
becoming part of your social media community. This section describes how to communicate
persuasively with your social media audience and motivate them to purchase your company’s
products or services.
Build credibility by providing valuable content
Surprisingly, one of the best ways of being persuasive in social media is by trying not to be per-
suasive. Businesses are increasingly recognizing the value of content marketing—providing
information that audiences value. The Content Marketing Institute explains the concept this
way: “Basically, content marketing is the art of communicating with your customers and pros-
pects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your products or
services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. The essence of
this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable
information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.”97
The following examples illustrate how businesses are using content marketing as a persua-
sive tool to build their credibility and to strengthen their brand.
Blogs are an effective tool for delivering content to customers and potential customers—
and for establishing an organization as a thought leader in a field. In addition, because blog
entries are typically written by individuals, they provide a personal voice for the business. One
company that uses its blog very effectively is Adaptly, a young and quickly growing business
that simplifies social media advertising by offering customers the ability to schedule advertis-
ing campaigns across multiple social media networks at once. Adaptly’s blog, AdaptlyTalks
(illustrated in Figure 7.10), provides customers with insights and tips about social media ad-
vertising. Customers can also rely on AdaptlyTalks to update them about any changes in the
social media platforms that will affect their advertising. The friendly voice and useful content
in the blog reinforce customers’ perceptions that Adaptly is a trusted partner committed to its
customers’ success.
Family travel expert Eileen Ogintz uses Twitter to communicate vacation ideas, travel tips
and news, and personal travel stories to the families who subscribe to her TakingtheKids Twitter
feed (see Figure 7.11 on page 238). The short tweets always include links to news stories or to the
TakingtheKids blog. Ogintz’s goal is to be the trusted advisor for families planning vacations.
Other businesses are creating custom content marketing sites that do not simply adver-
tise their products but instead aim to create a sense of community for their customers. For
example, food company General Mills launched the “Hello, Cereal Lovers” campaign designed
to “remind people how awesome [cereal] is and how much they love it, and get it out of the
pantry and into breakfast bowls.”98 One of the centerpieces of the initiative is a website aimed
at inspiring consumers and re-engaging them with cereal, regardless of brand.99 On the “Hello,
Cereal Lovers” website, audiences can share and engage with cereal-related recipes, crafts, and
games. The site also links to other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram; in
the first 18 months, the campaign gained over 630,000 followers on Facebook.100 By embrac-
ing content that isn’t strictly branded and encouraging users to develop and share their own
content, companies create engaged and loyal consumers.
Develop a strategy to motivate action
Beyond providing valuable content, you can also use social media as a persuasive sales tool
to motivate action. B. J. Fogg from the Stanford Persuasion Lab created a behavior model to
explain the complexities of motivating action. Fogg’s Behavior Model suggests that you can
influence people’s behavior through a social media strategy that combines motivation, triggers,
and ability.101 The following examples demonstrate how “deal-of-the-day” provider LivingSo-
cial motivates its customers to prepurchase goods and services at a discount.
• Motivation. The first step in influencing behavior is to motivate your audience. LivingSo-
cial already has a motivated audience: People who have signed up to receive “deal-of-the-day”
emails. These people have shown their willingness to consider purchases through LivingSocial.
One way to motivate them further is to create an engaging experience that invites customers to
think more deeply about the products being offered and to comment on them.102 Experts agree
content marketing A technique for
persuading customers by providing them
valuable information without trying to sell
them anything.
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FIGURE 7.10 How to Build Credibility with a Blog
Provide content that
your audience will find
valuable. Become a
trusted advisor.
Update content regularly
to communicate that you
remain engaged and
current.
Write in a conversational
voice.
Integrate other social
media feeds into your
blog.
that initiatives to encourage customer participation can be motivational. Jay Baer, a social me-
dia consultant with Convince & Convert, LLC, emphasizes that “the point of social media is to
activate fans, not to collect them like baseball cards.”103 LivingSocial routinely uses Twitter to
activate its social media audience to participate. Figure 7.12 on page 238 illustrates an offer that
provides an incentive.
• Triggers. Triggers are the cues or prompts that call your audience to action. Social media
provides you with a unique opportunity to put triggers in the paths of motivated people. For
example, you can post a special offer through Twitter, create an incentive or reward feature on
How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific communication goals? 237
Adaptly.com
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your Facebook page, or send a special email deal through Fishbowl or ConstantContact. Liv-
ingSocial’s co-founder, Tim O’Shaughnessy, credits the company’s growth on its use of email
to persuade its subscribers to respond to daily deals: “Email is still a powerful way to directly
communicate with your users, and it can amplify the viral spread of your messages.”104 The
company’s presence in its subscribers’ email inboxes provides daily triggers.
• Ability. Once you have motivated your audience and provided an effective trigger, the last step
in Fogg’s Behavior Model is to simplify the audience’s ability to respond. Focus on the custom-
er’s check-out experience. If the process is difficult to navigate or requires more information
(or clicks) than customers are willing to provide, they will likely terminate the transaction.105
Instead, create an easy “yes” response to your persuasive appeal. For example, LivingSocial’s
big, blue “book now” or “see dates” button, illustrated in Figure 7.13, is easy to use. When sub-
scribers respond to an email, the LivingSocial site knows who they are and applies their pay-
ment information on file without requiring additional information.
Use persuasive techniques to appeal to emotion
Although the Fogg Behavior Model will help you develop an effective social media strategy
for persuading customers to act, you will still need to determine what persuasive content or
messages to deliver to your audience. In Chapter 5: Communicating Persuasive Messages, you
learned about Cialdini’s techniques for appealing to emotion—scarcity, social proof, liking,
FIGURE 7.11 Example of Using
Twitter to Become a Trusted Advisor
Cross-link to leverage
your network and
advertise the various
places you have a
web presence.
Provide photos and
video as persuasive
evidence of
recommendations.
FIGURE 7.12 Example of Using
Twitter to Motivate Action
Eileen Ogintz, Taking the Kids
LivingSocial
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reciprocity, consistency, and authority. You can use these persuasive techniques in your so-
cial media communication.106 Figure 7.13 and the description that follows illustrate how
LivingSocial incorporates several of them:
• Scarcity. The more exclusive the offer, the more valuable your audience may perceive it to be.
LivingSocial emphasizes scarcity by displaying the number of days remaining to purchase the
deal. Television infomercials often provide special deals on products if you “call now.” These
limited-time offers motivate consumers to respond quickly to take advantage of the free perks,
such as extra products or free shipping.
• Social proof. LivingSocial displays the number of customers who have already purchased a
particular deal; this is known as “informational social influence,”107 increasing the value of
your product by showing that others value it. You can do this by indicating the number of
people following your company’s tweets, the number of people that “like” your Facebook
page, the number of reviews (and stars) your business has on a TripAdvisor site, and the num-
ber of shares or RSS subscriptions for your website. Research suggests “word of mouth”—
in these cases, through online social proof—is the most influential motivator for purchasing
decisions.108
• Liking. The more your audience likes you and your company, the more persuasive you can be
with them. Use your social media communication to be “likeable.” LivingSocial persuades con-
sumers to like buying on that site by offering deals that people want and by being humorous.
The clever wording that focuses on benefits makes the site much more likeable.
• Reciprocity. LivingSocial offers a free deal if you reciprocate and share a link to the deal with
three friends who ultimately purchase it. The technique also relies on the principle of “liking.”
Your three friends are more likely to purchase the deal if they hear about it from you; people
trust reviews from family, friends, and colleagues.109
• Consistency. Businesses that offer daily deals through LivingSocial depend on people’s sense
of commitment and consistency. These businesses are willing to take a loss on the first sale
to entice customers to make a commitment to purchase and use the company’s products or
services. The businesses are counting on the fact that many of those people will choose to act
consistently in the future and continue purchasing the advertisers’ products.
FIGURE 7.13 Emotional Appeals on LivingSocial
Social Proof. When
consumers click on any
LivingSocial deal, they
see how many people
have already purchased
it, increasing its perceived
value.
Reciprocity. LivingSocial
offers a gift if consumers
help sell a deal to friends,
motivating consumers to
engage others.
Liking. People tend to
like what their friends
like and are more
willing to purchase a
deal if their friend
recommends it. The site
also makes it easy to
share a purchase on
social media platforms
such as Facebook and
Twitter, further
capitalizing on the power
of personal
recommendations.
How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific communication goals? 239
LivingSocial
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Control the spread of bad news through social media
Although social media provides businesses with an opportunity to reach customers, it also
provides customers with an opportunity to complain publicly when they are dissatisfied. These
negative posts have serious consequences. Research suggests that consumers trust online com-
mentary as much as they trust recommendations from friends,110 and when they read negative
information about a company or product online, 80 percent will choose not to purchase that
product.111
The bad news may originate as critical reviews on the company’s e-commerce website,
negative comments on reservation sites such as TripAdvisor or OpenTable, damaging posts on
social media sites such as Facebook, complaints on blogs and microblogs such as Twitter, and
videos of product disasters on YouTube. No matter where the bad news originates, it travels
fast on social media. News can be reposted and shared worldwide. When bad news goes viral,
it escalates what could have been a minor problem into a widespread public relations crisis.
Research by Altimeter Group, a technology advisory firm, suggests that 76 percent of
social media crises could have been avoided if the company had been prepared to respond by
having a social media crisis management plan in place.112 This plan includes assessing your
business’s risk, strengthening relationships with fans and customers, and understanding how
to prevent minor problems from escalating.113 This section provides guidelines any business
can follow.
Have a plan in place
Do not wait for negative comments and then plan how to respond. Instead, be proactive.
First, assess your risk for negative comments and think about who might post them:
Unhappy customers? Competitors? Activists and special interest groups? The Dutch grocery
chain Albert Heijn planned the launch of its Facebook page for months, but it did not plan
well enough. During the first several days after the debut, conversations on the store’s Face-
book wall were dominated by an activist group that protested the store’s sale of chicken grown
quickly with hormones.114 Similarly, the Italian clothing giant Dolce & Gabbana was barraged
by Facebook postings from the Clean Clothes Campaign, an activist group demanding that
the company stop sandblasting jeans to give them a worn look, claiming that the production
method is dangerous to workers.115
Then, ensure that you catch problems quickly by monitoring all mentions of your brand
and company on all social media platforms, even on the weekends.116 You cannot respond if
you don’t know what is being said. Finally, ensure that employees who monitor social media
are empowered to respond. The bad news may go viral if employees need to wait for an official
response.
Respond quickly
Don’t ignore bad news. If you use social media to respond quickly, most of your audience will
read your explanation before they see the original bad-news message. Additionally, by antici-
pating the audience’s questions and concerns and incorporating them into your response, you
can create a positive impression that enhances your business’s image.117
Begin by responding in the social medium channel where the bad news originates. Con-
sider the video of a FedEx driver throwing a computer monitor delivery over a security gate.
The delivery was recorded by a customer’s security camera, and the customer posted the video
to YouTube. Within five days, the video had over 5 million views.118 Just a few days later, FedEx
responded with a video apology that was posted both to YouTube and FedEx’s corporate blog.
Customers and employees commented, most with positive responses about the company.
If you are replying to an individual’s complaint, publicly commit to follow up privately
with the person who originally posted the complaint. When an employee of a Papa John’s
pizza restaurant included a racial slur on a customer’s receipt, the customer posted the receipt
on Twitter with the comment “@PapaJohns just FYI my name isn’t ‘lady chinky eyes.’ ” 119 The
next day, Papa John’s tweeted this: “Please know we have given a formal apology & can confirm
employee has been terminated. Reached out to customer, as well.” 120 Although tweets are limited
in length, they provide enough space for a genuine response.
After the initial response, continue to comment on all your social media platforms to
ensure that your response reaches as large an audience as possible. Link your tweets to your
New Hires @ Work
Alicia Carroll
Northwestern University
Social Media Supervisor @
Resolution Media
Satisfied customers do not
say much on social media; un-
satisfied customers feel the
need to voice their opin-
ions. Not addressing
the issue will make
it worse. It’s impor-
tant to reach out to
show you care and
to evaluate com-
plaints in order to
improve.
Photo courtesy of Alicia Carroll
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company’s Facebook page, and post more detailed information to your company website and
blog. For example, to further quell the backlash from the negative Twitter post, Papa John’s
posted this statement to its Facebook page: “This act goes against our company values, and we’ve
confirmed with the franchisee that this matter was addressed immediately and that the employee
is being terminated. We are truly sorry for this customer’s experience.” 121 Such a response allows
you to begin a more positive conversation with customers and supporters.
Respond genuinely
Do not use a template or a generic message to respond to negative posts or even complaint
emails. Research shows that social media audiences respond much better to personal-sounding
responses than to impersonal ones.122 Frederic Gonzalo, the vice president of marketing for Le
Massif, a ski resort in Canada, regrets his use of a generic message in the midst of a social media
crisis.123 During a poor skiing season, the staff at Le Massif were delighted that a snowstorm was
predicted for the Saturday of a late winter weekend and took the opportunity to generate excite-
ment by posting about it on the company’s Facebook wall. By Sunday morning, however, all the
chairlifts were frozen and Le Massif needed to turn away hundreds of disappointed customers,
many of whom posted negative messages on the resort’s Facebook wall. Gonzalo exacerbated
the problem by posting this message (translated from French): “Thank you for your comments.
Can you please send directly to our customer service at sac@lemassif.com. We thank you for your
understanding in advance, the Management Team.” This response only made customers angrier.
Gonzalo did not realize until Monday that he needed to post a genuine apology with a genuine
explanation. This response received very positive and understanding replies.
By contrast to the generic message, note in Figure 7.14 how the owner of a popular res-
taurant in Amsterdam responded to a negative review a customer posted to TripAdvisor. The
owner responded quickly, politely, and personally.124
This kind of personal response signals to the dissatisfied customer and to others reading
restaurant reviews that the restaurant is concerned about patrons and responsive to complaints.
The bad news provides an occasion for communicating a positive image of the business.
How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific communication goals? 241
“A Little Disappointed”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 June
We found this restaurant around the corner from our B&B and managed to get a table one
evening, it is very popular. It has a couple of fixed price 2 or 3 course menus, very good
value. Food was acceptable but not exceptional, lamb was very tough, plenty of it though.
Service was ever so slow, I know they say Dutch service can be a little off hand, but this
was poor. We were offered the desserts from two other tables before we received our
main course! and our main course arrived 45 minutes after we had finished our starter.
Owner at Seasons Restaurant responded to this review, 7 June
Dear Allan,
In regards to your comment above, we apologize for the service and experience that you
received.
I believe you were with us this past weekend, when we were extremely busy as you
pointed out. Surprised to hear about the lamb, but will review this and see what went
wrong. We have addressed the slowness that caused the delay with your main course
and this was due to a large table in the restaurant. This is no excuse, just an explanation.
We have reviewed our reservations for large tables during peak times, so this does not
happen.
As for getting dessert from another table before your main (twice) there is no excuse and
we will discuss this with our staff.
Thanks for your comments and we hope you can come by again to see that we can do
better.
Kind regards,
FIGURE 7.14 How to Respond to a Negative Review
Refer to the customer
by name or handle in
order to personalize
the response.
Acknowledge the
reviewer’s comment
and apologize for a
bad experience.
Indicate specifically
how and when you
will address and/or
remedy the negative
product or service.
Include details to
show that you have
carefully read the
complaint.
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ETHICS
CAN YOU TRUST CONSUMER REVIEWS IN SOCIAL MEDIA?
According to Bazaarvoice, 84 percent of Millennials say their pur-
chasing decisions are influenced by consumer-written content on
the web,125 which often takes the form of product reviews. But is
this content trustworthy?
Fraudulent reviews are widespread online, often posted by
businesses themselves. For example, an unethical business may
write (or hire someone else to write) negative false statements
about competitors on review sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor—
sites where virtually anyone can post anonymously. An unethi-
cal business may also post flatteringly positive reviews about
itself—a practice that is just as fraudulent as falsely maligning the
competition.
A study by Michael Luca of the Harvard Business School and
Georgios Zervios of Boston University found that “roughly 16
percent of restaurant reviews on Yelp are identified as fraudulent,
and tend to be more extreme (favorable or unfavorable) than other
reviews.”126 These reviews have a major impact on business. In an
earlier study, Luca found that for a restaurant, a one star increase
in a Yelp rating leads to a 5 to 9 percent increase in revenue127—
creating a huge incentive to publish fraudulent positive reviews.
Not only is such social media behavior unethical, but it may
also be illegal. U.S. federal law (specifically the Lanham Act)
prohibits false advertising—advertising that is deceptive and as
a result injures the target of the advertising. In 2009, the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) extended its definition of advertising
to include social media. The FTC began to monitor social media
communicators “masquerading as independent third parties” who
“might be taking advantage of the millions of consumers whose
buying decisions are increasingly shaped by social media.”128
And it is not just businesses that engage in unethical social
media behavior—consumers sometimes do it as well. TripAdvisor
says it occasionally hears from a hotel owner about a guest who
threatens to write a bad review “unless a demand for a refund, up-
grade, or other request is met.”129
Social media has, on balance, been highly beneficial for con-
sumers and businesses, giving consumers detailed information
about products and providing businesses with an efficient way to
reach buyers quickly and inexpensively. But social media also of-
fers opportunities for unethical and illegal communication. Ethics
and the law clearly converge on a clear set of principles—online
reviews and social media statements must be transparent and hon-
est and must never deceive.
For an ETHICS exercise, go to Critical Thinking Question 10
on page 248.
SQ4 How can you, as an employee, use social media responsibly?
In the early days of social media, employers were concerned that access to social media sites
at work might interfere with employees’ concentration. As a result, many companies blocked
social media—and some still do. However, many businesses have come to realize that employ-
ees can be effective brand evangelists in their use of social media—if the company provides
guidelines for employees to follow and if employees are trained to communicate effectively
within those guidelines. Organizations as different as the Coca-Cola Company130 and the In-
ternational Olympic Committee131 have produced social media guidelines for their employees.
Follow guidelines to avoid damage to your and your
company’s reputations
Unfortunately, not all companies have social media guidelines. In fact, multiple surveys have
found that only around 25 to 30 percent of companies have guidelines in place and instruct
employees how to use them.132 If the company you work for has no guidelines, the following
suggestions provide a good starting point for professional social media behavior. They are
adapted from the guidelines Monster.com produced for its own employees.133
• If it’s personal, keep it personal. For topics not related to business, use your personal social
media and email accounts, and don’t mention your employer.
• Identify your connection. If you use social media as part of your job, identify the company
you work for. Keep to topics related to your area of expertise, and let people know your views
are yours, not the company’s.
• Be honest and professional. Communicate as you would in face-to-face conversations.
Avoid discriminatory content. Avoid arguments. Identify who you are; “anonymous” is not
professional.
• Respect and protect what’s confidential. Never reveal financial, legal, copyrighted, propri-
etary, or personal information about the company, customers, or employees.
New Hires @ Work
Shruti Shah
University of Florida
Operations Analyst Development
Program Intern @ JPMorgan
Chase
I work at a large bank, which
has a strong policy against
using social media to dis-
seminate company-related
information. They warn us to
err on the side of cau-
tion whenever shar-
ing anything about
our jobs on social
media because
we work with
confidential
information.
Photo courtesy of Shruti Shah
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Social media @ work 243
• Add value. Share interesting, helpful information and ideas, and link to relevant content on
your company’s website. Your “brand” is the sum of what you share and how you share it.
• Present recommendations as personal. When you recommend or endorse colleagues on
LinkedIn and other social networking sites, be clear that your recommendation is based on
your personal experience. It is not an official recommendation of your company.
• Know the risks. Ignoring these rules could lead to your company firing you.
◾ In summary, social media gives employees greater opportunities to com-
municate on behalf of a business, to build that business’s reputation, and to increase the num-
ber of people who interact with the company. If you, as an employee, take advantage of this
opportunity, it is more important than ever that you “polish your professional presence” so that
you help rather than harm the business.
SOCIAL MEDIA @ WORK Northwestern University Press
When a business
has good news to
announce, the viral
nature of social me-
dia helps spread that
news quickly to a
broad audience. The
business results can
be dramatic.
Northwestern
University Press expe-
rienced the power of
social media the night
one of its authors,
Nikky Finney, won the
National Book Award
for her volume of po-
etry, Head Off & Split.
Finney and a contin-
gent of representatives
from the Press held their breaths at 9 pm as the chair of the
poetry judges announced the poetry award. Finney’s name
was called, and she came to the podium to deliver what
ceremony host John Lithgow called “the best acceptance
speech for anything I’ve ever heard in my life.” When Finney
finished, thundering applause not only filled the room but
immediately spread through the social media world.
Rudy Faust, publicity and marketing manager for the
book, said: “I was tweeting. There were people live- blogging
the event, and news about her speech just flew out. Within
an hour it was all over Facebook: ‘Heard it was the best ac-
ceptance speech ever.’” Parneshia Jones, acquisitions editor,
was monitoring YouTube: “I was watching the traffic going
up on her YouTube videos. It tripled within half an hour.”
Before social media, it would have taken at least
a day or two for the word to spread and for new book
orders to come in. Now, as Jones noted, “I think maybe
an hour and a half [after the speech] I had a message from
Barnes & Noble about the quantity they were ordering.”
Meanwhile, Jane Bunker, the director of Northwestern
University Press, taking advantage of mobile communica-
tion, put a plan in motion: “Parneshia and I were mouthing
at each other across the table about how many copies
we should reprint, and I knew our production coordinator
would be standing by, so I whipped out the smartphone
and texted him, and he emailed the person at the National
Book Foundation to get the winner medallion image to
put on the cover, and the whole thing was done before
midnight.”
Thanks to social media and mobile communications, in
less than three hours, Northwestern University Press had
a plan in place to print almost 10 times the original number
of books, now with the National Book Award seal, and had
customers waiting to buy them.
Source: Adapted from Barrett, N. (2012). There was a lot of celebrat-
ing! Northwestern University Library Footnotes, 37(1), 2–7.
Cover image from of Head Off & Split: Poems, by
Nikky Finney. Evanston: Northwestern University
Press, 2011.
Photo courtesy of Rachel Eliza Griffiths
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This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
The EdgeGlen Theatre is an independent movie house located in a
densely populated urban neighborhood in an historic landmark build-
ing near Glenwood University. The EdgeGlen showcases new and
classic movies that are designed to appeal to both the university com-
munity and local residents, many of whom are young professionals.
While the EdgeGlen has had a website for the last five years, the
theatre does not have a social media presence or social media strat-
egy. That is why the theatre’s owner, Bob Sackett, hired Harris Brown,
a recent college graduate who managed social media outreach during
two internships, one for a comedy club and the other for a music club
in the city.
Developing a social media strategy
During Harris’s first week of work, Bob gave him a straightforward
assignment: Develop a social media strategy for the EdgeGlen. After
reviewing the social media presence of competitive theatres in the city,
Harris proposed that the EdgeGlen Theater’s social media strategy pri-
oritize the following three goals:
a. Make the theatre the preferred movie destination for Glenwood
University students.
b. Increase awareness and engagement within the local community.
c. Make the theatre and its social media sites a hub for movie-related
discussions.
To achieve these goals, Harris recommended three specific social me-
dia platforms—a Facebook page, a Twitter feed, and a blog. Finally, to
increase customer engagement, he recommended that all content serve
one or more of these three purposes:
• Entertain people with interactive content.
• Educate people about movie-related content.
• Entice people to come to the theatre.
Question 1: Evaluate Harris’s proposed strategy.
a. Are there other goals the theatre might accomplish through
social media?
b. In what ways might the EdgeGlen use other social media plat-
forms (for example, YouTube, Foursquare, and Pintererst) to
achieve its goals?
c. Are there other themes that the posts might convey?
d. Propose some content ideas for Facebook posts, tweets, and
blog posts that will convey one or more of the three themes.
Composing Social Media Content
That Engages the Audience
It’s a Monday morning in mid-December, and Harris has the theatre’s
Facebook page, Twitter feed, and blog up and running. Bob Sackett
has just told Harris some great news—the EdgeGlen has received the
rights to show a recent Cannes Film Festival award-winning movie,
The Dim Lights of the Winter Solstice. EdgeGlen will be the only theatre
in the entire city showing the movie. Bob wants to start showing the
film this upcoming weekend. However, because the theatre’s schedule
is laid out for six weeks in advance, the EdgeGlen will only be able to
show the film at 11 pm Friday and Saturday nights. Moreover, Bob
won’t be able to place advertisements in the student or local papers
until Friday. So it’s up to Harris to get the word out on social media.
He has five days to persuade both the university community and the
local residents to buy tickets in advance to attend the late night show-
ing of this movie. At the same time, he knows that the theatre’s social
media messages must also publicize the other movies that are showing
throughout the week.
With those thoughts in mind, Harris starts to revise his social me-
dia schedule and content, and he begins writing.
Question 2: Assume that the EdgeGlen’s social media schedule
typically includes three tweets a day, two Facebook posts a day,
and two blog posts per week. Help Harris plan a five-day social me-
dia schedule and write posts:
a. Create a five-day social media schedule for Harris, following the
model in Figure 7.4. Consider how many of his posts should
focus on the special showing of The Dim Lights of the Win-
ter Solstice and how many should support his other goals and
other films being shown that week. Be sure to include topics
for the tweets, Facebook posts, and blog.
b. What persuasive techniques can Harris use on the three social
media platforms to entice people to buy tickets in advance to
see the new film? Consider the Fogg model of persuasion: mo-
tivation, triggers, and ability. Also consider Cialdini’s concepts
of scarcity, social proof, liking, reciprocity, and consistency.
c. What Twitter hashtag should he use?
d. What images or pictures could Harris use on Facebook or a
blog?
e. What web-based content could he link to?
f. What interactive questions or activities could he include to in-
crease audience engagement?
g. Write at least one tweet that Harris could use.
Controlling the Spread of Bad News
Using Social Media
Harris’s social media campaign is a success. By Thursday at 12 noon,
100 advance tickets had been sold for each of the 11 pm showings of
The Dim Lights of the Winter Solstice. With that many tickets sold, the
theatre was sure to be at least half full on Friday and Saturday night.
Satisfied with this success, Bob gave Harris a half-day off, and Harris
left work happy.
Harris’s happiness did not last long. At 5 pm, he received a call at
home from Bob Sackett with bad news. Friday’s performances—
including The Dim Lights of the Winter Solstice—may have to be canceled.
That afternoon, city inspectors discovered electrical problems at
the theatre that need to be fixed before the theatre can reopen. Bob
will have electricians working at the theatre Thursday night and into
Friday. The work will certainly be completed in time for the show on
Saturday, but it may not be completed in time for any shows on Friday.
Bob asks Harris to get the word out on social media.
Harris sits down at his computer to write a Facebook post. He
wants to be sure that people do not come to the theatre at 11 pm on a
CASE SCENARIO
Developing a Social Media Program
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cold winter night only to find that the theatre is closed. He can only
imagine the complaints that will reverberate on Facebook.
Here is his first draft.
The EdgeGlen Theatre is currently undergoing electrical work.
City inspectors recently inspected the theatre and found some
issues. Electricians are in the theatre now doing the necessary
work. With luck, Friday’s screening of The Dim Lights of the
Winter Solstice will go on as scheduled.
However, we may have to cancel the screening. We do not
have answers yet, but as soon as we do we will let you know.
Tickets bought in advance will be refunded.
Watch our Facebook page and Twitter feed for details.
Not completely happy with this draft, Harris decides to write a second
version. Here it is:
Friday night’s screening of The Dim Lights of the Winter Solstice
may be cancelled due to electrical problems. We are working as
hard as we can to resolve the problems, and we are confident
that Saturday’s screenings will definitely happen. If we do cancel
Friday’s screening, ticket holders can apply for a refund, use the
tickets at the Saturday night showing, or use the tickets for a fu-
ture movie. We apologize for the possible inconvenience.
Watch our Facebook page and Twitter feed for details. We
will have hourly updates throughout Friday. Stay tuned!
Question 3: Evaluate these drafts of a Facebook post.
a. What should the goal of the post be?
b. Compare the two drafts. What are the strengths and weak-
nesses of each?
c. Which one would you choose? Why? What changes would you
suggest for the post you chose?
d. Is a Facebook post sufficient? What other communication me-
dia should Harris use?
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success or products. Also avoid controversial topics. Increase
appeal and readability by using a great headline, adding im-
ages, formatting so that the reader can navigate easily, and
being conversational. To be most effective, set a schedule for
publishing, and use a template to write your posts.
Study Questions in Review
End of Chapter
How can businesses plan, implement,
and evaluate a social media strategy?
(pages 220–225)
• Analyze goals, audience, and social media options to
develop a social media strategy. Make decisions about your
social media goals and the audience you want to reach. Then
choose the social media platforms and publishing strategies
that will help you achieve your goals.
• Compose effective social media content for each platform.
Some criteria, such as being conversational, valuable, origi-
nal, passionate, and interactive, will help your content stand
out on any social media platform. However, optimizing your
use of different tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,
and blogs, requires tailoring your content for each one.
• Evaluate the success of your social media efforts. Return to
your original goals to determine the best way to track your
progress. A range of measures, such as number of Facebook
or Twitter followers, or percentage of positive online com-
ments, will help you determine how you are doing and what
you need to tweak or expand.
SQ1
What are good practices for composing
and publishing social media content?
(pages 225–231)
• Facebook: Post strategically. Post frequently and diversify
content. Be brief and be visual to focus and capture your
audience’s attention. Reward your audience with offers, and
value them by soliciting their opinion and responding. Man-
age important posts to keep them in front of your audience.
• Twitter: Be short and focused. Choose keywords strategi-
cally so that your potential audience can find you and follow
you. Write posts worth reading: Be useful, consistent, polite,
positive, and interesting. Put the key idea first, and keep the
message simple. Extend your reach by using hashtags effec-
tively and by writing posts short enough that they are easy
to retweet.
• Pinterest: Engage with visual content. Generate origi-
nal content, and link your images back to your business’s
website and blog. Organize your content into thematic
pinboards and invite participation from your audience by al-
lowing them to pin images or by creating special offers. Use
your Facebook site to grow your Pinterest presence.
• Blogs: Offer insights, advice, and information. Blogs pro-
vide you with an opportunity to be more expansive. Use that
opportunity wisely. Provide your audience with content they
will value: advice, insights, and information that is difficult
to find elsewhere. Avoid focusing solely on your business’s
SQ2
How can businesses use social media
to accomplish specific communication
goals? (pages 232–242)
• Use social media to build goodwill. Create positive cus-
tomer relationships by providing quick responses to ques-
tions and concerns, providing useful information that the
audience wants and needs, and building a positive social
media community that encourages consumers to connect
with each other.
• Use social media to persuade. Build credibility by provid-
ing valuable content. Motivate action by creating an engag-
ing experience, providing a trigger that prompts people to
act, and making it easy for them to respond or “buy now!”
Use persuasive techniques to appeal to emotion. Be likeable
by using a conversational tone and humor when appropriate.
Provide social proof that others have bought your product
or used your services. Promote a sense of scarcity by creat-
ing an exclusive or limited time offer. Help your audience
reciprocate: Give them benefits before they buy. Help your
audience be consistent: Remind them of past purchases and
past actions.
• Control the spread of bad news through social media.
Have a plan in place. Assess your risk for negative comments,
and think about who might post them. Catch problems
quickly by monitoring social media platforms, even on
weekends. Ensure employees who monitor social media are
empowered to respond. Then respond quickly and genu-
inely. Do not provide a generic response for all comments.
Tailor the response to the specific comment, and use lan-
guage that sounds natural rather than overly formal.
SQ3
How can you, as an employee, use
social media responsibly? (pages 242–243)
• Follow guidelines to avoid damage to your and your com-
pany’s reputations. Separate your work and personal use of
social media; make sure that you identify messages as your
own, rather than the company’s; be professional; and protect
company confidentiality. Ignoring these rules could result in
your termination.
SQ4
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Visual Summary
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Tailor your content to your platform
• Facebook: Post strategically. Be brief and visual to capture interest.
• Twitter: Be short, focused, and timely.
• Pinterest: Engage with visual content.
• Blog: Offer insights, advice and information.
Tailor your content to your purpose
• Build goodwill: Provide useful information, respond quickly, and build community.
• Be persuasive: Be valuable to build credibility, motivate action, and appeal to emotion.
• Control the spread of bad news: Monitor your accounts, respond quickly, and authentically.
Measure your success against your goal.
Schedule:
Goal: What
do you want to
accomplish?
Goal: What
do you want to
accomplish?
Audience:
Who are you
targeting?
Platform:
Where does
your audience
“live” online?
Use ACE to Implement Social Media
Use Social Media Responsibly
ACE
Analyze
ACE
Compose
ACE
Evaluate
Separate
personal and
business use
of social
media
Be
professional Protect
company
confidentiality
Identify
messages as
your own
247
FIGURE 7.4 Example of a Social Media Schedule
TWITTER FACEBOOK BLOG
3/11
Monday
10:00 AM
Announce a new book
12:00 PM
Tweet a link to a book trailer video
5:00 PM
Announce a special one-night only sale
12:00 PM
Post a short article with interesting
information about an author
5:00 PM
Spotlight 1–2 new books
3/12
Tuesday
10:00 AM
Tweet a tip from a new “how-to” book
1:00 PM
Link to blog post
5:00 PM
Announce a book signing
12:00 PM: Link to the guest blog
5:00 PM
Post a picture of a book an employee
recommends, with a brief description
11:00 AM
Post guest blog with book
review from a customer
3/13
Wednesday
10:00 AM
Retweet a book-related tweet
12:00 PM
Link to a published book review
5:00 PM
Link to a coupon for free coffee
12:00 PM
Post a picture of readers in the store
5:00 PM
Ask fans to vote for their favorite
book in a popular book series
3/14
Thursday
11:00 AM
Link to today’s blog
1:00 PM
Announce Saturday children’s story hour
5:00 PM
Tweet link to a YouTube video of a favorite
author
12:00 PM
Link to today’s blog
5:00 PM
Post article about books that will be
read during children’s story hour
12:00 PM
Post blog by owner of
bookstore recommending
his favorite book of the
year
CULTURE
THE EFFECT OF CULTURE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND E-COMMERCE
Most businesses use social media to attract customers, maintain
customer relationships, and build trust for their brand. � ey also
use social media as a starting place fo r e-commerce.
However, global culture and politics impact how social media
serves business purposes. Consider these examples from around
the world:
• Europe. A survey from the European Commission found
that “Only 18% of EU Internet users buy online in another
language frequently or all the time, and 42% said they
never buy online in a language other than their own.” 9 �i s
�nding suggests that U.S. businesses that want to attract
European customers would bene�t from providing sites in
multiple languages.
• South America and Africa. Research suggests that individu-
alistic cultures (which are prevalent in developed economies
like the United States) are more likely to trust e-commerce
because purchases are backed by mechanisms based on indi-
vidualistic cultural norms: guarantees, laws and policies, and
security measures. By contrast, these mechanisms are less rel-
evant in collectivist cultures such as those in South America
and Africa, which rely more on a sense of community and
social position for trust. 10
• Asia. Although China does not allow Facebook, Twitter, and
YouTube; China has the most active social media environ-
ment in the world, and social media plays a signi�cant role
in consumers’ purchasing decisions. For example, research
has found that purchasers rely on recommendations from
opinion leaders in their social networks. Purchasers are also
in�uenced by social media that is entertaining. �e cosmetic
company Clinique achieved great success by producing a
40-episode social media drama series called Sufei’s Diary that
displayed Clinique products but that viewers perceived as en-
tertainment. Clinique’s brand awareness rose dramatically. 11
For a CULTURE exercise, see Critical Thinking Question 5
on page 248 .
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248 Chapter 7 | Using Social Media in Business
Content marketing p. 236 Dashboard p. 232 RSS (really simple syndication
or rich site summary) p. 222
Key Terms
1 What are the most popular social media platforms in business?
2 Name three elements that are part of a social media strategy.
3 How can social media affect customer relationships?
4 Provide at least three examples of how a company can engage a
social media audience in the decision-making process.
5 What are the three elements of B. J. Fogg’s Behavior Model?
6 How do social media sites such as LivingSocial and Groupon use
the persuasive principle of social proof?
7 What are three ways that companies can use social media to create
goodwill?
8 Identify two guidelines for using social media responsibly as an
employee.
9 What features of a Facebook post can increase audience response
and interaction?
10 Name two measurements a company can use to evaluate the suc-
cess of its social media efforts.
Review Questions
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the questions marked with this icon .
1 Some analysts argue that the prevalence of social networking and
social media excludes older workers and older customers who are
not comfortable with digital communication. If this is true, what
can businesses do to address this problem?
2 Identify how any three of Cialdini’s techniques for appealing to
emotion can be used by businesses in social media communication.
3 Experts say that a business Facebook post should include a call
to action within the first 90 characters. Why is it important to in-
clude a call to action early in the post?
4 Virgin America Airlines says on its Twitter site: “Although we
won’t address specific guest service issues on Twitter, our team of
experts is eager to help you at vgn.am/GstHlp or call. . . .” Why do
you think Virgin America does not want to use Twitter for guest
service issues?
5 Hypothesize about the role that social media and social net-
working might play in cultures where people are skeptical of for-
mal institutions and authority. [Related to the Culture feature
on page 224]
6 According to the market research organization BazaarVoice,
71 percent of consumers who read a company’s response to an on-
line review change their opinion of the company.134 Explain why a
company’s response to a review is often more influential than the
review itself.
7 If a company’s response to a social media review is so influential,
why do experts recommend that companies receiving complaints
by tweet communicate with the customer privately, not in public
where others can see the conversation?
8 While many businesses direct their social media communication
to consumers, some businesses direct their social media primarily
to other businesses or professionals. What social media platforms
do you expect to be most popular with businesses that want to
communicate with business professionals? Which ones will be
least popular? Explain why.
9 Imagine that you worked for an electrician in your community.
Recommend some ways that an electrician might use social media
to engage customers or enhance the reputation of the business.
10 After receiving an extremely negative review on TripAdvisor, a pop-
ular restaurant posted in a resort area this response: “La Brochette
Restaurant’s personnel is positive that this review is suspicious and
written by the next door competition because we recognized the
reviewer’s email address. We will appreciate if this malicious and
false review could be removed. La Brochette Restaurant gives top
priority to the quality of its food and service every day.”135 TripAd-
visor posted the response but left the negative review on the site.
Do you think this is an appropriate and ethical way for TripAdvi-
sor to handle this situation or would you recommend a different
approach? [Related to the Ethics feature on page 242]
Critical Thinking Questions
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Chapter 7 End of Chapter 249
How can businesses plan, implement, and
evaluate a social media strategy? (pages 220–225)
1 Analyze goals, audience, and social media options to
develop a social media strategy
Imagine you just got a summer job as a social media intern for a fitness club
in your community. The club would like to expand its membership, partic-
ularly among retirees in the community, who are likely to have time to visit
the club during the day when the club is currently underused. Using the
strategy plan in Figure 7.2, create a social media strategy for the fitness club.
2 Compose effective social media content for each platform
Refer to Exercise 1. Imagine the fitness club decides to experiment with
four different social media platforms to see which is most effective at
reaching its target audience. Your supervisor asks you to plan four so-
cial media messages for this experiment:
a. A tweet aimed to persuade the target audience to take a tour of the club.
b. A short Facebook post, including a picture, designed to achieve
the same goal: persuade the audience to tour the club.
c. A blog post that will appeal to the target audience.
d. A Pinterest board that will appeal to the target audience.
Write the tweet and the Facebook post. Write a brief description of the
blog post and the Pinterest board. As you plan these efforts, remember
that interactive posts receive the most attention. Present all four ideas
to your manager in a short memo.
3 Evaluate the success of your social media efforts
Refer to Exercises 1 and 2. Imagine that the fitness club has started a
blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed, and Pinterest site aimed at attracting
more retired members of the community to join the club. Identify at least
two strategies to use to evaluate the success of these social media efforts.
What are good practices for composing and
publishing social media content? (pages 225–231)
4 Facebook: Post strategically
A popular independent restaurant posted these three Facebook entries.
Evaluate the strategy of each entry. Identify if the entry is designed to
build goodwill, build credibility, entice the audience to come to the res-
taurant, link to useful information, or achieve some other purpose. If
you would recommend any revisions, explain them.
a. A link to an article that says a major magazine named one of the
restaurant’s dishes the “best vegetarian sandwich in America.”
Found Kitchen and Social Club
Accompanies Exercise 4a
b. A “shout out” to a new restaurant in the neighborhood.
Found Kitchen and Social Club
Accompanies Exercise 4b
c. A highlight of a new dish on the menu.
Found Kitchen and Social Club
Accompanies Exercise 4c
5 Twitter: Be short and focused
Select a local company and imagine its owner wants your help to
begin using Twitter to engage with potential customers. Analyze
the company’s potential audience, and create a plan for using Twit-
ter persuasively. Then compose five tweets that the company could
post during one week. In a one-page message to your instructor,
summarize your analysis and explain how your tweets will per-
suade the audience.
6 Pinterest: Engage with visual content
Find a Pinterest page for a business with which you are familiar. Poten-
tial examples include:
• www.pinterest.com/toysRus
• www.pinterest.com/Macys
• www.pinterest.com/Starbucks
• www.pinterest.com/SherwinWilliams
Write a one- to two-paragraph memo analyzing the strategy of that page
and address the following content:
a. Who do you believe is the audience for that page? What is the
evidence for your answer?
b. Pick two boards on the site and calculate how much of the content
is original and how much is repinned from other sites.
c. Pick two different boards on the site and calculate how many pins
focus on the company’s products (including creative ideas for us-
ing the company’s products) and how many focus on related top-
ics that are likely to interest the specific audience.
d. Would you consider the site to be successful? If so, why? If not,
why not?
7 Blog: Offer insights, advice, and information
Experts recommend that businesses gain a social media following
by providing information that an audience finds valuable rather
than by focusing on the company’s products. The content may be
insights, advice, information that is difficult to find elsewhere, or
answers to frequently asked questions. For the following types of
Key Concepts Exercises
SQ1
SQ2
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10 Control the spread of bad news through social media
Imagine two small businesses in your community—a bakery and a bank. As-
sume these businesses want to plan for negative comments on social media.
a. Who might post negative comments and what might they com-
ment about?
b. Provide one or two ideas for each business about how they might
minimize the chance of negative comments.
Now imagine a company that manufactures a baby seat that the Con-
sumer Product Safety Commission has judged unsafe. The company
has voluntarily recalled the seat. Assume this company wants to plan
for negative comments on social media.
c. What types of negative postings should the company anticipate?
Where would people post these messages?
d. What can the company do to minimize the chance of negative
messages?
How can you, as an employee, use social media
responsibly? (pages 242–243)
11 Follow guidelines to avoid damage to your and your
company’s reputations
Do a web search using the search terms employee fired social media.
Select one example of an employee who was fired for a specific use of
social media. Analyze the situation by answering the following ques-
tions in the format that your instructor requests:
a. What did the employee do?
b. How did that action damage the employee’s or company’s
reputation?
c. Do you believe the firing was justified?
d. What guidelines from Section SQ4, if any, did the employee violate?
e. If the employee’s actions were not covered by any of the guide-
lines, recommend a new guideline to cover that situation.
businesses, identify two blog topics that the audience may find
valuable:
a. An auto insurance company
b. An ice cream shop
c. A yarn store
d. A photo studio
e. A restaurant
How can businesses use social media
to accomplish specific communication
goals? (pages 232–242)
8 Use social media to build goodwill
Select a company that you frequently purchase products or services
from and that has established a social media presence. Analyze its so-
cial media interactions with customers. Provide examples of how it
responds to consumer questions and concerns. Explain how the com-
pany builds goodwill in its responses or, if it does not, how its commu-
nication could be improved to support consumer goodwill. Summarize
the information in a one-page memo or email to your instructor. Be
prepared to share your summary in class, either in small groups to
identify commonalities in your research or in a more formal presenta-
tion to your classmates.
9 Use social media to persuade
Review Cialdini’s persuasive techniques—consistency, social proof,
likeability, reciprocity, and scarcity. In small groups, discuss a company
that promotes its products or services using these techniques. If pos-
sible, find a company that demonstrates all five elements in its social
media communication. Provide specific examples of each technique.
You may be asked to summarize your findings in writing or to present
them using screen grabs on presentation slides.
SQ3
SQ4
12 Composing a blog entry
Assume you are employed part time as an assistant manager for a local
sporting goods store (or another type of merchant of your choice). In a
conversation with the owner about what you’re learning in your college
classes, you mention how content marketing can be a useful technique
to persuade potential customers. The owner asks you to compose a sam-
ple blog entry that could provide useful information about the store’s
products or services to a target audience. Compose the blog entry and,
in a separate paragraph, identify the business and explain how the entry
provides useful information and will persuade potential customers.
13 Composing a Facebook entry
Refer to Exercise 12. Compose a Facebook entry that links to the blog
entry you wrote for the sporting goods store. In addition to a link to
the blog entry, include either a visual element or a question designed to
encourage participation, or both.
14 Composing an infographic or video [Related to the
Technology feature on pages 230–231]
Imagine that you are writing a blog entry on some aspect of business com-
munication and you would like to include an infographic or an animated
video. Use one of the tools described in the Technology feature or find a
different tool on the web and create the infographic or video. If you choose
an infographic, be sure to research the data and cite the sources for your
information.
Writing Exercises
15 Developing a Social Media Strategy
Identify a real business in your community, and imagine that the owner
asked your team to develop a social media strategy. To develop the
strategy, answer the questions in Figure 7.2. Be prepared to present that
strategy in class or to write a short strategy memo. Be sure that you can
justify all of your answers, either with your knowledge of that company
or information you learn from analyzing the social media of similar
businesses.
Collaboration Exercises
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16 Developing a Social Media Schedule
Identify a real business in your community, and imagine that the owner
asked your team to develop a social media publishing schedule for one
week. Follow the model in Figure 7.4. Plan a one-week (seven-day)
schedule that includes three tweets a day, two Facebook posts a day, and
two blog entries for the week. You may be asked to prepare a short doc-
ument that presents the schedule and the rationale for the choices you
made. Or you may be asked to present your schedule orally to the class.
17 Providing Useful Information That Audiences
Want and Need
Find three articles published within the last 12 months that describe
how companies use social media to provide useful information and
enhance their interactions with consumers. Summarize the informa-
tion in a one-page memo or email to your instructor. Be prepared to
share your summary in class, either in small groups to identify com-
monalities in your research or in a more formal presentation to your
classmates.
18 Building a Positive Online Community
Select a company that has established a positive social media com-
munity and perhaps uses social media to engage consumers in the
decision-making process about products and/or services. Analyze how
it engages the audience on different social media platforms. If possible,
determine how it uses audience input. For example, does it report sur-
vey results or identify consumers’ preferences when the company posts
its final decisions? Summarize the information in a one-page memo or
email to your instructor. Be prepared to share your summary in class,
either in small groups to identify commonalities in your research or in
a more formal presentation to your classmates.
Social Media Exercises
19 Impromptu Presentations
Prepare a two- to three-minute informal presentation for one of the
following scenarios.
a. Identify a business that you follow on Facebook. Explain why you
follow that business and how the Facebook messages persuade,
entertain, or inform you.
b. If you want to lodge a complaint with a business, would you prefer
to communicate that complaint by email, Facebook post, or tweet?
Explain why.
c. Many companies have both websites and Facebook pages. Select
a company that interests you. Explain what you would be looking
for on that company’s website versus what you would be looking
for on its Facebook page.
d. As a consumer, would you choose to subscribe to any company’s
Twitter feed? If so, what company and why? If not, why not?
20 Executive Briefing
Prepare formal presentations for one of the following scenarios:
a. You are the assistant sales director for a company that is a market
leader in the hand sanitizer industry. You have a new product—the
SaniPlus—that you plan to target to existing business customers
through unsolicited sales messages. The product is a portable,
touch-free dispenser of hand sanitizer. The dispenser stands on the
floor, can be positioned in strategic locations, and can be moved
to other locations. The director of sales asks you to identify ways
that the company can persuasively communicate to its social me-
dia audience about the new product. Use Fogg’s Behavior Model
to determine how you will motivate interest, provide a trigger, and
ensure the audience is easily able to purchase the product. Discuss
your ideas in small groups. Then prepare a five-minute executive
briefing to present your plan to the director of sales.
b. The owner of a retail clothing store would like your advice. She
plans to launch either a Pinterest site or an Instagram site, but
can’t decide between the two. Research the key differences be-
tween these two social media platforms and, in a five-minute
presentation, compare the advantages of Pinterest versus the
advantages of Instagram for the store. End the briefing with a
recommendation.
Speaking Exercises
21 Common Sentence Errors: Subject–Verb Agreement
(see Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and
Conventions—Section 1.3.3)
Type the following paragraph and edit it, correcting the 10 errors in
subject–verb agreement. Underline all your corrections.
When making a business call, being put on hold for countless
minutes fray even patient people’s nerves. Having to wait, as well
as not knowing for how long, are upsetting. Each of us have our
own way of coping with this irritant. The Sounds of Silence apply
not only to the Simon and Garfunkel song but also to endless
minutes on hold. Three minutes feel like forever to the person
waiting. If you must put someone on hold, there is several things
you should do. First, ask, “May I put you on hold?” and then give
the caller an estimate of the probable waiting time. The person
on the other end might be one of those callers who really need
to know how long the wait might be. The unknown number of
minutes are what drive people crazy. Data collected by Hold On
America, Inc., shows that callers become frustrated after 20 sec-
onds. After 90 seconds, 50 percent of callers hangs up.
22 Common Sentence Errors: Pronoun–Antecedent
Agreement (see Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation,
Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 1.3.4)
Type the following paragraph and edit it, correcting the 10 errors in
pronoun-antecedent agreement. Underline all your corrections.
Everybody has preferences about their communication tools. A
person may prefer email rather than telephone, so they might
respond to a voice mail message by sending an email instead of
Grammar Exercises
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returning the call. If you ask either of my managers, Jenny or
Kurt, they will tell you that I would rather email them. Business
professionals will often choose the one with which he or she is
most at ease. Considering its total number of calls versus emails
per month, the sales team obviously would rather talk than
write. Each of these communication media has their advantages
and disadvantages. Text messages and email may be best because
it will be delivered whether the recipient is there or not. On the
other hand, someone who leaves a voice mail message probably
assumes you will call them back, not send a text. Otherwise, they
would have texted you instead of calling.
1. The new conversation: Taking social media from talk to ac-
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ken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
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whitepaper/wp_23348
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ken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
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References
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MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 Experts recommend making a blog the central element of a business’s social
media strategy. In other words, tweets and Facebook posts should link to a blog.
Explain the benefits of this approach.
2 Identify two types of businesses that might benefit from a Pinterest site and two
types of businesses that are not well-suited for Pinterest.
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http://www.sas.com/resources/whitepaper/wp_23348
http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/blog/socialmadness/2012/07/5-ways-to-measureyour-success-in.html
http://www.sas.com/resources/whitepaper/wp_23348
http://www.kcnn.org/socialmedia/measuring_social_media_effectiveness
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-11-556_en.htm
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/understanding_social_media_in_china
http://manpowergroupblogs.us/employment_blawg/welcom/
http://www.fiskateers.com/blog/
http://www.fiskateers.com/blog/
https://www.facebook.com/business/engage
http://allfacebook.com/shocker-3-to-7-5-of-fans-see-your-pages-posts_b45311
http://marketingland.com/edgerank-is-dead-facebooks-news-feed-algorithm-now-has-close-to-100k-weight-factors-55908
http://marketingland.com/edgerank-is-dead-facebooks-news-feed-algorithm-now-has-close-to-100k-weight-factors-55908
http://marketingland.com/edgerank-is-dead-facebooks-news-feed-algorithm-now-has-close-to-100k-weight-factors-55908
http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/photos-draw-most-facebookinteractions-links-draw-least/5034/
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/248038/20111111/facebook-vs-twitter-write-effectiveposts-sharing.htm
http://www.buddymedia.com/newsroom/2011/09/introducing-our-latest-research-a-statistical-review-for-the-retail-industry-strategies-for-effective-facebook-wall-posts/
http://www.buddymedia.com/newsroom/2011/09/introducing-our-latest-research-a-statistical-review-for-the-retail-industry-strategies-for-effective-facebook-wall-posts/
http://www.buddymedia.com/newsroom/2011/09/introducing-our-latest-research-a-statistical-review-for-the-retail-industry-strategies-for-effective-facebook-wall-posts/
http://www.buddymedia.com/newsroom/2011/09/introducing-our-latest-research-a-statistical-review-for-the-retail-industry-strategies-for-effective-facebook-wall-posts/
http://blog.bufferapp.com/7-facebook-stats-you-should-know-for-a-more-engaging-page
http://blog.bufferapp.com/7-facebook-stats-you-should-know-for-a-more-engaging-page
https://www.facebook.com/business/build
http://socialmediatoday.com/bigsea/370308/writing-effective-facebook-posts
http://www.sas.com/resources/whitepaper/wp_23348
http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/blog/socialmadness/2012/07/5-ways-to-measureyour-success-in.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/blog/socialmadness/2012/07/5-ways-to-measureyour-success-in.html
http://www.sas.com/resources/whitepaper/wp_23348
http://www.kcnn.org/socialmedia/measuring_social_media_effectiveness
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/understanding_social_media_in_china
http://allfacebook.com/shocker-3-to-7-5-of-fans-see-your-pages-posts_b45311
http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/photos-draw-most-facebookinteractions-links-draw-least/5034/
http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/photos-draw-most-facebookinteractions-links-draw-least/5034/
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/248038/20111111/facebook-vs-twitter-write-effectiveposts-sharing.htm
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/248038/20111111/facebook-vs-twitter-write-effectiveposts-sharing.htm
http://socialmediatoday.com/bigsea/370308/writing-effective-facebook-posts
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http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/3-tips-for-writing-a-killer-twitter-bio-to-get-targeted-followers_b133
https://twitter.com/cruiseBHC
https://twitter.com/
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Photos Draw Most Facebook Interactions, Links Draw the Least
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http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/248038/20111111/facebook-vs-twitter-write-effective-posts-sharing.htm
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2012/03/26/pinterest-basics-for-bloggers/
http://pinterest.com/westelm/
http://www.cio.com/article/702539/14_Tips_for_How_to_Use_Pinterest_for_Business.html
http://www.cio.com/article/702539/14_Tips_for_How_to_Use_Pinterest_for_Business.html
http://pinterest.com/chobani/fit-with-it/
http://agbeat.com/realestate-technology-new-media/pinterest-imposes-characterlimits-on-captions/
http://agbeat.com/realestate-technology-new-media/pinterest-imposes-characterlimits-on-captions/
http://agbeat.com/realestate-technology-new-media/pinterest-imposes-characterlimits-on-captions/
https://pinterest.com/chobani/info-mation/
http://bloggingwithamy.com/pinterest-tips/
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/build-a-pinterest-followingwith-facebook/
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/build-a-pinterest-followingwith-facebook/
9 Businesses Using Pinterest Contests to Drive Traffic and Exposure
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/build-a-pinterest-following with-facebook/
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http://news.change.org/stories/dolce-amp-gabbana-tries-to-silence-facebook-activists
http://news.change.org/stories/dolce-amp-gabbana-tries-to-silence-facebook-activists
http://socialmediatoday.com/ginidietrich/427273/fedex-customer-video-turned-good-pr
http://socialmediatoday.com/ginidietrich/427273/fedex-customer-video-turned-good-pr
http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-08/us/us_new-york-papa-johns-receipt_1_racial-slur-receipt-facebook-page?_s=PM:US
@thecmiteam Please know we have given a formal apology & can confirm employee has been terminated. Reached out to customer, as well.
— Papa Johns (@PapaJohns) January 9, 2012
http://www.facebook.com/papajohns/posts/10150472597727639
http://www.MelissaAgnes.com
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g188590d697013-Reviews-Seasons_Restaurant-Amsterdam_Noord_Holland.html
http://www.bazaarvoice.com/research-and-insight/social-commerce-statistics/
http://www.bazaarvoice.com/research-and-insight/social-commerce-statistics/
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2293164
http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=41233
http://mashable.com/2009/12/16/ftc-social-media/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/TripAdvisorInsights/n694/reporting-potential-blackmail-tripadvisor-report-threatsimmediately#sthash.nVk70hGD.dpuf
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/socialmedia/TCCC_online_social_media_principles
http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Games_London_2012/IOC_Social_Media_Blogging_and_Internet_Guidelines-London
http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/socialmediaresearch/2013inc500/
http://leaderswest.com/2013/04/09/study-68-of-companies-dont-share-the-purpose-of-social-media-with-employees/
http://leaderswest.com/2013/04/09/study-68-of-companies-dont-share-the-purpose-of-social-media-with-employees/
http://www.salesforcemarketingcloud.com/blog/2012/11/social-media-policy-is-the-foundation-of-employee-education/
http://www.salesforcemarketingcloud.com/blog/2012/11/social-media-policy-is-the-foundation-of-employee-education/
http://www.salesforcemarketingcloud.com/blog/2012/11/social-media-policy-is-the-foundation-of-employee-education/
http://www.about-monster.com/sites/default/files/Monster_Social_Media_Guidelines
http://www.bazaarvoice.com/research-and-insight/social-commerce-statistics/
http://www.bazaarvoice.com/research-and-insight/social-commerce-statistics/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g644388-d6029255-Reviews-La_Brochette-Humacao_Puerto_Rico.html
http://www.coneinc.com/negative-reviewsonline-reverse-purchase-decisions
http://www.altimetergroup.com/2011/08/research-report-be-prepared-by-climbing-the-social-business-hierarchy-of-needs.html
http://www.altimetergroup.com/2011/08/research-report-be-prepared-by-climbing-the-social-business-hierarchy-of-needs.html
http://www.melissaagnes.com/4-steps-to-preventinga-social-media-crisis/
http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-08/us/us_new-york-papa-johns-receipt_1_racial-slur-receipt-facebook-page?_s=PM:US
http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-08/us/us_new-york-papa-johns-receipt_1_racial-slur-receipt-facebook-page?_s=PM:US
@thecmiteam Please know we have given a formal apology & can confirm employee has been terminated. Reached out to customer, as well.
— Papa Johns (@PapaJohns) January 9, 2012
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g188590d697013-Reviews-Seasons_Restaurant-Amsterdam_Noord_Holland.html
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g188590d697013-Reviews-Seasons_Restaurant-Amsterdam_Noord_Holland.html
http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=41233
http://mashable.com/2009/12/16/ftc-social-media/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/TripAdvisorInsights/n694/reporting-potential-blackmail-tripadvisor-report-threatsimmediately#sthash.nVk70hGD.dpuf
http://www.tripadvisor.com/TripAdvisorInsights/n694/reporting-potential-blackmail-tripadvisor-report-threatsimmediately#sthash.nVk70hGD.dpuf
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/socialmedia/TCCC_online_social_media_principles
http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/socialmedia/TCCC_online_social_media_principles
http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Games_London_2012/IOC_Social_Media_Blogging_and_Internet_Guidelines-London
http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Games_London_2012/IOC_Social_Media_Blogging_and_Internet_Guidelines-London
http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/socialmediaresearch/2013inc500/
http://www.about-monster.com/sites/default/files/Monster_Social_Media_Guidelines
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g644388-d6029255-Reviews-La_Brochette-Humacao_Puerto_Rico.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g644388-d6029255-Reviews-La_Brochette-Humacao_Puerto_Rico.html
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8
Finding and
Evaluating
Business
Information
256
alphaspirit/Shutterstock
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How do you determine what
information you need? pages 258–263
Analyze the research question and topic
Identify audience concerns and needs
Establish the scope of the research
Define research activities
Develop a work plan
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1
SQ3 How do you conduct primary
research? pages 271–278
Conduct survey research to gather information
that is easy to compare
Conduct interview research to gather in-depth
information
Conduct observational research to understand
how people act
How do you conduct research in
print and online sources? pages 263–270
Gather relevant print and electronic files
Search the web strategically
Use an online index or database to find articles
and business data
Use a library or bookseller to find relevant books
Follow leads in good sources
Evaluate your sources for credibility
SQ2
How can you use social media in your
research? pages 278–279
Search for experts
Post questions to your network and beyond
Gather anecdotal evidence
SQ4
How can you effectively organize the
results of your research? pages 279–282
Build your reference list as you research
Organize documents and notes on your
computer and “in the cloud”
Organize your findings by research questions
SQ5
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Designing Jerry the Bear required many different kinds of research.
Because our toy is an interactive teaching tool for young children
with diabetes, we interviewed diabetes educators and read dia-
betes books and journals. We researched competitive products to
learn what else is available in the market. We also observed chil-
dren playing with prototypes of the toy. Kids are honest, and they
let us know what they do and don’t like. Observation helped us
understand what information the children must master to become
more independent in managing their condition. Observation also
helped us understand the “tipping age” when kids won’t play with
the toy anymore.
Hannah Chung
Northwestern University
Chief Creative Officer @ Sproutel
(Also pictured: Aaron Horowitz, CEO of Sproutel)
New Hires @ Work
257
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Chapter 8 | Introduction
If you are like most students, you probably are well-versed
in using the Internet to find information. But, as the pro-
tagonist of Dan Brown’s novel The Lost Symbol reminds
us, “Google is not a synonym for research.”1 The informa-
tion you need is not always on the web. For example, you
may have to:
• Investigate why product sales declined
• Determine which product features are most impor-
tant to your customers
• Compare benefits packages offered by your company
and its competitors
• Analyze how new state tax laws will affect your
company
• Decide where to open a new store
These are not tasks that can be completed with a sim-
ple Google search. Some of the tasks require interviewing
experts or surveying customers. Others require synthe-
sizing information from multiple sources. Still others
require figuring out what specific information you need
before you can begin to search for it. When you are given
a complex research assignment, employers will not ex-
pect you to have the information in your head, but they
will expect you to have the skills to find whatever infor-
mation you need.
This chapter provides a process for finding and evalu-
ating the business information necessary to prepare well-
researched and well-documented business proposals,
reports, and presentations. You will learn how to develop a
research plan, search print and online sources, conduct your
own original research, and organize the results. Chapters 9,
10, and 11 build on this chapter and show how to incor-
porate research into proposals, reports, and presentations.
SQ1 How do you determine what information you need?
Workplace research typically starts with a specific question or problem. The goal of the re-
search is to find, organize, and analyze information that will help answer the question or solve
the problem. The best way to achieve that goal is to follow a structured process that helps you
identify exactly what you are looking for and where to look for it.
As you read this chapter, keep the following research scenario in mind: Assume that you
are Alan Cotton, learning and development manager for Ipswich Brands, a large consumer
product company with offices around the globe. You report to Mitchell Harris, chief learn-
ing officer. Your department is responsible for orienting new employees and providing train-
ing and professional development opportunities for employees in all of the company’s offices.
Specific tasks include designing instructional materials, organizing training sessions, training
new trainers, maintaining employee training records, and providing data for supervisors to use
during performance reviews.
Currently, the company’s system for managing these tasks is expensive and inefficient.
All training is conducted face to face, with trainers traveling to specific offices or employees
traveling to a central location. In addition, all training schedules and records exist only on one
central computer at the company’s headquarters. To reduce costs and improve efficiency, you
suggest that the company invest in a learning management system (LMS) that will allow the
company to provide some training online as well as manage all the content and record keeping
258
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How do you determine what information you need? 259
for the system. Mitchell thinks it’s a great idea and asks you to research and recommend an
LMS. He gives you four weeks to complete this project.
Here are some of the specific questions you will need to answer before you can determine
which system to recommend:
• What are the major differences between the types of learning management systems: products
primarily used in academia (such as Blackboard, Canvas, or Brightspace), products specifically
designed for business use (such as eLeaP and Plateau), and open-source products that can be
customized (such as Moodle and ATutor)?
• What criteria should you use to evaluate LMS packages?
• What are the experiences of other companies with specific LMS packages?
• What are the costs of different options?
As you research, you will think of other questions. Where do you find the data you need to
answer all these questions? And once you find the data, how do you evaluate whether the in-
formation is useful?
Analyze the research question and topic
Be sure you have a good understanding of your major research question or problem as well
as the assumptions it is based upon. You may need to broaden the question to find the infor-
mation you need. For example, in the Ipswich Brands scenario, Mitchell Harris asked you to
research which LMS is best for the company. This question assumes that an LMS in general
is the best solution to the problem of excess training expense and inefficient content manage-
ment and record keeping. Perhaps a different kind of solution may be better. Based on this
analysis, you might broaden your research questions to include those illustrated in Figure 8.1.
Notice that each research question also includes subquestions that you will need to explore to
answer your main question.
Before doing in-depth research to explore these specific questions, you need to under-
stand your general topic. You can conduct background research to help you understand your
topic’s history, context, structure, and categories.2 Figure 8.2 on page 260 illustrates a set of
background questions and then adapts those questions to apply to learning management
systems. For your specific topic, you will need to decide which questions listed in Figure 8.2
are most important.
Research Question 1: Would a learning management system (LMS) be an effective
tool for our company?
• What specific training and content management needs
does our company have?
• What current problems are we facing?
• What are options for solving these problems?
• Is an LMS the best option?
Research Question 2: If an LMS would be effective, which one is the best option
to meet our specific training needs?
• What are the various options for LMS programs?
• What criteria will we use to judge the options?
• Which option best meets the criteria?
Research Question 3: What will be the costs of the recommended option, in
money and time?
• What is the initial purchase and installation cost?
• What are the ongoing costs, such as customer support?
• How much time will it take to get the new system up and
ready to use?
FIGURE 8.1 Questions to Guide
LMS Research
Analyze
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FIGURE 8.2 Background Research Questions
CATEGORY GENERIC QUESTION SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE LMS RESEARCH PROJECT
History When and why did X first develop? When and why did learning management systems first develop?
How has X developed over time? How have learning management systems changed and why?
What have been the biggest influences on these systems?
Context and
Structure
How does X function as part of a larger
context or system?
How does a learning management system fit into the larger sys-
tem of workplace training and development? What role does it
play in relationship to the other elements in the system?
What else exists that serves similar
purposes?
Instead of a learning management system, what else could help
solve our problem?
What are the parts of X and how do the
parts fit and work together?
What are the various elements of a learning management
system? How do all the parts work together?
Categories What types or categories of X exist? What kinds of learning management systems are there? How are
they grouped, and why are they grouped that way?
How do different types of X compare
and contrast with each other?
How do typical academic learning management systems, such
as Blackboard, Canvas, and Brightspace, compare and contrast
with those primarily used in the workplace, such as ePlateau and
NetLeap?
You may not directly include the results of this background research in your final
presentation or report. However, gaining a broader understanding of your topic can help
you structure your research. For example, doing background research on the parts and
functions of an LMS may help you identify which functions are most important to your
company.
Identify audience concerns and needs
Analyzing the audience and other stakeholders enables you to consider the problem from their
point of view and identify concerns that you will need to address. To analyze the audience and
stakeholders, ask yourself these questions:
• Who is the primary audience? For example, in the LMS research, your primary audience is
your supervisor, Mitchell Harris, who asked you to research LMS training options.
• Who is the secondary audience? In this case, it is the company’s senior-level decision makers
who will finance an LMS.
• Who else may be affected by this problem or decision? Here, additional stakeholders include
the employees who will be affected by the integration of an LMS (or other changes to the cur-
rent training practices).
• What does the audience already know? What do they need to know? Your decision makers
know that the company needs a new approach for training and they know that adopting a new
system will be a major investment. To make a decision, they need to know the pros, cons, and
costs of the different options available.
• What questions will your audience expect you to answer when you present the research?
They will expect you to answer at least three core questions: Will an LMS be an effective
training tool for the company? If so, which tool best meets the company’s needs? What is
the cost?
• What sources will your audience expect you to consult?
This final question—what sources will your audience expect you to consult—is important
for your credibility. If you perform a quick Google search or rely on a general and nonvalidated
source such as Wikipedia, even for background information, your audience may not respect
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your findings. A professional audience is more likely to value your information if you use pro-
fessional and highly credible sources. These sources include journals and websites published
by professional associations in the industry, research published in academic journals, books
by reputable authors and publishers, and newspapers. For example, in researching options for
learning management systems, your audience may expect you to consult:
• TD, a journal published by the Association for Talent Development (ATD)
• Training Magazine and Training Journal, two additional highly-respected publications in the
training industry
• The Learning Technologies blog hosted by ATD
• Books such as E-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven Guidelines for Consumers and
Designers of Multimedia Learning by Clark and Mayer
• The websites and marketing departments of each LMS you are considering
Your audience may even expect you to conduct your own original research, such
as interviewing people who have experience with your topic or surveying potential
stakeholders.
Establish the scope of the research
The scope of a research study refers to the breadth and depth of your research.? Establishing
the scope is like looking through binoculars. You can choose to view the landscape of a large
area (broad scope) or to focus on the details of a small object (narrow scope). In your LMS
research, you may look broadly at the information about many LMS packages to determine
if online content management and training would be an effective format for your company.
However, to determine which system is the best option, you might have to narrow your focus
to collect a lot of information about two or three packages.
Establishing the scope of your research also allows you to define the limitations of your
research. Limitations are the characteristics of the research that prevent you from generalizing
your findings more broadly. For example, if you choose to narrow the scope of your research to
established LMS packages that have been widely used and reviewed rather than investigating
new options, then you cannot generalize and suggest you have selected the best of all possible
learning management systems—just the best widely reviewed system.
How do you decide on the scope of the research? The answer depends on the needs of
the project, the amount of time available, and what you learn in your initial research. For
example, if you have only a week to research LMS options, you may limit your research to
include only material that is available from companies and product reviews in professional
journals. With more time available, you may choose to interview people who use the pro-
grams. If you learn in your initial background research that only two programs seem ap-
propriate for your company, then you may decide to narrow your research to focus deeply
on those two programs.
Define research activities
Research activities are the steps you will take to answer the research questions. For example,
how will you research the currently available LMS options? How will you determine the most
relevant criteria for judging those options? For each question, list possible steps you might take
to find the necessary information, as illustrated in Figure 8.3 on page 262.
The list of research activities then helps you identify sources for the information. Typi-
cally, sources fall into one of three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.
• Primary sources provide raw data. You can collect primary data by surveying, interviewing,
or observing people. Another form of primary research involves reading primary texts, such as
websites and marketing materials. Primary research falls into two categories:
° Quantitative research gathers numerical data, such as structured survey responses to
which you can assign numbers. Quantitative research allows you to classify, count, and
compare data in order to measure results and to identify patterns.
° Qualitative research uses open-ended questions and observations to gather data that pro-
vide insights into the attitudes, values, and concerns of the research subjects.
New Hires @ Work
Tony Plemmons
Northern Michigan University
Centralized Carrier Capacity
Specialist @ Nolan
Transportation Group
Most of the research I
conduct is historical
data and notes.
Historical data
and experiences
can help repeat
a positive experi-
ence or avoid a
disaster.
scope The range of your research; a broad
scope includes a wide range of content,
whereas a narrow scope focuses on specific
aspects of the topic.
limitations The characteristics of the
research that prevent you from generalizing
your findings more broadly.
primary sources Sources from which
you collect your own raw data.
quantitative research Research that
relies on numerical data, such as that gath-
ered from structured survey responses to
which you can assign numbers.
qualitative research Research that
provides insight into the attitudes, values,
and concerns of research subjects through
interviews and observation.
How do you determine what information you need? 261
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Research Question 1: Would an LMS be an effective training tool for the company?
SPECIFIC QUESTION RESEARCH ACTIVITY
What specific training and content management needs does
our company have?
Interview department heads in the company.
What current problems are we facing? Interview the chief learning officer and department heads.
What are alternatives/options for solving these problems? Survey other companies and research training and education
journals, books, and websites.
Is an LMS the best option? Compare options against the company’s training needs.
Research Question 2: If an LMS would be effective, which one is the best option to meet the company’s specific training needs?
SPECIFIC QUESTION RESEARCH ACTIVITY
What are the various options for LMS programs? Review training and education journals, books, and websites.
Do a web search for LMS programs.
Speak to other companies in the industry.
What criteria will we use to judge the options? Interview chief learning officers and department heads.
Which option best meets the criteria? Conduct a comparative analysis of alternatives against selected
criteria.
Research Question 3: What will be the cost of the selected option?
SPECIFIC QUESTION RESEARCH ACTIVITY
What is the initial purchase and installation cost? Speak to the sales department of the selected company.
What are the ongoing costs, such as customer support? Speak to the sales department of the selected company.
Interview other companies using the system.
FIGURE 8.3 Examples of Research Activities to Answer Research Questions
• Secondary sources are the results of other people’s research, published in articles, books, or
research reports and usually written by the researchers themselves.
• Tertiary sources are books and articles that synthesize material from secondary sources, fram-
ing them for general readers. Tertiary sources include encyclopedias, textbooks, online tools
such as Wikipedia, and the results of most standard web searches. Tertiary sources are often
very good for background research. However, they may oversimplify the research they pres-
ent. You will have more credibility if you try to find the original material that these sources
summarize.
For the Ipswich Brands LMS project, you will need to do primary research: reading web-
sites and marketing materials of several learning management systems, speaking to sales-
people, interviewing users of these systems, and interviewing people within your organization
to identify criteria for judging the options. Good secondary sources will also make your job
easier. You can save time by reading reviews of learning management systems, articles compar-
ing different systems, or case studies describing how companies have used learning manage-
ment systems. Although you should not rely on the material from a tertiary source—such as
a Wikipedia article on learning management systems—quickly reading that article or a sum-
mary article on the ATD website may be a good place to get background information or a list
of other resources to consult.
Develop a work plan
The last step before beginning your research is to develop a work plan like the one illustrated in
Figure 8.4 to help you track your progress over time and ensure you meet deadlines. Although
you may need to modify your work plan as you discover new information, an initial plan helps
you focus on the project. The work plan in Figure 8.4 spreads the research over three weeks,
leaving you one week to prepare your presentation.
New Hires @ Work
James Pierre-Louis
Elon University
Social Media Coordinator @
The Date Valet
In every job I’ve had, even
internships, I’ve learned that
it is critically important to en-
sure that the sources I use are
dependable. Bad data leads to
bad decisions. So I start
with a work plan that
outlines each step
of the research pro-
cess and provides
enough time to
thoroughly
research, read,
and organize the
information.
secondary sources The results of other
people’s research that you consult as part of
your research.
tertiary sources Books and articles that
synthesize material from secondary sources.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Snyder
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How do you conduct research in print and online sources? 263
FIGURE 8.4 How to Develop a Work Plan
RESEARCH QUESTIONS RESEARCH ACTIVITIES TARGET DATE
Background Research
• What are the various types of learning
management and course management
systems?
• How do the types compare?
• What are the various elements of a
system and how do they work?
Research training and
education journals, books,
and websites.
Find and interview an LMS
expert.
Weeks 1–2
Week 1
To develop a work plan:
• Create a table.
• List your research
questions in the left
column.
• List associated research
activities in the next
column.
• Assign each activity a
target date.
Note that the target dates are
not always sequential. You may
conduct several research tasks
concurrently during the same
week. In addition, if you are
already interviewing people
in other companies to find
out how they handle training
and record keeping (Research
Question 1), you may also
want to find out what spe-
cific LMS they use (Research
Question 2).
1. Would an LMS be an effective training
tool for our company?
• What specific training and content
management needs does our
company have?
• What current problems are we facing?
• What are alternatives/options for
solving these problems?
• Is an LMS the best option?
Interview the company’s
chief learning officer and
department heads.
Survey or interview other
companies.
Research training and
education journals, books,
and websites.
Compare options against
company’s training needs.
Week 2
Week 2
Weeks 1–2
Week 2
2. If an LMS would be effective, which
one is the best option to meet our
specific training needs?
• What are the various options for
LMS programs?
• What criteria will we use to judge
the options?
• Which option best meets the
criteria?
Review training and
education journals, books,
and websites.
Conduct a web search for
LMS programs.
Speak to other companies in
the industry.
Interview the chief learning
officer and department
heads.
Conduct a detailed
comparative analysis.
Compare alternatives against
selection criteria.
Week 1
Week 1
Week 2
Week 1
Week 3
Week 3
3. What is the cost of the selected
option?
• What are the initial purchase and
installation costs?
• What are the ongoing costs, such
as customer support?
Speak to the sales de-
partment of the selected
company.
Interview other companies
using the system.
Week 3
Week 3
You may be able to gather most of the material you need from print or online sources. The chal-
lenge is to find those sources and to evaluate them to ensure that they are credible. Figure 8.5
summarizes a range of tools and identifies what you can find with each.
This section presents techniques to help you use these tools effectively to:
• Gather relevant print and electronic files
• Search the web strategically
• Use an online index or database to find articles from print publications
• Use a library or bookseller to find relevant books
• Follow leads in good sources
• Evaluate your sources for credibility
SQ2 How do you conduct research in print and online sources?
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FIGURE 8.5 Tools for Finding Research Sources
TOOL EXAMPLES WHAT THE EXAMPLES SEARCH WHAT THEY FIND
General Search
Engine
Google, Yahoo, Bing Web Publicly available content
Deep Web Search
Engine
Science.gov, Biznar.com
(see Technology feature
on page 268)
Web Specialized content often not
accessible through a general
search engine
Desktop Search
Tool
Windows Search, Locate32 Your computer or your organiza-
tion’s server
Company or personal unpub-
lished content
Online Publication
Index
New York Times Index One publication, such as the
New York Times
Articles in that publication
Online Article
Database
Ebsco Business Source Premier
Lexis/Nexis
Sociological Abstracts
Abstracts and full texts of thou-
sands of publications, gathered
together in the database
Articles originally published in
print journals, magazines, and
newspapers
Online Business
Research Tools
Thomson ONE Banker
IBIS World
Hoover’s
Standard and Poor’s
Yahoo Finance
Corporate and industry research
reports from various sources
Company, industry, and market
data
Library Online
Catalog
Northwestern University NU
Search
University of Michigan Mirlyn
University of Wisconsin MadCat
The library’s paper and electronic
holdings
Books, ebooks, and other pub-
lications available through that
library
Online Bookstore Amazon.com,
Barnesandnoble.com
Books available through that online
bookstore and other used booksellers
Books and ebooks available for
sale
Gather relevant print and electronic files
If you already have relevant hardcopy materials and files on your computer or your company’s
network, gather them together to organize in one central location. For paper documents, you
can use file folders or a three-ring notebook with tabbed dividers to organize your informa-
tion by topic. Or you can scan the material to create electronic files. If you photocopy or scan
articles from books, journals, or magazines, be sure to record the information required for
citations and reference list entries.
For electronic files, consider using a desktop search tool, which is a search engine de-
signed to search for files on your computer or file server that contain specific words or that
were produced within a specific time period. Figure 8.6 illustrates the results of a desktop search
for files containing the term learning management. Many search tools are available for down-
load or purchase. However, before investing in new software, try the search functions built into
your computer’s operating system.
Search the web strategically
Basic search engines, such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Ask, index sites throughout the
web. When you enter keywords, the search engine provides links to sites that use those
terms. The sites that appear at the top or near the side of the list are usually those whose
organizations have paid a fee to be featured in the search results. The main body of the
results page begins with sites that are frequently accessed or that most closely match your
search terms. As you scroll down the list or click on subsequent pages of the list, the results
are likely to be less relevant.
New Hires @ Work
Christian Tucker
Georgia Southern University
Intern @ Bank of America
Much of the information I need
to access is in internal docu-
ments, in SharePoint, which I
never used before
my internship.
Fortunately,
we have an
in-house on-
line learning
environment
with tutorials
that are very
helpful.
desktop search tool A search engine
designed to search for files on your com-
puter or file server that contain specific
words or that were produced within a
specific time period.
Photo courtesy of Christian Tucker
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Although searching the web seems easy, finding useful information is challenging. A Google
search for the words learning management system returns almost 85 million results. Which ones
will be relevant to you? Use the search tips in Figure 8.7 on page 266 to narrow your search.
Use an online index or database to find articles
and business data
Many useful articles are not available through a Google search because their publications
require a paid subscription. Almost every academic and public library purchases subscrip-
tions to specific publications such as the Wall Street Journal and the Journal of International
Business Studies. They also purchase subscriptions to online databases, such as Lexis-Nexis,
that collect articles from thousands of publications, including newspapers such as the New
York Times, magazines such as Businessweek, professional publications (also called trade
journals) such as Financial News, and academic journals such as Research in Learning Tech-
nology. Articles from these publications are regarded as more reliable than websites because
editors carefully review them. Articles in academic journals offer another advantage: They
are written and peer reviewed by professionals in the field to ensure that articles are accurate
and honest.
You can check with your university or public library to learn what online databases are
available. Searching for articles in these databases resembles searching the web. You must use
good search terms to get relevant results. Figure 8.8 on page 267 illustrates search results from
one widely available database, Business Source Premier.
You can also use online databases and other research tools to find business data and analy-
ses. For example, research organizations, such as Standard & Poor’s, Hoover’s, and Thomson,
publish in-depth financial data about companies, markets, and industries. You can access some
of this data on the web through publicly available tools, including Yahoo! Finance. Other data
will be available only through a library subscription.
Use a library or bookseller to find relevant books
Because the web contains so much information, students often neglect to search for books.
However, books—like print articles—can be more valuable than online resources because
books are often professionally reviewed, edited, and produced by reputable authors and pub-
lishing companies with established credibility. By contrast, anyone can post resources online
FIGURE 8.6 Results of a Desktop Search for Learning Management
Use a desktop search tool
to �nd electronic �les
such as meeting minutes,
budgets, proposals, or
previous research.
How do you conduct research in print and online sources? 265
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FIGURE 8.7 How to Conduct a Smarter Web Search
TECHNIQUE PURPOSE EXAMPLE
Use quotation marks around
your search terms
To find sites that include the exact
phrase rather than sites that include
each of the words somewhere on the
page
“learning management system”
Add relevant words to the search.
Think of words that must be in-
cluded on a website that is relevant
to your research, and add that word
to your search terms.
To get more relevant results If you would like only corporate systems that
offer assessment features, use
“learning management system” corporate
assessment
Use the minus symbol (–) before
a search term
To exclude pages that mention a term If you want to find information about learning
management systems that do not use open-
source software, use
“learning management system” –“open
source”
Use an asterisk (*) as a wildcard
within a search phrase
To find a phrase that includes an un-
known or variable word
If you want to find websites about companies
that have selected one specific LMS—for ex-
ample, Plateau—use an asterisk to represent
the name of any company:
“* selects Plateau” or
“* chooses Plateau”
Use Boolean operators: AND, OR,
or NOT
To expand or reduce your search
results
If you want to expand results by finding sites
that use either the term learning management
system or learning management software, use:
“learning management system” OR “learn-
ing management software”
Use synonyms or alternative
wording
To search for sites using different
terms to discuss your subject
If you notice that discussions of learning man-
agement systems often use the term
e-learning, search for
e-learning
Use file types To search for files, such as PDF files,
PowerPoint files, or files
If you want to find additional articles, docu-
ments, or case studies that are downloadable
files, search for
“learning management systems” filetype: pdf
or
“learning management systems” filetype: doc
about nearly anything. The drawback with books is that they may become outdated more
quickly than online content, which can be updated regularly.
To find books that remain relevant and timely, your first stop may be your library’s online
catalog. The catalog will probably allow you to do a keyword search using many of the same
techniques you use for a web search. If you find one book that seems relevant to your research,
check the online record to see what broader subject categories are associated with that book,
and then search for other books in the same category. You may find it equally useful to browse
through the library bookshelves. If you find one book that looks useful, go to its location in the
library and look at other books in the same section.
The advantage of looking at books in a school library is that the librarians and faculty have
determined those books are worthy of being in the library’s collection. The disadvantage is that
libraries rarely have the newest books since it often takes a long time for a library to acquire a
book. For more recent books, try searching the websites of online booksellers such as amazon
.com or barnesandnoble.com. If your library does not own the book—and you cannot buy
it—you may be able to ask your library to borrow it from another library.
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FIGURE 8.8 How to Search an Online Database
Enter key terms into the search
box.
Use the sidebar to refine your
search results. You can select
only articles that have full text
available or specify date ranges
and types of publications to find
the most useful material.
Follow the links in the results
list to access the full text of the
article. The results list contains all
the relevant publication
information for the articles.
Do not forget your citations. This
database will generate a fully
formatted citation that you can
cut and paste into your reference
list.
Copyright © 2012, EBSCO Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Follow leads in good sources
If you find a good book or article on your subject, check the bibliography or reference list to
find additional resources for your research. For example, if you read an interesting article in
the magazine Chief Learning Officer about transitioning an organization from traditional to
online learning, look at the article’s references. If the article is valuable to your research, then
the references used to write the article might also be useful. As you browse through the library,
check the bibliographies of the books you find. You may see references to other books and
articles you should read.
Evaluate your sources for credibility
Even after narrowing your search results, you are often left with thousands of options. How
do you decide which resources to use? No matter what kind of source you find—print or
electronic—you must evaluate it for credibility. To determine the reliability and relevance of a
source, use the “3 A’s”: authorship, accuracy, and age.
Authorship: Can you trust the author and publisher?
• Does the source identify the author? This is particularly important for websites.
• Is the author qualified or an expert in this content? Check the author’s biography, or research
the author on the web. If the author is a blogger, do not assume the material lacks credibility.
Some experts disseminate ideas through blogs as well as published works. To verify credibility,
determine where the author works and what other books or articles the author has published.
• Is the source published by a reputable press, or is the website sponsored by a reputable or-
ganization? On the web, you can generally feel confident about information that is published
by the government and universities. If you are unfamiliar with an organization that publishes
Evaluate
How do you conduct research in print and online sources? 267
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TECHNOLOGY
GOING BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WEB
An enormous amount of information is available to researchers
through the web, but not all of that information is easy to find.
Most people rely on search engines such as Google and Yahoo! to
find web-based information. However, those search engines gather
information from the surface of the web, which is just a small
percentage of what is available. As a researcher, you will want to
go more deeply into the web, finding not just free information
aimed at the public and consumers, but also information aimed at
professionals and information in publications that require a sub-
scription. To find that information, familiarize yourself with deep
web portals.3
Deep web portals perform federated searches.
These search engines select several very useful data-
bases available on the web and conduct your search
on those databases. By doing this, they provide high-
quality research knowledge designed for professionals.
For business research, you will find three deep
web portals particularly useful:
• Biznar.com. This site is designed for professional
business researchers. Although it does include
information from sources such as Wikipedia and
blogs, it also searches databases of professional
industry reports, academic articles, and articles
in the business press.
• Science.gov. This database provides access to
federally sponsored research on almost any topic.
• ipl2.org. This merger of two portals—the Li-
brarian’s Internet Index and the Internet Public
Library—provides access to trustworthy websites
on a number of topics, including business.
For example, imagine you work for a real estate
development company interested in incorporating
solar power in the new houses it builds. You have
been asked to research cost-effective options for solar
power. If you conduct a Google search for “cost-
effective solar energy,” you will find websites that offer
devices for sale, blog entries about solar energy, arti-
cles and videos about installing solar panels published
on “how-to” websites and YouTube, and many other
links that may not be useful. By contrast, if you search
the same topic on Biznar.com, you will find material
from the National Bureau of Economic Research. If
you search the same topic on science.gov, you will find
material from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Na-
tional Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the journal
Science. If you search on ipl2.org, you will find links
to associations, such as the American Solar Energy
Society and the Solar Energy Industries Association,
that provide resources and research on solar energy.
Material on all three of these sites is typically well researched and
designed for professional audiences.
Even when using material found through the reliable deep
web portals, you need to verify the credibility and objectivity of
the source. For example, you can go to the Science website so that
you are knowledgeable about the journal and the types of articles
it publishes.
ipl2 Search Results Page
Permission granted by ipl2: Information You Can Trust www.ipl.org
For TECHNOLOGY exercises, go to Exercise 7 on page 289 and
Exercise 34c on page 293.
information you would like to use, read more about that organization to determine whether it
is respected by others and considered reputable.
• Does the author provide support for claims? Unsupported opinions are less credible than
arguments supported by evidence.
Accuracy: Can you trust the information?
• Was the book or article peer reviewed? If a text has been reviewed by other experts before
publication, the result is likely to be more accurate.
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• Do others frequently cite the source? You can find out by using a citation index such as Social
Science Citation Index, ISI Science Citation, or Google Scholar (www.scholar.google.com).
• Do other sources agree with this information? Information is likely to be more accurate if
you find it in multiple, unrelated sources.
• Does the author acknowledge and respond to opposing points of view? When an author ad-
dresses other points of view instead of evading them, you have a broader context for evaluating
the author’s position.
• Does the author cite sources for numbers, facts, or research findings? Or does the author
expect you to assume the data is correct?
Age: Is the information current or still relevant?
• How current is this information? If you’re researching a technology topic, the material needs
to be very current. By contrast, if you’re researching an issue in business ethics, the source may
offer useful perspectives even if it is decades old.
• Does the source provide a last-updated date or copyright?
• Are any web links broken? This often indicates an outdated page.
Evaluating sources using these criteria—authorship, accuracy, and age—helps you decide
whether a source is useful and what to use it for. Figure 8.9 illustrates an evaluation of three
articles on learning management systems.
FIGURE 8.9 Example of How to Evaluate Research Sources
SOURCE EVALUATION DECISION
Article 1: White Paper
Element K. (2003). Learning
management systems in the
work environment: Practical
considerations for the selec-
tion and implementation of
an e-learning platform.
[White paper]. Rochester, NY:
Element K.
AUTHORSHIP
Element K—a training and development orga-
nization that implements learning solutions for
its clients
ACCURACY
• Includes citations
• Is cited in several peer-reviewed articles
• May be biased because Element K sells
learning management systems
AGE
Not a recent source
Decision: Use only for background
information.
Reason: This article is too old to cite as
factual on this topic. In addition, as a white
paper, it is probably biased toward certain
LMS systems. However, it may provide
useful background information.
Article 2: Research Report
Tagoras, Inc. (2011).
Association Learning
Management Systems.
[Research report]. Carborro,
N.C.: Tagoras, Inc.
AUTHORSHIP
Tagoras is an independent research company
that focuses on the online learning industry.
Tagoras sells this research report for $299.
ACCURACY
• Includes primary research
• Includes citations
• Has a reputation for unbiased research
AGE
Published more recently than Article 1
Decision: If applicable, use to understand
the criteria for comparing and selecting
systems.
Reason: This research report is fairly re-
cent and probably unbiased. However, it
may not be 100 percent on target because
it focuses on systems for associations that
provide professional development to mem-
bers rather than businesses that provide
training to employees.
Article 3: Article in an
Industry Journal
Tozman, R. (2012, February).
New learning analytics for a
new workplace.
T+D 66(2), 44–47.
AUTHORSHIP
T+D is a well-respected industry journal.
Rueben Tozman is the chief learning officer of a
company that focuses on e-learning.
ACCURACY
• Was reviewed by journal editors who are
experts in the field
• Cites various other experts and points of
view
AGE
Published most recently
Decision: If applicable, use as an expert
opinion.
Reason: Because Tozman is an expert in
the field, his opinions about measuring the
value of learning may be worth including.
However, it is important to acknowledge
that they are just his opinions.
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CULTURE
RESEARCHING COUNTRIES AND CULTURES ONLINE
Currently, more than 195 countries and independent territories
exist in the world.4 Among these countries, people belong to hun-
dreds of different cultures and speak more than 7,000 languages
and dialects.5 With all of this diversity, preparing yourself to work
internationally or in a multicultural workforce is a huge task.
You cannot anticipate all the countries and cultures you may
need to know about during your career. Fortunately, the web will
make this information easy to find, if you know how to look for
it. Specific websites will change over the years. However, as this
chapter discusses, you can find the information you need by using
effective search terms.
The following table provides four sets of search terms and
examples of resources that resulted from a web search using these
terms. These sites and others like them can help you begin your
research on doing business and communicating with people
around the world. By using these and similar sets of search terms,
you will be able to find additional resources on your own.
SEARCH TERMS: “CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN BUSINESS”
RESOURCE CREATED BY WHAT YOU WILL FIND
BusinessCulture.org Passport to Trade 2.0, a project funded with
support from the European Union
A business culture guide for online, face-to-
face, and social media communication for
31 European countries
WorldBusinessCulture.com Global Business Culture, a training and de-
velopment company that helps organizations
make international business more efficient
and profitable
Comprehensive description of business
culture, including communication, in 39
countries
SEARCH TERMS: “INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DATA”
RESOURCE CREATED BY WHAT YOU WILL FIND
GlobalEDGE™ International Business Center at Michigan
State University and partly funded by the
U.S. Department of Education
A knowledge web portal that connects
international business professionals world-
wide to a wealth of information, insights,
and learning resources on global business
activities
Doing Business International Finance organization and The
World Bank
Reports on business regulations in coun-
tries throughout the world
SEARCH TERMS: “INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE”
RESOURCE CREATED BY WHAT YOU WILL FIND
International Business
Etiquette and Manners
Global Leadership MBA Graduates from
University of Texas—Dallas
Analysis of business etiquette in more than
30 countries around the world
Executive Planet International Business Center, a not-for-
profit organization
A wiki where experts in specific cultures
provide advice about communicating and
conducting business in those cultures
For CULTURE exercises, go to Exercises 29 and 30 on page 292
and Exercise 34d on page 293.
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How do you conduct primary research? 271
SQ3 How do you conduct primary research?
Some research questions or problems require that you conduct your own original, or primary,
research. Imagine that you want to know which learning management systems are used most
widely in your industry. If no one else has already done this research, you could use any of the
following primary research techniques:
• Compose a survey—or standardized questionnaire—to distribute to the head of training of
each company in your industry.
• Interview content experts to get their in-depth thoughts about available systems.
• Conduct observational research to determine how difficult it will be for new managers to
learn how to use a system. You could get a trial version of the software, input trial data, ask
specific managers to do a task with the data, and observe them as they do this task, noting any
problems that need to be addressed.
Each of the three types of research—survey, interview, and observation—is widely used
in business. The sections that follow introduce you to all three methods. However, if you are
working on an extensive project that requires you to become very skilled at any of these ap-
proaches, you may need to take a course or read a text in research methods.
Conduct survey research to gather information that is easy
to compare
Survey research uses a predetermined list of questions, also known as a survey instrument, to
collect a structured set of information from a selected audience. Surveys allow you to compare
the number of participants who respond in specific ways.
To analyze whether survey research will be useful, you first need to determine what data
you need to gather and from whom. As you’ll recall from Figure 8.1, these are the three main
research questions about learning management systems:
Research Question 1: Would an LMS be an effective tool for our company?
Research Question 2: If an LMS would be effective, which one is the best option to meet our
specific training needs?
Research Question 3: What will be the costs of the recommended option in money and time?
A survey asking employees and managers for their opinions about Questions 1 and 2 will not be
useful. Their answers would simply give you a set of vague and general opinions about LMS systems
without any detailed explanation to help you analyze those systems. However, as you consider how to
answer Question 2, you may decide to survey employees to learn about their prior work experiences
with specific learning management systems. Such a survey can provide information about what sys-
tems are used in other companies, how they are used, and how employees respond to the systems.
To administer a survey like this, you will need to decide which people to survey, how to
word the questions, how to administer the survey, and how to analyze the results.
Choose which people to survey
The audience from whom you want to collect survey responses is your survey population.
Oftentimes, you cannot survey the entire population because there are simply too many people
to contact. In these cases, you can identify a sample or a representative portion of your popula-
tion. Different kinds of samples can be used for different purposes:
• A convenience sample is a sample selected because you have easy access to that population. For
example, you might determine that it would be easier or that you would get a better response
rate by surveying the employees in your building rather than all the branches across the country.
• A targeted sample is a sample restricted to specific people within the group you are studying.
For example, if you do most of your training with new hires, you might survey employees who
were hired within the last year.
• A random sample is a sample selected broadly from all available members of the population
you want to study. This is the best alternative if you want to generalize your findings to every-
one you are studying. A sample is random when every member of the population has an equal
chance of being selected. For example, if you want to survey all 500 employees in a company,
you could generate an alphabetical list and distribute a survey to every second person on the
list. A random sample increases the likelihood that the responses will be statistically valid and
accurately represent the larger population.
survey A predetermined list of questions
used to collect a structured set of informa-
tion from a selected audience.
interview A research method involving a
structured discussion between two or more
people, usually in a question-and-answer
format.
observational research A research
method that involves watching people per-
form relevant activities and recording details
about what you observe.
survey population The audience from
whom you want to collect survey responses.
sample A representative portion of your
population.
convenience sample A survey popula-
tion selected because you have easy access
to that group.
targeted sample A sample that consists
of only specific people from the group you
are studying.
random sample A population selected
broadly from all available members of the
population you want to study.
Analyze
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Decide on a survey medium
To select a medium for delivering your survey questions to your participants, consider the advan-
tages and disadvantages of the various options. Face-to-face and telephone surveys allow you to
ask clarifying and follow-up questions, leading to more in-depth information. However, these in-
person surveys are time-consuming and they require you to manually enter data into a spreadsheet
or tabulate data manually. Mailed surveys also require manual entry of data, and responses may
come in slowly. Online surveys address all those problems and offer additional advantages: They
are inexpensive, fast to distribute, and easy for the audience to complete. However, research shows
that response rates are often lower for online surveys than for mailed surveys. To increase the
response rate, experts suggest notifying participants in advance that they will get a link by email.6
Compose effective survey questions
To determine the content of your survey questions, use your broader research questions as a
guide. For example, if you want to determine which LMS would be most effective, you might
ask your survey population how satisfied they were with systems they used in the past. Once you
know what you want to ask, the next step is to determine how to write questions so that you get
the information you need. Avoid ambiguous questions that can be interpreted in multiple ways.
For instance, don’t ask, “How would you rate the learning management system?” because you will
have no way of knowing what criteria the respondent is using for the rating. To fix this problem,
identify the criteria for their response such as, “How would you rate the effectiveness of the online
training you have taken compared to traditional face-to-face training?” To ensure your survey ques-
tions are effective, you can pilot test them with a focus group before distributing the survey.
Figure 8.10 shows examples of several survey question formats. Examples include questions
that require respondents to select a specific response (yes or no), rate or rank the listed options,
or assign a value to a statement. Your survey may include a variety of question formats, or you
might find that one format, such as multiple choice, works well to gather data that answer your
research questions.
If you choose an online survey format, you have the option to construct some of these ques-
tions as branching questions—questions that lead respondents to different topics depending on
how they answer.7 For example, the yes/no question “Have you used a learning management sys-
tem (LMS) for training in any of your prior work experiences?” might branch into two paths. Re-
spondents who answer “yes” can be directed to questions that evaluate the systems they have used.
Respondents who answer “no” can be directed to questions about traditional, face-to-face training.
Many surveys also request demographic information that allows you to categorize respon-
dents’ answers in relevant ways. For example, in some surveys, you may find it relevant to ask
participants about their age or where they live. For this LMS survey, however, age and location
are not relevant. Instead, you might ask a question about when the participants joined the
company and how many training courses they have taken.
Analyze, interpret, and evaluate results
After the survey is completed, you need to count, summarize, and analyze the responses. For
each question, you will need to decide which measures to use to report responses: percentage,
range, mean, median, mode, or the total count, called “n” for “number.”
For some questions, percentage and total count are the most logical data to report. Con-
sider, for example, the yes/no question in Figure 8.10:
“Have you used a learning management system (LMS) for training in any of your prior work
experiences? sYes s No”
Determining the percentage of people who have used a system in the past lets you know
whether most people or very few people in the population have LMS experience. In addition,
you need to know exactly how many people this percentage represents. If only 20 percent of
the 130 people surveyed have LMS experience, you will have data from only 26 people. You
will need this total count information to analyze the results of later questions, like the multiple-
choice question in Figure 8.10 that asks,
“If yes, how would you rate your satisfaction with the effectiveness of the online training you
have taken compared to traditional face-to-face training?”
When you analyze the answers, you will need to take into account that only 26 people
are qualified to answer this question. If you report the multiple-choice results of this
Compose
Analyze
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YES/NO
Have you used a learning management system (LMS) for training in any of your prior work experiences?
s Yes s No
MULTIPLE CHOICE
If yes, how would you rate your satisfaction with the effectiveness of the online training you have taken compared to traditional
face-to-face training?
s = More satisfied with LMS for ALL learning experiences
s = More satisfied with LMS for MOST learning experiences
s = Neither more satisfied nor more dissatisfied with LMS
s = Less satisfied with LMS for MOST learning experiences
s = Less satisfied with LMS for ALL learning experiences
LIKERT (AGREEMENT) SCALE
For each statement, indicate to what extent you agree with the statement.
IF THE COMPANY ADOPTS
AN ONLINE LMS OPTION . . .
STRONGLY
DISAGREE
DISAGREE NEUTRAL AGREE STRONGLY
AGREE
it would improve our company’s
overall training experience.
s s s s s
I might sign up for more elective
training sessions.
s s s s s
I would miss the social interaction
of meeting employees from other
offices.
s s s s s
RATING SCALE
If you have experience with any of the following LMS systems, please rate how strongly you recommend that Ipswich Brands
adopt it, on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 1 indicates you do not recommend the product, and a score of 10 indicates that you
strongly recommend the product.
SYSTEM DO NOT
RECOMMEND
NEUTRAL STRONGLY
RECOMMEND
A2Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Eclipse 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Teach2Me 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
OPEN ENDED
If you recommend an LMS based on your experience, please provide the name of the LMS and explain why you recommend it.
FIGURE 8.10 Five Types of Survey Questions
question as percentages, you must acknowledge that these are percentages of 26, a very
small number.
Other questions require data relating to averages: range, mean, medium, and mode. For
example, consider the rating scale question in Figure 8.10:
“If you have experience with any of the following LMS systems, please rate how strongly you
recommend that Ipswich Brands adopt it, on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 1 indicates you do not
recommend the product, and a score of 10 indicates that you strongly recommend the product.”
Assume you received responses from 26 employees, summarized in Figure 8.11. The figure
shows how the different measures provide different information about the data.
How do you conduct primary research? 273
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 8.10’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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In addition to analyzing the survey results, you also need to evaluate them to determine
how you can best represent them. You may not feel confident about using your survey results if
you did not get enough responses or responses from the right people. Even if you feel confident
about your responses, you need to evaluate what you can say about them. Assume that your
company has 130 employees and you received 80 responses, with 26 responses from employees
who indicated experience with the three learning management systems you are considering.
Can you say 20 percent of all employees (26 out of 130) have experience with one of the three
systems? Or is it more accurate to say 33 percent of the employees who responded (26 out of 80)
have experience with one of the three systems?
Conduct interview research to gather in-depth information
An interview is a discussion between two or more people, usually in a question-and-answer
format. The interviewer asks questions and records the interviewee’s responses. You can also
conduct an interview by email, especially if you have only a few questions to ask.
Interviews have at least one significant benefit compared to surveys. Although survey re-
search gives you numbers to analyze, it does not give you the opportunity to delve deeply into
the answers. By contrast, interview research allows you to get richer, more detailed information
because interviewees are not limited to predefined responses. In fact, your preplanned questions
are often just a starting point that can lead to discussions you might not predict. However, inter-
views are more time-consuming than surveys; it would take you much longer to interview each
of the 80 people who responded to the LMS survey than simply distributing the survey questions.
range The span between the highest and
lowest values.
mean The average derived by adding
all responses and dividing the sum by the
number of responses.
median The number that represents the
middle number in a distribution or the most
central number.
mode The number that most frequently ap-
pears in a distribution.
ACE
Evaluate
Question: If you have experience with any of the following LMS systems, please rate how strongly you recommend that Ipswich
Brands adopt it on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 1 indicates you do not recommend the product, and a score of 10 indicates that
you strongly recommend the product.
A2Z SYSTEMS ECLIPSE SOFTWARE TEACH2ME
Employee Ratings 1, 1, 1, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 7 8, 9, 9, 9, 10
Number of Responses* n = 11 (42%) n = 10 (38%) n = 5 (19%)
Range 1–9 5–7 8–10
Mean 5 6 9
Median 6 6 9
Mode 1 7 9
*Total does not add to 100% because of rounding.
This figure compiles the responses of 26 employees about their experiences with various learning management systems. Look-
ing at the range, mean, median, and mode can tell us different things about these responses.
• The range—the span between the highest and lowest
values—demonstrates that their responses varied greatly.
Some people ranked A2Z poorly, but other people ranked it
fairly well. The ranges for the other two products indicate a
narrow distribution, indicating more consistent perceptions
among the employees.
• The mean is the average and is determined by adding all
the responses and dividing the sum by the number of re-
sponses. Although Teach2Me has the highest mean, only
five people (19 percent) had experience with that system.
The high mean would inspire more confidence if it repre-
sented the opinion of more people.
• The median is the number that represents the middle of the re-
sponses or the most central number. Although the median and
mean are the same for two of the products, for A2Z Systems
the median is slightly higher than the mean, which indicates that
more people responded above the average than below.
• The mode—the number that most frequently appears in
the distribution—can help you differentiate between items
that have similar means or similar medians. For example,
here the median rating for both A2Z and Eclipse is 6. How-
ever, the two programs have very different modes. For
A2Z, the mode is 1, meaning that the program received
more 1s or “do not recommend” than any other rating. By
contrast, the mode for Eclipse is much higher, 7, reflecting
a stronger recommendation for the product.
FIGURE 8.11 Responses to Rating Scale Question in Figure 8.10
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Depending on the research questions you need to answer, consider interviewing subject
matter experts, employees, customers, or product users. Experts can include authors of the
books or articles you read, columnists who publish related blogs, and people who post com-
ments to community message boards. You may choose to conduct your interview by email,
posing specific questions. However, a conversation typically allows more in-depth discussion
and may lead to valuable information that you had not originally planned to discuss.
For the learning management systems research, interviews are a key element of the work
plan illustrated in Figure 8.4. The plan calls for you to find appropriate people in other com-
panies and interview them about their experiences with learning management systems. If you
secure an interview with someone, you will have only one chance to ask all the questions you
need. Therefore, you need to plan carefully. Use the checklist in Figure 8.12 to plan the inter-
view, conduct the interview, and evaluate the results.
Planning an interview
✓ Generate a list of questions. Brainstorm as many questions as possible, then evaluate your list to eliminate redundant or
extraneous questions.
✓ Organize related questions into categories. For the LMS research, these categories may include questions about how
the company selected its LMS, how the system is used at that company, how the employees perceive the system, and
where additional sources of information can be found.
✓ Identify sources to answer questions. You may need to consult a variety of sources or people to answer your questions.
Identify the sources for each question and create a second list of the same questions organized by source.
✓ Determine how you will record responses. Even if you tape record the interview, take notes in case a mechanical prob-
lem occurs with your recording. Also, be sure to get the interviewee’s permission to make a recording.
✓ Write an interview guide. An interview guide is a plan of action for the interview that outlines the questions you will ask
and ensures that you do not forget something important. You may want to leave room for taking notes. You may also want
to provide the interviewees with the list of questions before the interview. Doing so allows them to organize their thoughts
and possibly collect examples or additional information that they would not otherwise have readily available.
Conducting an interview
✓ Arrive early. You may need to set up recording equipment or review your notes to prepare.
✓ Provide a foundation. Introduce yourself, describe your research, state your purpose, and confirm the length of the inter-
view. Even if you mentioned these things in your initial email or telephone conversation, providing this information again will
set the context for the discussion and clarify expectations.
✓ Be professional. Speak clearly and be sure the interviewee understands your questions.
✓ Listen carefully. If you do not understand an answer, do not be afraid to ask for clarification. You may have to ask questions
such as “Why is that?” or “Can you explain that again?” to get the information you need.
✓ Keep returning to the interview guide. Responses to questions can lead to tangents that can provide useful information,
but also distract you from your plan. Watch the clock to ensure you do not run out of time before you have asked all the
questions on your list. If the answers start to wander, bring the conversation back to its purpose.
✓ Be flexible. If an answer triggers a question not on the guide, ask it. For example, if the people you’re interviewing com-
ment about slow response from the technical support department of the software developer, ask if that was a pattern and
how the slow response time affected the company.
✓ Don’t argue. Your interviewees may make incorrect statements or state opinions as facts. Instead of correcting them or argu-
ing their point, probe more deeply to understand why they hold their opinion. Putting them on the defensive may make them
less willing to share their knowledge with you. For example, if an interviewee says her company decided against a specific LMS
because it was too expensive, don’t argue that the LMS actually costs less than comparable products. Instead, you could ask if
there were any other reasons why the company rejected that program or why it believed the program it chose was a better value.
✓ Follow-up with a thank you. Expressing appreciation at the end of an interview is important. In addition, following up with
a phone call or email is good professional practice and may prompt your interviewee to provide additional feedback.
Evaluating interview results
✓ Draft a concise, well-organized summary of the conversation. In some situations, you may decide to share your sum-
mary with your interviewee to confirm the information that you gathered is correct.
✓ Organize your findings so that related information is grouped together. Despite having an organized list of interview questions,
you may find that the interviewee’s responses included tangents that were informative, but not systematically organized. That means
you should not type your notes in the order in which you recorded them. Instead, you will need to organize your notes into logical
categories. These categories may be different from the ones you used to organize your questions in the interview guide.
✓ Determine what additional information you now need and how to get it. The interviewee might not have been able to
answer all your questions, may have suggested new questions, or may have been able to give only part of an answer.
FIGURE 8.12 Checklist for Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating an Interview
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You will notice that the checklist in Figure 8.12 recommends creating an interview guide
to ensure that you remember to ask important questions. Although your interview questions
will depend on the nature of your problem or decision, the sample interview guide in Figure 8.13
provides some categories of questions you can adapt to meet the needs of your research.
interview guide
1. Introduce yourself and the purpose of the interview. Thank the interviewee for
spending time with you.
2. Questions about the interviewee:
a. What does your organization do?
b. Who does your organization serve?
c. What is your position in the organization?
3. Questions about the problem:
a. How many LMS options did you consider before selecting one?
b. What criteria did you use to select your learning management system?
4. Questions about users and stakeholders:
a. What do your employees think about your learning management system?
b. How often do your employees use your learning management system?
c. How do you update your training modules?
5. Questions about features:
a. What are the strengths of your learning management system?
b. What are the weaknesses of your learning management system?
6. Questions about the research:
a. Can you suggest experts or other people?
b. Can you suggest relevant secondary sources (books, articles, websites)?
c. What advice can you give me as we determine the best learning management
system for our company?
7. End the interview on a positive note by thanking the interviewee again.
FIGURE 8.13 Sample Interview
Guide
Conduct observational research to understand
how people act
For many topics, observation is an important supplement to survey and interview research.
Observational research involves watching people perform relevant activities and then record-
ing details about what you have observed. For example, when gathering information about
learning management systems, you could ask an LMS provider if you can observe—and even
participate in—an online training session it is conducting for another customer.
Observation offers advantages over self-reported data from surveys and interviews.
When people describe and evaluate a past experience in a survey or interview, they may not
completely remember what happened, or they may want to give you the answer they believe
you want to hear. Direct observation of actual behavior can give you much more accurate
results.
When you observe, do not trust your memory. Carefully record important information
about what you saw and heard as the observation proceeds, and take time immediately after
you conclude the observation to make additional notes.
Follow these guidelines to get the most information from your observational research:
• Decide what kinds of observations will be most helpful. In other words, don’t observe for
the sake of observing. Ideally, observe people performing the actual activities with the actual
products in the actual settings where they are normally used.
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ETHICS
HOW TO BE AN ETHICAL RESEARCHER
When you present research in a business report or proposal, your
audience has the right to expect that the information is reliable,
accurate, and complete. To meet those expectations, as a re-
searcher you have ethical responsibilities. The following six guide-
lines address both how to gather information and how to report it.
1. Use reputable sources. If you use secondary sources, take
responsibility to ensure that those sources are credible using
the criteria of authorship, accuracy, and age. Also, ensure the
information can be verified. For example, imagine you are
conducting research to help your company decide whether or
not to use direct mail advertising sent through the U.S. mail.
You want to be able to report on the environmental impact
of mail that people discard. What would be the best source
to cite: Wikipedia, a company that is marketing software for
electronic direct mail, or the United States Environmental
Protection Agency? If you originally found useful informa-
tion in Wikipedia, look at the reference list at the end of the
article and see if you can verify the information in a more
credible source. Then cite the more credible source.
2. Cite all sources. In business research, just as in academic re-
search, you are responsible for citing sources for all ideas and-
opinions that are not your own by giving credit to the original
writers.. In addition, you are responsible for citing facts that are
not general knowledge. Source citations for statistics and other
facts help your audience evaluate the accuracy of the informa-
tion. Imagine, for example, that you want to report the unem-
ployment rate in the United States. The credibility of that “fact”
may differ depending on whether you got the information from
a blog on the web or from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
3. Ensure that all interview and survey sources provide
informed consent.8 When you interview or survey people—
especially when the survey is not anonymous—let those people
know how you plan to use the information and if they may
experience any negative consequences from the way you use the
data. For example, imagine you are interviewing residents of a
town to identify opinions for and against building a new shop-
ping mall. In conducting this research, you need to ensure that
people know you will be quoting them in a report to the city
council. They also need to know that the city council will use the
results to help decide whether to provide a zoning variance for a
shopping mall. Once your interview subjects have this informa-
tion, you need to be sure that they consent to their responses
being used this way.
4. Report research accurately. Be sure that you understand the
intention of a source before reporting it. Do not take quotations
out of context, report data in a misleading way, or make claims
that your research cannot support. For example, if your research
consisted of interviewing 10 customers about to enter a coffee
store, you cannot say “According to our interviews, consumers
prefer coffee over tea.” You have data from only 10 people. You
do not have enough data to support the larger conclusion. In
addition, your sample may be biased as you are interviewing
people who are likely to be coffee drinkers. Similarly, if your
data about economic growth came from a reputable source
published in 2002, you cannot say, “According to the Interna-
tional Economics Statistics Database, Equatorial Guinea has the
fastest-growing economy in the world.” That was true in 2002,
but is it true now? It would be more accurate and ethical to say,
“In 2002, Equatorial Guinea had the fastest-growing economy
in the world.”
5. Include all relevant information. You may find it tempting
to report only research that supports the position you want to
argue. However, if you find information that contradicts your
position, you have an ethical responsibility to address it in your
report. For example, suppose you plan to argue that your com-
pany should not advertise through direct mail but instead use
email advertising. You’d like to be able to show that direct mail is
not environmentally friendly because it contributes significantly
to the municipal solid waste stream. In researching, however,
you find this fact, showing that the contribution is not as signifi-
cant as you originally believed. The most recent research by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that standard
mail, which includes direct bulk mailing, comprised only
1.9 percent of municipal solid waste.9 Instead of ignoring this
fact and maintaining your original position, choose one of these
other options:
• Concede the fact and explain why it does not under-
mine your position. “Although direct mail advertising
represents only a small percentage of our solid waste
stream, every bit of extra solid waste costs money for
disposal and takes up valuable space in landfills.”
• Eliminate this environmental argument from your
report and stress other arguments against direct mail
advertising.
• Modify your position. You may not expect to find infor-
mation that convinces you to change your point of view,
but this routinely happens when people conduct thorough
research.
6. Respect intellectual property and “fair use” of other
people’s material. Under U.S. copyright law and the doctrine
of fair use, you may include brief quotations from others’
work in your reports and presentations. However, you can-
not quote substantial portions of another work in your own,
even if you cite that work, because you are benefitting from
that person’s intellectual property.10 If you plan to draw
heavi ly from someone else’s text, it is safest to receive written
permission from the copyright owner.
For ETHICS exercises, go to Exercises 27 and 28 on page 292.
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SQ4 How can you use social media in your research?
Social media sources can extend your reach in gathering information. Consider the following
possible ways that blogs, tweets, online videos, and slide-sharing sites can contribute to your
research. They can:
• help you find experts and other useful sources not published through books or articles.
• allow you to request information through surveys and question–answer sites.
• give you a platform for conducting primary research by collecting anecdotal evidence—
evidence from people’s experiences—which may not be scientifically valid or representative
but may still provide insight into your topic.
This section discusses strategies for taking advantage of social media in your research
process. Remember that when you conduct research through social media, you are responsible
for documenting your sources just as you are when using more traditional media.
Search for experts
Many experts write and publish blogs on their topics of expertise. Reading those blogs is simi-
lar to interviewing experts. In addition, many companies sponsor blogs, to promote discus-
sions about their products or industry. To find relevant blogs, search for the name of your
subject plus the word blog. Be sure to evaluate the blog for authorship, accuracy, and age. Many
blogs provide biographical profiles outlining the authors’ professional credentials and exper-
tise. Because experts often post comments on other people’s blogs—as well as their own—you
may identify experts by reading through comments.
Post questions to your network and beyond
Because social media encourages two-way communication, it offers many opportuni-
ties to find experts, ask questions, and get quick responses. For example, if you have a
Linked In account, you can type in a search term in the search box and see if any people in
your network include that term in their profile. That may help you find a knowledgeable
person who can answer your questions. You can also use the social media site Quora to
post questions to people outside your network, and you can search Quora to see if others
have posed questions and answers relevant to your research. A search for “learning man-
agement systems” on Quora revealed expert discussions about current trends in learning
management systems, the top systems used by corporations, and gamification in LMS
systems.
Posting a question on a social media site benefits both you and the person who answers.
You get expert consulting for no cost, and the expert gets professional exposure. Questions and
answers are archived on the site, and responses will benefit others who are looking for expert
points of view.
A different approach to gathering information is conducting surveys through social net-
works, either by posting a survey on your company’s Facebook wall or by using Facebook,
Twitter, blogs, or microblogs to post links to surveys. You can also use social media to crowd-
source the answer to a problem. For example, instead of conducting intensive market research,
one fashion company posted on its website pictures of new clothes the company designed and
invited visitors to vote for their favorite items. The company selected the top five as the final
collection.11
anecdotal evidence Information you
can get from a subjective report that may
not be scientifically valid or representative
but that may provide insight on your topic.
New Hires @ Work
Ryan Croy
University of Tennessee
Content Writer @ Asurion
I write about consumer
electronics, and I have to
understand common
problems with them
to write about them.
Examples of re-
sources I find use-
ful include owner’s
manuals, YouTube
tutorials, and
Amazon product
reviews.
• Plan time to set up and follow up. You may need time beforehand to set up recording equip-
ment, as well as time afterward to make notes or follow up with participants.
• Write an observation plan. The plan includes the day, time, and length of the observation, as
well as questions about features or actions and other issues relevant to your research.
• Summarize the results in writing after the observation.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Croy
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How can you effectively organize the results of your research? 279
FIGURE 8.14 Examples of Reference Citation Styles
APA STYLE (6TH ED.) CHICAGO STYLE (16TH ED.) MLA STYLE (9TH ED.)
In-text citation:
. . . Moodle was used in a landmark
case study analysis to demonstrate
how course management systems can
generate effective results (Romero,
Ventura, & Garcia, 2008). This study
effectively . . .
Reference page citation:
Romero, C., Ventura, S., & Garcia, E.
(2008). Data mining in course manage-
ment systems: Moodle case study and
tutorial. Computers & Education, 51(1),
368–384.
In-text citation:
. . . Moodle was used in a landmark
case study analysis to demonstrate
how course management systems can
generate effective results (Romero,
Ventura, and Garcia 2008, 368). This
study effectively . . .
Reference page citation:
Romero, Cristobal, Sebastian Ventura,
and Enrique Garcia. 2008. Data Mining
in Course Management Systems:
Moodle Case Study and Tutorial.
Computers & Education 51 (1): 368–384.
In-text citation:
. . . Moodle was used in a landmark
case study analysis to demonstrate how
course management systems can gener-
ate effective results (Romero, Ventura,
and Garcia 368). This study effectively . . .
Works Cited page citation:
Romero, Cristobal, Sebastian Ventura,
and Enrique Garcia. “Data Mining in
Course Management Systems: Moodle
Case Study and Tutorial.” Computers &
Education 51.1 (2008): 368–384. Print.
If your research is successful, you may be overwhelmed with sources by the time you finish.
Use the following steps to ensure that your information will be easy to access as you begin to
prepare your report or presentation.
Build your reference list as you research
As you collect sources, record all the information you need to prepare a reference list, such as
authors’ names, date of publication, the publication’s name, the complete web address if online,
volume and issue numbers, and all page numbers (not just the starting page). This information
will save you time as you prepare your final report and presentation. It will also ensure that you
can find the information again when you need it.
Several citation management programs are available to organize citations and sources, such
as EndNote, RefWorks, and EasyBib. Some versions of Microsoft Word will do this also. These
programs prompt you for information and then format your references in any one of several
citation styles, including American Psychological Association (APA) style, Modern Language
Association (MLA) style, and Chicago style, based on the Chicago Manual of Style. If you use
the same sources for multiple research projects or courses, you can save the sources and refor-
mat the references in any of the output formats.
The citation style you use will depend on the industry in which you work, the organiza-
tion that is publishing your work, or your instructors’ preferences. Both APA style and Chi-
cago style are widely used in business. Although businesses rarely use MLA style, it may be
required by your instructor. Figure 8.14 illustrates how a citation from the same source would
SQ5 How can you effectively organize the results of your research?
Gather anecdotal evidence
Anecdotal evidence comes from subjective reports or stories that people tell. It is not scientific
or verifiable evidence, but you may find accounts of other people’s experiences useful in your
research. In social media sources, social reviews, such as consumer-generated product reviews
on sites such as Amazon, provide a wealth of anecdotal information about products you may
be researching. In fact, research by NM Incite shows that 60 percent of all social media users
review products and services online, and other consumers value these reviews as a source of
information.12 You can also find anecdotal evidence on blogs, microblogs, and videos, all of
which can be excellent sources of testimonials or complaints about a product.13 The search
engine socialmention.com allows you to search multiple social media platforms for sources
related to the topic you are researching.
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FIGURE 8.15 Desktop Version of
Mendeley
be formatted in APA, Chicago, and MLA style. The Guide to Reference Styles at the back of this
book includes additional information about documentation in APA and MLA styles.
Organize documents and notes on your computer
and “in the cloud”
As you research, you can organize your files on your computer, or you can take advan-
tage of cloud computing to store your files on the Internet so that they are available to
share with collaborators and to use on all your devices, including computers, tablets, and
smartphones.
To organize your research on your computer, use a logical filing system that helps you find
and retrieve documents when you need them. The following guidelines will help you organize
your information for easy reference. Also be sure to back up your files so you don’t lose valu-
able resources.
• Create identifiable filenames. When you download a file from the web, such as a PDF,
the filename may not adequately identify the file’s contents. For example, if a file is labeled
“DEC1402 ,” you would have to open it to determine its contents. Rename the file so that
you will be able to quickly identify it when you skim your file list later. You may decide to save
the DEC1402 file with the article’s title, “Overview of Open Source Learning Management
Systems,” or by topic and publisher, “Open Source LMS–EDUCAUSE.”
• Group similar content for easy synthesis. On your computer, create a folder for each research
project. Within that folder, create subfolders that allow you to organize the information. You
can organize folders by topic or by type of information (for example, survey results and soft-
ware reviews) or by the research questions from your work plan.
To organize your research to share with others, consider using applications such as Google
Drive, Dropbox, or Box. For more complex research projects, a program such as Mendeley
allows you to create a personal digital library on your computer (see Figure 8.15). In that
library, you can organize and annotate documents and create reference lists according to
standard formats. You can also create a web-based version of your library (see Figure 8.16)
cloud computing Software applications
that either run on the Internet rather than
your local computer or that allow you to
store files on the Internet rather than (or in
addition to) your local computer.
“Desktop Version of Mendeley” and “Web Version of Mendeley.” from Mendeley Ltd. Copyright © 2012 by Mendeley Ltd. Reprinted with
permission.
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FIGURE 8.16 Web Version of
Mendeley
that is synchronized with the library on your computer and that supports file sharing with
colleagues.
Organize your findings by research questions
In addition to organizing your documents throughout your research process, you also need
to organize what you extract from the documents and the rest of your notes. Inexperienced
researchers often make the mistake of organizing their research by the source of information.
Although you might first record information in that way, you will find it more useful to synthe-
size, or combine, information from various sources as you work through the research process.
You can use an expanded version of the work plan outlined in Figure 8.4 on page 263 to
organize your findings within the original research questions. You may need to expand the
format of the table to fit your data. Figure 8.17 provides an example of findings organized for
the first LMS research question: “Would a learning management system (LMS) be an effective
training tool for our company?” Note how the information in the figure is not organized by
source. Instead, the information is integrated into the work plan by research activity. If you
listed the information about A2Z Systems separately, you would find it difficult to compare it
to the other options. By organizing the information by question, you will be able to make good
comparisons more easily.
As you continue your research, you can use the same work plan to organize your conclu-
sions and recommendations. Simply add extra columns to the right.
How can you effectively organize the results of your research? 281
“Desktop Version of Mendeley” and “Web Version of Mendeley.” from Mendeley Ltd. Copyright © 2012 by Mendeley Ltd. Reprinted
with permission.
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FIGURE 8.17 How to Add Findings to the Work Plan
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
TARGET
DATE
KEY
FINDINGS
IMPLICATIONS/
CONCLUSIONS
RECOMMENDA-
TIONS
1. Would an LMS be an
effective training tool
for our company?
KEY FINDINGS — LMS OPTIONS
RESEARCH
ACTIVITIES
TARGET
DATE
A2Z SYSTEMS
(A2Z.COM)
ECLIPSE SOFTWARE
(ECLIPSE.COM)
TEACH2ME
(TEACH2ME.COM)
Research training and
education journals,
books, and websites.
Weeks 1–2 • Supports multiple
platforms
• Online demo only; no
onsite rep support
• Requires a single
platform
• Online demo and onsite
rep support
• Supports multiple
platforms
• Online demo and
onsite rep support
Compare options
against company’s
training needs.
Week 2 • Customizable modules
may provide flexible
training; no online sup-
port provided
• Supports both stand-
alone and instructor-led
training
• All modules are
completely customiz-
able; online support
provided
• All support included
• Customizable modules
must be purchased
separately
• Online support billed
separately
Survey or interview
people in other
companies.
Week 2 Agrulo Interview:
• Initial learning curve was
difficult; required exten-
sive start-up training
• Lack of online support
frustrating
• Phone support not
enough
• Bottom line: It’s better
than nothing
Millersby Interview:
• Learning curve difficult,
but manageable
• Online support helpful
• Bottom line: It’s okay;
we’re still learning
Takata Interview:
• Easy setup; user-
friendly interface
• No need yet for online
support
• Bottom line: We love it!
◾ In summary, the process of doing research and organizing your findings
begins during the analyzing phase of the ACE process and may continue until your document
or project is completed. At any stage in the process, you may develop new questions that un-
cover new research needs. Your ability to research efficiently and effectively depends on your
having a clear research plan—knowing what you want to learn and what sources and research
activities will provide the information. Organizing your research materials and findings puts
you in a good position to use your research to write proposals, reports, and presentations.
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Conducting research @ work 283
CONDUCTING RESEARCH @ WORK HealthScape Advisors
HealthScape Advisors is a management consulting firm
that serves clients in the health care industry. Like most
management consulting firms, HealthScape Advisors
works with its clients to improve business performance,
address business challenges, and anticipate changes in
the business environment. Doing this work requires a
great deal of research.
Managing Director Arjun Aggarwal identifies three
levels of research that successful consultants must
master:
• Answering simple questions. The ability to find
facts, data, or articles with a quick Google search is
important.
• Gathering deep knowledge. The process of becom-
ing a market expert requires continuous research:
reading news clippings, magazine articles, and indus-
try analysis to develop a deep but general understand-
ing of the business, not specific to a particular client
project.
• Building on that deep knowledge to conduct
specific client research. A consultant’s deep knowl-
edge allows him or her to build a framework for con-
ducting targeted research to address specific client
issues.
Aggarwal suggests that young staff people may rely too
much on that first level of research: jumping on the net
and finding articles. He offers this advice to beginning con-
sultants—or to anyone who wants to become a better and
more efficient researcher in business:
• Understand the purpose of the research. Before
assigning research, Aggarwal briefs the team on the
purpose of the research, the types of outcomes that
are required, and the framework he is using in his
analysis. To conduct good research, it is critical to
“ understand what you are looking for, and why.”
• Have a “short list” of relevant and trusted sources.
So much information is available that it is difficult
to know where to begin. Aggarwal recommends
developing a short list of relevant sources to begin
the research and then branching from those sources.
This helps ensure credible, accurate, and meaningful
information.
• Align the information with the original objective of
the assignment. As you find information, keep refer-
ring back to the original research objective to ensure
that the information is relevant.
• Communicate early and often with your
supervisor. Do not wait until the end of the re-
search process to communicate your findings. Early
communication is important for two reasons: First,
“sometimes we have a hypothesis, and the data
shows something different. We need to be able to
make corrections early.” Second, “sometimes you
find something that will suggest a shortcut in the
research process.” Your supervisor may help you take
advantage of that.
Aggarwal adds a final note about the importance of
research in business: “When industry is going through
major changes, as the healthcare industry is, no one
knows what success will look like in the new world. The
only way to succeed and to be on top is to be up on your
research.”
Source: Interview with Arjun Aggarwal.
Logo courtesy of Healthscape Advisors.
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This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
Receiving a Research Assignment
Shuang Yu is a recent graduate of Milford University. She has started
working in new business development at Affordable World Energy
(AWE), a company that designs affordable products that generate elec-
tricity. The primary market for these products is countries with large
rural populations that do not have access to electricity. As its next proj-
ect, AWE is designing small-scale wind turbines to generate power for
individual homes. The company needs to decide on the first market for
this product and has narrowed the scope of its search to three countries
that all have large populations without electricity: India, Kenya, and
Panama. Shuang’s assignment is to research which country has the best
consumer base, the most suitable wind conditions, and the best manu-
facturing infrastructure to manufacture the wind turbines locally.
Question 1: Shuang will be presenting her findings to the com-
pany president and board of directors in a month. She needs to
start structuring this research project immediately. If you were in
Shuang’s position, how would you proceed? Where would you look
for information, what would you look for, and how would you orga-
nize this information?
Developing a Work Plan
As a first step in planning her research, Shuang develops a purpose
statement:
Purpose: To determine whether India, Kenya, or Panama is the best
country in which to produce and sell small-scale wind turbines to
provide power to rural homes.
She also begins to develop a set of research questions:
1. What criteria should I use to evaluate these countries? How
should I weight the criteria?
2. Which country has the best market for small wind turbines?
3. What are the necessary wind conditions for wind turbines?
4. Which countries have the necessary wind conditions?
5. What government regulations may affect the production and sale
of wind turbines?
6. How much can the rural population afford to spend on a wind
turbine?
Question 2: Are there additional questions that Shuang should add
to her work plan? For all the questions, what research activities
would you plan to answer the questions?
Researching Online Sources
Shuang begins her research by trying to identify which country has
the best market for small-scale wind turbines. She hopes to find this
information on the web. But what should she search for?
• Search 1: For her first Google search, she uses the terms “rural
wind turbine market.” This search yields some interesting results,
including a market study by the American Wind Energy Associa-
tion titled “AWEA Small Wind Turbine Global Market Study.”14
Although the research report focuses primarily on the U.S. mar-
ket, it does include a small section on global markets and, more
important, a discussion of the types of regulations that prevent
countries from adopting wind power. This helps answer one of
her research questions.
• Search 2: Shuang then decides to try a second set of terms to
approach the search from a different angle. She decides that one
way to identify the biggest market is to identify what country
has the largest population without electricity. So she uses people
“without electricity.” Much to her surprise, she finds a spread-
sheet published by the International Energy Agency that lists the
number of people (in millions) without electricity for countries
around the world.15,16 Shuang finds that Panama has fewer than
half a million people without electricity. By contrast, Kenya has
about 33 million, and India has about 288 million. By reading
the source citations in this report, Shuang also learns about sev-
eral other agencies that study global energy needs and methods
for financing energy development, including the Alliance for
Rural Electrification, the International Finance Corporation,
and the World Bank. She also identified a book to read: The
Hidden Energy Crisis: How Policies Are Failing the World’s Poor
by Sanchez.
Question 3: Identify another research question that Shuang needs
to answer and develop some alternative search terms to research
this question using a general search engine, a deep web search
engine, or an online article database. Which search terms offer the
most useful results?
Conducting Primary Research
Shuang has already identified at least one primary source she needs for
research: her boss, the head of marketing at Affordable World Energy.
As part of her research, Shuang needs to understand what criteria she
should be using to evaluate the market opportunity in the three se-
lected countries and how she should rank those criteria. Is it more im-
portant that the market is big? Or is it more important that the country
CASE SCENARIO
Researching to Answer Business Questions
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has an industry that can manufacture the wind turbines? Her boss will
know what criteria the company believes is most important.
She wonders, though, if she should be talking with anyone else or
conducting any surveys. She has only a few weeks left to complete her
research.
Question 4: Is there any information that Shuang could get more
easily by interview than by researching secondary sources? If so,
what is this information and who would you recommend that she
contact?
Organizing Research Results
Because Shuang’s research project is such a major undertaking, she
needs to develop a systematic plan to keep track of her sources and her
results. Here is what she does:
1. She starts a Word file titled “Reference list,” and she includes
an entry for every item she reads. She formats these according
to APA style and keeps the list in alphabetical order. She keeps a
separate list of everyone she talks to, with the person’s name, title,
contact information, and date of interview.
2. She either prints out or downloads a PDF of her web-based
sources. This ensures the material will remain available to her
even if the website changes. She saves the files in folders organized
by research question.
3. She creates a Word file for each of her research questions and
types notes from her research right in those files, being sure to
provide citations to all her sources.
Question 5: Do you have any additional tips and tricks that you use
to organize research results? If so, explain how they would be use-
ful for this project.
Case scenario 285
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which people to survey by identifying the population and
determining what kind of sample you will use (convenience,
targeted, or random). Write effective survey questions, and
decide on a survey medium. Following the survey, analyze,
interpret, and evaluate the data.
• Conduct interview research to gather in-depth informa-
tion. Effective researchers know how to plan the interview,
what to do during the interview, and how to evaluate the
interview results.
• Conduct observational research to understand how
people act. A person’s actions are often more revealing than
his or her words.
Study Questions in Review
End of Chapter
How do you determine what
information you need? (pages 258–263)
• Analyze the research question and topic to understand the
information you need to gather. You may find it useful to
divide your research question into several subquestions. In
addition, conduct background research to understand your
topic’s history, context and structure, and categories.
• Identify audience concerns and needs by determining what
the primary and secondary audiences already know and
need to know.
• Establish the scope of the research (how broad or specific
your focus will be) by considering the needs of the project
and the time available to do the work.
• Define research activities to gather information from pri-
mary, secondary, or tertiary sources.
• Develop a work plan that organizes your research process
and ensures that you gather information to answer all your
research questions.
SQ1
How do you conduct research in print
and online sources? (pages 263–270)
• Gather relevant print and electronic files, and organize
them for easy reference.
• Search the web strategically by using quotation marks,
wildcards, and alternative wordings. You can also search for
specific file types.
• Use an online index or database to find articles and busi-
ness data such as newspapers, magazines, trade journals,
and academic journals. Peer-reviewed articles have more
credibility than nonvalidated web articles.
• Use a library or bookseller to find relevant books. Much
excellent information is published only in books. However,
in some fields, books can quickly become outdated.
• Follow leads in good sources to identify additional good
sources.
• Evaluate your sources for credibility using the “3 A’s”:
authorship, accuracy, and age.
SQ2
How do you conduct primary research?
(pages 271–278)
• Conduct survey research to gather information that
is easy to compare, such as quantitative data that can be
reported as counts, percentages, ranges, means, medians,
and modes. Before conducting survey research, choose
SQ3
How can you use social media in your
research? (pages 278–279)
• Search for experts. Experts often write blogs as well as
published books and articles. In addition, companies often
sponsor blogs about their products and their industries.
• Post questions to your network and beyond. Social media
platforms are perfect for posting research questions to peo-
ple in your network as well as people outside your network
through sites such as Quora.
• Gather anecdotal evidence. Although anecdotal evidence
may not be scientific, it can be useful in making business de-
cisions. You can find anecdotal evidence in blogs, on Face-
book, and in customer-generated product reviews.
SQ4
How can you effectively organize the
results of your research? (pages 279–282)
• Build your reference list as you research to save time as
you prepare your final report and presentation and to ensure
you can find the information again.
• Organize documents and notes on your computer and “in
the cloud.” On your computer, create identifiable filenames
and a useful filing system. Also organize your files online in
the cloud with programs such as Dropbox or Mendeley so
that you can access your files from any computer and also
share them with collaborators.
• Organize your findings by research questions. This will
help you synthesize the material when it is time to compose.
SQ5
286
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Visual Summary
S T E P 1 :
You receive a research assignment from Mitchell Harris, develop a research
question, and plan your research by:
• analyzing the research question and topic
• identifying audience concerns and needs
• establishing the scope of the research
• defining research activities
• developing a work plan
S T E P 3 :
You conduct primary research by:
• surveying employees
• interviewing experts and LMS users
• observing people using learning management systems
S T E P 4 :
You organize the results of your research by:
• building your reference list as you research
• organizing documents and notes on your computer and “in the cloud”
• organizing findings around your research questions
S T E P 2 :
You conduct research in print and online sources by:
• gathering relevant print and electronic files
• searching the web strategically for LMS information
• using an online index or database
• searching for relevant books in the library or through a bookseller
• following leads in good sources
• finding experts or ask questions through social media
• evaluating sources for credibility
it would improve our company’s
overall training experience.
I would miss the social
interaction of meeting
employees from other branches.
I might sign up for more elective
training sessions.
Yes No
RATING SCALE
If you have experience with any of the following LMS systems, please rate how strongly you recommend
that Ipswich Brands adopt it, on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 1 indicates you do not recommend the
product, and a score of 10 indicates that you strongly recommend the product.
A2Z
Eclipse
Teach2Me
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
6
6
6
7
7
7
8
8
8
9
9
9
10
10
10
MULTIPLE CHOICE
If yes, how would you rate your satisfaction with the effectiveness of the online training you have taken
compared to traditional face-to-face training?
= More satisfied with LMS for ALL learning experiences
= More satisfied with LMS for MOST learning experiences
= Neither more satisfied nor more dissatisfied with LMS
= Less satisfied with LMS for MOST learning experiences
= Less satisfied with LMS for ALL learning experiences
If the company adopts an online
LMS option . . .
Do Not
Recommend
Neutral
Strongly
Recommend
LIKERT (AGREEMENT) SCALE
For each statement, indicate to what extent you agree with the statement:
Agree
Strongly
Agree
Strongly
Disagree
If the company adopts
an online LMS option . . . Disagree Neutral
Background Research
• What are the various types of learning
management and course management systems?
• How do the types compare?
• What are the various elements of a system and
how do they work?
Research training and education journals, books, and
websites.
Find and interview an LMS expert.
Weeks 1–2
Week 1
1. Would an LMS be an effective training tool for our
company?
• What specific training and content management
needs does our company have?
• What current problems are we facing?
• What are alternatives/options for solving these
problems?
• Is an LMS the best option?
Interview the company’s chief learning officer and
department heads.
Survey or interview other companies.
Research training and education journals, books, and
websites.
Compare options against company’s training needs.
Week 2
Week 2
Weeks 1–2
Week 2
2. If an LMS would be effective, which one is the
best option to meet our specific training needs?
• What are the various options for LMS programs?
• What criteria will we use to judge the options?
• Which option best meets the criteria?
Review training and education journals, books, and
websites.
Conduct a web search for LMSprograms.
Speak to other companies in the industry.
Interview a chief learning officer and department
heads.
Conduct a detailed comparative analysis.
Compare alternatives against selection criteria.
Week 1
Week 1
Week 2
Week 1
Week 3
Week 3
3. What is the cost of the selected option?
• What are the initial purchase and installation costs?
• What are the ongoing costs, such as customer
support?
Speak to the sales department of the selected company.
Interview other companies using the system.
Week 3
Week 3
RESEARCH QUESTIONS RESEARCH ACTIVITIES TARGET DATE
SQ1
SQ2
SQ3
SQ4
C
H
A
P
T
E
R
8
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288 Chapter 8 | Finding and Evaluating Business Information
Anecdotal evidence p. 278
Cloud computing p. 280
Convenience sample p. 271
Desktop search tool p. 264
Interview p. 271
Limitations p. 261
Mean p. 274
Median p. 274
Mode p. 274
Observational research p. 271
Primary sources p. 261
Qualitative research p. 261
Quantitative research p. 261
Random sample p. 271
Range p. 274
Sample p. 271
Scope p. 261
Secondary sources p. 262
Survey p. 271
Survey population p. 271
Targeted sample p. 271
Tertiary sources p. 262
Key Terms
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 What is the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary
sources? Give an example of each.
2 What are the key elements of a research work plan?
3 What is a desktop search tool and how can it help you?
4 What is the effect of using quotation marks around search terms
in web or database searches? What happens if you do not use quo-
tation marks?
5 Explain the three criteria for evaluating whether a source is
credible.
6 Name two advantages of conducting survey research and two ad-
vantages of conducting interview research.
7 Range, mean, median, and mode are four ways of reporting the
quantitative data from a survey. Explain how they differ.
8 Identify at least two ways to find experts you can interview on a
topic.
9 What is anecdotal evidence and how may it be useful in your
research?
10 What are two benefits of organizing and storing research materi-
als online, in the cloud, rather than just on your computer?
Review Questions
1 As a researcher, how will you benefit from taking the time to iden-
tify the problem, analyze the audience, determine the purpose,
establish the scope, and develop a work plan before finding infor-
mation? Wouldn’t it be easier to find a lot of information about a
topic and then organize the content based on what you find?
2 Some people argue that libraries are becoming obsolete because
so much research material is now available on the web. Compare
the kinds of resources that are freely available on the web versus
the kinds of resources that you can access only via a library. Based
on that comparison, what value do you believe libraries offer? As
a researcher, what would you use a library for?
3 Assume you are interested in getting a master’s degree in ac-
counting in your state or a nearby state. Design a search string for
Google that will help you identify available programs. How would
using quotation marks and minus signs help you in this research?
4 An Amazon.com book search reveals a book titled Learning Man-
agement Systems Market Trends dated September 2001. Would
you include this book in your research on learning management
systems? Why or why not?
5 Assume that you have distributed a survey to determine what
frustrates employees most about the company’s current approach
to training, and you received only 25 responses from a population
of 200 employees. How would you proceed? How could you use
the information from your survey in your report? How could you
get additional information?
6 If an interviewee’s responses can lead to meaningful tangents, why
is an interview guide useful?
7 Assume you have scheduled interviews with three different subject
matter experts on a particular topic. The second expert provided
good information and expounded on several related topics that you
did not think to ask during the first interview. Would you schedule
a follow-up interview with the first expert to address the additional
topics? Or, would you simply rely on your third and final interview
to gather the related information? Explain your answer.
8 Assume that you work for a company that manufactures luggage.
The company would like to design a new line of luggage that
meets the needs of business travelers who fly frequently. You have
been assigned to conduct research to identify business travelers’
needs. Where could you conduct observational research? What
would you be able to learn from observational research that you
could not learn from survey research or interviews? Is there any
way social media can help you in your observational research?
9 When you cite a published book or article you find in your re-
search, it’s important to include the date the information was
originally published. When you cite a company website, should
you try to find out the original date that the information was pub-
lished or is the current date more useful? Explain your answer.
10 HealthScape Advisor’s Arjun Aggarwal (page 283) recommends
that professionals develop a “short list” of trusted sources where
you can go to begin your research. What are some strategies you
can use to develop that list?
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How do you determine what information you
need? (pages 258–263)
1 Analyze the research question and topic
a. Identify a problem at your school—for example, a problem con-
cerning parking, meal plans, class registration, or credit for com-
munity service—and imagine that you are beginning a research
project to identify a solution to the problem. Develop a set of re-
search questions to guide your research.
b. What background research will help you understand your topic?
Use the table in Figure 8.2 on page 260 to list a set of relevant
background research questions.
2 Identify audience concerns and needs
In Exercise 1, you identified a campus problem and a set of research
questions. Assume you plan to conduct the research and propose a so-
lution to the appropriate audience(s) on your campus. Answer the fol-
lowing questions related to this problem:
a. Who is the primary audience?
b. Who is the secondary audience?
c. Who else may be affected by this problem or decision?
d. What does the audience already know? What do they need to know?
e. What questions will your audience expect you to answer when
you present the research?
f. What sources will your audience expect you to consult?
3 Establish the scope of the research
Use the problem identified in Exercise 1 and the audience analysis
outlined in Exercise 2 to determine a purpose statement (or state-
ments) and research questions. Refer to the examples in Figure 8.1 and
Figure 8.2 on pages 259–260.
4 Define research activities
Use the problem identified in Exercise 1, the audience analysis outlined
in Exercise 2, and the scope determined in Exercise 3 to define at least
two research activities for each research question. Create a table similar
to that in Figure 8.3 on page 262.
5 Develop a work plan
How would you sequence the research activities identified in Exercise
4? Create a work plan like that in Figure 8.4 on page 263 and justify the
order of events.
How do you conduct research in print and
online sources? (pages 263–270)
6 Gather relevant print and electronic files
Use your computer’s file search feature to search for all files on your
computer containing a key phrase such as the name of your school,
the name of your city, or another phrase you believe you’d find on your
computer. Try searching for the phrase within quotation marks and
without quotation marks. Is there a difference in the files you find?
7 Search the web strategically [Related to the Technology
feature on page 268]
a. Use the same keywords to search a topic of your choice using two
different online search engines, including one deep web search
engine such as Biznar or Science.gov. Compare the first page of
each list of results. Do differences exist between the two lists?
Summarize the differences and similarities between the two lists
and explain why the results were not identical.
b. Conduct a Google search for PDF documents using the search
string “campus parking problem” filetype:pdf. Conduct a second
search, this time for PowerPoint documents, using the search
string “campus parking problem” filetype:ppt. From each of these
searches, identify at least one document you might use in re-
searching a proposal to improve parking on your campus. (If you
use a different search engine, then use the advanced search feature
to narrow your search to or .ppt files.)
8 Use an online index or database to find articles and
business data
a. Use an online database available through your school’s library to
find at least three articles or books related to the research topic
you chose in Exercise 7a or a different topic of your choice. Of the
three sources, find at least one article from a magazine or trade
journal, and find at least one article from an academic journal.
Compare the information in the three sources. How does the in-
formation differ? How is it similar? If you found a book also, com-
pare the information in the articles to that in the book. What are
some key differences?
b. Use the online index for your school newspaper, a local newspaper
(for example, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles
Times, Boston Globe), or a national newspaper (New York Times,
Wall Street Journal) to search for at least one newspaper article
related to the topic you chose in Exercise 7a. Identify all the search
terms you tried. If your search was successful, summarize the in-
formation you found in the article. If your search was unsuccess-
ful, explain why you believe you could find no newspaper articles
on your topic.
c. Use two online business research tools, such as Yahoo! Finance,
Hoover’s, or Standard & Poor’s, to search for financial data on a
single company that interests you. Compare the results from the
two searches. Does one provide more information than the other?
Is one easier to use or read than the other? Which tool would you
choose to use the next time you need to research financial data
about a company? Be prepared to discuss your answer in class.
9 Use a library or bookseller to find relevant books
a. Assume you would like to propose that your university adopt or
expand its service learning opportunities. You plan a research
project to propose a new service learning model. One of your re-
search questions is this: “How have other colleges and universities
implemented service learning?” Using your college or community
library’s online catalog, find two books that you think would be
relevant. Then complete the following steps:
b. Read through all the information in the online catalog entry. Iden-
tify any information that helps you decide whether this book will
be useful to your research.
c. Go to the Amazon.com website and search for the books you
found in the library. If Amazon has a listing for the books, read
through the product descriptions and reviews to learn more about
the books.
d. Using the information you found in your library catalog and on
Amazon, explain whether each book would be helpful to your
research and, if it would be helpful, how. Be sure to provide a
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on page 274. Below your table, write a brief summary that high-
lights the differences among the three results.
1. Have you used a learning management system for training
purposes in any of your prior work experiences?
Yes = 25 responses
No = 32 responses
2. If yes, how would you rate the use of a learning management
system (LMS) compared to traditional face-to-face training?
Rating
Meaning
Number of
Responses
5 More satisfied with LMS for
all learning experiences
8
4 More satisfied with LMS for
most learning experiences
6
3 Neither more nor less
satisfied with LMS
9
2 Less satisfied with LMS for
most learning experiences
1
1 Less satisfied with LMS for
all learning experiences
1
13 Conduct interview research to gather in-depth
information
As part of your research for launching an entrepreneurial business (see
Exercise 12a), you would like to interview successful small business
owners in your community to get their advice about how to be success-
ful and avoid mistakes. Identify at least one person to interview and
write an interview guide you can use.
14 Conduct observational research to understand how
people act
A large consumer products company is interested in understanding
how consumers make choices about which breakfast cereal to buy. In
addition to surveying and interviewing consumers, the company would
like to observe people’s purchasing behavior. Plan an observation ses-
sion in a local supermarket. Assume that you will be standing near the
cereal aisle for approximately 30 minutes, watching people make ce-
real decisions. What specific types of behavior will you be looking for,
and why do you think that information will be useful? (For example,
you might gather information about how many different cereal boxes a
consumer looks at before selecting one.)
How can you use social media in your research?
(pages 278–279)
15 Search for experts
Refer to Exercise 9. Assume you would like to propose that your uni-
versity adopt or expand its service learning opportunities. You want to
identify some experts on service learning to interview. Conduct a web
search for blogs about service learning. Start by using the term service
learning blog. To find additional resources, search for service learning at
www.blogsearchengine.org or www.searchblogspot.com/. Read at least
three of the blog entries that appear in the search results. Write a brief
message to your instructor evaluating the three blog entries using the
“3 A’s” approach, and explain whether you would contact any of the
bloggers for more information.
16 Post questions to your network and beyond
Referring to Exercises 9 and 15, assume that for your proposal on ser-
vice learning, you would like to identify people in your network who
reference list using the documentation style that your instructor
prefers.
e. Assume you would like to expand your search for information
about service learning to identify good books on the subject that
your library does not own. Go to Amazon’s website and search for
“service learning” in the book department. Identify any books that
you believe would be useful but are not in your library. Be sure to
provide a reference list using the documentation style that your
instructor prefers.
10 Follow leads in good sources
a. Assume that in your research on learning management systems,
you found the following reference in one of the articles you read:
Perry, B. (2009). Customized content at your fingertips. T+D,
63(6), 29–31. How would you go about finding that source?
b. Assume that in your research on learning management systems,
you read a white paper by the consulting company Element K,
titled Learning Management Systems in the Work Environment.
This document cites a report by the Hudson Institute stating that
“By 2020, 60 percent of jobs will require skills that only 20 percent
of the workforce now possesses.” Unfortunately, the white paper
does not provide complete documentation for the Hudson Insti-
tute report. How would you go about finding that report?
11 Evaluate your sources for credibility
a. Find one or both of the sources identified in Exercise 10 and eval-
uate it for credibility based on the “3 A’s”: authorship, accuracy,
and age. Would you use this source in your research?
b. Assume you have just started a new job. Before you get your
first paycheck, you would like to research how to minimize the
amount of income tax you will have to pay. Conduct a web search
for sources relating to minimizing or decreasing income taxes.
Find at least one source that you believe is credible based on the “3
A’s.” Find at least one source that you believe is not credible based
on the same criteria. Write a brief comparison of the two sources,
explaining which you would use and why.
c. Conduct a web search to find at least one blog on taxes and eco-
nomics and write a brief explanation of whether you consider this
source to be credible.
How do you conduct primary research?
(pages 271–278)
12 Conduct survey research to gather information that is
easy to compare
a. You and a few classmates would like to launch your own entre-
preneurial business. You want to provide a product or service
that will meet a need in your community. As part of your initial
research, you would like to conduct a survey to get ideas about
products or services people in the community need. Write five
survey questions that you believe will give you useful information.
Be prepared to explain why you think these are good questions.
Also, select what you believe to be the best medium for this sur-
vey. Be prepared to explain why you think this is the best medium.
b. How would you select a sample of the population for your survey
in Exercise 12a? Would you choose a convenience, targeted, or
random sample? Explain why.
c. Calculate the mean, median, and mode for the following data and
report your answers on a table adapted from the one in Figure 8.11
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have had experience with service learning or who know others with
experience. What approach would you take to identify these individu-
als? Be prepared to discuss your plan in class.
17 Gather anecdotal evidence
Referring to Exercises 9, 15, and 16, assume that for your proposal on
service learning you would like to include evidence of students’ posi-
tive experience with service learning. You’d like to use social media to
gather this information. Experiment with approaches to finding an-
ecdotes and stories about service learning on the web. Can you find
stories in blogs, on Facebook, or in YouTube videos? Be prepared to
present in class at least two items of anecdotal evidence you find in
your search.
How can you effectively organize the results of
your research? (pages 279–282)
18 Build your reference list as you research
a. In the case scenario on pages 284–285, Shuang found a number
of sources that she will cite in her research to identify an initial
market for Affordable World Energy’s small-scale wind turbines.
Build a reference list for these sources, using the documentation
style that your instructor prefers. You can find information for
building reference lists in the Guide to Reference Styles in the back
of this book.
b. Assume that Shuang also conducted telephone interviews with
two or three experts whom she will cite in her paper. What is the
correct method for documenting these sources in the documenta-
tion style you are using (APA, MLA, or Chicago style)?
19 Organize documents and notes on your computer and
“in the cloud”
You are an assistant to Madelyn Dupré, the director of training at a
large company. She has been asked to make an hour-long presenta-
tion to new account representatives about business etiquette issues in
the four countries where your company does most of its international
business: Brazil, Russia, China, and India. Madelyn asks you to help
find information by gathering relevant sources. Use the search tools
outlined in the chapter to find at least 10 electronic sources. Ensure
the files include complete citation information, save the sources with
filenames that are easily identifiable, and group them in a logical man-
ner on a flash drive or CD to submit to your instructor. Alternatively, if
your instructor requests, upload copies of the sources to an online tool
such as Dropbox or Mendeley, and share the files with your instructor.
20 Organize your findings by research questions
Assume that you are researching how to minimize your income tax,
as described in Exercise 11b. Brainstorm some research questions or
categories you can use to organize your findings. For example, one cat-
egory might be findings relating to tax credits. What other categories
may be useful to your research?
SQ5
21 Finding advertising information
Your neighbor, Mrs. James, recently retired after 30 years as an elemen-
tary school teacher and wants to open a knitting shop in your commu-
nity. She’s been finding information about available storefronts, small
business loan opportunities, and suppliers, but doesn’t know where
to begin to advertise her business. Yesterday, she asked if you could
help her gather some information about advertising opportunities and
costs. Find local information about how to use the following advertis-
ing outlets, including costs for small ads.
a. Radio
b. Newspaper
c. Direct mail
d. Coupons
Write a one-page summary of your findings that you will share
with Mrs. James. Be sure to include necessary citations and a reference
list so that Mrs. James can follow-up on your research.
22 Finding information to address sales issues
You work part time at a local bookstore, The Book Nook, which has
suffered declining sales over the last six months. Because no new book-
stores or mega discount stores have opened recently to draw away cus-
tomers, the owner, Inez Higgins, assumes more people are buying their
books online rather than in her store. However, that’s just a guess. She
has asked you to help her find useful information on ways to increase
in-store book sales. Determine what kinds of books, changes in hours,
added services, and other factors might increase sales.
a. Using the search term “increasing bookstore sales,” conduct a web
search and identify at least five sources you recommend Ms. Hig-
gins read.
b. Using the search term “book buying behavior,” conduct a web
search and identify at least two additional sources.
c. Experiment with different strings of search terms, conduct a web
search, and identify at least two additional sources.
d. Identify at least two primary research activities you recommend
that Ms. Higgins do.
Write a message to Ms. Higgins listing the research sources and
primary research activities you recommend she pursue. For each re-
search source, provide the name, the URL, and a brief sentence de-
scribing why the source will be valuable. Give her advice for finding
additional sources.
23 Finding information to make a persuasive appeal
You are interning in the city commissioners’ office this semester.
The city council has developed a plan for a new bypass around the
city limits to decrease the flow of traffic on local streets, especially
during morning and evening rush hours. However, the bypass is
dependent on the passing of a new tax. Your manager asks you to
find information that would help “sell” the bypass idea (and there-
fore the tax) to the electorate. Where would you find the informa-
tion you need to persuade people in your community? Brainstorm
sources of information for your city and write a one-page summary
of your ideas for collecting information that you will submit to the
city commissioners.
24 Finding information about corporate policies
You are interning this semester for McConnell Consulting, a newly
developed consulting company in your area. The company’s CEO has
been so busy managing the start-up of the organization and developing
a client network that he has not had time to create personnel policies.
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that nearly matches your assignment requirements. The headings are
similar to the outline you have prepared for your paper, and you have
found and evaluated many of the cited sources listed at the end of the
article. Because your economics professor has listed this trade journal
(although not this article) as a resource on the class website, you are
concerned that she may assume you plagiarized the article. Even if you
do not use any of the same wording as the article, the similarities to
the outline of your paper may be interpreted as copying the author’s
content. How do you proceed?
a. Do you ignore the source, hoping not to draw your professor’s
attention to the article in case she is not familiar with it? If your
wording is different enough from the article, you assume you can
claim you never read the article.
b. Do you write the paper as you planned and simply cite the
source?
c. Do you try to explain the problem to your professor and ask for
guidance? If so, how can you document that you did not read the
article prior to developing your outline?
d. Is there another step you could take?
Write a message to your instructor explaining what you would do,
and outline the specific pros, cons, and ethical issues related to your
decision.
29 Finding secondary information sources [Related to the
Culture feature on page 270]
Your consulting company provides public relations services to a wide
variety of manufacturing companies. Your headquarters are in Palo
Alto, California, but branch offices are located throughout the coun-
try. Your CEO is considering opening a new office in Guangdong
Province, China, where many U.S.-based firms have outsourced their
manufacturing contracts. Your manager asks you to provide infor-
mation about the logistics of opening a branch in the province. He
also wants to know how doing business in China may differ from
doing business in the United States. Where would you find this
information?
Outline a purpose statement and research questions. Then deter-
mine where you could find sources of secondary information. Create
a work plan similar to the ones presented in the chapter that outlines
your sources. List the possible sources for each research activity using
the documentation style requested by your instructor. You do not need
to summarize the findings of the sources.
30 Conducting primary research [Related to the Culture
feature on page 270]
Assume your business communication instructor has given your class
an assignment to do primary research to develop a list of tips for ef-
fectively communicating with people from different cultures. You will
present your findings in a short presentation during class in two weeks.
You need to make a research plan:
a. Will you conduct a survey? If so, who will your population be and
what questions will you ask?
b. Will you conduct interviews? If so, whom will you interview and
what questions will you ask?
Outline your sources and questions in a message to your instruc-
tor. Be sure to include names and contact information for possible
interviewees.
Mr. McConnell has asked you to find information about the kind of
content to include, paying close attention to harassment policies that
protect both employees and clients. Using the web, online databases,
and a library book catalog, find at least five credible sources that relate
to creating personnel policies, and outline your sources with citations
in a one-page report to Mr. McConnell.
25 Finding information about building modifications
You are the assistant manager for a large art gallery in a metropolitan
area. The gallery has grown significantly in the last few years and has
finally outgrown the building it has rented for nearly 25 years. Recog-
nizing your need for additional space, a generous benefactor recently
donated a large historical building downtown. The location is great,
and the building has a lot of open spaces for showings and exhibits,
as well as storage areas and office space. However, it is not handicap
accessible. Because the building is listed in the city’s historical reg-
ister, you’re not sure if you can make noticeable renovations to the
exterior, such as a wheelchair ramp at the entrance. Determine where
you could find information about historical renovations, especially
handicap-access renovations. Outline your sources with citations in
a one-page report.
26 Recommending a citation management software
program
A friend asks you to recommend a citation management software pro-
gram that stores and formats references. Compare the features of two
programs and summarize your findings in a persuasive message to
your friend recommending one program.
27 Evaluating conflicting information [Related to the
Ethics feature on page 277]
Assume that, during your search for information about learning man-
agement systems, you find a lot of support for Teach2Me software.
Although only five of your employees indicated prior experience with
this product, all of their responses were very positive. The cost of the
product, including initial start-up costs and ongoing maintenance and
technical support, is less than your current travel budget for training.
Your interviews with other companies who use Teach2Me have been
positive. The online demo you went through impressed you more than
the other two options. Therefore, you decide that in your report to your
supervisor, you will recommend that your company choose Teach2Me
as its LMS.
However, as you review the information you gathered, you find
a product review in a trade journal that suggests Teach2Me is not as
robust as either A2Z Systems or Eclipse Software. The review indicates
that Teach2Me does not offer as many features, the interface is more
complicated to learn, and the tech support, though affordable, often
requires long wait times.
Because this article is the only negative information you can find
about Teach2Me, you consider not including it in your report to your
supervisor. You are concerned that because the information does not
support your recommendation, your supervisor will question your de-
cision. However, you know that would not be ethical. Write a message
to your instructor explaining how you would include the information
while supporting your recommendation for Teach2Me.
28 Making an ethical choice [Related to the Ethics feature
on page 277]
Suppose you are searching for secondary information to support a
paper for your economics class. You find an article in a trade journal
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business communication class to survey students about their likes
and dislikes, as well as recommend possible changes to the system. In
small teams, create a survey questionnaire that includes a variety of
question types, including at least one qualitative (open-ended) ques-
tion. Before creating a final draft and collecting data, test your survey
with other members of your class to ensure the questions are worded
effectively.
Each member of your team should collect at least 10 survey re-
sponses from students around campus. Be sure not to survey students
enrolled in your business communication class or students who have
answered a similar questionnaire from other business communica-
tion students. Have each team member analyze the data he or she re-
ceived and report the range, median, mean, and mode for quantitative
responses. Summarize the qualitative responses, indicating any com-
monalities among responses.
In a team meeting, compare your individual findings. Discuss
how the qualitative responses were analyzed. Then combine the data
from all team members and summarize your findings in a report to
your school administration.
33 The role of social media in research
Many researchers are finding blog posts and tweets to be effective
tools for both gathering information and sharing their research with
a broader audience. Conduct your own research to learn what experts
are saying about the role of social media in research and, depending
on your instructors’ preferences, prepare a two-page report or a three-
minute presentation about your findings.
Social Media Exercises
34 Presenting information
Conduct research to prepare for a three- to five-minute presentation
on one of the following topics. Prepare a visual aid to support your pre-
sentation. The visual should cite your source(s) using a complete refer-
ence citation (see Appendix B: Documentation and Reference Styles
for examples).
a. Find two websites that provide information about a topic of your
choice. One website should be a credible site based on the “3 A’s”—
authorship, accuracy, and age. The second website’s credibility
should be questionable based on the same criteria. Present the
two sources to the class, and identify how you used the “3 A’s” to
assess their credibility. Explain why the questionable source lacks
credibility.
b. Create a five-question survey on a topic of your choice. Use a
variety of question types. Create one version of the survey that
includes weak or vague wording that could possibly be misinter-
preted. Create a second version of the survey that ensures measur-
able responses and elicits the information needed. Present the two
versions of the survey to the class, explaining why the second set
of questions will achieve better results.
c. Identify a specific research question you would like to answer.
Search for sources using a general search engine, a deep web
search engine, and an online database. Prepare a brief presentation
comparing the results using the three different search tools. Iden-
tify which source gave you the most valuable results for your re-
search, and explain why. [Related to the Technology feature on
page 268]
d. Assume that you work for Affordable World Energy (see the case
Scenario on pages 284–285), and your managers have decided
that India is a good market for the company’s new wind turbine.
Now, they are interested in understanding some of the cultural el-
ements that may affect doing business in India. The managers ask
you to do some research and prepare a five-minute presentation.
Research Indian culture, using some of the sources identified in
the Culture feature on page 270—or other sources that you find.
Prepare a five-minute presentation that highlights your most im-
portant findings. [Related to the Culture feature on page 270]
e. Wikipedia is a convenient source for research. However, many
people argue it is not a credible source and should not be cited in
high-quality research reports. Find and read at least two articles
in the academic or popular press about Wikipedia, and develop
a five-minute presentation supporting an opinion about whether
a researcher should or should not avoid citing Wikipedia. Be sure
to cite your sources in your presentation. For advice about how to
cite sources in a presentation, see the Guide to Reference Styles at
the end of this book.
Speaking Exercises
31 Finding and comparing information
A manager at your company asks your team to find information about
local car dealerships that lease corporate vehicles. Use one or two search
engines to assign a different dealer to each member of your team. Have
the team members find information about their assigned dealer from
the dealers’ websites as well as external reviews by third parties. Each
team member is to create a one-page document identifying the main
features of his or her assigned dealer and summarizing the reviews,
which should be appropriately cited.
Share your individual documents during a team meeting—either
in person or electronically. Analyze the similarities and differences
among the dealer options. Determine which dealer provides the most
flexible leasing options and/or which one has the best reviews. Write a
one-page report to your instructor identifying all the dealers consid-
ered and supporting your team’s recommendation of a specific dealer.
Attach the individual reports as documentation.
32 Writing survey questions/comparing analyses
Your school would like to assess students’ perspectives of its cur-
rent course management system. Your instructor has assigned your
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35 Commas: Clauses and Phrases (see Appendix C: Grammar,
Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 2.2)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors in the use of
commas with independent clauses, dependent clauses, and phrases (see
Section 2.2.1). Underline all of your corrections.
Although most final job interviews are face to face telephone
interviews have become common for screening interviews. Em-
ployers find that phone interviews are not only economical but
they are also an effective way to determine which candidates
merit a closer look. While you are on the job market a potential
employer or networking contact might call, and ask, “Do you
have a few minutes to talk?” Being interviewed over the phone
isn’t easy so you need to be prepared. What initially seems like
an informal conversation about a job might actually be the first
round of screening, or the first test of your communication skills.
After the initial introductions and pleasantries let the caller take
the lead, and guide the conversation. When you answer ques-
tions keep your responses short and to the point. The caller will
ask follow-up questions if necessary, and will bring the interview
to a close.
36 Commas: Coordinates, Cumulatives, and Series
(see Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics,
and Conventions—Section 2.2)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors in the use of
commas with coordinate and cumulative adjectives and with serial
words, phrases, and clauses. Each missing or unnecessary comma
counts as one error (see Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3). Underline all of your
corrections.
After you have sent out résumés and applied for jobs, be ready
willing and able to handle a telephone interview. Keep your re-
sume a pad and pen and a bottle of water near the phone. You
will need your résumé for reference the pad and pen to take
notes and the water in case your throat gets dry. Is your cell
phone, service, provider reliable, or do you have to worry about
dropped calls? If so, consider using a landline. Send roommates,
friends, spouses, children and pets from the room when a po-
tential employer calls. You want to be completely calmly focused
and undistracted during a telephone interview.
37 Commas: Restrictive Elements (see Appendix C: Grammar,
Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 2.2)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 13 errors in the use of
commas with restrictive, nonrestrictive, or parenthetical words,
phrases, or clauses. Each missing or unnecessary comma counts as one
error. There are also two mistakes in the use of that, which, or who (see
Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3). Underline all of your corrections.
Anyone, who has been through an employment interview, knows
it is nerve-wracking. A telephone interview which provides none
of the nonverbal cues available in a face-to-face situation can be
even trickier. The interviewer’s word choice, tone of voice, and
level of enthusiasm may therefore be important indicators. The
interviewee the person that is being interviewed must listen
carefully. The advice, “sit up and pay attention,” certainly applies
in this situation. Companies, who use telephone interviews for
employment screening, have heard it all everything from bad
grammar to burping.
Grammar Exercises
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 Wikipedia can be a useful tool in your research. Why do researchers not consider
Wikipedia a credible source for information to cite? What should you do if you
find information in Wikipedia that you would like to include in your report or
presentation?
2 Surveys are typically used to collect quantitative information. Explain how a
researcher could use a survey to collect qualitative information also.
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Chapter 8 End of Chapter 295
1. Brown, D. (2009). The lost symbol. New York, NY: Doubleday,
98.
2. Booth, W., Colomb, G., & Williams, J. (2008). The craft of
research (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press,
41–43.
3. Zillman, M. P. (2012). Deep web research 2012. Retrieved
from http://www.deepwebresearch.info; and O’Leary, M.
(2008, April). New portals enrich STM menu. Information
Today. Retrieved from http://www.deepwebtech.com/talks/Info
TodayReprint
4. U.S. Department of State. (2013). Independent states in the
world. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.
htm
5. SIL International. (2014). Ethnologue: Languages of the world.
Retrieved from http://www.ethnologue.com/
6. Tourangeau, R., Conrad, F., & Couper, M. (2013). The science of
web surveys. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 40-43.
7. CreateSurvey. (2012). Guideline for branching. Retrieved from
http://www.createsurvey.com/docs/guideline_for_branching.
html
8. Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design
and implementation (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
9. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Solid Waste. (2010). Municipal solid waste in the United States:
2009 facts and figures. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/
osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2009rpt
10. U.S. Copyright Office. (2102, June). Fair use. Retrieved from
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
11. Rosenberg, A. (2011, April 1). Crowdsourcing as research.
StrategyOne. Retrieved from http://www.strategyone.com/
industry-trends/crowdsourcing-as-research/
12. NM Incite. (2011). State of the media: The social media report
Q’3 2011. Retrieved from http://cn.nielsen.com/documents/
Nielsen-Social-Media-Report_FINAL_090911
13. For an example of a testimonial video on a learning manage-
ment system, see CorpUtv. (2008, July 3). Aaron’s—Selecting
an LMS vendor. [YouTube video]. Retrieved from http://www
.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Cx7qZjSdQ
14. American Wind Energy Association. (2010). AWEA small
wind turbine global market study. Retrieved from http://www
.awea.org/learnabout/smallwind/upload/2010_AWEA_
Small_Wind_Turbine_Global_Market_Study
15. International Energy Agency. (2011). WEO-2011 new electric-
ity access database. [Excel spreadsheet]. World Energy Out-
look. Retrieved from http://www.iea.org/weo/electricity.asp
16. International Energy Agency. (2011). Energy for all—Financ-
ing access for the poor. Retrieved from http://www.iea.org/
papers/2011/weo2011_energy_for_all
References
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http://www.deepwebresearch.info
http://www.deepwebtech.com/talks/InfoTodayReprint
http://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm
http://www.ethnologue.com/
http://www.createsurvey.com/docs/guideline_for_branching.html
http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2009rpt
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
http://www.strategyone.com/industry-trends/crowdsourcing-as-research/
http://cn.nielsen.com/documents/Nielsen-Social-Media-Report_FINAL_090911
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Cx7qZjSdQ
http://www.awea.org/learnabout/smallwind/upload/2010_AWEA_Small_Wind_Turbine_Global_Market_Study
http://www.iea.org/weo/electricity.asp
http://www.iea.org/papers/2011/weo2011_energy_for_all
http://www.deepwebtech.com/talks/InfoTodayReprint
http://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm
http://www.createsurvey.com/docs/guideline_for_branching.html
http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2009rpt
http://www.strategyone.com/industry-trends/crowdsourcing-as-research/
http://cn.nielsen.com/documents/Nielsen-Social-Media-Report_FINAL_090911
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Cx7qZjSdQ
http://www.awea.org/learnabout/smallwind/upload/2010_AWEA_Small_Wind_Turbine_Global_Market_Study
http://www.awea.org/learnabout/smallwind/upload/2010_AWEA_Small_Wind_Turbine_Global_Market_Study
http://www.iea.org/papers/2011/weo2011_energy_for_all
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9
Preparing
Persuasive
Business
Proposals
296
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We wrote a 35-page proposal to get funding for our first product,
Jerry the Bear, a learning toy for children with Type 1 diabetes.
Writing the proposal really helped us think through the details of
launching Jerry. In one section, we identified overall goals, broke
them into specific objectives, and listed activities to achieve each
objective. For example, we set an objective to partner with a hos-
pital and begin testing the bear by a specific date with children
aged three to seven. Our list of activities to achieve that objective
included negotiating with a hospital, manufacturing bears, writing
a test protocol and having it approved, etc. Writing the proposal
taught us what we needed to do—and by when.
Aaron Horowitz
Northwestern University
CEO @ Sproutel
(Also pictured: Hannah Chung, Chief Creative Officer @ Sproutel)
New Hires @ Work
297
How do you use ACE to prepare an
effective proposal? pages 298–303
Analyze: Understand the purpose, context, and
content
Compose: Develop persuasive content
Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of the proposal
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ3 How do you structure and format a
formal proposal? pages 313–319
Read RFPs carefully to identify content
requirements
Structure a formal proposal like a formal report
Use proposal-writing software to increase
efficiency
SQ2 What types of business proposals
should you be prepared to write?
pages 303–312
Proposals for action or change
Solicited sales proposals
Unsolicited sales proposals
Grant proposals and other proposals for funding
MyBCommLab®
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Visit mybcommlab.com for simulations, tutorials, and end-of-chapter problems.
Photo courtesy of Hannah Chung
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proposal A communication designed
to persuade a business decision maker to
adopt a plan, approve a project, choose a
product or service, or supply funding.
Chapter 9 | Introduction
A proposal is a document designed to convince a spe-
cific person or organization to take a specific action—for
example, to hire your organization for a job, to fund a
project, to buy new equipment, or to adopt a new policy,
procedure, requirement, or program.
Proposals are common in all forms of business. If
you work for a small bookstore, you may send your man-
ager an informal email proposing a new story hour for
children. If you manage a chain restaurant and want to
change the menu, you might make a proposal presenta-
tion to an executive committee. If you are a consultant,
you might respond to a request for proposal (RFP) from
a potential client by submitting a formal document com-
plete with a title page, table of contents, and charts and ta-
bles. Whatever form it takes, a good proposal will provide
your audience with all the information they need to make
an informed decision, and it will motivate your audience
to act.
Because so many business activities depend on pro-
posals, proposal-writing skills are particularly valuable in
an organization.1 This chapter explains how to use ACE
to manage the proposal process and provides examples
of three common types of persuasive business proposals:
• Internal proposals for action or change
• External sales proposals to sell products or services
• Funding or grant proposals
Finally, the chapter provides guidelines for formatting
formal proposals, including responses to RFPs, and for
using online proposal software to increase your efficiency.
SQ1 How do you use ACE to prepare an effective proposal?
Preparing a proposal is complicated. It requires that you propose an idea that meets your au-
dience’s needs, develop a persuasive appeal, provide details about how to implement the pro-
posal, and explain costs. Figure 9.1 illustrates how the ACE process can help you ask good
questions when preparing a proposal.
To apply these questions to a specific situation, imagine that you work for Northways
Press, a small publishing company. One of your employees, Marina Jacobs, recently retired.
To help reduce expenses, your supervisor, Doug Seaver, wants to wait six months to hire a
full-time replacement. You and Doug have taken on additional work to compensate for the
reduced staff. After a few weeks, you believe the additional workload is affecting the quality
of your work and is distracting Doug from his main responsibilities—acquiring new books to
publish and developing online publications. To solve these problems, you want to propose that
the company hire a part-time replacement. You know the university in town offers an intern-
ship program. After learning more about the program, you decide to suggest that Doug hire an
intern. How will you analyze, compose, and evaluate your proposal?
Analyze: Understand the purpose, context, and content
Like any persuasive communication, a proposal requires in-depth analysis. You will be able to
persuade your audience only if you understand these elements:
• Purpose: the need your proposal meets
• Context: the circumstances that influence your proposal
• Content: the arguments and information that will motivate your audience
298
Analyze
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How do you use ACE to prepare an effective proposal? 299
Purpose
The first step in preparing a proposal is to develop a clear idea of your purpose: What need are
you addressing and how do you propose to meet that need? In proposing that your company
hire an intern, you are addressing the need to ensure quality work until a full-time replace-
ment is hired. For the proposal to be successful, your supervisor must feel confident that your
proposal will solve the problem without costing more than he is willing to spend.
Context
By considering the context, you can identify the level of persuasion necessary as well as the
appropriate form for the proposal. Ask yourself three questions:
1. Is the proposal external or internal? An external proposal is addressed to people outside
your organization, such as a potential client or an agency that will provide funding. Exter-
nal proposals usually take the form of a letter, a report-style document, or a presentation.
An internal proposal is addressed to people within your organization. Internal proposals can
sometimes be less formal and may be written as a memo or, in some cases, just an email.
For the internship, you will be writing an internal proposal to your supervisor Doug. It
may require only a few paragraphs, so an email message would be appropriate.
2. Is the proposal solicited or unsolicited? A solicited proposal is one your audience has asked
you to submit. By contrast, an unsolicited proposal is one that you initiate. The distinction is
important.
If a proposal is solicited, your audience has already identified a problem or need and has
requested a solution. An organization might solicit proposals by contacting you directly or
by distributing a request for proposal (RFP) in order to get multiple competitive responses.
Solicited proposals typically use a direct organization because your audience is expecting to
hear your main idea.
If the proposal is unsolicited, your audience has not asked for the proposal and may not
even be aware that a problem or opportunity exists. As a result, an unsolicited proposal needs
FIGURE 9.1 Using ACE for Persuasive Proposals
• What are you proposing and why?
• What is the context of your proposal? Is it external or
internal? Is it solicited or unsolicited? Is it competitive
or noncompetitive?
• Will your audience already be interested, or will you need to
grab their attention?
• What requirements, if any, must this proposal meet?
• How will the audience benefit from the proposal?
• What objections should you anticipate?
• Should you do any initial research before writing the
proposal? What do you need to learn?
• Will the audience be convinced that
the proposal addresses a real need?
• Have you stated what you are proposing?
• Have you shown that your proposal
meets the need?
• Have you stressed audience benefits?
• Have you shown you are qualified?
• Have you explained the details:
deliverables, costs, schedule?
• Have you asked for agreement?
• Have you used good headings and
highlighted main points?
• Have you edited for style and tone?
• Have you proofread for errors?
• How formal or informal should this
proposal be?
• What is the best medium for the
proposal?
• How can you establish credibility?
• What content must you include?
• How should you organize the content?
• How can you use a “you” perspective?
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
external proposal A proposal
addressed to people outside of your
organization.
internal proposal A proposal addressed
to people within your organization.
solicited proposal A proposal that your
audience has requested.
unsolicited proposal A proposal that
your audience is not expecting.
request for proposal (RFP) An
invitation for suppliers to competitively
submit proposals to provide a product or
service.
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to do more than just convince your audience that you have a good idea or product. You first
need to grab your audience’s attention by convincing them that they have an unmet need or
can benefit from a new opportunity. If your audience doesn’t know you, you will also need to
build your credibility by explaining your experience and qualifications within the proposal.
Unsolicited proposals are often organized indirectly because you first need to prepare your
audience for your idea.
In the internship scenario, the proposal is unsolicited, so you will need to persuade your
audience that the problem is significant enough to warrant the cost of the part-time intern. You
also need to convince Doug that the intern will be able to reduce Doug’s and your workload.
3. Is the proposal competitive or noncompetitive? In a competitive proposal situation, others
will be competing with you for the sale, the funding, or the opportunity. In a noncompetitive
proposal situation, your audience will not be considering any offers other than yours.
Proposals that respond to RFPs are always competitive. The RFP will outline the impor-
tant criteria on which you will compete. In some situations, price will be the most important
criterion. In other situations, your ability to deliver your product or service quickly or your
ability to meet specific requirements may be most important. When submitting a competitive
proposal, think carefully about what your audience expects and what criteria your audience
will use to evaluate your proposal compared to competitors’ proposals.
In the internship scenario, the proposal is noncompetitive, so you do not need to prove
that your idea is better than a competitor’s.
Content
Analyze content needs by considering requirements, benefits, and potential objections.
• Requirements. Every proposal must address audience requirements. When a proposal is so-
licited, the audience will tell you their requirements. For an unsolicited proposal, you will need
to put yourself in the audience’s position and brainstorm those requirements on your own. As
you analyze, create a checklist of requirements that your proposal must meet. For example, in
the internship proposal, you will need to determine the qualifications Doug will require an
intern to have. If Doug has taken responsibility for all marketing after Marina’s retirement, he
may require that an intern be experienced in marketing (rather than accounting or editing).
• Benefits. A good proposal also describes how your audience or organization will benefit from
your proposal. Does the proposal save time or money? Does it help produce a better prod-
uct? Does it help meet regulatory requirements? Does it help advance the company’s mis-
sion? If your proposal is competitive, also consider the benefits you provide compared to your
competition. In the internship proposal, you might mention the positive public relations your
company will gain from hiring a student intern. You might also suggest that hiring a qualified
intern will allow Doug to groom a future full-time employee.
• Potential objections. To complement your list of benefits, also consider the objections your
audience may raise, and brainstorm ways to respond to those objections. Will your audience
believe your proposed plan costs too much or that it will not solve their problems? For ex-
ample, if you think that hiring an intern will cost more than Doug is willing to spend, you can
stress that a part-time intern will certainly cost less than a full-time employee. You can also
suggest that hiring a marketing intern will give Doug more time to develop online publications
and acquire new books to publish.
As you analyze content needs, consider whether you need to conduct research to strengthen
your argument. Do you need to learn more about your client’s industry or about com-
petitors who may be submitting competitive proposals? Do you need to learn more about
alternatives or solutions you can offer? Do you need to find evidence that your solution
has been successful in other organizations? Do you need to learn more about costs in
order to put together a budget? For the internship proposal, you may need to do additional
research to learn how the internship program at the university works and how a company
advertises for an intern.
Compose: Develop persuasive content
Although proposals can be delivered in any form, they most frequently are delivered in writ-
ing rather than in presentations. Proposal expert Tom Sant argues that written proposals offer
a number of advantages. For example, they clarify complex information, help the audience
compare offers, and make the decision process more objective.2
noncompetitive proposal A proposal
that has no competition because your
audience will not be considering any offers
other than yours.
Compose
competitive proposal A proposal that
will compete with other proposals for the
same sale, funding, or opportunity.
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As you compose your proposal, develop content that will support the audience’s decision-
making process and motivate the audience to act:
• Articulate the problem, need, or opportunity
• Present a compelling recommendation with supporting details
• Identify the outcomes and benefits
• Establish feasibility and credibility
• Request action
Articulate the problem, need, or opportunity
At the beginning of the proposal, explain the current business problem, need, or opportunity.
This explanation serves three persuasive purposes:
• In a solicited proposal, the summary gives the audience confidence that you have listened to
them carefully, truly understand what they are trying to accomplish, and are able to present an
appropriate solution. The summary builds your credibility.
• In an unsolicited proposal, summarizing the problem, need, or opportunity helps convince
the audience that they will benefit from continuing to read so they can learn about your pro-
posed solution or idea.
• In any proposal, the initial summary is the “setup” for the final recommendation. If you ar-
ticulate the problem, need, or opportunity at the beginning of the proposal, you will be able to
show at the end of the proposal how your recommendation solves the problem, addresses the
need, or takes advantage of the opportunity.
Present a compelling recommendation with supporting details
Once you have identified the problem or need, present your proposed solution or approach
and demonstrate how it meets the audience’s needs and requirements. Refer to the checklist of
requirements you created during the analyzing stage, and show how you meet every require-
ment. Also, provide enough details about cost and implementation so that your audience can
make an informed decision.
Identify the outcomes and benefits
When you discuss how you will solve the audience’s problem or meet their need, you are iden-
tifying the audience’s pain. However, it is equally important in a proposal to identify their gain,
in other words, how they will benefit. Consider the audience’s benefit from two perspectives:
• How will the audience benefit by solving this problem? Many proposals—especially those
that are unsolicited—are unsuccessful not because the audience accepts a different proposal
but because the audience decides to do nothing at all. Help the audience understand why this
problem deserves attention and how the benefits of fixing it will outweigh the proposed cost.
• How will your specific proposal benefit the audience? Most problems have several possible
solutions. Why is your proposed solution particularly good? What are the benefits of your ap-
proach? What unique value does your plan offer?
Be sure to highlight the key reasons for accepting your proposal. You can mention these at the
beginning and again at the end of the proposal. You can also integrate the discussion of ben-
efits with the detailed discussion of your plan.
Establish feasibility and credibility
No matter what other persuasive content you include, the details of a proposal must always
prove two things: that the plan is feasible and that you are credible.
Proving feasibility means showing that the plan is achievable. The best way to address fea-
sibility is to present realistic implementation plans. What is the timeline for the project? When
and how will the work be completed? What are the deliverables (the items or services you
agree to provide)? What are the costs? What gives you confidence that the plan will succeed?
Establishing credibility means showing that you have the ability to deliver what you propose.
Whether you are writing a sales proposal or a proposal for funding, your audience will need to
have confidence that you can deliver your promises. That is why your proposal should show
that you have the qualifications, facilities, time, staff, and expertise to complete the project. You
can demonstrate this by including testimonials, describing similar projects you have completed,
identifying resources available to you, and providing brief biographical sketches of the staff.
deliverables The items or services you
agree to deliver to your audience.
How do you use ACE to prepare an effective proposal? 301
New Hires @ Work
Roy Dockery
Thomas Edison State College
Director of Field Service
Operations @ Swisslog Health
Care Logistics
In school, I learned audiences
will ask WIIFM (What’s In It For
Me), and I need to
provide the answer.
But I never under-
stood the impor-
tance of WIIFM until
I wrote my first
proposal. It makes
a huge difference
in the outcome.
Photo courtesy of Roy Dockery
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Request action
A persuasive proposal will look forward to next steps and request a response. Otherwise, it
may be easy for your audience to forget or ignore your proposal. Solicited sales proposals often
include an acceptance or authorization sheet that your audience can sign. For unsolicited pro-
posals, however, you may want to suggest a meeting or telephone call as the next step.
Figure 9.2 is the proposal written to Doug Seaver of Northways Press. It illustrates one ap-
proach to organize this information. You will see examples of other organizational strategies
throughout this chapter. Notice that the organization of this email is a hybrid between direct
and indirect. Although the subject line is direct, the body of the proposal presents the detailed
solution in a more indirect manner, after persuading Doug that a problem needs to be solved.
FIGURE 9.2 How to Write an Informal Persuasive Proposal
email proposal
Doug:
I have an idea about how we can get high-quality help in the office to ease our
work overload without hiring a full-time employee.
As you know, since Marina Jacobs left the company, you and I are both working
long hours. I’ve been working overtime each week on manuscripts, and I‘ve seen
you work late many evenings on product marketing. I’m worried that the quality of
my work is suffering. After a long day, I’m not able to double-check my work as
carefully as I should, and I’m falling behind on correspondence. Your extra
marketing efforts are also distracting you from working with new authors and
developing new products.
I know that you’re not ready to hire a new full-time employee to fill Marina’s
position since we need to economize right now. However, have you considered
hiring one or more interns to handle the extra work? I’m attaching a description
of the Cochran University Urban Interns Program. Students pay tuition, work
15 hours a week for a local business for one semester (15 weeks), and take two
internship-related courses. For that, students receive minimum wage from the
employer and credit from the university.
Cochran has excellent writing and marketing departments, and we can
hire two interns to handle the two elements of Marina’s job. The benefit for us is
that we have smart interns for 15 weeks for a very low cost. In addition, we get
good exposure for our business and may find someone who will be a good
permanent employee. The benefit for the interns is that they get practical
hands-on experience at a publishing company.
The director of Urban Interns is Deborah Forrest. As soon as you
approve this solution to our problem, I will meet with her to get more details.
I look forward to your response.
Nick
Request action and identify
next steps.
Doug Seaver (d.seaver@northwayspress.com)
Proposal to Hire an Intern
Cochran University Urban Interns Program
Nick Ashe
Developmental Editor
Northways Press
359 Purchase Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 555-7055
Thanks,
Identify the purpose of the
email in the subject line.
Capture audience interest
by focusing on the goal of
the proposal.
Articulate the problem and
explain how it negatively
affects the business.
Present a compelling
recommendation and provide
persuasive supporting details
to prove feasibility.
Focus on benefits that the
audience cares about.
Attachment:
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 9.2’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of the proposal
The more important a proposal is to your business, the more important it is to take extra
time to evaluate it. In competitive proposals, omissions and mistakes can exclude you from
consideration. In addition, once your audience accepts your proposal, you will be obligated to
provide what you propose, so you need to evaluate your promises carefully. Use the checklist
in Figure 9.3 to evaluate your proposal.
FIGURE 9.3 Checklist for Evaluating Proposals
Checklist for Evaluating Proposals
Need
✓ If the proposal is solicited, does the introduction clearly indicate that you understand
the audience’s needs and clearly state what you are proposing?
✓ If the proposal is unsolicited, will the introduction grab the audience’s attention and
convince them that your proposal is addressing a real need?
Proposal/Solution
✓ Have you stated your proposal clearly and shown convincingly that your proposal is a
good way to meet the audience’s needs?
✓ Have you specified sufficient details: deliverables, costs (if any), and a schedule?
Requirements/Benefits
✓ Have you explained clearly how the proposal addresses the audience’s requirements
and priorities?
✓ Have you focused on how the proposal will benefit the audience?
Feasibility/Qualifications
✓ Will the audience be convinced that the proposed idea is feasible and can be imple-
mented effectively? If you are proposing work that you or your company will perform,
will the audience be convinced that you have the qualifications to perform the proposed
work—or deliver the proposed services? Have you provided enough evidence?
Call to Action
✓ Have you specifically asked for agreement? Have you provided contact information so the
audience can tell you whether to move forward with the proposal? Have you indicated a
date by which you need a response, if applicable?
Format/Language
✓ Is the proposal easy to read with good headings and key points that stand out?
✓ Is the language clear, concise, and professional?
Proofreading
✓ Have you proofread the document to eliminate errors?
This section provides examples of the three most common types of business proposals:
• Proposals for action or change
• Sales proposals (either solicited or unsolicited) to provide products or services
• Proposals for grants or other funding
Proposals for action or change
If you have an idea at work that you would like to implement or a project that needs funding,
a proposal may win you the support you need. In business, proposals for action are strongest
when they make a business case—that is, when they argue that a specific course of action is
good for an organization and makes business sense. When writing a business case, you need to
discuss benefits, costs, risks, and implementation plans.3
SQ2 What types of business proposals should you be
prepared to write?
business case A justification for a
proposal showing that the recommended
course of action is good for an organization
and makes business sense.
Evaluate
New Hires @ Work
Matt Vallandingham
Eastern Kentucky University
Software Engineer @ Alltech
I work to support sales, and
the best way for me to create a
successful proposal is by
explaining how it will
impact sales in a posi-
tive way. Then, if my
proposal is approved,
my professionalism
in my role is judged
by how well I can
handle the outcome
of that proposal.
Photo courtesy of Matt Vallandingham
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The proposal in Figure 9.2 is an informal email proposal for action or change. Figure 9.4
offers advice for structuring a more formal internal proposal that makes a business case. You
will notice that even though this proposal is a few pages long, the headings help the reader see
the structure of the document at a glance. You can send this report-style proposal in hard copy
or electronically as an email attachment. One advantage of sending it by email is that you can
summarize the proposal in the email and request action—for example, a meeting to discuss
the proposal.
FIGURE 9.4 How to Write a Proposal for Action or Change
Highlight
benefits with
key words at
the beginning
of each
numbered
section. Focus
on how the
solution
bene�ts the
company as
a whole.
Provide credible
detail about
costs. Costs
can be placed
before bene�ts
when you want
to show that
the cost of an
item will lead
to cost savings
as a bene�t.
End with a call
to action and
anticipate the
audience’s
interest in a
demonstration.
Benefits of Creating a Centrally Accessible Collaborative Workspace
Creating a centrally accessible collaborative workspace offers four bene�ts. The
workspace will:
1. Maximize team effectiveness. The large display enables easy collaboration in
a single workspace among a critical number of people. Rather than working in
small groups crowded around tiny laptop screens or working in large groups
with each member looking at only his or her own screen, the large screen
allows teams to maximize their effectiveness.
2. Improve work quantity and quality. According to research conducted by the
Ross Business School at the University of Michigan, collaboration installations
like are capable of improving the amount and quality of employee TeamWork
work. (The abstract of the research report is included as Appendix B.) With
increased productivity, our teams will be able to evaluate more strategic
opportunities and develop recommendations that take advantage of all
members’ creative thinking.
3. Encourage teamwork in other departments. Installing TeamWork in the
north conference room makes it accessible not only to the teams in our
department but also to any group in company. This may encourage other
departments to develop productive teamwork practices.
4. Expand the functionality of the conference room. In addition to facilitating
collaboration, the Intelliboard system will display presentations from any
connected laptop. This means that the conference room can also function as a
presentation room without purchase of additional projectors and screens.
Requested Budget
The IT budget for this project is $7,650, for the server, monitor, and software:
Item Price
TeamWork server $ 1,600
IntelliBoard monitor $ 4,000
TeamServe collaborative software $ 2,050
Total $ 7,650
This one-time fee includes three years of technical support and three years of
product upgrades.
Next Steps
Collaboration software and hardware are currently our department’s top budget
priority. We would like to install this system and have it functioning before the �rst
of the year. We would appreciate the budget being authorized by November 1 so
that we can order the equipment and arrange for installation. If you would like a
demonstration of the hardware and software before authorizing it, we can arrange
that at your convenience.
2
Explain the
problem and
the need for
the proposed
system.
Highlight the
proposed action
and specific
implementation
details.
Explain the
rationale for
choosing this
speci�c system.
Begin directly
with a specific
proposal
followed by
the positive
outcome that
will result.
formal proposal
Proposal to Create a Computer-Aided Collaborative Workspace
Kip Koestler, Manager, Strategy and Business Development
September 1, 20XX
The Strategy and Business Development Department (SBDD) requests funding of
$7,650 to create a small-group, interactive workspace in our north conference room.
It will include a large interactive display that will be visible to all team members and
controllable from any connected laptop computer. The space will make it easier for
our project teams to collaborate and produce high-quality work.
In the past 12 months, SBDD has restructured its 20 employees into �ve work
teams that are responsible for evaluating merger, acquisition, and new business
opportunities. This new team structure is very effective compared to the previous
structure, where each employee worked independently on his or her own projects.
Our productivity has increased by 20 percent. However, our current of�ce space is
not set up to support collaboration.
Each team member has a small individual of�ce that does not offer enough room for
teams to collaborate. Our two conference rooms have suf�cient space for
collaboration, but they do not have appropriate software or hardware to support team
activity. Current efforts at collaboration typically result in one of two outcomes. Group
members either (1) crowd around a single computer where only some can view the
screen and only one can control the input devices, or (2) divide the workload, then
proceed to work alone on their own computers, sending results to a single person
designated to compile the results. Neither situation is optimal for effective teamwork.
As a result, we are not getting the full value of team thinking.
Proposed Solution: Create a Collaborative Workspace
To solve this problem, we propose creating a team collaboration space in th e
second-�oor north conference room, equipped with collaboration software and
hardware. We evaluated three computer-based systems and propose implementing
the TeamWork system (a full comparison of the three systems is available in
Appendix A). TeamWork facilitates collaboration through a shared desktop server
and a large public display visible to all group members. The system includes the
following software:
IntelliBoard presentation software, which both displays presentations and allows
team members to write directly on the screen with a digital pen and save the
results, and
TeamServe collaboration software, which permits remote control of the desktop
server by any of the participating collaboration members and facilitates �le
sharing and storage among team members.
TeamWork requires no software installation or licensing for individual laptops,
allowing anyone in the company to use it. Its total system cost is the lowest of all
evaluated systems, and it is highly rated by Business Computing magazine
based on reliability and technical support.
1
Current Situation
statement of work (SOW) A proposal
or section of a proposal that identifies
exactly what you will deliver, at what
cost, in what time frame, and under what
circumstances.
Solicited sales proposals
If you work in an organization that sells products or services, you may have to prepare sales
proposals for your customers and clients. Like an action proposal, a strong sales proposal makes
a persuasive case that the audience will benefit from what you propose. In addition to serving
as a persuasive tool, a sales proposal often serves as a sales contract. It identifies exactly what
you will deliver, at what cost, in what time frame, and under what circumstances. When your
client signs the proposal, both parties have made a commitment. If a solicited sales proposal is
noncompetitive, it may contain only the contractual information. This type of proposal is re-
ferred to as a statement of work (SOW). Figure 9.5 on pages 305–306 illustrates good practices
in solicited sales proposals.
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FIGURE 9.5 How to Write a Solicited Sales Proposal
letter
October 24, 20XX
Mr. Paul Phillips
Director of Physical Plant
Davis College
285 S. Kings Way
Rollins, MN 55555
Subject: Proposal to Update Davis College’s Waste Reduction Plan
Dear Mr. Phillips:
Cronin Environmental Services, Inc., (CES) is pleased to submit this proposal to assist Davis
College (DC) in preparing an updated Waste Reduction Plan as required by the Minnesota
Department of Community Affairs (MDCA). CES has extensive experience producing MDCA
waste reduction plans. Based on that experience, this letter identifies CES’s recommended
scope of work, time frame, and budget. It also provides background about CES’s expertise.
SCOPE OF WOR K
To evaluate the waste composition at Davis College and prepare the required analyses and
report, CES proposes to do the following:
• Review waste hauling and recycling records for the past 12 months.
• Coordinate with the Facilities Management staff to schedule a representative sampling of
the waste generated at the DC main campus. CES will work with the Facilities Management
staff to identify a location for sorting to minimize inconvenience and, if needed, for
temporarily storing the material being sorted (for less than one day).
• Conduct a sort-and-weigh audit using one-day’s worth of waste from the campus. The sort
will address all the waste components required by MDCA, including glass, aluminum
containers, plastic (high-density and low-density polyethylene, and polyethylene
terepthalate), and landscape waste. In addition, the sort will identify weight components of
newsprint, cardboard, white and computer paper, magazines, and a mixed paper category.
• Conduct a walkthrough of the college’s buildings to evaluate the recycling and waste
reduction activities throughout the campus.
• Meet with Facilities Management staff as necessary to discuss questions pertinent to the
report.
• Prepare a draft report for DC to review and approve.
• Prepare four copies of the Waste Reduction Plan Update, which DC can submit to MDCA,
and two copies for the college’s records.
, .
Use a subject line that
identifies the subject
of the proposal.
Begin the proposal by:
(1) identifying the purpose
of the proposal,
(2) stressing your
company’s qualifications,
and (3) previewing the
organization of the proposal.
Choose the best medium.
If a sales proposal is
short, if often takes the
form of a letter. If the
proposal exceeds three
pages, a report format
may be better.
Use headings and bullets
that make the proposal
easy to skim.
Identify exactly what
you will do or provide.
1442 Industrial Parkway West
Rollins, MN 55555
612.555.5555
Fax: 612.555.6666
www.cronin.com
This letter is a sales proposal from Cronin
Environmental Services (CES) to a new
client, Davis College. Because this is an
external sales proposal to a new client,
the tone is formal.
What types of business proposals should you be prepared to write? 305
(continued)
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The scope of work assumes that DC will provide the following information necessary
to prepare the report:
• Data on procurement of recycled materials, such as paper
Waste hauling and recycling records
Data on numbers of students and employees
•
•
CES will supply the required forms to obtain this information.
PROPOSED TIME SCHEDULE
CES is able to begin the fieldwork within two weeks of the notification to proceed. The
fieldwork will take three days. We can have the analysis complete within four weeks from the
completion of the fieldwork, depending on how quickly DC provides the other required data
for the report.
BUDGET
CES proposes a not-to-exceed budget of $9,200 to complete this scope of work. The budget is
based on the time estimated to complete the work. DC will be billed for only the actual time
and expenses related to the project. If our time and expenses are lower, the fee will be lower.
CES EXPERIENCE
CES is an engineering consulting firm with offices throughout the state, including one in
St. Paul (located three blocks from the MDCA building). CES offers your organization the
following benefits:
• Extensive experience conducting waste audits, performing analyses of recycling programs,
and developing waste reduction plans for a diverse range of facilities, including commercial
offices, elementary schools and colleges, hospitals, and other institutions. CES was recently
selected by Winona County to provide waste reduction services for businesses and
multifamily complexes throughout the county.
• A track record of success. In the past year, CES has produced waste reduction plans for
11 organizations. All of the plans were approved by the MDCA. In addition, CES has been
extremely successful in helping its clients secure more than $2 million in grant funds.
An extensive client list is enclosed with this proposal. I have also enclosed a short article
on CES, published in the Engineering News Record.
CONTRACT
Enclosed are two copies of our Standard Agreement for Professional Services. If you agree to
this proposal, please sign both agreements, return one, and keep one for your records.
Mr. Phillips, we look forward to working on your project. With our experience in
producing MDCA reports, we are confident we can produce the documentation you need
with minimal disruption to campus life. If you have any questions before signing the contract,
please contact me at 612-555-5555 or kim.colgate@cronin.com.
Sincerely,
Kim Colgate
Project Manager
Enclosures
State the price of the project
and whether this price is a
flat fee or is conditional on
the time and materials
actually required.
Add credibility by outlining
your experience. You can
also provide testimonials and
publications to support your
claims.
Attach an agreement sheet
to make it easy for your client
to accept your proposal.
Identify the amount of time
the project will take and
when the project can begin.
Identify what your client
must provide if your work
depends on information or
timely responses.
Mr. Paul Phillips
October 24, 20XX
Page 2
FIGURE 9.5 (Continued)
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Unsolicited sales proposals
An unsolicited sales proposal is essentially a targeted marketing letter directed to someone
who you believe may benefit from your products or services. Your goal is to generate inter-
est in your business proposal and to encourage further discussions. Figure 9.6 illustrates good
What types of business proposals should you be prepared to write? 307
FIGURE 9.6 How to Write an Unsolicited Sales Proposal
5250 W. 6th Street, Reston, VA 20191
800.555.1780 | Fax: 800.555.1781 | www.swanson.com
May 11, 20XX
Ms. Eva Greenwald
Executive Director
Association of Investment Professionals
931 East 59th Street
New York, NY 11234
Dear Ms. Greenwald:
We can help your organization reduce your costs, increase your revenue, and enhance your
members’ satisfaction with your professional events.
Swanson International is an event registration and housing service that provides support for
corporate, not-for-profit, and athletic events throughout North America. After reviewing your
association’s website, I noticed that AIP sponsors two annual conventions and several training
events throughout the country. I also noticed that all event and housing registration for these
events is done manually, through telephone or mail. I believe our services at Swanson can
streamline your registration process and also increase your revenue and member satisfaction.
How Our System Works
AIP can bene�t from working with Swanson by out-sourcing the following activities:
• Hotel planning: For each event your organization sponsors, Swanson negotiates
discounted room rates with a range of hotels in the area. Your members receive an
attractive set of choices to meet budget and other needs. Swanson also builds in a
rebate with each of these hotels, which Swanson then shares with AIP. This will pay
for all of Swanson’s services and also provide revenue for AIP.
Begin the proposal
with an attention-
getting sentence that
identifies audience
benefits.
Persuade the audience
that there is a problem
or opportunity to
address.
Personalize the
proposal and show
that you have
researched your
audience’s business
and their needs.
Use section headings
and paragraph topics
to help the audience
skim the content
quickly.
letter
• Event and hotel registration: Swanson also builds a unique website for your event,
including property pictures, directions, and room types. Through this site, participants
can register for an event, register for housing, and purchase event-related merchandise
(such as T-shirts and pins). For those members not willing or able to use the web, we
have an in-house call center to process registration requests.
• Post-event rebate collection: After your event, Swanson bills the hotel for any
rebates you have been promised, using our automated invoicing system.
Describe your services or
product, addressing the
key features you believe
your audience will value.
Address an unsolicited
sales proposal to an
individual in the
organization.
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Benefits to Y
Next Steps
our Association
Our list of satis�ed clients is growing because we provide value to our clients in three areas:
• Reduced administrative costs: Our online registration services eliminate many time-
consuming tasks facing event organizers, thus reducing administrative costs and
hassle.
• Increased revenue: Our event registration tool will increase your hotel-related
revenue because the web-based system drives participants to your hotels through the
registration process.
• Increased member satisfaction: Participants can register for the event and
accommodations in one easy step. In addition, the selection of hotels is designed to
satisfy a range of budgets.
The most attractive bene�t is that there are no out-of-pocket costs to AIP.
Please consider using our services for the next event you plan.
I will be in New York on business the week of June 15. May we set up a meeting to discuss
how Swanson can help AIP? I would like to learn more about how many people typically
attend AIP events and the kinds of hotels your members prefer. With this information, I will be
able to estimate the revenue you can expect with our services.
I will call you next week to see if you are available to meet or talk by phone. Or you can reach
me at (800) 555-1780 or k.nylund@swanson.com. I look forward to talking with you.
Regards,
Kathryn Nylund
Sales Manager
Swanson International
Ms. Eva Greenwald
May 11, 20XX
Page 2
Highlight the benefits
you offer your audience.
Do not discuss
contractual agreements
in unsolicited proposals.
Emphasize the most
important benefit
that you believe
will. persuade the
audience.
End with a call to
action. For an unsolic-
ited proposal, one
appropriate call for
action is to request a
meeting. If the meet-
ing is successful, the
audience may solicit a
more formal
proposal.
FIGURE 9.6 (Continued)
practices in writing an unsolicited sales proposal. The letter was sent by an event planning
company to the Association of Investment Professionals, a group that holds several events
throughout the year.
Grant proposals and other proposals for funding
If you work for a not-for-profit organization, you may need to request funding from an exter-
nal source to support one of your organization’s projects. For example, a homeless shelter may
need to request funding from the city to replace its roof. An arts organization may request
funding from the local arts council to support an after-school arts program. An academic
organization may request funding from a foundation to support a business plan competition.
Receiving that funding will be essential for the project’s success. Depending on the require-
ments of the agency, these proposals for funding, also called grant proposals, may be prepared
as formal reports, letters, or online submissions.
grant proposal A proposal requesting
funding, typically from governmental agen-
cies or charitable foundations.
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What types of business proposals should you be prepared to write? 309
New Hires @ Work
Suzie Loveday
Eastern Kentucky University
Grants Management Officer @
Frontier Nursing University
Grant writing is all about
building credibility and writing
persuasively. People aren’t
just going to hand over their
money to you. You have
to convince a potential
funder that you are
really good at what
you do and that
you are already
doing what the
grant program
is asking for.
Photo Courtesy of Suzie Loveday
The following guidelines will help you plan, organize, and submit an effective grant
proposal:
1. Identify a funding agency that is a good match with the project you are trying to fund. For
example, imagine that you are the business manager of a hospital’s physical therapy clinic in
central Oklahoma. You realize that many low-income people in rural Oklahoma are not get-
ting the medical help they need because their communities do not have physical therapists. In
addition, it is too expensive for those people to travel to your center. You would like to write
a grant proposal to receive funding to subsidize the travel expenses for low-income patients
within 200 miles of your center. Where can you apply for that funding?
An Internet search reveals that the Walmart Foundation may be a good source. The tag-
line of the Walmart Foundation is “Giving people access to a better life. One community at a
time.” The Foundation explains its mission this way:4
It’s our mission to create opportunities so people can live better. We consider it our responsibil-
ity to make a positive impact in the communities we serve. Whether it’s through the grants
we provide to the thousands of organizations that share our mission or through the inspiring
volunteer efforts of Walmart associates, we are passionate about helping people live better. One
community at a time.
On the grant application form, Walmart identifies “medical transportation” as one of the
program categories it supports. In addition, Walmart is committed to giving back to the com-
munities in which it does business:5
Walmart believes in operating globally and giving back locally—creating impact in the neigh-
borhoods where we live and work. Through the Community Grant Program, our associates are
proud to support the needs of their communities by providing grants to local organizations.
Your project meets Walmart’s criteria in two ways. First, it is a medical transportation
project. And second, it improves the lives of individuals in communities that Walmart serves:
Walmart has more than 50 stores in Oklahoma. These matching criteria will be important facts
to mention in the grant proposal.
2. Identify a contact person at the funding organization and arrange a personal meeting. The
meeting has two goals: (1) to communicate your passion for the project, and (2) to ask the
granting agency if it will accept a proposal from you for the specific amount of money that you
are requesting. This information ensures that you send the proposal to an appropriate agency
and do not waste your time.
3. Draft a proposal that addresses each topic area. Figure 9.7 illustrates a possible table of con-
tents for the Walmart funding proposal. Notice the section called “Evaluation.” This section
helps the audience measure the success of the program. Directions for formatting the major
sections are provided later in this section.
4. Draft a cover message. When funding agencies review multiple proposals, they expect the cover
letter to help them quickly understand who you are, what you are requesting, why the request is
important, how it addresses the agency’s mission, and why you believe your project is feasible.
As you plan a letter using the ACE process, develop answers to these questions. Then when you
compose, organize and format the letter to make these answers easy to find. Figure 9.8 on page 310
illustrates a cover letter for the Walmart Foundation proposal, answering all these questions.
FIGURE 9.7 Table of Contents for a Funding Proposal
Table of Contents
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page i
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1
Statement of Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
Goals and Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6
Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8
Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9
Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11
Appendix A: Past Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12
Appendix B: List of Participating Hotels and Transportation Companies . . . . . . Page 15
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FIGURE 9.8 How to Write a Cover Letter for a Funding Proposal
letter
1795 NW Highway
Edmond, OK 73003
June 15, 20XX
Ms. Earlyn Felix
Grant Administrator
The Walmart Foundation
501 SW 19th Street
Moore, OK 73852
Dear Ms. Felix:
Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you Thursday and for your interest in the project,
Providing Access to Physical Therapy for Low-Income Patients in Central Oklahoma. We
believe this project will help us meet the Walmart Foundation goal of improving the health
and wellness of underserved populations in communities in the state. In addition, this project
can be replicated in other states where Walmart serves its customers.
We ask you to invest $10,000 to provide transportation and lodging to low-income patients
who do not have the means to travel to our hospital for physical therapy services. Your
investment will provide travel funds for up to 100 patients who live more than 100 miles from
Central Oklahoma Regional Hospital. We have agreements from two bus companies and a
local hotel to provide services at half price for this program.
As we discussed in our meeting, our preliminary research shows that each year physicians in
the Central Oklahoma area prescribe physical therapy for more than 3,000 patients. However,
many communities in Central Oklahoma do not have physical therapists nearby. The nearest
comprehensive physical therapy center is in our hospital in Edmond. While the cost of the
therapy is often covered by Medicare or Medicaid, the cost of transportation and lodging is
not. As a result, many patients do not see a physical therapist and thus experience a lower
quality of life.
Our project goal over the next 12 months is to establish a program that will allow physicians
to apply for travel grants on behalf of their patients. We ask for your help in funding these
grants.
I will contact you next Tuesday after you’ve had an opportunity to review this proposal. In the
meantime, if you have any questions, please contact me at Sean.Wittwer@CORH.com or
800-555-5555.
Best regards,
Sean Wittwer
Grant Coordinator
Try talking to someone
at the funding agency
before you write the
cover letter, and refer to
that conversation at the
beginning of the letter.
Stress how your
proposed plan will
meet at least one of the
funding agency’s goals.
Identify the specific
amount of money you
are requesting and how
that money will be spent.
Show that the plan is
feasible and has
community support.
Persuade your audience
that you are meeting a
real need.
Conclude by focusing
on goals and next
steps.
This proposal cover message from Central
Oklahoma Regional Hospital to the Walmart
Foundation is in itself a persuasive document. It is
written to a specific person at the funding agency
and is designed to convince the audience to read
the proposal carefully and positively.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 9.8’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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ETHICS
DOES YOUR PROPOSAL DEMONSTRATE INTEGRITY?
Companies that request proposals and those that provide pro-
posals each have ethical obligations. A company that requests
a proposal has the obligation to read it carefully and evaluate it
according to the stated requirements. In the worst-case scenario,
a company may request competitive proposals but give “inside
information” to a preferred competitor, allowing that person to
produce a more persuasive proposal. It is unethical to ask some-
one to spend time and energy to produce a proposal if you know
in advance you will be awarding the contract to someone else.
A company that submits a proposal also has an ethical
obligation—the obligation to provide content that is honest and
accurate. It is unethical to bend the truth to make the sale. Linda
LaDuc from the University of Massachusetts observes that some
writers believe “they must make the immediate sale or gain imme-
diate acceptance at all costs, and so they argue very persuasively,
but not very honestly.”6
As a writer, avoid these common traps that undermine the
integrity of your proposal:7
• Do not knowingly exaggerate the benefits of your proposal or
hide the costs in order to meet your audience’s requirements
or expectations.
• Do not overpromise what you can deliver.
• Do not ignore technical difficulties.
• Do not dismiss or suppress other viable options that your
audience should consider.
• Do not make negative statements about your competitors’
products and services. If you must compare, make sure your
comparisons are factual and not biased.8
Consider the following example of how to revise an overblown
phrase to make it more accurate:
Inaccurate original: “Our wireless router is the most powerful on
the market and can be self-installed by following the instruc-
tions in the accompanying installation manual.”
Problem: The writers are leaving out the fact that the installation
manual is 35 pages long and extremely technical. It is written
primarily for people with significant hardware installation
experience. They are making the router seem easier to install
than it actually is. The writers are also making an unsubstanti-
ated and overblown claim about the power of the router. More
powerful routers exist, but they are aimed at large businesses,
and this is aimed at small businesses.
More ethical revision: “Our wireless router has been rated
by PC World as the most powerful small-business router
on the market. It can also be installed easily either by your
internal information technology group using the included
installation manual or by our technical support staff at a
nominal fee.”
The revised version is more ethical because it is more accurate.
Although the claims are qualified, they still stress benefits. Your
audience will appreciate your honesty, and the credibility you earn
may lead to a stronger long-term relationship.
For ETHICS exercises, go to Exercise 5 on page 325 and
Exercise 9 on page 326.
What types of business proposals should you be prepared to write? 311
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TECHNOLOGY
SUBMITTING ONLINE PROPOSALS
Proposals are most often written as letters, memos, emails, or re-
ports. However, organizations increasingly require that proposals
be submitted through an online form. For example, the State Giv-
ing Program at the Walmart Foundation expects grant proposals
to be submitted online through the Walmart Foundation website.
The form prompts a submitter to answer a series of qualify-
ing questions about the organization, its mission, and the funding
request. The application also requires the submitter to upload files,
including an Excel budget spreadsheet.
You can use the ACE communication process to help you
submit effective online proposals:
• Analyze the application in advance. Before entering in-
formation, read the entire application to get a sense of what
it requires so you can organize all the information that you
need to fill in the blanks. Consider printing the online ap-
plication as a reference as you gather data, noting the content
you will include for each item.
• Compose detailed content offline. Use a word processing
program to write your detailed descriptions and to determine
your word and character counts so you do not exceed the
maximum amount allowed. Then cut and paste the text into
the online application.
• Evaluate your answers compared to the foundation’s cri-
teria and priorities before you submit. Have you used the
same wording the foundation uses to describe its priorities?
Have you explained how your project meets those criteria
and addresses the priorities? Have you made a good case
for why the foundation should support your project, espe-
cially when so many other applicants are competing for the
funding? Have you established your own credibility and the
feasibility of the project? In an online application, you have
only a short amount of space in every box, so use it wisely to
persuade the funding agency.
For a TECHNOLOGY exercise, go to Exercise 14 on page 327.
“Online Applications” screenshot from Walmart Corporate website, 2012. Reprinted with
permission.
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How do you structure and format a formal proposal? 313
SQ3 How do you structure and format a formal proposal?
If your proposal responds to an RFP—a request for proposal—it is likely to be longer than
three or four pages and will require a good structure so that readers can navigate the docu-
ment and easily find the information they are looking for. This section provides guidelines for
structuring formal proposals, including responses to RFPs.
Read RFPs carefully to identify content requirements
Requests for proposals typically include a very specific set of requirements that the proposer
must meet. In some industries, RFPs can generate proposals that are more than 100 pages long.
In most cases, though, proposals are much shorter.
The key to writing an effective proposal in response to an RFP is to create a checklist of
requirements and to ensure that your proposal addresses all these requirements. Figure 9.9
on pages 314–315 is the cover letter that accompanies a 15-page RFP sent to the Revson
Communication Group. When Revson received this RFP, a manager read through the entire
document and made notes about the proposal’s requirements. Figure 9.9 shows the Revson
Communication Group’s annotations on the cover letter.
The formal RFP introduced in the Figure 9.9 cover letter requires Revson to prepare a
formal response that includes elements of both information and persuasion. To be successful,
the proposal must do the following:
• Provide a quick overview at the beginning, either in an executive summary (a condensed ver-
sion of the document that summarizes key ideas) or an introduction.
• Make the information easy to find, using a table of contents or other contents list.
• Show an understanding of the client’s needs.
• Propose a solution that meets the needs as listed in the RFP.
• Provide confidence that the course designers and instructors are qualified.
• Propose a competitive fee.
• Provide the required documentation.
Structure a formal proposal like a formal report
A formal proposal is similar to a formal report. In addition to the body of the proposal it-
self, formal proposals include a title page, executive summary, table of contents, references or
works cited, and appendices if applicable. Formal proposals are usually accompanied by some
form of cover message (letter, memo, or email). Figure 9.8 on page 310 is an example of a cover
message.
Figure 9.10 on page 316 shows a thumbnail view of Revson Communication Group’s re-
sponse to the Linus RFP. Notice how the proposal includes all the formal elements. Also notice
how the section headings are designed to respond specifically to the content in the RFP.
Use proposal-writing software to increase efficiency
Businesses that routinely write formal proposals often invest in proposal-writing software that
makes the writing process more efficient. This software allows a business to create a custom-
ized template for a proposal (including all the sections that are important to the business),
write multiple versions of text for each section and store the text along with pricing informa-
tion in an online catalog, select text from the catalog for each proposal, and deliver the com-
pleted proposal as a web document.
Software companies typically sell proposal-writing software as a service. In the
Software as a Service (SaaS) model, the application is not saved on your computer but is
hosted by the software company and is available on the Internet, often for a monthly fee. One
advantage of the SaaS model is that all your content is online and available to use from multiple
computers and mobile devices.
Photo courtesy of Doug Williams
New Hires @ Work
Doug Williams
Elon University
Institutional Performance Analyst @
Brown Advisory
Our proposals are collabora-
tive projects, often involving
people from several different
departments. We spend a lot
of time discussing the parts
and pieces based on the
RFP’s guidelines. The
end result is always
a formal document
with a detailed
structure that reads
like one person’s
effort, but it’s not.
In our industry, “it
takes a village” to
write an effective
proposal.
cover message A letter, memo, or email
accompanying a formal report or proposal,
designed to explain the document and
persuade the audience to read it.
Software as a Service (SaaS) Soft-
ware that is hosted by the software provider
and available on the Internet.
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FIGURE 9.9 How to Annotate an RFP with Notes to Help Prepare a Response
letter
November 7, 20XX
Revson Communication Group
5500 Kirkwood Highway
Wilmington, DE 19808
Subject: RFP for Strategic Communications Course
Linus Industries (Linus) is requesting a proposal to design and deliver a one-day Strategic
Communications course for senior-level managers who communicate with all levels of
the organization.
Context
Linus is a broad-based health care company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and
markets products and services that span the continuum of care—from prevention and
diagnosis to treatment and cure. The Strategic Communications course will be one of the
final pieces in a 16-course, in-depth communications cluster as part of our Business Skills
curriculum. This advanced course will help Linus do a better job of communicating strategic
messages with employees and leaders within the company as well as communicating
externally. An initial description of the course is included on page 3 of the enclosed RFP.
Project Purpose
This project is to establish an instructor-led course that will help senior managers create
appropriate strategic messages and communicate effectively with peers and employees.
We have three broad areas of interest:
• communicating strategic messages downward within the organization.
• creating an environment where dialogue is encouraged, both one-on-one and within a
larger group setting.
• creating strategic communication plans for major initiatives such as organizational
changes.
Scope
You may propose an entirely new course created to meet our needs or a revised version
of a course that you currently offer. Linus does not have a method of forecasting how many
people might take this course during a year. However, 50 to 100 participants per year is a
reasonable estimate.
1000 Brandywine Blvd., Wilmington, DE 19800
Must focus on communicating
strategic messages internally
and externally.
Must be a one-day course.
Key Requirements :
Must address three key areas :
• communicating downward
• creating an environment
that encourages dialogue
• creating strategic
communication plans
The key to writing an effective proposal in
response to an RFP is to create a checklist of
requirements and to ensure that your proposal
addresses all these requirements. Making notes
on the RFP, like the notes on the cover letter
below, helps ensure that the proposal contains
the right content.
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Please include the cost of developing materials, the proposed audience size per session
and the total costs of facilitating the course for a given session (excluding travel costs,
which are reimbursed afterwards—see Travel & Living Expenses in the attached RFP
Linus must approve the primary instructor, but such approval is not part of this RFP.
Please include information about the instructors who will facilitate the course.
Critical Success Factors
The course must meet the following objectives:
• Emphasize skill-building, rather than merely “learning about” the topic of strategic
communication.
• Offer opportunities for practice.
• Be appropriate for senior-level managers who expect a high-level course and have little
tolerance for basic information.
Be appropriate for international audiences.
Account for cross-cultural nuances regarding both the speaker and audience.
Be able to be customized to fit Linus branding standards.
•
•
•
Material Included in the RFP
The enclosed RFP includes the following information:
1. Project Charter
Project Milestones
Response Terms and Conditions
Response Content and Evaluation
Proposal Submission Guidelines
Supplier Evaluation Criteria
Confidentiality Agreement
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Linus expects the utmost in professional associations with its suppliers. We strive to work
together in a harmonious relationship that is beneficial for both Linus and our chosen
supplier(s). This RFP is an instrument designed to enable Linus to make the best possible
decision in creating a mutually beneficial business relationship.
For more information, please contact me at 800.555.3978 or r.sklar@linusind.com. I look
forward to receiving your proposal.
Sincerely,
Richard Sklar, Manager
Professional Development
Enclosure
Proposal must include:
• costs of developing materials
• proposed class size
• costs for facilitating the course
• information about instructors
Description of the course
must emphasize:
• skill building
• opportunities for practice
• high-level content
• cross-cultural elements
• method of customizing to
branding standards
Check proposal submission
guidelines and evaluation
criteria.
Revson Communication Group
November 7, 20XX
Page 2
FIGURE 9.9 (Continued)
How do you structure and format a formal proposal? 315
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SUMMARY
Proposal for
Strategic Communications Course
Linus Industries
November 19, 20xx
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT REVSON COMMUNICATION GROUP
ABOUT THE PRINCIPALS
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SITUATION
THE REVSON COMMUNICATION GROUP STRATEGIC
COMMUNICATION FRAMEWORKTM
ACCEPTANCE SHEET
APPENDIX B – CONFIDENTIAL DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT
APPENDIX A – SUPPLIER DECLARATION OF INTEREST FORM
APPENDIX C – CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE
SELECT CLIENT LIST
FEES
TENTATIVE COURSE STRUCTURE
BILLING
VALUE PROPOSITION FOR LINUS INDUSTRIES
55550000 KKii rrkk ww oooo dd HH ii gghh ww aa yy
WWiill mm ii nn ggtt oo nn,, DD EE 1199880088
FIGURE 9.10 How to Structure a Formal Proposal Responding to an RFP
Key Elements of a Formal Proposal
Title page: Include the following content on the title page:
• Title of the proposal
• Name of the recipient of the proposal–company or
individual
• Name of the writer of the proposal–company, author, or
authors submitting the proposal
• Date the proposal was submitted
Executive summary: Include an executive summary that briefly
summarizes the most important information for key deci-
sion makers. An executive summary for a proposal typically
includes the following information:
• The problem necessitating the proposal
• The suggested solutions
• The benefits that will result when the proposed suggestions
are implemented
• Important implementation details
• The qualifications that indicate you can resolve the issue
Depending on the situation, the summary may also include:
• A project management plan and timetable
• A total project budget
Table of contents: To help readers find the material that interests
them, provide a table of contents that includes a complete and
accurate listing of the headings covered in the proposal. The
complexity of the proposal will determine how many levels of
headings you include.
References or works cited: If you refer to other sources in your pro-
posal, list all those sources on a reference page. These sources
might include articles, books, reports, websites, interviews, and
brochures. References add to your credibility and help your audi-
ence easily find any information they want to explore further.
Appendices: Use appendices for additional information that may
interest the reader but is too detailed to include in the body of
the proposal. Typical proposal appendices include examples of
previous work you have done, biographies, testimonials, survey
results, product descriptions and technical specifications, compli-
cated work schedules, or long tables that will not fit on one page.
To ensure that you include only relevant appendices, refer to each
appendix at least once in the body of the proposal. For example:
. . . For the biographies of the consultants who will manage
your project, see Appendix A . . .
. . . We have many satisfied clients, as illustrated by the testi-
monials in Appendix B . . .
. . . Appendix C includes a complete list of our products . . .
Label and arrange the appendices in the order you refer to
them in the text.
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repurposing content Reusing content
you have already created.
FIGURE 9.11 Screenshots from QuoteRoller.com/tour
Drag and drop text
from your customized
catalog.
Track the proposal’s
progress.
Get signatures
electronically.
Screenshots from Quoteroller.com
Figure 9.11 illustrates some of the features of one proposal program, QuoteRoller.9 Writ-
ing proposals with customized software such as QuoteRoller offers many benefits:
• Saves time. The software stores your templates as well as the text and pricing information that
you have prepared. You simply need to click on the content, insert it into the template, and then
customize it using a typing interface that is similar to Microsoft Word. By repurposing content—
reusing content you have already created—you save a good deal of time.
How do you structure and format a formal proposal? 317
executive summary A separate, stand-
alone mini document, included at the begin-
ning of a longer document, that completely
summarizes the document’s main ideas.
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• Delivers the proposal electronically as a web document or as a PDF. When your proposal is
a web-based document, it can include links to websites and to multimedia, such as videos, that
may include persuasive content.
• Helps you track and analyze proposals. Because the web-based proposal remains on the
server, you can track whether—and how many times—someone has opened the document
to read it. You can also receive data about how much time people spend viewing each sec-
tion. These data analytics help you understand what most interests your audience so you
can create targeted proposals in the future. If you find that a particular persuasive appeal
captures audience interest in one proposal, you can add that to your catalog and use it for
future proposals.
• Supports online signing for faster agreements. Clients can read, review, and sign proposals
online. If clients request changes, you can make the changes instantly.
CULTURE
WRITING PROPOSALS FOR DIFFERENT CULTURES
The advice in this chapter is particularly relevant for business
proposals intended for audiences within the United States. How-
ever, what if you need to make a proposal to a business associate
or potential business partner from another country? Is it realistic
to believe that you can simply write a proposal—including both
persuasive elements and the terms of the agreement—and expect
your audience to sign that document and abide by the agreement?
Here are some differences between the U.S. approach to busi-
ness proposals and that of three other countries—China, Brazil,
and Italy:
• Differences in the proposal process. According to China
Trade.com, “Chinese business people will seldom make a
snap decision and prefer to give a business proposal careful
and measured consideration.”10 In addition, as intercultural
communication expert Linda Beamer explains, the Chinese
“generally consider the effect of a solution on the people and
relationships involved before they take action. . . . A stress on
context and relationships could explain why Chinese often
want to discuss alternative procedures and plans long after
their foreign counterparts have finished.”11 Because relation-
ships are so important to Chinese businesspeople, the process
of negotiating an agreement can take a long time. To propose
and negotiate an agreement in China, begin with conversa-
tions and discussions where both parties can socialize and
learn more about what the other party values and needs.12
Plan to meet face-to-face and involve several members of your
team, at different hierarchical levels. Negotiate your proposal
verbally, and then finalize it with a written contract.13
• Differences in persuasive content. In the United States,
businesspeople are conditioned to think that profit and fi-
nancial advantage are the biggest benefits to emphasize in a
business proposal. In some countries, however, other benefits
are more important. For example, in Brazil many consider
gains in status and power to be more important than gains in
profit.14 Therefore, in a proposal to a Brazilian company, you
should identify the social and status benefits as well as the
financial benefits.
• Differences in attitude toward signed agreements. For most
Americans, a signed proposal or contract represents a final
agreement that must be honored. However, in other cultures,
a signed contract signals only an interest in doing business
rather than a commitment. For example, in China, contracts
are always open to renegotiation. This is the accepted busi-
ness norm.15
• Differences in attitude toward oral agreements. For most
Americans, an agreement is not finalized until it is put in
writing. In other cultures—for example, Italy—it is expected
that oral commitments will be honored. Signing a contract is
a mere formality, reflecting the commitment between busi-
ness partners.16
If you are proposing a business arrangement to someone from a
different country or culture—even if you are both in the United
States—take the time to research cultural norms and expectations. A
good starting place is the book Negotiating International Business—
The Negotiator’s Reference Guide to 50 Countries Around the World
by Lothar Katz, the president of the cross-cultural consultancy Lead-
ership Crossroads. Portions of the book are available on the web.
For CULTURE exercises, go to Critical Thinking Question 8 on
page 324 and Exercise 11 on page 326.
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How do you structure and format a formal proposal? 319
◾ In summary, proposals may be as informal as an email to your supervisor
or as formal as a report written in response to an RFP. No matter what their form, all proposals
are persuasive documents that share four common elements. They all:
• demonstrate an understanding of a problem, need, or opportunity.
• propose a solution that solves the problem, meets the need, or takes advantage of the
opportunity.
• instill confidence that the idea is feasible and, if applicable, you are qualified to implement the
idea.
• help the audience see meaningful benefits from implementing the proposal.
With new proposal software to make the process more efficient, businesses are able to produce
more proposals more quickly, leading to increased business.
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PROPOSALS @ WORK TapWalk
TapWalk is a Boston-based company. Its core product
is a mobile phone app designed to replace paper maps
for trade shows, music festivals, malls, museums, and
universities. By tapping a location on the map, users get
GPS-based directions to that spot. The app can also be
customized to include other features and functions that
will enhance a visitor’s—or student’s—experience.
To build the company’s customer base, CEO Dave
Owens and his marketing team composed an email tar-
geted to the college and university market. This unsolicited
sales proposal was designed to entice potential customers
to agree to a meeting to explore TapWalk.
Source: Interview with David Owens. Figure from TapWalk, Inc. and David Owens. Copyright © TapWalk, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
Dear Irene:
I would like to schedule a Webex-style presentation to show you our new mobile
app, TapWalk, that can be customized for your university and offer students and
prospective students a powerful new way to interact with your campus. Our app
is called TapWalk because all you do is tap on the iPhone, Android, or Blackberry
and immediately get directions and other information.
In our demo, we have laid out an entire campus including all buildings, classrooms,
and offices. We have included an interactive campus map, indoor building maps,
and telephone numbers to professors and other campus leaders all at the touch
of a pad.
Your app will be customized for your school. It will feature your maps, logo,
school mascot, and colors. TapWalk is a must have for prospective students and
freshmen who can’t tell the student union from the stadium and will be a surefire
hit with students wishing to leverage tech tools in their life. We’ve built in social
media integration with Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Flickr. We’ve built in
calendar features that allow students to see their schedules, and we can include
other on-line services. We’ve built in emergency features that can automatically
notify every student and staff member in case of a tornado, tsunami, or electrical
outage on campus.
TapWalk provides a wide range of features to add value to your entire organization
as well as individual schools. Your app is a solution that will reinforce your school’s
brand and enhance the campus experience for key stakeholders such as students,
professors, administrators, donors, parents, and other visitors.
Attached to this email is a PDF that describes TapWalk in great detail. When we
speak on the phone, I can send you a link so you can see my screen through web
meeting technology. In roughly 30 minutes, I can dazzle you with the features and
functionality of the mobile app and show you the power of the analytics the app
provides. We are offering a site license, including advanced customization for
roughly $7.5k down and $200 a month for the service.
Let me know the date and time you are available for this conference call and
presentation.
Sincerely,
Dave
Dave Owens
Chief Executive Officer
TapWalk, Inc.
Boston, Massachusetts
www.tapwalk.com
When composing the email,
Owens wanted to be sure that it:
• focused on the problems—or
“pain points”—that bother the
audience.
• emphasized customization to
differentiate the product from
competitive apps.
• mentioned a price and timeline
to convince the audience the
product is affordable and can
be up and running quickly.
• requested a specific action, at
both the beginning and end of
the email, so the audience
would know what to do.
According to Owens, writing an
unsolicited proposal posed two
major challenges:
• “We knew we had to focus on
the problems our product could
solve, but we could only guess
at our target audience’s pain
points.”
• “We had to make it sound
targeted enough that the
audience would not consider
it spam.”
Irene Margolis
Conference Call with Midwestern University
email proposal
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This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
Craig Allen enjoys his job at Kramer Electronics. Just three years out
of college, Craig received a promotion and has new responsibilities.
Craig’s one regret is that he doesn’t have as much time to devote to
community service as he did in college. During college, Craig volun-
teered at a local children’s hospital and worked as a baseball and soccer
coach at a children’s camp.
One day last week, Craig saw a newspaper article about corporate
volunteer programs. He read that a growing number of companies are
allowing employees to take a paid day off of work to volunteer their
time for special community projects. A committee within the company
selects the projects based on applications from not-for-profit organiza-
tions and schools in the community.
Craig researched corporate volunteer programs and found that
benefits of the programs include increased employee satisfaction and
decreased employee turnover rates, as well as good public relations for
the company. He became convinced that a corporate volunteer pro-
gram would help both the community and Kramer Electronics.
Craig decided to do some additional research and then propose to
Tom Kramer, the CEO of the company, that Kramer Electronics adopt
a corporate volunteer program.
Analyzing the Context
Craig first analyzes purpose, context, and content needs using the fol-
lowing list of questions. Put yourself in Craig’s place.
Question 1: How would you answer these questions? Brainstorm
some possible answers.
a. What am I proposing and why?
b. What is the context of my proposal? Is it external or internal? Is
it solicited or unsolicited? Is it competitive or noncompetitive?
c. Will my audience already be interested, or will I need to grab
their attention?
d. What requirements, if any, must this proposal meet?
e. How will the audience benefit from the proposal?
f. What objections should I anticipate?
g. Should I do any initial research before writing the proposal?
What do I need to learn?
Brainstorming Content for a Proposal
As the next step in preparing his proposal, Craig creates a draft outline
using the following headings, and he begins by brainstorming content
for each section. His goal is both to compose the most persuasive con-
tent possible and to answer the questions he anticipates Tom will ask.
Question 2: If you were brainstorming with Craig, what ideas
would you consider for each of these content areas?
a. Problem or opportunity
b. Proposed solution
c. Requirements
d. Benefits to Kramer Electronics and to employees
e. Implementation details
f. Feasibility
g. Costs
h. Next steps
To help you develop ideas, do a web or database search for corpo-
rate volunteer programs to see how other companies have structured
their programs and the benefits they have enjoyed.
What to Include and What to Leave Out
As Craig researches companies that offer volunteer programs, he dis-
covers at least one company that abandoned its program because the
company found that employees abused it. Instead of doing volunteer
work, some employees took a day off. This is a risk of corporate volun-
teer programs. Craig wonders, “What should I do with this informa-
tion? Should I mention it, or should I ignore it?”
Question 3: If you were Craig, what would you do—and why?
Deciding on a Goal and Choosing the Best
Format
As Craig sits down to draft his proposal, it occurs to him that he is not
sure about the form of the proposal—or even its real goal. Should he
write a formal proposal with a title page, executive summary, and ap-
pendices documenting his research? Is he ready to propose a detailed
plan for implementing a volunteer program? Or should he write a more
informal proposal to get Tom interested in the idea and then present
additional research in a meeting?
Question 4: If you were Craig, what choice would you make, and
why?
CASE SCENARIO
Proposing a Corporate Volunteer Program
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How do you use ACE to prepare an
effective proposal? (pages 298–303)
• Analyze: Understand the purpose, context, and content.
To analyze purpose, focus on the audience’s needs and what
you are proposing to address those needs. To analyze con-
text, ask three questions: (1) Is your proposal external or
internal? (2) Is it a solicited proposal or an unsolicited pro-
posal? (3) Is it a competitive or noncompetitive proposal?
Analyze the content by considering the requirements, ben-
efits, and potential objections.
• Compose: Develop persuasive content. Use your analysis
to develop content. A proposal typically accomplishes the
following goals:
• Articulates the problem, need, or opportunity.
• Presents a compelling recommendation and sup-
porting details. Be sure to address the problem or
opportunity and show how your proposal meets the re-
quirements. Provide sufficient detail so that the audience
can make an informed decision.
• Identifies the outcomes and benefits of addressing the
problem or opportunity.
• Establishes feasibility and credibility. Show that the
plan is achievable and that you are qualified to do the
work.
• Requests action.
• Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of the proposal. Use a
checklist that prompts you to think about key ideas: Have
you convinced the audience there is a problem? Is your
solution a good one? Have you stressed benefits? Did you
include enough information about implementation?
What types of business proposals
should you be prepared to write?
(pages 303–312)
Three kinds of proposals are common in business. All three can
be solicited or unsolicited, competitive or noncompetitive, and
internal or external.
• Proposals for action or change are strongest when they
make a business case.
• Sales proposals make a persuasive case that the audience
will benefit from what you are proposing to sell.
• Grant proposals and other proposals for funding are
targeted to specific funding agencies that are a good match
with the project you are trying to fund. Identify a contact
person at the funding organization, and arrange a personal
meeting. Then draft a proposal identifying how you meet
the agency’s criteria and a cover letter summarizing the main
points of your proposal.
Study Questions in Review
SQ1 SQ2
End of Chapter
How do you structure and format a
formal proposal? (pages 313–319)
• Read RFPs carefully to identify content requirements.
To help readers find information they are looking for, write
headings that relate to the RFP requirements. Place required
documentation in appendices.
• Structure a formal proposal like a formal report, with
a cover message, title page, executive summary, table of
contents, references or works cited, and appendices (if
applicable).
• Use proposal-writing software to increase efficiency.
Proposal-writing software allows you to repurpose content
from one proposal to the next, to fine-tune the content in
response to data analytics, and to deliver proposals quickly
and conveniently as web-based documents.
SQ3
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Visual Summary
Make the proposal persuasive by:
• articulating the problem, need, or opportunity
• identifying the outcomes and benefits
• presenting a compelling recommendation
• providing persuasive supporting details
• requesting action
Appendices
References or Works Cited
Body of the Proposal
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Title Page
Cover Letter, Memo, or Email
Use the same structure for formal proposals
that you would use for formal reports:
• What are you proposing and why?
• What is the context of your proposal? Is it external or
internal? Is it solicited or unsolicited? Is it competitive
or noncompetitive?
• Will your audience already be interested, or will you need to
grab their attention?
• What requirements, if any, must this proposal meet?
• How will the audience benefit from the proposal?
• What objections should you anticipate?
• Should you do any initial research before writing the
proposal? What do you need to learn?
• Will the audience be convinced that
the proposal addresses a real need?
• Have you stated what you are proposing?
• Have you shown that your proposal
meets the need?
• Have you stressed audience benefits?
• Have you shown you are qualified?
• Have you explained the details:
deliverables, costs, schedule?
• Have you asked for agreement?
• Have you used good headings and
highlighted main points?
• Have you edited for style and tone?
• Have you proofread for errors?
• How formal or informal should this
proposal be?
• What is the best medium for the
proposal?
• How can you establish credibility?
• What content must you include?
• How should you organize the content?
• How can you use a “you” perspective?
Analyze
Com
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ACE
Evaluate
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324 Chapter 9 | Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals
Business case p. 303
Competitive proposal p. 300
Cover message p. 313
Deliverables p. 301
Executive summary p. 316
External proposal p. 299
Grant proposal p. 308
Internal proposal p. 299
Noncompetitive proposal p. 300
Proposal p. 298
Repurposing content p. 317
Request for proposal
(RFP) p. 299
Software as a Service
(SaaS) p. 313
Solicited proposal p. 299
Statement of Work
(SOW) p. 304
Unsolicited proposal p. 299
Key Terms
1 What is the difference between an internal and external proposal?
Which is more likely to be formal, and which is more likely to be
informal?
2 What is a solicited proposal? What is an unsolicited proposal?
Identify a situation not already identified in the chapter in which
you might send an unsolicited proposal.
3 What are the key persuasive elements that all proposals contain?
4 If a client has already identified a need, why is it important to
summarize that need in a solicited proposal?
5 Why is it important to demonstrate feasibility and credibility in
a proposal?
6 What are two ways that a proposal may be unethical?
7 When you write a grant proposal, why is it important to find an
appropriate funding agency?
8 When you respond to an RFP, why is it important to read the doc-
ument carefully and take notes?
9 Why is an executive summary important in a longer proposal?
10 How can proposal-writing software save you time and potentially
improve a proposal?
Review Questions
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 Imagine that you work for a restaurant and you want to propose
to the chef/owner that he update the menu to include more low-
fat options. What research would you do in the analyzing phase
of ACE to support your proposal? Where would you find that
information?
2 If you were going to propose an innovation or change in your col-
lege or university, what would you propose? Identify at least two
benefits you could include in your proposal.
3 Imagine that you work for a painting company and you received
an RFP from the city asking you to submit a competitive pro-
posal to paint the interior of the City Hall. What research should
you do before writing the proposal? Where would you find that
information?
4 Assume that you are writing the proposal to paint City Hall and
want to include a section about your company’s qualifications.
How would you decide what details to include?
5 The sales proposal in Figure 9.5 on pages 305–306 lists both what
the proposer (CES) agrees to do and what the client (Davis Col-
lege) must do. Why is it important in this proposal to identify spe-
cific things that the client is required to do?
6 Imagine that you work for a restaurant that is just beginning to
offer catering services. You receive an RFP from a nearby com-
pany requesting a proposal for catering a large corporate event of
200 people. The RFP specifies that you must supply a list of other
corporate events you have catered. Because you have never offered
catering services before, you cannot meet that RFP requirement.
Should you decide not to submit a proposal? If you do submit a
proposal, what can you say to respond to that requirement?
7 A young entrepreneur posted the following message in an online
discussion forum: “I am wondering how I would propose a busi-
ness partnership with a small business owner, whom I know only
through a social networking site and a few email exchanges. Should
I keep researching about his business, get to know him better, estab-
lish rapport, and then propose my idea? Or should I get to the point
straightaway after few email exchanges?” What are the pros and
cons of each of these approaches?
8 As you learned in the Culture feature, in China a proposal ini-
tiates negotiations. In Italy, a proposal finalizes negotiations.
What are the implications of these differences for how you
would approach the proposal process in these two countries?
[Related to the Culture feature on page 318]
Critical Thinking Questions
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How do you use ACE to prepare an effective
proposal? (pages 298–303)
1 Analyze: Understand the purpose, context, and content
a. You work in the business office of Hotel Oldham, and you received
an RFP from the National Sports Collectors Association (NSCA),
which would like to hold its annual convention and memorabilia
sale in your hotel. The planners anticipate that more than 1,000
people will attend. It’s your job to write a proposal to the NSCA.
How would you describe that proposal? Solicited or unsolicited?
Competitive or noncompetitive? Internal or external? Identify at
least one requirement that you will need to meet in your proposal.
Identify one potential benefit you may want to include. Identify at
least one potential objection you may have to address. What me-
dium would you use to compose and deliver that proposal?
b. You work for SurveyKing, a company that designs customer sat-
isfaction surveys. One of your long-time customers, a regional
airline, has requested that you submit a proposal to design a cus-
tomer survey to assess satisfaction with a new service. Would
you consider this proposal to be solicited or unsolicited? Com-
petitive or noncompetitive? Internal or external? Review Study
Question 9.2 of this chapter, which lists typical content for a proposal.
In this situation, what content do you think will be most important
for getting the sale? What content will be less important? What me-
dium would you choose to compose and deliver the proposal?
2 Compose: Develop persuasive content—articulate the
problem, need, or opportunity
You work for Natural Organix, a company that makes organic personal
care products such as soaps, shampoos, lotions, and deodorants. Cur-
rently, the company advertises its products in traditional ways: through
magazine and newspaper advertising, on television, and through in-store
displays. You want to propose that the company use social media—such
as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube—to gain greater visibility
among its target customers—women and men aged 16 to 30.
Conduct some web-based research on social media marketing. Based
on that research and what you know from your own experience, draft a
paragraph that articulates the problem or opportunity that the company
can address by having a presence on social media. You may choose to
focus on one particular social media tool, rather than all of them.
3 Compose: Develop persuasive content—present a
compelling recommendation with supporting details
Refer to Exercise 2. Write a paragraph articulating a specific recommenda-
tion or proposal that you will make to your company management. What
specifically will you propose that they do? Decide whether you want to pro-
pose that the company invest heavily in social media marketing or imple-
ment a pilot project. Provide compelling reasons for your recommendation.
4 Compose: Develop persuasive content—identify the
outcomes and benefits
Refer to Exercises 3 and 4. Write a list of benefits that social media mar-
keting will provide for Natural Organix. Be sure to provide reasoning
and, if possible, evidence to support those benefits.
5 Compose: Develop persuasive content—establish
feasibility and credibility [Related to the Ethics feature on
page 311]
You and one of your classmates plan to launch a new business after
graduation, running a delivery service for dry cleaners in your town.
Twice a week you will pick up dry cleaning from customers to drop
off at the dry cleaner, and twice a week you will deliver cleaned clothes
back to the customers. Your partner, an information technology major,
has developed an online application that allows customers to pay in
advance. The two of you plan to make an unsolicited sales proposal to
all the dry cleaners in your town. You are concerned, however, about
what to say about your qualifications. You and your classmate have no
previous business experience, and you cannot truthfully say that you
have delivery experience, customer service experience, or experience
running an e-commerce website.
Brainstorm some ideas that you might include in your proposal
to persuade your audience that you are capable of doing the job and
providing the company with a real benefit. For this exercise, assume
that each idea is true and could be included ethically.
6 Compose: Develop persuasive content—request action
Refer to Exercise 5. Assume that you write an unsolicited sales proposal
in the form of a letter to the dry cleaners in town. How will you end that
letter? What action will you request?
7 Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of the proposal
Assume you manage the ticket sales department of a new women’s pro-
fessional soccer franchise in your city. You asked each of the three asso-
ciates in your department to propose one possible community outreach
program that will help the soccer club promote ticket sales. After doing
initial research, each associate wrote an introduction to a proposal with
a brief problem statement and solution. Evaluate each of the following
problem statements. Will the audience be convinced that the proposal
is addressing a real need? Will the audience be convinced that the pro-
posal is a good way to meet the need? Explain your answers.
a. Because our soccer club is new, we do not yet have a fan base and
sufficient ticket sales. I propose that we increase ticket sales by
placing posters throughout the community and advertising on lo-
cal television stations. These marketing strategies will raise aware-
ness about our team. The cost will be minimal, but the publicity
will provide our team exposure to potential fans.
b. I think the real reason we are not selling tickets is that our community
has never had a women’s sports team. I propose that we hold a “Dollar
Day,” charging only a dollar per ticket to encourage people to attend
the women’s soccer games and help them see how exciting women’s
sports can be. The cost will be minimal, since we are practically giving
away seats that will otherwise be empty, but the $1 tickets will provide
our team positive publicity and exposure to potential fans.
c. Interviews with general managers of five women’s professional bas-
ketball teams revealed that these teams have modestly increased
ticket sales each year by developing two fan bases: (1) women who
are interested in fitness and participate in recreational sports and
(2) young female athletes and their families. I propose that we reach
out to these two audiences by sponsoring free soccer clinics for area
fitness clubs and for youth soccer teams throughout the city. The
cost will be minimal—only our players’ time—but the clinics will
provide our team positive publicity and exposure to potential fans.
What types of business proposals should you
be prepared to write? (pages 303–312)
8 Proposals for action or change
You work at a bank that recently reduced its workforce to save money.
Tellers are handling more transactions per hour to get through the work-
load, and many are not as friendly to customers as they used to be. You
Key Concept Exercises
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SQ2
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326 Chapter 9 | Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals
As part of your research, you look at cultural anthropologist Geert
Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions and learn that Japan rates high
on the “uncertainty avoidance index.”17 According to Hofstede:
The uncertainty avoidance dimension expresses the degree to
which the members of a society feel uncomfortable with un-
certainty and ambiguity. The fundamental issue here is how a
society deals with the fact that the future can never be known:
should we try to control the future or just let it happen?18
Based on this research, you hypothesize that anyone writing a pro-
posal for a Japanese audience should try to minimize uncertainty. But
what does that mean? Here are some questions to discuss with your
boss. What are your answers, and why?
a. When should you write the proposal—before meeting with the
potential business partner to discuss at the meeting, or later?
b. Should the proposal contain very general and flexible agreements,
or very detailed and specific agreements?
c. You imagine that your Japanese business partners will want to
be very certain of the quality of your products before signing an
agreement. What can you say in a proposal that will help your
audience feel confident about product quality?
d. If you present a proposal either before or after your visit, should
you expect the Japanese to sign it quickly to get the project started,
or to study it and perhaps request clarification?
12 Unsolicited sales proposals
You work for a web design company that is looking for new clients. In
addition to advertising and sending direct mail, your company would
like to send unsolicited sales proposals to small businesses with web-
sites that need updating. Your boss has asked you to search the web to
find one or two sites that would benefit from your design expertise and
then develop a sales proposal to send to those businesses.
Find a small business website that you believe can be improved.
Write the first one or two paragraphs of a proposal (in letter form) to that
company. In this introductory material, be sure to introduce yourself and
your design company, explain what you are proposing, and offer a state-
ment persuading your audience that you can help the company solve a
problem or take advantage of an opportunity. Also, be sure not to offend
your potential client by saying that its current website is not effective.
13 Grant proposals and other proposals for funding
The Highwood Police Department plans to apply for a Community
Development Grant (CDG) from the City of Highwood. Each year, the
city funds more than $200,000 in grants. The city’s website describes
the goals of these grants in this way: Highwood uses its CDG funds to
further its community development objectives, focusing on low- and
moderate-income individuals, families, and neighborhoods to:
• Provide decent housing
• Provide a suitable living environment
• Expand economic opportunities
The Highwood Police Department would like to fund a workout
room in the police station. Read the introduction to the following grant
proposal. Evaluate whether you think this proposal will persuade the
grant committee that the proposed project meets the funding goals of
the grant. Would you recommend any revisions?
Police officers in the Highwood Police Department experience
a high rate of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal problems.
With more officers becoming sick and injured, fewer are avail-
able to protect public safety. To keep the officers fit for duty, the
Highwood Police Department requests that the City Council
authorize a Community Development Grant to pay for a fitness
center for Highwood police officers. According to research by
notice that customer complaints have increased. You would like to make
a proposal to management to address customer complaints. You are
considering two alternatives: (1) hiring an additional teller to reduce the
workload and (2) investing in customer service training for all tellers.
You know that you will need to make a business case for any solution you
propose. What will you need to research to make a business case? Create
a list of questions you want to answer before making your proposal.
9 Does your proposal demonstrate integrity? [Related to
the Ethics feature on page 311]
Refer to Exercise 8. Assume you spoke with the teller supervisor, Anna,
who agreed that both of your suggestions should be forwarded to the
bank’s manager. She encourages you to draft a proposal and offers the
following “evidence” to include in your proposal:
• Customer complaints will continue to increase if a solution is not
found quickly.
• Hiring a teller will reduce overall complaints, which will increase
our customer base.
• The investment in customer service training will ensure all cus-
tomers are happy and satisfied with the bank’s services.
• This two-pronged approach to solving the problem is the only
way to ensure the bank’s success.
Although you appreciate Anna’s support, you do not believe that
including these statements would be ethical because they are not based
on real evidence. How could you modify these statements to be more
accurate?
10 Solicited sales proposals
Refer to Exercises 5 and 6. Assume that you and your classmate have
graduated, and your delivery service for dry cleaners is now well estab-
lished. You have been working with six local dry cleaners, and you have
even been able to hire two employees to help with the deliveries so you
can keep up with the bookkeeping, invoicing, and marketing needs of
your company. Today, you receive a call from Pam McNeely of Hoff In-
dustries, one of the largest employers in town. Pam often uses your ser-
vices for her personal needs, but today she is calling to see if you would
be interested in providing corporate delivery service for employees of
Hoff Industries. Of its 500 employees, 150 have indicated an interest in
regular dry cleaning delivery service to/from their offices so they don’t
have to drive to the cleaners before or after work. Pam would like you to
send her a sales proposal that she can submit to her supervisor. You are
very interested in this possibility because you would nearly double your
current client base. Additionally, being able to pick up and drop off
orders at one location will reduce your travel costs per run. However,
you need to hire at least one more driver and perhaps even purchase
a van to accommodate the volume of clothing. You tell Pam you are
very interested and will work on a proposal with your business partner.
What headings would you include in the proposal? Identify several bul-
let points for each heading as a working outline of your proposal.
11 Writing proposals for different cultures [Related to the
Culture feature on page 318]
As a fashion industry major, you were very happy to get a job as busi-
ness manager for an independent clothing designer whose clothing is
sold in boutiques in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Atlanta. The
designer, your boss, would like to expand her distribution into inter-
national markets, starting with Japan. A trendy boutique, Parco, has
expressed interest in being the exclusive outlet for her designs in Japan.
Your boss is planning a trip to Japan to begin discussions with Parco.
She hopes the discussions will culminate in a proposal and agreement.
However, she has never done business in Japan before. She asks you to
do some initial research to help her prepare to write a proposal.
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the American Fitness Council, regular exercise will help keep
law enforcement officers healthy. Project objectives include re-
ducing by 20 percent the use of sick leave due to these problems.
Specifically, we request $32,000 to renovate the loft of the
police garage as a workout room, buy exercise equipment, and
train all participants. Future maintenance of the project will be
possible through volunteer fundraising efforts carried out by the
Highwood Police Department Benevolent Association.
14 Submitting proposals online [Related to the Technology
feature on page 312]
Use your favorite web search tool, such as Google or Bing, to find three
foundation websites that offer onsite proposal submissions. Examples
include the U.S. Department of Education (e-grants), the National Sci-
ence Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Identify a
specific proposal opportunity from each website. Analyze the proposal
requirements and compare the differences. Write a one-page summary
that outlines the similarities and differences among these sites and the
specific requirements for submitting proposals online.
How do you structure and format a formal
proposal? (pages 313–319)
15 Read RFPs carefully to identify content requirements
Assume you work for a clothing manufacturer that specializes in law
enforcement and military uniforms. You are responding to an RFP to
provide uniforms for the Washtenaw County Sheriff ’s Department in
Ann Arbor, Michigan. The RFP outlines very specific requirements
for the uniforms. You can meet all the requirements except one: “The
front and rear creases in the trouser legs must incorporate a perma-
nent modified silicone crease produced by the Lintrak™ System.” Your
company does not use this system but instead a competitive system
called SIROSET, developed in China. You believe the SIROSET system
is equally good. How will you address this issue in your proposal?
16 Structure a formal proposal like a formal report
Refer to the informal proposal to hire an intern in Figure 9.2 on
page 302. Assume the recipient, Doug Seaver, agrees with your pro-
posal and asks you to write a formal proposal that he can share with the
company executive committee for a formal vote. Describe the formal
structure you would use to assemble your proposal, and explain the
content you would include in each section. Identify supporting evi-
dence you might include in appendices.
17 Use proposal-writing software to increase efficiency
Some proposal-writing software allows you to prepare a proposal as a
web-based document that can include links to websites and to multi-
media, such as videos. Imagine that Cronin Environmental Services
(CES) decided to use proposal-writing software to prepare the proposal
illustrated in Figure 9.5 on pages 305–306. What links or electronic
attachments could CES include in the proposal to make the proposal
more persuasive or easier for the client to use?
SQ3
18 Writing a cover message
The proposal in Figure 9.4 on page 304 is a short, formal proposal. As-
sume Kip Koestler is sending that proposal as an email attachment to
Leann Towner, the director of information technology at his company,
United Consolidated, Inc. Write a persuasive cover email for that message.
19 Proposal to recycle computers
You just heard your company is replacing all desktop computers with
laptops. You recall an article about a computer recycling program to
dispose of old computers in an environmentally responsible way. Write
a 500- to 1,000-word proposal that justifies establishing a recycling pro-
gram at your company. Choose the medium that you believe will be
the most appropriate. Use the ACE process to analyze, compose, and
evaluate your proposal.
20 Proposal to cut costs
Your university just announced that it is increasing tuition for next year
to cover increased costs. Yet, everywhere you look—in the cafeteria,
in the dormitories, in the athletic facilities—you see areas where the
university could cut costs. Write a letter to your university administra-
tion proposing one specific cost-cutting initiative. Do some research
that will help you estimate current costs and potential savings by imple-
menting your initiative. If your initiative will result in benefits beyond
cost savings, be sure to stress those also. Use the ACE process to ana-
lyze, compose, and evaluate your letter.
21 Proposal for an after-school arts program
You work as an administrator in a local elementary school in a low-income
neighborhood. The school district has recently cut the school’s budget for
the arts, but your school would like to offer an after-school arts enrich-
ment program for its students. Look online for an appropriate agency or
foundation interested in funding education programs. Write a letter of in-
quiry to this agency or foundation, explaining the details of a program—
for example, your school’s need for $25,000 for teachers and equipment,
the community the program would serve, the number of students who
will use the program, and the ultimate objective of the program. To de-
velop the details for your proposal, you can either research existing after-
school art programs or use your imagination to create realistic details.
Writing Exercises
22 Analyzing requests for proposals
As a team with a few other students, review at least three websites that
publish requests for proposals. The following websites may be helpful.
You can find these sites with a web browser by typing in the name and
the letters “RFP.” You may also find RFPs in other places by searching
for “RFP” on the Internet.
• FedBizOpps. The single government point-of-entry (GPE) for
federal government procurement opportunities.
• BizWiz. A website for general business opportunities, listed un-
der the link “RFP-Direct.”
• Network Computing. A site requesting proposals for LANs,
WANs, web management, network security, and more.
• Pollution Prevention Request for Proposal Clearinghouse.
Provides information on current and pending RFPs related to
pollution prevention.
Collaboration Exercises
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328 Chapter 9 | Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals
• City of Los Angeles. Lists bids, RFPs, and grants for construc-
tion, auditing, supplies and equipment, and telecommunications.
• City of Houston, TX. Provides downloadable bids for various
services.
• City of Boston, MA. Lists bids and RFPs.
In a brief report to your instructor or presentation to the class,
discuss the following questions:
a. What are some of the industries that are requesting proposals, and
what types of products or services are these industries interested in?
b. What kind of information do these RFPs provide?
c. What kind of information do the RFPs request?
23 Proposing a change at your school
As a team with a few other students, identify a change that would ben-
efit your school, a department within your school, or a specific course.
Write a memo to the decision maker, offering a proposal for change.
Your memo may include the following sections. However, you may
modify the sections for your topic.
• Problem
• Proposed Solution
• Rationale and Benefits
• Implementation Suggestions
• Cost
Structure the team activity in this way, following the ACE process:
Analyze: As a team, identify the change and conduct research to learn
more about the problem and to develop a feasible and effective solu-
tion. Together outline the content and develop notes for each section.
Compose: Have half the team members work as a subteam to make key
composing decisions and draft the proposal.
Evaluate: Have the remaining half of the team evaluate and revise the
proposal, following the evaluation checklist in Section 9.1.
Submit your notes, first draft, and revised draft to your instructor.
24 Proposal to use social media
Refer to Exercises 2, 3, and 4 on page 325. Conduct the research and
analysis required in those exercises, and write a one- to two-page
memo proposing that your company use social media as a marketing
tool. Your proposal may focus on using a specific social media pro-
gram, a specific type of marketing program using social media, or both.
25 Getting proposal advice by social media
Quora.com and ask.metafilter.com are social media sites where busi-
ness professionals ask others in the online community for information
or help. Many people on these sites have posed questions about busi-
ness proposals and grant proposals.
Go to either www.quora.com or www.ask.metafilter.com and type
either “business proposal” or “grant proposal” in the search box. From
the list of results, read at least three of the question-and-answer discus-
sions that you find and write a message to your instructor summariz-
ing the key points of those discussions. Be prepared to discuss in class
what you learned about business proposals or grant proposals from the
social media site you chose.
Social Media Exercises
26 Making informal/impromptu presentations
a. Identify a change in graduation requirements that you would rec-
ommend for your school or major. In a two-minute presentation,
identify the problem, your proposed solution, and one benefit to
the school or the major.
b. Imagine that an anonymous benefactor has given your business
communication class $100 to donate to one charity. In a two-
minute presentation to the class, propose a charity. Provide at least
two reasons why the class should select this charity.
27 Executive briefings
a. Imagine you work for an organization that prepares many pro-
posals during the year. Your supervisor asks you to evaluate
software designed to help write or generate proposals. Search the
Internet to find two programs, and prepare a five-minute execu-
tive briefing that answers three questions: (1) In what ways can
proposal-writing software help an organization? (2) What are the
limitations of this kind of software? (3) What specific software
program would you recommend and why? Be sure to cite specific
details to support your points.
b. Select an example proposal from either Figure 9.2, 9.4, 9.5, or 9.6.
Imagine you want to present this proposal orally to a decision
maker in a five-minute presentation. Prepare that presentation
and deliver it to your class.
Speaking Exercises
28 Semicolons and colons (see Appendix C: Grammar,
Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—Sections 2.3
and 2.4)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors or omissions in
the use of semicolons and colons (see Sections 2.3 and 2.4). Underline
all your corrections.
In the online article “How to Give a Professional Voicemail Greet-
ing The Business Etiquette of Voicemail Greetings,” author James
Bucki asks, “What would I want to know from the voicemail
greeting?” The greeting may be perfectly clear to you however,
the caller may be mystified. His advice create the greeting as if
you were the listener at the other end. As a general rule, the length
of a voicemail greeting should be: no longer than 20–25 seconds.
Some of the most annoying greetings are: long introductions,
greetings that are too casual or personal, and background music
of any kind (especially music that drowns out the message). Avoid
Grammar Exercises
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Chapter 9 End of Chapter 329
endings that are not business related (such as “have a blessed
day”); because they may strike customers and clients as presump-
tuous. Here is an example of a bad voicemail greeting; “Hi. This is
Accounting. Leave me a message.” Callers have no idea whether
they have reached the right person; nor do they know if they even
have the right company. Too little information is bad, conversely,
so is too much information. Business callers don’t want personal
details, including: the fun spot where you are vacationing; or that
you are out sick with the flu.
29 Quotation marks and italics (see Appendix C:
Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions—
Section 2.5)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors or omissions
in the use of quotation marks and italics. Count pairs of quotation
marks as one (see Sections 2.5.1 and 2.5.2). Underline all your
corrections.
It’s a good idea to review the voicemail greeting on your personal
phone, especially if potential employers might call. As part of
his greeting, my friend Joe recorded John Cleese speaking lines
from the Dead Parrot Sketch from the British television comedy
“Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” His friends all thought it was re-
ally funny, using the words hilarious and clever to describe the
greeting. One afternoon he retrieved a phone message that said,
You really should use a more professional greeting. The voice
continued, I called to offer you a job interview, but I’ve changed
my mind. Joe thought, ‘I wouldn’t want to work for someone who
didn’t understand the humor in the “Dead Parrot Sketch,” any-
way. Sounds like this guy just doesn’t get it.’ Maybe not, but Joe’s
chances with that company are kaput.
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the follow-
ing Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 In Chapter 5: Communicating Persuasive Messages, you learned about persuasive
sales letters. In what ways might an unsolicited sales proposal be different from a
persuasive sales letter?
2 Many funding agencies request that you send them a letter or schedule a meeting
to express interest before submitting a full grant proposal. Why do you imagine
these agencies require this initial communication? How does it benefit both the
funding agency and the proposal?
1. Landes, T. (2013, Mar/Apr). Proposal writing: Choose your
battles. Canadian Consulting Engineer, 54(2), 34–37.
2. Sant, T. (2012). Persuasive business proposals: Writing to win more
customers, clients and contracts. New York. AMACOM Books.
3. Gambles, I. (2009). Making the business case: Proposals that
succeed for projects that work. Farnham, Surrey, England:
Gower Publishing, Ltd.
4. The Walmart Foundation. (2014). Community giving. Re-
trieved from http://foundation.walmart.com
5. The Walmart Foundation. (2014). Community Grant Pro-
gram. Retrieved from http://foundation.walmart.com/
apply-for-grants/local-giving
6. LaDuc, L. (2003). A hermeneutic rubric for teaching ethical
communication via “real world” proposal writing. Proceedings
of the 2003 Association for Business Communication Annual
Convention. Retrieved from http://www.businesscommunica-
tion.org/conventions/2003proceedings.html
7. Gambles, I. (2009). Making the business case: Proposals that
succeed for projects that work. Farnham, Surrey, England:
Gower Publishing, Ltd.
8. Murray, J. W. (2008). Ethical considerations: What not to
write. In J. W. Murray, The complete guide to writing effective
and award winning business proposals (pp. 41–50). Ocala, FL:
Atlantic Publishing Co.
9. QuoteRoller. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.QuoteRoller
.com
10. Business meeting etiquette. (2008). Chinatrade.com. Retrieved
from http://www.chinatrade.com/blog/business-meeting-etiquette
11. Beamer, L. (1998). Bridging business cultures. China Business
Review, 25(3), 54–58.
12. Gong, K. (2011). Cultural difference effects on business:
Holding up Sino-U.S. business negotiation as a model. Cross-
Cultural Communication, 7(2), 101–104.
13. Schuster, C. (2004, November 1). How to manage a contract
in China. Agency Sales Magazine. Retrieved from http://
business.highbeam.com/19/article-1G1-125067432/manage-
contract-china
14. Katz, L. (2011). Negotiating international business: Brazil. In
L. Katz, Negotiating international business: The negotiator’s ref-
erence guide to 50 countries around the world. Amazon Digital
Services.
15. Hupert, A. (2009, April 30). Chinese negotiation—Doing the
business vs. doing the deal. Chinese Negotiation. Retrieved
from http://www.chinesenegotiation.com/2009/04/chinese-
negotiation-%E2%80%93-doing-the-business-vs-doing-
the-deal/
16. Katz, L. (2011). Negotiating international business: Italy. In
L. Katz, Negotiating international business: The negotiator’s ref-
erence guide to 50 countries around the world. Amazon Digital
Services.
17. The Hoftstede Centre. (2014). What about Japan? Retrieved
from http://geert-hofstede.com/japan.html
18. The Hofstede Centre. (2014). Dimensions. Retrieved from
http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html
References
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http://foundation.walmart.com
http://foundation.walmart.com/apply-for-grants/local-giving
http://www.businesscommunica-tion.org/conventions/2003proceedings.html
http://www.businesscommunica-tion.org/conventions/2003proceedings.html
http://www.QuoteRoller.com
http://www.chinatrade.com/blog/business-meeting-etiquette
http://business.highbeam.com/19/article-1G1-125067432/manage-contract-china
http://business.highbeam.com/19/article-1G1-125067432/manage-contract-china
http://business.highbeam.com/19/article-1G1-125067432/manage-contract-china
http://www.chinesenegotiation.com/2009/04/chinese-negotiation-%E2%80%93-doing-the-business-vs-doing-the-deal/
http://www.chinesenegotiation.com/2009/04/chinese-negotiation-%E2%80%93-doing-the-business-vs-doing-the-deal/
http://www.chinesenegotiation.com/2009/04/chinese-negotiation-%E2%80%93-doing-the-business-vs-doing-the-deal/
http://geert-hofstede.com/japan.html
http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html
http://foundation.walmart.com/apply-for-grants/local-giving
http://www.QuoteRoller.com
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10
Preparing
Business
Reports
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At Georgia Southern, all departments need to justify
their budget requests. As a data analyst for Career Ser-
vices, I generate reports to support my department’s re-
quests. I report on how many students use our services,
how many attend specific events, how many employers
recruit on campus, and what those employers are
looking for. My tables and graphs have to be clear
and easy to read so that my supervisor can use
them to persuade the vice president of student
affairs that we need a specific pool of funding for
the next year.
Darrell Coleman
Georgia Southern University
Data Analyst @ Georgia Southern Career Services
New Hires @ Work
331
How can ACE help you write a
business report? pages 332–337
Analyze to understand purpose and report type
Analyze to understand audience needs
Analyze to choose the best medium
Compose your report to meet audience
expectations
Compose using an objective and easy-to-read
style
Evaluate by reviewing on your own and getting
feedback from others
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ4
SQ3
SQ2
SQ5
SQ6
What guidelines should you follow
for writing report decks? pages 365–369
Understand why and when to use report decks
Design the deck effectively
Design the deck content to be easy to follow
What types of short, routine reports
are typical in business? pages 338–343
Progress reports
Meeting minutes
Trip reports
Feasibility reports
How should you structure longer,
formal reports for print and online
distribution? pages 344–364
Organize the report into useful sections
Design the report for your audience and purpose
Choose the best electronic format for online
distribution
How do you integrate tables and
graphs into reports? pages 369–376
Choose the best form of display: table or graph
Choose the best type of graph
Design graphs and tables to communicate
Integrate data displays within the text
How should you document your
research? pages 377–379
Determine what needs to be documented
Prepare the documentation
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Chapter 10 | Introduction
As a student, you probably have experience writing
reports—or papers—for your classes, so you may as-
sume that you are well prepared to write business
reports. Maybe not! Student reports prove to your in-
structors that you have learned information. However,
business reports are designed to share information and
analysis with people who need to manage projects, make
decisions, and solve problems. The end result can make
or break the business’s bottom line. This chapter intro-
duces you to a variety of report types and formats, along
with some key writing techniques that will help you
produce reports that are useful, clear, concise, readable,
and accurate—no matter what the purpose or format of
the report.
SQ1 How can ACE help you write a business report?
All business reports have one thing in common: They answer business questions. When you
write a report, your job is to provide the information and analysis that answers those questions
in a document that is easy for your audience to read and use. The ACE communication process
can guide you through the steps of analyzing, composing, and evaluating to create a report that
meets this goal.
Analyze to understand purpose and report type
Typically, a report is either informational or analytical depending on its purpose and the key
question it answers. For example, reports summarizing business trips or decisions made at
meetings would be informational reports. Their main goal is to provide facts that readers can
easily understand and refer to when necessary. By contrast, analytical reports help readers
draw conclusions to solve problems or support business decisions. For example, a report that
analyzes what you learned on a business trip and then makes a recommendation would be an
analytical report. The first step in writing a report is to identify the question you are answer-
ing and the type of report you are writing. Figure 10.1 lists common business questions and the
types of reports that answer them.
ACE
Analyze
FIGURE 10.1 How to Determine What Type of Report to Write
QUESTION INFORMATIONAL REPORTS ANALYTICAL REPORTS
What have you accomplished so far? Progress Report
What were the key results of the meeting? Meeting Minutes
What happened on the trip? Trip Report
What did your investigation reveal? Investigation Report
Are we complying with policies and regulations? Compliance Report
Is this plan feasible? Feasibility Report
What is the better choice?
Have our actions been successful?
Evaluation Report
What should we do? Recommendation Report
informational report A report that pro-
vides readers with facts that they can easily
understand and refer to when necessary.
Meeting minutes, trip reports, and progress
reports are types of informational reports.
analytical report A report that analyzes
information to solve a problem or support a
business decision.
332
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How can ACE help you write a business report? 333
Analyze to understand audience needs
When the process of researching a report is long and involved, you cannot include all the
information you find. If you do, your report will be overly long and unfocused. Instead,
analyze your audience to determine what information they need. Figure 10.2 lists questions that
will help you determine what information to include.
ACE
Analyze
FIGURE 10.2 Audience Analysis
Questions
1. Who are the primary and secondary audiences?
• Why will they be using and reading this report?
• Will they be motivated to read it, or will you need to provide
motivation?
2. What does the audience already know about the situation
or topic?
• How much context or background do they need?
3. What does the audience need to know?
• What are their key questions and concerns?
• What information is important to include?
4. What is the audience’s expectation?
• Does the audience expect just information?
• Or do they expect analysis and recommendations?
5. How much credibility do you have with your audience?
• How can you increase your credibility in the report to ensure the
audience has confidence in the information and analysis you
provide?
To analyze your audience, ask these questions:
abstract One or two paragraphs—often
included at the beginning of a formal infor-
mational report—that either (a) describe the
content of the report so that a reader can de-
cide whether to read the report or (b) briefly
summarize the report, including the main
points, conclusions, and recommendations.
executive summary A separate,
stand-alone mini document, included at the
beginning of a longer proposal or report,
that completely summarizes the document’s
main ideas.
report deck A report document written in
PowerPoint or other presentation software.
Compose
Analyze to choose the best medium
Reports may be prepared in many different forms: email, memo, formal manuscript, online
report, or report deck—a report written in PowerPoint or other presentation software. When
choosing the best medium for your report, consider the length, audience, and formality. In
addition, consider the way you will deliver the report and how others will use it. Figure 10.3 on
pages 334–335 presents the most common options.
Compose your report to meet audience expectations
When audiences read reports, they expect to find key elements of the report to be located in
specific places, depending on the report format. These elements include identifying informa-
tion, preview, detailed discussion, and (optionally) additional documentation.
• Identifying information. Business reports clearly identify the author, the date, and the topic
or title. Some reports also indicate the intended audience.
• Preview. Almost all business reports use a direct organization, beginning with one or more preview
elements that provide readers with a quick understanding of the purpose, structure, content, and
main ideas of the report. In reports written as emails, letters, or memos, the first paragraph provides
the preview. Longer formal reports include a combination of preview elements, including a table of
contents, an introduction, and either an abstract or an executive summary. Informational reports
may begin with an abstract—one or two paragraphs that summarize the purpose and main points.
By contrast, analytical reports often begin with an executive summary: a separate, stand-alone mini-
report that completely summarizes the report’s main ideas and recommendations. An executive
summary is designed for decision makers who may not have time to read the detailed discussion.
• Detailed discussion. Following the introduction, the body of the report provides the detailed
discussion. The discussion is typically divided into sections that are signaled by headings. The best
headings are not generic but are content-focused and specific to that report. For example, “Analysis”
is vague, but “Risks and Benefits of Using Groupon as a Marketing Tool” identifies the specific
content of the section.
ACE
Analyze
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FIGURE 10.3 Selecting the Best Medium for Reports
MEDIUM / FEATURES ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
MEMO REPORT—See Figure 10.6, page 339
• Is used for short internal reports
• Has standard headings (To, From,
Date, and Subject—and often Copies)
• Identifies the topic in the subject line
• Uses content headings to signal how
information is organized
• Is short and easy to read
• In hard copy, can include physical
attachments such as DVDs or brochures
• Can be delivered securely—even
hand delivered—to the audience
• Can be filed in hard copy or electroni-
cally for future reference
• Is appropriate only for internal
audiences
• Incurs costs to print or copy if it is not
sent as an email attachment
• Is delivered more slowly than email
EMAIL REPORT—See Figure 10.8, page 341
• Is used for short internal or external reports
• Uses standard email headings
• Identifies the topic in the subject line
• Uses content headings to signal how
information is organized
• Is short and easy to read
• Can be distributed and received
quickly, even to large audiences
• Can be filed in hard copy or electroni-
cally for future reference
• May not be a private or secure me-
dium for reporting sensitive content
• Cannot easily support tables and graphs
• Cannot include attachments that exist
only in hard copy
LETTER REPORT—See Figure 10.9, pages 342–343
• Is used for relatively short reports (less
than 10 pages) for external audiences
• Is formatted on company letterhead
• Uses traditional letter elements (date,
inside address, salutation, compli-
mentary close, signature block)
• Includes a subject line to indicate the
letter contains a report
• Uses content headings to signal how
information is organized
• Projects a more “official” or formal im-
age than email
• In hard copy, can include physical at-
tachments such as DVDs or brochures
• Can be delivered securely to the
audience
• Can require the recipient’s signature
to ensure report was received
• Can be produced as a PDF file to dis-
tribute and file electronically
• Is appropriate only for external
audiences
• Incurs costs of letterhead, printing,
and postage if sent through postal
mail
• Takes at least a day to deliver if not
emailed as an attachment
FORMAL REPORT (manuscript style)—See Figure 10.10, pages 345–357
• Is used to report the results of signifi-
cant research or a project
• Includes title page, table of contents,
executive summary, references, and
appendices (if necessary)
• Is prepared on plain paper (not
letterhead)
• Always includes headings to signal
key sections
• Can be distributed internally or externally
• Projects a formal image
• Can be used for very long reports
• Can easily include tables, graphs, and
other graphics
• Provides table of contents to help the
audience find information
• Can include supporting information as
appendices
• Can be produced as a PDF file to dis-
tribute and file electronically
• Incurs costs to print and deliver if sent
through postal mail
• Can be time-consuming to organize
and format effectively
ONLINE REPORT—See Figure 10.14, page 364
• Reports published as web pages al-
low navigation by hyperlinks
• Reports generated by online forms
enable combining data from several
reports into a database
• Wikis are useful as a tool for reporting
progress on an ongoing basis
• Blogs can be used for reports that
require immediate written feedback
from others, such as evaluation and
recommendation reports
• Makes the report accessible to broad
audiences
• Allows data from several people to be
combined into a master report
• Provides the audience with “real-
time” information
• Creates “living documents” that are
never actually finished but continue to
develop and be updated over time
• May not be a private and secure me-
dium for sending sensitive content
• Does not ensure immediate receipt
because the audience must check the
website
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FIGURE 10.4 How Elements of a Report Appear in Various Report Forms
LETTER REPORT
MEMO OR
EMAIL REPORT
FORMAL REPORT MANUSCRIPT
Elements Numbering
IDENTIFYING
INFORMATION
At the beginning: letter-
head or return address,
inside address, date,
subject line
At the end: signature,
distribution list
To:, From:, Date:, Sub-
ject:, Distribution:, cc:/
xc:
Title Page No number on the title
page
PREVIEW Introductory paragraph:
purpose, overview of
the report, summary of
key points
Introductory paragraph:
purpose, overview of
the report, summary of
key points
Table of Contents
List of Figures and
Tables
After title page, small
Roman numerals (i, ii, iii,
etc.) for all other pages
before the introduction
Abstract or Executive
Summary
Introduction Arabic numbers (the intro-
duction starts on page 1)
DETAILED
DISCUSSION
Paragraphs or sections
that develop and sup-
port the main idea/
conclusions
Paragraphs or sections
that develop and sup-
port the main idea/
conclusions
Sections of the report
that develop and sup-
port the main idea/
conclusions
Arabic numbers
(1, 2, 3, etc.)
SUPPORTING
INFORMATION
Attachments Attachments References
Appendices
Lettered appendices
(Appendix A, Appendix
B); page numbers con-
tinue from the body of
the report
appendix A section (or multiple sections
called appendices) included at the end of
a formal report or proposal that provides
supplementary information.
MEDIUM / FEATURES ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
PRESENTATION REPORT DECK—See Figure 10.17, pages 368–369
• Is created with presentation software,
such as PowerPoint
• Includes much less text than tradi-
tional reports but more than tradi-
tional slide presentations
• Is written to be understandable with-
out a presenter
• Conveys much of its information
through graphs, diagrams, and other
visual elements
• Appropriate for internal or external
audiences
• Replaces standard report format
• Can easily include tables, graphs, and
images
• Can be used in conjunction with an
oral presentation
• Can be delivered securely to a tar-
geted audience when it accompanies
a presentation
• Does not provide as much detail as a
formal report
• If not well-written, can be difficult to
understand without a presenter
• Can be time consuming to organize
and format effectively
FIGURE 10.3 (Continued)
attachment A document that is included
with a memo, email, or letter report to pro-
vide supplementary information.
• Supporting information. At the end of the report, you have the opportunity to add extra
documentation to support your main points. In memo, email, and letter reports, additional
documentation takes the form of an attachment or enclosure—a supplemental document that
is included with the report. Attachments might provide details that not all readers would need
and that would clutter the report if included. In more formal reports and in report decks, this
additional information is included in an appendix or in multiple appendices. Research reports
that include information from secondary sources also include a reference list or bibliography.
Figure 10.4 summarizes where these elements appear in the various report formats. It also
explains how to handle page numbering in formal manuscript reports. As you read through
the chapter, notice how the example reports in the figures follow these guidelines.
reference list A list of secondary re-
search sources used in a research report.
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Compose using an objective and easy-to-read style
The writing style of a report lends credibility to your results. To adopt an effective report-
writing style, follow this advice:
• Avoid narrative. Do not waste your reader’s time by including a detailed account of what you
did to collect the information. Instead, focus on the significance of the findings, conclusions,
and recommendations that resulted from your research. Even in a progress report, focus on
accomplishments rather than activities.
• Be objective. For every claim you make, provide reasoning and supporting evidence. Also, be
fair. Include information from all sides of an issue and demonstrate that you have evaluated the
issue using reasonable and objective criteria.
• Use an appropriate tone. Although some internal reports may use informal wording (including
contractions such as isn’t, won’t, or we’ll), reports for external audiences are typically formal.
• Make the report easy to skim and the information easy to find. Use headings that flow logi-
cally, and outline how the report is organized. In addition, begin each paragraph with a topic
sentence that summarizes the main point of the paragraph so the audience can easily find the
main ideas.
• Use a straightforward sentence style. All reports benefit from a writing style that uses concise
sentences and active voice. This style makes the report easier to read and easier to translate for
international audiences.
Evaluate by reviewing on your own and getting feedback
from others
Evaluating involves both reviewing your own work and also responding to feedback from oth-
ers. As you evaluate your report, ask yourself the questions in Figure 10.5, and use your answers
as a guide for revising.
ACE
Compose
ACE
Evaluate
FIGURE 10.5 Report Evaluation
Questions To evaluate your report, ask these questions:
1. Is the report’s purpose clear?
• What question is the report answering?
• Is the answer to the question easy to find?
• Is the title (or subject line) of the report focused and informative?
2. Is the report well organized?
• Does it provide a preview in the introduction?
• Where appropriate, does it include a table of contents, executive summary, or
abstract?
• Does the body of the report provide all the information and analysis the audience
needs?
• Are the headings logical? Will someone who reads all the headings sequentially
understand how the report is organized?
• Is the main point of each section easy to find?
• Are tables, graphs, and other visuals effective? Are they labeled and introduced
within the document?
• Are the appendices relevant and useful to the audience?
3. Is the report well written?
• Are the paragraphs relatively short (four to eight sentences)? Does each
paragraph begin with a strong topic sentence that states the main point of the
paragraph?
• Are the sentences relatively short and, when possible, written in the active voice?
• Has the report been proofread carefully?
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CULTURE
MAKING REPORTS READER-FRIENDLY FOR INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES
Reports often have larger audiences than typical correspon-
dence, such as emails. A useful report may be distributed broadly
throughout an organization and to colleagues or clients around
the world. If the report is not confidential, it may even be shared
with the general public.
If you work in an international organization or an organiza-
tion that disseminates information globally, you need to think
about how to make your reports accessible to international
audiences—even those who speak English. The number of
English speakers is growing worldwide, as English is taught to
more people and at an earlier age in both Europe and Asia.2,3 As
a result, English has become the international lingua franca of
business—the common language used by native speakers of differ-
ent languages.4
However, not all these English speakers are fluent in the lan-
guage. Although almost 2 billion people speak English worldwide,
only 25 percent of those people speak English as a first language.5
If any members of your audience are in the remaining 75 percent,
will they understand long sentences and eloquent word choices?
How can you make your reports as easy as possible for everyone in
your audience to read?
Professionals in the field of international technical com-
munication have developed a number of guidelines to use when
preparing English documents for readers who are not native
English speakers. Even if your communication is not technical,
use the following guidelines adapted from the Global English
Style Guide:6
• Use simple English. English arguably has more words than
any other language. Studies published by Science7 and the
Global Language Monitor8 estimate the current number
of words at more than a million. Although this breadth of
word choice makes English a very precise language, many of
your readers will not be familiar with all the vocabulary. Use
concrete words, avoid clichés, and check the reading level of
your text when you evaluate your writing. Avoid sentences
like this: “Local regulations prohibit installation of signage
without a permit.” Instead, say “Acme must get a permit to
put up a sign.”
• Do not vary terms needlessly. Use consistent terminology
and phrases. For example, if you are writing about automo-
biles, consistently call them “automobiles” or “autos” rather
than occasionally calling them “vehicles” or “means of trans-
portation.” This repetition minimizes the number of terms a
reader will need to remember.
• Eliminate the “fat” from content. Keep your writing lean
by providing only the information that people need and by
eliminating extra details and words that serve no clear pur-
pose. An international audience may find it difficult to read
this wordy sentence: “It is respectfully recommended that a
committee be formed by A. G. Williams to conduct an inves-
tigation into potential wrongdoing by members of the execu-
tive board.” They could more easily understand this leaner
version: “We recommend that A. G. Williams investigate the
executive board’s recent actions.”
For CULTURE exercises, go to Critical Thinking Question 1 on
page 384 and Exercise 7 on page 385.
When a report is particularly important, be sure to have multiple people read it and pro-
vide feedback before you finalize the content. In fact, the most experienced writers ask for
feedback continually, throughout the writing process, instead of waiting until a draft is com-
plete.1 In that way, writers improve the effectiveness of important reports by ensuring that the
reports meet audience and stakeholder needs.
The evaluating process does not end when you have submitted the report. Your audi-
ence’s response provides valuable feedback that can help you make better decisions the next
time you write. If your report achieves your intended results, review it carefully to identify its
strengths. If it does not achieve the results you wanted—for example, if your analysis confused
the audience or your recommendation was not approved—try to determine the cause of the
problem. Did you confuse the reader by providing too much detail or too little organization?
Did you fail to persuade the reader because you did not include enough support for your
recommendations? Or did you fail to achieve results because of an external factor you could
not control, such as budget cuts? Whatever you learn from this evaluation will improve your
future writing.
New Hires @ Work
Erica Bowen
University of West Georgia
Advanced Staff Auditor @ Georgia
Department of Audits and Accounts
In our internal and external
audit reports, it can be
challenging to be
clear and concise
when dealing
with complex
information, so
we involve
the entire
team in re-
port writing.
Photo courtesy of Erica Bowen
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SQ2 What types of short, routine reports are typical in business?
Most day-to-day business reports are short—less than five pages—and written in memo, email
or letter format. This section provides guidelines for three types of informational reports that
are usually short: progress reports, meeting minutes, and trip reports. These reports are de-
signed to inform your audience quickly about the work you have done and to provide docu-
mentation for future use. The section also provides guidelines for a short analytical report, in
this case, a feasibility report.
Progress reports
If you are working on a long-term project, your supervisor or client may ask for a progress report
that updates your status and indicates any potential problems or issues. Figure 10.6 illustrates a
progress report written by a team of product designers who work for Adaptive Living, a com-
pany that designs and sells products to help people with disabilities function independently.
The team has been working on a special project for several months and needs to answer two
questions: How is the project progressing, and when will a tested prototype be complete? The
figure’s annotations provide advice about how to organize a progress report.
Meeting minutes
Minutes are written reports of meetings. The type of minutes you write will depend on the
type of meeting you are summarizing and the purpose of the minutes. If you are document-
ing a formal group meeting, then the minutes will summarize all the discussions. Organize
the minutes using the categories outlined in the meeting’s agenda, such as announcements,
old business, and new business. Reports, votes, and decisions will be included with the
relevant category. More often, your minutes will record the more informal meetings of
small committees or work teams. Those minutes are action-oriented, focusing more on
outcomes and decisions. Figure 10.7 on page 340 illustrates the minutes for a short commit-
tee teleconference.
Trip reports
When you return from a business trip, your supervisor or manager may ask you to write a
trip report to document your activities and to share what you accomplished or learned. The
biggest mistake writers make in preparing trip reports is to organize them chronologically
in a narrative style. Instead, identify the most useful way to categorize the information from
the audience’s perspective—for example, by the results you achieved, what you learned, or
the customers you visited. In Figure 10.8 on page 341, Warren Abbott reports on his trip to
Washington D.C. to meet with current and potential clients. See the annotations for advice
about how to write a report in email form and how to organize a trip report.
Feasibility reports
Short analytical reports, such as a feasibility report, can also be written in email, memo, or let-
ter form. A feasibility report analyzes whether a plan can be implemented as proposed. It may
also consider how to change the plan to make it feasible. A feasibility report will always include
the criteria that decision makers can use to judge the proposal. The criteria may include cost,
technical functionality, or potential for employees or the public to accept the proposal. Then
the report will evaluate the proposal based on those criteria.
See Figure 10.9 on pages 342–343, for advice about how to write a feasibility report.
progress report A report that updates
supervisors or clients on the status of a
long-term project.
New Hires @ Work
Sam Sharp
Michigan State University
Planning Supervisor @ Team
Detroit
Before I began work, I
didn’t realize the importance
of writing agendas
before meetings
and reports after-
wards. Agendas
set expectations
and keep us
on track, and
reports hold
everyone ac-
countable
with next
steps.
minutes A written report of a meeting
that identifies who was present, summarizes
the discussion, and records specific deci-
sions and action items.
trip report A report that documents
activities on a business trip and presents ac-
complishments and issues.
feasibility report A report that analyzes
whether a plan can be implemented as pro-
posed. It may also consider how to change
the plan to make it feasible.
Photo courtesy of Samantha Sharp
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FIGURE 10.6 How to Write a Memo-Style Progress Report
MEMORANDUM
TO: Rudy Glenn, VP of Fashion Products
Janice Kerwin, Production Manager
Eve Ireland, Lead Designer
Niki Jantzen, Design Associate
November 22, 20XX
Progress on SleekLine Adaptive Swimsuit Design
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Project Summary
We are on schedule with the design and prototyping of the SleekLine adaptive
swimsuit. The product �lls an unmet market need: a swimsuit that women with
rheumatoid arthritis can independently put on and take off despite their limited
�exibility and range of motion. Over the past month, we have created three mockups
that we have tested with potential users in a focus group. Based on the information
gathered, we have narrowed our design to a tankini-style swimsuit with a top that
opens in the front so that it can slip on like a shirt or jacket. The swimsuit top is
secured with magnetic snaps that hold tightly but do not require �nger �exibility to
open or close. We are currently in the process of testing and prototyping the design.
Work Completed Since Last Report
From October 30 until now, we have accomplished the following activities:
• Met with the occupational therapists at Central Rehabilitation Hospital to identify
the speci�c requirements for our design
• Developed three alternative designs using three different closure systems:
magnets, Velcro, and zippers
• Produced mock-ups of �ve designs
• Conducted two focus groups and user-tested our mock-ups with 30 women, aged
30 to 60, who have rheumatoid arthritis
Preliminary Findings (See Figure 1)
1. Women testing the swimsuits overwhelmingly (28 out of 30) preferred the closure
to be in the front of the swimsuit.
2. The majority (19 out of 30) found magnetic closures to be easiest to use.
Work Planned for Next Two Weeks
During the next two weeks, we plan to conduct rigorous functional testing of fabric
and magnets, simulating the conditions of swimming and water aerobics. Our goal is
to determine the optimal strength, spacing, and polarity of magnets.
We will incorporate the results of the testing into prototypes and conduct a
second round of swim tests. We will have a tested prototype by December 15.
Anticipated Problems
While users overwhelmingly like the magnets, users lack con�dence that the magnets
will hold safely and securely during water activities. Our marketing department will
need to address these issues in product labeling and advertising.
Provide a subject line that serves
as the title of the report.
Begin by identifying the purpose
of the project and brie�y summarizing
the progress made.
Discuss work planned.
0
0
Front magnets
10
Figure 1: Number of Users Who Preferred Specific Swimsuit Closure Styles
5 15 20
Front zippers
Front Velcro
19
6
3
Side Velcro 2
Side magnets
Provide detail about the work
completed.
Include preliminary findings or
results, if you have any.
progress report
This progress report is written
in a memo format because it is
a short report intended for an
internal audience.
Identify the names and titles
of the recipients and the senders
in the header.
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
PREVIEW
DETAILED DISCUSSION
Use specific and meaningful
headings for your content to
organize your discussion.
• The project summary begins with the most important idea, answering the key question of the report: How is the project progressing?
• Bullet points in the “Work Completed” section are grammatically parallel (see Appendix C).
• A graph helps readers compare numbers.
Other important features to note in this report:
Identify any anticipated problems
to alert the reader to potential
issues and allow others to start
planning solutions.
339
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FIGURE 10.7 How to Write Meeting Minutes
meeting minutes
Meeting Minutes
Date: April 17, 20XX
Purpose: To address website problems and discuss methods of disseminating the
new logo to the membership.
Present: Nick Lawrence (presiding), Fiona Cray, Larry Evans, Carol Gielgud, Karla
Jensen (recording), Lyle Lerner, Elaine Sears
Absent: Susan Edwards, Vic Matthews
Location: Teleconference
Convened: 7:30 PM CST
Adjourned: 8:15 PM CST
Discussion of Website Problems
Lyle Lerner reported that updating the website is cumbersome and time-consuming.
To help solve this problem, Vic Matthews will update the website to a new version of
Joomla, but many problems need to be identi�ed and �xed. We discussed the best
way to �x these problems and agreed to develop a requirements document and to
hire a professional web developer. Nick Lawrence will ask Paul Walters about his ability
to do what we need, his availability, and his fees. Carol Gielgud will also talk to Adam
Earle to �nd out the same from him. Nick and Carol will present their �ndings at our
June meeting.
Decision: Because of problems with Joomla, we will allocate up to $2,000 to pay
a professional to �x the problems with the site, earmarking $1,000 to �x the
items that Lyle, Vic, and Nick identify as critical.
Vote: Fiona Cray moved, Larry Evans seconded, and the motion passed
unanimously.
Discussion of Logo
Everyone is pleased with the new, more contemporary logo. Larry Lerner will get all
the associated electronic �les from the designer and upload them to the intranet site.
Elaine Sears will upload a simple version of the logo to the website for members to
download and will send a message to the membership on the listserv informing them
of this by April 25, 20XX.
Action Items
Completed
Action Person Goal Date Date Follow up
Upload simple logo to website and
communicate its availability to
membership by email.
Sears April 25, 20X X
Upload all logo design �les to
Association intranet site for board
members to use.
Lerner April 25, 20X X
Identify what needs to be done to
make Joomla easy to work with and
write up a requirements document.
Lawrence,
Lerner,
and Matthews
May 18, 20XX
Contact Paul Walters to request a bid
for web development.
Lawrence May 31, 20XX
Contact Adam Earle to request a bid
for web development.
Gielgud May 31, 20XX
Update to current version of Joomla. Matthews August 15, 20XX
Create a heading that
includes the purpose of
the meeting, who
attended, and the
place and time.
Highlight key items
such as decisions
and votes.
Summarize the discussion
rather than record
all the details.
These meeting minutes from
a short teleconference are
written as a stand-alone
document that can be attached
to an email, printed, and �led
for future reference.
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
and PREVIEW
DETAILED DISCUSSION
Write the purpose statement
so that it previews the content
of the minutes.
Divide the discussion into
distinct topics with meaning-
ful headings.
Highlight action items using
either a bulleted list or a table
that summarizes the actions
and serves as both a checklist
and follow-up tool to use at
the next meeting.
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FIGURE 10.8 How to Write an Email-Style Trip Report
trip report
Joe Jackson
Report on Washington, D.C., Sales Trip, June 10
On June 10, 20XX, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to call on a current client, follow up on an outstanding
bid, and introduce Communication Consulting Experts (CCE) to a potential new client. The trip was very
successful. In a meeting with the U.S. Marine Corps, I scheduled training under our current contract and
received a request to submit a revised proposal for additional training. In a meeting with the Food and Drug
Administration, I reviewed our current proposal bid. Finally, I met the Director of Human Resources for
NASA and began discussions about their training needs. Here are the details of the three meetings.
1. U.S. Marine Corps
Person called on: Col. John Piercynski, Training Of�cer
Discussion: We reviewed the results of CCE’s pilot program training 30 mid-level Marine of�cers (rank
from lieutenant to lt. colonel) in presentation and brie�ng skills. The pilot program was received
favorably, but participants wanted more emphasis on use of PowerPoint slides in brie�ngs. Col.
Piercynski requested a revised proposal for one additional pilot program incorporating more emphasis
on PowerPoint, with a seminar to be given no later than August 1.The rollout of our current training of
300 of�cers is still on schedule for the October to December time frame.
Next Steps: I am meeting with our instructional designers on June 15 to provide guidance on
revamping seminar materials. Based on that meeting, we will submit a revised proposal to Col.
Piercynski by Friday, June 19. An internal mock session of the revised seminar is tentatively scheduled
for the week of July 6, with actual delivery at the Pentagon on July 30.
2. Food and Drug Administration
Person called on: Dr. Janice Wilson, Senior Compliance Of�cer
Discussion: As a follow-up on our bid package to revamp the laboratory policies and procedures
manual for FDA testing labs, Dr. Wilson requested a sample of “before and after” policy manuals we
have produced in the past. I told her that nondisclosure agreements with other clients make it dif�cult to
provide examples, but I will contact some of our previous clients to request permission.
Next Steps: I have emailed Robert Graves of XYZ Pharma Company for his permission to modify the
manual we produced for them three years ago, assuring him that we will redact key portions and create
�ctitious names for individuals and units. I have also asked one of our documentation writers to create
some generic “before/after” policies.
3. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Person called on: Dr. James Holman, Director of Human Resources
Discussion: This was an introductory visit (cold call) to present our credentials and demonstrate our
product offerings. Dr. Holman seemed interested in our technical writing training.
Next Steps: I will send a follow-up email to schedule a mock training session using video
conferencing.
Warren Abbott
Sales Manager
Communication Consulting Experts
60 School Street
Boston, MA 02108
Telephone: 617-555-0103
warren.abbott@commexperts.com
In an email report, include your
standard signature block.
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
PREVIEW
DETAILED DISCUSSION
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
When possible, present similar
information in similar order for
each item. In this case, the
report of each visit includes the
organization name, employee
name and title, summary of
discussion, and next steps.
Select a logical method for
organizing the details. You can
organize by type of activity, by
event, by chronology, or some
other reasonable method.
This report is organized by the
clients who were visited. The
most important visit—the
current client—is �rst.
In an email report, include all
intended recipients on the
“To” or “CC” lines. Provide a
subject line that serves as the
title of the report.
Begin the trip report by
summarizing the information
for the reader who may not
have time for details.
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 10.8’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
M10_SHWO3307_03_SE_CH10.indd 341 07/05/15 4:48 am
mailto:joe.jackson@commexperts.com
mailto:warren.abbott@commexperts.com
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FIGURE 10.9 How to Write a Letter-Style Feasibility Report
2245 Sherwin Parkway, Golden, CO 80401
800.555.6642 | www.milestone-consultants.com
July 23, 20XX
Mr. James Burgess
VP of Product Development
Affordable World Energy
130 West Union Street
Pasadena, CA 91103
Subject: Feasibility of Manufacturing a $100 Wind Turbine for Developing Countries
Dear Mr. Burgess:
Thank you for hiring Milestone Manufacturing Consultants to perform a feasibility analysis for
manufacturing a small wind turbine to provide household electricity for rural families in developing
countries. You asked us to assess the feasibility of manufacturing a turbine that can be sold for
under $100. Based on our discussions with manufacturers, we believe this price goal will be feasible
only if Affordable World Energy (AWE) can contract with a manufacturer to custom manufacture a
motor that meets the speci�cations. The least expensive off-the-shelf motor that meets the speci�c-
ations is $133 per unit. Based on this price, a more feasible selling price for the turbine is $175.
The remainder of this report outlines requirements and assumptions, presents our cost analysis,
and offers speci�c conclusions and recommendations.
Requirements and Assumptions
Our analysis is based on the following assumptions:
1. The wind turbine must meet the
speci�cations illustrated in Figure 1.
2. AWE will produce 50,000 units per year.
3. AWE would like to recover the capital
cost for tooling within one year.
4. To keep the sales cost under $100, the
total materials cost can be no more than
$82 per unit, based on the assumption
that nonmaterials costs (labor, assembly,
marketing) will average $10 per unit and
AWE’s pro�t margin will be 8 percent, or
$8 per unit.
Figure 1: Requirements for Wind Turbine
feasibility report
End the introduction by
previewing the
organization of the report.
Use headings in letter
reports to help organize
the content.
Use �gures when they
help you communicate
more concisely and
effectively.
Use a direct organization
for feasibility reports.
Begin by identifying the
purpose of the report.
Identify the criteria you
will use to determine if
the project is feasible.
Then summarize the main
point about feasibility.
This feasibility report is
written in letter form
because it is too short for
a formal manuscript
format and it includes
�gures and tables that
could be dif�cult to format
in an email.
Include a subject line that
functions as a report title.
Identify the recipient of
the letter report in the
inside address, below
the dateline.
IDENTIFYING
INFORMATION
PREVIEW
DETAILED DISCUSSION
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FIGURE 10.9 (Continued)
Mr. James Burgess
Page 2
July 23, 20XX
Cost Analysis
Injection-Molded Blades
We received three cost quotes for injection-molding the blades, summarized in Table 1. Detailed
price quotations for each are available in Attachment 1.
Table 1: Cost quotations for tooling a mold and producing blades
The most cost-effective pricing is from the manufacturer in Bombay, where the total cost per turbine
will be $12.45, as shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Per-turbine cost for blades
Motor
We priced motors from seven manufacturers in India and China. The details are in Attachment 2.
Only one motor met the speci�cations required for this turbine. Its price is $133 per unit for 50,000
units.
Additional Costs
Because AWE does not yet have detailed design speci�cations for the tail �n or turbine housing, we
were not able to price those. On comparable wind turbines, the cost of these items is
approximately 7 percent of the total unit cost. We recommend that AWE budget $7 per unit.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Based solely on the cost of blades and motors, we believe it will be dif�cult to sell the wind turbines
for less than $100. One option will be to increase your price target to $175. A second option will be
to negotiate with motor manufacturers for a lower-cost custom motor. Attachment 2 contains
contact information for all the motor manufacturers we interviewed. To achieve the $100 price point
for the turbine, AWE will need to source a motor that costs $62 per unit or less.
We will be glad to discuss our �ndings with you or provide additional details.
Best regards,
Austin Nichols
Senior Consultant
Attachment 1: Blade manufacturers: detailed price quotations and contact information
Attachment 2: Motor manufacturers: detailed speci�cations, price quotations, and contact information
In the body of the report,
provide the detailed
results of your research.
Present quantitative
information in tables
so it is easy to use.
At the end of the report,
explain your conclusion
about feasibility in more
detail, referring to the
�ndings from your
research.
Offer alternative options
if there are any.
After the �rst page of
a letter report, include
a header on all
additional pages.
Quote
A
B
C
150,000
150,000
50,000
100,000
150,000
$74,250
$27,360
$31,750
$3.99
to $5.99
$4.82
$4.65
$4.30
$3.94
United States
Shenzhen, China
Bombay, India
Polypropylene (quoted based
on range of additives)
Glass-�lled Polypropylene
Glass-�lled Polypropylene
Annual Volume Material Tooling Cost Unit Cost Mfg. Location
$ 31,750.00
$ 11.82
per 50,000 turbines
per turbine
0.63
11.82
$12.45
Tooling
Blades
Total
CalculationItem Per Turbine Cost
Sign the letter report as
you would sign a letter.
List any attachments,
sometimes called
enclosures, after the
signature block.
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
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title page The first page of a formal
report, which includes identifying informa-
tion, such as the report’s title; the name
of the person or organization for whom
the report was written; the author’s name,
position, and organization; and the date of
submission.
recommendation report A report that
analyzes options and recommends a course
of action.
SQ3 How should you structure longer, formal reports for print and
online distribution?
When you report on a major project or substantial research, you will most likely need to cre-
ate a formal report. Formal reports may be primarily informative, organizing the results of a
project or information from research. However, long business reports are often analytical—
for example, recommendation reports that analyze options and recommend a course of
action, or evaluation reports that assess the success of a project or a decision. A formal
report may be as short as 8 to 10 pages or as long as several hundred pages. As outlined in
Figure 10.4 on pages 335, a formal report includes a number of elements that organize the
complex material and help the reader find information easily. This section provides guidelines
for how to implement those elements and create a report that is both readable and useful. It
discusses how to organize the report into sections and design it to meet the audience’s needs.
It also discusses how to choose the best format if you plan to distribute your report online.
Organize the report into useful sections
To help your reader understand the organization of your report, separate the content into dis-
tinct sections. Most formal reports include a title page, preliminary sections, a detailed body
with subheadings, and a conclusion. Some reports also include supplementary sections with
supporting information.
Figure 10.10 on pages 345–357 illustrates how to construct the sections of a formal report
to make it both readable and useful using the following guidelines:
• Create a title page for identifying information (title page of Figure 10.10). A title page in-
cludes identifying information, such as the report’s title; the name of the person or organiza-
tion for whom the report was written; the author’s name, position, and organization; and the
date of submission.
• Preview the report with preliminary sections (pages ii, iii, and 1). A formal report should in-
clude several ways to preview the report contents, including a table of contents, a list of figures
and tables (if applicable), an executive summary, and an introduction.
• Develop the details within sections (pages 2–8). The detailed discussion (sometimes called
the body) of a formal report is typically organized with content-specific headings. For ex-
ample, if you are writing a recommendation report, then each major heading may be one key
recommendation. Provide citations for all material derived from interviews and secondary
sources.
• Conclude the report with supporting information (pages 9 and 10). Formal reports may
conclude with two types of supporting information: reference lists and appendices.
Design the report for your audience and purpose
Reports may be designed differently depending on whether they are intended for internal or
external audiences.
Internal reports
The report illustrated in Figure 10.10 is formatted in a traditional manuscript style. Although
it incorporates some design features, such as headings and bullet points, it does not use more
elaborate elements such as borders, multiple columns, call-out boxes, or contrasting fonts.
Manuscript-style reports are common in conservative fields, such as banking and account-
ing. You will also see manuscript style used for internal company reports, like the one in
Figure 10.10. Although internal reports must be easy to read, with effective headings and para-
graphing, they do not have to be eye-catching. The audience of internal reports typically needs
the content and is motivated to read the information.
evaluation report A report that as-
sesses the success of a project.
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FIGURE 10.10 How to Write a Formal Report
Initiating a Groupon Marketing Campaign for
Cali’s Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt
Prepared for
Cali’s Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt
Prepared by
Cordelia Burrows
Marketing Intern
April 10, 20XX
Create a title page for
identifying information.
Include the following content:
• Title of the report
• Name of the person or
organization for whom the
report was written
• Name and position of
the author(s), the
name of the author’s
organization
• Date of submission
This formal report was prepared by Cordelia Burrows as part of her marketing internship at a small start-up company: Cali’s
Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt. The owners of Cali’s are considering using online discount vouchers, such as Groupons, as a marketing
tool in conjunction with their store opening. Cordelia was assigned to conduct research on the effectiveness of Groupons and
prepare a recommendation report addressing whether Cali’s should offer Groupons to attract new customers and, if so, how to
implement the Groupons. The annotations offer advice about how construct a formal report.
(continued)
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1
Why Offering a Groupon Is Preferable to Traditional Advertising ……………………………………………………. 2
How Does Groupon Work?………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
How Does Groupon Differ from Other Advertising Options?………………………………………………….. 2
How Does Groupon Compare with Other Online Deal Sites?………………………………………………… 3
Benefits and Risks of Offering a Groupon…………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Benefits of Offering a Groupon …………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
Risks of Offering a Groupon ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5
Recommendation: Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt Should Offer a Groupon………………………………………… 7
References……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
Appendix: Contact Information for Business Owners Interviewed…………………………………………………. 10
ii
Preview the report with prelimi-
nary sections:
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures and List of Tables
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
In the table of contents:
• Include all headings in the
report and their page
numbers. Number all pages
before the Introduction with
lowercase Roman numerals.
The title page counts as page
number i, even though it is
not numbered.
• Use dot leaders to connect the
headings and page numbers.
To ensure proper alignment,
do not create the leaders by
inserting periods. Instead,
create a right-aligned tab for
placement of page numbers,
and format that tab to insert
dot leaders automatically.
This report does not need a list
of figures and tables because
the report is not heavily
illustrated. It includes only one
figure and one table.
The table of contents serves two
functions: It gives readers a quick
overview of the content and
structure, and it also helps readers
find specific sections of the report.
iii
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
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FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
(continued)
Executive Summary
Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt will benefit from offering a Groupon promotion to support the store’s
June grand opening in Boston. Both academic and business research suggest that Groupons provide
effective low-cost advertising, especially for businesses that are new and need exposure.
How Groupons Work
Groupons are “group coupons”: discount vouchers that are activated only when a sufficiently large
group of customers agrees to purchase them. Otherwise the deal is canceled and no one is charged.
Groupon subscribers receive daily emails from Groupon featuring a deep discount on one or more
“daily deals.” The deals are advertised for a short period of time to encourage customers to purchase
the discount quickly and share details of the Groupon with others, exponentially increasing the number
of people who receive the advertising. When a deal is activated, Groupon keeps 50 percent of the
revenue, and the business receives the other 50 percent, minus credit card processing fees.
Benefits and Risks of Offering Groupons
Research shows that Groupons will benefit Cali’s in several ways:
• Guaranteed customers during the first month the store is open
• Broad exposure to all 800,000 Groupon subscribers in Boston
• Additional social networking and word-of-mouth advertising beyond Groupon subscribers
• Minimal impact on cash flow
However, Groupons do pose several potential risks:
• Loss of profit on customers using Groupons
• Risk of attracting one-time-only customers
• Potential devaluation of Cali’s product
• Risk of being unable to handle the influx of customers and thus alienating customers through bad
service
Recommendation
Despite the risks, offering a Groupon is a good marketing decision for Cali’s as a new and unknown
business. However, to minimize the risks, Cali’s should take the following steps:
1. Offer a limited number of Groupons.
2. Offer a short redemption period.
3. Limit the number of Groupons per person.
4. Offer a deal that is low risk to purchase.
5. Ensure a sufficient number of trained staff are available during the promotion.
6. Conduct in-store research on the impact of the Groupon.
iii
In the executive
summary, provide a
condensed version of
the entire report:
• Include all important
findings, conclusions,
and recommendations.
• Use subheadings to
guide the reader.
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Introduction
Since 2008, Groupon has offered businesses a venue to advertise products and services at substantially
discounted rates. Every day, Groupon subscribers receive a cleverly worded email announcing a “daily
deal” from a local business. The email encourages customers to visit Groupon’s highly trafficked website
to learn more about the offer and purchase the deal quickly. If enough people buy this “group coupon”
within a limited time frame, then the deal is activated. The consumer saves money, and the business
owner gets increased traffic in the store, including new customers.
Despite the popularity of Groupons, researchers and business owners have mixed opinions about the
value of offering Groupons and other online vouchers to advertise and market a business. While some
people argue that Groupons are an effective tool to attract new customers and gain exposure, others
argue that Groupons are unprofitable and that Groupon buyers are unlikely to become loyal, repeat
customers.
To determine whether to offer a Groupon in conjunction with its grand opening, Cali’s Low-Fat Frozen
Yogurt requested this study, which reviews the current research and opinions about Groupons (for
contact information for business owners interviewed, see the Appendix). Although offering a Groupon
daily deal does involve some risk, this report concludes that Cali’s will benefit from a Groupon
promotion. The research suggests that Groupons are ideal for small start-up businesses, such as Cali’s,
that need exposure to new customers. However, for a Groupon promotion to be successful, Cali’s must
implement it strategically.
To help Cali’s make an informed decision, the report includes the following information:
• Comparison of Groupon promotions to other advertising methods
• Analysis of the benefits and potential risks to Cali’s
• Suggestions for making a Groupon campaign a success
1
In the introduction,
provide a complete
preview of the report.
Give context for the
report.
Discuss the reason for
the research and the
question the report is
addressing.
Summarize the report’s
most important findings
and the recommenda-
tion.
Preview the organiza-
tion of the content.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
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(continued)
When allocating resources to promote the store, Cali’s must decide whether offering a Groupon is a
good substitute for traditional advertising. Cali’s must also decide whether Groupon is the best partner
for selling discount vouchers. This section of the report describes how Groupon works, how it differs
from traditional advertising, and how it compares to its competitors.
How Does Groupon Work?
Groupon is a company that offers businesses in more than 500 markets around the world a venue to
promote their products or services (“Groupon FAQ,” 2012). Groupon has an estimated 143 million
subscribers worldwide, with almost 800,000 subscribers in Boston (Raice & Woo, 2011; Roeder, 2011).
A participating business works with Groupon representatives to develop a promotion, which Groupon
sends to its subscribers as a “daily deal” (“Groupon Works,” 2012). This deal offers a deep discount on
the business’s products or services—for example, $5 for $10 worth of frozen yogurt. The deal is
advertised for a short time period and is canceled if it does not attract a minimum number of
purchasers. In practice, deals rarely are canceled because Groupon has such a large subscriber base
(Dyson, 2011). Assuming the deal does go forward, Groupon takes 50 percent of the revenue, plus
a surcharge of 2.5 percent for credit card fees, and sends the participating business a check for the
remaining 47.5 percent (J. Lurie, personal communication, March 15, 2012).
Each Groupon has a discount expiration date. Purchasers who do not use the Groupon by that date are
no longer entitled to the deep discount but can still redeem the Groupon for the amount originally paid.
For example, if a customer pays $5 for a $10 worth of yogurt and does not use the Groupon before the
expiration date, the Groupon is worth the $5 originally paid. The Groupon itself does not expire.
How Does Groupon Differ from Other Advertising Options?
From a consumer standpoint, Groupons differ from standard coupons in three ways: Groupons are
purchased in advance, offer a deeper discount, and are conditional. The deal is canceled if a minimum
number of people do not purchase it. This incentive to reach the minimum number of purchases
motivates interested consumers to encourage family and friends to buy the Groupon before the offer
ends (“Groupon Anxiety,” 2011). Groupon advertises this “collective buying power” as something
mutually beneficial for consumers, who save money, and for businesses, which benefit from the
certainty of exposure and a guaranteed minimum number of responses (“Groupon FAQ,” 2012).
The guaranteed exposure is part of Groupon’s appeal, as financial journalist Felix Salmon (2011) explained:
With traditional advertising or even with old-fashioned coupons, a merchant never has any
guarantee that they will be noticed or make any difference. But with a Groupon, you know that
hundreds of people will be so enticed by your offer that they’re willing to pay real money to access
it. That kind of guaranteed engagement is hugely valuable, and more or less unprecedented in the
world of marketing and advertising. (para. 3)
2
Why Offering a Groupon Is Preferable to Traditional Advertising Divide your detailed
discussion into sections,
beginning each section
with a centered heading.
Divide your sections
into subsections,
when necessary,
starting the headings at
the left margin.
Maintain a consistent
heading style with
subheadings (here, they
are all questions).
In APA style, cite
personal communica-
tions within the text
only. Do not include
them in the reference
list.
To cite an article or web
page with no author,
begin the citation with
the name of the article
placed in quotation
marks.
In APA style, format
quotations of 40 words
or more as block
quotations, with no
quotation marks. Start
block quotations on a
new line and indent
approximately ½ inch.
Place the source
citation, with page or
paragraph number, after
the final punctuation
mark.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
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3
How Does Groupon Compare with Other Online Deal Sites?
Groupon is the market leader in the online voucher space, attracting more customers and bringing in
more revenue than its closest competitor, LivingSocial. The research �rm ForeSee (2012) analyzed
survey responses from 10,000 online shoppers during the 2011 holiday season and found that in a
90-day period, more than twice as many daily deal subscribers purchased a voucher from Groupon
(50 percent) than from LivingSocial (25 percent). (See Figure 1.)
Research by Yipit, a company that aggregates daily deals from multiple companies on one website,
looked speci�cally at the online voucher market in Boston. Yipit found that in one representative month
(May 2011), Groupon generated revenue of $3.1 million in Boston, while LivingSocial generated only
$745,000 (Raice & Woo, 2011).
These two studies suggest that if Cali’s does offer a discount voucher deal, Groupon is a good business
partner to choose.
Figure 1: Percentage of Surveyed Subscribers Purchasing Deals from Special-Offer Websites during a
90-day Period in the 2011 Holiday Season. Data source: ForeSee, 2012.
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Groupon
More than twice as many subscribers purchased daily
deals from Groupon than from LivingSocial
Percent of
subscribers
purchasing
daily deals
LivingSocial Woot Another
special-offer
website
I have not
purcahsed
any offers
50%
25%
8% 8%
37%
Introduce all figures,
and direct the reader to
look for speci�c informa-
tion in the �gure.
Add captions to
figures to explain the
data and to cite sources.
Include all sources in
the reference list.
Cite tables and graphs
correctly. If you copy a
table or graph from a
source, use the label
“source” in your caption.
If you create an original
table or graph yourself,
using data you found in
a source, use the label
“data source” to
indicate that the original
source provided the data
but not the table or
graph. If you display
data you generated
through primary
research, no source
citation is needed.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
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Benefits and Risks of Offering a Groupon
Businesses and researchers have identi�ed bene�ts and risks of using Groupon as a marketing
tool. Below is a summary of those bene�ts and risks as they apply to Cali’s.
Benefits of Offering a Groupon
Groupons will offer Cali’s several bene�ts:
• Guaranteed customers during the opening month. When customers purchase a Groupon, they
make a commitment to visit the business that is offering the deal (Salmon, 2011). These customers
have an incentive to redeem the Groupon quickly because the discount provided by the Groupon
ultimately expires. Therefore, the number of customers Cali will see from the Groupon depends on
how many Groupons are sold and how quickly customers redeem them.
An analysis of Groupon sales for six frozen yogurt stores in June 2011 suggests that Cali’s can expect
to sell between 150 and 700 Groupons, with most of the sales taking place the �rst day the deal is
offered (see Table 1).
Table 1 – Sales of Groupons by Six Frozen Yogurt Businesses in June 2011
Cali’s can expect its customers to begin redeeming their Groupons immediately. Dholakia and
Tsabar’s (2011) research on Groupon redemption patterns suggests that approximately 30 percent
of Cali’s Groupons (between 45 and 210) will be redeemed within the �rst few weeks. Another,
larger spike of Groupons will be redeemed near the discount expiration date. Assuming that Cali’s
sets a short expiration period of four weeks, the Groupon will guarantee customers during the
opening month.
Data source: “Groupon Analytics,” 2011.
4
Businesses’ Groupon Daily Deal
Groupons Sold per
Day of Deal
Total Groupons
Sold
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
$5 for $10 — Yo-Way Yogurt and Crepes 480 117 78 675
$5 for $10 — Frozen Treats at Sno Biz. 515 105 51 671
$10 for $20 — Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream & Treatery 358 74 0 432
$10 for $20 — Fruit Shack Smoothies & Yogurt 328 87 0 415
$5 for $10 — The Cordial Cherry 208 88 0 296
$4 for $8 — Project: Yogurt 126 25 13 164
Begin new sections of
a report at the top of a
new page.
Introduce all tables and
direct the reader to look
for speci�c information
in the tables.
Provide a citation of the
data source in a caption
below the table to direct
the reader to the source
in the reference list.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
(continued)
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• Guaranteed exposure, even to customers who do not purchase the deal. People who read the
daily deal email and click on the link will learn a good deal about Cali’s, even if they choose not to
purchase the deal. A business’s daily deal webpage on Groupon includes a map of the business’s
location, the business’s contact information, a link to its website, and an explanation of its products
or services. As Salmon (2011) indicated, this kind of information would be difficult and expensive to
broadcast via traditional advertising methods.
• Additional social network and word-of-mouth advertising. A promotion through Groupon leads to
additional, free social network and word-of-mouth advertising. Purchasers are motivated to tweet
about the deals they purchase and promote them on Facebook both to inform their friends and to
ensure that the deal is not canceled (“Groupon Anxiety,” 2011). In addition, as Salmon (2011)
explained, when customers purchase Groupons, the business remains “in the back of their minds”
all the time (para. 9). As a result, when a friend asks for a recommendation, Groupon purchasers are
likely to mention the business, even if they have not yet redeemed the coupon. Businesses benefit
from this word-of-mouth advertising.
• Minimal negative impact on cash flow. Rice University marketing professor Utpal M. Dholakia and
his co-author Gur Tsabar (2011) argued that, compared to traditional advertising, Groupon daily deals
are “more cost-effective and cash-flow friendly for businesses” (p. 2). Moreover, Groupon deals do
not require “any financial investment when running the promotion except for maintaining inventory to
fill orders” (p. 14). As a small business, Cali’s does not have a large budget for marketing and
advertising. Advertising in a newspaper or on the radio will cost hundreds or even thousands of
dollars, without any certainty of motivating customers. By contrast, Groupon guarantees customers
and requires no initial investment that will negatively impact cash flow.
Risks of Offering a Groupon
Although Groupons offer many potential benefits, any business that offers a Groupon must be prepared
to face potential risks.
• The likely loss of profit, at least initially. Audrianne Doucet, owner of Project: Yogurt in Bryan,
Texas, and Jon Lurie, owner of Fruit Shack Smoothies and Yogurt in Oro Valley, Arizona, both
confirmed an initial loss of revenue on their businesses’ Groupon promotions. Lurie stated that
“Groupon doesn’t necessarily increase your revenue; in fact, it gives you a big revenue dip because
you have to make a drastic loss-leader discount offer in order to make your daily deal attractive. And
then on top of that, you have to split the money with Groupon” (personal communication, March
15, 2012). Doucet claimed that “not only did we lose profit on individual sales, but we lost money on
the fact that some of those customers would have bought yogurt at full price.” However, Doucet
acknowledged that losing money “would have happened with any coupon or any advertisement that
I had sent out or special I did. I would have had full-price paying customers who found the coupons
and used them” (personal communication, March 14, 2012).
5
Highlight the main points of
bulleted content by starting with
bolded phrases or sentences to
guide the reader through the
report.
Organize the detailed discussion
in a way that clearly conveys the
information.
Use bullets when your discussion
is organized as a list.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
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• The risk of attracting one-time-only customers. Groupon analysts Dholakia and Tsabar (2011) warn
that Groupons may bring in “price-sensitive deal-seekers” who do not intend to make any future
purchases from the business at full cost (p. 3). Sweta Patel (2011), the CEO/Marketing Strategist of
Social Media Eatery, a group that focuses on helping businesses reach their objectives through social
media venues, agrees:
Groupon is great to bring in new people to your business. However, it seems like they just use
the coupon at your venue then run to the next best deal. This is really not a great deal for
businesses because they do not gain loyal customers, they just gain the votes of people who like
great deals. (para. 1)
As retail expert Bob Phibbs (2011) explained, because Groupon is the one directly offering
customers the discount voucher, the customer’s loyalty is to Groupon rather than the business itself.
• Potential devaluation of the product. In his book Groupon: You Can’t Afford It—Why Deep
Discounts Are Bad for Business and What to Do Instead, Phibbs (2011) argued that Groupon is bad
for business because the deep discounts devalue the product or service in the eyes of the customer.
Once the deal is over, customers will try to �nd that same discount again and hesitate before buying
it at the full undiscounted price. Therefore, perpetual discounts are necessary to ensure those same
customers return. Ultimately, “you either lose the customer because they don’t want to pay more
than their discounted price, or you lose the customer because they don’t value the product you’re
selling them anymore” (Phibbs, 2011, “Economics 101,” para. 10).
• The risk of alienating customers through bad service. For a Groupon promotion to succeed, a
business must be prepared to offer excellent service (Dholakia, 2011b). Phibbs (2011) highlighted
the example of a restaurant in Tokyo that offered a Groupon and unexpectedly had over 500
customers attempt to redeem the voucher on New Year’s Eve. The restaurant was understaffed
and undersupplied, and the disappointed customers were unlikely to return.
6
When citing direct
quotations, provide
suf�cient information to
allow the audience to
�nd the quotation in the
original source, as
illustrated below.
When citing a PDF
document include a page
number.
When citing a web
source, include the
paragraph number.
When citing an e-book
with no page
numbers, include the
chapter name and
paragraph number.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
(continued)
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Despite the risks, offering a Groupon is a good marketing decision for Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt. As
a new and unknown business, Cali’s stands to benefit more from a Groupon than an established business
would. In fact, according to the analysis of economists Edelman, Jaffe, and Kominers (2011), “vouchers
are always profitable for ‘sufficiently unknown’ firms” (p. 7). In addition, owners of other frozen yogurt
businesses confirm the exposure value of a Groupon. Jon Lurie of Fruit Shack Smoothies & Yogurt found
that Groupon is certainly “a way to get the word out quickly about your business” (personal
communication, March 15, 2012). Similarly, Audrianne Doucet of Project: Yogurt asserted that it “is one
of the cheapest and easiest ways to send a widespread message” (personal communication, March 14,
2012).
To take advantage of Groupon’s benefits while minimizing the risks, Cali’s must implement the Groupon
promotion strategically, following these recommended steps:
1. Offer a limited number of Groupons. Research shows that businesses offering a limited number of
Groupons tend to sell more deals overall (Dholakia, 2011a). This limit magnifies the incentive for
buyers to act quickly before the deal sells out.
2. Offer a short redemption period. No benefit is gained from offering a long redemption period.
According to research, long redemption periods do not increase the number of Groupons sold
(Dholakia, 2011a). Moreover, distant expiration dates encourage customers to wait to use their
Groupons (Dholakia, 2011a). By contrast, a shorter redemption period will motivate customers to
come in sooner, increasing the likelihood that they will become repeat customers early in the
summer season.
3. Limit the number of Groupons per person. The mathematical analysis of Edelman et al. (2011)
suggests that allowing one Groupon per customer is profitable, and allowing multiple Groupons is
not. However, because Cali’s goal is to introduce the store to as many new customers as possible,
Cali’s should consider following the common Groupon practice of allowing customers to purchase
additional Groupons as gifts.
4. Offer a deal that is low risk to purchase. An analysis by Paul Butler in the Harvard Business Review
shows that low-priced deals generate the most revenue on Groupon (“Deconstructing,” 2011). The
deal should be enticing enough that customers will purchase it yet moderate enough that customers
will spend more than the value of the Groupon at the store (Salmon, 2011). As Table 1 showed,
yogurt stores typically offer Groupons in two denominations: $4 for $8 worth of frozen yogurt and
$5 for $10 worth of frozen yogurt. Cali’s should adopt one of these pricing schemes.
5. Be sure a sufficient number of trained staff are available during the promotion to make a good
first impression. Dholakia (2011b) argued that well-trained employees with a positive attitude are
critical to the success of a Groupon. Chait (2010) recommended that restaurants double the number
of staff during a Groupon promotion, station a greeter near the entrance, and distribute appetizers
7
Recommendation: Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt Should Offer a Groupon
Number recommendations
for easy reference. This way,
if someone refers to
“recommendation 3” in a
discussion about the report,
the specific information will
be easy to find.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
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6. Conduct in-store research on the impact of the Groupon. As Edelman et al. (2011) suggest, Cali’s
should conduct its own in-store research to determine the effectiveness of the Groupon. Staff
stationed behind the counter can be directed to note whether Groupon customers (1) put money
in the general employee tip jar, (2) spend over the value of the Groupon, and (3) agree to join Cali’s
email list. In addition, staff can quickly ask customers at checkout whether they have previously
visited the store. To simplify this data gathering, employees can mark responses on a printed
checklist next to the register or on the printed Groupon that customers present at checkout.
A Groupon promotion is ideal to support the opening of a new business like Cali’s, which has an
excellent product, no current customers, and very little money to spend on advertising. Although
the store may lose money during the promotion, the widespread exposure and the opportunity to win
loyal customers should ultimately make the Groupon promotion a success.
8
if the wait is long. Following the spirit of this advice, Cali’s should ensure that employees are trained
and prepared for a potentially large influx of customers during the Groupon promotion. A greeter
can welcome customers at the door and explain how the store works. If the line grows long, the
greeter may offer samples to waiting customers.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
(continued)
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References
Chait, E. (2010, October 6). 5 Tactics to make an unpro�table Groupon campaign successful [Blog post].
Copilot. Retrieved from http://blog.launchcopilot.com/2010/10/06/5-tips-to-make-groupon-work/
Deconstructing the Groupon phenomenon. (2011). Harvard Business Review, 89(7/8), 32–33.
Dholakia, U. M. (2011a). What makes Groupon promotions pro�table for businesses? Retrieved from
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1790414
Dholakia, U. M. (2011b). Why employees can wreck promotional offers. Harvard Business
Review, 89(1/2), 28.
Dholakia, U. M., & Tsabar, G. (2011). A startup’s experience with running a Groupon promotion.
Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1828003
Dyson, E. (2011, March 23). The Groupon paradox. Slate. Retrieved from
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/project_syndicate/2011/03/the_groupon_paradox.html
Edelman, B., Jaffe, S., & Kominers, S. D. (2011, June 16). To Groupon or not to Groupon: The pro�tability
of deep discounts. Harvard Business School Working Papers. Retrieved from
http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/11-063
ForeSee. (2012, March 12). Daily deal websites and emails bring in new and existing customers for
retailers. [White paper]. Retrieved from http://www.foreseeresults.com/research-white-
papers/_downloads/daily-deal-commentary-2012-foresee
Groupon analytics. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.grouponanalytics.com/deal/project-yogurt-1
Groupon anxiety. (2011, March 17). The Economist. Retrieved from
http://www.economist.com/node/18388904
Groupon FAQ. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.groupon.com/faq
Groupon works. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.grouponworks.com/
Patel, S. (2011, May 8). Re: Grouponomics [Blog post in response to article “Grouponomics” by F.
Salmon]. Retrieved from http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
Phibbs, B. (2011, April 25). Groupon: You can’t afford it—Why deep discounts are bad for business and
what to do instead [Kindle Edition]. Beyond the Page Publishing. Retrieved from
http://amazon.com
Raice, S., & Woo, S. (2011, July 8). Groupon’s Boston problem: Copycats. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved
from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303763404576420090000910026.html
Roeder, D. (2011, November 5). Groupon’s test comes in its follow-through. Chicago Sun Times.
Retrieved from http://www.suntimes.com/business/8621002-420/groupons-test-comes-in-its-
follow-through.html
Salmon, F. (2011, May 4). Grouponomics. Reuters. Retrieved from http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-
salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
9
Begin the References or
Works Cited list on its own
page, immediately after the
detailed discussion (body) of the
report.
Include all secondary and
tertiary sources that are cited
in the report. In MLA Works
Cited lists, also include entries
for interviews and personal
correspondence.
For a References list prepared in
APA style, follow these rules:
• List sources alphabetically
by name (or title when there
is no author).
• Place publication date
immediately after the author
(or title when there
is no author).
• In source titles, capitalize
only the �rst words and
proper nouns.
• In journal titles, capitalize
each word in the title.
• For web-based resources,
include a “retrieved from”
URL.
• For resources that are not
web-based, end the entry
with a period. Do not use
periods at the end of web
addresses.
For additional details about
APA and MLA documentation,
see Appendix B: Documenta-
tion and Reference Styles.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
External reports
Reports that are written for a broader external audience tend to use more design features to
motivate the audience to read the report. For example, many organizations produce reports
called white papers, which serve as marketing or sales tools. A white paper is a report in-
tended to educate the audience—often potential customers—on a topic that is central to a
company’s business. Companies publish white papers to build credibility, to establish them-
selves as experts on a topic, and often to interest the audience in the company’s products or
services. Because no one is required to read a white paper, the document must entice the
white paper A report published by
a company and intended to educate the
audience—often potential customers—on
a topic that is central to the company’s
business.
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http://blog.launchcopilot.com/2010/10/06/5-tips-to-make-groupon-work/
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1790414
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1828003
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/project_syndicate/2011/03/the_groupon_paradox.html
http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/11-063
http://www.foreseeresults.com/research-white-papers/_downloads/daily-deal-commentary-2012-foresee
http://www.foreseeresults.com/research-white-papers/_downloads/daily-deal-commentary-2012-foresee
http://www.grouponanalytics.com/deal/project-yogurt-1
http://www.economist.com/node/18388904
http://www.groupon.com/faq
http://www.grouponworks.com/
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
http://amazon.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303763404576420090000910026.html
http://www.suntimes.com/business/8621002-420/groupons-test-comes-in-its-follow-through.html
http://www.suntimes.com/business/8621002-420/groupons-test-comes-in-its-follow-through.html
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
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audience by the quality of both the content and the visual design. Figure 10.11 (pages 358–359)
and Figure 10.12 (pages 360–361) are excerpts from two white papers. Figure 10.11 was written
and published by the market research firm ForeSee. The company conducts research for its
clients as well as its own independent research, which it presents in white papers. This white
paper, on daily deal websites, was one of the sources cited in the Groupon report in Figure
10.10. Figure 10.12 is a white paper produced by LinkedIn. The annotations in both of these
figures identify some of the key design and formatting features.
Appendix
Contact Information for Business Owners Interviewed
Name: Audrianne Doucet
Business: Project: Yogurt
Location: Bryan, Texas
URL: projectyogurt.com
Email: info@projectyogurt.com
Name: Jon Lurie
Business: Fruit Shack Smoothies and Yogurt
Location: Oro Valley, Arizona
URL: www.fruitshacksmoothies.com
Email: fruitshacksmoothies@gmail.com
10
Information such as contact
information for interviewees
belongs in the appendix rather
than the body of the report for
two reasons:
1. The audience does not
need the information
while they read the
report.
2. The information is so
detailed that it would
interrupt the report’s
�ow if it appeared in
the detailed discussion
section.
Use appendices for informa-
tion that readers might find
useful but that would clutter
the report (for example, raw
data, calculations, large tables,
and large graphics).
Begin each appendix on its
own page, starting immedi-
ately after the reference list.
For multiple appendices, give
each its own appendix
heading, labeled sequentially
with a letter (for example,
Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.)
Under each appendix
heading, give the appendix
a context-specific name.
FIGURE 10.10 (Continued)
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mailto:info@projectyogurt.com
http://www.fruitshacksmoothies.com
mailto:fruitshacksmoothies@gmail.com
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FIGURE 10.11 Example of a White Paper Using a One-Column Format
The title page includes name of report,
date, authors’ names, company logo,
and copyright date. It also includes a
relevant graphic and introduces the
report’s color scheme.
Page 2 is a visual executive summary that
includes the key findings of the report.
Note the design of the header, footer,
and page numbers, which continue
through the report.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ANALYTICS foresee.com
“Daily Deal Websites and Emails Bring in New and Existing Customers For Retailers” by Larry Freed and Rhonda Berg, from www.ForeSee.com. Copyright © 2012 by ForeSee.
Reprinted with permission.
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How should you structure longer, formal reports for print and online distribution? 359
Within the body of the report, pages
include blank space to help readers
focus on the content.
Tables are designed consistently
with no vertical grid lines.
Key points are highlighted.
In this example, they are
highlighted with blue text.
The final page of the report
includes information about the
authors and the company.
Again, key points are
highlighted with blue text.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ANALYTICS
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE ANALYTICS
foresee.com
FIGURE 10.11 (Continued)
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FIGURE 10.12 Example of a White Paper Using a Two-Column Format
The report uses a two-column design. On the
first page, the executive summary is in the
narrower, left column. Key findings are on the right.
This report does not have a separate title page.
The top of the first page provides identifying
information.
The report uses a simple color scheme,
with headings and graphics in a
contrasting color.
On this page, the narrow column is used
for figures and definitions.
“The Job-Seeking Status of the Fully-Employed” by Lou Adler, from LinkedIn Recruiting Solutions, December, 2010. Copyright © 2010 by the Lou Adler Group. Reprinted with permission.
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How should you structure longer, formal reports for print and online distribution? 361
A wide �gure spans both columns.
Figures also appear in the wider
column.
The last page provides supporting
information: methodology, author
biography, company description,
and copyright information.
FIGURE 10.12 (Continued)
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TECHNOLOGY
HOW TO USE SOFTWARE FEATURES TO HELP FORMAT FORMAL REPORTS
Microsoft Word and other word processing programs offer pow-
erful features that help you format formal reports. The following
features will save you time and improve the professional look of
your work. To learn about other features, use your program’s help
files.
• Automated styles. Word has a number of different text
styles that control fonts, sizes, colors, and placement on
the page. You can use one style for normal paragraphs,
another for headings, a third for quotations, and a fourth
for captions. Using styles rather than manually formatting
paragraphs offers an important advantage: If you mark
text as a specific style and then decide to change that style,
the change occurs to all the marked text throughout the
document.
• Automated headings. Word offers a set of styles called Head-
ing 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3. You can customize those
styles with any font and size. If you use these heading styles
in your report, you can take advantage of Word’s automated
table of contents feature.
• Automated table of contents. Many word processing ap-
plications offer an easy process to design and insert a table
of contents. When you select “Insert Table of Contents” in
Word, the program finds all of the headings that you have
created using the automated heading styles and copies them
into a preformatted table of contents, along with their as-
sociated page numbers. As you modify your report, you can
continue to update your table of contents to reflect changes in
headings and page numbers.
• Formatted tab styles, including dot leaders. Many tables
of contents include dots, called dot leaders, to connect the
headings to their page numbers. Word allows you to insert
those dot leaders automatically by formatting your tab
style, regardless of whether you use an automated table of
contents.
• Automated page numbering, using both Roman and
Arabic numerals. You can control the placement of page
numbers in your document by inserting headers or footers.
You can further control page numbers by using Word’s “In-
sert Section Break” feature and formatting the page numbers
differently for each section. For example, you can create a
title page with no page number. Then insert a section break
and use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, and so on) for the
page numbering on the table of contents page and executive
summary. Insert another section break and begin the num-
bering again with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, and so on), with
the introduction counting as page 1, even though sequen-
tially it is not the first page of the file.
• Automated footnotes, endnotes, citations, bibliographies.
Most word processing applications allow you to insert and
number footnotes, endnotes, and citations automatically.
As you add, remove, or cut and paste text in your draft, your
note numbers automatically change to reflect their new
position.
• Automated labeling of figures and tables. You can auto-
matically number and label figures and tables using Word’s
“Insert Caption” command. As you move the figures and
tables in your draft, you can instruct Word to update the
figure and table numbers.
For a TECHNOLOGY exercise, go to Exercise 12 on page 387.
Organizations that want to make their reports even more visually appealing may choose
to summarize and illustrate their data in the form of an infographic, a stand-alone visual
display that typically combines multiple representations of data to provide a complete pic-
ture. Figure 10.13 on page 363 illustrates an infographic that summarizes the key findings in
an industry report.9
Choose the best electronic format for online distribution
Internal reports are typically emailed to recipients. You can distribute the report as a native
file—a file in its original program, such as Word—or as a PDF (Portable Document Format).
Deciding on the best electronic format for external reports is more complicated. The white
papers in Figures 10.11 and 10.12 were both prepared as PDF files and distributed through
the companies’ websites. As an alternative, the companies could have published the reports as
web pages. PDFs are by far the most common format for distributing reports electronically for
three important reasons:
1. Documents are often easier to design than web pages.
2. Documents can be printed and stored on the audience’s computer. They are durable and do not
disappear when a web address changes.
3. Audiences can be required to submit contact information before downloading a PDF
document, allowing the company to track people interested in the information and to market
additional content and services to them.
infographic A representation of data or
information in visual form. An infographic
is a stand-alone visual display that typically
combines multiple representations of data to
provide a complete picture.
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How should you structure longer, formal reports for print and online distribution? 363
In addition, if you have the right tools, such as Adobe Acrobat Pro or InDesign, you can even
add a video to a PDF report.10
By contrast, web-based reports offer different advantages:
1. Readers can browse through sections of a report without taking time to download it.
2. Web-based reports can be more interactive, with links to multimedia content and animated
data displays.
3. Reports can be updated frequently, without republishing the PDF.
Many companies publish their annual reports in both PDF and web formats. As Figure 10.14
(page 364) illustrates, a well-designed web-based report will include all its navigation features
on the first screen so audiences will know the report’s contents and will be able to go to any
section within a few clicks.
FIGURE 10.13 An Infographic Summarizing Key Report Findings
Courtesy of Accenture
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FIGURE 10.14 Two Pages of Mayo Clinic Interactive Annual Report
Navigation tools span the top
of the screen, which serve as
a table of contents.
The middle of the screen offers an
interactive feature: clicking on
a picture reveals a quotation
and a link to a story.
The bottom half of the screen
provides links to three
sections of the report.
The left column of every page includes
three interactive features: make a
donation, make an appointment, and
provide your feedback.
Each main section of the report begins
with an overview page, with navigation
links to additional content within the
section. Links are listed in the left column
and integrated into the main narrative
of the report.
“Two Pages of Mayo Clinic 2011 Interactive Annual Report Figures from mayoclinic.org. Copyright © 2011–2012. Reprinted with permission.
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What guidelines should you follow for writing report decks? 365
When Josh Leibowitz, an executive with Carnival Cruise Corporation, first joined the com-
pany, he was surprised to find that PowerPoint is “the tool of choice for sharing management
updates and plans.”11 In fact, many organizations use presentation software such as Power-
Point to write reports.12 These PowerPoint-based reports, called report decks, differ from
traditional slide presentations because decks are designed to be read as well as presented;
therefore, they must be understandable without a presenter. Often, the writer sends the report
deck as an email attachment, and the audience reads the report deck onscreen one slide at a
time. Sometimes, the writer prints the report deck as a handout for participants at a meeting.
Meeting attendees go through the deck slide by slide to discuss the key points. The slides may
or may not also be projected. The hybrid status of a report deck—partly report and partly
presentation—explains why slides in report decks contain more detail than slides in tradi-
tional presentations.
Writing a report using presentation software requires a new way of thinking about how
to structure a report and how to design individual slides. To be successful, use the following
guidelines.
Understand why and when to use report decks
Organizations use report decks for three main reasons:
• First, when you need a written report and plan to present that report at a meeting, a re-
port deck can serve both functions. Producing one document instead of two saves time and
money.
• Second, producing that document in presentation software such as PowerPoint increases the
chances that people will read the document, and it also facilitates discussion. As Eric Paley,
the founder of a venture capital company, says, “Quick to read and easy to edit collaboratively,
slide decks are the most concise way to express an idea for discussion and decision making.
Prose is great for one-way conversations, but it falls short for any type of engagement in a
group.”13
• Finally, compared to word processing software, presentation software gives writers a great deal
of control in designing a page. It more easily allows you to place pictures, tables, and graphs in
precise locations, page after page.14
Report decks can be used for any type of report. Many consulting companies and business
strategy organizations use decks to report the results of analyses to their clients. Other orga-
nizations prepare progress reports as decks that managers or team leaders present at monthly
department meetings. Many science-based organizations use decks to report the results of
technical investigations because presentation software easily allows them to include photo-
graphs and diagrams.
Design the deck effectively
Just like traditional word-processed reports, a report written in presentation software needs to
be well designed. To ensure consistency among all the slides in your report deck, establish your
design features on a master slide. Formats on the master slide will be applied to all the slides
in your presentation, which will save you time and effort. Figure 10.15 on page 366 illustrates
effective master slide design principles.
Design the deck content to be easy to follow
Because a reader should be able to follow the logic of a report deck without the benefit of a
presenter’s explanations, the deck needs to be easy to read. Like any other report, a good deck
SQ4 What guidelines should you follow for writing report decks?
New Hires @ Work
Alicia Carroll
Northwestern University
Social Media Supervisor @
Resolution Media
When a client requests infor-
mation, we often provide it in
a deck. A deck provides more
room to be creative
about how to present
data—with images,
tables, and charts—
as opposed to a
Word document
that is mostly para-
graphs and bullet
points.
Photo courtesy of Alicia Carroll
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FIGURE 10.15 How to Format a Master Slide
Use a basic solid
background.
Background graphics or
dramatic shading effects
will compete with your
text and graphics for the
reader’s attention.
Size your title box to
accommodate two-line
headlines, using a font
that is approximately
22 to 24 points. This
format will allow you to �t
sentence-style headlines
at the top of your slides.
Size your text to be read
comfortably on a computer
screen or projected in a
small conference room.
Leave space for a tracker
on the upper-left or upper-
right corner of your slides.
Trackers, or road signs,
indicate the section of the
deck, like a header on a
word-processed report.
Include a footer at the
bottom of each slide. The
footer contains the slide
number, the name of the
project, and a copyright
marking.
Check to see how your master
slide looks when printed in
black and white. Make sure its
content is still legible to those
who do not read it onscreen.
is divided into sections and begins with a preview. Some decks include executive summaries.
All decks include an “agenda” or contents slide that serves as a table of contents. This slide
differs from a traditional table of contents in that it usually does not list the “page” numbers
of sections of the report. However, if your deck is long, you may choose to help your reader
by adding slide numbers. To remind your reader of the current section name while reading
the report, place section titles in trackers (sometimes called road signs) at the upper-right or
upper-left corner of the slide.
Individual slides also need to be easy to follow. Figure 10.16 shows how to revise a tradi-
tional bullet-point list into a more effective report deck slide. Although this slide uses more
text than you would include in a traditional projected presentation, the text will be easy for
someone to read on a computer screen or in a printout, which is how a report deck is typically
distributed and read.
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What guidelines should you follow for writing report decks? 367
FIGURE 10.16 How to Design an Effective Report Slide
•
–
–
–
•
–
–
•
–
–
–
•
–
–
LMS Vendor Recommendation .© 2011 Ipswich Brands – 2 –
An LMS integrates performance management, reporting, content
creation, and real-time solutions
Performance
Management
• Offers discussion forums for learners to post materials
and hold Q&A sessions with experts and instructors
• Builds an archive of FAQs & discussion threads
Advanced Reporting
Capabilities
Content Creation and
Management
Real-Time Solutions
• Organizes learning curriculum by track and by
department
• Creates course catalogs
• Links courses to existing Ipswich core competencies
• Integrates face-to-face training and online learning
modules
• Integrates in-house training with third-party vendor
offerings
• Allows managers to track compliance, test competencies,
and track usage
• Runs reports by of�ce, by track, or for speci�c individuals
• Supports customized reports based on needs/gaps
Why an LMS
INEFFECTIVE
EFFECTIVE
Use a tracker in the upper-left
or upper-right corner.
Use short, sentence-style titles,
called headlines. Position them to the
left and use sentence case (note that you
do not need a period). Compose each
headline as if it were the topic sentence
of a paragraph.
Leave enough blank space
so that your audience can
focus their vision. It is
better to write a few
well-crafted, concise points
than to include whole
paragraphs on a slide.
Develop slide content to
support the headline. Be
sure that everything on the
slide relates to and supports
the headline. If you have too
much information for one
slide, then develop a second
slide on the topic.Whenever possible, use
visuals to develop ideas. Do
not rely only on words. Slides
are a visual medium, so commu-
nicate your message by using
graphics as well as words.
Avoid using bullets
for all your text. Slide
after slide of bullets can
make your audience
lose attention. Instead,
place text in tables or in
text boxes arranged to
show the relationship
between ideas.
Producing a report deck requires creating many slides, with each designed to support a
key point. Figure 10.17 on pages 368–369 illustrates such a report deck. As you read through
the report, pay attention to the annotations that identify its key features. Notice the sentence
headlines and the different ways the slide content supports the headlines. Also note that
this report does not include an executive summary, although some report decks do. Finally,
notice that this report uses an indirect organization, leading up to a recommendation of
potential vendors at the end. This organization allows the author to explain the rationale
and persuade readers with benefits before recommending specific vendors. More frequently,
reports use a direct organization, introducing the recommendations toward the beginning
of the report.
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368
FIGURE 10.17 How to Design a PowerPoint Report Deck
Include the name of the
company, title of the
report, author’s name, and
date, just as in the title
page of a formal report.
Preview the deck and
serve as a table of
contents. The agenda
does not typically
include slide numbers,
unless the report is
long.
At the top of each
slide, include a tracker
to signal where you
are in the agenda.
At the bottom
of each slide,
include the
copyright date,
slide number,
and document
or file name.
This deck is an analytical report written for the chief learning officer of Ipswich
Brands, evaluating options for a new learning management system.
TITLE SLIDE
AGENDA SLIDE
TRACKER
FOOTER
Use sentence-style
headlines that
state the key point
of each slide.
Make text easy to read.
Phrase bullets with parallel
construction.
When comparing multiple
options, use a concise
format, such as a table.
HEADLINES
FORMAT
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How do you integrate tables and graphs into reports? 369
Use an identical
format when providing
comparable information
on several slides.
Summarize
recommendations
and point to next
steps on a final
slide.
CONCLUSION
FIGURE 10.17 (Continued)
Business reports often rely on numbers, and data graphics—tables and graphs—are the best
tools for communicating these numbers. Have you ever read a complicated description of
information and then looked at a table or graph and thought, “Now I understand”? Well-
designed tables and graphs provide a picture of data and allow you to see relationships and
trends much more clearly than with text alone. However, creating effective data graphics and
integrating them into your text is not always easy. It involves a multistep process. This section
SQ5 How do you integrate tables and graphs into reports?
data graphics Visual representations of
data, in tables and graphs, that allow you
to see relationships and trends much more
clearly than in text alone.
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provides a quick glimpse of that process so that you can begin using graphics effectively in
your own documents.
Choose the best form of display: table or graph
Tables and graphs represent data in different ways. Tables arrange data in columns and
rows, allowing you to read down or across to see different relationships. Graphs illustrate
the relationship among variables or sets of data as an image or shape drawn in relationship
to two axes.
Because they represent data in different ways, tables and graphs have different uses.
Figure 10.18 illustrates the same data presented in text, graph, and table form. As you can see,
it is difficult to understand the significance of numbers that are embedded in the paragraph.
The table makes it very easy to find exact values. However, the table does not help you see
specific patterns and trends. Although the graph does not provide exact values, it highlights
trends and relationships by showing the data as a shape. You should choose the form of data
graphic that helps your audience most clearly see the important points you want to make
about the data.
Choose the best type of graph
If a graph is the best way to display your data, make sure to choose the type of graph that most
effectively communicates your message. Although many graph types are available, most business
documents rely on the core set of nine graph types illustrated in Figure 10.19, along with some varia-
tions.15 You can create all of these graphs with commonly available spreadsheet and graphing soft-
ware. For each type of graph, Figure 10.19 provides a statement of the purpose, an illustration, and
best practices for designing that type of graph. These best practices, which are explained in more
detail in the next section, will help you communicate meaningful information about your data.
Design graphs and tables to communicate
Whether you are designing graphs or tables, follow the core principle of Edward Tufte, one
of the most famous information designers in the world. Tufte recommends eliminating all
distractions that do not help the audience understand the data.16 For tables, this means elimi-
nating or minimizing all unnecessary gridlines and borders. For graphs, it means removing
anything that exists only for decoration. All the graphs illustrated in Figure 10.19 follow cur-
rent best practices in designing graphs.
New Hires @ Work
Darrell Coleman
Georgia Southern University
Data Analyst @ Georgia
Southern Career Services
To create effective graphs
and tables for my reports, I
need to simplify everything
and write good
data descrip-
tions so that
the graph
catches the
audience’s
attention and
speaks for
itself.
table A graphic that arranges content
in columns and rows, allowing you to
read down or across to see different
relationships.
graph A visual representation of data that
illustrates the relationship among variables,
usually in relationship to x- and y-axes.
FIGURE 10.18 Comparing Text, Tables, and Graphs
TEXT
In January, sales in our stores reached almost $2.9 million. Monthly store sales remained steady, ending at just over $3.0 million
in December. By contrast, monthly Internet sales tripled over the course of the year. In January, they were only $589,000, but Internet
sales climbed steadily thr oughout the year until they r eached a monthly level of more than $1.85 million in December.
TABLE GRAPH
20XX Monthly Sales in Stores vs Internet
2,875 3,012
1,852
589
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
$ Thousands
Store
Internet
20XX Monthly Sales in Stores vs Internet
($ Thousands)
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2,875
2,783
2,543
2,875
2,712
2,962
2,899
2,876
3,032
2,874
2,921
3,012
589
876
1,021
1,121
1,294
1,324
1,475
1,594
1,654
1,543
1,643
1,852
Store Internet
Table formats
make it easy
to compare
numbers and
find exact
values.
Graphs highlight
trends and
relationships by
showing data as
a shape.
When numbers
are embedded in
text, the
audience will
find it difficult
to make
comparisons or
see trends.
Photo courtesy of Darrell Coleman
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FIGURE 10.19 Guidelines for Selecting the Best Graph
PURPOSE BEST GRAPH TO USE BEST PRACTICES
Show how one item
(100%) divides into
multiple parts
• Limit to five or fewer
segments.
• Label each segment and pro-
vide percentage values.
• Put most significant segment
at the 12:00 position. If seg-
ments are equally significant,
arrange from smallest to
largest.
• Show emphasis with a darker
color or by “exploding” the
most significant segment.
Compare parts of
multiple items
• Use instead of multiple pie
charts.
• Put the most important item
at the bottom of the column
so that all its component parts
share the same baseline.
• Connect series with a line
to emphasize relationships
(optional).
Compare multiple
items according to a
single characteristic
• Add value labels on the bars
or at the ends of bars.
• Arrange from largest to small-
est if your purpose is to rank
items. Otherwise, arrange in
an order consistent with your
message.
• Use color to highlight bars you
want to emphasize or to group
categories of bars.
Show changes over
time for a relatively
small number
of discrete time
periods
• Add value labels at the top of
columns.
• Arrange chronologically to
show changes over time.
• Make the space between the
columns narrower than the
width of the columns.
• Use color or shading to em-
phasize one point in time
more than others.
Competitor A has smallest market share
Competitor A
10%
Competitor B
20%
Competitor C
30%
Competitor D
40%
Pie chart
Compared to cakes and bread, doughnuts bring in more revenue
and take less money and time to produce
50%
25% 20%
35%
30% 35%
15%
45% 45%
0%
100%
Revenue Production Cost Production Time
Cakes
Bread
Doughnuts
100% Column chart
Chocolate chip is our most popular cookie
$87.50
$116.20
$127.30
$184.50
$0.00 $200.0
Almond crescent
Lemon crisp
Peanut butter
Chocolate chip
Average daily sales
Horizontal bar chart
23%
20%
–15%
Return on equity declined in years 1–4 and was negative in year 5
28%
25%
–30%
0%
30%
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Column chart
(continued)
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PURPOSE BEST GRAPH TO USE BEST PRACTICES
Show changes over
time to emphasize
a trend
• Limit the number of lines if
the graph is difficult to read.
• Provide value labels wherever
possible. If too cluttered, label
only select data points.
• Label the lines instead of us-
ing a legend.
• Use a bright or dark color to em-
phasize the most important line.
• Use short labels on horizontal
axis. Avoid diagonal labels.
Show how data are
distributed in a se-
ries of ranges
• Generally, use groups (buckets)
of equal size, unless unequal
groups make better sense.
• Eliminate spaces between col-
umns to emphasize that data
are continuous.
• Label the x-axis (horizontal
axis) with range values.
• Avoid overlapping range labels
such as 0–5, 5–10, instead use
0–4.9, 5–9.9.
• If you put value labels at the top
of columns, eliminate gridlines.
Show the pattern
of distribution for a
continuous series
of data
• Do not include range labels on
the x-axis (horizontal axis). In-
stead, use discrete measure-
ment points.
• Use light gridlines to help a
reader interpret the values on
the y-axis (vertical axis).
• Use light gray vertical reference
lines to highlight a specific area
of the distribution. Alternatively,
shade the area under the rel-
evant part of the curve.
Compare variables
for a small data set
• Plot the independent variable
on the left, in a low-to-high
or high-to-low sequence. (If
variables correlate accord-
ing to the expected pattern,
the paired bars will be mirror
images.)
• Place labels on the inside
base of the bars, so that they
line up vertically.
Compare variables
for a large data set
• Plot the independent variable
on the x-axis (horizontal) and
the dependent variable on the
y-axis (vertical axis).
• Add a trend line. If variables
correlate, they will cluster
around that line.
Year to date, actual revenue is exceeding budgeted revenue
101
121
135
12
22
30
43
55
64
73
88
21
32
44
65
88 92
107
$0
$175
J F M A M J J A S O N D
$ million
160
Actual Revenue
Budgeted Revenue
Line chart
Most stock trades last week were executed between
$27.51 and $31.50 per share
215
325
275
250
205
0
350
<$27.50 $27.51–$29.50 $29.51–$31.50 $31.51–$33.50 >$33.51
Price per share
# trades
Histogram (step-column)
HISTOGRAPH (FREQUENCY POLYGON)
Most customer purchase orders are between
$40K and $60K
0
100
200
300
400
500
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Size of purchase order ($000)
# purchase orders
No relationship exists between a salesperson’s seniority and sales
4
8
12
13
21
29
$10.5
$14.8
$ 4.8
$ 6.5
$ 9.0
$19.0
30 20 10 0 10 2 30
Samuels
Jones
Wallace
Carter
Gillman
Baker
Name
Years on job Annual sales ($000)
Paired bar (tornado) chart
Height and weight of high school senior class
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85
Height (in.)
Weight (lb)
SCATTER PLOT
FIGURE 10.19 (Continued)
372
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FIGURE 10.20 How to Design an Effective Graph
2009 Monthly Sales in Stores vs Internet
2875 3012
1852
589
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Month
$ Thousands
Store
Internet
’09 Internet sales have more than tripled
20XX Monthly Sales in Stores vs Internet
2,875 3,012
1,852
589
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
Month
$ Thousands
Store
Internet
’12 Internet sales have more than tripled
X-axis
4. X-axis labels
3. X-axis title
10. Legend
11. Data marker
9. Gridlines
8. Annotation
2. Data object 1. Chart title
7. Value label
Y-axis
4.Y-axis labels
3.Y-axis title
6. Tick marks
5. Scale:
Y-axis is 0–3,500
X-axis is monthly
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1. Chart title: Give every graph a title, or headline, that sum-
marizes its data, purpose, and/or message. People who skim
a document should know exactly what the graph is about—
even without reading the surrounding text. Use the same
headline style for all the graphs in a report. If the graph is
plotting data from a specific time frame, it is good practice to
indicate the time period in the title (or in a footnote).
2. Data objects: Design data objects such as lines, columns,
bars, and points very simply. Keep lines thin. Avoid contrast-
ing borders around data objects. Avoid three-dimensional
effects, which make the data less precise and clutter the
image.
3. Axis titles: Use descriptive axis titles, to indicate what is be-
ing measured and the units of measurement (for example,
$ Thousands, Months, Widgets Sold). Be concise to avoid
crowding. Position all titles horizontally, even on the y-axis.
4. Axis labels: Use axis labels to identify the data points you
are measuring. Position labels horizontally, even on the
x-axis.
5. Scales: Begin numerical scales at zero. Starting the scale at
a higher number distorts the information.
6. Tick marks: Use tick marks only when helpful. These small
dashes on the x- and y-axes are sometimes helpful to align
the axis labels with data points.
7. Value labels: Place value labels on data points rather than
relying only on the y-axis scale. Value labels communicate
precise, not estimated, values. Use only enough labels to
allow readers to interpret the data. If you use value labels
on data points, you can also delete many of the numerical
labels on the y-axis. Minimum and maximum values are
often sufficient.
8. Annotations: Include descriptive annotations to highlight
key data changes or to focus on specific data points.
9. Gridlines: Use minimal gridlines. If you must use gridlines,
use light gray instead of black.
10. Legends: Avoid legends when possible. Consider using
labels instead, placing them as closely as possible to the
lines or bars. Legends require the audience to exert addi-
tional effort to match legend information to the data on the
graph. If you do need to use a legend, be sure distinctions
are visible when viewed both in color and in grayscale, and
eliminate borders around legend boxes.
11. Data markers: Use small, subtle data markers to identify
specific data points. In a line graph, data markers identify
the specific data points you are connecting. For example,
this graph covers one year but the lines are drawn from
only 12 data points (one for each month).
Use Figure 10.20 and the accompanying checklist for advice about designing graphs. The
numbers on the checklist correspond to the numbered elements on the figure. Like graphs,
tables should be designed so the audience can easily see the data without any distracting con-
tent or format. Follow the guidelines illustrated in the table in Figure 10.21 on page 374 for best
practices.
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FIGURE 10.21 How to Design an Effective Table
FUNDS INVESTED IN CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT
CD LENGTH DATE OPENED RENEWABLE INTEREST RATE %
VALUE OF
INVESTMENT
Six Month 06/01/20XX Y 1.15 $ 870.27
One Year 08/13/20XX Y 2.00 2,250.50
Three Year 11/01/20XX N 3.25 10,311.73
Five Year 03/03/20XX N 4.25 15,215.50
Total $ 28,648.00
Integrate data displays within the text
In a report or other document, text and data displays need to work together to communicate
the full message. The graph or table presents the data, and the text contextualizes and inter-
prets the data. Do not simply repeat data that is in the graph itself. Instead, use text to explain
what the audience is looking at and highlight the key point they should understand from the
data. Figure 10.22 illustrates how to integrate the verbal and visual elements of a document.
Follow the guidelines in the figure when you are presenting graphs, tables, and other visual
displays.
• Title each table concisely, describing the table’s content
and any key points you would like the audience to notice.
• Arrange the columns and rows in a meaningful order. This
table is ordered from shortest CD length to longest.
• Label columns and rows effectively so that readers will
know exactly what is in each cell.
• Eliminate heavy gridlines. You can separate columns and
rows using light gray lines or white space.
• Use shading strategically to highlight data or distinguish
alternate rows or columns. Notice how the last column here
emphasizes the current value and total.
• Align text to the left to make it easy to read.
• Align numbers to the right to keep decimal points and dig-
its aligned. Use a consistent number of decimal places in all
values in a column.
• Do not center content unless every row in that column
contains the same number of characters. In the “Date
Opened,” “Renewable,” and “Interest Rate %” columns
above, data is centered because the character lengths are
identical. However, if one interest rate were 10 percent or
larger, you would need to right align the numbers to make
the decimal points line up.
• Remove unnecessary repetition from cells. You do not
need to include a $ or % in all cells in a column. Put signs in
the appropriate column or row header (as shown in the “In-
terest Rate” column here) or with the first value (as shown
in the “Value of Investment” column).
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FIGURE 10.22 How to Integrate Graphics within Text
Figure 1: Cigarette smoking among students in grades 9–12 and adults age 18
and older in the United States 1999–2009
——————————–
1 CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2010). Tobacco use:
Targeting the nation’s leading killer—At a glance 2010. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/pdf/2010/tobacco_2010
2 CDC. (2010). Report of the Surgeon General: How tobacco smoke causes disease—What it means
to you. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2010/consumer_booklet/pdfs/consumer
3 National Center for Health Statistics. (2011). Health, United States, 2010: With special feature on
death and dying. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus10
In the United States today, cigarette smoking is the greatest preventable cause
of death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year 443,000
people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke. In addition,
more than 8 million people suffer from smoking-related illnesses.1 To tackle this
problem, it is crucial to prevent teenagers from beginning to smoke, since most current
smokers began as teenagers.2
Attempts to decrease teenage smoking in the last decade have largely been successful.
As Figure 1 shows, between 1999 and 2009, cigarette smoking decreased signi�cantly
among both male and female students, from 35 percent to 20 percent. However, most of
that decline took place in the �rst �ve years of the decade. Since 2004, little progress has
been made in lowering the percentage of students—or adults—that smoke. That is why it
is critical to rethink our approach to preventing tobacco use.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics (2011)3
1999
P
e
rc
e
n
t
Males Females
0
10
20
30
40
50
Grades 9–12
18–44 years
45–64
years
65 years and over
Grades 9–12
45–64 years
65 years and over
Year Year
2009 1999 2009
18–44 years
Label and number figures and tables
sequentially throughout the report.
You can either number �gures and tables
in their individual sequences (Figure 1,
Figure 2, Table 1, Table 2), or you can
combine tables and �gures into one list,
calling them Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 3.
Refer the audience to the graphic
within the text using the �gure or table
number.
Tell the audience what to notice in the
graphic. In a data graphic, what are the
important �ndings or trends? In a picture
or illustration, where should the audience
focus their attention? In a diagram, how
should the audience read the illustrated
relationships? Answer these questions in
the text that accompanies the graphic.
Place the graphic as close as possible
after the first reference. Do not place
graphics before the text mentions them
because this will confuse readers.
Provide source citations for your data
directly under the graph or as part of the
caption.
Design the graph to be
self-explanatory, even though you
have provided explanatory text.
Provide enough labeling on the graphic
and enough description in the �gure
name and caption so that readers can
understand what they are seeing without
reading the accompanying text. This
allows readers to scan the document and
derive a good deal of information by
looking only at the graphics.
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376
For an ETHICS exercise, go to Exercise 20 on page 388.
ETHICS
REPRESENTING DATA ETHICALLY
Businesses rely on data to make informed decisions. To support
those decisions, graphs must display data ethically and not mis-
lead the audience. Graphs can mislead in many ways. For example,
they can manipulate the scale, distort perspective, and show data
out of context. Even if graph designers do not intend to be dishon-
est, they may make design choices that result in bad graphs. As
Naomi Robbins, an expert in data visualization, says, “The design-
ers of many of the graphs we see daily pay more attention to grab-
bing the audience’s attention than to communicating clearly and
accurately. They choose design options that they think look better
but are actually graphical mistakes, since they mislead or confuse
their readers.”17
Because ethical representation of data is so important, many
organizations have developed guides to data ethics.18 The follow-
ing guidelines are among the most important to follow in business
communication. The graphs on the left are potentially misleading.
The versions on the right correct the errors.
1. Begin axis scales at zero.
2. Avoid pictograms and 3D graphs, which distort size. Make differences in the size of data objects proportional to
differences in the data.
Misleading graph: Presenting just two years of data gives the impression
that increasing the price of the product was a bad business decision.
Misleading graph: The percentages give the impression that most
employees prefer online training. However, the graph does not say how
many employees responded to the survey, so it is unclear whether most
employees prefer online or just a small subset.
More accurate graph: This graph puts the data in a larger context and it
provides absolute numbers. It tells the reader that very few employees
responded to the survey, but those who did respond favored online training.
More accurate graph: When the data is placed in a larger context, you
can see that the drop in revenue was temporary.
Misleading graph: Because the y-axis (vertical) begins at $1.50, the
distance between the Year 3 value and Year 4 value looks dispro-
portionately large. At �rst glance, the audience may assume
that earnings per share in Year 4 almost doubled compared to earnings
per share in Year 3.
More accurate graph: By starting the y-axis at $0.00, the graph more accurately
displays the actual difference between Year 3 and Year 4 earnings per share: 22%.
3. Show your data in context.
4. Provide the absolute number (“n”) when you graph percentages.
Misleading graph: The pictogram representing 2009 is twice as tall as the one
representing 1950—and is also twice as wide. That means, in square inches,
it is four times larger than the 1950 woman. The size difference between the
two objects is not proportional to the difference in data. At �rst glance, the
audience may assume the women in the workforce quadrupled.
More accurate graph: The 2009 bar is twice the height of the 1950 bar
and is the same width. It is exactly twice the size of the 1950 bar. The size
difference between the two bars is proportional to the difference in the data.
Year 1
$2.30
Earnings Per Share
$2.10
$1.90
$1.70
$1.50
Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 1
Earnings Per Share
$3.00
$2.00
$1.00
$0.00
Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
Womens in the U.S. Workforce
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Between 1950 and 2009, the number of women in the
U.S. workforce almost doubled
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
1950 2009
Womens in the U.S. Workforce
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Between 1950 and 2009, the number of women in the
U.S. workforce almost doubled
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
1950 2009
E-widget Revenue
5.0
Sales ($Million)
$4.3
$2.5
Revenue
plummeted in
2010 after 35%
price increase
4.0
3.0
2.0
2009 2010
E-widget Revenue
Sales ($Million)
$1.0
$3.2
$4.3
$2.5
$4.5
$5.3
4.0
5.0
6.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
60% of employees responding to the
survey prefer online training
Although survey response was low (200
employees), 60% of those who responded
prefer online training
Respondents who
prefer online training
Respondents who
prefer face-to-face
training
Respondents who
prefer online training
Respondents who prefer
face-to-face training
Employees who did not respond
Total number of employees: 1000
Total number of responses: 200
60% of employees who responded
40%
60%
800
80
120
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How should you document your research? 377
Documenting—or citing your sources—is a key part of all writing in academia and most pro-
fessional writing. Appropriate documentation serves many functions:
• It adds credibility to your writing. Many writers assume that they will seem smarter if they
make their ideas appear original. In fact, the opposite is true. Your writing will be more im-
pressive if it shows that you are well informed by having read relevant texts or talked to key
people.
• It strengthens your argument. Most report writing relies on up-to-date and accurate data.
By providing appropriate citations, you can give your audience confidence in the strength of
your data.
• It helps your audience locate information mentioned in your report. Your audience may
want to read more deeply into your topic. They will rely on your reference list to give them
direction.
• It helps demonstrate that you are ethical. If you acknowledge all your sources, no one will
accuse you of plagiarism, which is presenting others’ ideas as your own.
To ensure good documentation, use the advice that follows.
Determine what needs to be documented
You need to document—or give credit for—any information or opinion that you originally
found in another source. Specifically, you need to document the following content:
• Exact quotations. Quotations are any phrases, sentences, paragraphs—even single, distinctive
words—that you take from any of your sources. When you include a source’s exact wording in
your text, you need to enclose it in quotation marks. If it is a long quotation, indent and single
space the block of text without quotation marks. With both formats, you need to document
the original source. Depending on the documentation style you choose, you can use footnotes,
endnotes, or parenthetical citations—inserting in parentheses the author’s last name, year of
publication (when using APA style), and the page number of the quotation in the original
source.
If you find that more than 10 percent of your content consists of quotations, then you
are relying too heavily on your sources and not adding enough of your own analysis, critique,
or explanation. Most business reports contain very few direct quotations. More often, writers
choose to paraphrase or summarize the content. Reserve quotations for when you:
• want to present someone else’s point of view in that person’s own words
• cite an authority whose exact words are well phrased and powerful
• want to comment on what someone else has said
• need to be very precise and the exact wording allows you to do so
• Paraphrase. A paraphrase is a version of someone else’s original content but in your own
words. A good paraphrase will have a completely different sentence structure than the original,
not just a few replaced words. Cite paraphrased content with the author’s name and, when us-
ing APA style, the year of publication. Including a page number is required in some documen-
tation styles and just recommended in others.
• Summary. A summary is a very brief version of another person’s point of view. When you
summarize, you still need to acknowledge the source of those ideas by using a citation.
• Specific facts and data. You also need to cite every piece of information that is not common
knowledge or the result of your own primary research. This includes opinions, arguments, and
speculations as well as facts, details, figures, and statistics. Writers are often confused about
what is common knowledge. Simply put, common knowledge includes things that most people
know. For example, most people know that Paris is the capital of France. You would not need
to cite a source for that. By contrast, most people do not know that the population of Paris is
approximately 2.2 million people. For that data, you would need to cite the French National
Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.19 This citation adds credibility to your statement
and helps readers identify where to look for more information.
• Tables, graphs, photographs, and other graphics. If you copy a visual from another source
and place it in your document, you need to cite the source for that visual. You do this by in-
cluding the citation in your caption or directly under the visual, as illustrated in Figure 10.23 on
page 378, which uses the APA format for citing graphics.
SQ6 How should you document your research?
plagiarism Intentionally or unintention-
ally failing to acknowledge others’ ideas in
your work.
quotations Any phrases, sentences,
paragraphs—even single, distinctive
words—that you take from any of your
sources.
paraphrase A version of what someone
else says, but in your own words and with
your own emphasis.
summary A very brief version of someone
else’s text, using your own words.
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FIGURE 10.23 Example of an APA
Source Citation for a Graphic
0
5
10
15
2
0
S
co
re
June
Source: YouGovPolimetrix (2008). Understanding people: Case study: Toys ‘R’ Us.
http://cdn.yougov.com/downloads/corp.yougov.com/ToysRUs
July August
Mattel Recalls
1mm Toys
Mattel
Recalls
800 K
U.S. Toys
Toys ‘R’ Us
Recalls
Elite Ups
Toys for Lead
Over 4.2 Million
Aqua Dot Sets
Recalled
Quality
Mattel
Recalls
9mm
U.S. Toys
September October November Dec
Date
Toys ‘R’ Us
(06/11/2007 – 12/04/2007)
Impact of Mattel Toy Recalls on Consumer’s Perception of Product Quality at Toys ‘R’ Us
2
5
3
0
3
5
Copyright 2008 by Polimetrix.
Prepare the documentation
In a formal report, you must acknowledge sources in three ways: in-text citations, textual refer-
ences, and entries in a reference list or bibliography.
• Citations. Every time you use material from another source in your text, add a citation. Your
citation may be in the form of a footnote, endnote, or parenthetical citation inserted directly
after your reference. The form you use will depend on the requirements of your organization
or school. The three most common formats or styles of documentation are:
• APA (American Psychological Association), frequently used in social sciences and business
• MLA (Modern Language Association), commonly used in the humanities
• CMOS (Chicago Manual of Style), frequently used in business, history, and some social sciences.
For details about these styles, see Appendix B: Documentation and Reference Styles, at
the back of the book.
• Text references. Do not rely exclusively on citations to orient readers to your sources. Instead,
introduce cited material by explicitly referring to the source within your text:
According to the INSEE (2012), the population of Paris is 2.2 million.
or
The French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies reports that population of Paris
is 2.2 million (INSEE, 2012).
• Reference list or bibliography. Provide a list of sources at the end of every research report.
Each item in the list must include enough information for readers to find that document on
their own. APA, MLA, and CMOS each have different names for this list:
• APA titles the page References.
• MLA titles the page Works Cited.
• CMOS offers two options. If you are using footnotes or endnotes, title the page Bibliogra-
phy. If you are using parenthetical citations, title the page References.
In addition, each documentation style follows different rules about the kind of material to
include in the list and how to format that material. For details and examples, see Appendix B:
Documentation and Reference Styles at the back of the book.
Write the citations, text references, and reference list entries as you work on your report.
Do not wait to add them until after you’ve written your entire draft. Waiting to add citations
and to document information leads to two problems. First, you may omit required informa-
tion that will be hard to find later (and will waste time). Second, you may forget what you’ve
quoted and unintentionally plagiarize material.
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Case scenario 379
◾ In summary, no matter where you work, you are likely to be asked to
provide information or analysis that answers business questions. That means you will write
reports, either as emails, memos, letters, formal manuscripts, report decks, or web pages.
You can increase the effectiveness of your reports by using an objective style, formatting the
information so it is easy to find, creating graphics that help the audience visualize the data and
other complex material, and documenting your sources. The guidelines in this chapter help
you manage all this material and present it in ways that will be clear to your audience, whether
they read the report now or in the future.
This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
When Jeff Ellis graduated with a degree in civil engineering, he pic-
tured himself designing buildings and bridges and managing construc-
tion teams. He never imagined himself behind a computer writing
reports.
However, that is exactly where Jeff finds himself today. He has just
finished his first major project at Schuyler Engineering, an environ-
mental assessment of a plot of land on which a client wants to build an
office park. Emily, the senior engineer on the project, has asked Jeff to
write the client report. When Jeff asked Emily if she could give him a
model to follow, Emily pointed to the file cabinet and said, “Sure, you’ll
find lots of reports in there.”
Jeff did find a lot of reports: long ones, short ones, letter reports,
and very formal reports. The diversity confused him and left him ask-
ing, “What is the best approach to take?” Jeff is glad he saved his busi-
ness communication text from college. That may give him some better
ideas for how to structure a professional report.
Writing a Report Introduction
Jeff begins writing his report with the first step of the ACE process:
analyzing to determine the purpose, audience, and medium. His au-
dience, the CEO of Halvorson Properties, wants to know whether it
is safe to build an office park on the property he owns. Because this
decision has significant financial and environmental effects, Jeff de-
cides to write a formal letter report that clearly communicates the
message that the property is safe. His research indicated that it has not
been affected by hazardous waste or contaminated groundwater. He
will provide enough details about his methodology and findings to give
Mr. Halvorson confidence in this assessment.
With those decisions in mind, Jeff sits down to write the report’s
introduction. After writing his first paragraph, he emails it to Emily,
who revises it.
Question 1: Compare Jeff’s draft of the introduction with Emily’s
revision. What key differences do you notice between the two
openings? Which opening would you choose?
CASE SCENARIO
Reporting Results to a Client
Jeff’s First Draft
Dear Mr. Halvorson:
At your request, we have conducted an investigation
of the site defined by the attached survey map for the
purposes of rendering an opinion as to whether the
site contains hazardous waste or is being impacted by
contaminated groundwater. Our investigations consisted
of making soil borings and visual observations of the
ground surface, vegetation, and drainage patterns and
laboratory testing of soil samples. The testing included
physical properties testing and chemical testing of the
water extracted from the soil. In addition, we have
examined various maps and aerial photos, contacted
various government agencies, and contacted the power
company in our efforts to determine whether hazardous
waste is known to have impacted the site.
Our findings are as follows.
Emily’s Revision
Dear Mr. Halvorson:
At your request, we have investigated the site defined
by the attached survey map to determine (1) how the
site was used, (2) whether the site contains hazardous
waste, and (3) whether it is affected by contaminated
groundwater. Our investigation is complete except for
the results of governmental and power company records
searches.
Assuming that these searches support our findings, it
is our professional assessment that the site has not
been impacted by hazardous waste or groundwater
contamination that would render it unsuitable for
development as an office park.
This letter describes our methodology and reports our
findings.
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380 Chapter 10 | Preparing Business Reports
Structuring the Report’s Findings
As Jeff develops his investigation report, he decides that the detailed
discussion of the report will include the specific findings of his investi-
gation. Here is the first draft he produced.
As Jeff reviews his draft, he realizes that the main ideas are
not easy to find. This time, instead of giving his draft to Em-
ily to review, he writes a new outline of the findings section on
his own. His goal is to design the page so that the main ideas
stand out, using both headings and good topic sentences for the
paragraphs.
Here is his outline:
Findings about land use
1. Parcel 1:
2. Parcel 2:
3. Parcel 3:
4. Parcel 4:
Findings about contamination
1. Our investigations indicate it is unlikely that this property
has been contaminated by any storage, disposal, or release
of oil, fuels, gases, chemicals, trash, garbage, or other solid
or hazardous materials.
2. It is also unlikely that the groundwater or soil on the site has
been contaminated by activities on the adjacent sites.
Question 2: Using these headings, subheadings, and topic
sentences, how would you complete the findings section of
the report? Where would you place the supporting details
from his draft?
Phrasing a Conclusion Accurately
As Jeff completes his report, he wonders how he should phrase
the conclusions he reaches in his report. Here are two statements
he is considering:
Option 1: It is our professional opinion that the site has not
been impacted by hazardous waste or groundwater con-
tamination that would render it unsuitable for develop-
ment as an office park.
Option 2: It is our professional opinion that the site has not
been impacted by hazardous waste or groundwater con-
tamination and thus the site is safe for an office park.
Question 3: Which statement do you think is the better op-
tion, and why?
Jeff’s First Draft
Our investigations indicate that nearly all of Parcel 1
has been idle for at least 10 to 15 years. An old house
foundation exists near the south central portion of Parcel
1. Parcel 2 appears to have been idle for many years.
However, recent dumping of construction debris and
fill is apparent primarily along the eastern property line.
Parcel 3 is vegetated with an old orchard near the center
of the property, and remnants of abandoned residences
are apparent. Parcel 3 also has been impacted with piles
of construction debris dumped along its easternmost
side. Parcel 4 is primarily a protected wetlands area
identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Some
filling has occurred along the eastern and southern
border of Parcel 4.
On the basis of soil borings, laboratory test results, and
our observations of the previously referenced site, in
our opinion it is unlikely that any storage, disposal, or
release of oil, fuels, gases, chemicals, trash, garbage,
or other solid or hazardous materials has taken place on
this property. Only trace amounts of these materials are
present, as associated with the residential occupancy
and the relatively recent illegal dumping of debris. We
have requested a letter from People’s Electric certifying
that the site is not presently served by transformers
containing PCBs nor is the site known to have been
impacted by spills of PCBs. Except for the possibility
of old heating oil tanks or septic tanks associated with
the previous homes, there are no buried tanks on the
site. Considering the soil types encountered in the
borings, it is extremely unlikely that fuel oils, even if they
were present, could migrate more than a few inches.
Therefore, we do not consider this site to have been
affected by an oil spill or buried tanks or pesticides other
than those associated with residential occupation and
farming operations.
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Reports @ work 381
REPORTS @ WORK Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center describes itself as a nonpartisan
“fact tank.” Its mission is to collect and disseminate unbi-
ased information that is useful to policymakers, journalists,
and academics—anyone who may be involved in public
dialogue and debate about trends and issues affecting the
United States and the world.
According to Scott Keeter,20 director of survey
research, reports are an important mechanism for dis-
seminating this information. The Pew Research Center pub-
lishes as many as 40 reports each month. Some are only a
few pages long, while others are more than 100 pages. A
small sample of titles shows the range of topics:
• Twitter News Consumers: Young, Mobile, and Educated
• The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity
• Millennials in Adulthood
• Diverse Origins: The Nation’s 14 Largest Hispanic Ori-
gin Groups
• How Americans Value Public Libraries in Their
Communities
Keeter notes that the Pew Research Center’s ap-
proach to publishing reports has changed over the years.
In the 1980s, when the organization was known as the
Times Media Center, all the reports were published on
paper and distributed to journalists and policymakers by
Federal Express or by fax. Now, all reports are available on
Pew’s website and are designed to be read in web-based,
mobile app, and PDF formats.
The change in publication format opened new oppor-
tunities to reach an expanded audience. Originally, reports
targeted an audience primarily of journalists and special-
ists. With the reports available on the Internet, the Pew
Research Center takes advantage of the visual nature of
the web to attract the general public and draw viewers into
Web Format
Mobile Format
PDF Format
the reports. The website is designed like a magazine, with
pictures and infographics on the home page that encour-
age readers to click through to the reports.
In addition, as Keeter explains, the Pew Research Cen-
ter made an interesting decision about how to benefit from
the interactive and social elements of the web. Rather than
providing space for people to post comments on reports, as
some organizations do, it decided to “build interactivity into
its website by creating quizzes that allow readers to compare
themselves to the average American” based on Pew Re-
search Center survey research. Readers who take a quiz will
get a personal score plus a link to the report that gives full sur-
vey results. According to Keeter, between 5 and 20 percent
of the people who take the quiz will go on to read the report.
In addition, people who take the quiz get a link to tweet their
score or post it on Facebook. This mechanism draws even
more readers to the website and the reports. As Keeter says,
we post the quiz and then “watch the web traffic.”
Interactive Quiz
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How can ACE help you write a business
report? (pages 332–337)
• Analyze to understand purpose and report type. Some
reports are informational; others are analytic.
• Analyze to understand audience needs and determine
what content to include.
• Analyze to choose the best medium. Email, memo, and let-
ter reports are usually short. Formal reports are often longer.
Report decks are effective for any length.
• Compose your report to meet audience expectations.
Include identifying information, a preview, detailed discus-
sion, and supporting information. Most reports are orga-
nized directly.
• Compose using an objective and easy-to-read style
by focusing on facts, analysis, and well-supported
recommendations.
• Evaluate by reviewing on your own and getting feedback
from others to ensure you are meeting audience and stake-
holder needs. Use evaluation questions to review your report
(see Figure 10.5 on page 336).
What types of short, routine reports are
typical in business? (pages 338–343)
• Progress reports provide information about the status of a
long-term project.
• Meeting minutes document discussions and decisions at
meetings.
• Trip reports document activities during business trips and
outline accomplishments.
• Feasibility reports analyze whether a plan can be imple-
mented as proposed.
How should you structure longer, formal
reports for print and online distribution?
(pages 344–364)
• Organize the report into useful sections. Create a title page
for identifying information, preview the report with prelimi-
nary sections, develop the details within body sections, and
conclude the report with supporting information.
• Design the report for your audience and purpose. Use
a manuscript style for most internal reports. If the audi-
ence is already interested in the content, no special design
features are required. For reports distributed outside your
organization or to a wide audience—such as white papers
and annual reports—use design features to enhance the
report’s visual appeal.
SQ1
SQ2
SQ3
• Choose the best electronic format for online distribution.
For internal reports, native file formats or PDF files are
typical. For external reports, use PDFs to simplify emailing,
printing, and storing the report as well as downloading from
a website. PDFs distributed through a website also allow a
company to collect contact information from people who
download the report. Use web-based reports to encourage
browsing and interaction.
What guidelines should you follow for
writing report decks? (pages 365–369)
• Understand why and when to use report decks. They can
double as both written reports and presentations, engage the
audience, and allow more design flexibility.
• Design the deck effectively by using a solid background,
appropriate font sizes, “road signs” to identify sections, and
footers.
• Design the deck content to be easy to follow by using
sentence-style headlines that summarize the main point of
the slide and by designing the slide to support and explain
the headline.
How do you integrate tables and graphs
into reports? (pages 369–376)
• Choose the best form of display: table or graph. Tables
arrange data in columns and rows to demonstrate relation-
ships. Graphs use images or shapes to illustrate relationships
among variables or data.
• Choose the best type of graph by considering the purpose
and relationship of the data.
• Design graphs and tables to communicate. Use titles, axes
labels, thin lines, visible data markers, and annotations.
Avoid 3-D, contrasting borders, gridlines, tick marks, and
legends.
• Integrate data displays within the text. Help readers focus
on the display and understanding its information.
How should you document your
research? (pages 377–379)
• Determine what needs to be documented. Document all
content taken from other sources.
• Prepare the documentation by introducing sources in the
narrative, providing citations in the text, and preparing a
reference list as you compose.
SQ4
SQ5
SQ6
Study Questions in Review
End of Chapter
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Visual Summary
Ipswich Brands
Learning Management System (LMS)
Vendor Selection Process & Recommendations
Design
report
content
to be
easy to
follow.
LMS Vendor Recommendation.© 2011 Ipswich Brands − 2 −
Agenda
• Why a learning management system (LMS)
• Vendor selection process
• Review of final four vendors
• Recommendation
• Appendix
LMS Vendor Recommendation.© 2011 Ipswich Brands − 3 −
A learning management system simplifies the work of learners,
administrators, and professional development (PD) managers
• Track learner registration and
attendance
• Send automated course reminders,
evaluations, and follow-up emails
• Manage waitlist queues
• Duplicate learning events, through
standard course templates
• Send individual and group
announcements via learning home
pages
• Review personal training plan
• View up-to-date course calendars on
demand
• Self-register for learning events
Administrators Learners
Why an LMS
• Register learners for learning events
• Track learners ’ training attendance
PD Managers
NY Times, p. 3C .
HighBeam Research:
if employers blog – whil e
bonemedia.com/archives /
ort. Retrieved from
Financial Times ComMetrics blog index of corporate blogging effectiveness . Retrieved from
http://ftindex.cpmmetrics.com/
Georgetown University. (2009). Social media in business development and government. Retrieved from
https://digitalcommons.georgetown.edu/blogs/msfs-556-spring2009/course-description/
Goldman,S. (2009, August 7). For Honest Tea, Coke it is [Web log post]. Retrieved from
http://www.honesttea.com/blog/category/from-seth-and-barry /
Halzack, S. (2008, August 25). Marketing moves to the blogosphere; business model shifts to engag e
customers online. Washington Post, p. D1.
LMS Vendor Recommendation.© 2011 Ipswich Brands − 6 −
Final four vendors all offered advantages
Pros & Cons Implementation Post-Implementation Value for Price
Plateau + Customer support and
process
+ Most robust and eas y
to use LMS
– Price
Six-phase
implementation
process; Plateau
consultant will facilitate
entire implementation
process
Weekly support for 5 weeks
following go-live and
monthly calls after the �rst
5 weeks
Hosted
Implementation:
Year 1 = $107,900;
Additional years =
$39,900
Net
Dimensions
+ Built for rapid
installation and
implementation
+ Exceeds Ipswich
requirements
– Small company. Not a
recognized leader
Phased approach;
plan, analyze, build
and deploy. Can be up
and running within 1
week.
4 months of support: 5 days
on-site consulting, training
and support; 30 days of
remote support;
3 months of weekly
conference calls
Year 1 Total =
$48,400; Additional
years = $4,400
(additional pricing
options available)
IBM + Full integration with
Lotus Notes systems
– Additional cost to
achieve desired
functionality
– Does not integrate with
WebEx
Two-day con�guration
planning workshop
with Ipswich team;
average
implementation period
is 1 month
5 days of training included;
ongoing support available
via 800# or electronic
Hosted
Implementation:
Year 1 Total =
$111,522; Additional
years = $10,934.60
Solo + Interface and reporting
– Poor customer service
and small company
– Does not integrate with
WebEx
Installation time
dependent on level of
customization and
training
40 hours of post-
implementation support
included
Hosted
Implementation =
Flat fee of $24,535
per year for the
duration of the
contract
Best in category Plateau Plateau Plateau NetDimensions
Category runner-up NetDimensions NetDimensions NetDimensions Plateau
Vendor Selection Proces s
Determine what needs to
be documented and
prepare the
documentation.
• Is the report answering a clear question?
• Is the answer to the question easy to �nd?
• Does the report include all the information
readers will need?
• Is the title (or subject line) of the report focused
and informative?
• Does the report provide a good preview in the
introduction and, when appropriate, in a table of
contents, executive summary, or abstract?
• Are the headings logical? Can a reader understand
how the report is organized by reading all the
headings sequentially?
• Is each section well organized? Is the main point of
the section easy to �nd?
• Are the paragraphs relatively short (four to eight
sentences)?
• Does each paragraph begin with a strong topic
sentence that states the main point of the paragraph?
• Are the sentences short and, when possible, written in
the active voice?
• Are the tables, graphs, and other graphics used
effectively? Are they well labeled and introduced
within the document?
• Does the report include suf�cient documentation?
COMPOSE…
• Meet reader expections
• Use an objective and easy-
to-read style
ANALYZE…
• Understand purpose and report type
• Understand audience needs
• Choose the best medium
EVALUATE by reviewing on your own and getting feedback from others…
Design tables
and graphs to
communicate.
Detailed
discussion
Detailed
discussion
Supporting
information
Identifying
information
Preview
Analyze
Co
m
po
se
ACE
E
va
lu
a
te
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Abstract p. 333
Analytical report p. 332
Appendix p. 335
Attachment p. 335
Data graphics p. 369
Evaluation report p. 344
Executive summary p. 333
Feasibility report p. 338
Graph p. 370
Infographic p. 362
Informational report p. 332
Minutes p. 338
Paraphrase p. 377
Plagiarism p. 377
Progress report p. 338
Quotations p. 377
Recommendation report p. 344
Reference list p. 335
Report deck p. 333
Summary p. 377
Table p. 370
Title page p. 344
Trip report p. 338
White paper p. 356
Key Terms
1 What is the difference between an informational report and an
analytical report? Give an example of each kind.
2 What is the purpose of a report abstract? What kind of informa-
tion does it include?
3 What is the purpose of an executive summary? What kind of in-
formation does it include?
4 What is the difference between an attachment and an appendix?
5 Why is it important to use an objective, easy-to-read style in a
report?
6 What design features can you use in a report to enhance its visual
appeal?
7 Name three reasons why businesses distribute electronic reports
as PDFs.
8 What types of slide titles, or headlines, are typically used in report
decks?
9 Where should you place figures and tables within a report?
10 What is the difference between a paraphrase and a summary?
Review Questions
MyBCommLab®
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1 The Culture feature in this chapter offers three suggestions for
writing reports for international audiences who will read the re-
port in English. Imagine that your report will be translated into
another language—for example, Spanish or Japanese. Would this
same advice make the document easier to translate? In what ways?
Based on your knowledge of other languages, what other advice
would you give writers who are preparing reports that will be
translated? [Related to the Culture feature on page 337]
2 Formal reports contain a number of features that help readers
navigate: a table of contents, lists of figures and tables, executive
summaries, informative headings, and appendices for supplemen-
tary information. Why is it useful to include all rather than just
some of these features?
3 Imagine that a classmate or coworker argues that it is redundant to
include both an executive summary and an introduction in a re-
port. How would you explain the different functions of an executive
summary and introduction—and the reason for including both?
4 Figure 10.19 on pages 371–372 suggests using a horizontal bar
chart to rank and compare items. Some writers use column charts
for that purpose also. What are the pros and cons of using bars
versus columns for graphs that compare items?
5 According to the old saying, “A picture is worth 1,000 words.” If
that is the case, then why is it important to explain all graphics
within the text of your report, rather than assuming the graphics
will speak for themselves?
6 A letter report is a hybrid between a regular business letter and
a formal report. What features does a letter report share with a
business letter? What features does it share with a formal report?
7 Imagine that your manager asks you to write a type of report not
illustrated in this chapter; for example, a compliance report. How
would you go about learning the key features of a compliance re-
port and the type of content that is required?
8 Some organizations are asking employees to post information in
wikis rather than write traditional reports. What would be the ad-
vantages and disadvantages of reporting information on an inter-
nal corporate wiki?
9 Assume you have collected several secondary sources to support
an informational report. However, when you prepare your refer-
ence list, you realize that you did not record the website address
for a white paper you found online. It’s been only a month since
you found the source and printed it, but now that you search for
the link online, you can no longer find it. Should you use the in-
formation if it is no longer available online? If you decide to use
the information, how would it cite it?
10 Refer to question 9. Now assume that you are writing a collab-
orative report with a colleague who decides to plagiarize content
from the white paper since the original source is no longer avail-
able online. How would you respond to your colleague?
Critical Thinking Questions
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How can ACE help you write a business report?
(pages 332–337)
1 Analyze to understand purpose and report type
For each of the following questions, identify the type of report you
would write. Is it primarily informational or analytical? Refer to the
report names in Figure 10.1 on page 332.
a. Has our new marketing plan met our sales objectives?
b. Why are so many of our widgets being returned as defective?
c. Are we on track with our project?
d. Can our client, Rose’s Bakery, afford to open a new store next year?
e. Who is responsible for the property damage in our client’s build-
ing? The construction crew? The painters? The tenants? The
maintenance staff?
f. What new sales leads did you develop at the trade show?
2 Analyze to understand audience needs
For each of the questions listed in Exercise 1, determine what infor-
mation the audience would need. Assume that your audience is a
high-level manager or executive who has not been involved with your
project.
3 Analyze to choose the best medium
For each of the questions listed in Exercise 1, decide what medium you
would use to write the report. Pick a medium and explain why it is a
good choice.
• Memo report
• Letter report
• Email report
• Formal report
• Report deck
4 Compose your report to meet audience expectations
Search the Internet for a report produced by a government agency.
(One good example is the report To Read or Not to Read by the National
Endowment for the Arts, www.nea.gov/research/toread ). Quickly
review that report and identify where and how it provides identifying
information, a preview, detail discussion, and supporting information.
Are the techniques that the report uses effective? Would you recom-
mend any changes? Summarize your findings and conclusions in an
email message to your instructor. Be sure to provide a complete cita-
tion for the report you are analyzing. For the information to include in
a reference list entry, see Appendix B: Documentation and Reference
Styles, in the back of the book.
5 Compose using an objective and easy-to-read style
Anya James works for AquaSafe Product Design, a company that de-
signs and installs aquariums in homes and offices. Anya has been
assigned to the new product development team. The team’s job is to
research and develop new product ideas. Currently, the team is explor-
ing the idea of an interactive aquarium that allows users to engage more
with the fish. At the end of the first three weeks on the project, Anya’s
manager asks for a progress report.
Review Anya’s first draft on page 386. Evaluate this progress report:
• Is the style objective, focusing on the project? Or does it focus on
the team’s activities?
• Is the report sufficiently factual and detailed?
• Should the report contain any additional information?
• Based on your analysis, recommend at least two changes to the
report.
6 Evaluate by reviewing on your own and getting feedback
from others
Using the questions in Figure 10.5, evaluate the formal report in
Figure 10.10. Write a memo to your instructor identifying what you
believe is good about the report and what improvements, if any, you
would recommend.
7 Making reports reader-friendly for international
audiences [Related to the Culture feature on page 337]
The following well-written paragraphs come from the executive sum-
mary of a report titled The State of the Paper Industry: Monitoring the
Indicators of Environmental Performance. Imagine that this report was
being read by someone from another country who speaks English as
a second or third language. What words, phrases, or sentences do you
think would be challenging for that reader to understand? What revi-
sions would you suggest?
Despite predictions that the digital revolution would make paper
as obsolete as the typewriter, paper remains central to our lives.
Yet most of us, most of the time, give little thought to how much
we depend on paper products. Think of the hundreds of times
a day we touch paper—newspapers, cereal boxes, toilet paper,
water bottle labels, parking tickets, streams of catalogs and junk
mail, money, tissues, books, shopping bags, receipts, napkins,
printer and copier paper at home and work, magazines, to-go
food packaging. The list could fill a book.
What’s more, few people pay much heed to the ways in
which our use of paper affects the environment. Yet the paper
industry’s activities—and our individual use and disposal of
paper in our daily lives—have enormous impacts. These in-
clude loss and degradation of forests that moderate climate
change, destruction of habitat for countless plant and animal
species, pollution of air and water with toxic chemicals such
as mercury and dioxin, and production of methane—a potent
greenhouse gas—as paper decomposes in landfills, to name
just a few.21
Key Concept Exercises
SQ1
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believe is good about the report you found and what improvements
you recommend.
How should you structure longer, formal reports
for print and online distribution? (pages 344–364)
9 Organize the report into useful sections
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) prepares hundreds
of reports each year, usually in response to requests from the Senate,
Congress, or other government sources. You can find these reports on
the GAO website if you browse by topic.
Select a report that interests you and download it. Review the re-
port and answer the following questions in a memo to your instructor,
or be prepared to discuss them in class:
SQ3
What types of short, routine reports are typical
in business? (pages 338–343)
8 Progress reports, meeting minutes, trip reports, and
feasibility reports
Use a web search engine or business portal such as Biznar to find an
example of one of the following types of reports:
• Progress report
• Meeting minutes
• Trip report
• Feasibility report
Evaluate the report in relation to the guidelines presented in
this chapter. Write a memo to your instructor identifying what you
SQ2
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TO: Ryan Lef�er, Project Manager
FROM: Anya James, New Product Development Team
DATE: March 16, 20XX
SUBJECT: Progress Report
For the past three weeks, we have been researching the interactive aquarium concept
and have developed �ve concepts we plan to test. The Interactive Aquarium presents a
unique problem to the design team. We began with a completely blank slate, since this
project is based on an innovative idea and has very few comparable existing products.
We had to consider a very delicate group of users (�sh) when making decisions about
the requirements of our design concepts. It was important for us to balance the goals of
our company with the needs of the animals and the desires of the users.
Research
We began by researching �sh behavior and learned interesting facts that will in�uence our
design. We then had a productive brainstorm session in which we were able to generate
design ideas. From there, we have identi�ed �ve major design areas we would like to test.
Design Requirements
Based on our research and discussions with users, we developed a set of design
requirements numbered and listed in Table 1. We rated these requirements by
importance (5 is most important and 1 is least important).
Table 1: Design Requirements
REQUIREMENT # REQUIREMENT IMPORTANCE RATING
1 Child safe 5
2 Child friendly 3
3 Interesting 3
4 Animal safe 5
5 Animal friendly 5
6 Can be used in/around water 5
7 Environmentally sound 4
8 Durable 4
9 Easily cleaned 2
10 Easily accessible 3
11 Not too complicated to operate 1
12 Not too heavy 1
13 No complicated assembly 1
Plan
In the next two weeks, we plan to evaluate our �ve ideas according to these requirements.
memo report
Accompanies Exercise 5
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a. What information is provided on the title page?
b. How is the executive summary (called Highlights) structured?
Where does it summarize the purpose of the report, the method-
ology, the findings, and recommendations?
c. After the table of contents, most GAO reports contain a list of abbre-
viations. Why do you think the reports provide a separate list rather
than just define the terms the first time they appear in the report?
d. The first headline in most GAO reports is “Background.” What
kind of information is included in that section?
e. Most GAO reports contain many appendices. What kinds of in-
formation are in the appendices? Why do you think information
about the report’s scope and methodology is in an appendix rather
than in the body of the report?
10 Design the report for your audience and purpose
Referring to the same GAO report you used in Exercise 9, answer the
following questions in a memo to your instructor or be prepared to
discuss them in class:
a. The GAO reports are designed with the headlines in the left margin.
Do you see benefits to that page design? Do you see disadvantages?
b. Most headlines are phrased as short, complete sentences that ex-
press a main point. Do those headlines help prepare you to read
the details in the section?
11 Choose the best electronic format for online
distribution
As you learned in the Reports @ Work feature on page 381, the Pew
Research Center distributes its reports in three electronic formats: stan-
dard web, mobile app, and PDF. Go to the Pew Research Center website,
select a report to review, and compare the three versions of the report.
• Which do you find easiest to read?
• Which do you find easiest to navigate (that is, go to a specific
section)?
• Which do you think will provide the easiest-to-read printout?
Based on your analysis, if you were to come back to the Pew web-
site to read a different report, which format would you choose?
12 Using software features to help format formal reports
[Related to the Technology feature on page 362]
Your instructor will provide you with a “sample report” file for this
exercise. This file includes unformatted text for a formal report. The
following elements are obvious based on their content: title page, loca-
tion for the table of contents, executive summary, introduction, body of
the report (including headings), conclusions, recommendations, refer-
ences, and appendices. Use your word processor’s features to make the
following formatting changes:
• Apply appropriate heading styles to section titles and headings.
• Create section breaks so the title page is not numbered and the
table of contents and executive summary are numbered with
small Roman numerals (ii and iii). Starting with the introduc-
tion, page numbering should use Arabic numerals (1).
• Create a footer to add page numbers to the entire document, ex-
cept the title page as previously noted.
• Generate an automated table of contents to appear after the title
page.
• Add automated captions for figures and tables throughout the report.
Save the file, adding your name to the end of the filename. Submit
the file electronically to your instructor.
What guidelines should you follow for writing
report decks? (pages 365–369)
13 Understand why and when to use report decks
Report decks are very different from traditional presentation files used
to support oral presentations. Search for deck-style presentations at
SlideShare or a similar website. You may also search for the report
deck included in the reference list at the end of this chapter (see note
12). Select a file that does not include an audio voice-over. Read the
file. Who is the intended audience? Is the content organized logically?
Is the content understandable without a presenter? Could the file dou-
ble as a report and a presentation? Summarize your findings in a short
email message to your instructor. Attach the report file to the email.
14 Design the deck effectively
Refer to the report deck you selected for Exercise 13. Evaluate the de-
sign of that deck. Is it on a plain and readable background? Does it
include a table of contents or agenda? Does it use sentence-style head-
lines? Does it include a footer or header? How does the deck design
help you read the deck effectively? Summarize your findings in a short
email to your instructor. Attach the report file to the email.
15 Design the deck content to be easy to follow
Imagine you were asked to create a deck reporting on the state of cor-
porate and business blogging. Refer to the following set of slide head-
lines for that report. On a piece of paper, write the headlines and then
roughly sketch what you would put on each slide. It is not necessary to
do any research for this exercise, but you may do research if you like.
a. An estimated 20,000 corporations now communicate to custom-
ers and stakeholders through blogging.
b. Not just Internet companies but traditional firms in manufactur-
ing, retail, finance, and technology have business blogs.
c. Small-business blogs are most effective when they concentrate on
the company’s personality and expertise, not products.
d. Effective business blogging depends on a steady flow of new and
updated information.
How do you integrate tables and graphs into
reports? (pages 369–376)
16 Choose the best form of display: table or graph
Create a table based on the following paragraph. Then create a graph.
Explain the differences and justify which would better represent the
data. Submit both visuals and your justification in a one-page memo
report to your instructor.
Jamison Lumber Company has four regional branches: North,
South, East, and West. Last year, the branch sales were as fol-
lows: North = $1.23 million, South = $1.57 million, East = $2.26
million, and West = $2.10 million. This year, the North and
South branches recorded a 2.5 percent and 3.4 percent increase,
respectively. However, the East and West branches experienced
decreases of 1.3 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively.
17 Choose the best type of graph
For each of the following business messages, what type of graph will
be most effective? Sketch a version of that graph and explain why your
choice is the best option.
a. Gadget sales have tripled since 2005.
b. Of the four companies in the industry—Acme, Apex, Giant, and
Excel—Acme has the smallest share of industry sales.
SQ4
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c. Sales of Product A exceed sales of Product B and Product C.
d. Earnings per share have decreased every year since 2010.
e. There is a strong relationship between the number of training
courses a salesperson has completed and the amount of that
person’s annual sales.
18 Design graphs and tables to communicate
What changes would you make to the table below based on the table
design guidelines presented in this chapter?
19 Integrate data displays within the text
As a member of the Acme Electric Safety Committee, you have been
asked to write the committee report to the CEO answering the ques-
tion, “Does our electrical equipment comply with safety standards?”
You write the introduction to the report and decide to summarize
the detailed findings in a table. However, you are unsure how to
structure that table. Analyze the introduction in the memo to the
right and the three options listed on the next page for structuring
the table. Which data display integrates best with the text that intro-
duces it? Explain why.
20 Represent data ethically [Related to the Ethics
feature on page 376]
On April 20, 2010, a BP oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico
exploded, resulting in the world’s largest accidental oil spill.22 Nearly
5 million barrels of oil gushed from the wellhead into the Gulf be-
fore BP capped the well in July. During that time, BP worked dili-
gently to contain the spill, capture oil, and develop a strategy to cap
the wellhead. Approximately a month after the explosion, BP Senior
Vice President Karl Wells gave a technical presentation to update
the public on BP’s containment efforts.23 During this briefing, he
presented a graph similar to Graph A on page 389 and discussed the
amount of oil collected from the wellhead in the seven days between
May 16 and May 23.
Continued on page 389
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YTD International Revenue
Product Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Total
Disk Drives $93,993.00 $84,773.00 $88,833.00 $95,838.00 $93,874.00 $83,994.00 $541,305.00
Monitors $87,413.00 $78,838.00 $82,614.00 $89,129.00 $873,020.00 $78,114.00 $1,289,128.00
Printers $90,035.00 $2,120,400.00 $85,093.00 $91,803.00 $899,210.00 $80,457.00 $3,366,998.00
Computers $92,736.00 $83,640.00 $87,645.00 $94,557.00 $92,619.00 $82,871.00 $534,068.00
Memory Sticks $3,624,500.00 $77,785.00 $81,510.00 $87,938.00 $86,136.00 $77,070.00 $4,034,939.00
Sound Cards $88,832.00 $80,118.00 $83,956.00 $90,576.00 $88,720.00 $79,382.00 $511,584.00
Video Cards $82,614.00 $74,510.00 $78,079.00 $84,236.00 $82,509.00 $73,825.00 $475,773.00
RAM $85,092.00 $76,745.00 $80,421.00 $86,763.00 $84,985.00 $76,040.00 $490,046.00
Scanners $87,645.00 $79,048.00 $82,834.00 $89,366.00 $87,534.00 $78,321.00 $504,748.00
Input Devices $90,275.00 $81,419.00 $85,319.00 $920,470.00 $90,160.00 $80,671.00 $1,348,314.00
Total $4,423,135.00 $2,837,276.00 $836,304.00 $1,730,676.00 $2,478,767.00 $790,745.00 $13,096,903.00
Accompanies Exercise 18
memo report
TO: George DiLeonardo, CEO
FROM: Acme Safety Review Committee
(Devon Rasheed, Kevin Carroll, Risa Policaro,
and Eric West)
DATE: February 12, 20XX
SUBJECT: Acme’s Compliance with Safety Standards
Purpose of the Study
Over the past month, the Acme Safety Committee has
conducted a thorough review of all the safety codes and
standards that apply to Acme Electric’s Belmont facility.
These include two sets of mandatory standards that Acme
must comply with and one set of voluntary standards.
Mandatory
• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health
Administration) standards
• NEC (National Electric Code) standards
Voluntary
• UL-1950 standards for information technology
equipment, including electrical business equipment.
We have also reviewed all the wiring schematics and the
equipment in the facility to identify all gaps in compliance.
Results of the Study
Although Acme’s equipment is properly designed for electri-
cal load/capacity, several design details do not comply with
the codes and widely used standards. Some standards apply
only to building wiring and other parts include equipment.
These gaps compromise the safety of our employees and will
put us at risk during regulatory inspections.
Table 1 summarizes the equipment and wiring that do not
comply with applicable standards and offers recommendations
for addressing the problems.
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Option 1
Regulator Rule Affected Area Violation Recommendation
OSHA Rule A
Rule B
Rule C
NEC Rule 1
Rule 2
Rule 3
Option 2
Equipment Rule Violation Recommendation
Generator 1 OSHA Rule A
NEC Rule 1
Local Rule A
Junction Box 65 OSHA Rule B
NEC Rule 2
Local Rule B
Option 3
Priority Affected Area Violation Rule Recommendation
High Generator 1
Junction Box 65
Conduit 64-65
Medium Main Bus B
Riser Pipe 37
Conduit 33-34
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23 May
22 May
21 May
20 May
19 May
18 May
17 May
16 May
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 11,000 12,000 13,000 14,000
Cumulative Barrels of Oil CollectedGraph A
3,000
Barrels
Oil Collected Daily
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
16 17 18 19 20
The Month of May, 2010
Average
Daily
Collection
21 22 23
Graph B
Graph B from “BP Oil Collection–Is the Effort Really Improving?” from Perceptual Edge website,
May 26, 2010. Copyright © 2004–2014 by Perceptual Edge. Reprinted with permission.
Exercise 20, continued
Here is what he said:
There’s been a lot of questions around how much oil is being
collected. What I am showing you here is a graph. We originally
inserted the riser insertion tool into the riser on May 16. Since
that period our operations and engineering group have been fo-
cused on how do we maximize the amount of oil we collect from
the end of the riser. . . . Here you can see how we’ve continued
to ramp up. [He points at increasingly long bars.] Today, we’ve
collected a total of 13,500 barrels, which is averaging a little less
than 2,000 barrels a day. The team is continuing to focus on what
we can do to capture more of that oil.
At first glance, this graph certainly looks as if BP is ramping up its
oil collection—that in fact it is collecting an increasing amount each
day. However, this graph shows the cumulative amount of oil collected,
with each day’s oil collection added to the previous days’.
Graph B is a different, alternative graph, produced by data analyst
Stephen Few, which graphs the oil collected each day:24
• Compare the two graphs and the two different representations
of the data. Does the second graph support Wells’s claim that oil
collection has “continued to ramp up”?
• Which graph represents the data more ethically?
Accompanies Exercise 20
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h. You want to prove that your company has been complying with
a certain regulation, so your reader will need to know what the
regulation says.
i. You are presenting the results of a survey you conducted.
j. You are summarizing information that you learned from an inter-
view with an expert.
22 Prepare the documentation
For each of the following questions, find an appropriate source that you
could use in a research report and prepare a reference list entry for that
source. Use APA style, unless your instructor asks you to use a different
style. (For a review of how to find good, credible sources, see Chapter 7:
Using Social Media in Business.)
a. What is the current unemployment rate in the United States? How
has the unemployment rate changed over the past 10 years?
b. What is the employment outlook for the career or profession you
plan to enter?
c. What are some interesting facts about the history of your college
or university?
d. What are some key facts about migrant farm workers in the
United States?
e. How should a person calculate the amount of life insurance he or
she needs?
How should you document your research?
(pages 377–379)
21 Determine what needs to be documented
For each of the following situations, imagine that you are writing a re-
port and need to decide whether you must provide documentation to
give credit to a source. If you would document the source, how would
you document it? Would you refer to the source in the text itself, use a
parenthetical citation (or footnotes), use quotation marks, or include
an entry in a reference list? Indicate as many options as apply. If you
would not document the source, explain why not.
a. In your report, you are arguing against an opinion column in the
local newspaper.
b. You are providing evidence from your own experience.
c. You are including a story that one of your coworkers told you.
d. In your research, you find a phrase that you really like and decide
to use it.
e. You want to quote something from a source but the quotation is
too long, so you change it a bit and leave out a few words.
f. You are writing a report analyzing the environmental issues relat-
ing to the U.S. newspaper industry, and in your research you come
across some facts about how many trees are cut down each year
for paper manufacture. You want to use these facts.
g. You mention that the majority of students on your campus did not
vote in the last presidential election.
SQ6
23 Developing a mobile phone app
On-the-Go Software, a start-up company in your community, would
like to develop a new mobile phone app that will be profitable. As part
of the company’s preliminary planning, the CEO, Etta Hawkins, has
hired you to research the most popular apps for iPhones and other mo-
bile devices and to analyze why you believe these apps are successful.
As you research, identify who is buying these apps and hypothesize
why. Also identify features that have received positive comments and
hypothesize why these features are important.
Write a three- to five-page letter report to present the results of
your research. In addition, include a list of references as an attachment.
You may include other attachments if you believe they will be helpful.
Address your report to Etta Hawkins, On-the-Go Software, 1111
Main Street, Mytown, MyState, MyZip.
24 Recommending survey software
Your company (or your class) is planning to conduct survey research
and needs to select an online survey tool to use. Your manager (or in-
structor) would like a program that meets these criteria:
• Allows an unlimited number of survey questions
• Allows an unlimited number of surveys
• Can be integrated into the company (or class) website
• Produces surveys that look professional rather than unformatted
or poorly designed
• Is easy to use when writing questions
• Is easy to use when answering questions
• Gathers all the survey results into an easy-to-use database or
spreadsheet
• Automatically produces graphs that can be used in research
reports
• Is the most cost-effective option
Your job is to identify three programs that might be suitable,
evaluate them, and write a recommendation report to justify a specific
program. Write the report in memo form, and keep the body of the
report to a maximum of three pages, though you may add attachments.
25 Evaluating and assessing the feasibility of
sustainability initiatives
Your school is considering a number of sustainability initiatives that
will make it a more “green” organization. Here are some of the initia-
tives the administration is considering:
• Installing compact fluorescent light bulbs in residences, class-
rooms, and offices
• Installing low-flush toilets throughout building(s)
• Installing low-flow faucets and shower heads
• Purifying waste vegetable oil from the food service to fuel cam-
pus shuttles
• Installing a wind turbine on campus to generate electricity
• Implementing “trayless dining” in the dining halls (to reduce the
amount of wasted food)
You receive one of the following assignments:
a. Research sustainability initiatives at five other campuses and write
a report evaluating which initiatives have been most successful.
You will need to identify—and justify—specific criteria for suc-
cess. (As a starting place for your research, visit the website of
the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher
Writing Exercises
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Education. You may also search the websites of various colleges
and universities.)
b. Select one of the sustainability initiatives listed previously and as-
sess the feasibility of implementing that initiative at your school.
Consider the costs, the environmental benefits, and any financial
benefits. Are there any obstacles that would make the chosen ini-
tiative particularly difficult? You do not need to recommend the
option. You only need to report whether your research shows it
would be feasible to implement the initiative at your school.
Depending on your instructor’s requirements, you may prepare
your report as either a formal report or as a report deck.
26 Evaluating SOS: An employee suggestion program
For the past two years, you have worked in the Human Resources
Department of MetCo Manufacturing, a company that employs ap-
proximately 2,800 employees in the design and manufacture of small
household products. MetCo’s CEO believes that satisfied employees are
crucial to the company’s success and that the best solutions to problems
often come from employees. You were hired to design and implement
a program that encourages employees to make suggestions and register
complaints, called SOS (Suggestions for Organizational Satisfaction).
As the SOS coordinator, you collect all the suggestions and complaints,
TABLE 1 Monthly submissions to SOS
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Suggestions 57 61 157 102 107 94 98 82 90 72 66 62
Complaints 332 428 496 502 553 503 466 417 381 365 332 319
Note: In March, Human Resources sponsored a “Make a Suggestion” program, with a $100 cash prize for the best suggestion.
TABLE 2 Have you ever used the SOS program?
No 369
Once 601
More than Once 1,003
TABLE 3 Classifications of the 369 people who have not used the
program
Classification
Total Number of
Respondents in
that Group
Number Not Using
the Program
Age
Under 25 458 127
25–40 731 51
41–55 542 87
Over 55 242 104
Male 1,227 125
Female 746 244
Nonmanagement 1,517 227
Management 456 142
TABLE 4 How satisfied were you with the response you received?
Completely
Satisfied
Partially
Satisfied Dissatisfied
Used SOS once 183 349 70
Used SOS more
than once
692 272 39
TABLE 5 How confident are you that your question or complaint
reached the right person?
Confident Not Confident
Used SOS once 196 405
Used SOS more than once 822 181
TABLE 6 Do you intend to use the SOS program again in the future?
Yes 1,331
No 82
Undecided 191
send the suggestions to the appropriate departments, and confiden-
tially investigate complaints.
SOS has been operating now for one year, and your CEO wants
you to evaluate it. Specifically, she wants to know how extensively the
program is being used, whether it is being used more for suggestions
or complaints, what types of employees are using it and what types are
not, and whether employees are satisfied with the program.
As a first step, you review data about the number of complaints
and suggestions received each month for the past year. These data are
presented in Table 1. Then you conduct a survey of all 2,800 employees.
The results are in Tables 2 through 6.
Write a report in memo format analyzing the data and presenting
results and conclusions. Be sure to:
• Create a subject line that serves as a title for the report
• Write a good introduction
• Identify the research questions you are aiming to answer
• Identify the most important conclusions you can draw and back
each of them up with data
• Use informative headings
• Include tables and graphs that help illustrate and explain the data
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27 Reporting on consumer attitudes
Consumer Research, Inc., has hired your team to conduct a survey
to learn how young adults respond to direct mail advertising sent by
email. Research by the Direct Marketing Association indicates that,
overall, advertising through postal mail results in more sales than
advertising through email.25 However, the research did not focus on
specific age groups. Consumer Research, Inc., wants to know whether
young adults (ages 18–25) purchase more as a result of email or postal
mail advertising. Identify a group of people your team can survey and
develop a set of questions to ask. For example, you could ask:
• How often do they open advertising they receive through email?
• What influences their decision to open the email? Is it the subject
line, the sender, or something else?
• How often do they click through to a website?
• How often do they purchase something as a result of the email
advertising?
Conduct your survey and then write a short report to Consumer
Research, presenting your results. If possible, draw conclusions about
the effectiveness of email marketing to young adults.
28 Evaluating fast-food restaurants
Your team works for a fast-food restaurant company that is planning to
open a restaurant in your area. The district regional manager wants to
Collaboration Exercises
know more about the competition. What are the strengths and weak-
nesses of the competitive restaurants? Is there opportunity for a new
restaurant in the neighborhood?
As a team, choose three fast-food restaurants in the area and ob-
serve each restaurant for an hour at least three times within the next
two weeks. Vary the day of the week and the time of day for each visit.
During each visit, observe and collect data on the appearance of the
restaurant, how many customers entered during that time period, the
length of wait to place an order, the length of wait to receive an order,
the quality of service, and the quality of food. During each visit, make
a qualitative judgment about how happy the customers seem to be, and
support your judgment with specific observations.
At the end of the two-week observation period, write a report to
your district manager evaluating the competition and making recom-
mendations about how your new restaurant can provide better service
than the competitive restaurants you have studied.
29 Writing minutes for a team meeting
If you have been working as a team on any project this term, submit to
your instructor the minutes of any team meeting. Write the minutes so
that they are a useful reference for team members and are informative
for your instructor.
30 Evaluating infographics on the web
Infographics are single-page reports that rely primarily on graphics
to enhance the understanding and interpretation of data. Social me-
dia has fueled the growth of infographics on the web. Search the social
media site Pinterest or another source of your choice to find an info-
graphic that interests you. Evaluate that infographic as a brief report. Is
it informative? Is it clear and easy to follow? Do you know the sources
of the data? In your opinion, does the graphical representation of the
data provide advantages over a purely written report? Be prepared to
present your analysis in class or write a one-page evaluation report to
your instructor.
31 Evaluating social media reports
With the growth of social media, the number of reports about social
media has also grown. Using the search engine of your choice, conduct
a search using the terms report and either social media or LinkedIn,
Facebook, or Twitter. Select one report to evaluate. (Be sure to select
an actual report, not a news story or article about a report.) Read the
document and write a one-page evaluation report to your instructor,
answering these questions:
• Who is the author and publisher of the report?
• What is the purpose of the report, and who is its intended
audience?
• How was the information in the report researched or gathered?
• What are the report’s key findings and recommendations, if any?
• What is your assessment of the report? Is it credible? Do you be-
lieve it offers valuable information or not? Would you recommend
it?
Pick an appropriate format for your report: email, memo, letter, or
report deck. Do not construct the report as a series of bullet points an-
swering the listed questions. Instead, follow the advice in this chapter:
Write an effective introduction that previews your main ideas, develop
headings that help organize your material, and document your sources.
Include a copy of the report you are evaluating as an attachment or
appendix.
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34 Apostrophes (see Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation,
Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 2.6)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors or omissions in
the use of apostrophes. Underline all your corrections.
Practicing for a telephone interview will give you confidence that
you wont blow the real thing. Ask one of your parents’ or a friend
to conduct a mock interview with you. Have him or her phone
you and ask an interviewers questions. Its also helpful to get a
spouses’ or father’s-in-laws critique of your answers. Ask one of
them to listen in, or, whats even more useful, tape record the
mock interview for later analysis. Pay attention not only to the
content of your answers, but also to the vocal quality; is your’s
clear, without too many “uhm’s” “you knows,” and “likes”? The
practice sessions payoff is your improved interviewing skills.
35 Parentheses, dashes, brackets, and ellipses (see
Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and
Conventions—Section 2.7)
Type the following paragraph, inserting parentheses, dashes, brackets,
and ellipses where required. There are 10 omissions. Consider pairs of
parentheses or brackets as a single omission. Underline all your cor-
rections. In cases where there is more than one possibility, be ready to
explain your choice.
The time to research a potential employer is before not after the
job interview. Interviewers expect job applicants to know some-
thing about a company’s products goods or services its markets
local, national, international and its operating locations. Job ap-
plicants can begin their research on an Internet search engine
Google or Bing. Career advisor Martin Reis writes on his blog,
“A company’s URL Uniform Resource Locator is the gateway to a
wealth of information new products, financial statements, press
releases, the corporate mission statement …” There is something
else a company’s website may reveal its corporate culture. Web
page photos can provide clues about dress standards casual or
traditional, employee diversity ethnicity, gender, age, and com-
munity involvement.
Grammar Exercises
32 Making informal/impromptu presentations
a. Randomly select one of the Critical Thinking Questions on
page 384 and give a one-minute oral response. Provide a direct
answer and give compelling support for your answer.
b. Give a brief report about your progress in your business commu-
nication course. What do you believe are your current communi-
cation strengths? What are your weaknesses, and how do you plan
to address them?
c. Imagine you were assigned to write a feasibility report about a
plan you are making for your life. (The research question would
be: “Will it be feasible for me to . . .”?) What would you write
about, and why?
d. Imagine you were asked to evaluate two fast-food restaurants in
your area. What criteria would you use for evaluating them, and
why?
e. How do you spend your time on a typical day or typical week?
Quickly sketch a pie chart that divides your time into three or four
major categories, with appropriate percentages for each. Present
this pie chart and explain whether you are satisfied with this divi-
sion of time or if you would like to make some changes.
33 Executive briefings
a. If you are working on a multiweek project in your class, pre-
pare a written progress report for your instructor. Then plan a
five-minute executive briefing to present this progress report to
your instructor.
b. Prepare a five-minute executive briefing based on the feasibility
report in Figure 10.9 on pages 342–343.
c. Search the Internet to find a report that you believe is well de-
signed and easy to read. (Look for a report that you can download
as a PDF or Word document, so that you can focus on the design.)
Prepare a five-minute briefing on key features of the report de-
sign that you believe are effective. Conclude your briefing with a
recommendation. Would you recommend that your class or your
company adopt this report design for their work? Why or why
not? Be sure to prepare at least one visual aid for your briefing.
d. Search the Internet, newspapers, or magazines to find one data
display (table or graph) that you believe is effective. Create a visual
aid of that data display and present it to the class. Explain the con-
text in which you found it, the main point or purpose of the data
display, and why you believe it communicates effectively.
e. Search the Internet, newspapers, or magazines to find one data
display (table or graph) that you believe is not effective. Create a
visual aid of that data display and present it to the class. Explain
the context in which you found it, the main point or purpose of
the data display, and why you believe it does not communicate
effectively.
Speaking Exercises
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1. Wolfe, J. (2010). Team writing: A guide to writing in groups.
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2. Phillipson, R. (2010). Language policy and education in the
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3. Szabóné, J. P. (2009). English as the main language in intercul-
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ternational Conference. Presǒv, Slovakia: University of Presǒv.
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4. Kankaanranta, A., & Louhiala-Salminen, L. (2007). Business
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5. Crystal, D. (2008). Into the twenty-first century. In Lynda
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6. Kohn, J. R. (2008). The global English style guide: Writing clear,
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9. Accenture. (2014, February 24). Mobility: Fueling the digital
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MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the follow-
ing Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 What are the advantages of writing a report using a direct organization rather
than an indirect organization? Are there any situations where an indirect report
organization may be more effective?
2 Imagine that some of your coworkers complain that trip reports are just busy
work and a way for management to make sure employees are conducting busi-
ness and not just having a good time. How might you counter that argument?
What are some of the real business purposes of a trip report?
394 Chapter 10 | Preparing Business Reports
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http://www.languagemonitor.com/no-of-words/
http://www.accenture.com/us-en/Pages/insight-mobility-trends-research-2014.aspx
http://www.accenture.com/us-en/Pages/insight-mobility-trends-research-2014.aspx
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20131206050201-12921524-four-tips-to-put-the-power-back-in-powerpoint
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20131206050201-12921524-four-tips-to-put-the-power-back-in-powerpoint
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20131206050201-12921524-four-tips-to-put-the-power-back-in-powerpoint
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/mckinsey_elec-tric_vehicle_0113
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/mckinsey_elec-tric_vehicle_0113
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/mckinsey_elec-tric_vehicle_0113
http://www.slidenirvana.com/blog/Why-do-so-many-executives-write-reports-in-PowerPoint/
http://www.slidenirvana.com/blog/Why-do-so-many-executives-write-reports-in-PowerPoint/
http://www.slidenirvana.com/blog/Why-do-so-many-executives-write-reports-in-PowerPoint/
http://www.pulib.sk/elpub2/FF/Ferencik2/pdf_doc/24
http://www.languagemonitor.com/no-of-words/
19. INSEE. (2012). National Institute of Statistics and Economic
Studies. Retrieved from http://www.insee.fr/en/default.asp
20. Keeter, S. (2012). Personal interview.
21. Environmental Paper Network. (2007). The state of the paper
industry: Monitoring the indicators of environmental perfor-
mance. Retrieved from http://www.environmentalpaper.com/
documents/StateOfPaperIndSm
22. Robertson, C., & Krauss, C. (2010, August 2). Gulf spill
is the largest of its kind, scientists say. New York Times. Re-
trieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/us/03spill
.html?_r=1&fta=y
23. Wells, K. (2010, May 24). Technical briefing. [Video.] Re-
trieved from http://bp.concerts.com/gom/kentwells_up-
date24052010.htm
24. Few, S. (2010, May 26). BP oil collection: Is the effort really
improving? Visual Business Intelligence. [Blog entry.] Retrieved
from http://www.perceptualedge.com/blog/?p=790
25. Direct Marketing Association. (2012, June 14). DMA re-
leases 2012 response rate report. DMA. Retrieved from http://
newdma.org/2012responseratereport
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11
Preparing
and Delivering
Business
Presentations
Andresr/Shutterstock
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“Real” business presentations are all about ensuring the facts
and numbers are accurate and getting the message across as
quickly and effectively as possible. Managers and executives are
busy, so they want to see the main points of your presentation
up front, along with metrics to measure success and key results.
By providing a summary slide, you can show a quick snapshot
of the main points of your presentation. Also, make sure the
slide design is simple, polished, and professional. Avoid word
art, excessive animations, and slide transitions because they
detract from the message of the presentation and render it less
professional.
New Hires @ Work
397
What do you analyze when planning
a business presentation? pages 398–402
Analyze your purpose and desired outcome:
Why are you presenting?
Analyze your audience: Who will be listening,
and what do they care about?
Analyze your message: What will you say to
achieve your desired outcome?
Analyze your setting: Where will you present?
Analyze your medium options: How will you
deliver your message?
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ3 How do you deliver and evaluate
the presentation? pages 423–427
Set the stage
Control your body
Use your voice effectively
Present your visuals effectively
Coordinate with your team
Evaluate the audience’s response
SQ2 How do you compose the
presentation? pages 403–423
Organize the content
Identify the role that slides will play
Create a storyboard
Develop a template
Design individual slides
Evaluate your slides in a practice session
Create effective handouts
SQ4 How do you handle questions
and answers? pages 428–429
Plan for a question-and-answer (Q&A) session
Answer questions skillfully
SQ5 How do you adapt your approach
for online presentations? pages 429–433
In a live online presentation, manage the
audience experience
In a podcast, provide content that offers lasting
value
MyBCommLab®
Improve Your Grade!
Over 10 million students improved their results using the Pearson MyLabs.
Visit mybcommlab.com for simulations, tutorials, and end-of-chapter problems.
Shruti Shah
University of Florida
Operations Analyst Development Program Intern @ JPMorgan Chase
P
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Chapter 11 | Introduction
You may think of a business presentation as a speech or as
a set of slides that you deliver. But employers think of pre-
sentations differently. Employers value presentation skills
because an employee’s ability to present reflects a more
fundamental ability to “frame ideas and share them.”1 In
fact, presenting information effectively is so critical that
some companies assess applicants’ presentation skills as
part of the hiring process. Chris Cunningham, CEO of
Appsavvy, explains that in his company, all job candi-
dates “must present to five to seven people as the final
step before we hire them. We will give them a real-life
example from our company and ask them to make a pre-
sentation. That is [how we] find out if they’re an all-star
or [if we have] just avoided making a bad hire. If someone
can come up with a great idea for the proposal, present it
without becoming nervous or uncomfortable, and hold
their own in the Q&A,”2 then that’s the person to hire.
You can prepare yourself for this type of chal-
lenging presentation—and other types of business
presentations—by practicing the systematic ap-
proach that you will learn in this chapter. The ap-
proach includes:
• Analyzing your purpose, audience, setting, and me-
dium options
• Planning and organizing your key points
• Composing visual support materials, including slides
and handouts
• Evaluating your presentation by practicing
• Delivering the presentation effectively
• Evaluating the audience’s response
SQ1 What do you analyze when planning a business presentation?
Assume that you work for the human resources department of Rowland-Grey, a large company
that owns six department store brands located throughout the United States. Your job is to
study the work environment in individual stores and to recommend changes that will improve
worker satisfaction and productivity. One day, your supervisor asks you to analyze the person-
nel problems in the company’s computer call centers, which handle both online orders and
customer feedback. The manager of the Midwest call center has been complaining that his
unit is experiencing high rates of sales staff turnover and absenteeism as well as decreases in
productivity. Your supervisor gave you exit interviews from 10 online sales clerks, all of whom
quit due to headaches and eyestrain. Based on the exit interviews and additional research, you
learn the following information:
• The annual turnover rate for employees who work in the call center is 55 percent, whereas the
turnover rate for employees on the sales floor is 40 percent.
• The excess turnover in the call centers costs the company $660,000 a year in new employee
training.
• Exit interviews show that people working in the call center routinely complain about
headaches.
• The type of computer monitors combined with the lighting in the call centers lead to glare,
which may be contributing to the headaches.
Analyze
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What do you analyze when planning a business presentation? 399
In a meeting with your supervisor, you report your findings and suggest that Rowland-
Grey conduct a pilot program to determine if purchasing new computer monitors will reduce
turnover and increase productivity. Your supervisor likes the idea and asks you to make a pre-
sentation to Carolyn Reese, senior vice president of planning and development, to get funding
for this pilot program. The business question you will address is this: What is the cause of high
turnover and low productivity, and what can be done about it?
As you read the chapter, you will follow the ACE process to develop this presentation.
Preparing the presentation begins long before the day you deliver it. In fact, it begins long
before the day you start to write it. Using the ACE process, you can plan your presentation by
analyzing the following areas:
• Purpose and desired outcome: Why are you presenting?
• Audience: Who will be listening, and what do they care about?
• Message: What will you say to achieve your desired outcome?
• Setting: Where will you present?
• Medium options: How will you deliver your message?
Analyze your purpose and desired outcome:
Why are you presenting?
As leadership expert Stephen Covey suggests, “Begin with the end in mind.”3 Every good
business presentation has both a purpose and a specific intended outcome. Ask yourself,
“Why am I delivering this presentation, and what do I want to have happen as a result?”
Visualize that outcome and then ensure that everything in the presentation contributes to
achieving it.
Figure 11.1 illustrates how to determine your general purpose and specific outcome along
with examples of possible outcomes for the Rowland-Grey presentation. Although you may
start with a general purpose like those in the left column, always move to a more specific out-
come, like those in the right column. The more specific your outcome statement, the easier it
is to create an effective presentation.
The Rowland-Grey presentation clearly needs to be persuasive. The objective is to
convince Carolyn Reese, the senior VP, to approve the plan and fund a pilot program to
purchase 100 new computer monitors that will reduce glare. With this specific outcome in
mind, you can now analyze the audience: What will Ms. Reese need to know and believe to
be convinced?
Analyze
FIGURE 11.1 How to Determine Your General Purpose and Specific Outcome
IF I PRIMARILY WANT
MY AUDIENCE TO…
THEN THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF
MY PRESENTATION WILL BE TO…
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE ROWLAND-GREY CASE,
I MIGHT WANT THIS SPECIFIC OUTCOME:
Know something Inform The audience will know why the call center turnover is
so high.
Believe something or do
something
Persuade The audience will approve a plan to fund a pilot pro-
gram to purchase 100 new computer monitors that will
reduce glare.
Know how to do something Instruct The audience will know how to install new monitors.
Work together with me to
reach an answer
Collaborate The audience will discuss the pros and cons of pur-
chasing new monitors and decide based on that
discussion.
New Hires @ Work
Rachelle Holloman
Belmont University
Business Continuity
Administrator @ HCA Healthcare
In school, a presen-
tation may earn you
extra credit, but in
your career, a pre-
sentation is often
a make-or-break
situation.
Photo courtesy of Rachelle Holloman
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Analyze your audience: Who will be listening,
and what do they care about?
Analyzing your audience helps you develop content. If you know the people in your au-
dience, especially the decision makers, you can anticipate their needs, interests, attitudes,
and possible biases. If you do not know your audience, imagine how they might respond.
Figure 11.2 lists questions that will help you understand your audience. By answering these
questions, you’ll be able to tailor the presentation to your audience, making it easier to
achieve your goal.
In the Rowland-Grey scenario, the key decision maker is Carolyn Reese, who originally
developed the call center eight years ago. She wants it to succeed. Ms. Reese is very interested
in costs and cost savings and will not be motivated by arguments based solely on employee
happiness or unhappiness. She is skeptical about big promises, and she values proposals that
are supported by logic and research.
FIGURE 11.2 How to Analyze Your
Audience 1. Who are the key players?
Who are the key decision makers and important stakeholders whose response
will affect your success?
2. What do the key players care about?
What are their key questions and concerns? Attitudes and values? Personal
agendas and hot buttons?
3. How will the key players benefit?
How will the outcome or ideas you are presenting connect to what they care
about? For example, will your ideas save money or time, resolve a pressing issue,
or achieve a strategic objective?
4. What does the audience already know about the situation or topic?
How much context do they need?
5. How do they feel about you and your topic?
How much credibility do you have? What is their attitude toward your topic?
6. What does the audience need or expect from you in this presentation?
Do their expectations match your intentions, or will you need to reset their
expectations?
7. How far do you need to move your audience before they act? Where do
they fall on this continuum:
Ready to
act?
Care about
addressing
it?
Believe it is
worth
addressing?
Understand
the issue?
Aware of
the issue?
Unaware of
the issue?
Analyze
Analyze
Analyze your message: What will you say
to achieve your desired outcome?
Imagine the audience of your presentation asking you, “What is the one thing you want me to
remember from this presentation?” That one thing is your main message. The best messages will
answer a question for the audience. Sometimes your audience will come to the presentation
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with a question in mind. At other times, you will need to raise the question for them in the first
few minutes of your presentation.
For most business presentations, the main message should do all four of these things:
1. Take the audience’s point of view (often using the words you, we, and us) and include other key
players, such as the board of directors, employees, investors, customers, or partners, if they are
involved.
2. Address a problem, concern, or need that your audience cares about—for example, grow-
ing the business, saving money, increasing return on investment, or enhancing employee
satisfaction.
3. Present your solution and highlight what the audience will gain from that solution.
4. Explicitly or implicitly lead your audience to the outcome you intend.
In the Rowland-Grey scenario, the main message might be this: “Investing in new computer
monitors may help solve our employee turnover problem and reduce the associated costs.”
Analyze your setting: Where will you present?
The setting of your presentation will affect the material you prepare and your presentation
style. For some presentations, you may be standing in front of a screen with an audience ar-
ranged in rows or tables throughout the room. For other presentations, you may be sitting
at a conference table with a few key decision makers. And in other situations, you may be
delivering the presentation to a remote audience by videoconference, web conference, or
teleconference.
Before you prepare slides or select other visual aids to use, analyze your setting by asking
yourself these questions:
• Will you be standing to present slides, or will you be sitting with others around a table or a
computer looking at small screens or printouts? If the room is very big, you may need a mi-
crophone. Will you use a podium microphone, which will limit your movement? Or will you
have a wireless microphone so you can move around the room more freely? If your audience
will be looking at your slides from a distance, your fonts and images will need to be larger than
if you are in a small room or are presenting around a table.
• Will you be using your own computer to present slides and other visuals, or will you need
to use equipment that is already in the room? If you are using other equipment, be sure
that it projects your material correctly and that all fonts, images, video, and audio work as
planned.
• Will your audience be looking at your presentation on a computer screen at a remote lo-
cation and listening via computer or telephone? If so, plan to design slides that are easy to
follow and that do not require you to use your hands or a laser pointer to direct your audi-
ence’s attention to key points. If you design your slides effectively, you will be able to direct the
audience by pointing with your voice—for example, “the picture on the left illustrates” or “the
numbers in red represent.”
Analyze your medium options:
How will you deliver your message?
As you plan your presentation, consider what tools you want to use and what materials you can
provide to help your audience understand your message. Do not restrict yourself to using only
slides. You can take advantage of a range of options and combine them in effective ways. For
example, many people choose to project slides and also provide the audience with a hardcopy
handout. You can embed video or audio files within your slides, or use a document camera to
project a paper document while making notes about it on a flipchart. The best options depend
on your purpose, audience, content, and setting. The criteria in Figure 11.3 can help you make
good choices about your medium and presentation tools.
Figure 11.4 summarizes the analysis for the Rowland-Grey presentation. This analysis can
serve as a guide to focus the presentation in the composing stage.
Analyze
Analyze
What do you analyze when planning a business presentation? 401
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FIGURE 11.3 How to Select a Medium
WHAT MEDIUM OPTIONS BEST FIT YOUR CRITERIA? F
L
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A
R
T
S
,
W
H
IT
E
B
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Purpose- and content-related criteria
Encourage the audience to collaborate, interact, and create content ■ ■ ■
Encourage the audience to listen and look carefully ■ ■ ■ ■
Communicate complex material that people need to look at carefully ■ ■
Share content that is not in electronic form ■ ■ ■
Present lengthy content that could not easily be seen in slide form ■
Provide a demonstration ■ ■
Have an electronic record of the material ■ ■ ■
Audience- and setting-related criteria
Present to a large audience in a large room ■ ■ ■
Present to a small audience in a small room ■ ■ ■ ■
Present to one or two people in an office or conference room ■ ■ ■ ■
Present to a distant audience accessible by computer technology ■ ■ ■
Have the presentation available to people at a later time ■ ■ ■
FIGURE 11.4 Analysis for the Rowland-Grey Presentation
Purpose and Outcome: Why
are you presenting?
General purpose:
To persuade
Specific outcome:
The audience will approve the plan and fund a pilot program to purchase 100 new computer
monitors that will reduce glare.
Audience: Who will be
listening and what do they
care about?
Key player: Carolyn Reese, Senior Vice President
What she cares about: Costs and cost savings.
How she will benefit: Reduced turnover costs.
Her attitude toward the topic: Positive. Having established the call center 8 years ago, she
cares about it and wants it to succeed.
Her expectations: A conservative proposal that is supported by logic and research.
How far she needs to be moved in the audience continuum: She is almost ready to act; she
cares about addressing the issue.
Message: What will you say
to achieve the desired effect?
“Investing in new computer monitors may help solve our employee turnover problem and
reduce the associated costs.”
Setting: Where will you present? A small conference room with a projector. We will be sitting down together at the table.
Medium: How will you de-
liver your message?
A slide presentation will help you walk Ms. Reese through the problem and solution. The pa-
per copy of the slides will serve as a handout.
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How do you compose the presentation? 403
Organize the content
Think of your presentation as a three-act play with an opening, a middle, and an end.
Compose an opening that engages the audience
Extensive research has shown that the common saying, “You never get a second chance to
make a first impression,” is largely correct.4 The primacy effect, or the fact that your audience
is more likely to remember the first things they hear, makes it all the more important to plan
carefully how you begin your presentation. The opening of a presentation has four main goals:
• Establish rapport with your audience
• Capture the audience’s attention
• Motivate your audience to care about your presentation and your goal
• Provide a map or framework for the rest of the presentation
Establish rapport. At the beginning of a presentation, your audience wants to connect with
you. They want to know who you are and feel confident that you have designed the presentation
with their needs in mind. To make that connection, introduce yourself and identify common
ground that you share with your audience. Have you had similar experiences, are you worried
about the same problem, do you share the same goals? Start with something familiar that your
SQ2 How do you compose the presentation?
What does it mean to compose a presentation? For some people, the first thing that comes
to mind may be writing a speech. Other people may imagine writing a slide deck or putting
together a set of visual aids. Still others may imagine a presentation that has no written com-
ponent at all. In fact, some of the most powerful business presentations are based on a single
visual image or a single prop that prompts and organizes the discussion.
Whether you envision your presentation as a speech or as a conversation with the audi-
ence supported by slides, props, and flipcharts, you will need to develop content that engages
the audience and meets their needs. If you are developing a slide presentation, you will need
to design a slide deck that supports the presentation without boring, distracting, or confusing
the audience. This section explains a seven-step process illustrated in Figure 11.5 for developing
effective slide presentations.
Compose
FIGURE 11.5 Process for Developing Slide Presentations
Create
effective
handouts
Evaluate in
a practice
session
Design
individual
slides
Develop
a template
Create a
storyboard
Identify the
role that
slides will play
Organize
the content
MyBCommLab Apply this
material’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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audience already knows. This technique communicates to the audience that you can see things
from their point of view. The goal is to capture their attention and build their interest before
you introduce new ideas.
Capture attention. Research shows that information relevant to the audience’s goals and
intentions is especially attention-getting,5 so get your audience involved right from the start
of the presentation with information that is personally relevant to them. You can supplement
this technique with other attention-getting devices. Take a look at the following strategies and
examples in Figure 11.6, which you could use at the opening of the Rowland-Grey presentation.
STRATEGY ROWLAND-GREY EXAMPLE
Cite a surprising fact or statistic. A sur-
prising fact can capture the audience’s
attention quickly. Even a mundane fact
can be effective if it gets people to nod in
agreement.
Next to payroll, annual employee training
represents the single largest cost in
Rowland-Grey’s computer call centers.
Tell a relevant story or anecdote. An
anecdote is a very short story, usually a
true one, that can bring a subject to life. An
anecdote is one of the most powerful ways
to begin a presentation.
A few weeks ago, I was driving from
Albuquerque to Flagstaff and made the
mistake of forgetting to bring sunglasses.
Within 10 minutes, the glare on the
windshield was blinding, my eyes were
squinting, and I started to get a headache.
Fortunately, I was able to get off the road
and buy sunglasses at a service station.
But the experience gave me a new per-
spective on the exit interviews I had been
reading from employees who left our
computer call center. Many said they
left because the computer glare
caused headaches. I can say, I know
how they feel.
Quote someone. You might quote an
expert, someone well known, a familiar
saying—or even someone from your audi-
ence. If you can find a quotation or saying
that relates to your point, you can use it—
or a variation of it—to get people to think.
As the saying goes, you need to spend
money to make money. It’s also true that
you sometimes need to spend money
to save money. Today I’m presenting a
proposal to spend money to update equip-
ment, an expenditure that has the potential
of saving us hundreds of thousands of dol-
lars in costs related to employee turnover.
Ask a question. Questions immediately
involve your audience and get them think-
ing about your presentation. Your question
can be a genuine one that you’d actually
like members of your audience to answer,
either in words or by a show of hands. Or
your question can be a rhetorical one that
you plan to answer yourself. The key is
finding the right question to engage your
audience and to set up the remainder of
your introduction.
• Would you be surprised to learn that
employee turnover for online sales clerks
costs Rowland-Grey $660,000 a year?
• Why do Rowland-Grey online sales
clerks leave their jobs more quickly
than any other category of clerks in the
company?
Motivate your audience to care. An audience will care about your presentation if they believe
it is valuable to them. Does your audience have a problem that you will solve? Is there a need
for change? Are you identifying an opportunity that they can take advantage of? Is there a
specific way that your audience will benefit?
For example, the proposal to replace computer monitors at Rowland-Grey offers employ-
ees the benefit of a more comfortable working environment and better health, and it offers
anecdote A very short story, usually a
true one, that is used to make a point and
bring a subject to life.
FIGURE 11.6 Strategies for
Capturing Attention
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managers the benefit of improved employee productivity. However, neither of these benefits is
of primary importance to your audience, Carolyn Reese. She is probably more concerned with
cost savings. As a result, the opening that you choose needs to focus on that benefit.
Provide a framework or map. An audience easily gets lost and bored if they cannot anticipate
the twists and turns the presentation may take. Providing specific directions about the content
at the beginning of the presentation helps them stay on course and follow your logic. A visual
map, such as the one in Figure 11.7, can also serve as an agenda. You can return to it throughout
the presentation to make transitions between different sections.
FIGURE 11.7 Visual Map for Rowland-Grey Presentation
2. Possible
Solution
3. Pilot Test1. Problem
New Hires @ Work
Anna Van Cleef
University of Tennessee
Procurement Specialist – Audit
Liaison @ Georgia-Pacific, LLC
When facilitating training to a
group of vice presidents,
I get nervous but remind
myself that I am
knowledgeable,
have made a
difference with my
knowledge, and
want to share it
with them.
How do you compose the presentation? 405
Photo courtesy of Anna Van Cleef
Organize the middle of the presentation to be easy
to understand
A presentation is easiest to follow when it has a clear and simple organization. Within that
organization, you can provide as much data as you need to accomplish your goal, as long as
you also do these three things:
• Focus on points that are meaningful to the audience
• Limit the number of key points you include
• Make the relationship between points clear by using recognizable patterns
Focus on points that are meaningful to the audience. Presenters sometimes take the easy way
out and let the information dictate the organization: two types of requirements, five training
courses, three products, or six product features. For a more effective organization, think about
what is meaningful to the audience. Instead of focusing on the features of a product, focus on
how those features benefit the audience. Instead of explaining how a system works, highlight
the problems the system solves. To identify the points most meaningful to the audience, return
to the audience analysis questions you answered during the planning phase and identify what
the audience wants to know during the presentation. Let that analysis be your guide.
Limit the number of key points. Your audience will remember your content better if you do
not overload them with information. Presentation experts often recommend that you limit
your number of key points in a presentation (or bullet points on a slide) to a maximum of
seven, Miller’s Magical Number, based on influential research by George Miller.6 However,
more recent research has cut that estimate in half, and it is now generally accepted that people
can keep four or five unrelated chunks of information in their short-term memory before
forgetting important information.7, 8 By keeping your presentation to a small number of points,
your audience will be able to remember them better when the presentation is over.
If you do have more than four or five points, group related items. For example, if you have
seven recommendations to present, your audience will process the information and remember
the recommendations better if you present it in two “chunks”—for example, three recommen-
dations for saving costs and four recommendations for saving time.
Present your information using a recognizable pattern. Your audience will also find it easier
to follow your information if they can recognize the pattern of your thinking. Consider the
common patterns represented in Figure 11.8.
Which of these patterns will work best for the Rowland-Grey presentation? Although
several approaches are feasible, perhaps the best one is the problem/solution, or motivated
sequence, pattern because this pattern is likely to be effective in motivating the audience.
Whether you choose one of these organizational patterns or a different one, be sure it fits your
objective and the material you need to present. Remember to use keywords that make the pat-
tern obvious to your audience, so that they understand your approach. In other words, if you
are using a problem/solution pattern, use those words in your presentation.
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FIGURE 11.8 Organizational Patterns for Presentations
ORGANIZATIONAL
PATTERN
EXPLANATION
Categorization Group the content under key categories, such as four reasons, five steps, or three options.
Component Parts If you are discussing the problems in the company, you may divide the discussion into the com-
ponent regions—for example, Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest. Similarly, if you
are talking about proposed changes to an automobile, you may present changes to the body,
the engine and mechanical components, the chassis, and the interior.
Chronological Order Chronology works well if you are presenting the timeline for a project or phases to implement a
new computer system—any topic in which time is particularly important and meaningful.
Conceptual Order For some presentations, you might find it useful to
develop a model or diagram that illustrates the
relationship between the ideas you plan to present,
and then use that visual to organize your presentation.
For example, if you were delivering an informative
presentation about the ACE process, you might
organize it by the three elements represented
in the ACE diagram: Analyze, Compose, and
Evaluate. In fact, you might even use this
diagram as an agenda for the presentation.
Problem/Solution
Or
Monroe’s Motivated
Sequence
Because business presentations often aim to solve problems, organizing the content by
problem/solution can be very useful. A similar pattern, the Motivated Sequence developed by
Alan H. Monroe, is often taught in speech courses.9 The five-step sequence is:
1. Attention: Use techniques for capturing the audience’s attention.
2. Need: Show the audience how a problem negatively affects them. For example: “Current
call-center conditions cost us time and money.”
3. Satisfaction: Explain how your proposed action corrects or fulfills the identified need and will
personally benefit the audience. For example, “New computer monitors will halt rapid
employee turnover, saving us training time and thousands of dollars.”
4. Visualization: Paint a vivid picture of the benefits that will come from your solution, or
the negative consequences of not enacting it. For example, “Once the program is fully
implemented, imagine saving $441,000 a year.”
5. Action: Clearly identify what you want your audience to do. Provide short, concrete, easily
accomplished action steps. For example, you might say, “If you support this action, approve
the pilot program.”
Opportunity/Action Rather than focusing on the problem, emphasize an opportunity that will be valuable to your
audience and then show how you can help them take advantage of this opportunity.
Questions/Answers If you have done a good job of analyzing your audience, you may be able to imagine the ques-
tions that will be on their minds when they attend the presentation. These questions can help
you organize the presentation. For example, if you are delivering an informational presentation
about a new dental insurance option available to employees, you might organize the presenta-
tion around questions such as these:
• Why did Acme add a new dental plan option?
• What are the key features of each available option?
• How can I choose between them?
• How do I sign up for my preferred plan?
• Can I change plans during the year?
If you choose a question/answer structure, then the questions themselves become the agenda
for your presentation.
slide
Managing the Communication Process
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
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Compose a memorable conclusion
The end of a presentation is as important as the beginning. Because the conclusion is the last
thing the audience hears, it may be the first thing the audience remembers days or weeks after
your presentation. This is called the recency effect.10 Compose a powerful conclusion to your pre-
sentation by using at least one of the following strategies. The best endings typically use all four.
• Summarize your main message. All presentation guidelines recommend summarizing at the
end. In other words, “Tell them what you told them.” However, a good summary does more
than just say “I’ve talked about our turnover problem and a proposed solution.” Remind the au-
dience why you talked about those topics. What makes the topics important to you and to the
audience? What impact will the topics have? What are the benefits? How should the audience
use the information or respond to it? Audiences need to hear again “What’s in this for me?”
• Ask for what you want. What do you want the audience to do? Send you information? Sched-
ule a meeting with a decision maker? Approve your proposal? Act on your recommendations?
You’ll need to create a call to action with specific, clear, and tangible tasks. As salespeople say,
“Make the ask!”
• Visualize the outcome for the audience. Paint a picture of the audience’s world when your
plans, product, or recommendations are in place. What will be more efficient, less costly, more
comfortable, or more competitive? What kind of satisfaction will they experience?
• Make next steps clear. If your presentation leads to future action, outline the next steps and
identify who is responsible for what. A simple checklist or timeline can effectively display the
content and provide a visual reference.
For the Rowland-Grey presentation, you know that even if Ms. Reese believes the pilot is
a good idea, she may not volunteer to pay for it. With this concern in mind, you decide that
your conclusion needs to include an explicit request for funding along with the key reasons
why Ms. Reese should fund it.
Identify the role that slides will play
If you plan to use slides, now is the time to identify how you plan to use them. Typically, you
will choose between two different types of presentations that use slides in two different ways:
stand-alone presentations and visual aid presentations.
Stand-alone presentations
Many business presentations require that your slide decks—the set of slides you prepare for
the presentation—serve as reference documents after the presentation and communicate the
content effectively to people who didn’t attend the presentation. These slide decks need to
make “stand-alone sense,”11 a term coined by managerial communication expert Mary Munter.
Stand-alone sense does not mean that the deck needs to be comprehensive or include every
word you plan to say. Instead, it means the presentation material needs to make sense to any-
one who reads it without the benefit of the presenter to explain the information. In addition,
each slide needs to make sense to someone who enters the room during the presentation,
without hearing your introduction.
A stand-alone presentation is distinguished by three key features:
• An agenda slide that communicates the main ideas and logic of the presentation
• Sentence-style message headlines that summarize the key point, or message, of each slide
• Support material in the body of the slide that develops and explains the headline
Figure 11.9 on page 408 illustrates a slide from a stand-alone presentation.
Visual aid presentations
In presentations where the speaker’s words carry the main story of the presentation, the slides
primarily provide illustration and backup. These visual aid presentations ideally devote much
more space to various forms of illustration that focus the discussion and demonstrate the
points. The slide in Figure 11.10 on page 408 is from a presentation promoting a culinary tour of
France. The slide is visually appealing, but a presenter needs to explain the main point orally.
Compose
slide deck A set of slides used for a
presentation.
stand-alone presentation A slide
deck that makes sense without the benefit
of a presenter.
message headlines Slide headlines
that summarize the key point, or message,
of each slide.
visual aid presentation A presentation
in which the speaker’s words carry the main
story of the presentation, and the slides
provide illustration and backup.
How do you compose the presentation? 407
MyBCommLab Apply this
material’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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FIGURE 11.9 A Stand-Alone Slide with Message Headline
slide
Proposal to Reduce Employee Turnover
Employee turnover 38% higher in call
centers than in stores
Average annual turnover rate for the past three years
15-percentage-point
gap means the turnover
rate in call centers is
38% higher than in
stores (15/40=38%)
Call center personnel also experience higher
rates of absenteeism and tardiness.
3
Message headline
identifies key idea of
the slide.
Supporting material
explains the
headline.
Box at the bottom
highlights a second
important idea.
FIGURE 11.10 A Visual Aid Slide
That Requires a Presenter
Paris and the Cordon Bleu
slide
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Create a storyboard
Once you know the organization of your content and the type of slides you will develop, you
can begin outlining the presentation by creating a storyboard. The concept of a storyboard
comes from the film industry. Traditionally, a filmmaker will plan the film, scene by scene,
sketching the vision for each scene and including notes for direction and filming. Applied to a
presentation, a storyboard is a slide-by-slide sketch that helps create a story flow based on the
organization you developed. The storyboard also helps you see the big picture of the presenta-
tion before you get too involved in creating individual slides.
To create a storyboard, sketch boxes for your slides (or use note cards or Post-it notes) and
write a headline in each box. Then sketch your vision for the body of each slide. How will you
support that headline and illustrate that key idea? Figure 11.11 on page 410 illustrates a story-
board for the Rowland-Grey presentation.
Develop a template
In business communication, a presentation’s slide design should always be secondary to its
message. You don’t want your audience to focus more on the template’s images, colors, and
borders than on the message itself. The best approach is to keep your slide design simple so
your audience can concentrate on the content. Fortunately, slide programs such as PowerPoint
and Keynote allow you to create your own slide templates (PowerPoint templates are saved in
the Microsoft template folder as .pot files). You can use a slide master to design your template.
A slide master is a presentation-editing tool that allows you to apply design features to all of
your slides in that file. This tool will enforce consistency in your visual elements: colors, fonts
and font sizes, bullet styles, headers, footers, and margins will be consistent from slide to slide.
Using this tool also saves you time because you won’t need to make these changes on every
slide you add. Figure 11.12 on page 411 illustrates how you might set up elements on a slide
master to develop an effective template. In addition to these design elements, make sure that
you use a coherent set of fonts. Figure 11.13 on page 412 illustrates how to select appropriate
fonts. If you use fonts that are not part of the standard set included in Microsoft Windows, be
sure to save your file with the fonts embedded. Doing so will allow you to project your file with
the intended fonts on any other Windows-based computer (though not on Apple computers).
Design individual slides
After you finalize your template, you can begin designing and composing individual slides.
Use the guiding principle of “less is more.” Too many people use slides as their speaking script,
crowding out all blank space with detailed text. With so much content on the slide, your audi-
ence can’t focus on anything. Ironically, if the slide contains less information, your audience
will absorb more of the content. This “less is more” principle applies both to text slides and
data slides.
Text slides
The bullet-point layout is the default layout for new slides in most presentation software, in-
cluding PowerPoint. This default may be one reason why writers overuse bullet points rather
than using other means of formatting text. As Figure 11.14 on page 413 illustrates, bullets are
certainly a better choice than dense paragraphs of text because bullets can help the audience
see the relationship among ideas at a glance.
As Figure 11.14 illustrates, bullet points work best for lists: items that can be labeled as
members of one category, such as reasons, examples, results, solutions, steps, implications, or
conclusions. To make the bullet points easy to read, be sure they are both logically and gram-
matically parallel. In other words, all the items should begin with the same part of speech
(such as the verbs in Figure 11.14) and be phrased the same way. As Figure 11.15 on page 414
illustrates, if you want to include content that is not part of your list, you can position it as an
introducer to the list, if appropriate. Alternatively, you can include it in a text box. Just be sure
that the relationship between the bullet points and the other text is clear.
As a general guideline, limit the number of bullet points on a slide to three or four.12 For
visual aid presentations, also limit the number of words per line to six or seven. For stand-
alone presentations, you may need more words.
storyboard A slide-by-slide sketch of the
presentation that is used as a tool for orga-
nizing the flow of the presentation.
slide master A tool within presentation
software that allows you to select design
features that will apply to all slides.
bullet point One of a number of items
printed in a vertical list, preceded by a
symbol called a bullet.
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FIGURE 11.11 Presentation Storyboard
1 2
3
5
4
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FIGURE 11.12 Guidelines for Designing a PowerPoint Template
Position headlines appropriately.
If you are using very short headlines,
center them at the top of the slide.
However, if you are using message
headlines, begin them at the left
margin.
Use a clean and simple look. Avoid
templates with decorative, nonfunctional
graphics. Avoid frequently used
templates that immediately communicate
a lack of originality. Use basic, solid
backgrounds. Avoid backgrounds with
dramatic color gradations that can
con�ict with the color of the font you
choose. Use light backgrounds for
presentations intended to be read on a
computer, projected in a small or well-lit
room, or printed for your audience. Use
dark backgrounds to project in dark
rooms.
Keep bullet style simple. Avoid
ornate shapes that detract from your
content and may not print correctly.
Use a consistent color palette.
Choose an effective set of colors to
use for graphs, tables, and emphasis
in text. Color contrast is often
sharper on your own computer
screen than on a projected display.
If you are planning to project slides,
test your color combinations in the
room where you will present to make
sure that the headlines and text
contrast suf�ciently with the
background.
Minimize the size of logos. If you would like
a logo or other corporate identity item on each
slide, reduce the size and put it in the footer
or in a corner of the slide master where it will
be visible but will not detract from the
message.
Include a footer
with slide numbers
and other identifying
information.
T M
J
Title of presentation is Franklin Gothic Medium 24 bold
Presenter names and/or subtitle is Franklin Gothic Medium Condensed 20
Date is Franklin Gothic Medium 18
Date box
Company logo
– 2 –
Headline is Franklin Gothic Medium 24 Bold
• First level bullet is FG Medium 20 Bold
– Second level is FG Medium 18 Regular
� Third Level is FG Medium 16 regular
Page number File title
TMJ-Vers2.pptx
Company logo
Color Palette
T M
J
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1. Select a single font for your template. It may either be a serif font (such as Times New Roman, which has extra “tails” at
the end of each character) or a sans serif font such as Arial, which does not have tails.
2. Identify the font variations you will use. Variations can include styles of a single font and different members of the font
family
Slide headline: Franklin
Gothic Medium 24 bold
Graph title: Franklin
Gothic Demi 16
Axis labels and data
labels: Franklin Gothic
Medium Condensed 16
Text box: Franklin
Gothic Medium 18
T M
J
The combined size of three market segments for The
Maximum Juicer tm provides huge sales opportunities
Market Opportunity
– 4 –
18
33
45
115
5210
Millenials
Senior Citizens
HH with Small Children
Total US Households
Total US Households Compared to
Market Segments Households for the TMJ
(in millions)
The total of the three market
segments (45+33+18 = 96)
represents 84% of all US
households (96÷115 = .84)
Running head: Franklin
Gothic Medium 12 italic
FIGURE 11.13 How to Select Fonts for Your Template
3. Select appropriate sizes and variations for the elements of your slides. Keep your fonts and font sizes consistent
throughout the slides.
EXAMPLES OF SERIF FONTS EXAMPLES OF SANS SERIF FONTS
Book Antiqua Verdana
Times New Roman Arial
Franklin Gothic
EXAMPLE OF STYLES OF A SINGLE FONT EXAMPLE OF A FONT FAMILY
Franklin Gothic Franklin Gothic
Franklin Gothic italics Franklin Gothic Heavy
Franklin Gothic bold Franklin Gothic Medium
Franklin Gothic Medium Condensed
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FIGURE 11.14 How to Use Bullet Points to Eliminate Wordiness
EFFECTIVE: Easier to Read
INEFFECTIVE: Too Much Text
Market Minders’ research methodology
Market Minders uses a systematic and collaborative
approach to measure brand awareness of our clients’
products. First, we work with our clients to establish the
purpose of the research. Then we design the study.
Once that is complete, we work with our clients to
determine who should respond and how many
respondents are necessary. Then, an estimated timeline is
created. Finally, we develop the survey instrument,
execute the survey according to the timeline, and meet
with our clients to present the results.
How Market Minders researches awareness of your brand
Market Minders will work collaboratively with you to:
• Design a targeted research study and identify appropriate
respondents
• Design a survey instrument and conduct the survey
according to an agreed timeline
• Analyze and present results
Use bullets only for lists.
Determine what you will be listing
(in this case, steps of a process).
Summarize your ideas into three or
four bullets.
Phrase each bullet as a step in the
process. Begin with a verb because
a step is an action.
If your side presents ideas that are not a logical list, eliminate the bullets and present the
content in text boxes, shapes, or diagrams. If you choose to present text in the form of a dia-
gram, be sure to choose a shape that reinforces the content. Avoid diagrams that are chosen
only for visual appeal and that do not help your audience better understand the information.
Figure 11.16 on page 415 illustrates how to improve a diagram to help your audience quickly see
the relationships among ideas.
Data slides
In business presentations, you will often need to represent numerical data on slides. As
Figure 11.17 on page 415 illustrates, graphs typically do a better job than tables of showing the
relationships between numbers and the meaning of the data. For guidelines on designing ef-
fective graphs, see Chapter 10: Preparing Business Reports.
Evaluate your slides in a practice session
As you design your slides, you may focus more on how a slide looks and what it says than on
how you will present the slide. That is why it is important to practice presenting each slide and
then to revise each slide to make it easier to present. As you evaluate your slides, consider both
the arrangement of content and the animations. Evaluate
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Are the slides easy to present?
Consider the ineffective slide in Figure 11.18 on page 416, which presents data about the
potential number of total prescriptions for a medication (TRxs) organized by region. The slide
is clean, clear, and easy to read. However, it would be difficult to present. What message do you
see in the slide? What would you want to say about market potential? Because the regions are
ordered geographically, from east to west, no clear message is obvious.
By contrast, the effective slide in Figure 11.18 is much easier to present. A presenter could
look at the slide and say: “While there is substantial sales potential for our product throughout
the country, that potential is not divided evenly across the sales districts. The graph on this slide is
organized by size of potential. As you can see, the West district has over seven times more market
potential than the New York Metro District.”
Are animations effective?
Practicing your presentation not only allows you to evaluate individual slides, but it also helps
you make good decisions about whether to use slide animations—visual effects that control
when and how elements appear on your slides while you present. As a general guideline, use
animation only if it helps you present a slide effectively and if you believe it will help your audi-
ence better understand your points.
FIGURE 11.15 How to Include Text That Does Not Belong in a Bullet-Point List
EFFECTIVE
INEFFECTIVE
With �ve bullet points, it is dif�cult
to see what the four markets are.
The fourth bullet, average income,
is not a market but an income
category that relates to the three
bullets above.
The �fth bullet is not a market at
all. Instead it is an insight about
how to appeal to the market.
Write a headline that clearly
introduces the bulleted list and
provides a label (“markets”).
Put items that relate to all the
bullets (”income”) before the
bullet list.
Ensure that every bulleted
item is a distinct member of
the category (a distinct
“market”).
Put �nal insights or conclusions
in a text box, not a bullet point.
Four markets for our low-cost juicer
Three markets for our low-cost juicer
• Health-conscious retirees and senior citizens on a
�xed income
• Fitness-conscious millennials on tight budgets
• Families with small children who are reluctant to
eat vegetables
• Average income between $30,000 and $50,000
• Advertising and promotional activities should
stress our juicer’s high health value/low cost
1. Health-conscious retirees and senior citizens
living on a �xed income
2. Fitness-conscious millennials living on tight
budgets
3. Families with small children who are reluctant to
eat vegetables
Advertising and promotional activities should stress
our juicer’s high health value/low cost
Middle income ($30,000 – $50,000) households in the
following categories:
animations Visual effects that control
when and how elements appear on your
slides while you present.
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FIGURE 11.16 How to Compose a Diagram Slide to Show Relationships
EFFECTIVE
INEFFECTIVE
The branching diagram helps the audience see at a
glance that fourth-quarter highlights fell into three groups:
new product development, new customers, and market
development. Market development is the biggest category.
The circular diagram implies the fourth-quarter highlights are
separate and unrelated.
FIGURE 11.17 How to Represent Quantitative Data Effectively
EFFECTIVE
INEFFECTIVE
HealthySnacks
Online Orders Were Highest in December
30,000
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Number of Online Orders
7,092 7,497 7,560
5,796
13,984
18,743
15,435
14,545
17,667
16,984
15,221
27,098
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov D ec
HealthySnacks
Month # of online orders
The table does not help the audience visualize the data.
The graph conveys the message of the slide at a glance.
For example, if you wanted to present the ACE diagram in a presentation, you might have
the analyzing portion appear first, then composing, then evaluating, discussing each part in turn,
as shown in Figure 11.19 on page 416. By the end, the circle would be visible, and you would dis-
cuss why ACE is a circular process. In this case, the animation would support your discussion.
If you choose to use animations in a presentation, follow these guidelines:
• Be consistent within the presentation. Use only one technique (for example, appear, dissolve,
fade in) anywhere you use animations within the presentation.
• Be conservative. You may think it is entertaining to have images or words fly in from the left
and right. However, this movement will not enhance your content. It will simply distract your
audience.
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FIGURE 11.18 How to Revise a Slide for Easier Presentation
INEFFECTIVE: Difficult to Present Effectively
300
Ne
w
E
ng
lan
d
NY
M
et
ro
M
id
A
tla
nt
ic
So
ut
he
as
t
Gr
ea
t L
ak
es
Gr
ea
t P
la
in
s
So
ut
hw
es
t
W
es
t
250
200
150
M
ar
ke
t
P
o
te
n
ti
al
(
0
0
0
’s
T
R
x)
Market Potential by Sales District
Market Potential by Sales District
100
50
0
Headline does not identify
the main idea of the slide,
just the topic.
Graphic format does not
clearly depict trends or
meaningful relationships.
Diagonal labels are
difficult to read.
Message headline explains the
main point of the slide.
Graphic format organizes the
content from most to least
market potential and orients
the text horizontally for
easier reading.
Box at the bottom of the
slide presents a second
significant point that the
presenter can emphasize.
West 282
242
174
100
80
66
51
40
0 50 100 150
Market Potential (000’s TRx)
200 250 300
Market Potential by Sales District
Market potential is unevenly distributed across sales districts.
New England
Southeast
Great Plains
Great Lak es
Southwest
Mid Atlantic
NY Metro
The West district has over seven times more market
potential than the NY Metro district.
EFFECTIVE: Easier to Present
FIGURE 11.19 Using Animation to Present Parts of a Diagram
Analyzing
Making decisions
about your purpose
audience, content,
and medium
Composing
Organizing your
message, drafting
the content,
and designing
a professional
delivery
Evaluating
Reviewing the
message, revising
the content,
editing the style,
and considering
feedback
Analyzing
Making decisions
about your purpose
audience, content,
and medium
Composing
Organizing your
message, drafting
the content,
and designing
a professional
delivery
Analyzing
Making decisions
about your purpose
audience, content,
and medium
• When possible, show the whole picture or list first, then fade that picture and begin the
animation. Audiences often understand individual points better when they have first seen the
big picture.
• Practice. Presenting an animated slide is more difficult than presenting one without anima-
tion. Practice delivering the slide so that you know how to take advantage of the animation. If
you find the animation difficult to present, remove it from the slide.
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The slides for the Rowland-Grey presentation, in Figure 11.20, incorporate all the best prac-
tices from this section. These 13 slides will support the presentation you will deliver to Carolyn
Reese, Senior Vice President of Planning and Development of Rowland-Grey. Although you
considered preparing just a handout with no slides, you decided it would be easier to present
the problem and solution if you had a visual aid to focus your audience’s attention. The paper
copy of the slides will serve as a handout and will help Ms. Reese justify her decision to support
the pilot program.
FIGURE 11.20 Rowland-Grey Slide Presentation
The title slide resembles the
title page of formal report.
Message headlines
summarize the key
points of the slide.
The content in the
body develops the
headline.
The agenda slide
previews the
structure of the
presentation, which
follows a problem/solution
pattern.
(continued)
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This slide is designed to represent an
equation, helping the audience see how the
writer calculated the excess expenses from
employee turnover. The box at the bottom
refers to additional expenses that have not been
calculated precisely.
After quantifying the problem,
the presentation hypothesizes
the cause of the problem—the
computer monitors.
The agenda slide
reappears as a transition
between two major
sections. Highlighting on
the slide indicates the
current section.
Headaches
expenses
expenses
FIGURE 11.20 (Continued)
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3
Continuing the financial
argument, this slide
proposes that a reasonable
reduction in turnover will
save the company $180,000
per year.
The presentation
proposes to solve the
problem by installing
new computer monitors.
To strengthen the
financial argument,
the presentation goes
beyond presenting
just the first-year
savings and identifies
the long-term savings
over a three-year
period.
(continued)
FIGURE 11.20 (Continued)
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e
:
$9900
$18,500
,
•
•
As the presentation moves to
a new section, the Agenda
slide reappears. The section
number is highlighted.
This slide focuses on the timeline
for the pilot test and also the
metrics for measuring success.
Even if the VP believes the pilot is a
good idea, she may not volunteer to
pay for it. Therefore, the �nal slide
explicitly asks for a budget and gives
two reasons why the VP should fund
the project.
This slide addresses the cost of the pilot
program. The main point is that the
pilot, if successful, will save more money
than it costs.
FIGURE 11.20 (Continued)
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Create effective handouts
Audiences and presenters often benefit from handouts—documents distributed to the audi-
ence during or after a presentation. Making handouts of presentation slides is very convenient.
Standard formats include slide miniatures and slides with “notes” pages. However, your pre-
sentation may benefit from other types of handouts. For example, if you are making a detailed
sales presentation or client proposal, your handout may include product specification sheets or
spreadsheets that would be too detailed to read on a screen. Providing that material in a hand-
out is more effective. If you have several resources to share—such as forms, sample designs,
or documentation—you can use folders, report covers, or binders to organize your handout
materials. Figure 11.21 provides advice for choosing among types of handouts.
When creating handouts, use these guidelines:
• Consider the needs of your audience. Will they want to make notes on your handouts? If so,
avoid slide miniatures that fill the entire page with no room for notes. Be sure to leave ample
margins or provide other blank space.
• Consider the impact of color. Your audience may perceive handouts printed in color as more
impactful than black-and-white documents. However, colorful handouts are more expensive
to produce. Printing handouts in grayscale provides contrast without additional expense.
FIGURE 11.21 Choosing an Appropriate Handout Format
All Handouts Include . . .
• Header with title and name
• Contact information
• Page numbers
o
o
o
Slide Miniature Handouts
Consist of: slides that are reduced in size
but still legible
Use when: giving stand-alone and report
deck presentations
Slides with Notes Pages
Consist of: one slide per page, with
additional notes
Use when: giving presentations that
require explanation
Supplementary Information Handouts
Consist of: additional information,
including detailed tables, spreadsheets,
appendices, or resources
Use when: covering complex material
that bene�ts from additional detail
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• Proofread carefully before copying. You can easily make changes to your electronic files be-
fore your presentation. However, if you find an error after you copy your handouts, printing
and recopying them will require extra time and money.
• Make extra copies. Even if you think you know how large your audience will be, make 10
percent more handouts in case extra people attend or someone wants to share copies with col-
leagues who cannot attend your presentation.
• Decide when to distribute your handouts. In some situations, you may want to distribute
your handouts as your audience enters the room. They can preview the topic and begin to
think about your information before the presentation begins. In other cases, you may want
to distribute the handouts as you begin speaking. Having handouts during the presentation
allows the audience to make notes and identify question areas as they follow along. If you do
not want your audience to read a handout while you are presenting, you may decide to provide
handouts only at the end of the presentation as a take-away.
TECHNOLOGY
THE PROS AND CONS OF PREZI
Although PowerPoint is the most widely used presentation soft-
ware in business, new competitors are emerging. The most in-
triguing alternative is Prezi, a cloud-based presentation program
that requires a different approach to composing and delivering a
presentation.
Some of the unique things Prezi can help you do include:
• Identify a visual metaphor. Like PowerPoint, Prezi provides
an array of modifiable templates. However, Prezi’s templates
tend to feature visual metaphors, such as branching trees,
networked webs, and forked roads, that can help you model
PowerPoint provides a linear
framework, encouraging you to
move point-by-point through
your presentation.
As you present, you can zoom out
to show the structure of the entire
presentation and then zoom in to
present speci�c parts of that
picture.
By contrast, Prezi offers a
�exible “canvas” with zooming
capability. This canvas allows
you compose your presenta-
tion as one all-encompassing
picture that shows the visual
relationship among ideas.
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TECHNOLOGY
THE PROS AND CONS OF PREZI (Continued)
connections between ideas. These metaphors can also help
the audience grasp complex ideas in a glance.
• Showcase the relationship between the whole and its parts.
Because you can easily zoom in and out of the Prezi canvas,
it is easy to show the “big picture,” and then focus in on indi-
vidual elements.
• Toggle easily between elements. While it’s possible to skip
past slides in linear presentation software, Prezi makes it easy
to move freely from one point to the next. This flexibility is
particularly helpful if you are paying close attention to the
audience. If the audience seems confused or asks a question,
you can quickly and easily return to the relevant point with-
out clicking back through multiple slides.
However, Prezi also has some limitations; for example:
• There can be a steep learning curve. Prezi is not a great
choice if you have to learn how to use the software and put
together a presentation on a tight timeline.
• Your audience is probably less familiar with it. Novelty can
be a pro or a con, depending on the context and presentation,
but you don’t want interest in your presentation style to dis-
tract from the content.
Innovation economist Mariana Mazzucato used Prezi software
in her presentation at the 2013 TEDGlobal conference to argue that
governments can support, rather than hinder, economic innova-
tion.13 Mazzucato persuasively illustrated her argument by highlight-
ing common stereotypes about the free-wheeling private sector (as
represented by hoodie-wearing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg)
versus the stodgy public sector (as represented by a black-and-white
image of a suit-wearing bureaucrat). Centering her presentation
around this visual opposition not only initially established her point,
but also served as a constant reference to the big picture.
For more examples and tips, go to the “Prezi for Business”
section on the Prezi website
For a TECHNOLOGY exercise, go to Exercise 15 on page 445.
Many people get nervous when making presentations. Their minds go blank, their hands
shake, or they talk too quickly or too softly. Even if you don’t suffer from these problems, you
can enhance your presentation skills—and your professional presence when presenting—so
you can stand out among your peers. The only way to become a good presenter is to practice.
This section offers you proven tips for presenting effectively. Pick one or two specific items to
work on each time you practice your presentation. In time, you will incorporate all of them
into your presenting style.
Set the stage
Use the following guidelines to ensure a professional presentation:
• Practice (aloud). It’s easy to feel nervous when you are not well prepared. Presenting is
similar to an athletic performance. A presenter needs to get ready—just as an athlete would
practice regularly and then stretch to warm up. Practice means saying the words aloud, not
merely going over them in your head, to create a “sound memory” to recall during your
actual presentation.
SQ3 How do you deliver and evaluate the presentation?
C
o
u
rt
e
sy
P
re
zi
I
n
c.
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• Dress for the part. For formal presentations, wear business-formal clothing, similar to what
you would wear to a job interview. Even in less formal presentations, dress with care. Wear
clothing that looks neat and allows you to move comfortably. You want people to pay attention
to you, not your clothing. Empty your pockets of keys or loose change that can jingle when you
move. Avoid distracting jewelry—and, of course, turn off cell phones.
• Arrive early and warm up. Warming up can take several forms. To feel comfortable with
the audience, greet people individually, introduce yourself, get used to talking with them,
and make a good first impression even before you begin to present. To focus your mind and
relieve stress, use relaxation techniques. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm to control the
adrenaline and relax the neck and jaw muscles. These techniques will also help you project
your voice. To refresh your memory about your content, take a quick look at your notes, and
review your opening and closing remarks. Finally, double-check handouts and equipment to
ensure everything is ready.
• Set up all equipment and props. If you plan to use presentation slides, turn on the projector
or electronic data display and have the title slide in place when the presentation begins. If you
prefer to begin with a dark screen and display the title slide later, you can strike the letter “B”
in PowerPoint to blacken the screen. Striking “B” again will make your slide appear. If you’re
using flipcharts, a whiteboard, or props, make sure they are positioned to be easy to reach dur-
ing your presentation.
• Decide where you will stand. Whenever possible, avoid standing behind lecterns and large
desks or tables because they create a barrier between you and the audience. If you are using a
projector, position yourself on one side of the screen so that you do not have to walk between
the screen and the projector’s light. Clear space around the projector and other equipment so
that you have plenty of room to move around comfortably and approach the audience. Using a
remote control to change slides can help you navigate your presentation space.
• Keep the lights up and attention on you. If you choose a technology that requires low light,
plan to begin speaking with the lights on. This guarantees that attention will be where you want
it—on you and your message. It can be very effective to begin speaking before projecting any
visuals. Connect with the audience and then move to the slides.
• Have water available. If you are speaking for a long time, you will need to drink water to pre-
vent your mouth from drying out and your vocal cords from being constricted.
Control your body
Before you begin to speak, get your body into position, just as you would get into position to
swing a bat in baseball or make a jump shot in basketball. Try this stance:
• Hands loose at your side
• Knees and elbows relaxed
• Weight balanced on both feet
• Feet shoulder-width apart
If this position does not feel comfortable to you, find a position that does. Once you’re in that
comfortable and confident position, your gestures and movements will feel more natural.
Then, use the techniques in Figure 11.22 to help ensure that you look confident and profes-
sional during your presentation.
Use your voice effectively
Use the following techniques to improve your speaking skills:
• Speak to the back of the room. Speaking to the back of the room will help you adjust your
volume so that you project your voice effectively. When you make eye contact with people
in the front of the room, maintain the same level of volume so that people throughout the
room can hear you. Too often, speakers lower their voices when they answer questions from
people in the front of the room. Even in a small room, the person who cannot hear you will
feel left out.
• Speak slowly, especially at the beginning of the presentation. Your audience may need a
few minutes to get used to your style of speaking. You can help them by speaking slowly and
enunciating clearly, especially at the beginning of your presentation.
New Hires @ Work
Michelle Escheman
Western State College of Colorado
Tax Associate @ Eide Bailly
I used to get really nervous
before making a presenta-
tion, but I learned to calm
my nerves by taking deep
breaths, focusing on the
content (instead of
myself), and real-
izing that my audi-
ence wants me to
do well, not fail.
With practice, I’ve
become more
confident.
Photo courtesy of Michelle Escheman
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• Modulate your voice. Nothing destroys audience attention more than a monotone presenter.
One technique for animating your voice is to emphasize important words and phrases. If you
are using slides, take your cue from the words you emphasized on the slides with color contrast
or boldface.
• Minimize verbal tics. Many people unconsciously use certain words as fillers—for example,
“like,” “okay,” and “you know.” Be aware of your own speaking habits, and practice eliminating
them in your speech.
• Use pauses—a remedy for the “ers” and “ums.” Pausing intentionally is one of the best ways
to prevent “ers” and “ums” because you give yourself permission to be silent. Silence can be a
powerful tool. A quiet moment gives the audience time to process your information and indi-
cates that something new is coming.
• Do not apologize for nervousness or mistakes. This takes attention away from your content.
Just take a deep breath, regroup, and move ahead.
Present your visuals effectively
When presenting with visual aids, take cues from your visuals and avoid note cards or a
script. Reading from notes or a script does not build rapport with your audience. In addi-
tion, holding on to cards or paper prevents natural gestures and makes you look like a stu-
dent in a speech class rather than a professional in a business setting. Figure 11.23 on page 426
provides guidelines for how to present a visual effectively. If you need more memory cues
than your visuals provide, try penciling notes on a flipchart or glancing discreetly at notes
placed on a nearby table.
Coordinate with your team
If you are presenting as a team, follow these guidelines:
• Take advantage of everyone’s strengths. In a class, your instructor may require that everyone
on your team participate equally in the presentation. However, in business, equal presenting
time is not important. The only reason to plan a team presentation is to take advantage of each
person’s strengths and knowledge. Ensure that everyone who is presenting has a defined role in
the presentation and that the team projects a unified and confident image. The whole should
be greater than the sum of the parts.
FIGURE 11.22 How to Look
Confident and Professional While
Presenting
Maintain good eye contact with your audience.
If you are presenting with slides or a white board,
you may be tempted to move away from the
audience and turn toward your visual. Instead, hold
eye contact with one person for two or three
seconds, and then look at someone else. Engage
everyone in your audience, not just the decision
makers or those who are sitting front and center.
Smile. A smile projects energy
and makes you appear happy to
be presenting. It also relaxes
facial muscles to help you get the
most from your speaking voice.
Finally, it encourages your
audience to smile in return, which
will make them more receptive to
your presentation.
Animate with body language.
Rather than standing in one position,
let your body move. Move away from
the projector and screen, lean
forward, and walk toward your
audience. Use natural hand gestures
to punctuate your points, just as you
would in conversation. Do not think
too much about gesturing. Take your
hands out of your pockets and let
them work naturally.
How do you deliver and evaluate the presentation? 425
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• Decide how you will handle introductions. Will the first presenter introduce everyone at
the beginning? Or will people introduce themselves? The difference may not seem to be sig-
nificant, but unless you have planned introductions, the team members may start talking over
each other.
• Practice transitions from person to person. During team presentations, each speaker needs
to make a connection between his or her content and the next speaker’s. As you finish speak-
ing, introduce the next speaker and topic, making that connection. For example, “Now that
I’ve outlined the budget issues, Marla Whitt from IT will discuss implementation plans.” These
transitions help the audience follow the flow of your presentation.
• Let your teammates speak. If your teammate forgets to mention a point or presents mate-
rial differently from the way you would explain it, do not interrupt to expand on the answer.
Interrupting will damage the image of your team and undermine your teammate. Allow your
teammate to finish. You can come back to the point later.
• Correct a teammate only when necessary. If your teammate fumbles or says something
wrong, do not immediately correct the error, especially if the point is not very important. If it is
an important point that must be clarified, make the correction very politely and considerately.
• Be prepared to present other teammates’ slides. Emergencies arise and teammates may be
late to a presentation, or they may not come at all. Be sure that you are able to present every
slide in the presentation in case you need to step in at the last moment.
FIGURE 11.23 How to Present Your Visuals
3
“If our pilot study shows that new monitors
reduce turnover, we can save a substantial
amount of money by implementing the screens
throughout our call centers. Let’s look at the
anticipated savings over three years. As you can
see from this graph, the screens will more than
pay for themselves in the �rst year. Although we
will spend $99,000 on the monitors, we
anticipate saving $180,000 in turnover costs,
leaving a bene�t of $81,000 in the �rst year. In the
following two years, we can save the full turnover
cost, leading to a three-year savings of
$441,000.”
Direct attention to visuals with hand gestures and words.
Visuals need your help to make a point. The best practice is to
refer directly to material on a slide. You can move toward the
side (but not turn your back on the audience), gesture to the
screen, and direct your audience’s attention with words: “As the
left column shows….” If you place arrows and other highlighting
marks directly on your slides, you can refer to those. Laser
pointers help indicate a particular spot on the slide, but use
them quickly to direct the audience’s attention, and then turn
them off.
Introduce each visual by explaining your intended point as
soon as the slide appears. For text slides, do not read the slide
word for word. Instead, explain the purpose or main point of the
slide, and then give the audience a few moments to look at the
content before you launch into your discussion. For tables,
identify how the information is organized and what appears in
the columns and rows. For graphs, identify what the graph is
depicting, what each axis is measuring, and the key point.
Sample Introduction:
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Evaluate the audience’s response
You’ll have opportunities to evaluate the audience’s response both during and after the
presentation.
During the presentation, “listen” to the audience’s feedback. Are they nodding in agree-
ment with you or nodding off from boredom? Listening while you present can be challenging
because you are also trying to think about what to say, navigate your slides, and maintain
good eye contact. However, if you can gauge your audience’s response as you are speaking,
you have the opportunity to revise and adjust. One strategy you can use to “listen” while you
present is to pause between sections. Scan the audience during transitions between slides
or between major ideas. Do they seem attentive and interested? You can also ask questions.
Unless you want to open the floor to a Q&A session, during your presentation ask only close-
ended questions that assess the audience’s understanding. For example, if you see someone
looking confused, you could say, “I know this process is complicated. Would additional expla-
nation help?”
After the presentation, reflect on your audience’s overall response: Were there points in
the presentation where the audience nodded in agreement? Did anything confuse or amuse
the audience? Did you get the kinds of questions you expected? What surprised you? Could
you have prevented any confusion or disagreement by presenting something differently? By
answering these questions, you can evaluate your approach and your performance—and plan
what to repeat or what to change the next time you present.
Evaluate
For an ETHICS exercise, go to Exercise 21 on page 445.
ETHICS
AVOIDING PLAGIARISM IN PRESENTATIONS
Most people are aware of the rules for avoiding plagiarism in
research reports. But what about in presentations? Do the same
rules apply? Test your knowledge with the following questions.
1. Is it acceptable for your presentation to include a photo
found on the Internet? Do you need to acknowledge the
source? It is acceptable if you acknowledge the source in
your presentation. You can include a source citation directly
below the photo. However, if you are using your presenta-
tion for any commercial purposes—or if you are distribut-
ing it widely—for example, on Slideshare or in customer
meetings—just acknowledging the source is not enough. You
must get permission from the original owner of the photo to
use it. For example, if you create a presentation to persuade
firms to invest in India and want to use a photo of new sky-
scrapers in India to communicate economic growth, you must
acquire the rights to use that photo by contacting the photog-
rapher or other copyright holder. As the U.S. Copyright office
says: “Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material
does not substitute for obtaining permission.”14
2. If you purchase a license to use a presentation photo from a
digital media source such as Getty Images or Corbis Images,
do you need to acknowledge the source? You do not need to
acknowledge the source and you may use the photo in your pre-
sentations in any way allowed by the terms of the license. Some
photos are “royalty free.” This means you can use them multiple
times for a single fee. Other photos come with more restrictions.
3. If other people in your company or organization have created
effective slides, is it acceptable to use those slides in your busi-
ness presentation? Do you need to acknowledge the source?
Within an organization, it is usually acceptable to share slides to
use in presentations made on behalf of the organization. In fact,
some companies create slide libraries to encourage employees to
use slides that have been preapproved, especially for customer and
other public presentations. Because your company “owns” the slide
you are borrowing, you do not have to acknowledge the source.
4. If you find a slide template that you like on the web, is it
acceptable to copy that slide template if you don’t copy any
of the content? It is not acceptable to copy someone else’s slide
template because graphic designs can be copyrighted in the
same way content is copyrighted. If someone is selling a slide
template design through the Internet, you may purchase and use
it. Or if a company is explicitly giving away a free template, you
may download and use that. However, if you simply download a
presentation file from the Internet and decide to use that design
for your presentation, you may be violating someone’s copyright.
5. If you include other people’s work in your presentation—
for example, data from another source—how do you
acknowledge it? Typically, you will acknowledge a data
source under the graph or table that uses the data. Similarly,
if you “borrow” concepts or ideas from another author,
acknowledge it right on that slide. In business presentations,
many slides contain “footnotes” that acknowledge informa-
tion sources. For examples of acknowledging sources on
presentation slides, see Appendix B, Documentation and
Reference Styles, at the back of book.
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SQ4 How do you handle questions and answers?
During a presentation, a question-and-answer (Q&A) session offers many benefits:
• Questions and answers increase audience engagement.
• As a presenter, you are likely to learn something important from questions, especially how well
your audience understands your points.
• Questions also give you a chance to emphasize and expand important points.
• An exchange with the audience helps build your credibility by demonstrating your expertise
and openness.
• Skillful replies help you diffuse criticism and objections.
Answering questions during a presentation is a form of impromptu speaking, speaking
without advance knowledge of the topic or question. People often get nervous when required
to speak spontaneously. This section offers advice about how to plan for a Q&A session and
how to structure good answers to questions.
Plan for a question-and-answer (Q&A) session
Speakers often try to “wing” the Q&A portion of a presentation, but planning improves the
chances that you will handle the Q&A well. During your planning process, decide how and
when you will handle Q&A, anticipate questions and plan short answers, and make a plan for
how your team will handle questions.
Decide how and when you will handle Q&A
Do you want to save questions until the end, or invite the audience to ask questions as you go
through the presentation? Whichever you choose, tell the audience what to expect in the in-
troduction. When you’re ready for questions, do not ask, “Are there any questions?” Encourage
participation by asking, “What questions do you have?”
Anticipate questions and plan short answers
Think in advance about questions your audience is likely to ask and map out a short answer in
your head. When you anticipate questions and plan short answers, you avoid the temptation
to ramble. Otherwise, you might talk aimlessly until you discover the point you want to make.
Decide how your team will handle questions
Without a plan, you run the risk of team members looking at each other blankly, waiting for
someone else to answer. You also risk having multiple members trying to answer a question at the
same time. Consider one of the following options for handling questions as a team. Both options
depend on the team making a plan in advance about who will answer what kind of question.
• Assign one team member to facilitate the Q&A session. That team member will ask for ques-
tions and “assign” them to the team member designated to answer that kind of question. The
facilitator may also answer questions, but must be careful not to answer too many. Otherwise,
he or she will seem to be claiming the spotlight.
• Allow team members to decide whether a question falls under their designated area. For
this option to work well, the team member should not just launch into the answer. Instead,
identify that you plan to answer it by saying, “I’ll take that question.” This signals to the rest of
the team that the question is covered, and it prevents two people from beginning to answer at
the same time.
Answer questions skillfully
It can be difficult to provide complete and relevant answers on the fly. To increase the likeli-
hood that your answers will satisfy your audience, use the following advice.
Give a three-part answer
First, restate or summarize the question to be sure everyone heard it and that you understand
it correctly. Repeating also gives you time to think of an answer. Second, begin your response
impromptu speaking Speaking without
advance knowledge of the topic or question.
New Hires @ Work
Ryan Croy
University of Tennessee
Content Writer @ Asurion
I always practice before
giving a presentation. I write
my talking points in bullets
and then go over them in my
head. Sometimes I anticipate
my audience’s responses so
questions don’t take
me by surprise. Tak-
ing a few minutes
to prepare boosts
my confidence and
allows me to com-
municate more
effectively.
Photo courtesy of Ryan Croy
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with your main point. Otherwise, you may appear to be disorganized or evasive. Finally, follow
up with details. As you answer, avoid looking only at the person who asked the question. Get
the entire room involved in caring about—and understanding—your point. As you finish your
answer, bring your eye contact back to the original questioner, to signal that you have finished.
Break complex questions into parts
If you get a complex question that is difficult to answer, try breaking it into parts by listing the
segments on a flipchart or whiteboard. Then answer each part separately, referring back to
your list.
Be honest
If someone asks a question you cannot answer, don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Credibility
disappears when a speaker gets caught making up an answer. Just admit that you need to find
the answer, and then follow up with the questioner as soon as possible.
Avoid being defensive or dismissive
The following types of questions require especially skillful answers:
• A hostile question. If a questioner seems antagonistic, be careful not to become defensive.
First, reframe the question, stating it in a way that seems less hostile and more objective. Then
acknowledge the other person’s position and try to identify the source of the objection. Work
on creating a mutual understanding of the issue rather than trying to be right.
• A question you plan to answer later. If you plan to answer the question later, don’t dismiss the
question by saying “I’ll get to that later.” Instead, give the questioner a short answer immediately
and then mention that more detail will follow. That should satisfy that person’s need to know
and keep him or her paying attention.
• An idea that you’ve already rejected. If someone raises an alternative you have already re-
jected, don’t be too quick to dismiss the idea. The person could get defensive. Acknowledge
the possible value of the alternative, and then explain objectively the reasoning that led you to
reject it.
• A question that takes the presentation off track. If someone uses a question to try to take
over the meeting, look for an opportunity to regain control of the discussion. Don’t dismiss or
insult the questioner by indicating that the question is irrelevant or off point. Instead, refer to
the meeting agenda or the map of the presentation to get back on track.
Not all presentations are delivered face to face. In fact, with current advances in technology,
you can take advantage of three different online modes to present to people who are not in the
room with you:
• Virtual presentation at an online meeting. Given the expense of traveling and the ease of
connecting with others on the Internet, you may be asked to present your material to distant
audiences online using one of the many available online presentation tools, such as WebEx, Go
To Meeting, Yuuguu, or even Skype. Or you may choose to email a copy of your presentation
deck to your audience or upload it to Slideshare so that your audiences can access it during a
telephone meeting.
• Webinar or webcast. A webinar is a web-based seminar that is broadcast over the Internet.
Webinars have a live audience and are intended to be interactive. Like a webinar, a webcast is
broadcast over the Internet to an audience who logs in or registers for that event, but a webcast
is typically not interactive. It is a one-way communication. Although webinars and webcasts
are originally delivered to a live audience over the Internet, they may be recorded and archived
for future audiences. At that point, they resemble a podcast.
• An audio or video podcast. In contrast to a webcast, which has a live (although distant) audi-
ence, a podcast is recorded without an audience, posted on a website or a social media site
such as YouTube or Vimeo, and distributed through website or social media links. Podcasts can
be played online through streaming media or can be downloaded and played from your own
computer or mobile device.
SQ5 How do you adapt your approach for online presentations?
webinar An interactive web-based semi-
nar that is broadcast over the Internet to a
live audience.
webcast A web-based presentation or
program that is broadcast over the Internet
to a live audience but is not interactive.
podcast An audio or video presentation
or program that is recorded without an audi-
ence, posted on a website or a social media
site such as YouTube or Vimeo, and distrib-
uted through links.
image source © michaeljung/fotolia
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Delivering presentations in these three online modes presents a different set of challenges than
presenting face-to-face in a small meeting or larger group setting. You need to address each
of these challenges to be a successful online presenter to a live audience or through a podcast.
In a live online presentation, manage the audience
experience
When you present your material at an online meeting, you need to ensure your audience is
engaged and understands. You cannot rely on visual—or verbal—feedback, so you need to be
proactive in managing the audience’s needs. To run a successful webinar or online meeting, use
the guidelines in Figure 11.24.
In a podcast, provide content that offers lasting value
If you develop good presenting skills, you may have the opportunity to create podcasts for your
company. Both big and small organizations take advantage of podcasting as a way to reach
audiences at the audience’s own convenience. Listeners can download audio podcasts to MP3
players to enjoy while driving or jogging. Viewers can download video podcasts to watch on
tablets or smartphones. Because podcasts are so versatile, the audience for them is growing.15
Businesses and other organizations use podcasts to substitute for newsletters or marketing
materials directed at external audiences. Organizations also use podcasting for internal com-
munication to update and engage employees on company or industry news.
Podcasts can take many forms: Some are interviews, some are panel discussions, and
many sound like radio shows. However, many resemble presentations, with one person offer-
ing engaging and relevant material for 10 to 20 minutes. If you become involved in podcasting,
here are some guidelines to follow:
• Choose the best medium for your audience, content, and purpose. If you are podcasting
about something with a strong visual component, choose a video podcast. Otherwise, an audio
podcast may be more versatile and less expensive to produce.
• Commit to a regular schedule so listeners will know when to expect your content. Unlike
a webinar or webcast, good podcasts are not one-time events. Gain a following by producing
them weekly or monthly.
• Choose content that will be relevant for a long time. The audio and video files will be avail-
able on the web long after you first release them. Provide content that users will find useful
beyond the immediate moment.
• Make your podcasts easy to find. Provide links to your podcasts through email, social media,
and websites.
• Write a script and practice. A podcast is not an opportunity to improvise. It is an opportunity
to compose content that will provide value to your audience and make them return for more.
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FIGURE 11.24 How to Present Effectively Online
WHEN PRESENTING ONLINE
DO: DON’T:
Ensure your audience has voice and visual connectivity.
When you deliver a presentation online, you need to confirm
with your audience that they are connected and can see the
presentation. Did they get the link you sent them? Can they
log on to any special software you are using? Wait for them
to confirm they can see your presentation slides on their own
screen before you begin. Whether you use a traditional land-
line service or Internet-based telephony such as Skype or
Google Talk, establish your voice connection before you have
your audience look at the presentation slides.
Struggle with faulty equipment or a bad connection.
Online presentations are like phone calls, so good phone
etiquette applies. This means you need a good connection
and good equipment so your audience can hear you. Speak-
erphones can work if you want to be hands-free, but you may
hear occasional static. Good headsets can also work, but test
them first.
Open the meeting early.
An early start will allow those new to the technology to be-
come familiar with the interface while they wait and will also
give you time to provide a brief welcome. Include a welcome
slide that confirms meeting details and displays your picture,
and help establish rapport with the audience.
Jump right into your planned content.
Audiences can easily get lost in online presentations if you do
not give them time to settle themselves at their computers
and get used to your voice.
Control what your audience sees.
Some online presentation software allows you to “share your
screen,” which means the audience sees on their screen ex-
actly what’s on your screen. As the presenter, you can control
what they see and move forward from slide to slide at the
pace you want. In this case, the online presentation resem-
bles an in-person meeting, which is ideal, because it means
your audience will focus on what you want them to see.
Allow your audience to flip ahead.
If you are not sharing your screen but instead are relying on
your audience to view a copy of your presentation on their
own computers, provide direction about where you are in the
presentation. For example, you can say, “Here on slide 3, you
can see . . . On the next slide, slide 4 . . . .” For this reason, it
is important to remember to number your slides. If you direct
the audience to the specific slide number, they are less likely
to click ahead (or lag behind) in the presentation.
Engage the audience with your voice, pace, and screen
motion.
Although you cannot communicate with body language in an
online presentation, you can engage the audience with excel-
lent vocal delivery. To further engage the audience, plan for
motion on the screen. Provide annotations on slides or use
pointers to draw your audience’s attention. And to facilitate a
lively pace, divide your slide material into smaller chunks and
change slides frequently.
Dwell too long on one slide.
The medium changes the audience’s expectation of the pace,
so be sure to move quickly to keep the audience’s attention.
For example, if you want to discuss a long quotation, don’t
put the full quotation on one slide and expect your audience
to read it. Instead, break it into several slides and read it to
your audience, modulating your voice to emphasize important
words and pausing before the final point.16
Invite questions frequently.
Ask for specific questions after each major point to ensure un-
derstanding. For webinars, build in additional opportunities for
audience interaction, such as polls, if your software supports
that function.
Hold questions until the end.
When you make an online presentation, you can’t get visual
feedback from your audience. As a result, it’s important to
hear from them frequently. If the audience remains silent,
you may not know if they are confused or if they have fallen
asleep.
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FEATURE OF THE
PRESENTATION
PRESENTING TO U.S. AUDIENCES
PRESENTING TO AUDIENCES
FROM OTHER CULTURES
Introductions After introducing themselves, presenters
often go directly to the content of their
presentation.
In more formal and more hierarchical cultures,
politeness dictates that presenters acknowledge
and thank the senior members of their audience
for attending before beginning the presentation.
Speed U.S. audiences often prefer a fast-paced pre-
sentation style that quickly gets to the point.
In Europe and Asia, audiences often prefer
presentations that are slower and offer them
an opportunity to think carefully and process
information.
Body Language U.S. audiences appreciate lively presenters
who use expressive body language.
In other cultures, presenters are more reserved
and calm. To determine the appropriate use of
hand gestures and expression, pay attention to
other presenters from that culture. You can often
find examples on YouTube and other media sites.
Eye Contact In the United States, presenters are trained
to make eye contact with all members of the
audience—and expect the audience to make
eye contact in return.
In some Asian cultures, people are uncomfort-
able with direct eye contact and may look down
or away rather than directly at the presenter. In
these cultures, lack of eye contact may be a sign
of respect.17
Vocabulary When presenting to U.S. audiences, you can
feel confident people will understand your vo-
cabulary if you use plain business language.
Using synonyms for words will typically not
confuse your audience.
Though many people in other cultures do speak
English, you can help them understand you bet-
ter by speaking slowly and clearly and by using
relatively simple words—for example, avoid
“ubiquitous” and instead say “widespread.”
Remember, too, that some words have differ-
ent meanings in different cultures. For example,
in the United States, the word “billion” means
a thousand million. In the United Kingdom, it
means a million million. That is a huge difference.
Reading the
Audience
In the United States, if audience members
are nodding, that usually means they agree
with the presenter. Presenters also look for
smiles as signs of agreement.
In some cultures—for example, Japan—head
nodding means only that the audience under-
stands what the presenter is saying, not that
they agree.18 In some Eastern European cultures,
such as the Russian culture, smiling is reserved
for friends and relatives, people you know well.19
Stony stares from an Eastern European audience
may mean that they are paying attention, not that
they are angry.
CULTURE
MEETING AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS
If you have the opportunity to deliver a business presentation
in a cross-cultural setting, you may need to adjust some of your
presentation habits to meet audience expectations. The following
examples illustrate some changes you may need to adopt:
For CULTURE exercises, go to Critical Thinking Question 6 on page 442 and Exercise 25 on page 446.
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◾ In summary, business presentations offer you the opportunity to address
a business issue and to impress your audience with your analytic, persuasive, and speaking
skills. Using the ACE communication process helps you develop well-organized content that
is targeted to your audience and appropriate for the medium you choose, whether it is face-
to-face or online. To communicate that content well, design effective slides and practice both
your presentation skills and the specific presentation so that you know how to make each point
and present each slide. Building a confident and professional presentation style offers benefits
beyond just improving your business presentations. Being a confident presenter will also help
you sell your strengths during job interviews and increase your chances for promotion to lead-
ership positions.
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PRESENTATIONS @ WORK SwipeSense
Just a few years out of college, Mert Iseri and Yuri Malina—
the CEO and COO of SwipeSense—have achieved the kind
of success that most young entrepreneurs only dream of.
They have raised over $3 million in investor money and
signed their first big customer, a major hospital network.
They have been featured in the Harvard Business Review,
Wall Street Journal, and Chicago Tribune. Their company
also was a finalist in the 2013 Wall Street Journal Start Up
competition. What accounts for their success?
First, they have an innovative product that meets a
need. SwipeSense is “hand-washing 2.0”: a hand-sanitation
device that medical professionals clip on their scrubs and
swipe to dispense hand sanitizer. Combined with real-time
data analytics, SwipeSense drastically increases hand hy-
giene in hospitals and reduces hospital-acquired infections.
But to achieve this success, they also had to spend a
lot of time in front of people, delivering presentations. Mert
and Yuri made investment pitches to potential funders, sales
presentations to medical professionals and hospital execu-
tives, and conference presentations to other entrepreneurs
and designers. They have even developed a 60-second
elevator pitch that they can deliver to anyone at any time.
Based on their experience, they offer the following
advice to all presenters.
• Know your purpose. Different presentations have
different purposes. “In a sales presentation we’re high-
lighting SwipeSense as a company and a product. In an
investor presentation, the entrepreneur is the star of the
show.” These two purposes require different approaches.
• Know your audience. The presentation needs to reso-
nate with the specific audience, so it’s good to do a little
homework in advance. Different people care about differ-
ent things. “If there are a lot of Chief Financial Officers
in the room, then the presentation has to focus on the
financial piece, including cost savings. If we are present-
ing to Chief Nursing Officers, then it’s important to dis-
cuss clinical acceptance and the implementation cycle.”
• Arrive early. Mert says he always arrives early to a
presentation, shakes hands with as many people as he
can, and gives them a summary of the presentation in
advance. This tactic serves two purposes. He can see
what people respond to and tailor his presentation to
resonate with their concerns. In addition, this initial con-
versation primes people to remember when they hear
his message for a second time during the presentation.
• Be adaptable. Because you’re never certain what
will interest the audience, you need to be flexible and
adaptable. Mert says he may come into a presenta-
tion with six things he can talk about. But, as he talks
about the first two points, he pays attention to the au-
dience’s body language and their eye contact. He says,
“Those kinds of visual cues inform me which of the
remaining four ideas I should share with the group.”
• Be confident but humble. Especially in an investor
pitch, “you need to convince the person sitting on the
other side of the table that your team—and only your
team—are the perfect people to execute this business
idea.” To get investors to believe in you, you need to be
confident, look people in the eye, and be clear about how
you will achieve your goals. But “you also need to be a bit
humble. No one likes people who are full of themselves.”
• Be credible. To be persuasive in a presentation, you
need to convince your audience you know what you are
talking about, and that means you need solid sources
to back up your claims. Mert says, “There needs to be
some third-party validation of the claims you are mak-
ing. People will call you out if they don’t believe you,
and it’s tough to respond if you don’t have evidence.
In addition to citing studies in a footnote, sometimes
we will actually have the scientific paper with us, with
key evidence highlighted. In the presentation, I’ll pull
out the study, put it in front of the audience, and show
them the highlighted paragraph. No one reads the
study, but I’ve made a statement that I’ve done my
homework. People get the message that I am credible,
and at that point the conversation is easier.”
Source: Interview with Mert Iseri.
Solid model drawing of SwipeSense
Solid Model Drawing of SwipeSense
FPO
Mert Iseri delivering an investor presentationMert Iseri Delivering an Investor Presentation
434
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This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
Planning a Presentation
Stephanie Lo graduated from college with a major in French and a mi-
nor in communication. She was very happy to get a job with Journey-
Free, LLC, a company that specializes in organizing educational tours
for students, professionals, and other groups. Ultimately, Stephanie
would like to become a tour leader, but for now she is the assistant to
the Vice President of Tour Operations, Rachel Jones. Stephanie’s role is
to work on marketing communications.
Stephanie’s first project required that she use all her strengths—
developing communications to market JourneyFree’s newest product,
a culinary tour of France, specifically designed for culinary arts and
nutrition teachers in high schools and trade schools. In addition to
advertising online and sending brochures to high schools, Stephanie’s
supervisor, Rachel, plans to visit school districts in major cities and
present the program to superintendents, principals, department chairs,
and teachers. She will give a brief and colorful slide presentation and
offer samplings of the French food that culinary arts teachers will ex-
perience on the tour.
Thirty culinary arts teachers have invited Rachel to give a pre-
sentation next week, so she needs a slide presentation fast. She asks
Stephanie to design and develop a draft of the presentation. Together
they work out the following outline:
• The Educational Experience
• Trip Overview
• Trip Logistics and Costs
• About JourneyFree, LLC
• Q&A
Rachel and Stephanie also discuss the audience and key selling
points to make in the presentation. The next day, Stephanie puts to-
gether a draft of presentation slides. She is planning to meet Rachel to
review the slides and to discuss the talking points that will go with the
slides.
Stephanie would like your help in analyzing the audience, evaluat-
ing the presentation, and composing the content for the presentation.
After the slides, you will find questions designed to help you think sys-
tematically about the presentation, using the ACE approach. Answer
the questions to review the key concepts in the chapter.
CASE SCENARIO
Culinary Adventure Tour Presentation
Case scenario 435
A Seven-Day Culinary
•
•
•
elevator pitch A concise statement
designed to communicate the value of an
idea, product, or job candidate; intrigue the
audience; and initiate a deeper conversation.
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
“A journey through France is a journey of discovery. The French are
passionate about food, and the cuisine of each province has its own
distinctive style and its own unique pleasures.”
-Laurent Duquette
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Case scenario 437
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3,000 per teacher
Total Cost: $3,000 per teacher.
•
•
•
Questions?
Questions for Reviewing the Culinary
Adventure Tour Presentation
Analyzing Purpose and Audience
1. What is the purpose of this presentation? Is it primarily informa-
tive or persuasive?
2. The ideal outcome of the presentation is that teachers sign up for
the trip—or schools fund teachers for the trip. Should the slides
end by asking for a “sale”? Or should the presenter do that orally?
Or should the presenter leave the audience to think about the con-
tent and follow up later to sign up?
3. Imagine yourself as the target audience: high school teachers and
administrators. What questions do you think they will have? Does
this presentation leave any important questions unanswered?
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Reviewing the Structure and Composing Oral Content
4. The slides themselves do not begin with a compelling opening
designed to capture the audience’s attention. Brainstorm what
Rachel could say as she begins her presentation.
5. The presentation is divided into five parts. Do you think this is an
effective structure? If so, why? If not, why not?
6. Between each section of the presentation, a transition slide appears
to indicate the new section. Are the transition slides effective?
7. The end of the presentation simply asks for questions and an-
swers. Consider the advice for endings given in this chapter:
• Summarize your main message.
• Visualize the outcome for the audience.
• Ask for what you want.
• Make next steps clear.
Brainstorm what Rachel could say at the end of the presentation
in all four of these categories. What do you recommend that
she say?
Evaluating the Presentation Slides
8. This presentation is not designed to stand alone. It needs a pre-
senter. In this case, would a stand-alone presentation be a good
or bad idea? Explain your answer. Should Rachel bring handouts,
brochures, or other written material to leave behind?
9. This presentation uses a consistent visual style and template. In
your opinion, does it work well with this presentation? If so, why?
If not, why not?
10. This presentation includes a number of bullet-point slides. Are
the bullets parallel? Are any slides too crowded? Are there any
slides you would recommend revising?
11. This presentation includes only one data graphic: the pie chart on
slide 16. Is that pie chart appropriate and easy to read? If so, what
makes it effective? If not, how would you revise it?
12. Slides 9 through 13 present attractive pictures of the areas of France
the tour will visit. To be effective, the pictures should be similar.
All the headlines mention some food- or beverage-related term—
except for one headline. How could you revise that headline?
13. The final slide asking for questions features a picture of pastry.
Assume that you’d like a picture that will help spark interesting
questions. What picture(s) or text could the slide contain, instead
of a picture of pastry?
14. As Stephanie evaluates whether the slides will be easy to pre sent,
she considers using animation on various slides. Perhaps the bullets
should come up one by one. Perhaps the pictures of the French
regions should appear gradually, instead of all at once. Identify
which slides—if any—would be effective if they revealed content
gradually rather than all at once.
15. As a final step in reviewing, Stephanie should proofread all slides
for correctness and consistency. Consider typing errors, spelling,
font size, consistent punctuation, consistent heading sizes, and
consistent bullet points. Do you see anything that needs to be
changed?
Delivering the Presentation
16. Slides 9 through 13 include no text. Rachel will need to talk
through the key points on these slides. What kinds of information
should she provide when she projects these slides?
17. Rachel intends to serve regional food at this presentation. Should
she serve it at the beginning of the presentation? At the end? Or as
she discusses each region? What is the rationale for your answer?
Handling Questions and Answers
18. Should Rachel plan to take questions throughout the presentation
or just at the end? What is the rationale for your answer?
19. What questions should Rachel anticipate? Should she address any
of those questions in the presentation itself?
Case scenario 439
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• Evaluate your slides in a practice session. If a slide is not
easy to present, redesign it. Determine whether animations
will help or hinder your presentation.
• Create effective handouts. Select a format that best fits
your purpose and your audience’s needs.
Study Questions in Review
End of Chapter
What do you analyze when planning
a business presentation? (pages 398–402)
• Analyze your purpose and desired outcome: Why are
you presenting? What do you want to have happen as the
outcome of the presentation? Do you want your audience to
know something (informational presentation), believe or do
something (persuasive presentation), know how to do some-
thing (instructional presentation), or work with you during
the presentation (collaborative presentation)?
• Analyze your audience: Who will be listening, and what
do they care about? By understanding what motivates your
audience, you can frame your presentation so that they
will care.
• Analyze your message: What will you say to achieve your
desired outcome? What is the main idea you would like
your audience to remember from your presentation? That
is your message. Be sure to phrase it in a way that will be
meaningful to the audience.
• Analyze your setting: Where will you present? Consider
any constraints or opportunities your setting offers.
• Analyze your medium options: How will you deliver
your message? Identify the medium choices that best
fit your needs (and your audience’s). Possibilities include
slides, handouts, video, audio, podcasts, flipcharts, posters,
whiteboards, and props.
SQ1
How do you compose the presentation?
(pages 403–423)
• Organize the content. Think of the content as having three
acts. Compose an opening that engages the audience, orga-
nize the middle of the presentation to be easy to understand,
and compose a memorable conclusion.
• Identify the role that slides will play. Will your slides
need to speak for themselves in a stand-alone presentation?
Or will they serve only as visual aids that a speaker must
explain? Stand-alone slides typically use message headlines
and more complete content support than visual aid slides.
• Create a storyboard before writing detailed slides. A sto-
ryboard helps you take the organization you developed and
create a story flow.
• Develop a template. Choose a simple slide design that will
not compete with your content, and create a master slide
that uses a consistent set of fonts and design features.
• Design individual slides to be easy to understand at a
glance. Slides will be more effective if they are not crowded
with content. Text can be presented in grammatically paral-
lel bullet points, in text boxes, or in shapes. Diagrams should
effectively show relationships. Data slides should make their
point clearly. Animations should facilitate the presentation
rather than make it more cumbersome.
SQ2
How do you deliver and evaluate the
presentation? (pages 423–427)
• Set the stage for a great presentation by warming up before
the presentation and by dressing for the part. Arrive early to
ensure that all equipment is functioning and to begin estab-
lishing rapport with your audience as they arrive.
• Control your body. Stand comfortably and confidently, use
engaging body language, maintain eye contact with your
audience, and smile.
• Use your voice effectively. Control your volume by speak-
ing to the back of the room. Speak clearly, enunciate your
words, use your voice to emphasize key ideas, and pause (or
keep silent) as you are thinking rather than fill the air with
“ers” and “ums.”
• Present your visuals effectively. Introduce each visual by
explaining your point, direct attention to visuals with ges-
tures and words, and use visuals as cues rather than refer-
ring to note cards or scripts.
• Coordinate with your team. Plan speaking roles,
transitions, and responsibilities for answering questions.
• Evaluate the audience’s response by “listening” to the
audience’s nonverbal feedback.
SQ3
How do you handle questions and
answers? (pages 428–429)
• Plan for a question-and-answer (Q&A) session. Decide
how and when you will handle Q&A, anticipate questions
and plan short answers, and make a plan for how your team
will handle questions.
• Answer questions skillfully using a three-part structure:
repeat the question, give a short direct answer, and then pro-
vide details. Be prepared for challenging questions and plan
strategies in advance.
SQ4
How do you adapt your approach for
online presentations? (pages 429–433)
• In a live online presentation, manage the audience
experience. Ensure that you and your audience have good
Internet connectivity, control what the audience sees, open
the meeting early, engage the audience, and invite questions
frequently.
• In a podcast, provide content that offers lasting value and
will keep the audience returning for more.
SQ5
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Visual Summary
• What outcome do you want
from this presentation?
• Who is your audience, and
what do they need to know?
• What is your main message?
• How do you need to adapt to the setting?
• What medium options should you use:
slides, a flipchart, whiteboard, video
clips, handouts, props?
• If you are composing slides,
should they be able to
stand alone, or are they
visual aids?
•
presentation—beginning, middle, and
How should you organize the
end?
• How do you design individual slides to
be clear and easy to understand?
• What handouts do you need?
Evaluate while you practice:
• Practice your opening: Is it
smooth?
• Practice presenting each slide:
If a slide is hard to present, revise it.
• Practice your delivery: Are you
speaking loud enough for your
audience to hear? Are you comfortable
standing in the front of the room?
• Practice coordinating with your team:
How will you transition from one
person to the next?
• Practice questions and answers: Have
you anticipated questions? Did you
remember the guidelines for
answering questions?
Evaluate while you deliver:
• During the presentation, “listen” to
the audience’s verbal and nonverbal
feedback and adjust your presentation
to meet their needs.
• After the presentation, reflect on your
audience’s overall response and plan
what to repeat or change the next time
you present.
xx
ANALYZE COMPOSE DELIVER AND EVALUATE
“If our pilot study shows that new monitors
reduce turnover, we can save a substantial
amount of money by implementing the screens
throughout our call centers. Let’s look at the
anticipated savings over three years. As you can
see from this graph, the screens will more than
pay for themselves in the first year. Although we
will spend $99,000 on the monitors, we
anticipate saving $180,000 in turnover costs,
leaving a benefit of $81,000 in the first year. In the
following two years, we can save the full turnover
cost, leading to a three-year savings of
$441,000.”
ACEACEACE
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442 Chapter 11 | Preparing and Delivering Business Presentations
Anecdote p. 404
Animations p. 414
Bullet point p. 409
Elevator pitch p. 435
Impromptu speaking p. 428
Message headlines p. 407
Podcast p. 429
Slide deck p. 407
Slide master p. 409
Stand-alone
presentation p. 407
Storyboard p. 409
Visual aid presentation p. 407
Webcast p. 429
Webinar p. 429
Key Terms
1 Describe the difference between a persuasive presentation and a
collaborative presentation.
2 What are two elements of “setting” that affect how you plan to
present?
3 In addition to slides, what other communication tools can you use
during a presentation?
4 What is the main difference between a visual aid presentation and
a stand-alone presentation?
5 What are the main goals of a presentation opening?
6 Name three recognizable patterns you can use to organize a
presentation.
7 Name three guidelines to follow when choosing or designing a
slide template.
8 What are verbal tics? Provide two examples.
9 What three things should you do when answering a question in a
presentation?
10 What are the differences among a webinar, a webcast, and a
podcast?
Review Questions
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 Public speaking makes many people nervous. What do you think
are the main reasons public speaking causes fear? What makes you
nervous about making presentations? What do you currently do
to make yourself less nervous? What additional tips in this chapter
can help you feel more comfortable presenting?
2 Research has shown that public speaking ability is a key predictor
of career success. Why do you think that is the case?
3 Why is it important that you identify the outcome you want from
a presentation before you begin composing it?
4 Imagine that you are making a sales presentation and you brought
a few examples of the product you are selling to share with the
audience. You wonder whether there is any advantage to having
images of the product in a slideshow presentation as well. What
would be the advantage of having projected images in addition to
examples of the product to pass around?
5 During a presentation’s question-and-answer session, it is a good
practice to repeat a question to the entire audience before you an-
swer it. Name at least three advantages you gain by repeating the
question.
6 If you are presenting to people in a different culture, how can you
learn about that culture’s preferences and expectations? [Related
to the Culture feature on page 432]
7 How would you describe the key differences between a business
presentation and a speech? Why do you think presentations are
more common than speeches in business?
8 Imagine that you have a teammate who is a poor presenter.
That person is required to participate in a class presentation.
What are some options to ensure a valuable contribution from
that presenter?
9 What are the advantages and disadvantages of animating bullet
lists on slides?
10 Imagine that you are presenting quarterly financial results at a
meeting. You need to decide whether to present the key figures in
a handout that the audience can look at as you present, to project
the key figures on slides, or do both. What are the pros and cons
of each option? What would you decide?
Critical Thinking Questions
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What do you analyze when planning a business
presentation? (pages 398–402)
1 Analyze your purpose and desired outcome: Why are you
presenting?
For each of the following scenarios, determine the purpose and
intended outcome of the presentation.
a. A presentation to a group of potential customers explaining vari-
ous types of investment instruments
b. A presentation to a group of potential customers explaining why
they should use your company as an investment firm
c. A presentation to your supervisor explaining how to implement a
process you have developed
2 Analyze your audience: Who will be listening, and what
do they care about?
Select one of the following scenarios and identify a real person who
could be the audience. For your chosen scenario, answer the audience
analysis questions as shown in Figure 11.2 for the specific audience you
identified. Be sure the audience is someone you know.
a. A professor you know well is the executive director of your school’s
Young Entrepreneurs Club. You and a few of your classmates have
an idea for an entrepreneurial business you would like the club to
fund. Funding is competitive, and this professor makes the fund-
ing decisions. Identify your entrepreneurial idea, and analyze this
professor as your audience.
b. Your family members or friends are debating where to go for a
group vacation. The group decided that each person with a pre-
ferred location would develop a brief presentation to persuade
the others. Identify your preferred location and specific audience
members, and answer the audience analysis questions as shown
in Figure 11.2 for the specific audience members you identified.
c. Your business communication class is planning a fundraiser and
is in the process of planning where to donate the money. Your
instructor invites members of the class to give a persuasive pre-
sentation, proposing a specific charitable organization. Using the
questions in Figure 11.2, analyze your instructor and classmates
as your audience.
3 Analyze your message: What will you say to achieve
your desired outcome?
For each of the scenarios in Exercise 2, write a main message that meets
the criteria for a main message listed on page 401.
4 Analyze your setting: Where will you present?
Prepare a written response for each of the following scenarios:
a. Imagine you are planning to give a presentation in the same set-
ting where you hold your business communication class or some
other specific classroom at your school. What key features of that
setting should you keep in mind as you plan your presentation?
b. Imagine you are planning to give the same presentation over the
Internet (via WebEx or some other technology), with each person
looking at your slides on his or her own computer and listening
to you via telephone. What are some key differences between this
setting and the classroom setting? What will you do differently as
you prepare your presentation?
c. Imagine that instead of giving your presentation live, you will be
video-recording it and posting it as a video podcast on YouTube,
Vimeo, or some other site for people to watch at their own conve-
nience. What will you do differently for that setting?
d. Imagine that instead of video-recording your presentation, you
will simply be posting your presentation slides for people to read.
What will you do differently for that setting?
5 Analyze your medium options: How will you deliver your
message?
For each of the scenarios in Exercise 2, explain which medium option(s)
you would use and why. Also explain which medium options would not
be appropriate and why.
How do you compose the presentation?
(pages 403–423)
6 Organize the content—planning an opening
Select one of the scenarios in Exercise 2 and plan two different open-
ings, using two of the following four techniques:
a. Cite a surprising fact or statistic.
b. Tell a relevant story or anecdote.
c. Quote an expert, someone well known, or a familiar saying.
d. Ask a question.
7 Organize the content—planning your structure
For each of the options in Exercise 1 (repeated here), how organize the
content of the presentation? What recognizable pattern would you use?
a. A presentation to a group of potential customers explaining vari-
ous types of investment instruments
b. A presentation to a group of potential customers explaining why
they should use your company as an investment firm
c. A presentation to your supervisor explaining how to implement a
process you have developed
8 Organize the content—planning your ending
For each of the options in Exercise 1 (Analyze your purpose and de-
sired outcome: Why are you presenting?) and Exercise 2 (Analyze your
audience: Who will be listening, and what do they care about?), choose
one or more of the following options as an appropriate ending. How
would you justify your decision?
• Summarize your main message.
• Visualize the outcome for the audience.
• Ask for what you want.
• Make the next steps clear.
9 Identify the role that slides will play
Conduct an Internet search with the advanced search function of
Google, Bing, or some other search engine, looking specifically for
PowerPoint files. Find a slide deck and identify whether the slides are
comprehensible on their own or whether they require a presenter. Iden-
tify at least one slide from the deck to share with your class in order to
support your evaluation.
Key Concept Exercises
SQ1
SQ2
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a “script” of what you would say. Consider whether you would
change these slides in any way to make them easier to present.
b. Publicly traded companies typically make their investor presenta-
tions available on their websites. These presentations are created
as slides, which are often saved as PDF files. Go to the websites of
the companies in the following list to find investor presentations,
or search the Internet to find an investor presentation from any
other company that interests you. (Hint: Use a search engine and
type in “Investor presentations [company name].”) You may have
to explore the company websites to find these presentations.
• eBay
• General Electric
• Google
• IBM
• Johnson & Johnson
• JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• McDonald’s
• Microsoft
• Verizon
• Walmart
• Wells Fargo
Select a brief presentation of 10 to 15 slides, or select a portion of a
longer presentation. Review and analyze the selected slides, answering
the following questions:
• Do the slides follow the principles of good slides presented in
this chapter? Describe how the slides do or do not follow these
principles.
• Can you read and understand the slides as an independent docu-
ment without a speaker? Why or why not?
Make sure you attach the presentation to your answers.
14 Create effective handouts
Refer to Exercise 1 on page 443. For each of the scenarios, decide which
handout format would best support the presentation. Identify the pros
and cons for each of the following options: slide miniatures, slides with
notes pages, or handouts with supplementary information. Summarize
your explanation in a memo to your instructor.
10 Create a storyboard
Imagine that a prospective employer has asked you to submit a slide
deck along with your application. In five slides, you are to demonstrate
why you are a good candidate for the job. Prepare a storyboard for this
slide deck. The storyboard will consist of five rectangles, each repre-
senting a slide. For each “slide,” write a clear headline and sketch the
content of the slide body—or write notes about what you will include.
11 Develop a template
a. Many sites on the web offer downloadable PowerPoint templates.
Conduct a search using the terms “PowerPoint templates,” and
find at least one template that you believe would be appropriate
for a business presentation and one that you believe is not appro-
priate. Be prepared to share your findings with the class.
b. Select a template that you believe is acceptable and create an al-
ternative version of that template by changing key features on the
slide master. Change the fonts, the font sizes, the shape of bullets,
and the colors. Compare the two versions and write a memo to
your instructor explaining which you like best and why.
12 Design individual slides
a. Select one slide from your storyboard in Exercise 10, and de-
sign two versions of the slide: one that uses bullets and one that
does not.
b. The slide below describes the target market of the grocery store
chain Trader Joe’s. What changes would you make in the design
and wording of this slide? In addition, proofread the slide to catch
any errors.
13 Evaluate your slides in a practice session
a. Review the JourneyFree culinary tour presentation in the Case
Scenario on pages 435–439. Imagine yourself presenting slides 7,
15, 16, and 18. Your job will be to present these slides without
simply reading the bullet points. Select two of these slides and write
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15 Using Prezi for business presentations [Related to the
Technology feature on pages 422–423]
Imagine that you want to prepare either the Rowland-Grey presenta-
tion (Figure 11.20) or the JourneyFree presentation (pages 435–439) as
a Prezi. Depending on what your instructor directs, either sketch the
“zoomed out” canvas for the presentation or find an appropriate Prezi
template online. Then write a one-page memo to your instructor to ac-
company the visual, discussing the pros and cons of using Prezi for this
presentation versus PowerPoint.
How do you deliver and evaluate the
presentation? (pages 423–427)
16 Set the stage
Think about the last slide presentation you delivered, either in a class
or at your job. Explain how you used the following presentation tech-
niques to set the stage for your presentation: practice, dress for the
part, arrive early and warm up, set up all equipment and props, decide
where you will stand, keep the lights on so that attention is on you, and
have water available. If you didn’t use a technique, explain why not or
whether it would have improved your presentation experience.
17 Control your body
Many people are not aware of the body movements they make during a
presentation. Use a webcam or video camera to record yourself making
one of the impromptu presentations in Exercise 34. Play the recording
and evaluate your body language, eye contact, and facial expressions.
Summarize your evaluation in a memo to your instructor.
18 Use your voice effectively
Refer to Exercise 17. Evaluate your presentation recording based on
the techniques outlined in this section. Did you speak to the back of
the room? Did you speak slowly, especially at the beginning of the pre-
sentation? Did you modulate your voice and minimize verbal tics? Did
you use pauses instead of ers and ums? Summarize your evaluation in a
memo to your instructor.
19 Present your visuals effectively
Watch a video of a business-related presentation you find online. You
can find videos at Ted.com and on YouTube. Search for the name of a
company that interests you, or just browse to find one. Select a video in
which the presenter uses projected visuals. In a memo to your instruc-
tor, identify the URL of the video and summarize your evaluation of
the presentation based on following criteria:
Did the presenter:
• Introduce each visual by explaining the intended point?
• Direct attention to visuals with hand gestures and words?
• Take cues from the visual aids rather than using note cards or a
script?
• Avoid apologies for nervousness or mistakes?
20 Coordinate with your team
Think about the last team presentation you gave. In a memo to your
instructor, describe the context for the presentation (when, where, why,
and what) and then explain how your team used the guidelines out-
lined in this section to coordinate your group effort. If your team did
not integrate one (or more) of the guidelines, identify whether a nega-
tive result occurred.
21 Avoiding plagiarism in slide design [Related to the
Ethics feature on page 427]
The following questions relate to the Trader Joe’s slide in Exercise 12b.
a. The slide uses a picture of Trader Joe’s found on the website
Wikimedia Commons. The photographer and picture owner is
Sage Ross. Under the picture, the website includes this licensing
notice:
I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the
public domain. This applies worldwide. In case this is not
legally possible: I grant anyone the right to use this work for
any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions
are required by law.
Is it legal and ethical to use this picture in a presentation? Is a
citation required?
b. The first bullet in the slide includes a quotation that came from an
article published in the Seattle Times on August 30, 2003: “Trader
Joe’s Targets ‘Educated Buyers.’?” The article was quoting the
founder of Trader Joe’s, Joe Coulombe. How would you cite this
information in your presentation?
c. The template of this presentation is one of the many offered
in PowerPoint. Would it be considered plagiarism to use this
template?
Summarize your answers to these questions in a memo to your
instructor.
22 Evaluate the audience’s response
Attend a presentation on campus or in your community, or watch a
presentation on YouTube that frequently cuts to images of the audi-
ence. Pay attention to the audience and evaluate their responses. What
signs do you see that the audience is engaged? What signs do you see
that the audience is bored? Summarize your observations in an email
to your instructor or be prepared to discuss them in class.
How do you handle questions
and answers? (pages 428–429)
23 Plan for a question-and-answer (Q&A) session
a. Review the Rowland-Grey presentation in Figure 11.20. What
questions should you anticipate from the audience?
b. Review the JourneyFree culinary tour presentation in the Case
Scenario on pages 435–439. What questions should you anticipate
from the audience?
c. For each of the presentations in a and b, would you recommend
that the presenters invite questions at any time or ask the audience
to hold questions until the end? Justify your answer.
24 Answer questions skillfully
Imagine that Rachel Jones is giving the JourneyFree presentation
(pages 435–439), and she receives the following questions. Plan an-
swers to the questions.
a. A hostile question: “You say the tour is only $3,000, but that is a huge
amount of money for underpaid teachers. How can we afford that?”
b. Question to which you do not know the answer: “Where
can we apply for external funding for these kinds of educational
experiences?”
SQ3
SQ4
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How do you adapt your approach for online
presentations? (pages 429–433)
26 In a live online presentation, manage the audience
experience
Imagine that you are presenting the Rowland-Grey presentation (see
Figure 11.20) online to Carolyn Reese, who is out of the office. Select
one slide and plan how you would present that slide to her if she were
viewing it on a computer in a different location.
27 In a podcast, provide content that offers lasting value
Imagine that you work for JourneyFree (pages 435–439) and that Ra-
chel Jones has asked you to propose ideas for a series of audio or video
podcasts that the company can produce and distribute on its website,
with links from JourneyFree’s various social media outlets. The goal of
the podcast is not to sell any products but to provide useful informa-
tion that will keep people coming back to the JourneyFree sites. De-
velop ideas for three podcast episodes and present them persuasively in
a three- to five-minute presentation with at least one visual aid.
c. An idea you have already rejected: “Wouldn’t Japan or China be
a better location, considering the importance of those cuisines for
today’s cooking?”
d. A question that gets the presentation off track: “I’m glad you’re
organizing this trip to France because France is my favorite country.
I’ve been there five times, and each time I learn something new. In
fact, the last time I was there… .”
25 Meeting audience expectations [Related to the Culture
feature on page 432]
When you present to audiences in other cultures, it is important to fol-
low that culture’s rules of business etiquette. On YouTube (or another
video-sharing site), find a video about business etiquette in a country
other than the United States. Show your video to the class and then
facilitate a class discussion about how you would apply those etiquette
principles if you were delivering a business presentation in that cul-
ture. Your instructor may ask you to do this exercise individually or
as a team.
SQ5
28 Presentations recommending a purchase
You work for the information technology department at Reynolds Media
and Marketing, a small public relations company with 30 employees. The
company has budgeted $75,000 for this year to replace all desktop com-
puters with laptop computers. For efficiency, the company would like
everyone to have the same model of computer. However, employees can’t
agree on the best model. Some employees would like to switch to Macs.
Others prefer PCs. The graphics staff wants big screens. Those who travel
prefer lightweight computers, even if it means sacrificing some features.
Your manager asks you to select three good alternatives, evalu-
ate them, and recommend one. Research computer alternatives and
prepare a persuasive slide presentation, recommending one particu-
lar model. If your research leads you to believe the company should
support two different models to meet the needs of different employ-
ees, recommend that in your presentation, supported by persuasive
reasons. Include a hyperlink to the appropriate product page on each
computer manufacturer’s website.
If your instructor asks you to deliver this presentation in class,
practice in advance, working on all the delivery skills you learned in
SQ 3 of this chapter. Your instructor may ask classmates to provide you
with feedback on your presentation delivery.
29 Preparing a training presentation
Take any topic from this textbook and prepare a three- to five-minute
presentation to teach the topic to students who are not enrolled in a
business communication course. Begin with an opening designed to
engage your audience and convince them of the importance of the
topic (what’s in it for them). Prepare a few slides to teach key points.
Conclude with “next steps,” providing advice about how your audience
can continue learning about the topic.
If your instructor asks you to deliver this presentation in class,
practice in advance, working on all the delivery skills you learned in
SQ 3 of this chapter. Your instructor may ask classmates to provide you
with feedback on your presentation delivery.
30 Evaluating your presentation delivery skills
Prepare a three-minute “icebreaker” presentation about yourself to de-
liver to your classmates. Focus on your life, your hobbies and interests,
your job, your family, your travel, your recent reading—or any com-
bination of these topics. Here are four ideas for how you can organize
this presentation:
a. Chronological: Present three or four events in your life that have
been important to you and made you the person you are today.
b. Topical: Provide a sample of your life, telling your audience a
little bit about different topics such as your family, your education,
and your hobbies.
c. Common thread: Identify a common thread that runs through
several events in your life, and provide examples.
d. Key event: Focus on one defining event that set your life on its
current path.
If your instructor arranges for students’ presentations to be video-
recorded, watch the video and evaluate your presentation delivery
skills, based on the advice in SQ 3. Submit to your instructor a memo
with your evaluation and a list of key presentation skills you will work
on in the class.
31 Evaluating the presentation skills of others
Evaluate the presentation skills of a business presenter based on a pre-
sentation or speech you find on the Internet. Options include a speech
by the head of a business such as Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Tim
Cook (Apple), or Larry Page (Google); your state senator; or your fa-
vorite writer.
Where can you find such talks and presentations? In addition to
YouTube, Vimeo, and Talks@Google, you can find presentations and
speeches on the websites of the following organizations:
• American Enterprise Institute
• Brookings Institution
• Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Council on Foreign Relations
• C-SPAN
• FORA-TV
• Heritage Foundation
Writing Exercises
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Chapter 11 End of Chapter 447
After you watch the presentation, write a memo to your instructor an-
swering the following questions:
• Did the presenter read a speech or talk extemporaneously?
• Did the presenter use visual aids? If so, were they effective?
• What was the presenter’s main point? Summarize it in a few
sentences.
• How was the presentation organized?
• What were the main claims of the presentation? Were the claims
credible? Why or why not?
• Do you consider this presenter to be a good speaker? Provide
evidence to support your point of view.
• Do you have any recommendations for the presenter? Explain them.
32 Developing presentation skills
a. Working with a team of classmates, develop a five-minute
presentation-related activity for your class. It can be a brief ice-
breaker for the beginning of a class session, an exercise to evaluate
and revise a slide, an exercise to practice body-language and other
presentation skills, or your own creative idea. Summarize your ac-
tivity and provide directions on one or two well-designed slides
for your instructor to evaluate.
b. As a team, prepare a five-minute presentation on some aspect of
business communication that you find challenging (or that your
instructor assigns). After the presentation, conduct a question-
and-answer session with the class.
33 Delivering a slide presentation
Imagine that you and two teammates are presenting either the Rowland-
Grey (Figure 11.20) or the JourneyFree presentation (pages 435–439).
Your instructor will provide the presentation file. Practice the presen-
tation, working on all the delivery skills you learned in SQ 3 of this
chapter. Deliver this presentation in class. Your instructor may ask
classmates to provide you with feedback on your presentation delivery.
34 Reporting on consumer attitudes
Consumer Research, Inc., has hired your team to conduct a survey
to learn how young adults respond to direct mail advertising sent by
email. Research by the Direct Marketing Association indicates that,
overall, advertising through postal mail results in more sales than
advertising through email.20 However, the research did not focus on
specific age groups. Consumer Research, Inc., wants to know whether
young adults (ages 18–25) purchase more as a result of email or postal
mail advertising. Identify a group of people your team can survey and
develop a set of questions to ask. For example, you could ask:
• How often do they open advertising they receive through email?
• What influences their decision to open the email? Is it the subject
line, the sender, or something else?
• How often do they click through to a website?
• How often do they purchase something as a result of the email
advertising?
Conduct your survey and then prepare a presentation to Con-
sumer Research, Inc., that outlines your results. If possible, draw con-
clusions about the effectiveness of email marketing to young adults.
If your instructor asks you to deliver this presentation in class,
practice in advance, working on all the delivery skills you learned in
SQ 3 of this chapter. Your instructor may ask classmates to provide you
with feedback on your presentation delivery.
35 Evaluating fast-food restaurants
Your team works for a restaurant chain that is planning to open a res-
taurant in your area. The district regional manager wants to know more
about the competition. Are the competitive restaurants excellent? Or is
there room for a good new restaurant in the neighborhood?
As a team, choose three restaurants in the area and observe each
restaurant at least three times within the next two weeks. Vary the day
of the week and the time of day for each visit. During each visit, ob-
serve and collect data on the appearance of the restaurant, how many
customers entered during that time period, the length of wait to place
an order, the length of wait to receive an order, the quality of service,
and the quality of food. During each visit, make a qualitative judgment
about how happy the customers seem to be, and support your judg-
ment with specific observations.
At the end of the two-week observation period, prepare a slide
presentation to deliver to your district manager, evaluating the compe-
tition and making recommendations about how your new restaurant
can provide better service than the competitive restaurants you have
studied.
If your instructor asks you to make this presentation in class,
practice in advance, working on all the delivery skills you learned in
SQ 3 of this chapter. Your instructor may ask classmates to provide you
with feedback on your presentation delivery.
Collaboration Exercises
36 Distributing presentations through social media
“channels”
Many businesses choose to consolidate their online presentations,
slides, and podcasts on one or more dedicated social media “chan-
nels,” such as a YouTube channel or a SlideShare Enterprise channel.
On YouTube or SlideShare, find a social media channel of a company
that interests you and review the archive of media on that channel.
Choose one or two video presentations, slide decks, or podcasts,
and prepare a five-minute presentation to your class. Explain how
the company uses that social media channel, what kind of audio or
video files are on that channel, and whether you believe the content
is useful and provides a good image of the company. As part of your
presentation, show a brief excerpt from one of the company’s audio
or video presentations.
37 Exploring the concept of curation
The concept of curation developed as a means of managing information
overload on the Internet. A curator is someone who selectively organizes
material on a specific topic, using a social media tool such as a blog, pod-
cast, Pinterest, or Scoop.it, and then shares this collection of material with
interested parties, using social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and
Google+. Research the concept of curation and study at least two “curated”
social media sites or collections. Then prepare a five-minute presentation
to illustrate at least one way in which curation can benefit a business.
Social Media Exercises
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448 Chapter 11 | Preparing and Delivering Business Presentations
38 Impromptu speaking
In a one- to two-minute presentation, answer one of the following
questions. Be sure to begin your presentation with the short version of
the answer and then elaborate.
a. What advice would you give students graduating from your high
school this year and planning to attend your college?
b. What is your ideal job when you graduate?
c. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
d. What is the most valuable course you have taken thus far in
college?
e. What one change would you recommend to the president of your
college?
39 Executive briefings
a. If you are working on a long-term project, prepare an oral prog-
ress report for your instructor.
b. Assume that the business communication faculty at your school
is trying to decide whether all students in business communica-
tion courses should be required to learn a presentation program,
such as PowerPoint, Keynote, Impress, or Prezi. They have asked
five current business communication students, including you, to
present their views at a department meeting. You will have only
three minutes to speak. Prepare a brief presentation to the faculty.
Support your presentation with some form of visual aid.
Speaking Exercises
40 Capitalization (see Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation,
Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 3.1)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 30 errors, which include
both omissions and improper use of capital letters. Underline all of
your corrections.
Robin thompson, owner of etiquette network and Robin
Thompson charm school, says, “personal phone calls are fine,
so long as you limit them and choose the appropriate time.” She
also believes cell phones should be turned off at work; If you are
at work, that means you have a desk phone and can be reached at
that number most of the time. Cell phones and pagers don’t be-
long in business meetings, either, she says. Would you interrupt
your Vice President to answer your cell phone? (you wouldn’t
if you want to keep working for the Company.) Of course, when
you are flying to Corporate Headquarters on the West Coast
from the Regional Office in north Dakota, a cell phone can be
a life saver. Because you had to take your daughter to her span-
ish lesson, you’ve missed your plane. The head of the division of
specialty products wants that report by 5 p.m., president McMil-
lan is expecting you for lunch, and your son forgot to order his
date’s corsage for the High School prom tonight. Note to self:
text son about picking up tuxedo. Instead of a Master’s Degree
in business, you’re thinking maybe you should have majored in
Emergency Management. Thank heavens you have a blackberry.
41 Numbers (see Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation,
Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 3.2)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 15 errors in the use of
numbers. Underline all your corrections.
20 years ago mobile phones were novel and expensive. In the
nineteen-eighties cellular telephones, luxury items used only
by top executives, cost almost $4000 and weighed more than
2 pounds. Today, of course, even ten-year-olds have them, and
the lightest ones weigh two.65 ounces. Some people have more
than one mobile phone; imagine carrying 2 2-pound phones in
your purse. The International Telecommunications Union esti-
mates that there are approximately 4,600,000,000 mobile tele-
phones in use worldwide. That amounts to about sixty percent of
the world’s population. China ranks number 1 with a little over
57 percent of Chinese using cellular telephones. India ranks 2nd,
adding more than six (6) million subscribers a month. According
to The Washington Post, nearly 1/2 of the Indian population has
wireless service—3 times the number of landlines in the country.
The United States ranks third, with 91% of us using cell phones.
Grammar Exercises
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the following
Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 Why is it important to practice presenting a slide as part of the evaluating/revising
process?
2 Teams often divide the work of creating presentation slides so that work is
equally divided. What are the potential problems of this approach? How can you
address or avoid those problems?
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Chapter 11 End of Chapter 449
1. American Management Association. (2014, February 25).
Communication skills most needed by individual contributors.
Retrieved from http://www.amanet.org/news/9791.aspx
2. Bryant, A. (2011, April 1). You’ve passed the interview. Now
give us a presentation. [Interview with Chris Cunningham.]
New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/
04/03/business/03corner.html?_r=1
3. Covey, S. R. (n.d.). Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind. Re-
trieved from https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-
habit2.php
4. Sousa, D. (2011). How the brain learns (4th ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. For early research on the primacy
effect in communication, see Gilkinson, H., Paulson, S. F., &
Sikkink, D. E. (1954, April). Effects of order and authority
in an argumentative speech. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 40,
183–192.
5. Young, R. O. (2011). How audiences decide: A cognitive ap-
proach to business communication (pp. 138–139). New York:
Routledge.
6. Miller, G. (1956). The magical number seven plus or minus
two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information.
Psychological Review, 63, 81–97.
7. Cowan, N. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term mem-
ory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral
and Brain Sciences, 24(1), 87–114.
8. Baddeley, A. (2010). Working memory. Current Biology, 20(4),
R136–140.
9. Monroe, A. (1935). Principles and types of speech. New York:
Scott, Foresman.
10. Sousa, D. (2011). How the brain learns (4th ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
11. Munter, M. (2012). Guide to managerial communication
(9th ed., p. 54). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
12. Gallo, C. (2012, September 12). PowerPoint: The extreme
makeover edition (before and after slides). Forbes. Retrieved
from http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/09/12/
powerpoint-the-extreme-makeover-edition-before-and-after-
slides/
13. Mazzucato, M. (2013). The entrepreneurial state. Retrieved
from http://prezi.com/ly3biwcyajjb/the-entrepreneurial-state/
To watch Mazzucato’s Ted Talk using the Prezi template, visit
http://www.ted.com/talks/mariana_mazzucato_government_
investor_risk_taker_innovator
14. U.S. Copyright Office. (2009, November). Copyright: Fair use.
Retrieved from http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
15. Edison Research. (2012). The podcast consumer 2012. Re-
trieved from http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/
2012/05/the-podcast-consumer-2012.php
16. Courville, R. (2009). The virtual presenter’s handbook. Trout-
dale, OR: 1080 Group LLC.
17. Zhou, H., & Zhang, T. (2008). Body language in business ne-
gotiation. International Journal of Business and Management,
3(2), 90–96. Retrieved from http://journal.ccsenet.org/index
.php/ijbm/article/view/1680/1588
18. Huang, L. (2010). Cross-cultural communication in business
negotiations. International Journal of Economics and Finance,
(2)2, 196–199. Retrieved from http:ccsenet.org/journal/index
.php/ijef/article/view/5907/4687
19. Krakovsky, M. (2009). National poker face. Psychology Today,
42(1), 20.
20. Direct Marketing Association. (2012, June 14). DMA re-
leases 2012 response rate report. DMA. Retrieved from http://
newdma.org/2012responseratereport
References
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http://www.amanet.org/news/9791.aspx
https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit2.php
https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit2.php
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/09/12/powerpoint-the-extreme-makeover-edition-before-and-after-slides/
http://prezi.com/ly3biwcyajjb/the-entrepreneurial-state/
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2012/05/the-podcast-consumer-2012.php
http://journal.ccsenet.org/indexhttp://journal.ccsenet.org/index
http://newdma.org/2012responseratereport
http://newdma.org/2012responseratereport
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/09/12/powerpoint-the-extreme-makeover-edition-before-and-after-slides/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/09/12/powerpoint-the-extreme-makeover-edition-before-and-after-slides/
http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2012/05/the-podcast-consumer-2012.php
http://journal.ccsenet.org/indexhttp://journal.ccsenet.org/index
http:\\ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijef/article/view/5907/4687
http:\\ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijef/article/view/5907/4687
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12
Communicating Your
Professional Brand:
Social Media, Résumés,
Cover Letters, and
Interviews
450
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Meeting the employer’s needs is the most important aspect of
composing successful cover letters and résumés. I found that the
more time I spent tailoring my letters and résumés to meet the
needs of each potential opportunity, the more likely I was to be
offered an interview. That level of analysis required me to think
critically about what abilities the job required, what skills I could
provide the employer, and what the company was looking for in
an employee.
Anita Griffin Jones
Central Georgia Technical College
Regional Operations Manager @ Renewed Advance
Administration and Tax Service LLC
New Hires @ Work
451
MyBCommLab®
Improve Your Grade!
Over 10 million students
improved their results using
the Pearson MyLabs. Visit
mybcommlab.com for
simulations, tutorials, and
end-of-chapter problems.
How do you polish your professional
presence for a job search? pages 452–459
Analyze your career goals, strengths, and skills
Compose your brand message and strategic
social media content
Evaluate your virtual professional image
STUDY QUESTIONS
SQ1 SQ4 How do you prepare for a job
interview? pages 476–481
Analyze how to benefit from different types of
interviews
Compose good answers—and good questions
Evaluate your professional appearance
How do you compose an effective
résumé? pages 459–467
Analyze your options for organizing your résumé
Compose effective résumé content
Evaluate your content and design
SQ2
How do you find job opportunities
and submit applications? pages 468–475
Analyze your options for finding job
opportunities
Compose persuasive cover letters
Select a medium for submission and follow up as
necessary
SQ3
How can you make a positive
impression during and after an
interview? pages 481–490
Project a professional presence
Compose effective post-interview messages
Evaluate your performance
SQ5
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professional brand The image you
present of yourself that makes you stand out
compared to other applicants.
Chapter 12 | Introduction
Your professional presence is critical to your success dur-
ing a job search. Employers will evaluate your character,
your skills and abilities, your fit with the job, and your
growth potential. To pass that evaluation, you need to have
confidence that you are applying for the right job, and you
need to communicate a strong professional brand—the
image you present that makes you stand out compared
with other applicants. This chapter helps you create a
professional brand and communicate it through your so-
cial media presence, your résumé and
cover letters, and your job interviews.
Throughout the chapter, you will learn
how to use the ACE process to:
• Analyze your career goals, your
strengths and skills, and the
needs of potential employers.
This analysis helps you determine
what industries and companies to target for your job
search and how to present yourself to those compa-
nies during the application process.
• Compose your brand message, professional social
media content, customized résumés and cover let-
ters, effective interview questions and responses,
and persuasive follow-up messages. You will use
these methods of communication to emphasize
your strengths and manage your employment
search.
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
• Evaluate your virtual professional
image, employment communica-
tion, and interview experiences.
Through ongoing evaluation, you
can continuously improve your
skills until you achieve employ-
ment success.
SQ1 How do you polish your professional presence for a job search?
The first step in ensuring a professional presence is to develop confidence in your career goals
and your suitability for the career you are planning. Confidence helps you target the right
jobs and compose a brand message, social media content, and effective job search materials to
market yourself for those jobs.
Analyze your career goals, strengths, and skills
Many college students choose a major based on their interests or academic strengths, such as
English or math. Others choose a major based on specific career goals, such as accounting or
law. Whichever approach you choose, you can do many things before you graduate to learn
more about yourself and to analyze your goals, strengths, and skills. The more confidence you
have in your career path and abilities, the more effectively you will be able to present yourself
in a job search.
Analyzing career goals
The best way to analyze your career goals is to participate in career-oriented experiences, do
in-depth research, and reflect on what you learn. The activities in Figure 12.1 include a sug-
gested timeline to help you plan and pace your analysis of your career goals.
Analyze
452
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How do you polish your professional presence for a job search? 453
FIGURE 12.1 How to Develop and Analyze Your Career Goals Throughout a Four-Year Degree
During your freshman and
sophomore years:
• Explore options and gain
transferrable skills.
• Participate in clubs and organizations related to your major, and volunteer for nonprofit
organizations.
• Experiment with a variety of internships and summer jobs.
• “Test drive” a company and career path to determine if you are truly interested in
pursuing a career in a particular field.
• Focus on developing transferrable skills that relate to your career goals to help you
demonstrate to employers that you can make an impact.
During your junior year:
• Research your career
options and narrow your
focus.
• Research different positions using resources such as the Occupational Outlook
Handbook, published online by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Learn about educa-
tional requirements, salary ranges, projected job prospects, the nature of the work, and
working conditions.
• Reflect on the characteristics that will make you happy in a job:
– Do you prefer to work collaboratively with other people or on your own?
– Would you enjoy a creative position or a more procedural job?
– Do you see yourself working for a large or small company? In a large or small city?
– Would you enjoy a job that requires travel?
– Do you want to start your own business to promote a new product or service?
During the summer after
your junior year:
• Target internships and
summer jobs in a specific
field or company.
• Explore job opportunities in a specific field to enhance your résumé and develop
field-specific skills.
• Target internships at specific companies where you think you’d like to work after
graduation. Internships can help you and your potential employer determine if you are
a good fit. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that employers
convert almost 50% of eligible interns into full-time employees.1
During your senior year:
• Create a plan for your future
but keep an open mind.
• Think about what your career goals might be 5 or 10 years from now. What do you want
to accomplish?
• Consider alternatives to working for a single employer, such as freelancing or
entrepreneurship.
• Stay flexible so you can find different ways to fulfill your career plan.
• Be open to moving; you may find a perfect job in an unexpected location.
Analyzing strengths and skills
In addition to analyzing your goals, analyze your strengths and skills by creating a list like the
one in Figure 12.2 on page 454. Analyzing your strengths and skills helps you accomplish two
goals. First, you can determine which jobs you are best qualified to pursue. Second, you can
build evidence of your skills to use in your cover letters, résumés, and interviews to sell your-
self to a potential employer. Remember to update this “skill inventory” frequently to keep your
list current and to help tailor your résumé for different jobs.
Compose your brand message and strategic
social media content
By understanding your goals and skills, you can develop and market your professional brand—
the image you present that makes you stand out compared to other applicants. You project
your brand through your personal interactions, email messages, and social media content.
When it comes to your brand, you are your own public relations (PR) manager.2
Composing your brand message
At the core of a professional brand is a brand message—a statement that communicates the
unique value you offer your employers. Begin to develop your brand message by synthesizing
the core skills and talents you’ve already identified. What matters to you? What are you good
at? What do you want to be known for?3 Consider your best characteristics and accomplish-
ments. What does your track record prove?4,5 Note the example in Figure 12.3 on page 454.
Compose
brand message A statement that com-
municates the unique value you offer your
employers.
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FIGURE 12.2 How to Analyze Your Strengths and Skills
Experience:
Internship with a financial management company
• Gained problem-solving and interpersonal skills while providing personal customer
service to a diverse client base
• Improved data management by organizing client records, inputting data, and designing
reports in the client database
• Analyzed spreadsheets to create effective charts and graphs to support persuasive
client presentations
• Gathered information, evaluated content, and wrote articles for a monthly newsletter
that provided financial management advice to clients
Areas of Expertise:
• Programming Java applets (learned from computer class)
• Designing web pages (self-taught)
Sellable Qualities:
• Enhanced interpersonal skills through co-writing and presenting role-playing scenarios
for Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) awareness events at local high schools
• Developed leadership skills as president of the campus Business Club; initiated two
successful fundraising events, led meetings, and delegated duties
• Gained collaboration and negotiation skills working with parents and children as a
youth soccer coach for four years
Weaknesses:
• Lack of experience preparing and delivering formal presentations
• Missing deadlines due to problems with time management
Outline all your work
experiences and create three to
five bullet points that identify the
specific skills you developed on
the job and the specific results
you achieved.
Identify areas of expertise you
developed outside of work—
from coursework, extracurricular
activities, and hobbies. Having
a wide variety of talents
will make you more marketable.
List your sellable qualities—
abilities that make you an
asset to a company. Identify how,
where, and to what extent you
developed them.
Identify weaknesses so you
can work on improving them,
especially if they are often
required for jobs in your field.
Avoid applying for positions that
require skills you do not have.
Next, consider how you will market your brand. Use your brand message to develop an
elevator pitch—a concise statement designed to communicate your value and initiate a deeper
conversation with an employer. Include your brand message in your social media profiles and
consider adding a tag line to your email signature block and business cards. You might also
elevator pitch A concise statement
designed to communicate the value of an
idea, product, or job candidate; intrigue the
audience; and initiate a deeper conversation.
unique selling proposition The skills
or qualities that set someone or something
apart from the competition.
“As a new marketing and international business professional, I am pas-
sionate about bridging culture gaps that stand in the way of effective
marketing. I understand that not all cultures are alike. Products must be
adapted to meet the needs of different cultures and marketed differently
in different cultures. I am a quick learner and an enthusiastic collaborator.
I enjoy working in teams and with people from different cultures to under-
stand their needs.”
What should your brand message say?
• Explain who you are, what you do, what deeply interests you, and what
value you offer a prospective employer.
• Stress your unique selling proposition—the skills or qualities that set
you apart from other applicants.
FIGURE 12.3 How to Compose Your Brand Message
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include your brand message below your contact information on your résumé or create a fact
sheet as a “leave behind” at the end of an interview.6
Composing strategic social media content
Social media is playing a larger and increasingly valuable role in the employment process.7,8
Many job candidates are, in fact, social job seekers, using social media to find job opportuni-
ties, get job referrals, and learn employees’ perspectives about a company.9 At the same time,
employers are using social media for their own purposes. A survey by the social recruiting
company Jobvite indicates that 94 percent of employers use social media in their recruiting
process.10 The most popular social media site for employers is LinkedIn. Employers use
LinkedIn to search for potential candidates and to learn more about candidates who ap-
ply. They use Facebook to get a feel for the personality of candidates. They use Twitter to
announce jobs and to follow interesting candidates. And they use a range of other outlets,
such as Quora, GitHub, and Pinterest, to get a powerful sense of candidates’ expertise.11,12 In
other words, they use social media both to search for candidates and to evaluate candidates
who apply.13
As a result, to be competitive in today’s job market, you need make yourself visible on
social media by creating a professional social media presence and by engaging your network—
the people you know who are aware of your career goals. You also need to make yourself valu-
able on social media. Provide employers with a reason to follow you or come back to your sites.
The following sections provide advice to ensure that your social media content is both visible
and valuable.
Making yourself visible
In addition to creating a professional presence on popular sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook,
and Twitter, consider creating online content that anyone can access without having to link
to you or “friend” you. Be visible and searchable: Create a blog, online résumé, e-portfolio, or
video résumé, and then link all your sites so employers can easily find your content.14 Continu-
ously update every site to ensure that your online content is current and effectively represents
your professional brand.
If you choose to include a photo of yourself on these sites, select a head shot and ensure
that any visible clothing looks like interview attire. To present a consistent image, use the same
photo in all of your online profiles, including your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Although
opinions are mixed about the use of photos, former HR executive Louis Fletcher suggests that
photos make it more likely people will accept your requests to connect and that recruiters will
click on your profile to read more about you.15 Further, according to LinkedIn, creating a com-
plete profile, which includes a photo, makes you 40 times more likely to receive opportunities.16
Figure 12.4 on pages 456–457 outlines ways to use your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter
accounts during your job search. Each platform has unique benefits that you can leverage as
part of your job search strategy.17
Making yourself valuable
Even if you create a recognizable brand for yourself, and put yourself “out there” in a variety
of online locations, you will not be competitive if your content does not persuade the audi-
ence that you have something to offer. Figure 12.5 on page 458 identifies ways to increase your
perceived value to an employer through your social media content.
Evaluate your virtual professional image
As you develop a strategic social media presence, also consider the image you present across
other communication mediums—including your business cards, your email messages, and
your telephone conversations. Are you consistently communicating your brand message and
your professionalism? Use the checklist in Figure 12.6 on pages 458–459 to analyze and evaluate
your virtual professional image to ensure that it is polished, relevant, and current.
New Hires @ Work
Christian Tucker
Georgia Southern University
Intern @ Bank of America
I’ve found that recruiters want
LinkedIn accounts. But sell-
ing your potential on LinkedIn
requires more than posting
résumé content. You have to
update your status,
comment on other
people’s status
posts, participate
in groups, and
post links to
industry infor-
mation. You are
what you post.
Evaluate
network The circle of people who are
aware of your career goals and can help you
learn about career opportunities.
How do you polish your professional presence for a job search? 455
Photo courtesy of Christian Tucker
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Twitter
Use Twitter to broadcast content related to your job search—both professional information about yourself as well as content about
your field of study.
FIGURE 12.4 How to Target Specific Social Media Platforms During a Job Search
Use a professional photo of yourself as well as a
cover photo that illustrates or helps de�ne your brand.
Post recent activity updates that highlight profes-
sional accomplishments. If you have attended
conferences, read relevant books, or used your skills
in volunteer work, make that information obvious.
“Like” companies that you want to work for as
well as professional groups and job sites. Interact
with these sites by posting comments and asking
questions.
Expand your connections by sending friend
requests to faculty, staff, and anyone you meet
through professional contacts. Subscribe to sites of
professionals who are in your desired job �eld.
Use job search applications such as BranchOut,
BeKnown, and Glassdoor that help connect you with
recruiters and companies.
Use the Facebook timeline to link all your social
media activity, including your blog, tweets, and
Pinterest posts, and then blog, tweet, and pin
professional content that supports your brand.
Use Twitter as a job-search tool:
Create a compelling bio:
Post updates on your job search.
Keep it short. A Twitter bio can be no more than
166 characters.
Use your real name rather than a “Twitter handle”
to increase your credibility.19
Use keywords from your brand message to
compose your bio. Think of your bio as an elevator
pitch—a concise statement designed to communi-
cate your value and initiate a deeper conversation.20
Include your college name, the year you will
graduate, and any awards. Twitter is less formal
than other platforms, so it’s possible to add some
personality and still be professional.21
Subscribe to industry- or job-related lists and
participate in talks and discussions, and then tweet
about the topics.22
Follow important people in your field. Research
industry leaders and follow new people each month
to continuously expand your network.
Re-tweet interesting posts from important people
in your target industry, and tweet links to interesting
industry-related articles.23
Facebook page
Twitter bio
Facebook
If you already have a Facebook account, ensure your personal network is aware of your job search and reshape your site to commu-
nicate your professional brand and present a positive image to employers. According to employment experts, Facebook has become
such a standard recruitment tool that employers who do not find a Facebook site for a candidate may assume that the candidate has
something to hide.18
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LinkedIn
Unlike Facebook, LinkedIn is primarily intended to be an interactive professional networking tool. During a job search, use LinkedIn to
make yourself more visible to employers, to enlarge your network, and to complement your résumé. Your LinkedIn profile should not
just copy your résumé content, but expand upon it with more detailed career summary information, recommendations, and links to
relevant publications and videos.24,25
LinkedIn profile
Summary
New marketing professional who is passionate about reaching international audiences
and contributing to a creative marketing team.
I developed my interest in international work while studying abroad in the Philippines,
Spain, and Italy. My passion for marketing stems from academic and work experiences—
especially listening to the voice of the customer to improve marketing, sales, and
customer service.
Key experiences and qualifications:
Eager to be employed by a U.S. or global company to help expand international
markets.
Experience
Sales Associate, 2015–Present
Target Corporation, Robbins, MD
Use interpersonal skills to greet and assist customers courteously and efficiently.
Assist with cashier functions and other duties as assigned.
Blingual Classroom Assistant, 2012–2015
Eastlawn Elementary, Middletown MD
Worked with 5th grade children to develop their literacy skills and recognize word
sets in Spanish and English.
Cashier/ Sales Associate, 2010–2011
Family Dollar Inc., Pensacola, FL
Managed front-end sales and provided excellent customer service.
Performed store setup tasks.
Education
Skills & Expertise
Language Lab Assistant, 2011–2012
Campus University, Robbins, MD
Prepared lab coursework activities.
Cashier/Sales Associate 2014–2015
Food Lion, LLC, Robbins, MD
Interacted with customers, facilitated transactions, and maintained cash drawer.
• Studied abroad in the Philippines, Spain, and Itlay
• Led student team in succesful international marketing project in the Philippines
• Returned to Manila to present at the Philippine Business Conference & Expo
• Developed deep understanding of customer needs as a sales and
customer service professional
• Achieved honors in marketing at Campus University
• Speak fluent Spanish
Campus University, Robbins. MD
B.S., Business Administration, Marketing and International Business
2011–2015
Create a compelling profile:
Take advantage of LinkedIn as a job-search tool:
Business Marketing International Business Accounting Spanish
Leadership Communication Computer Skills
Home Profile Contacts Groups Jobs Inbox Companies More Use a photo that presents you as a profes-
sional. Research shows that professional
recruiters who search LinkedIn spend the most
time looking at a candidate’s photo, education, and
current job.26
Write a persuasive headline—the statement that
appears below your name. Tailor your headline to
sell your strengths and persuade a recruiter to
continue to read your profile.
Create a summary that serves as an advertise-
ment for you and sells your professional brand.
Highlight your strengths and abilities.
Provide compelling details. Include your
education, current and past employment, and
other experiences that demonstrate your profes-
sional skills. Use keywords that recruiters might
search.
Showcase visual and written work with links to
your personal website, your YouTube channel,
eportfolios, and publications.
Use LinkedIn’s built-in applications to pull feeds
from your Twitter account and blog postings, and
then tweet and blog about your job search and
industry-related content.
Use LinkedIn’s “People You May Know”
section to increase your network. Use the “View
All” feature, and check the list each week to
search for new connection possibilities.
Ask for recommendations from those in your
network who can write about your strengths and
skills. Recommendations enhance your credibility,
especially when they come from industry
professionals.
Link to companies that you want to work for
and read their updates to stay current with
information that you can use during employment
interviews.
Participate in discussion groups that are related
to jobs or fields that interest you.
Update your status weekly so people in your
network are reminded about you and your job
search.
FIGURE 12.4 (Continued)
457
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FIGURE 12.6 How to Evaluate Your Virtual Image
Post positive status
updates
• Post about things that sell your strengths, including everything
from the professional events you attend to your volunteer
work.
• Avoid posting negative comments or “liking” questionable
content (such as inappropriate photos or offensive jokes).
Emphasize your
accomplishments
• Post about your education, scholarships and awards, and your
work experiences.
• Include information about conferences or presentations you
attend.
• Comment about your volunteer work and other service-related
activities.
Use content
marketing
techniques
• Provide valuable information without trying to “sell” anything.
• Write about new trends in your industry to demonstrate your
awareness.
• Link to cutting-edge articles and comment about them.
• Provide other examples that demonstrate your interest and
knowledge.
Demonstrate
positive work traits
in your site profiles
• Demonstrate that you are organized and hardworking by
organizing your site effectively and updating it with detailed
posts.
• Show that you are open to new ideas by posting comments
about your travel, interesting articles and books, and new trends
and concepts.
© HOORAY!/Alamy
Review your telephone image
• Create a professional greeting—your recorded
message that callers will hear when you are not
able to answer your phone—that clearly states your
name, requests callers to leave their name and
number, and identifies that you will return the call
as soon as possible.
• Evaluate your greeting to ensure it is clear,
concise, and complete; and avoid distracting back-
ground music or cute sayings.
• Smile when you talk; it brightens the sound of
your voice.
• Check your voice mail messages every day and
respond within 24 hours, if not sooner.
Review your online image
• Clean up your social media sites before launching
a job search, and then continuously monitor them.
• Remove unprofessional content, such as pictures,
negative comments, and other information you do
not want a potential employer to see.
• Ask your friends to remove content about you—
or at least your identification—from their social
media sites if that content may be perceived as
unprofessional.
• Google yourself and also search within social
media sites to see what others can find about you
online.
© Andres Rodriguez/Fotolia
FIGURE 12.5 How to Highlight Your
Value to Employers in Your Social
Media Content
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How do you compose an effective résumé? 459
email signature block
business card
Jana C. Smithers
Business Management Major
“Management and Communication Expertise”
NEW STATE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
BELVEDERE, MI 49720
http://www.nsu.edu/jcsmithers.htm
jcsmithers@gmail.com
204.555.4432
JUAN VARGAS
Finance and Economics Major
President, Students in Free Enterprise
Member, Beta Gamma Sigma
www.LinkedIn.com/juan-vargas
City College at Pembroke
Mailbox #14223
Pembroke, Virginia 24136
(612) 555-8849
Jvargas@att.net
SQ2 How do you compose an effective résumé?
Although social media is an important employment communication tool, a professional and
targeted résumé remains an essential element of your job search. The best résumés commu-
nicate their main message quickly because research shows that most employers spend only
six seconds reviewing a résumé.27 During this first stage of résumé review, employers aim to
identify the most qualified candidates out of a pool of applicants. In these brief moments,
employers focus on a few critical data points: your name; where you currently work, your
start date, and your title; where you previously worked, your start and end date, and your
title; and your education.28 Once employers have narrowed the applicant pool, they spend
much more time reviewing your details, so make sure your résumé doesn’t include anything
that will make it easy for the reviewer to throw it away, such as typos, bad formatting, and
vague wording.29 Instead, communicate the information and professionalism that will make
you stand out among other candidates. The following guidelines will help you compose a
highly effective résumé.
Analyze your options for organizing your résumé
The three standard ways to organize your résumé content are chronological, functional, and
combined. All of them include some key features that are listed in Figure 12.7 on page 460. How-
ever, the three organizations differ in important ways. Use the one that best emphasizes your
strengths and presents you as a desirable candidate for the job.
• Use a chronological résumé to emphasize work experience. The chronological résumé is
a traditional format that organizes the content sequentially, starting with the most recent and
working backward. It highlights education and work experience as the applicant’s primary as-
sets. This format is most appropriate for applicants who have work experience that explicitly
qualifies them for the position. For example, assume that Brendan Neilly worked as a lifeguard
for Oceanfront Properties last summer. He recently saw that company’s advertisement for a
Analyze
chronological résumé A traditional
résumé style that lists content sequentially,
starting with the most recent experience.
Compose
© Andres Rodriguez/Fotolia
FIGURE 12.6 (Continued)
Review your email image
• Use a professionally worded personal email ad-
dress rather than your school email account, which
may be disabled a few months after you graduate.
Consider the different images these email
addresses communicate: “2cool4school@gmail
.com” or “jon.swartz@gmail.com.”
• Include a professional email signature block to
provide your contact information. Make sure the
contact information you list in your email signature
block is consistent with your business card.
• Consider including a tag line to help sell your
professional brand.
Review your business cards
• Keep the design professional, and list your con-
tact information (phone number, email address, and
your LinkedIn account).
• Include URLs if you have a web résumé, video
résumé, or online portfolio to support your job search.
• List your memberships, especially those that
relate to your degree, to enhance your professional
networking possibilities.
• Consider including bulleted skills, highlights from
your résumé, or a tag line on the back of your
business card.
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mailto:Jvargas@att.net
mailto:jon.swartz@gmail.com.%E2%80%9D
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FIGURE 12.7 How to Create a Chronological Résumé to Focus on Experience
chronological résumé
Brendan G. Neilly
(508) 555-0210 | bgneilly@yahoo.com
www.linkedin.com/pub/brendan.neilly | Twitter@brendan.neilly
HOME ADDRESS CAMPUS ADDRESS
188 Birch Road 8239 Riverside, Apt. 3B
Sidney, MA 02515 Piedmont Valley, MI 49494
OBJECTIVE
To provide effective leadership and model exceptional safety and customer service skills
in the position of head lifeguard for Oceanfront Properties.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, May 2018
Concentration in Finance, Minor in Economics, GPA: 3.6
Piedmont College, MI
EXPERIENCE
Lifeguard
Oceanfront Properties, Barnstable, MA, June–August 2015
• Ful�lled professional lifeguarding duties while maintaining an environment conducive
to teamwork and safety
• Supervised weekly drills and assessments
• Communicated effectively with coworkers and diverse clientele
Sales Representative
Banana Republic, Natick, MA, May 2011–May 2014
• Offered exceptional customer service as a shoe and accessory salesperson
• Processed �nancial transactions including sales and returns
Shaw’s Supermarket, Med�eld, MA, November 2012–April 2013
• Greeted customers, bagged groceries, and maintained orderly working environment
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
• Acceptance into Piedmont Business Fellows Program, 2015
• Member of Piedmont Periclean Scholars, a competitive service learning program,
2013–Present
SKILLS, ABILITIES, & CERTIFICATIONS
• Lifeguard Management Certi�cation, American Red Cross, January 2016
• Waterfront Lifeguard Certi�cation, American Red Cross, May 2015
• Professional Rescuer CPR & First Aid Certi�cation, YMCA (Piedmont Valley, MI),
March 2015
• Leadership skills (cross country captain, religious education instructor)
• Teamwork skills (intramural sports, group projects, Habitat for Humanity)
• Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Internet research skills
EXTRACURRICULAR CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
• Delta, Delta, Delta Fraternity, 2015–Present
• Club Lacrosse, 2015–Present
• Habitat for Humanity, 2013–2015
SUMMER FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAM
France, lived with an exchange family and was immersed into French culture, Summer 2014
WANTED: Head Lifeguard. Supervise 15 guards, create schedules,
oversee events, and maintain guard equipment inventory. Lifeguarding
experience and certi�cation required. Leadership and teamwork skills
needed. We serve a diverse clientele including international tourists;
global appreciation and cultural awareness a plus.Send your résumé
to: Oceanfront Properties, One Oceanfront Blvd.,Barnstable,
MA 02630.
For all résumés:
Select keywords from job advertisements
you reply to, and use them to describe
your skills or your job duties. If your
résumé doesn’t include the right
keywords, it will likely be one of the many
résumés that are thrown away.30,31
Keep your résumé to one page if you are
just starting your career.
Use contemporary fonts (Arial, Verdana,
or Calibri) that are professional and easy
to read. Align content with tabs, not spaces,
to ensure neatness. Consider separating
sections with lines or borders, but use them
sparingly, especially if your sections are short.
List the one email address you are using
for your job search and a phone number
that has a professional voice mail greeting.
Include links to your professional social
media sites, assuming they include
professional content.32
Compose a concise objective statement
(if you choose to use one) that relates to
the position you are applying for and
outlines what you can do for the
employer.
For chronological résumés:
List education near the top of your
résumé, and include your GPA if you
have less than �ve years of work
experience.33 Never round up your
GPA (a 2.95 is not the same as a 3.0).
List work experience in chronological
order, beginning with the most recent
position. Include internships even if
they were volunteer jobs.34
List honors, awards, or scholarships if
you didn’t list them with your education.
Identify your skills below your work
experience, with the most relevant
quali�cations for the position at the top
of the list. Include additional skills that
relate to the job rather than repeating
skills listed under work experience.
Provide credibility by including supporting
details. Place abilities that are not
explicitly applicable at the end of the
list. In this example, computer knowledge
is not as relevant to a lifeguarding position
as the related certi�cations.
Create a separate page of professional
references that you can provide when
it is requested, rather than including
them on the résumé. Create the page
with the same header as on your résumé.
For each reference, list name, company,
title, and complete contact information.
Be sure to ask your references for
permission to list them.35
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head lifeguard position and decided to apply. Figure 12.7 shows the job description and Bren-
dan’s résumé. He chose a chronological format to emphasize his work experience.
• Use a functional résumé to emphasize skills. The functional résumé emphasizes the skills
that qualify you for the position. This format is appropriate for applicants who have limited
work experience related to the position, for example, students who are pursuing internships
or professional positions immediately after graduation and who have no related work experi-
ence. Figure 12.8 on page 462 illustrates the résumé that Brendan Neilly designed to apply for a
different summer job, an internship in financial management. Because he has no related work
experience, he reorganized the content to focus on skills before experience. Notice that he also
includes different skills than he included in the lifeguarding résumé.
• Use a combined résumé to balance experience and skills. The combined résumé highlights
the strengths of applicants who have both relevant experience and skills. This format is most
appropriate for applicants who have worked in positions closely related to the one they are ap-
plying for and who also want to emphasize the advanced skill sets required for the new position.
For example, assume Shavon Alkins is applying for a senior sales associate position. Shavon’s
résumé, shown in Figure 12.9 on page 463, demonstrates a balance of skills and experience by
highlighting the required skills listed in the job posting (leadership, communication, and com-
puter skills) and also documenting sales experience with several companies.
Although it’s useful to follow one of these formats, avoid copying résumé templates (such as
those available in Microsoft Word); you don’t want your résumé to look like everyone else’s. To
differentiate yourself, use the best elements from several examples to design a résumé that is
unique yet professional, and persuasively sell your skills.36
Compose effective résumé content
When composing your résumé, tailor the content for the specific job you are seeking. Many
job applicants incorrectly assume that an all-inclusive list of skills and experience on a résumé
helps them be everything to every employer. However, résumés with long lists require prospec-
tive employers to hunt to find the relevant qualifications. To make the information easy to find,
organize your content as illustrated in the sample résumés.
The chronological résumé illustrated in Figure 12.7 identifies design and content guide-
lines that apply to all résumés. Content guidelines for functional and combination résumés are
provided in Figures 12.8 and 12.9. A few specific sections of résumés are particularly challeng-
ing to compose. These include objective statements, work experience, and relevant skills. For
advice about how to write these sections, look at the targeted recommendations in Figure 12.10
on page 464.
After you have composed and formatted the content to your satisfaction, create a plain-
text version of your résumé that you can use to cut and paste content into web-based databases,
called applicant tracking systems, which companies often use to search and sort candidates’
information. Figure 12.11 on page 466 provides an example of how to create a plain-text version
of your résumé.
Compose
functional résumé A contemporary
résumé style that emphasizes categories of
skills rather than job experience.
combined résumé A résumé style that
takes advantage of both the chronological
and functional methods of organizing con-
tent by highlighting work experience by date
and skill sets by category.
How do you compose an effective résumé? 461
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FIGURE 12.8 How to Create a Functional Résumé to Focus on Skills
functional résumé
Brendan G. Neilly
(508) 555-0210 | bgneilly@yahoo.com
www.linkedin.com/pub/brendan.neilly | Twitter@brendan.neilly
HOME ADDRESS CAMPUS ADDRESS
188 Birch Road 8239 Riverside, Apt. 3B
Sidney, MA 02515 Piedmont Valley, MI 49494
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a summer internship with a �nancial �rm that requires analytical detail and
excellent communication skills.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, May 2018
Concentration in Finance, Minor in Economics, GPA: 3.6
Piedmont College, MI
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
• Financial: created a business plan for a nonpro�t company as a fraternity service project, 2016
• Analytical: prepared expenses and income (fundraising) statements for lacrosse team, 2016
• Communication: effectively met needs of a diverse clientele (Banana Republic), 2013–2014
• Desktop Publishing: created professional �yers and brochures (Habitat for Humanity), 2014
• Computer: effectively use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint; and Internet research skills
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
• Acceptance into Piedmont Business Fellows Program, 2015
• Member of Piedmont Periclean Scholars, a competitive service learning program, 2015–Present
EXPERIENCE
Lifeguard
Oceanfront Properties, Barnstable, MA, June–August 2015
Performed professional lifeguard duties and supervised weekly drills and assessments
Sales Representative
Banana Republic, Natick, MA, May 2013–May 2014
Processed �nancial transactions including sales and returns
Shaw’s Supermarket, Med�eld, MA, November 2012–April 2013
Greeted customers, bagged groceries, and maintained orderly working environment
EXTRACURRICULAR CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
• Delta, Delta, Delta Fraternity, 2015–Present
• Club Lacrosse, 2015–Present
• Habitat for Humanity, 2013–2015
STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE
France, lived with an exchange family and was immersed into French culture, Summer 2014
Local �nancial management company seeks summer interns for 10-week,
full-time, paid position. Rising junior and senior �nance and �nancial man-
agement majors only. Analytical and communication skills required.
Computer skills expected. Submit your résumé and letter of interest to
Daniel Shaw, Career Services, Piedmont College, by February 1. Three let-
ters of reference required.
Compose an objective
(if you choose to use
one) that targets the
position and highlights
your applicable skills.
List your education first
when it speci�cally
quali�es you for the
position.
Emphasize related skills
when your work experience
does not speci�cally qualify
you for the position. In this
case, note that Brendan’s
lifeguarding and CPR
certi�cations are not
included since they are not
relevant to the internship.
Document work
experience but do not
include descriptions of
duties when they do not
support your objective.
In this case, Brendan’s
prior work experience
is not speci�cally
related to the �nancial
management internship.
To create a skills-focused
functional résumé:
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 12.8’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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mailto:Twitter@brendan.neilly
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FIGURE 12.9 How to Create a Combined Format to Balance Skills and Experience
combined format résumé
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106, Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com | (338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins | Twitter@shavon-d-alkins
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, 3.87 GPA May 2015
Concentration in Marketing and International Business
Minors in Accounting and Spanish
Campus University, Robbins, MD
Study Abroad Experiences
• Philippines January 2014
• Italy, Spain Summer 2012
Honors
• Dean’s List, School of Business & Economics 2013–2015
• Phillips-Perry Academic Excellence Award May 2014
(presented to the study abroad student with the highest GPA every year)
RELEVANT SKILLS
Leadership
• As treasurer of the Spanish Club, managed budgets and funds while providing
effective customer service to a diverse membership
Communication
• Communicate daily with customers while performing sales associate duties
• Read, write, and speak Spanish fluently
Computer Skills
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Proficient in Microsoft Access and Adobe Dreamweaver
WORK EXPERIENCE
Sales Associate October 2015–Present
Target Corporation, Robbins, MD
• Use interpersonal skills to greet and assist customers courteously and efficiently
• Assist with cashier functions and other duties as assigned
Cashier/Sales Associate August 2014–October 2015
Food Lion, LLC, Robbins, MD
• Interacted with customers, facilitated transactions, and maintained cash drawer
Bilingual Classroom Assistant August 2012–May 2015
Eastlawn Elementary, Middletown, MD
• Worked with 5th grade children to develop their literacy skills and recognize
word sets in Spanish and English
Language Lab Assistant August 2011–May 2012
Campus University, Robbins, MD
• Prepared lab coursework activities
Cashier/Sales Associate September 2010–July 2011
Family Dollar Inc., Pensacola, FL
• Managed front-end sales and provided excellent customer service
• Performed store setup tasks
Senior Sales Associate. Minimum three years of sales experience
required. Leadership, communication, and computer skills a must.
Preference given to candidates with demonstrated interpersonal
skills, appreciation for a diverse clientele, and fluency in Spanish.
Submit your résumé online at www.osasco.com.
Include all education-
related content in the
same section, such as
study abroad experiences,
honors/awards, and
extracurricular activities.
Organize relevant skills
by keywords listed in the
job advertisement.
Document work
experience and include
descriptions of job duties
when they support your
application.
Include dates to
document that you have
the required experience
for the position.
To create a combined-format
résumé:
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FIGURE 12.10 How to Compose Effective Résumé Components: Summary Statements, Work Experience, and Skills
Summary Statement
Toward the top of the résumé, summarize what you are offering an employer. Choose the format that best matches the level of your
experience.
• Responsible for the night crew at Arby’s • Supervised an eight-person night crew
• Handled all customer and worker
complaints
• Experience with general office duties
• Formatted fliers, brochures, and
• Typed and filed confidential
correspondence
newsletters
• Worked as a packager on an
assembly line
• Learned the value of precision and
teamwork while working as a packager
on a fast-paced assembly line
• Received Employee-of-the-Month Award
during first year
• Developed excellent communication
skills
• Wrote a comprehensive policy and
procedures manual for new interns
Collaborated on a successful client
proposal, working with personnel from
product design, marketing, and
manufacturing
•Effective team player•
Developed monthly and yearly sales and
budget forecasts
•Detail oriented•
Be specific about capabilities.
Avoid vague, generic phrases.
Don’t exaggerate your capabilities;
as discussed in the Ethics feature on
page 465, this misleading information
may cause problems.
Begin each item with an action
verb, never with the personal
pronoun “I,” which would be
repetitive.
Be consistent with verb tenses
within each job you list. Use
present-tense verbs for current jobs
and past-tense verbs for previous
jobs.
INEFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE
Use a professional profile if you have a well-established work history and
more professional experience to offer. A professional pro�le includes
speci�cs about achievements that make you stand out as a candidate.
Traditional Objective:
To secure a challenging �nancial management position that
requires strong analytical, interpersonal, and communication
skills to help investors achieve their �nancial goals.
Qualifications Summary:
Financial management major with experience:
• Analyzing detailed income and pro�t/loss statements
• Explaining complicated tax requirements to clients
• Managing Microsoft Dynamics, Quicken, and ERP application
systems
Professional Profile:
Professional �nancial manager with 12 years of experience in asset management and risk analysis. Proven leadership in directing a
$28 million business (110 employees) where responsibilities included controlling costs and growing pro�ts by developing strategic
�nancial plans, inventory control systems, and pro�t/loss management procedures. Implemented and evaluated ongoing assessment
strategies to enhance short- and long-term budgeting goals. Seasoned know-how in interpersonal communication and collaboration.
Recent industry certi�cations demonstrate advanced skills in �nancial management (CFM), analysis (CFA), and planning (CFP).
Use an objective statement to show
how your goals can help an
employer.
Use a qualifications summary if you
have strengths and skills that qualify
you for the job but little, if any,
related work experience.
Work Experience
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Manager Needed
Sparrow Associates, a leading management consulting company in the Baltimore area, seeks an enthusiastic
and professional office manager to join our team. Effective collaboration is a must. Technical competencies in
Microsoft Office software required. Analytical skills—especially as related to budget data—are highly valued.
Online applications accepted through June 15 only at www.Sparrow.Associates.com.
Relevant Skills
Collaboration
• Participated in several committees and fund-raising initiatives as an active member and treasurer of Spanish Club—
a campus-based student organization
Technical Competence
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Proficient in Microsoft Access and Adobe Dreamweaver
Analytical Skills
• Analyzed operating budget of a local not-for-profit organization and made recommendations for achieving cost savings
and modifying a store’s product line as part of a 60-hour service-learning requirement for a managerial accounting
course
Use keywords from the job
advertisement to describe
your skills. If your résumé
doesn’t have the right
keywords, it might be
rejected by an applicant
tracking system.
Provide credibility by
including supporting
details or evidence.
Include volunteer and
extracurricular activities
that helped develop
relevant skills.
Be prepared to provide
additional details during
a job interview.
FIGURE 12.10 (Continued)
Skills and Abilities
For an ETHICS exercise, go to Exercise 11 on page 498.
ETHICS
EXAGGERATING YOUR RÉSUMÉ IS DANGEROUS
Your résumé can make or break your job search because it is of-
ten the first impression you give to a potential employer. When
the stakes are high and there are many applicants, you may be
tempted to enhance your résumé by listing job duties you did not
perform, stretching your responsibilities to include qualifications
that you do not actually have, or inserting keywords from a job
advertisement that do not apply to you so that you can “pass” the
automated screening process.40 Other common errors include
changing dates of education or employment, increasing previous
salary amounts, inflating titles and job responsibilities, and pad-
ding grade point averages. Potential employers can easily check all
of these facts.
It may seem obvious not to lie on your résumé, but potential
employers can perceive even slight exaggerations of your accom-
plishments as lies—for example, rounding up your grade point
average (GPA) or listing a “major” GPA without labeling it. The
Society for Human Resource Management reports that increases
in résumé lies have led managers to check the accuracy of candi-
dates’ résumés with greater detail than they had in the past.41
Even if you make it through the application process and have
proven yourself as a valuable employee, lying on your résumé can
cut your career short. Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson was forced
to resign when the company discovered that he had lied about his
academic qualifications on his résumé.42
EXAMPLES OF HOW EXAGGERATIONS
CAN HAPPEN AND WHAT CAN RESULT
The following examples are based on actual—and unfortunate—
student experiences.
• Blatant exaggerations. As an accounting major, Perry at-
tended several of the Accounting Club’s workshops and
seminars on career development but never joined the club.
When he updated his résumé his senior year, he decided to
list membership in the club as an extracurricular activity.
He listed his favorite professor (who also served as the club’s
advisor) as a reference. When employers called the professor
to ask about Perry’s qualifications, both the professor and the
employer learned that Perry misrepresented his membership.
• Content copied from other people’s résumés. Sarah re-
searched several different résumé templates, asked friends
for copies of their résumés, and downloaded online résumé
samples to help her create a résumé that successfully commu-
nicated a professional brand and emphasized her strengths.
She was particularly impressed with a friend’s six-bullet item
description of his skills and capabilities. Sarah cut and pasted
the section from her friend’s résumé to her own, not realizing
that they might be applying for several of the same intern-
ships at their school. Later that semester, two employers com-
plained to the school’s career counseling center that students
were submitting plagiarized résumés, and both Sarah and
her friend were denied further access to the career center’s
services.
• Unfulfilled intentions. Jayne had every intention of filing
the paperwork for her minor in psychology to complement
her human resources major. Unfortunately, she missed the
deadline to file the paperwork before graduation. Although
her transcript would list the classes, they would not be docu-
mented as an official minor. Because she fulfilled the require-
ments, she decided to list the minor on her résumé anyway.
Six months later and after applying for dozens of jobs without
getting any interviews, she learned that potential employees
discarded her résumé when they couldn’t verify her “minor”
on her transcript.
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FIGURE 12.11 How to Generate a Plain-Text Version of Your Résumé
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106, Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com | (338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins | Twitter@shavon-d-alkins
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, 3.87 GPA May 2015
Concentration in Marketing and International Business
Minors in Accounting and Spanish
Campus University, Robbins, MD
Study Abroad Experiences:
• Philippines January 2014
• Italy, Spain Summer 2012
Honors:
• Dean’s List, School of Business & Economics 2013–2015
• Phillips-Perry Academic Excellence Award May 2014
(presented each year to the study abroad student with the highest GPA)
RELEVANT SKILLS
Leadership
• As treasurer of the Spanish Club, managed budgets and funds while
providing effective customer service to a diverse membership
Communication
• Communicate daily with customers while performing sales associate duties
• Read, write, and speak Spanish �uently
Computer Skills
• Skilled in Microsoft Of�ce (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Pro�cient in Microsoft Access and Adobe Dreamweaver
WORK EXPERIENCE
Sales Associate October 2015–Present
Target Corporation, Robbins, MD
• Use interpersonal skills to greet and assist customers courteously
and ef�ciently
• Assist with cashier functions and other duties as assigned
Cashier/Sales Associate August 2014–October 2015
Food Lion, LLC, Robbins, MD
• Interacted with customers, facilitated transactions, and maintained
cash drawer
Bilingual Classroom Assistant August 2012–May 2015
Eastlawn Elementary, Middletown, MD
• Worked with 5th grade children to develop their literacy skills
and recognize word sets in Spanish and English
Language Lab Assistant August 2011–May 2012
Campus University, Robbins, MD
• Prepared lab coursework activities
Cashier/Sales Associate September 2010–July 2011
Family Dollar, Inc., Pensacola, FL
• Managed front-end sales and provided excellent customer service
• Performed store setup tasks
formatted résumé
1.
2.
plain-text résumé
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106, Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com / (338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins | Twitter@shavon-d-alkins
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, May 2015
Concentration in Marketing and International Business
Minors in Accounting and Spanish
Campus University, Robbins, MD
Study Abroad Experiences:
Philippines, January 2014
Italy, Spain, Summer 2012
Honors:
Dean’s List, 2013-2015
Phillips-Perry Academic Excellence Award, May 2012
RELEVANT SKILLS
Leadership – As treasurer of the Spanish Club, managed budgets and funds while providing
effective customer service to a diverse membership
Communication – Communicate daily with customers while performing sales associate duties
Read, write, and speak Spanish �uently
Computer Skills – Skilled in Microsoft Of�ce (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); Pro�cient in
Access, FrontPage
WORK EXPERIENCE
Sales Associate, October 2015–Present
Target Corporation, Robbins, MD
Use interpersonal skills to greet and assist guests effectively and ef�ciently
Assist with cashier functions and other duties as assigned
Cashier/Sales Associate, August 2012 – October 2013
Food Lion, LLC, Robbins, MD
Interact with customers, facilitate transactions, and maintain cash drawer
Bilingual Grade Classroom Assistant, August 2008 – May 2011
Eastlawn Elementary, Middletown, MD
Worked with 5th grade children to develop their literacy skills and recognize word sets
Language Lab Assistant, August 2009 – May 2010
Campus University, Robbins, MD
Prepared lab coursework activities
Cashier/Sales Associate, September 2008 – July 2009
Family Dollar Inc., Pensacola, FL
Managed front-end sales and provided excellent customer service
Performed store setup tasks
Create a plain-text version of your
résumé content for web-based
résumé databases. Follow these
directions:
Open your formatted résumé in
your word processing application
and select “Save As” to rename
your document as a “Plain Text”
�le (.txt). This option is available
in most word processing programs.
Reformat your .txt document
to ensure legibility in plain text.
Change the line spacing
to single (with no extra
spacing programmed to
automatically be added
before or after paragraphs).
Remove any borders, lines,
symbols, and tabs.
Use ALL CAPS to indicate
headings.
Add line spaces where
necessary to separate
categories.
Evaluate
Evaluate your content and design
As part of the ACE process, use the checklist in Figure 12.12 to evaluate your résumé and ensure
that it communicates a professional image.
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FIGURE 12.12 Checklist for Evaluating the Content and Design of Your Résumé
Is the content clear,
complete, and concise?
Ask someone who is not familiar with your school or work experience to review your con-
tent to ensure the wording is clear.
Reword or explain any vague information.
Carefully review your content to ensure you aren’t forgetting relevant experiences.
Remove any irrelevant content or redundancies, such as listing the same job duties for
different jobs.
Does the content specifically
use keywords from the job
you are applying for?
Ensure that your objective statement or qualifications summary relates to the job descrip-
tion and that you use keywords from the job advertisement.
Is the most important
information emphasized?
Organize the content directly by placing the most important information—what qualifies
you for the job—at the beginning of your résumé.
Grab the attention of prospective employers who often quickly scan résumés to find the
content they need to make interview decisions.
Is the résumé designed well
and spaced to fit the page?
If your résumé is shorter than one page, use extra spaces between sections or increase
the line spacing throughout the page to fill a single standard 8 1/20 × 110 page with bal-
anced margins.
If your résumé is longer than one page, evaluate the content. Do not compress it by
minimizing side margins. If you have enough relevant and concisely worded content to
require a longer résumé, make sure you have balanced amounts of text on all pages.
Are alignment and style
consistent?
Use the same format for content in all sections. If you used bold and italics for a job title
in one of your work experiences, make sure you used the same format for the rest of
your job titles. If you right-aligned your dates in your work experience, be consistent with
all dates throughout your résumé.
Is the résumé carefully
proofread for spelling
and typos?
Check names, locations, and employment dates of companies.
Check the spellings of any names (such as awards and scholarships) to ensure they are
correct.
Have you obtained sufficient
feedback?
Ask people in your network to evaluate your résumé. Provide them with a copy of the job
advertisement so they can assess whether you have met the needs of the employer.
Get feedback from a variety of different perspectives, such as instructors, career
counselors, and previous employers or supervisors.
If you receive conflicting advice, consider the suggestions from the potential employer’s
perspective.
CULTURE
SELLING YOUR CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS
Imagine that you would like to work internationally after you grad-
uate, in a location such as London, Tokyo, or Mexico City. You will
probably not need to prepare a country-specific résumé, as most
entry-level international jobs open to North American graduates are
with employers who expect a North American-style résumé. How-
ever, your résumé will need to convince the employer that you will
be effective in an international work environment. You need to sell
your cross-cultural skills. You can accomplish this goal in two ways.
First, add a section to your résumé called “International
Expertise and Understanding.”43 Include all cross-cultural and
international experiences gained from jobs, internships, or vol-
unteer experiences. Also include any relevant academic courses,
multicultural academic experiences, language abilities, and inter-
national travel. Grouping this material in one section increases its
impact and decreases the chance that employers will miss it when
reading your résumé.
Second, in your skills and abilities section, stress the skills
required to succeed when working in another culture. For ex-
ample, include bullet points such as these:
• Relate well to people with different personalities and
backgrounds
• Able to adapt to change and new environments
• Adept at learning languages quickly
• Appreciate different work styles
• Collaborate effectively on multicultural teams
Including this kind of content will demonstrate that you are
aware that working in a cross-cultural environment requires a
special set of skills.
For a CULTURE exercise, go to Exercise 16 on page 500.
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Compose persuasive cover letters
When you find a job opportunity, revise your standard résumé to ensure that it’s targeted for
this specific job. Then compose a customized cover letter—a persuasive message that high-
lights your relevant skills and persuades an employer to spend time reviewing your résumé. A
cover letter can take the form of a formal business letter, or it can be an email if you are submit-
ting your résumé electronically. Recruiters suggest that, even in a changing hiring environment
FIGURE 12.13 How to Use a Job Bank to Find Job Opportunities
Participate in user
discussion groups
based on career
interests.
Use searchable
databases to find
jobs by title, skills
or keywords, and
location.
Read career advice and
links to job-related articles.
Look for featured jobs in
your area.
Compose
With one or more résumés drafted and ready to be customized, how do you find appropriate
job opportunities and apply for them? This section helps you use the ACE process to analyze
your options for finding job opportunities, compose effective cover letters that persuade em-
ployers to interview you, and submit and track your application.
Analyze your options for finding job opportunities
Sources of job opportunities are more diverse than you might at first think. Take advantage
of the services and opportunities provided by your school’s career center as well as online job
banks such as Monster.com, as illustrated in Figure 12.13. Keep an open mind about opportuni-
ties that do not match your ideal job or ideal location.
To find unadvertised job opportunities, draw on your network for referrals, including
using word-of-mouth strategies through social media. Referrals can provide you with a sub-
stantial advantage in the job market. A study by economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York indicates that candidates with a referral are twice as likely to be granted an interview
compared to candidates without referrals. Additionally, once they’ve made it to the interview
stage, they are 40 percent more likely to be hired.37 Figure 12.14 outlines activities that will in-
crease the number of job openings you identify.
SQ3 How do you find job opportunities and submit applications?
Analyze
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FIGURE 12.14 How to Analyze Your Options for Finding Job Opportunities
Register with
career centers
• Take advantage of career-counseling services, résumé assistance, mock interviews, and workshops
that focus on employability skills.
• Use these services to obtain internships or service-learning opportunities, such as volunteering to do
office work for a charity organization.
• Identify other resources, such as employment agencies or head-hunting firms that specialize in match-
ing employers with qualified job applicants.
Search
employment
advertisements
and job banks
• Check print sources, such as newspapers and trade journals, as well as online resources, such as
CareerBuilder, ZipRecruiter, Monster, and HotJobs.
• Use online job banks to set up email alerts based on your search parameters to review postings that
match your interests.
Join professional
organizations
• Determine which student clubs at your school relate to your career goals.
• Identify both social and academic clubs that focus on specific disciplines, such as the Society for
Human Resource Management (SHRM), or opportunities to enhance your professional development,
such as Toastmasters.
Develop
professional
and personal
networks
• Share your career goals with your network—the circle of people you know, including fellow students,
friends, coworkers, faculty, staff, business contacts, and family members.
• Tell everyone in your network that you are looking for a job. Word of mouth is one of the most effective
ways to learn about employment opportunities, many of which are not posted in job advertisements or
company websites.
• Expand your network by exploring alumni databases, attending career fairs, joining professional
associations, volunteering in your community, and participating in campus workshops or presentations
sponsored by companies in your area.
Use social
networking
outlets
• Use professional sites, such as LinkedIn, to analyze companies you want to work for and the kinds of
job opportunities they provide.
• “Like” and follow companies on social sites—such as Facebook and Twitter—to learn more about the
company and job opportunities
• Expand your word-of-mouth network by actively using these sites to let your friends know you are
looking for a job.
Target specific
employers
• Research the company to familiarize yourself with its mission, products or services, corporate culture,
and financial health.
• Examine its current challenges and reputation with Google News; study its stock history with Yahoo!
Finance, read past articles about its performance in Fortune Magazine or Forbes, and talk to current or
former employees.
• Use professional and social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube to find addi-
tional information about the company.
cover letter A persuasive letter or email
sent to a prospective employer along with
a résumé that “sells” your résumé to the
employer.
where applications are often read by digital tracking systems, a cover letter is still important for
several reasons.38,39 It allows you to:
• Highlight the knowledge and experiences that are most important to this position
• Direct the employer to pay attention to the key elements of your résumé
• Speak directly to an employer about your fit with the company
• Set yourself apart from the competition by conveying your professional personality and dem-
onstrating your writing skills
The following advice will help you write an effective cover letter.
Analyze the position requirements
A cover letter typically includes a standard set of information. It introduces you and your
résumé, specifies the position you are applying for, highlights your qualifications for that posi-
tion, and requests an interview. Although all cover letters contain this basic information, an
effective cover letter will be tailored to meet the employer’s needs by describing how you are
qualified for the specific position. To determine how to customize your cover letter, use all Analyze
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FIGURE 12.15 How to Analyze Position Requirements
Assistant Sales Manager–Dover Industries, Plymouth, Michigan
This position is responsible for assisting the sales manager of a regional chain of depart-
ment stores. The role requires leadership skills to manage collaborative processes,
effective communication skills to ensure deadlines are met, and efficient computer skills
to coordinate and manage large volumes of data. The assistant sales manager devel-
ops and maintains positive working relationships with store managers, develops promo-
tional strategies, executes promotional activities, reviews market strategies to identify
potential customers and new business opportunities, conducts competitive research,
prepares sales analysis reports, and helps store managers achieve sales and profit
goals.
Job Requirements:
• Undergraduate degree in business administration or related field
• Minimum two to five years of general business experience; project management
experience preferred
• Outstanding interpersonal, written communications, and presentation skills
• Effective collaboration in diverse team environments to achieve business results
• Travel requirement of 10 to 15 percent
To analyze job requirements,
highlight key terms in job
advertisements and in the
employment section of a
company’s website.
Compose persuasive content
You may be tempted to begin drafting your cover letter by using a sample that you find online
or in a book. Instead of copying from a sample, create your own personal template that per-
suasively sells your strengths to a potential employer. Business communicators who compose
persuasive messages to sell products and services often use the AIDA pattern—Attention,
Interest, Desire, and Action—to create or increase sales. You can use AIDA in your cover
letter as well to sell yourself to an employer. The following guidelines will help you compose
persuasive cover letters.
• Gain attention at the beginning of the message. Gaining attention is relatively easy when
you write a solicited cover letter—your reply to an employment advertisement or job posting
that requests applications. The audience is actively looking for someone to fill the job; to catch
their attention, all you need to do is name the position you are applying for. To motivate the
audience to read further, you can explain why you believe you are a good fit for the job, or
you can demonstrate relevant knowledge about the company. If during your research about
the company you find interesting information, you may be able to include something similar
to this example: “I’m targeting companies that know how to take good care of their clients, and
the recent article in the Chicago Tribune spotlighting your efforts to reward your most customer-
focused employees grabbed my attention.”
• In an unsolicited cover letter, gaining attention is more challenging. Because the company did
not request applications, you need to persuade the audience to read your message rather than
ignore or discard it. One approach is to send the message to someone in the company with
Compose
AIDA An acronym used in marketing to
suggest the organization of sales communi-
cation: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
the information available to identify which keywords to stress. Look for words that describe
job duties, job requirements, and the desired characteristics of a job candidate. For example,
if you were applying for the position described in Figure 12.15, you might include the following
keywords in your cover letter and résumé: management, leadership, collaborative, communi-
cation skills, computer skills, business experience, project management, interpersonal skills,
written communications, presentation skills, collaboration, and travel. However, you must go
beyond simply listing these keywords. Indicate how you exemplify these traits or characteris-
tics by describing how you gained the experience or mastered the skills.
To customize your message even more, analyze the company’s website to learn about its
mission, goals, and past performance. Search for news items about the company and its indus-
try to become familiar with current events and trends. The more you know about the company,
its products or services, and the specific job you want, the better you can portray yourself as a
viable candidate in your cover letter. Bookmark the website or print the documentation so you
can easily reference this material later to prepare for an interview.
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Evaluate
Evaluate
How do you find job opportunities and submit applications? 471
whom you have a connection through your professional network. That person is likely to read
the message and perhaps pass it on to the human resources department or a hiring manager. In
that case, you need to convince your audience that you have enough interest or knowledge to
be worth considering the next time an opening occurs.
• Build interest/desire with keywords. The middle paragraph(s) of your cover letter should
outline your skills that specifically qualify you for the position. Use the keywords outlined dur-
ing your analysis of the job position to identify how your skills fit the employer’s needs. Rather
than simply restating the content of your résumé, demonstrate your knowledge of the company
by showing how your abilities match the mission or goals of the potential employer. If you do
not have a skill or qualification listed in the job advertisement, do not exaggerate your abili-
ties. Be honest, but de-emphasize that qualification—for example, “Although my full-time work
experience is less than five years, my three internships in banks and brokerage firms have provided
me a diverse understanding of the financial services industry.”
• Motivate action in the closing. End your cover letter by requesting an interview. Avoid weak
wording, such as “I hope you will contact me.” Be confident, but not presumptuous. A statement
such as, “I know you will want to interview me for this position” does not motivate action. The
sample cover letters in Figure 12.16 on page 472 and Figure 12.17 on page 473 illustrate different
ways to motivate action: requesting an interview, requesting more information, and expressing
enthusiasm for the job. Providing your contact information at the end of the message, even if
it also appears in your letterhead or email signature block, can also help motivate the employer
to contact you because the contact information is so easy to find. Figure 12.16 is an example
of a solicited cover letter sent as an email in response to an advertisement, and Figure 12.17 is
an example of an unsolicited cover letter to a company not currently requesting applications.
Evaluate content and format
Like all other correspondence, cover letters benefit from critical evaluation and revision. Use
the checklist in Figure 12.18 on page 474 to evaluate the content and format of your cover letters
to ensure they are targeted and persuasive.
Select a medium for submission and follow up as necessary
With all your employment materials completed, you have a few remaining decisions to make.
How do you submit your application? And how do you follow up when necessary?
Evaluate your application submission options
Over the last decade, methods of delivering job applications have evolved as technology has im-
proved. Very few employers currently request résumés and cover letters on paper. Instead, they
prefer email applications44,45 and online submissions through tools such as LinkedIn or their own
web-based or mobile applications. However, unsolicited letters may get more attention if sent by
postal mail because unsolicited email often goes unread. Figure 12.19 on page 474 and Figure 12.20
on page 475 offer checklists for submitting job applications by email and postal mail.
On rare occasions, you may have the option of providing your application materials in
person. Don’t assume you will simply drop off your documents with a receptionist and leave
unnoticed. Dress professionally and be polite. The employer could consider the receptionist’s
impression of you. In addition, even if you have not made an appointment, you may have
the opportunity to meet with someone to discuss the position. Be prepared to make a good
impression.
Follow up as necessary
Keep records of all your employment communication by using an individual tracking sheet for
each company you apply to. This sheet should include company contact information, the title
and description of the position applied for, materials you submitted, and the dates when you
made contact. Review your tracking information regularly so you can follow up with employ-
ers. If you have not heard from an employer a week or 10 days after the application submission
deadline, you can contact the employer to inquire about the status of your application. Follow
up by phone or email, whichever medium you believe the employer would prefer, and use the
opportunity to further sell your fit for the job. See Figure 12.21 on page 475 for suggestions on
how to compose a follow-up message.
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FIGURE 12.16 How to Write a Solicited Cover Letter
jw.herrick@dover.com
Application for Assistant Sales Manager Position
Dear Mr. Herrick:
Thank you for the opportunity to apply for the Assistant Sales Manager position at
Dover Industries. I was very pleased to learn from Monster.com that you are
currently hiring. I first became interested in working for Dover when we studied
the company’s Quality Care program in my marketing class last year. Since then,
I’ve been following Dover Industries and have been particularly impressed by the
company’s ability to promote its mission to “be the preferred shopping experience
for a diverse clientele by providing quality products and services.”
As my attached résumé indicates, I can bring to Dover over three years of sales
associate and customer service experience, most of which I gained while a full-time
student. This experience, along with academic work in marketing and other
business concentrations, has helped me develop the leadership, communication,
and collaboration skills required to be a valuable member of your management
team. I had an opportunity to develop those skills further during my junior year
study-abroad term in the Philippines, where I played a leadership role on an
international and interdisciplinary team of students working on an intense, month-
long market research project about reaching underserved populations. I was also
one of the team members chosen to return to the Philippines to present our results
at the Philippine Business Conference and Expo in Manila. More recently, I had the
opportunity to demonstrate my abilities as one of the team leaders in our local
Target’s Customer Comes First Campaign, which significantly increased our
customer satisfaction ratings.
I am enthusiastic about working at Dover and would appreciate the opportunity to
meet with you to discuss how I can use my experience to exceed your customer
care goals. Please contact me by phone (338-555-7959) or email
(sdalkins@gmail.com) at your earliest convenience to arrange an interview.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Shavon Alkins
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106
Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com
(338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins
Twitter@shavon-d-alkins
To take advantage of the AIDA
pattern, follow these steps for a
solicited cover letter:
Gain attention in the first paragraph by
expressing a long-term interest in and
knowledge about the company that
goes beyond the information in the job
advertisement.
Build interest/desire by relating
education and experience to the job
requirements using keywords, but
don’t exaggerate your abilities. Provide
examples that demonstrate skills.
Motivate action by expressing
enthusiasm, requesting an interview,
including contact information, and
mentioning a benefit to the employer.
email
.
Shavon_Alkins_Resume
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mailto:jw.herrick@dover.com
mailto:sdalkins@gmail.com
mailto:sdalkins@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins
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FIGURE 12.17 How to Write an Unsolicited Cover Letter
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106, Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com | (338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins | Twitter@shavon-d-alkins
October 15, 20XX
Ms. Margaret Beckstein
Director of Sales
Baylin Technologies, Inc.
526 Industrial Parkway
Hanover, MD 21182
Dear Ms. Beckstein:
Your assistant director, Robert Taylor, suggested I contact you about any management
positions that may become available soon. I met Mr. Taylor at a Campus University alumni
event and was very excited when I learned he was with Baylin Technologies. I am
particularly interested in becoming a member of your international mobile technology
team, and am enclosing my résumé for your consideration.
I first began following Baylin Technologies during my junior-year study abroad experience
in the Philippines. During that term, I worked with an international and interdisciplinary
team of students on a research project to provide wireless technologies to underserved
populations. In that project, which we presented at the Philippine Business Conference
and Expo in Manila, we researched Baylin’s Southeast Asia initiative. I was impressed with
the company’s leadership in providing both technology and customer service in rural areas
around the world. I would like to contribute to that mission.
As a recent business administration graduate with concentrations in both marketing and
international business and a minor in Spanish, I believe I have the knowledge, skills, and
interest to make a valuable contribution to your team. I am also well equipped to work
with a diverse clientele based on more than three years of sales associate and customer
service experience.
Even if you have no specific job openings at this time, I would value the opportunity to
meet with you and discuss how I can best prepare myself for a future opening at Baylin.
Please contact me by phone (338-555-7959) or email (sdalkins@gmail.com) to schedule an
interview.
Sincerely,
Shavon Alkins
Enclosure
The enclosure
notation tells the
audience to look for
additional pages in the
envelope.
To take advantage of the
AIDA pattern, follow these
steps for an unsolicited
cover letter:
Motivate action by asking the
recipient to contact you, even
if no job openings exist.
Express an interest in future
job openings.
Also build interest/desire by
highlighting your education
and relating your coursework
to skills and company needs.
Build interest/desire by
demonstrating knowledge
about the company and
highlighting experience that
relates to the company’s
focus.
Gain attention by including
any or all of the following
content: addressing the letter
to a specific person, stating
the purpose of the message,
mentioning a mutual contact,
and indicating a specific
reason for interest in
this company.
letter
How do you find job opportunities and submit applications? 473
MyBCommLab Apply
Figure 12.17’s key concepts by going
to mybcommlab.com
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FIGURE 12.18 Checklist for Evaluating Cover Letter Content and Format
Is the message complete
and targeted to the
employer?
Review the job advertisement to ensure you know what information is being requested and
what keywords belong in your letter.
Review your letter to ensure you have included the requested information and keywords.
Read your message from the employer’s perspective to determine if you are meeting the
company’s needs.
Is the message clear
and concise?
Read the message aloud to ensure that the sentences are clear and make sense.
Check to be sure that you have used paragraphs effectively to group similar content.
Ensure that you haven’t overused the pronoun “I,” which leads to a monotonous writing style.
Cut material, if necessary, to keep your letter to one page.
Did you include your
résumé?
Ensure you have explicitly said you are enclosing or attaching your résumé.
If writing a letter, include an enclosure notation after the complimentary closing,
If attaching your résumé to an email message, use a meaningful filename. For example, do
not save your résumé file with a name like “resume ” or “Shavon’sRez .”
Instead, include your full name in the filename: “Shavon_Alkins_Resume ”.
Check to ensure your résumé is actually attached or enclosed.
Is the message formatted
professionally?
Use a standard letter or email format.
For a letter format, use the same heading at the top of your cover letter that you use on your
résumé to help your documents look consistent.
For an email format, use an appropriate subject line that identifies the job title. Rather than
vague subject lines, such as “Job Application,” be specific, such as “Application for Assistant
Sales Manager Position.” In some cases, the job listing will indicate specific content for the
subject line, such as a job code.
Are there typos or
misspellings?
Proofread your message several times, but pay additional attention to the spelling of names
and double check the accuracy of numbers.
Have you obtained
sufficient feedback?
Ask your instructors, advisors, and career counselors to help you evaluate your cover
letters. Provide them with a copy of the job advertisement and your résumé.
Get input from professionals in the field, if possible. Take advantage of guest speakers in your
classes, alumni of your school, colleagues of your parents, or your friends’ parents.
FIGURE 12.19 Checklist for Submitting Your Job Application by Email
Decide whether to
attach the cover letter as
a separate file or include
it within the body of the
email message
If you attach both your cover letter and résumé:
Include a short but formatted email message indicating which position you are applying for
and what application documents are attached.
Be aware that although attached letters are more formal, they may be inadvertently
overlooked.
If you decide to include your cover letter content in the body of the email message:
Use a standard email format rather than a formal letter style.
Be aware that cover letters included in the body of an email message may be problematic
for recipients who read email on mobile devices.
Use portable document
file attachments and ap-
propriate filenames
Use PDF (Portable Document Format) attachments unless the job advertisement requests a
specific file type, such as Word files or .rtf formats.
Be consistent with your résumé and cover letter filenames, for example, “Shavon_Alkins_
Resume ” and “Shavon_Alkins_Cover_Letter .”
Confirm your message
was received
Use a return-receipt feature with an email submission, which offers two benefits: It
communicates to the recipient that the message is important, and it provides you
documentation that your message was received.
Send a follow-up email requesting confirmation if your email system does not support return
receipts or if you do not receive a response.
Follow up with postal mail
submissions
Consider mailing duplicates of your cover letter and résumé, unless the job advertisement
indicates that the company will not accept mailed copies of cover letters and résumés.
Career counselor Katie Piotrowski recommends attaching a handwritten note indicating
“Second submission. I’m very interested.”46 When appropriate, this additional effort can
make a positive impression and increase your chances of being considered for an interview.
474
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FIGURE 12.21 How to Write a Job Application Follow-Up Message
Address the hiring manager or
contact person by name.
Indicate the position you applied
for and when you sent your
résumé.
Briefly identify your knowledge of
the company and your interest in a
long-term career with the company.
Ask if additional information is
required.
Request an interview and provide
your contact information.
Close on a positive, forward-
looking note.
jw.herrick@dover.com
Con�rmation of Job Application
Dear Mr. Herrick:
I am writing to con�rm you received my October 15 application for the Assistant
Sales Manager position that was advertised on Monster.com. Dover’s Quality Care
program was a strong in�uence for the Customer Care campaign I worked on at
Target, and I am very interested in becoming a part of the Dover team.
Please let me know if you need additional information. I look forward to hearing
from you. Please call me at (338) 555-7959 or reply to sdalkins@gmail.com to
arrange an interview.
Sincerely,
Shavon Alkins
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106
Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com
(338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins
Twitter@shavon-d-alkins
email
Ensure consistent
font/style among
all documents,
including the
envelope
Ensure your cover letter, résumé, and envelope complement
each other by using the same paper quality, font, and
formatting features.
Create business cards with the same format as well. Your
business card stock should match the paper color and style
of your cover letter and résumé.
Print your cover
letter and résumé
on quality paper
Use high-quality bond paper in a professional color, such as
white or buff.
Avoid gray or patterned paper that does not photocopy well.
Look for paper that has a watermark—a barely visible logo
that can be seen only when the paper is held to light.
Print your documents on a laser-quality printer and load the
paper tray so the watermark is right side up.
Project a
professional
image
Use a handwritten signature to send a nonverbal message
about your personality and professionalism.
Use a readable cursive writing style and stay within the
boundaries of the signature block. Sloppy or wildly artistic
signatures can be perceived as flamboyant and inappropriate
for business correspondence.
Mail your documents in a large mailing envelope rather than
folding them into a standard envelope.
Print a label or feed the envelope through the printer rather
than hand printing the recipient’s address and your return
address on the envelope.
FIGURE 12.20 Checklist for Submitting Your Job Application by Postal Mail
How do you find job opportunities and submit applications? 475
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mailto:sdalkins@gmail.com
mailto:sdalkins@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins
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SQ4 How do you prepare for a job interview?
If your cover letters and résumés present you as someone who meets an employer’s needs,
you may receive an invitation to interview. A job interview is a mutual learning experi-
ence. The employer will learn more about you to determine whether you are a good fit
for the job, and you will learn more about the company and the position to determine
whether the job is a good fit for you. Because you may get only one opportunity to per-
suade an employer that you are the best applicant, it is important to develop professional
interview skills.
Analyze how to benefit from different types of interviews
Although traditional one-on-one interviews are still common, you may participate in several
different kinds of interviews. For example, your first contact with a company may be a mini-
interview at a career fair. Later, the company may ask you to participate in a campus interview
or virtual interview before inviting you to visit the company. Once there, you may be involved
in panel interviews, group interviews, or action interviews before meeting with a hiring
manager. Each of these interview formats has a different goal, and Figure 12.22 outlines ways to
maximize your benefit from each one.
Compose good answers—and good questions
Regardless of the interview’s format, interviewers often use standard questions to help them
learn about a candidate and assess that person’s suitability for a job. As part of your interview
preparation, develop clear, concise answers to these questions, along with details that allow
you to elaborate about your strengths and sell your professional brand. Rather than bringing
scripted responses with you, practice beforehand (and aloud) so your answers sound natural.
The advice in Figure 12.23 on page 478 will help you respond to several of these questions—ones
that people often have trouble answering.
In addition to these standard questions, you should be prepared to address
behavioral questions, which are designed to determine how you would make decisions,
solve problems, or respond to stressful situations.47 Your answers to these questions should
demonstrate your collaborative skills, innovative thinking, and leadership abilities. One
well-established method of responding to behavioral questions is to use the STAR Method,
which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result.48 Using this framework, you develop
a story that identifies a situation in which you completed a task (such as solving a problem
or making a decision) by implementing a specific action that ended in a positive result.
Research suggests that problem-solving stories are a powerful way to communicate com-
petence.49 Figure 12.24 on page 479 shows how to use the STAR Method to answer a typical
behavioral question.
Because interviewers commonly ask candidates “What questions do you have?,” you must
also be prepared to ask questions. Not having good questions to ask is a common and detri-
mental interview mistake, according to employment specialists.50 Always ask three or four
questions to demonstrate your interest in the job. However, avoid asking questions that you
could have easily researched on your own. For example, asking where the company’s head-
quarters is located or how many employees they have tells the interviewer that you did not do
your research. Also avoid asking questions that are more relevant once you have been offered
a position—for example, questions about benefits such as health insurance and retirement
plans. If you have done your research, you should be able to ask several meaningful and ap-
propriate questions about the company and the position.
Figure 12.25 on page 480 provides some general questions that may be helpful to ask of all
potential employers. Toward the end of the interview, be sure to ask about the next steps.51 You
can ask when the company expects to make a decision or even if there’s any reason why you
might not be considered for the job. The answers to these questions will tell you how seriously
you are being considered as a candidate.
Analyze
Compose
career fair A gathering of representa-
tives or recruiters from many companies
seeking to fill open positions.
virtual interview An interview
conducted by telephone, Skype, or tele-
conference call, often used to narrow the
candidate pool before scheduling an onsite
visit.
panel interview An interview format
that involves several people, such as a
search committee, who gather in a confer-
ence or seminar room with a job applicant to
discuss the position.
group interview An interview format
in which an employer meets with several
applicants at the same time to assess their
approach to working collaboratively with
others.
action interview An interview format
that requires applicants to make a presenta-
tion or perform under work-based condi-
tions, which could be simulated or real.
behavioral questions A type of inter-
view question designed to determine how
you would make decisions, solve problems,
or respond to stressful situations.
STAR Method A method of answering a
behavioral interview question by explaining
a situation, task, and action that led to a
positive result.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
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FIGURE 12.22 How to Get the Most Benefit from Different Types of Interviews
For all interview
formats
• Review the websites of the companies you want to meet with ahead of time so you are
knowledgeable about their products or services, mission statements, and open positions.
• Dress like a businessperson rather than a college student.
• Adopt a confident and professional attitude. Be slightly more formal than you normally are.
• Make a strong professional first impression by using a firm handshake, make eye contact, and
smile (practice greeting people ahead of time to feel confident about your body language).
• Demonstrate your knowledge and interest in the company.
• Project a professional voice by speaking clearly and at a normal pace.
• Pause before speaking to gather your thoughts, then breathe deeply, articulate your words, and
smile—even if you are on the telephone.
• Ask good questions about the company’s current projects or news items you have read to
indicate your interest in the company. Ask the recruiter what he/she likes about the company.
• Ask for a business card and make notes on the back of the card to help you remember the
interviewer who gave it to you.
• Thank interviewers for taking the time to speak with you.
Career fairs—gathering
of representatives from
many companies
seeking to fill open
positions
• Study the floor plan map to find out which employers will participate and where their booths will
be located.
• Plan a strategy for the recruiters you want to talk to first, second, and third.
• Arrive early to avoid long lines and to maximize your time with recruiters.
• Approach recruiters and make the first move to start a conversation.
• Take notes to demonstrate your interest in the company and to prepare for onsite interviews.
• Follow up after the fair with a short email message thanking recruiters for their time. Reiterating
your interest in a particular position says a lot about your professionalism and attention to detail.
You might also want to attach a PDF copy of your résumé so they have an electronic version to
share with others at their company.
Virtual interviews—
conducted by tele-
phone or webcam to
filter candidates before
scheduling onsite
interviews
• Make or receive the call in a quiet location where you feel comfortable and will not be disturbed.
Remind anyone who might come in the room not to make any noise or distractions.
• Use a landline rather than a cell phone to increase the chances of a good connection and minimize
the possibility of a dropped or lost call.
• Begin the call professionally by identifying yourself before you ask for the person you’re calling.
• Write down the interviewers’ names and job titles as they introduce themselves. If they don’t provide
their job titles, ask for them so you can ask specific questions that relate to people’s positions.
• Feel free to ask people to repeat or reword a question if you did not hear them clearly or are not
sure what they are asking you.
• Smile to brighten the tone of your voice.
• Let the interviewer hang up first, both as a professional courtesy and to ensure that the
interviewer has no final questions.
On campus and
onsite company
interviews—vary
greatly from simple
one-on-one interviews
that may last only a
half hour, to detailed
agendas that span two
days and involve many
people in several inter-
views, presentations,
and meals
One-on-one Interviews
• Establish that you have a natural fit with the organization and this person.
• Ask questions about the supervisor’s expectations, the challenges of the position, and daily activities.
Panel Interviews—several interviewers talking with one applicant
• Take the initiative to approach each person and introduce yourself as you extend your arm to
shake hands.
• Begin your responses by first looking at the person who asked the question, make eye contact
with the rest of the panel during your response, and conclude your answer by returning your eyes
to the questioner.
• When the interview concludes, thank each person for taking his or her time to meet with you.
Group Interviews—several job applicants being interviewed at the same time
• Take advantage of interviewing with several job candidates simultaneously by demonstrating your
collaborative skills, knowledge, and abilities.
• Listen intently, ask questions, and offer advice, but do not lead the discussion unless someone
from the company’s search committee asks you to do so.
Action Interviews—applicants performing tasks under work-based conditions
• Leverage these work-based interviews by using your common sense, time management skills,
and ability to think logically under pressure.
• Practice ahead of time by researching “case interview” resources. You will find many examples of
case scenarios and questions that you can use to help you practice.
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FIGURE 12.23 How to Answer Typical Interview Questions
Tell me about yourself. • Prepare a 30- to 60-second summary of information that is relevant to the job.
• Focus on your professional brand, why you chose your major, and the strengths or
accomplishments that uniquely qualify you for this position.
What do you know about
our company? What interests
you the most?
• Use the research you conduct about the company ahead of time to demonstrate your
knowledge.
• Explain what you find interesting about the company and the possibility of working there.
• Be prepared to talk intelligently about the company’s business and how you can
contribute.
Why should we hire you? • Evaluate your qualifications to determine how you fit the job and the company.
• Provide clear, specific evidence of your strengths and skills.
• Bring a copy of your cover letter to the interview to refer to, if necessary.
Describe your ideal job. • Identify attributes in the job that appeal to you and that demonstrate your work ethic
and abilities; for example, “My ideal job is a position that does not feel like work. I want
a job that allows me to solve problems, help people, and contribute to the organization
every day.”
• Describe the future job that this entry-level position will prepare you to do.
• Do not share information that would make you a less desirable candidate, such as wanting
to start your own business in five years. You want a potential employer to see you as a
long-term human resource investment, not as a future competitor.
What are your greatest
strengths and weaknesses?
• Describe how your greatest strength directly relates to the job.
• Mention a real weakness to show you are aware of your shortcomings (we all have them).
• Identify constructive criticism you have received from previous employers or instructors,
outline the steps you are taking to improve, note any progress, and predict your future
success in this area.52
Why are you leaving your
current position?
• Do not speak negatively about your current job, or a former employer or company.
Complaining about an employer is one of the most common and most detrimental mis-
takes candidates make at interviews.53
• Focus on the job you are applying for as a way to advance your career—what you’re mov-
ing toward more than what you’re getting away from.
• Emphasize positive qualities, such as your desire for a greater challenge or more
responsibility.
What are your career plans
(short- and long-range)?
• Identify that your goal is to get the job you’re applying for in the interview and prove to the
company that you are a valuable member of their team.
• Mention your continued growth and level of responsibility at the company as your long-
range plan.
• Use your research about the company to cite specific job titles or projects that you are
interested in pursuing.
• Demonstrate that you are invested in a long-term relationship with the company.
What are your salary
expectations?
• Suggest that you are flexible and willing to negotiate your salary based on industry
averages and the current market conditions.
• Avoid stating a minimum amount, which might result in a lower salary than they had
planned to offer you.
• Avoid indicating a salary much higher than they budgeted, which could cause them to stop
considering you as a candidate.
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How do you prepare for a job interview? 479
TECHNOLOGY
PREPARING FOR VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS WITH SKYPE
The popularity of Skype as a communication application is grow-
ing, with an estimated 300 million people actively using Skype
each month.54 Because so many people use Skype, employers
are increasingly taking advantage of the app to conduct virtual
interviews with job candidates. Skype interviews cost as little as
telephone interviews and help employers get a better sense of the
candidate.55 To ensure you present a professional image in a Skype
interview, follow the advice for all virtual interviews and these ad-
ditional video-specific guidelines.56–58
• Create a professional Skype profile. If you do not already
have a Skype account or if your current Skype username is too
informal, create a new Skype account using your real name
and a professional-sounding username. Include the same pro-
fessional photo that you use in your social media profiles.
• Select a professional background. What the interviewer sees
behind you can be as important as what you are wearing. If
possible, use a business office or a conference room. If you
don’t have access to a professional environment, position
yourself in front of a neatly organized bookshelf or desk.
Blank walls provide no visual interest, and busy backgrounds
may be too distracting.
• Use good lighting. Choose natural light over fluorescent lights
that cast shadows or over-illuminate your face. Your computer
should be between you and a sunny window or table lamp so
the interviewer can see you without shadows or glare.
• Look at the camera, not the computer. In a face-to-face
interview, eye contact is important to make a positive impres-
sion. Eye contact is equally important in a Skype interview that
includes video. Although looking at the interviewer’s face on
your computer monitor may seem like you’re making good eye
contact, you actually need to look at your camera lens in order
to appear to be looking directly at the interviewer.
• Ensure a good connection and equipment. If possible, use a
wired Internet connection on a computer that is fully charged
or plugged into an electrical source. The combination of
voice and video transmissions can significantly reduce your
computer’s resources. You don’t want to lose your connec-
tion halfway through your interview. Also use a good camera
and microphone, and make sure the connections are secure
so you won’t inadvertently unplug something as you gesture
during the interview.
• Use good body language and “active listening” cues. Stud-
ies show that it’s more difficult to appear “likeable” on screen
than it is in person.59,60 Therefore, it is even more important
that, in addition to making eye contact as previously men-
tioned, you sit up straight, smile, and lean in toward the
computer to look engaged. Sit at a comfortable distance so
the interviewer can see more than your head, and use normal
gestures. Make “listening” noises such as “hmm” and “right”
to demonstrate your connection to the speaker.
• Practice. Test your background, lighting, eye contact, and
connection quality with friends and family to ensure you are
presenting a professional image. Ask for feedback about your
interview attire, the tone and volume of your voice, and any
distracting background sights or sounds.
For a TECHNOLOGY exercise, go to Exercise 18 on page 500.
New Hires @ Work
Bianca Robles
Eastern Kentucky University
Human Resources Representative
@ Hendrickson Trailer
Commercial Vehicle Systems
I have been through only two
interviews in my life, but I
have been an interviewer
hundreds of times. My advice
is to be energetic and honest.
When you answer ques-
tions, give enough
information to show
your dedication, but
don’t bore the inter-
viewer with a long-
winded answer.
Photo courtesy of Bianca Robles
FIGURE 12.24 Example of the STAR Method to Answer a Behavioral Question
STAR
Method
ResultSituation
Task Action
QUESTION
Tell me about a time when you worked
successfully under pressure.
ANSWER
Situation: Last semester, I worked on a market
research project for a small business near the
university. Our team had difficulty collecting data.
By the time we had collected it all, we had only
one week to complete the project.
Task: In that one week, we needed to analyze all
the data, develop a justified set of recommenda-
tions, and write a complete report for the client.
Action: Although I originally did not have a
leadership role on the team, I took the lead and
developed a work plan that delegated the work,
set deadlines, and ensured that all the analysis
was double checked by another member of the
team. I also facilitated the team meeting when
we developed recommendations.
Result: As a result of this approach, we not only
completed our report on time, but our client
agreed with our analysis and decided to imple-
ment three of our four recommendations.
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Questions you can ask about the company:
1. The mission statement indicates that your goal is to. . . . How does the company
fulfill this goal at an operational level on a day-to-day basis?
2. What are the company’s plans for long-term growth?
3. Can you tell me about the typical career paths for people in the position for which
I’m interviewing?
4. Does the company offer or support professional development? What are typical
opportunities?
5. What advice do you wish you’d received when you were starting here?
Questions you can ask about the position:
1. What is a typical day like in this job?
2. What are the greatest challenges of this position?
3. How would I be evaluated in this position, and by whom?
4. Who last had this position, and is he or she available if I have questions once I start
the job?
5. Who would I be working most closely with on a daily basis?
6. When do you expect to make a hiring decision?
FIGURE 12.25 Sample Questions to
Ask During the Interview
Evaluate your professional appearance
As part of your planning for an interview, evaluate your appearance and consider how best to
project professionalism. You do not need to spend a fortune on new clothing, but you do need
at least one good interview outfit and appropriate accessories.
You may have heard the saying, “clothes don’t make the man (or woman),” but what you
wear certainly communicates a message about you. Employers cite dressing inappropriately as
one of the biggest mistakes job applicants make in interviews.61 These unsuccessful applicants
dress much too casually, wearing street clothes such as jeans, low-slung pants, short skirts, gym
shoes, or sandals. Or they may wear tight clothing that is too revealing. When dressing for
interviews, follow one key rule: Even if you are interviewing in a more casual workplace, wear
business formal attire to the interview.
Historically, business attire was always formal. Men wore three-piece suits and women
wore suits or dresses. Some businesses still adhere to a formal dress code. For example, in
financial management and legal environments, attire is neutral and conservative. In many
companies, however, the dress code is business casual, a professional but more relaxed way
of dressing. In fact, according to a Gallup Poll, business casual is the most common form of
dress in business today.62 For men, business casual means an ironed button-down or polo shirt,
slacks or khakis with a belt, and dark socks and shoes. Women have many casual attire op-
tions—slacks, skirts, dresses, blouses, sweaters. Figure 12.26 provides examples of both business
formal and business casual options.
Although business casual may be the dress code in the company where you are inter-
viewing, unless you are explicitly told otherwise, wear business formal clothing to job inter-
views. Wear a well-pressed professional business suit (jacket with matching slacks or skirt) in
a conservative color. Your interview attire should fit you well and conform to the one hanger
rule—it should look like it was purchased on one hanger. In other words, the jacket and slacks
(or skirt) are a set rather than mix-matched tops and bottoms that you piece together. To com-
plete your professional look, be conservative in your grooming and makeup, bring a portfolio
or business case, wear a watch, and turn off your cell phone. Your goal at an interview is not
to express your personality through clothing and accessories but to dress in a way that allows
people to focus on what you say.
New Hires @ Work
Joshua Burns
Eastern Kentucky University
Global Support—Technical
Specialist @ Alltech
When preparing for
interviews, it was
vital to practice
mock interviews
with a friend,
family member,
professor, etc.,
in order to fully
prepare myself.
Photo courtesy of Joshua Burns
Evaluate
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FIGURE 12.26 How to Dress:
Business Formal versus Business
Casual
• Clothes that are pressed and clean
• Coordinating colors and accessories
• Well-maintained shoes (no sneakers)
• Good grooming
• Matching jackets and slacks or skirts
• Dark colors with light shirts
• Coordinating tie for men (no loud
colors or patterns)
• Neutral or dark hose and dark shoes
for women
• Dark socks and dark shoes for men
• Polished, unscuffed shoes
• Conservative jewelry
BUSINESS FORMAL
BUSINESS CASUAL
When you have confidence in your preparation and your appearance, you are ready to go to
your interview. Your goal during the interview is to be your best self and make a strong, posi-
tive impression. To achieve this goal, you need to act like a professional from the moment you
arrive until the end of the interview, including during meals.
Project a professional presence
You get just one shot at a first impression, and research suggests that employers may form their
opinion of you within the first few seconds of meeting you.63 Body language and eye contact
are strong influencers,64 but it is equally important to act like you are ready to be in the work-
place. Starting from when you walk in the door, your professional presence can make a strong,
positive, and lasting impression. The guidelines in Figure 12.27 provide a good starting place for
managing first impressions during an interview.
Compose effective post-interview messages
Following an interview, you have many opportunities to reinforce the positive impression you
have made and keep the lines of communication open. You can continue to impress prospec-
tive employers by sending thank-you messages and checking on the status of your application
in a professional manner. If you are offered a position, how you respond is particularly im-
portant. Whether you choose to accept, negotiate, or refuse the job offer, your response needs
to strengthen the company’s confidence that they made a good decision. Even if you are not
offered a position, you have the option of responding to communicate your interest in future
SQ5 How can you make a positive impression during and
after an interview?
Compose
How can you make a positive impression during and after an interview? 481
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Yuri Arcurs / Shutterstock
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Arrive early. • Know how long it will take you to get to the inter-
view location, where you will be able to park, and,
if possible, how to get from the parking area to the
interviewer’s office or reception area.
• Plan to enter the reception area about 10 minutes
before the interview time and, if time permits, use
the restroom before the interview begins.
Look ready to work. • Carry a pad of paper and nice pen.
• Bring copies of your résumé printed on good paper.
• Have business cards handy with your name, email
address, and phone number.
• Bring several copies of your list of references with
complete contact information.
• Include personal notes or website printouts about
the company and the job.
• Bring a list of questions you plan to ask the
interviewer.
• Ensure you have necessary personal items, such
as mints and tissues.
Greet people professionally. • Use people’s names when you meet them.
• Use people’s last names until they ask you to use
their first names.
• Shake hands with everyone you meet, and practice
your handshake ahead of time to ensure a firm,
solid grip.
Treat support staff with
courtesy and respect.
• Be polite and respectful to everyone you meet dur-
ing your interview experience, including the recep-
tionist who asks you to wait in an outer office and
the assistant who offers you a cup of coffee.
Be prepared for meals and
social gatherings.
• Plan for conversation by familiarizing yourself with
current events in the news and business world so
you can contribute to conversation or raise related
topics.
• Listen more than you talk, but make a point to talk
with as many people as you can.
• Follow the host in ordering food; do not order steak
and lobster if everyone else is ordering soup and
salad.
FIGURE 12.27 How to Manage
First Impressions
opportunities. You may also be able to gather some information about the results of any back-
ground checks that the company conducted.
Compose thank-you messages
Within 24 hours after an interview, send a thank-you message to offer your sincere gratitude
for the time people took out of their busy schedules to meet with you.65 If you collected busi-
ness cards during your interview or made good notes, you will have all the contact information
you need to thank each person who met with you.
Before writing each message, review the notes you took during the interview so that you
can personalize the content. For example, you may have learned about a particular company
project from one person and enjoyed a lunch conversation about a professional development
opportunity with another person. Your thank-you messages should reflect your conversations
New Hires @ Work
Matt Vallandingham
Eastern Kentucky University
Software Engineer @ Alltech
Your résumé will get you in the
door, your personality will get
you the position. The
most important charac-
teristic in a job inter-
view is confidence.
Wear a suit, shine
your shoes, and
give the interviewer
a handshake that
says “I’m here to
work.”
Photo courtesy of Matt Vallandingham
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Compose follow-up messages
Following an interview, an employer may need several weeks to interview other applicants,
contact references, and process background checks. Therefore, unless an employer indicated
you would be contacted by a certain date, don’t be concerned if it takes a while to receive a re-
sponse. Analyze the situation to determine when you should follow up and with whom. Typi-
cally, after two weeks, you can inquire about the status of the position and communicate your
continued interest. Consider the following guidelines in Figure 12.29 on page 484.
At this stage of the job-search process, you may need to compose other follow-up mes-
sages as well. These could include messages negotiating a job offer, accepting a job offer, reject-
ing a job offer, withdrawing your job application, or responding to a job rejection.
• Negotiating the details of a job offer. When making a job offer, employers usually outline
the salary and related benefits. If you have researched the company, the job, and the industry
in general, you will know if the offer is competitive. In some cases, you may choose to accept
the offer as it is initially presented. In other cases, you may consider negotiating the terms of
the offer. You can find excellent advice about negotiating job offers in books and online.66 Al-
though you may feel uncomfortable negotiating, experts suggest that it is a good idea. In fact,
research on salary negotiation has found that people who negotiate salary when offered a job
can increase their salary by more than 7 percent.67
FIGURE 12.28 How to Write a Thank-You Message
handwritten note
Keep the message short–
just one or two paragraphs.
Begin with a thank you
followed immediately by the
date of the interview and
position.
Personalize the message by
mentioning something
learned during the interview,
and emphasize a strength
that contributes to the
company.
Conclude with a positive,
forward-looking statement
that encourages a response
and includes contact
information.
How can you make a positive impression during and after an interview? 483
with the person to whom you are writing and stress one or two key points: things you forgot to
mention during the interview or points you want to highlight. Your thank-you note may take
the form of an email, a letter, or a handwritten note. Email provides a quick method of deliver-
ing your gratitude but is a casual method of communication. Typed business letters may seem
more “official,” but handwritten thank-you notes may be the most effective medium for saying
“thank you,” especially if you have personalized stationery. From both professional and personal
perspectives, people view a handwritten message as a sincere gesture that speaks volumes about
your character and indicates a personal interest in the company or relationship. Whichever me-
dium you choose, follow the guidelines in Figure 12.28 to compose your message. After you have
written a draft, evaluate your message to review the content. Read it aloud to hear the style and
tone of the words you used. Revise to ensure a professional impression, and ask a friend to help
you proofread to guarantee you have not made any spelling or grammatical errors.
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Contact only one person.
• Follow up with only your primary contact person rather than emailing everyone you met during the interview.
Choose an appropriate medium.
• Use a communication medium that best suits the employer’s preferences based on your initial communications. Email is
the least invasive medium and most convenient to answer. By contrast, a telephone call indicates a more assertive attempt
to contact the employer.
Don’t go overboard:
• Evaluate your message to ensure you don’t seem overly anxious about the position.
• Do not use multiple methods of contacting an employer. Sending several emails and leaving multiple telephone messages
could be interpreted as unprofessional and overzealous.
email
Dear Mr. Jacobson:
Last month, I interviewed with you to discuss my qualifications for the training
manager’s position. I am still very interested in this opportunity and am writing
to inquire about the status of the position.
Since we last spoke, I investigated some of the issues related to expanding your
training services to the IT market. My research found that several competing
consulting companies have been successful in this area by marketing their ability
to provide industry-based certifications. I would enjoy the opportunity to discuss
this research as well as my continued interest in becoming a Higgins Consulting
employee.
Please contact me at your convenience by email (ematthews@gmail.com) or
telephone (218.555.2552). I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Ellyn Matthews
Ellyn Matthews, Marketing Major
MIS Minor Concentration
McClellan University
ematthews@gmail.com
218.555.2552
Follow Up About Training Manager Position
Stephen Jacobson
Begin by mentioning the
interview, including the
name of the position and
when you interviewed.
Reiterate your continued
interest in the position.
Identify any new
strengths or skills
you can use to sell
yourself for the position.
Conclude by requesting
a response and providing
your contact information.
Whichever medium you
use, resell your strengths
by including the following
content:
FIGURE 12.29 How to Compose a Follow-Up Message
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If you plan to negotiate your salary or benefits, request the job offer in writing to elimi-
nate possible ambiguity about the terms of the offer. Before responding, do some additional
research and analysis so that you can make well-informed decisions and reasonable requests
about salary, benefits, and other details of the job offer. Negotiations are usually best conducted
in person or by telephone. However, you may decide to begin the negotiation with an email or
letter. For an example of a letter that negotiates the details of a job offer, see Figure 12.30.
FIGURE 12.30 How to Initiate a Job Offer Negotiation
Ellyn Matthews
1651 Randolph Avenue, Apt. 3G, McClellan, MI 49449
ematthews@gmail.com | 218.555.2552
April 23, 20XX
Mr. Stephen Jacobson
Higgins Consulting
8153 Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60632
Dear Mr. Jacobson:
Thank you for your offer to join Higgins Consulting as your newest training manager. I am very
interested in the position and pleased with the salary you quoted. However, before I feel
comfortable accepting the job, I have two requests:
• Your offer included reimbursement for moving expenses up to $500. However, the three
estimates I received all exceeded $1,000. Are you able to increase my reimbursement
allocation?
• The benefits packet you sent mentions that Higgins Consulting reimburses MBA and other
relevant graduate education after the employee’s second year on the job. As you know, I have
already begun my Master of Education degree in Global Training and Development in the
online program at State University. I would like to keep my momentum going with this
program. Will you be willing to start reimbursing these courses right away? What I learn from
my coursework will be immediately useful on the job at Higgins, and I understand that
Higgins will require repayment if I do not stay at the company for the required period of time.
I look forward to discussing these issues with you in more detail and appreciate the
opportunity to begin my career as a Higgins employee. Please call (218.555.2552) or email
(ematthews@gmail.com) at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Ellyn Matthews, Marketing Major
MIS Minor Concentration
McClellan University
letter
Begin with gratitude
for the offer.
Mention the positive
aspects of the offer
before indicating
points of concern.
Provide reasons for
each of your requests.
Bullet or number
multiple issues for
discussion to make
them easier to refer to
in future
communication.
Conclude positively.
Motivate action by
requesting response.
How can you make a positive impression during and after an interview? 485
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• Accepting or refusing job offers. When you decide to accept a job offer, analyze your medium
options. Even if you plan to accept the position by telephone, following up in writing provides
documentation for both you and the employer. Because you are communicating good news,
organize the content directly, indicating at the beginning of your message that you are accept-
ing the position. If you receive a job offer for a position you are not interested in, you need to
communicate to the company that you are not accepting the offer. Even though you will not
be working for this company, maintain professionalism and courtesy in your message and
buffer your “bad news.” To learn how to compose both job acceptance and refusal letters, see
Figure 12.31 and Figure 12.32.
FIGURE 12.31 How to Accept a Job Offer
email
Job Offer Acceptance
Stephen Jacobson
Dear Mr. Jacobson:
I am following up on our telephone conversation earlier today to accept your
offer for the training manager’s position. I look forward to beginning my career
at Higgins Consulting and will report to your office at 8:30 AM on Monday,
June 24.
As you requested, I called (and left a message for) Larry Ferguson in Human
Resources to make an appointment to complete the paperwork for my
relocation reimbursement. I hope to hear from him soon.
Thank you again for this opportunity. I plan to be one of your greatest assets on
the management team.
Sincerely,
Ellyn Matthews
Ellyn Matthews, Marketing Major
MIS Minor Concentration
McClellan University
ematthews@gmail.com
218.555.2552
Put the message in context
by referring to the telephone
conversation or prior
communication.
Confirm important information,
such as your beginning date and time.
Document the status of any
requested action (in this case,
contacting Human Resources).
Conclude with gratitude and
a forward-looking statement.
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FIGURE 12.32 How to Turn Down a Job Offer
letter
Ellyn Matthews
1651 Randolph Avenue, Apt. 3G, McClellan, MI 49449
ematthews@gmail.com | 218.555.2552
April 30, 20XX
Ms. Charlene Chyung
Td3 Management Solutions
300 S. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Dear Ms. Chyung:
Thank you for the offer to join the Td3 Management Solutions. I enjoyed meeting you and your
staff and appreciated the opportunity to learn about your company.
Your collaborative work environment was energizing, and I could see myself fitting in well with
your team. Although your offer is tempting, I have decided to accept a position in a city closer to
my family. If in the future my circumstances change and I am more able to relocate, I would be
very interested in working on your team.
Best wishes,
Ellyn Matthews, Marketing Major
MIS Minor Concentration
McClellan University
Begin with
appreciation for the
opportunity to
interview for the
position.
Buffer the bad
news (the refusal)
with gratitude.
Decline the offer
and identify
reasons for the
decision.
Conclude with a
positive, friendly
statement.
How can you make a positive impression during and after an interview? 487
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• Withdrawing from a job search after accepting another offer. When you accept a job offer,
you may have applications under consideration with other employers. If your application has
advanced as far as the interview process, courtesy requires that you contact those employ-
ers immediately and withdraw your name from consideration. If you do not withdraw, you
are essentially being dishonest, as you are implying that you are still an active candidate. By
contrast, if you do formally withdraw, you have an excellent opportunity to make a good im-
pression with the employer, which can be an asset later in your career. Employment experts
suggest that telephone is the best medium to use if you have established a connection with
the hiring manager or a human resources representative. Otherwise, email is an acceptable
medium.68 You may also follow up more formally with a letter, such as the one illustrated in
Figure 12.33.
FIGURE 12.33 How to Withdraw from a Job Application
Mr. Arvind Balaji
The Marius-Richmond Group
50 West Washington Street
Chicago, IL 60602
Dear Mr. Balaji:
Thank you for including me in the interview process for the marketing consultant position
at The Marius-Richmond Group. I enjoyed meeting with the interview team and especially
enjoyed the case-based interview exercises, which were interesting and intellectually
challenging. I know that a job at Marius-Richmond would be equally satisfying.
That is why I regret having to withdraw from consideration for the position. As I explained on
the telephone earlier today, I have accepted an employment offer for a managerial position in
training and development, which is an area I am interested in exploring.
Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to learn about The Marius-Richmond Group.
Best wishes,
Ellyn Matthews, Marketing Major
MIS Minor Concentration
McClellan University
Begin by expressing
appreciation for the
opportunity to interview
for the position.
Indicate positive feelings
about the company to
promote goodwill.
Formally withdraw your
application and include a brief
explanation.
Conclude with a positive,
friendly statement.
Ellyn Matthews
1651 Randolph Avenue, Apt. 3G, McClellan, MI 49449
ematthews@gmail.com | 218.555.2552
May 2, 20XX
letter
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FIGURE 12.34 How to Respond to a Job Rejection
letter
April 23, 20XX
92 Allerton Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
Mr. Stephen Jacobson
Higgins Consulting
8153 Higgins Road
Chicago, IL 60632
Dear Mr. Jacobson:
I just received your letter today, indicating that you have selected another candidate for the
training manager position. Although I am disappointed, I appreciate you letting me know your
decision in such a timely manner. I also appreciate the courtesy and professionalism you have
shown during the entire interview process.
I want to reiterate my strong interest in working for Higgins Consulting. Please keep me in mind
when you have another opening in the near future.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to interview, and best wishes to your company.
Sincerely,
Roderick Brown
Learning and Organizational Communication
Middleboro University
Begin by graciously
by accepting the
rejection.
Conclude positively.
Emphasize
continuing interest
in the company.
Express gratitude
for being considered.
How can you make a positive impression during and after an interview? 489
• Responding to job rejections. When you don’t receive a job offer, you may feel hurt or angry.
Rather than taking the rejection personally, use it as one last opportunity to make a good im-
pression by writing a final message to your interviewer, such as the letter in Figure 12.34.
If you suspect that your job rejection was influenced by negative results from a back-
ground check (for which the employer must receive your permission), you are entitled to re-
ceive a free copy of the background report from the employer or the company that prepared it.
According to a study by the National Consumer Law Center, 93 percent of employers perform
background checks on potential employees and new hires.69 Sixty percent of private employers
use credit checks to screen applicants.70 Others verify claims made on your résumé and in the
job interview as well as look at news reports and criminal records. Because many applicants are
damaged by incorrect information in their background checks, you should request the results
to verify that the reports are correct and to prepare explanations that you can use in future
interviews.
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Evaluate your performance
Each interview you have helps you refine your communication skills and prepare for your
next opportunity. Immediately after an interview, evaluate your performance and identify your
strengths as well as your weaknesses to increase your chances for success the next time. The
questions in Figure 12.35 can guide your evaluation.
Did you make a good
impression?
• Recall the interviewers’ subtle nonverbal messages. Did
they take a quick glance at your clothing and nod approv-
ingly or raise an eyebrow in surprise? Did they introduce
you to other people or offer to take you on a quick tour of
the office? They wouldn’t show you around if they weren’t
impressed.
Did you bring
everything you
needed?
• Consider whether you had everything you needed, such as
pen and paper, and extra copies of your résumé. Make a
checklist of things to remember next time.
Did you stumble
with any answers?
• Think about any questions you found difficult to answer.
Write them down and work on answers that you will re-
member next time. Create a list of bullet points you can
recall to jog your memory. Chances are good you will face
similar questions again.
What went well? • Evaluate the positive aspects of your interview. When did
you feel most comfortable? How can you duplicate that ex-
perience next time?
FIGURE 12.35 How to Evaluate
Your Performance
Evaluate
◾ In summary, the job search can be a long process, involving many different
kinds of communication: social media content, résumés, cover letters, interviews, and follow-
up messages. As you move through the process, you can expect to become increasingly skilled
at projecting your professional presence and matching your messages with employers’ needs,
especially if you evaluate your performance after each interview and make adjustments. At
every step along the way, the ACE communication process is a useful tool to help you be more
strategic and take better advantage of communication opportunities.
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SOCIAL RECRUITING @ WORK Silicon Labs
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Silicon Labs is a global
leader in designing integrated chips that combine both dig-
ital and analog signals. These circuits are used in devices
as diverse as cell phones and magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) machines. To maintain its position as a global leader,
Silicon Labs recruits top-quality engineers as well as peo-
ple who support its business operations.
How does Silicon Labs find these candidates? Social
recruiting through both employee networks and LinkedIn
is responsible for more than 30 percent of new hires.
According to senior recruiter Mike Anderson, many
of the company’s best new hires come from employee
referrals. Silicon Labs’ experience mirrors that of the
companies represented in the 2014 Jobvite Social Recruit-
ing Survey: Referrals are a key source for high-quality
candidates.71
Another significant source of successful job candi-
dates is LinkedIn, which is playing an increasingly large
role in the company’s recruiting activities. In fact, Ander-
son says that, as a recruiter, he spends much of his day
with LinkedIn, both searching for passive candidates—
those who are not actively in the job market—and review-
ing profiles of active candidates who have contacted
Silicon Labs. “Many candidates have stopped sending out
résumés. Instead, they apply through LinkedIn or email
and say ‘please check out my profile on LinkedIn.’ For me,
it’s very easy. In one click, I’m looking at the profile and
can tell quickly if this is someone I want to learn more
about. Navigating to a LinkedIn profile is much faster than
opening an attached résumé.”
Anderson offers some advice for students writing a
LinkedIn profile:
• Make sure to highlight key information a recruiter
needs to see. Recruiters want to see not only your
degree but also your particular area of study, so they
have a clear idea of what knowledge you bring to the
job. Other key information includes projects, intern-
ships, and anything else that relates to the industries
in which you want to work.
• Use the summary field wisely. A recruiter reviews
the summary to see if the candidates’ abilities, experi-
ence, and interests make them a good fit with the
company. The summary provides a recruiter insight
into what a candidate really wants to do.
Despite the importance of LinkedIn, Anderson cautions
students not to abandon the traditional résumé. In a job
search, LinkedIn and résumés serve two different pur-
poses. Recruiters find LinkedIn to be an invaluable tool
to identify potential candidates, but “once you get past
the recruiter, your résumé goes to the hiring manager. At
an interview, the hiring manager wants a more detailed
picture.”
Source: Interview with Mike Anderson.
Social recruiting @ work 491
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This case scenario will help you review the chapter material by applying
it to a specific situation.
Raymond Varga has a problem. For the first time in his life, he has to
organize a job search, and he doesn’t know what to do.
Two years ago, after his junior year at Middleton College, Ray-
mond completed a summer internship at Metrix Manufacturing and
was happy to receive a job offer from the company. Raymond had a
sense of security as he started his senior year knowing that he had a job
when he graduated. The job proved to be all that Raymond expected.
During his first year, he worked on several challenging projects that
offered him the opportunity to expand his skills and apply the strategic
management concepts he had learned during his last year of college. He
liked his coworkers and was happy in his position.
Therefore, he was surprised today when his manager, Marilyn,
explained to him that due to Metrix’s pending merger with its leading
competitor, the company would be eliminating redundant positions
based on a LIFO (last in, first out) plan. As a recent hire, Raymond
would certainly be let go within the next month. Marilyn wanted to
give him a “heads-up” so he could start his career search while he was
still employed with Metrix.
Now, as Raymond thinks about starting a new job search, he feels
overwhelmed. He never searched for a job during college because he
learned about the Metrix internship at a career fair. He never wrote a
cover letter because Metrix required him to apply online and did not
offer the option of uploading a cover letter along with his résumé. And
he never updated his résumé after his junior year. Metrix offered him a
job as soon as he completed his internship. Raymond isn’t sure where
to begin.
Expanding the Possibilities
Raymond considers his employment options. He would like to find a
job in the same city so he doesn’t have to move. He also hopes to find a
similar position where he can manage manufacturing projects for large
customer orders.
He knows he has excellent experience that he can offer. Over the
past two years, he has assisted the regional manager in developing
contracts with clients and coordinating their projects. In the process,
he has learned about many of the larger manufacturing companies in
the Midwest. In addition to managing projects, he also created an ori-
entation workshop for new interns and coordinated a new database
that tracked customers by demographics and sales volume. The da-
tabase project required a significant amount of detailed research into
past purchase orders as well as follow-up calls with purchasing agents.
Raymond is also confident that his communication skills have signifi-
cantly improved while at Metrix and that he will be able to apply these
strengths to a new job.
Now he has to research career options and chart a path to his next
position. He would like to build upon what he has learned on the job.
However, he knows that limiting himself to his comfort zone will also
limit his opportunities.
Question 1: How can Raymond expand his possibilities?
a. Given his skills and work experience, what industries besides
manufacturing can Raymond explore?
b. How should Raymond let his personal and professional net-
work know he’s looking for a new job? Whom should he con-
tact? What should he say?
c. How can Raymond use social networking sites such as Linke-
dIn, Twitter, and Facebook to communicate that he is looking
for a job? Is this a good idea in Raymond’s case?
d. How can he expand his current professional network?
e. While networking, Raymond will need to explain in a positive
way why he is looking for a job. Suggest some phrasing op-
tions he can use.
Updating a Résumé
After contacting people in his professional network and creating a pro-
file with the career center at his college, Raymond spends the next eve-
ning composing the content for his résumé, shown on page 493.
Question 2: Carefully evaluate the content, keeping in mind that
Raymond has not yet formatted his résumé or targeted a specific
position. What does Raymond need to change, add, or remove?
Itemize your suggestions, providing a rationale for each, or create
a formatted version of Raymond’s content using your suggestions.
Drafting a Cover Letter
Assume Raymond wants to apply for the job advertised in Figure 12.15
on page 470.
Question 3: Refer to his résumé on page 493 and draft a cover
letter using the AIDA approach. Evaluate your draft using the guide-
lines described in this section.
Composing Answers to Standard Interview
Questions
At a coffee shop on a Saturday afternoon, Raymond meets with a
friend who is also looking for a job. They decide to help each other
prepare for interviews. They review the standard interview ques-
tions and help each other brainstorm responses to the question: “Why
should we hire you?”
Question 4: Compose a list of five bullet points Raymond could
use during his interview to highlight his qualifications and strengths.
CASE SCENARIO
Starting an Employment Search
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rough draft résumé
Raymond Ramón Varga
1484 Vista Ridge, Apt. 2B, Middleton, OH 43433
Phone: 419-555-4250 / Cell: 419-555-5503 / email: rvarga@metrix.com
EDUCATION
Business Administration Degree, Middleton College, OH, May 2015
WORK EXPERIENCE
May 2015–Present
Asst. Regional Sales Manager, Development Of�ce, Metrix Manufacturing, Middleton, OH
Currently serve in an entry-level managerial position where I provide assistance to the regional manager as he develops and
coordinates projects for our Midwest clients.
Summer, 2014
Internship, Development Of�ce, Metrix Manufacturing, Middleton, OH
Provided general of�ce duties, temped for the receptionist, routed correspondence, made photocopies
CAPABILITIES AND SKILLS
• Professional communication skills and dedicated work ethic
• Attention to detail and extremely organized
• Work well with others and possess exceptional interpersonal skills
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
• Toastmasters International, 2014–Present
• Big Brothers, 2015–Present
• Habitat for Humanity, 2013–2015
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How do you polish your professional
presence for a job search? (pages 452–459)
• Analyze your career goals, strengths, and skills. Gain experience
with internships and summer jobs, and gain transferrable skills by
volunteering. Outline your experiences and identify areas of exper-
tise and sellable qualities. Recognize your weaknesses.
• Compose your brand message and strategic social media content.
Create a brand message that communicates your value to an employer,
and make that content visible in your email, business cards, and online
content. Take advantage of social media to project your professional
presence. Target specific social media communication outlets, such as
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Post positive status updates, empha-
size your accomplishments, and highlight your value to employers.
• Evaluate your virtual professional image by reviewing your email im-
age, your business cards, your telephone image, and your online image.
Study Questions in Review
SQ1
End of Chapter
How do you compose an effective
résumé? (pages 459–467)
• Analyze your options for organizing your résumé. Choose a for-
mat that allows you to highlight your strengths—either the chrono-
logical, functional, or combined format. Use templates as guides,
not absolutes, to enhance your image with professional page layout
and design techniques.
• Compose effective résumé content beginning with your name and
contact information. If you include an objective, focus on what you
can do for the employer. Sections on education and work experience
are standard; these can include or be followed by a separate section
on capabilities and skills targeted to the employer’s needs. Also in-
clude activities and accomplishments that highlight your strengths.
Develop multiple résumés, if necessary, for different types of jobs.
Ensure that your content is honest. Blatant exaggerations and con-
tent copied from résumé samples can quickly lead to rejection.
• Evaluate your content and design. Is it clear, complete, and con-
cise? Does it use keywords from the job listing and emphasize in-
formation important to the job? Is it well designed? Is it proofread?
Ask others to read your résumé and provide feedback.
SQ2
How do you find job opportunities and
submit applications? (pages 468–475)
• Analyze your options for finding job opportunities by registering
with career centers and job banks. Join professional organizations,
and target specific employers. Develop a professional network and
use social networking outlets.
• Compose persuasive cover letters, using AIDA to gain attention
in the first paragraph, build the employer’s interest and desire in the
middle paragraph(s), and motivate action in the last paragraph. Let-
ters for unsolicited applications—and letters for jobs where you are
not a perfect fit—require more persuasion than solicited responses
for jobs that are a perfect match for your qualifications.
• Select a medium for submission and follow up as necessary. Many
employers require online submissions, though emailed applica-
tions also are often accepted. Unsolicited applications may be best
through regular postal mail. If you do not hear from an employer
within a reasonable amount of time, follow up by email or telephone.
SQ3
How do you prepare for a job interview?
(pages 476–481)
• Analyze how to benefit from different types of interviews. Capture
interest in preliminary interviews, which often begin at career fairs.
Because you will have only a few minutes with a recruiter, be asser-
tive, demonstrate your knowledge, and ask good questions. Some
companies also send recruiters to campus for preliminary, first-round
interviews, which offer you a little more time to impress the recruiter
with your knowledge and questions. If you live far from the company,
you may also be interviewed virtually, which requires you to use your
best telephone skills. If you are invited to interview onsite at the com-
pany, prepare for several formats, including traditional one-on-one
interviews, panel and group interviews, and action interviews. What-
ever type of interview you have, be sure to sell your strengths.
• Compose good answers—and good questions. Compose effec-
tive answers to typical questions. Typical questions focus on you,
your past employment, your job search, and your suitability for
the job. For each question, plan a 30- to 60-second summary of
your strengths, focusing on skills and qualities required for the job.
Provide evidence that convinces the employer to hire you. Use the
STAR Method to respond to behavioral questions to demonstrate
how you handled past challenges. Also, compose questions to ask
about the company and the position to demonstrate your interest.
Do not ask questions you could have easily found answered online.
• Evaluate your professional appearance. Wear business formal attire to
an interview, even if the company culture is casual. Your goal is not to ex-
press your personality through your clothing but to allow people to focus
on what you say. Look professional by ensuring your clothes fit properly,
being conservative in your grooming and makeup, bringing a portfolio
or business case, wearing a watch, and turning off your cell phone.
SQ4
How can you make a positive
impression during and after an
interview? (pages 481–490)
• Project a professional presence. Manage first impressions by arriving a
few minutes early and looking ready to work. Greet people professionally,
and treat support staff with courtesy and respect. Avoid negative non-
verbal gestures, listen actively, use appropriate eye contact, avoid jokes
or sarcasm, and do not respond to negative comments. Be prepared for
meals and social gatherings. Learn proper dining etiquette, plan for con-
versation and small talk, and be sure to talk to everyone at the table.
• Compose effective post-interview messages, such as thank-you
messages that show gratitude, demonstrate what you learned, sell your
strengths, and focus on audience benefits. If you have not heard any-
thing after two weeks, compose a follow-up message to inquire about
the status of an open position When you get a job offer, follow up by
accepting, rejecting, or negotiating the offer. When you accept an of-
fer, withdraw yourself from consideration for other jobs. When you
receive job rejections, follow up politely to leave a good impression.
• Evaluate your performance by asking yourself several questions:
Did you make a good impression? Did you bring everything you
needed? Did you stumble with any answers? What went well? Iden-
tify your strengths and weaknesses to evaluate your performance
and increase your interview success.
SQ5
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Visual Summary
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106, Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com / (338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins | Twitter @shavon-d-alkins
October 15, 20XX
Ms. Margaret Beckstein
Director of Sales
Baylin Technologies, Inc.
526 Industrial Parkway
Hanover, MD 21182
Dear Ms. Beckstein:
Your assistant director, Robert Taylor, suggested I contact you about any management
positions that may become available soon. I met Mr. Taylor at a Campus University alumni
event and was very excited when I learned he was with Baylin Technologies. I am
particularly interested in becoming a member of your international mobile technology
team, and am enclosing my résumé for your consideration.
I �rst began following Baylin Technologies during my junior year study abroad experience
in the Philippines. During that term, I worked with an international and inter-disciplinary
team of students on a research project to provide wireless technologies to underserved
populations. In that project, which we presented at the Philippine Business Conference
and Expo in Manila, we researched Baylin’s Southeast Asia initiative. I was impressed with
the company’s leadership in providing both technology and customer service in rural areas
around the world. I would like to contribute to that mission.
As a recent business administration graduate with concentrations in both marketing and
international business and a minor in Spanish, I believe I have the knowledge, skills, and
interest to make a valuable contribution to your team. I am also well equipped to work
with a diverse clientele based on more than three years of sales associate and customer
service experience.
Even if you have no speci�c job openings at the moment, I would value the opportunity to
meet with you and discuss how I can best prepare myself for a future opening at Baylin.
Please contact me by phone (338-555-7959) or email (sdalkins@gmail.com) to schedule an
interview.
Regards,
Shavon Alkins
Enclosure
letter
ACE Helps You
Analyze
Communication Goals and
Prepare Effectively for Interviews
• Analyze your professional image to determine how you want to present yourself.
• Analyze your social media content to ensure it supports your professional image.
• Before each interview, research company websites, articles, and industry news so that you
can demonstrate your knowledge.
• Analyze your �t for the company and the job so that you can present yourself well.
Create a professional social media
presence:
Be strategic in your social media
communication by making yourself visible and
valuable
Target speci�c social media communication
outlets, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and
Twitter
Compose an effective résumé:
Select an effective résumé design and
format
Choose a format that highlights your
strengths
Compose effective résumé content
Evaluate your content and design
Compose an effective cover letter:
Analyze the position requirements
Compose persuasive content
Evaluate content and format
Analyze
Com
po
se
ACE
Evaluate
LinkedIn profile
Summary
New marketing professional who is passionate about reaching international audiences
and contributing to a creative marketing team.
I developed my interest in international work while studying abroad in the Philippines,
Spain, and Italy. My passion for marketing stems from academic and work experiences—
especially listening to the voice of the customer to improve marketing, sales, and
customer service.
Key experiences and quali�cations:
Eager to be employed by a U.S. or global company to help expand international
markets.
Experience
Sales Associate, 2015–Present
Target Corporation, Robbins, MD
Use interpersonal skills to greet and assist customers courteously and ef�ciently.
Assist with cashier functions and other duties as assigned.
Blingual Classroom Assistant, 2012–2015
Eastlawn Elementary, Middletown MD
Worked with 5th grade children to develop their literacy skills and recognize word
sets in Spanish and English.
Cashier/ Sales Associate, 2010–2011
Family Dollar Inc., Pensacola, FL
Managed front-end sales and provided excellent customer service.
Performed store setup tasks.
Education
Skills & Expertise
Language Lab Assistant, 2011–2012
Campus University, Robbins, MD
Prepared lab coursework activities.
Cashier/Sales Associate 2014–2015
Food Lion, LLC, Robbins, MD
Interacted with customers, facilitated transactions, and maintained cash drawer.
• Studied abroad in the Philippines, Spain, and Itlay
• Led student team in succesful international marketing project in the Philippines
• Returned to Manila to present at the Philippine Business Conference & Expo
• Developed deep understanding of customer needs as a sales and
customer service professional
• Achieved honors in marketing at Campus University
• Speak �uent Spanish
Campus University, Robbins. MD
B.S., Business Administration, Marketing and International Business
2011–2015
Business Marketing International Business Accounting Spanish
Leadership Communication Computer Skills
Home Pro�le Contacts Groups Jobs Inbox Companies More
combined format résumé
Shavon D. Alkins
Box 3106, Robbins, MD 21214
sdalkins@gmail.com | (338) 555-7959
www.linkedin.com/pub/shavon-d-alkins | Twitter@shavon-d-alkins
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, 3.87 GPA May 2015
Concentration in Marketing and International Business
Minors in Accounting and Spanish
Campus University, Robbins, MD
Study Abroad Experiences
• Philippines January 2014
• Italy, Spain Summer 2012
Honors
• Dean’s List, School of Business & Economics 2013–2015
• Phillips-Perry Academic Excellence Award May 2014
(presented to the study abroad student with the highest GPA every year)
RELEVANT SKILLS
Leadership
• As treasurer of the Spanish Club, managed budgets and funds while providing
effective customer service to a diverse membership
Communication
• Communicate daily with customers while performing sales associate duties
• Read, write, and speak Spanish �uently
Computer Skills
• Skilled in Microsoft Of�ce (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Pro�cient in Microsoft Access and Adobe Dreamweaver
WORK EXPERIENCE
Sales Associate October 2015–Present
Target Corporation, Robbins, MD
• Use interpersonal skills to greet and assist customers courteously and ef�ciently
• Assist with cashier functions and other duties as assigned
Cashier/Sales Associate August 2014–October 2015
Food Lion, LLC, Robbins, MD
• Interacted with customers, facilitated transactions, and maintained cash drawer
Bilingual Classroom Assistant August 2012–May 2015
Eastlawn Elementary, Middletown, MD
• Worked with 5th grade children to develop their literacy skills and recognize
word sets in Spanish and English
Language Lab Assistant August 2011–May 2012
Campus University, Robbins, MD
• Prepared lab coursework activities
Cashier/Sales Associate September 2010–July 2011
Family Dollar Inc., Pensacola, FL
• Managed front-end sales and provided excellent customer service
• Performed store setup tasks
ACE
ACE Helps You
Compose
a Professional Image in
Your Appearance,
Speaking, and Writing
Look Professional
• Arrive early for your interview.
• Dress like a businessperson rather than a college student.
• Use professional (conservative) grooming habits.
• Wear a watch and turn off your cell phone.
• Carry a well-stocked briefcase or portfolio.
Speak Well
• Prepare effective answers to standard interview
questions.
• Compose answers to behavioral questions using the
STAR method.
• Compose good questions to ask about the company and
position.
• Be polite when you greet people. Use good eye contact,
and shake hands �rmly.
• Communicate your interest and abilities and demonstrate
professional enthusiasm.
• Restrain your nervous energy and project a professional
voice.
Write Effectively
• Compose thank-you messages within 24 hours of the
interview.
• Even if you respond to job offers and rejections on the
telephone, follow up with formal letters that convey a
positive impression.
ACE
ACE Helps You
Evaluate
Your Performance
• Evaluate positive aspects of your interview to
replicate them in future interviews.
• Evaluate negative aspects of your interview
and plan changes to improve future
interviews.
• Evaluate your responses to interview questions
and plan changes if necessary.
ACE
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Key Terms
Action interview p. 476
AIDA p. 470
Behavioral questions p. 476
Brand message p. 453
Career fair p. 476
Chronological résumé p. 459
Combined résumé p. 461
Cover letter p. 468
Elevator pitch p. 454
Functional résumé p. 461
Group interview p. 476
Network p. 455
Panel interview p. 476
Professional brand p. 452
STAR Method p. 476
Unique selling proposition
p. 454
Virtual interview p. 476
MyBCommLab®
Go to mybcommlab.com to complete the problems marked with this icon .
1 What can you do to analyze your strengths and skills?
2 What questions should you ask yourself to analyze your profes-
sional image?
3 How can you maintain a professional social media presence?
4 What guidelines should you follow to select an effective résumé
design and format?
5 What questions should you ask yourself when you evaluate the
content and format of your cover letters?
6 How would you sell your strengths during onsite company
interviews?
7 Select a company you would like to work for, and list specific
print, online, and social media resources you would use to analyze
the company.
8 How can you ensure a positive first impression during an
interview?
9 List the guidelines to consider before participating in an interview
meal or social gathering. Explain why each suggestion helps you
present a professional image.
10 Explain the questions you should ask yourself after an interview to
evaluate your performance.
1 Having a career plan is important, though experts suggest keeping
an open mind about what you might want to do and where you
might want to work. Describe your “perfect” job after graduation.
Then identify jobs that may lead to that “perfect” job in a few years.
2 Creating a professional brand is critical to your job search. If you
were to begin a job search today, what would your brand message
be? What changes to your email address, signature block, voice
mail greeting, social media content, and communication habits
would you need to make to ensure that you appear professional?
Provide specific examples.
3 Many employers list effective communication, collaboration, and
interpersonal skills as job requirements. How can you demon-
strate these qualities in your social media content? Identify ex-
amples of posts, tweets, pins, and other content or interaction that
would provide specific evidence of your skills.
4 Job candidates sometimes produce video résumés in order to
stand out from competitors. What are the pros and cons of send-
ing a video résumé to a potential employer?
5 Assume you are interested in a job advertisement for an internship
with a company near your college campus. The advertisement
indicates the company accepts mailed and emailed applications.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of mail versus email
for submitting your application materials?
6 When applicants do not adequately prepare for standard inter-
view questions, they often provide ineffective answers to inquiries
about their weaknesses. Why is it a bad idea simply to admit a
weakness such as being late on deadlines, procrastinating, or dis-
liking group work? Why does giving yourself a backhanded com-
pliment (such as, “I’m so focused on the details that I often don’t see
the big picture”) come across as an insincere weakness? Why is it
important always to include a description of how you are address-
ing the weakness?
7 Employers’ expectations about appropriate business attire may
vary based on the industry. Why do you think people in financial
management and legal professions often dress more formally than
people who work in computer and service-based industries?
8 Two weeks after her interview with a small company in town, Cara
has not heard from the employer. She sends a follow-up email
message, but a week later she still has not heard anything. She calls
and leaves a message, and a week later has still not received a reply.
She’s very interested in the position, and the interviewer indicated
it might take a couple of weeks to make a decision. However, after
a month, Cara would at least like to know the status of her applica-
tion. What advice would you give Cara? Explain why.
9 Assume you spent the last four months of your senior year look-
ing for the perfect job. You interviewed with dozens of companies;
however, given the competitive job market, you haven’t received
any offers. Today, suddenly, you receive two very good offers from
two very good companies. The salary and compensation packages
are nearly identical, and the opportunities for advancement are
similar. Both jobs are in the same town where you currently live.
Critical Thinking Questions
Review Questions
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by April 30 at the latest. Unfortunately, the other four companies
needed his response before then. Raúl concluded that because he
had received offers from the rest of the companies, his odds were
fairly good to receive an offer from Baylor, too. But he wondered if
he shouldn’t take one of the four offers while he still had them rather
than turn down a sure thing. What would you do? Explain why.
How would you decide which job to take? Make a list of at least
five criteria you would use to help you make a decision.
10 During March, Raúl interviewed for five internships for the upcom-
ing summer before his senior year. Of the five, he was most interested
in Baylor Industries. By April 10, he had received offers from every
company except Baylor, which indicated it would make a decision
How do you polish your professional presence
for a job search? (pages 452–459)
1 Analyze your career goals, strengths,
and skills—career goals
Even if you think you know what you want to do with your career,
identifying your strengths and preferences can help you narrow your
focus. Answer the following questions and support your responses with
examples, evidence, or explanation:
• Do you prefer to work collaboratively with other people or on
your own?
• Would you enjoy a creative position or a more procedural job?
• Do you see yourself working for a large or small company? In a
large or small city?
• Would you enjoy a job that requires travel?
Based on your strengths and preferences, what kind of jobs related
to your major would you be interested in pursuing after graduation?
Provide your responses in a one-page summary.
2 Analyze your career goals, strengths,
and skills—strengths and skills
Even if you do not have any full-time work experience, you most likely
have strengths and skills that can translate into assets for a potential
employer. Create a one-page summary based on the following four-
part analysis. Be as specific as possible about your skills and word them
to relate to your chosen career path.
• Outline your experiences.
• Identify areas of expertise.
• List your sellable qualities.
• Identify your weaknesses.
3 Compose your brand message and strategic social
media content—brand message
Compose a brand message that stresses your value as a prospective em-
ployee. Use this message to draft an elevator pitch. Then create a tag
line that you can add to your email signature block and business cards.
Provide this information to your instructor in a one-page summary.
4 Compose your brand message and strategic social
media content—strategic social media content
Review your current social media sites and make a list of content that
you would want to remove before you conducted a job search. Cat-
egorize your list by images, posts you’ve made, comments others have
posted to your site, and content you’ve “liked,” shared, or pinned. Then
make a list of strategies you would use to make yourself visible and
valuable to potential employers. Finally, make a list of content you
might include in a blog, e-portfolio, or video résumé. Summarize this
information in a message to your instructor.
5 Evaluate your virtual professional image
Use the criteria in Figure 12.6 on pages 458–459 to evaluate the image
of you that your email messages, business cards, and telephone conver-
sations portray. Write a one-page report to your instructor outlining
how your current image conforms to the advice in Figure 12.6 and what
you can do to improve your image. Be specific and include examples.
For instance, if you don’t have business cards, compose content and
design a sample to include with your report.
How do you compose an effective résumé?
(pages 459–467)
6 Analyze your options for organizing your résumé
Which résumé format—chronological, functional, or combined—
would you recommend for the following scenarios? Explain your
choice for each scenario and explain how the applicants should high-
light their strengths on their résumés.
a. Sally is a junior applying for an internship with a company that is
looking for business students with proven analytical skills and at-
tention to detail. Sally hasn’t had any related work experience, but
she has completed two service learning volunteer projects: one in
a nursing home where she helped plan activities and the other for
the local public television station where she prepared financials
for grant applications.
b. George is applying for an entry-level managerial position with
a manufacturing company. George spent five years working full
time as a loader in the warehouse of a large manufacturing com-
pany while he put himself through college. However, he does not
have any managerial experience.
c. Tamara has 10 years of clerical experience working as an admin-
istrative assistant in one of the academic offices on her campus.
While working, she has taken classes part-time and is finally ready
to graduate with a degree in business administration. She is apply-
ing for a position as an office manager for a Fortune 500 company.
7 Compose effective résumé content—objective
statements
Assume you are applying for an internship to gain experience related to
your major. The internship advertisement indicates the company pre-
fers students with effective oral and written communication skills who
are able to work efficiently in both individual and team environments.
Based on your experience, draft an objective statement, qualifications
summary, or professional profile for this position. Submit your infor-
mation to your instructor for evaluation.
8 Compose effective résumé content—extracurricular
activities
Riko is a friend you’ve known for several years. You are both first- semester
juniors with the same major. Although you have been very involved in
Key Concept Exercises
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clubs and organizations on campus, Riko has not yet participated in any
extracurricular activities. After reading this chapter, you know how im-
portant educational experiences and activities can be when applying for
jobs. To help Riko prepare for his employment search, suggest at least
three clubs, activities, or related opportunities on your campus that he
could pursue that would help him prepare for his profession and would
enhance his résumé. For each opportunity, list the requirements and costs
to join, when and how often they meet, and the benefits of membership.
Submit the information to your instructor for evaluation.
9 Compose effective résumé content—work history
Although your résumé should highlight your experience that specifi-
cally qualifies you for a position, maintaining a comprehensive work
history provides you with a database of your experiences for future ref-
erence. Create a document titled “Complete Work History” or some-
thing similar. List in chronological order (beginning with your most
recent job) every position you have held, including both paid and vol-
unteer jobs. Use a professional format that highlights job titles, company
names, locations, supervisors’ names and contact information, dates of
employment, beginning and ending salary information, specific job du-
ties, and reasons for leaving. For example, a job may have been seasonal
work or you may have relocated for school or family reasons. Proofread
carefully, and submit the document to your instructor for evaluation.
10 Compose effective résumé content
Assume your friend Estelle asked you to help her with her résumé. She
wants to apply for an internship program at the Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) she read about on the agency’s website. Estelle is major-
ing in general business, but is in the process of changing her major to
economics. When you ask why she’s interested in the internship, she
says she reads a lot of spy novels and thinks the CIA is her “dream job.”
She would enjoy being a CIA operative because she is good with people
and fits in easily in new situations. In her study abroad, she got along
well with her host family and participated in a volunteer program at a
local hospital. She would enjoy being a CIA analyst because she has a
lot of computer experience. Even though she’s not majoring in manage-
ment information systems (MIS), she has almost enough courses for a
minor. Read the job advertisement on the next page and then deter-
mine if the preliminary content Estelle has gathered is effective. Is it
tailored to this position? Does it focus on the employer’s needs? Does it
reflect her skills and abilities? Estelle knows she needs to expand her ré-
sumé and asks for your input. Use the information presented in the ré-
sumé guidelines section of this chapter to provide a comprehensive list
of suggested improvements and additional content for Estelle’s résumé.
11 Exaggerating your résumé is dangerous [Related to the
Ethics feature on page 465]
Assume that four other friends, besides Estelle, are interested in the
CIA internship described in Exercise 10. Each friend fails to meet at
least one requirement. What advice would you offer your friends to
help them ethically represent their experience on their résumés and
still have a chance at being considered?
a. Valeria has enough credits to be a junior, but she is only in her
second year of actual undergraduate studies because she entered
school with advanced placement credits. As a result, she will not
quite meet the requirement of three years of full-time undergrad-
uate studies.
b. Ivan has always wanted to work for the government, and the CIA
is appealing to him because he is very analytical and he loves the
idea of working internationally. He is majoring in French, which
is not one of the CIA’s preferred majors. His minor is Middle East-
ern Studies, and he has begun to take a course in Arabic, but he is
not fluent. He has also taken a number of economics and interna-
tional relations courses.
ESTELLE GANT
526 Maple Leaf Way, Rockville, MD 20851, 240.555.7837, e.gant@yahoo.com
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Part-time intern for the CIA
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Morgan State University, GPA: 3.01 In Progress
Study Abroad Experience: Ghana: Social Transformation and
Cultural Expression program Fall 2014
WORK EXPERIENCE
Teller, Bank of America, Rockville, MD 2015–Current
• Greet customers and process banking transactions
• Analyze daily drawer reports and troubleshoot discrepancies
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
• Volunteer, Rockville Memorial Hospital 2014–Current
• Member, Technocrats 2015–Current
REFERENCES
Available Upon Request
résumé draft
Accompanies Exercise 10
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c. Darrien believes the CIA internship would position him very well
to get a full-time job after graduation in the consulting industry. He
is not interested in a full-time job with the CIA. However, the CIA is
interested in evaluating its interns as potential full-time employees.
d. Your friend Kendra is currently studying at another school out-
side the geographical area specified by the job advertisement, but
she wants this internship so strongly that she has applied to trans-
fer to your school, which is in the geographical area, so that she
can qualify. The CIA application is due now, and she has not yet
been accepted to your school.
12 Evaluate your content and design
If you have not updated it recently, evaluate your résumé based on the
guidelines outlined in this chapter. Is your content clear, complete,
and concise? Does it emphasize the most important information? Is
it well-designed to fit the page? Does it look professional? Are align-
ment and style consistent? Critically evaluate your résumé and make a
list of changes you will incorporate to improve the overall content and
format. Submit your list of changes to your instructor. Your instructor
may also ask you to provide before and after versions of your résumé
based on your evaluation.
JOB ADVERTISEMENT
CIA Part-Time Internship Program
If you are a promising undergraduate senior or graduate student currently enrolled at
a university or college within the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, we’ll give you
practical work experience between classes. Interns become familiar with the CIA and
Intelligence Community by participating in a range of meetings and projects. The
program allows participants and the Agency to assess opportunities for a permanent
employment following completion of undergraduate and/or graduate school.
Minimum requirements: We are looking for students with a variety of majors,
including international affairs, non-romance languages, area studies, economics,
geography, physical sciences, or engineering. Students selected for this program must
have completed three full years of undergraduate studies or be enrolled in graduate
school and be continuing school on a full-time basis following this assignment.
Students must be enrolled in a college or university in the Washington/Metropolitan
area at time of application and for the duration of the internship. Interns generally are
required to work two semesters (depending upon their university’s schedule). A GPA
of 3.0 or better is required.
Because of the CIA’s national security role, all applicants must successfully complete a
thorough medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and an extensive
background investigation. The CIA is America’s premier intelligence agency, and we
are committed to building and maintaining a workforce as diverse as the nation we
serve.
An equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workforce.
For more information and to apply, visit www.cia.gov.
Source: Central Intelligence Agency.
Accompanies Exercises 10 and 11
How do you find job opportunities and submit
applications? (pages 468–475)
13 Analyze your options for finding job opportunities
Use at least three different websites that list job advertisements to search
for your “dream job” after graduation. You can search Monster, Career-
Builder, US.jobs, websites of a specific company, or websites tailored
specifically to your field. Using the same search criteria, select a job ad-
vertisement that interests you from each site. Choose positions you will
be eligible to apply for immediately after graduation rather than five or
ten years later. What skills are listed in all three postings? Are any skills
required for one position, but not the rest? Are there any other differ-
ences among the positions? Will you be qualified for these positions after
graduation? If so, list the strengths you would emphasize in a cover letter
or résumé to persuade the employers to schedule an interview with you.
If not, describe how you will equip yourself with the skills you will need.
Summarize your findings in a one-page message to your instructor.
14 Compose persuasive cover letters
Find a job advertisement or posting for a position you are qualified for.
Print the advertisement and circle the keywords. Write a persuasive
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cover letter based on the guidelines presented in this chapter. Evaluate
the effectiveness of your letter and proofread carefully before submit-
ting it and the advertisement to your instructor. If you have previously
designed a résumé, ensure that the cover letter coordinates well with
the résumé in content and visual style.
15 Select a medium for submission and follow up as
necessary
Refer to Exercises 10 and 11. Assume that your friend Estelle applied to
the CIA but did not receive a response. Help Estelle compose a follow-
up email, following the model in Figure 12.21.
16 Selling your cross-cultural skills [Related to the Culture
feature on page 467]
Assume that you are interested in applying for an international job.
Create a section for your résumé titled “International Expertise and
Understanding.” Based on the advice in the Culture feature, write a set
of bullet points that you can include in this section. In addition, write
a second set of bullet points that you could include in your “Skills and
Abilities” section, highlighting skills that will help you work effectively
in a cross-cultural environment. Be honest about those skills. Remem-
ber that you may be asked to explain them in detail in an interview.
How do you prepare for a job interview?
(pages 476–481)
17 Analyze how to benefit from different types of
interviews
Attend a local career fair to observe the format and layout of the event.
Note both the employers and the job seekers. Were there obvious differ-
ences in attire, professionalism, or image? Talk to students who spoke with
recruiters. What kinds of questions did they ask? What was the experience
like? What advice do the students recommend? Summarize your findings
and highlight those that specifically relate to your career goals. Be prepared
to present this information in class or in a message to your instructor.
18 Preparing for virtual interviews with Skype
[Related to the Technology feature on page 479]
Conduct a Skype-based mock job interview. Create a Skype profile and
ask a friend, who also has a Skype account, to interview you by ran-
domly selecting questions from Figure 12.23 on page 478. Consider all
the guidelines provided in this chapter about virtual interviews, includ-
ing interview location and your attire. Record the interview and then
evaluate yourself. What did you do well? What could you improve?
Summarize your evaluation in a one-page message to your instructor.
19 Compose good answers—and good questions
The STAR Method is an effective format to use when responding to
behavioral questions. Outline a scenario, task, action, and result you
could use to respond to the following interview prompts:
a. Describe a time when you worked well under pressure or orga-
nized a major project.
b. Describe something you have done that shows you have initiative
and creativity.
c. Describe a time when you faced frustration. How did you deal
with it?
Be prepared to share your responses in class or in a message to
your instructor. Evaluate your response based on feedback you receive.
20 Evaluate your professional appearance
Pat is a senior marketing major who spent college working two jobs:
as a short-order cook at a local diner on weeknights and as a coach
for a large K–12 indoor soccer league on the weekends. Pat is also on
the school’s soccer team and typically wears gym clothes to classes to
be ready to go to soccer practice. Pat’s wardrobe does not include any
businesslike clothing, not even business casual options. In prepara-
tion to begin interviewing for jobs, Pat knows investing in a business
wardrobe is important. However, Pat does not have a lot of money to
spend. Help Pat determine what to buy and where to buy it to stay
within a reasonable budget (assume Pat’s gender is the same as yours).
Provide Pat with two interview options, complete with accessories and
portfolio, as well as three business casual outfits that can be mixed and
matched to extend the wardrobe. Research every detail: stores, labels,
styles, shoes, and so forth. Be prepared to share your findings in class
or summarize them in a message to your instructor.
How can you make a positive impression during
and after an interview? (pages 481–490)
21 Project a professional presence
Several business etiquette quizzes are available online. Search for the
following titles or other interactive business etiquette sites.
• USA Today—Miss Business Manner’s Etiquette Quiz
• GradView—Test Your Business Etiquette
• International Social and Business Savvy Quotient
Take one quiz and score your responses. What percentage of ques-
tions did you answer correctly? Summarize the questions you answered
incorrectly, and be prepared to share what you learned in class or in
writing to your instructor.
22 Compose effective post-interview messages
Assume you responded to an advertisement for a summer internship
with a local business, Metrix Marketing Consultants. After submitting
your cover letter and résumé, the assistant to the human resources di-
rector (you forgot to record her name) called to invite you to partici-
pate in a panel interview. At the beginning of the interview, you wrote
down the names and positions of the five panel members, none of
whom was the person who called you or the human resources director.
Each panel member asked questions and responded to your questions.
Philip Peterson, a marketing research analyst, appeared to be the most
senior member of the panel, but he didn’t lead the interview. In fact,
none of the panel members led the interview. Phyllis McEwen started
the interview with an overview of the process, and Rayna Hampton
concluded the interview, asking if you had any questions and finally
indicating that they would follow up in two weeks with a decision. At
the end of the interview, you asked for business cards, but no one had
one. Before you left, you thanked and shook hands with each person.
It was a good interview. When you get home, you remember that you
should write a thank-you note. Do you send a note to one person or to
each of the five panel members? If you send five notes, do you say the
same thing in each one or do you customize? Additionally, you’re not
sure if you have the correct spellings of their names: Phillip or Philip,
Peterson or Petersen, McEwen or Macuen, Rayna or Reyna? Whom
do you contact for this information and how? You don’t have a phone
number or email address for anyone, and you submitted your résumé
electronically on the company’s website. Outline what you would do,
whom you would write to, and what you would say.
23 Evaluate your performance
Register with your school’s career services office, if you have not al-
ready done so, and schedule a mock interview with one of the career
counselors. Ask for feedback from the counselor, and then evaluate
your performance based on the criteria outlined in the chapter. Sum-
marize your evaluation in a one-page message to your instructor.
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24 Writing a professional résumé
Select a job advertisement or internship listing that interests you and
create (or modify) your résumé to apply for that job using the guide-
lines presented in this chapter. Use the résumé format—chronological,
functional, or combined—that bests suits your experience. Submit the
advertisement and your résumé to your instructor for evaluation, ei-
ther in hard copy or PDF form.
25 Creating a plain-text résumé
Transform the résumé that you created in Exercise 24 into a plain-text
version that you can easily cut and paste into a web-based form or the
body of an email message. Submit your résumé by email to your in-
structor for evaluation.
26 Writing a persuasive cover letter
Find a job advertisement or posting for a position you are qualified
for. Print the advertisement and circle the keywords. Write a persuasive
cover letter based on the guidelines presented in this chapter. Evaluate
the effectiveness of your letter and proofread carefully before submit-
ting it and the advertisement to your instructor. If you have previously
designed a résumé, ensure that the cover letter coordinates well with
the résumé in content and visual style.
27 Compiling effective references
Brainstorm the people you know who can be part of your professional
network. Make a comprehensive list noting your relationship with the
people, their contact information, and their professional affiliations, if
applicable. From that list, select three to five professional people who
can serve as professional references for you. Format a reference sheet
with a heading similar to your résumé heading, and add an appropri-
ate title, such as “References,” before listing their names and contact
information.
28 Designing business cards
Design a business card that complements the format or style of your
cover letter and résumé. Include your name and contact information.
Consider including your major and institutional affiliation as well.
29 Writing your own recommendation letter
Find a job posting for an internship or job you would be interested in
pursuing after graduation. Assume that you have applied for the posi-
tion and scheduled an interview. The employer is requesting a letter of
recommendation from your faculty advisor. When you ask your advi-
sor for the letter, she indicates that she is really very busy and won’t be
able to provide a letter by the time you need it unless you draft it for her.
She assures you that she’ll edit it as necessary to make it sound like her,
but she needs you to put the content on the page and in an appropriate
format. Research content for professional recommendation letters and
then draft your own letter, being sure to integrate evidence that sup-
ports your qualifications for this specific job. Evaluate your letter and
submit it and your job advertisement to your instructor for evaluation.
30 Preparing responses to interview questions
Find a reputable resource that lists interview questions specific to your
discipline. (Tip: You can search the web using the name of your field
and the phrase “interview questions,” for example “accounting inter-
view questions.”) Select five questions and draft your responses in a
one-page report. Be prepared to share your questions and answers in
class or submit your report to your instructor for evaluation.
31 Composing targeted thank-you messages
Assume that earlier today you interviewed for a competitive summer
internship with McMillen-Scott, Inc., a local company. Your contact
person, Carla Ruiz, an assistant manager and director of the internship
program, was in the reception area when you arrived. Carla greeted
you and led you to a conference room where you met Andre Moore
and Toby Smith, who were also assistant managers. During the next
hour, you learned that the internship would give you a wide breadth
of experience at the company by helping with several projects in three
different departments while regular employees are on vacation. Your
interview concluded just before lunch, and although it wasn’t planned
as part of your interview experience, Andre and Toby invited you to
have lunch with them. Carla had a lunch meeting with a client. During
lunch, Andre and Toby shared their insights about the company and,
in response to your request for career advice, talked at length about
graduate school and professional development options. You thanked
Toby when he paid for your lunch.
As you reflect on the interview and lunch, you realize the intern-
ship will require good time management and prioritization skills to
balance the many projects and needs of different departments. Your
skills in these areas are very strong, and you regret that you forgot to
emphasize that during your interview. However, you decide you can
work them into your thank-you messages to Carla, Andre, and Toby.
Compose unique thank-you messages to each person, carefully evalu-
ate your messages, and submit your documents to your instructor.
Writing Exercises
32 Comparing companies’ résumé submission
requirements
In a team, brainstorm a list of companies within a specific industry;
for example, sports-related (Nike, Reebok, Adidas), technology-related
(Microsoft, Intel, Google), or financial services (Citibank, Bank of
America, Wells Fargo) companies. The number of companies you list
should equal the number of people in your team. Assign one company
to each team member. Visit the companies’ websites to determine the
employment opportunities they provide. How do they prefer applicants
to submit employment information (for example, web-based submis-
sions, emailed résumés, or hardcopy mailings)? Discuss the similarities
and differences among the companies and collaboratively write a one-
page message that summarizes your findings.
33 Role-playing interview skills
In small groups of three or four, assign the role of interviewer to one
student and the role of interviewee to another student. The remain-
ing student(s) will serve as an observer and recorder. The interviewee
describes an entry-level job related to his or her career goal, and the in-
terviewer selects three to five questions from the list of standard inter-
view questions presented in Figure 12.23 (page 478). For five minutes,
role-play an interview. The observer/recorder makes notes about the
Collaboration Exercises
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interviewee’s responses, and, at the conclusion of the interview, pro-
vides both positive and constructive feedback. Rotate roles and repeat
the process, ensuring that different interview questions are selected
with each round. If time permits, ensure everyone in the group has had
an opportunity to serve as the interviewee. Review the strengths and
weaknesses of the group’s collective interview responses. What simi-
larities exist? What differences? Be prepared to present a summary of
your findings in class or in a message to your instructor.
34 Connecting with companies
Make a list of the companies where you might want to intern next sum-
mer or work after graduation. Connect with those companies through
Facebook, LinkedIn, and/or Twitter and look for ways to interact with
the company. Make a list of important people in your industry to
“friend” and follow. Share your lists and connections in a message to
your instructor, or be prepared to present your information in a short
presentation to the class.
35 Videotape yourself during a mock interview
Ask a friend to interview you, or schedule a mock interview with your
school’s career center if you can record it. Post the interview to your
Facebook page or YouTube channel. Ask your professional network to
provide constructive feedback. Summarize the responses you receive
and your own conclusions in a short report to your instructor.
Social Media Exercises
36 Making informal/impromptu presentations
a. What are your career goals? What is your “dream job”? In a one- to
two-minute presentation, identify the kind of job you hope to ob-
tain immediately after graduation and the job you hope to achieve
10 or 15 years later. Explain what you will do to prepare yourself
for your dream job.
b. What skill or strength do you currently possess that will help you
secure a job related to your major after graduation? In a one- to
two-minute presentation, describe the skill, when you obtained it,
and how it will benefit your career.
c. What skill do you need to develop or enhance before you begin
your job search? In a one- to two-minute presentation, describe
the skill, when and how you plan to develop it, and how it will
benefit your career.
d. Imagine you could write the job description for your “perfect job.”
Identify the job title and summarize the specific duties in a one- to
two-minute presentation.
e. Identify five capabilities and skills you currently possess that you
could highlight on your résumé. Describe specific evidence to
support each ability. For example, you could support your abil-
ity to work well with others by citing your leadership during a
two-day car wash fundraiser last semester when you successfully
organized 25 volunteers.
37 Briefing your class about job-search resources
a. Research the student organizations your school supports. How
many are there? How many of the organizations focus on students’
academic or professional development? Which ones would help
prepare you for your career goals? Identify three organizations
and describe their goals, benefits, and (if applicable) any member-
ship requirements. Prepare a visual aid that outlines this informa-
tion, and describe your findings to your audience in a three- to
five-minute presentation.
b. Research three different websites that provide résumé-writing
tips. Compare their suggestions for creating professional résumés
and identify what you perceive to be the three most important tips
that all three recommend, as they will relate to your job search.
Prepare a visual aid, such as a slide or handout, that outlines these
three tips, and describe your findings to your audience in a three-
to five-minute presentation.
c. Use the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook
Handbook to learn about a specific job related to your major. List
up to five things you read that you already knew about this posi-
tion and identify where you learned about them. Then list up to
five things you read that you did not know about this position.
Prepare a visual aid to support a three- to five-minute presenta-
tion that describes your findings.
d. Select a specific company for which you would like to work. Research
its website to familiarize yourself with its mission, products or ser-
vices, corporate culture, and financial outlook. Summarize your find-
ings in a three- to five-minute presentation during which you display
either selected pages from the company’s website or other visual aids
you have prepared. Throughout your presentation, indicate why the
information persuades you to want to work for this company.
e. Research international internship opportunities. In a three- to
five-minute presentation, outline where students can find interna-
tional internship opportunities and what skills are required to be a
competitive candidate. Prepare a one-page handout summarizing
this information to support your presentation.
38 Presenting research
Research one of the following topics and prepare a visual aid to support
a three- to five-minute presentation:
a. Visit your school’s career center, either in person or online. Research
the career fair opportunities it provides or recommends in your area.
Determine if career-specific fairs, such as for business, the health in-
dustry, or education occupations, are available. Also, research the com-
panies that recruit on campus outside of career fairs. Summarize your
findings and highlight those that specifically relate to your career goals.
b. Select a company that you would be interested in working for after
graduation. Research the company’s website to become familiar
with its history, mission and/or vision statement, financial health,
and recent developments or projects. Brainstorm five questions
specific to this company that you could ask during an interview.
In your presentation, display the website highlighting the infor-
mation upon which your questions are based. Then present your
questions and explain how you would use the employer’s answers
to determine if the job is a good fit for you.
c. Interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences for even the
most prepared applicants. Find at least two sources that provide
Speaking Exercises
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e. What are your salary expectations? Research salaries for jobs
you are interested in pursuing after graduation. What is the
range? What are the differences among various geographic re-
gions? What differences in an applicant’s qualifications would
justify a salary at the upper end of the range? In addition to
salary, what other benefits are included in typical compensation
packages?
stress-relieving suggestions you can use to reduce your anxiety
before and during interviews. Explain the suggestions and, if pos-
sible, demonstrate them during your presentation.
d. Find online images or take photos of friends (or yourself ) in
“street clothes,” business casual outfits, and business formal attire.
Display the photos in a PowerPoint presentation that includes
annotated descriptions of how or why the outfits fit into each
category. Explain the outfits and their accessories during the pre-
sentation, moving from most casual to most formal.
39 Spelling (see Appendix C: Grammar, Punctuation,
Mechanics, and Conventions—Section 4.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 incorrect homonyms
or near homonyms, which a spell checker may not catch. Underline all
of your corrections.
Businesses rely on text messaging for many things besides ad-
vertising. Texting can compliment other forms of communi-
cation and surpass some for speed and affectiveness. To site
one example, let’s consider instant communication between a
stockbroker and investor. The broker can council the investor
about the movement of a stock price and get a “buy” or “sell”
decision quickly. Vendors can confirm deliveries, customers can
track shipments, and contractors can tell there on-sight crews
to precede with construction. Another principle advantage of
text messages is the ability to communicate silently. In situations
where speaking may be awkward or impossible but immediate
communication is important, texting makes more sense then a
phone call. Instead of searching in vain for a place to take a call,
a person can simply tap out a reply, waving the need for privacy.
Grammar Exercises
MyBCommLab
Go to mybcommlab.com for Auto-graded writing questions as well as the follow-
ing Assisted-graded writing questions:
1 Creating a unique but consistent format for your résumé and cover letter is one
method of demonstrating your skills with word processing and page design appli-
cations. How else might you demonstrate specific skills through your employment
communication, including your social media communication?
2 Although telephone interviews may cause less stress than face-to-face interaction,
they do not provide you with visual cues that help you interpret people’s feelings
and attitudes. Identify the kinds of information that you might perceive from visual
cues in an interview. What strategies could you use in a telephone interview to
elicit this kind of information?
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http://blog.simplyhired.com/2012/05/5-tips-to-a-great-skype-interview.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/04/09/7-tips-to-nail-a-skype-interview/
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http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/02/21/the-13-most-outrageous-job-interview-mistakes/
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http://www.gallup.com/poll/101707/Business-Casual-Most-Common-Work-Attire.aspx
http://blog.randstad.ca/Blog/bid/132650/Interview-First-Impressions-The-Most-Crucial-2-Seconds-In-Your-Next-Job-Interview
http://www.gallup.com/poll/101707/Business-Casual-Most-Common-Work-Attire.aspx
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/08/26/job-seekers-no-the-interview-thank-you-note-is-not-dead/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/08/26/job-seekers-no-the-interview-thank-you-note-is-not-dead/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2013/08/26/job-seekers-no-the-interview-thank-you-note-is-not-dead/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2013/06/17/why-women-must-ask-the-rightway-negotiation-advice-from-stanfords-margaret-a-neale/
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/job-offers/a/withdraw-from-a-job.htm
http://www.nclc.org/issues/broken-records.html
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Using standard formatting guidelines for basic business documents will help you ensure your
written communication looks professional. This appendix provides advice and annotated ex-
amples you can use to help you format your emails, memos, letters, and reports. If your in-
structor or employer requests formats that are different from the samples provided, keep in
mind that your goal should always be to ensure a professional-looking document that effec-
tively communicates your purpose.
Email
Follow email formatting guidelines to ensure you include all the elements needed in business
emails and to ensure that your content is easy to read on a computer or mobile device.
Email formatting guidelines
A professional business email message includes the following elements:
• Email addresses. When composing an email message, put the recipient’s email address on the
“To” line. If you want to send the same message to several recipients, separate their email ad-
dresses with commas. If you want to send a courtesy copy (“cc”) to a secondary audience, add
their email addresses on the “cc” line. The “bcc” line is for a “blind courtesy copy” and is used
to send a copy of the message to people without communicating that fact to the “To” and “cc”
recipients.
• Subject line. Always include a short and meaningful subject line. The best subject lines clearly
communicate the purpose of your message. For example, “Sales Meeting” is not a meaningful
subject line. The recipients would have to open your message to know whether you are trying
to schedule a sales meeting or following up after a meeting. If you are sending meeting minutes
requiring no response, your subject line might be “Sales Meeting Minutes,” which would indi-
cate that the message is not urgent and recipients can read it when they have time. However, if
you are trying to schedule a meeting and need their quick response, your subject line might be
“Need Input for Meeting Date Before 5 PM,” which would prompt recipients to read the message
right away.
• Salutation. The salutation or greeting addresses the message to the primary audience. How
the salutation is worded sets the tone for the rest of the document. Formal business emails
frequently use “Dear” in the salutation, such as “Dear Mr. Smith.” However, contemporary
business writers are moving away from the traditional use of “Dear,” especially in informal
emails, often choosing instead to use a salutation such as “Hi, John” or “Hello, Mr. Smith.” In
some cases, you might simply use the person’s name without any salutation, although some
audiences may consider it rude to omit a salutation.
Different salutations require different punctuation. In a formal email, a salutation like
“Dear Mr. Smith” ends with a colon. There is no other punctuation. In the less formal saluta-
tion, “Hello, John,” a comma separates the greeting from the name, and the salutation ends with
a colon or comma, depending on the level of formality you want to convey. In rare cases, you
may see salutations formatted with open punctuation, which means neither the salutation nor
the complimentary closing includes punctuation.
Appendix A
Formats for Business Documents
507
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• Name. Whether you use a person’s first or last name in the salutation depends on how you
address the individual in face-to-face settings. If your boss has asked you to call him “John,” ad-
dress your email to him as “John” rather than “Mr. Smith.” However, when emailing new clients
or customers for the first time, do not assume they want you to use their first names. Practice
professional business etiquette by erring on the side of formality. Similarly, do not assume that
a woman is a “Mrs.” unless you know your recipient prefers “Mrs.” It is better to use “Ms.” or a
professional title such as “Dr.” or “Rev.” when applicable.
• Paragraphs. Short email messages may include just a few lines of text. Longer messages should
use the following paragraphing techniques to organize the content effectively:
° Keep the first paragraph short (50 words or less) and quickly get to the point of the message.
Imagine that your audience is reading the message on a smartphone or other mobile device.
Make sure the main idea is visible on the first screen so the audience doesn’t have to scroll
to find it. Also, do not begin with “This email is about….” Your subject line tells the recipient
the topic of the email.
° Begin the middle paragraph(s) with a topic sentence that identifies the main point of the
paragraph. Keep the middle paragraphs relatively short; average paragraphs are roughly 100
words in length.
° End the message with a short paragraph requesting any action, indicating any deadlines,
and maintaining goodwill with the audience.
• Complimentary closing. In formal situations, use a closing such as “Sincerely.” In less formal
messages, you might use “Thanks” or “Regards.” The closing is followed by a comma and then
your name on the next line. Using just your first name is fine for informal messages to people
who will immediately recognize your email address. However, if you are writing to someone
who does not know you, use your first name and last name. Do not use a personal title such
as “Mr.” or “Ms.” with your name unless the recipient cannot identify your gender from your
first name (such as Pat, Chris, or Rathi). In these cases, use your personal title so the recipient
knows to address you as either Mr. or Ms. in a response to your message.
• Signature block. In formal emails, always include an electronic signature block that displays all
relevant contact information, including your name, position title, department, company, email
address, phone number, and fax number. Even in informal emails within your own organiza-
tion, using a signature block is a good practice. If someone wants to respond to your message
by telephone, your telephone number will be immediately available. Further, if the recipient
forwards your email or prints it, your contact information will remain with the message.
• Attachments. If you include attachments with an email, always identify the attachments within
the body of the message to ensure that the recipient is aware of the attached files and knows
what they include.
Refer to the annotated examples on the next page when formatting informal and formal email
messages. Figure A.1 provides an example of an informal email message, and Figure A.2 is an
example of a formal email.
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FIGURE A.1 Informal Email Message Format
email
jsmith@forresterauto.com
Department Meeting Agenda
Agenda-20XX-04-03
Hi, John:
Would you please review the attached agenda and give me some feedback before
tomorrow’s department meeting? I support the idea of summer hours because it improves
our flexibility. Do you see any problem with that plan?
Mark
Mark F. Jones
Regional Sales Manager
Forrester Automotive
Charleston, NC 29401
mfjones@forresterauto.com
Cell: 704.555.5677
Fax: 704.555.5601
Name is included as a sign-off
for personalization.
Subject line is short
but meaningful.
Salutation is informal, such
as “Hi” or “Hello” with a
comma and then the
person’s name. End with a
colon.
Complimentary closing,
such as “Thanks“ or
“Cheers“ followed by a
comma, is optional.
Signature block is optional
for informal email messages,
although it provides helpful
information if the email is
forwarded to others.
FIGURE A.2 Formal Email Message Format
email
r.reingold@cartella.com
Question about Summer Hours at Cartella Industries
Dear Ms. Reingold:
One of my colleagues, Ryan Jain, used to work at Cartella Industries and spoke very favorably of
the summer-hours schedule that you instituted there three years ago. My company, Forrester
Automotive, is considering a similar plan.
May I call you next week to talk briefly about Cartella ’s experience with the modified schedule?
We would like to learn from your experience so that we can make a smooth transition to the
summer hours. Please let me know when you are available for a brief, 10-minute conversation.
I’d greatly appreciate your help.
Sincerely,
Mark Jones
Mark F. Jones
Regional Sales Manager
Forrester Automotive
Charleston, NC 29401
mfjones@forresterauto.com
Cell: 704.555.5677
Fax: 704.555.5601
Subject line indicates both the
topic and the purpose of the email.
Short paragraphs make the
email easy to read.
Signature block includes
name, job title, company
name and address, and
contact information.
Salutation is formal (“Dear”)
with the person’s personal
title (“Mr.” or “Ms.”) and last
name because the recipient
does not know the writer.
End with a colon.
Complimentary closing
precedes your first and last
name.
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Email report format
You can compose informal email reports to share information with people within your organi-
zation. Email reports may also be appropriate for external audiences if the context is informal
and you know the audience prefers email over other medium options. Figure A.3 provides an
example of an email report format. Notice that the salutation and complimentary closing are
optional.
FIGURE A.3 Email Report Format
email
Report on Washington, DC, Sales Trip, June 10
Joe Jackson
On June 10, 20XX, I traveled to Washington, DC, to call on two clients and to introduce
Communication Consulting Experts (CCE) to a potential new client. The trip was very successful.
In a meeting with the U.S. Marine Corps, I scheduled training under our current contract and
received a request to submit a revised proposal for additional training. In a meeting with the
Food and Drug Administration, I reviewed our current proposal bid. Finally, I met the Director
of Human Resources for NASA and began discussions about their training needs. Here are the
details of the three meetings.
U.S. Marine Corps
Person called on: Col. John Piercynski, Training Of�cer
Discussion: We reviewed the results of CCE’s pilot program training of 30 mid-level Marine
of�cers (rank from lieutenant to lt. colonel) in presentation and brie�ng skills. The pilot program
was received favorably, but participants wanted more emphasis on use of PowerPoint slides in
brie�ngs. Col. Piercynski requested a revised proposal for one additional pilot program
that incorporates more emphasis on PowerPoint, with a seminar to be given no later than
August 1. The rollout of our current training of 300 of�cers is still on schedule for the October to
December time frame.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Person called on: Dr. James Holman, Director of Human Resources
Discussion: This was an introductory visit (cold call) to present our credentials and demonstrate
our product offerings. Dr. Holman seemed interested in our technical writing training.
Next steps: I will send a follow-up email to arrange a mock training session using video
conferencing.
Warren Abbott
Sales Manager
Communication Consulting Experts
60 School Street
Boston, MA 02108
Telephone: 617-555-0103
warren.abbott@commexperts.com
Subject line is short and
meaningful.
Salutation is optional.
Introduction identi�es the
purpose of the message.
Headings organize content.
Paragraphs separate topics
and improve readability.
Complimentary closing
is optional.
Signature block includes
standard information.
Memos
Memos are similar to email messages with the exception that they are either printed and dis-
tributed as hard copies or sent as email attachments. When printed, memos often accompany
documents that cannot be sent electronically, such as forms requiring signatures or carbon
documents completed in triplicate. When sent as email attachments, memos provide the for-
mality of an official company document as compared to an informal email message. Memos
are generally intended for internal audiences (people within an organization rather than cus-
tomers or clients) and can be designed on letterhead or plain paper. Quite often, a company
will determine a standard memo format that all employees should use to promote consistency
in style throughout the organization.
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Memo formatting guidelines
Use standard memo headings and organize the content by placing the main idea or reason
for writing in the first line or paragraph. Short memos, such as the example in Figure A.4, may
require only one paragraph. In longer memos, as shown in Figure A.5, organize the content by
paragraph, using headings to separate topics as you would in a report.
FIGURE A.4 Short Memo Format
memo
TO: Cherilyn Martins, Vice President, Sales
FROM: Tonya Wyoll, Assistant Manager, Sales
DATE: March 15, 20XX
SUBJECT: Resources for Summer-Hours Schedule
As you requested, attached are printouts of the three web resources I found that support our
decision to implement a summer-hours work schedule between Memorial Day and Labor Day this
year. Let me know if you need additional information.
Attachments (3)
TO, FROM, DATE, SUBJECT
(or RE) headings are standard
and can be single or double spaced.
Use the tab key after the colons to
align the text. Be consistent with the
use of personal titles and/or job titles.
Create a short but specific subject line.
No salutation is used. Two blank
lines separates the headings
from the first paragraph.
Single space paragraphs.
Attachment notation indicates
the number of items attached.
No complimentary closing or
signature block is used.
FIGURE A.5 Long Memo Format
TO: Ms. Cherilyn Martins, Vice President, Sales
FROM: Ms. Tonya Wyoll, Assistant Manager, Sales
DATE: February 12, 20XX
SUBJECT: Proposal for Summer-Hours Work Schedule
At our last department meeting, we briefly discussed how a summer-hours work schedule might
improve employee morale. I’d like to propose that we try a summer schedule this year. I believe
this change will be easy to implement and will benefit our company. This memo summarizes the
detailed content in my attached proposal.
How the Schedule Will Work
The summer schedule will begin on June 1 and end on August 31. During that period,
employees can choose to work normal hours of 9 AM to 5 PM each day or come in and leave an
hour earlier (8 AM to 4 PM). All employees will be present during our busiest hours between
9 AM to 4 PM. We will not need to adjust lunch hours or breaks because the proposed hours are
very similar to our current working hours.
No salutation is used. Two blank
lines separate the headings from
the first paragraph.
Ms. Cherilyn Martins, Page 2
February 12, 20XX
Next Steps
Please let me know if you need additional information or if you would like me to draft a formal
proposal to present at next week’s upper-management meeting. I look forward to your response.
Attachments:
• Summer-Hours Work Schedule Report
• Web Resources
Attachment notation lists
the documents attached.
memo
Standard headings with
aligned content, consistent use
of titles, and a short but
specific subject line.
First paragraph presents the
main idea and mentions the
attached proposal.
Second page heading
includes recipient’s name,
page number, and date.
No complimentary
closing or signature
block is used.
Specific headings let the
audience know how the
message is organized.
Paragraphs are single
spaced; one blank line
separates paragraphs.
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Use the following guidelines to ensure your memos project a positive professional image
(keeping in mind that your instructor or company may provide specific design criteria):
• Top margin. Begin at the top margin setting or a few lines below the company logo if using
letterhead.
• Memo headings. The page title “Memorandum” is optional. However, four memo headings
are required: TO:, FROM:, DATE:, and SUBJECT: (or RE:). Use colons to separate the heading
labels from the text that follows the labels, and use the Tab key to move from the colon (:) to
the text in order to ensure the text is aligned.
• TO/FROM content. Be consistent with the use of personal titles (Mr., Ms., Dr.) and employ-
ment positions (such as Director of Sales). For example, if you are writing to “Mr. John Smith,”
include Mr. or Ms. with your name on the FROM line. However, if you are writing to “John
Smith” (without a title), do not include a personal title with your name. When including em-
ployment positions after a name, separate them from the name with a comma and use initial
caps (such as “Mr. John Smith, Director of Sales”). In a printed memo, sign the hard copy by
writing your initials next to your name. If you are sending the memo as an email attachment,
no signature is needed.
• Date. Write out the date’s month (for example, “January 10, 20XX”) on the date line.
• Subject line. Use a short (three- to five-word) subject line to indicate the topic of your message.
Use two blank lines after the SUBJECT line to separate the memo headings from the message.
• Salutation. Memos do not use salutations because the recipient’s name is prominently dis-
played on the TO line.
• Body. If the content of a memo is very short, such as in the memo in Figure A.4, write the
message in a single paragraph. If the content is lengthy, divide the content into multiple para-
graphs. Make the first paragraph short (two or three lines) and get to the point (do not begin
with “This memo is about . . .”). In a lengthy memo, also keep the middle paragraphs short,
roughly 100 words each. Be sure each paragraph has a purpose and begins with a topic sen-
tence. Single space the paragraphs. Use one blank line between paragraphs. Use paragraph
headings to separate major topics.
• Second page heading. For long memos that extend beyond one page, format the second and
subsequent page headings as shown in Figure A.5. Include the recipient’s name, the page num-
ber, and the date.
• Closing. Do not use a complimentary closing or a signature block in a memo. Your name is
displayed on the FROM line. However, if your message requests a reply, be sure to indicate your
telephone number and/or email address in the last paragraph (for example, “Please call me at
555-1522 by Friday with your response.”).
• Attachment notation. If you are attaching additional documents to your memo, describe
them in the message (for example, “Attached is a list of resources you may find useful.”). Then,
remind the audience of the attachments by placing an “Attachment” notation at the end of your
memo. Leave one blank line between the last paragraph and the attachment notation. You
can include the number of attachments in parentheses (as shown in Figure A.4) or name the
attachment(s) (as shown in Figure A.5).
Letters
Letters are generally intended for external audiences—people outside an organization, such
as customers or clients. They may also be used for formal correspondence within a company,
such as letters of resignation or letters offering a promotion. Letters are printed on letterhead
and mailed, or they are written on electronic letterhead, saved as PDFs, and sent as email
attachments.
Just as with memo formats, companies often promote consistency in style throughout an
organization by identifying a standard letter format that all employees use. Two main letter
formatting styles exist—block and modified block.
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FIGURE A.6 Block-Style Letter
letter
O: (419) 555-5563 queries@consultpro.com
F: (419) 555-5564 www.consultpro.com
March 21, 20XX
Ms. Tonya Wyoll
Assistant Manager, Sales
ABC Communications, Inc.
114 Main Street West
Newberry, OH 43431
Dear Ms. Wyoll:
Thank you for your interest in our consulting services. I enjoyed our telephone
conversation yesterday and am enclosing our proposal for the professional
development workshop “Engaging Customers with Social Media.”
The goal of this workshop is to help sales professionals harness the power of
social media to increase sales. Participants in this workshop will learn to use
social networks to find sales prospects, move beyond electronic gate keepers,
create a customer community, and drive customers to your website. Our clients
report that the techniques they learn in the workshop are both easy to implement
and effective.
Please contact me at r.nelson@consultpro.com or 555-5563 at your convenience
to discuss the workshop in more detail or to schedule a session. I look
forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Regina Nelson
Training Director
Enclosure
Letterhead
Inside address
Salutation
Paragraphs are single spaced
and not indented. One blank line
separates paragraphs.
Three blank lines between
date and inside address.
Date line at left margin at
least a half inch below the
letterhead.Use approximately
the same amount of space
above the dateline as is left
below the closing
(or enclosure).
Complimentary closing is
followed by three blank lines
to make room for the
signature before the typed
name and title.
Enclosure notation indicates
that another document is
enclosed in the same envelope
(or attached with the letter, if
sent by email).
• Block style. Align all parts of the letter at the left margin and do not indent paragraphs. Block
style is the most efficient letter style because you do not have to indent or align any of the letter
elements. See Figure A.6 for an example of a block-style letter.
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• Modified block style. This style positions the return address (if no letterhead is used), date,
complimentary closing, and signature block at the center of the page. Paragraphs are typically
not indented. A blank line separates paragraphs. See Figure A.7 for an example of a modified-
block-style letter.
FIGURE A.7 Modified-Block-Style Letter
O: (419) 555-5563 queries@consultpro.com
F: (419) 555-5564 www.consultpro.com
March 21, 20XX
Ms. Tonya Wyoll
Assistant Manager, Sales
ABC Communications, Inc.
114 Main Street West
Newberry, OH 43431-9271
Dear Ms. Wyoll:
Thank you for your interest in our consulting services. I enjoyed our telephone
conversation yesterday and am enclosing our proposal for the professional
development workshop “Engaging Customers with Social Media.”
The goal of this workshop is to help sales professionals harness the power of
social media to increase sales. Participants in this workshop will learn to use
social networks to �nd sales prospects, move beyond electronic gate keepers,
create a customer community, and drive customers to your website. Our clients
report that the techniques they learn in the workshop are both easy to implement
and effective.
Please contact me at r.nelson@consultpro.com or 555-5563 at your convenience
to discuss the workshop in more detail or to schedule a session. I look
forward to hearing from you.
Enclosure
letter
Date line begins at the
center point.
Complimentary closing,
signed name, and typed name
also begin at the center point.
Complimentary closing is
followed by three blank lines to
make room for the signature
before the typed name
and title.
Enclosure notation indicates
that another document is
enclosed in the same envelope
(or attached with the letter, if
sent by email).
Three blank lines between
date and inside address.
Inside address begins at the
left margin.
Paragraphs are single
spaced and not indented.
A blank line separates
paragraphs.
Sincerely,
Regina Nelson
Training Director
Salutation
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Letter formatting guidelines
When designing a letter, use the following guidelines to ensure that the letter projects a posi-
tive, professional image.
• Letterhead or return address. Most companies create custom-designed letterhead with their
logo and/or company name and address at the top (or sometimes at the bottom or side) of the
page. When sending letters for personal business, you might create your own letterhead to en-
hance the professionalism of your message. At a minimum, your personal letterhead should in-
clude your name and mailing address. You might also include your phone number, email address,
and LinkedIn account.
• If you are not using letterhead, provide your return address at the top of the page, starting
either at the left margin (block style) or in the center of the page (modified block style). The
return address includes your street address on the first line and your city, state, and zip code on
the next line. See Figure A.8 and Figure A.9 for examples.
• Date. Write out the month and separate the day from the year with a comma (for example,
“January 10, 20XX” ). At a minimum, place the date a half inch (usually three lines, depending
on the font size) below the letterhead or two lines below the return address. Typically, letters
should be centered vertically on the page. If your letter is short, position the date several lines
lower to balance the amount of blank space on the top and bottom of the page. If using a
FIGURE A.8 Return Address Date, and Inside Address
letter
624 Shadyside Lane
Baltimore, MD 21218
July 22, 20XX
Mr. Jacob Smithers
Precor Fabricating
200 Industrial Parkway
Baltimore, MD 21210
Dear Mr. Smithers:
Return address
Inside address
FIGURE A.9 Personalized Letterhead
letter
July 22, 20XX
Mr. Jacob Smithers
Precor Fabricating
200 Industrial Parkway
Baltimore, MD 21210
Dear Mr. Smithers:
JON RALEY
624 Shadyside Lane, Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 555-2189 | jraley@att.net
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personal return address (with no letterhead), place the date on the line below your city, state,
and zip code. Following the date, leave three blank lines (pressing the Enter key four times)
between the date and inside address. If you are including a special notation, leave two blank
lines between the date and the special notation.
• Special notations. If you are sending a letter by special delivery or certified mail, add these
notations in ALL CAPS. If you are sending a letter to someone in a company but want to
mark it as personal or confidential, add one of the following notations in ALL CAPS: personal,
confidential, private and confidential, or strictly confidential. Align a special notation at the left
margin placing it two lines below the date and two lines above the inside address.
• Inside address. The inside address includes the name and address of the person to whom the
letter will be sent. Follow these guidelines:
° First line: Use “Mr.” or “Ms.” or some other courtesy title such as “Dr.” or “Professor” in front
of the person’s name. If you include an employment title such as “Director of Marketing”
after the name, capitalize it and separate it from the name with a comma.
° Second line: Type the person’s company name, if applicable.
° Third line: Type the street address.
° Fourth line: Type the city, state, and zip code. Use the two-letter state abbreviation (see the
list of states, territories, and provinces on page 518) and one space between all elements.
Use a comma only between the city and state.
° Leave one blank line between the inside address and the salutation.
• Salutation. The use of “Dear” in the salutation is traditional. However, it is not required in let-
ters to people whom you know well. The salutation may consist of just the recipient’s name. For
formal letters, use the recipient’s personal title (“Mr.” or “Ms.”) and last name. In informal situa-
tions and when you know the person well, use just the recipient’s first name. If you do not know
the name of the person who should receive your letter, create an attention line indicating a
position title (such as “Attention: Human Resources Director” or “Attention: Sales Department”)
in place of the salutation. Leave one blank line between the salutation and the first paragraph.
• Open/closed punctuation. Closed punctuation style uses a colon (:) after the salutation and a
comma after the complimentary closing. Open punctuation style, which is used less frequently,
uses no punctuation at the end of the salutation or after the complimentary closing.
• Subject line. Subject lines are optional in letters. If you use them, format the subject line as you
would in a memo. Depending on your company’s preference, you may place it two lines above
or two lines below the salutation.
• Body. Begin with a short first paragraph (two or three lines) that quickly explains the purpose
of the message. Do not begin with “This letter is about. . . .”. The middle paragraph(s) can be
longer if necessary, up to 8 or 10 lines of text in each paragraph. Be sure each paragraph has
a purpose and begins with a topic sentence. Use headings, bulleted lists, or enumerations as
needed. The last paragraph should be short (two or three lines). In the closing, indicate any
deadlines or next steps, include your contact information, and reinforce goodwill.
• Second (and subsequent) page headings. Use the same format for second page headings in
letters as described for memos: include the recipient’s name, page number, and date of the
message.
• Complimentary closing. Start the signature block with a complimentary closing, such as “Sin-
cerely” or “Best regards,” followed by a comma (if using closed punctuation). Leave at least three
blank lines between the closing and your typed name so you have enough room to sign your
name.
• Signed name. On the printed copy, sign above your typed name. Your signature does not
have to be legible, but it should fit neatly between the complimentary closing and your typed
name. Flamboyant “celebrity-style” signatures do not project a professional image in business
documents.
• Typed name. Position your typed name (as the author of the letter) three lines below the com-
plimentary closing. Do not use a personal title such as “Mr.” or “Ms.” with your name unless
the recipient cannot identify your gender from your first name (such as Pat, Chris, or Rathi). If
you include your job title on the same line as your name, separate it with a comma. If your job
title is long, place it on the line below your typed name (without a comma after your name).
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• Enclosure notation. If you are including additional documentation with the letter, indicate
that by typing “Enclosure” below your typed name. Leave one blank line between your typed
name and the enclosure notation.
• Copy notation. If you are sending a copy of the letter to someone else, indicate that by add-
ing a “cc” notation below your typed name (or enclosure/attachment notation). The “cc” used
to mean “carbon copy,” but today it is commonly referred to as a “courtesy copy.” Include the
name and job title of the person receiving a copy. If you are sending copies to many people,
list each one on a separate line (but use “cc” only on the first line). Align each person’s name
vertically (use a tab setting).
• Postscript. Commonly prefaced with “PS,” postscripts are additional short content placed as
an afterthought at the end of the message. They may be used in informal letters and sales let-
ters (to retain the audience’s attention), but should be avoided in most formal contexts. If the
content is important, move it into the body of the message.
• Vertical placement. If the letter does not fill an entire page, center the content vertically (top
to bottom) on the page. You can do this manually by positioning the cursor at the date, zoom-
ing out to a full page view, and then pressing the “Enter” key until approximately the same
amount of space appears at the top (between the letterhead and the date line) and the bottom
(between the last typed line and the bottom of the page). Alternatively, you can use your word
processor’s page setup feature to change the page’s vertical alignment to center.
Envelope format
Most word processing programs include a mailing feature that helps you format envelopes.
Use a format similar to that shown in Figure A.10. Place your return address on the front of the
envelope in the upper left corner. If the company uses envelopes with a preprinted return ad-
dress, you may add your name above the preprinted text. Begin the recipient’s mailing address
approximately in the center of the envelope. The U.S. Postal Service suggests typing the address
in ALL CAPS with no punctuation, although some companies use initial caps for easier read-
ing. The postal service also recommends using the recipient’s ZIP+4 code. When addressing
letters to international recipients, use the format shown in Figure A.10 and replace the state
with the province or other principal subdivision. Add the country name in ALL CAPS in
English on a line by itself at the end of the address block.1
FIGURE A.10 Envelope Format
envelope
Regina Nelson
Consulting Professionals
2403 Rock Haven Boulevard, Suite 22
Newberry OH 43431-5589
MS TONYA WYOLL
ASSISTANT MANAGER SALES
ABC COMMUNICATION INC
113 MAIN STREET WEST
NEWBERRY OH 43431-9271
Return address (sender’s
name, company, and
mailing address) is typed in
the top left corner (if not
provided as envelope
letterhead).
Recipient’s address is
centered vertically between
the return address and the
bottom of the envelope
and is indented so the
text is aligned near the
horizontal center.
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Abbreviations of states, territories, and provinces
Refer to the following list of abbreviations for addresses in letters and on envelopes.
Alabama AL Louisiana LA Ohio OH
Alaska AK Maine ME Oklahoma OK
Arizona AZ Maryland MD Oregon OR
Arkansas AR Massachusetts MA Pennsylvania PA
California CA Michigan MI Rhode Island RI
Colorado CO Minnesota MN South Carolina SC
Connecticut CT Mississippi MS South Dakota SD
Delaware DE Missouri MO Tennessee TN
Florida FL Montana MT Texas TX
Georgia GA Nebraska NE Utah UT
Hawaii HI Nevada NV Vermont VT
Idaho ID New Hampshire NH Virginia VA
Illinois IL New Jersey NJ Washington WA
Indiana IN New Mexico NM West Virginia WV
Iowa IA New York NY Wisconsin WI
Kansas KS North Carolina NC Wyoming WY
Kentucky KY North Dakota ND
Abbreviations of commonwealths/territories
American Samoa AS Northern Mariana Islands MP
District of Columbia DC Palau PW
Federated States of Micronesia FM Puerto Rico PR
Guam GU Virgin Islands VI
Marshall Islands MH
Abbreviations of military “states”
Armed Forces Africa AE Armed Forces Europe AE
Armed Forces Americas AA Armed Forces Middle East AE
Armed Forces Canada AE Armed Forces Pacific AP
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Reports
Chapter 10 provides a complete discussion of report formats. Refer to Figure A.11 on
pages 519–521 for basic guidelines.
FIGURE A.11 Report Format
report
Initiating a Groupon Marketing Campaign for
Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt
Prepared for
Cali’s Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt
Prepared by
Cordelia Burrows
Marketing Intern
April 10, 20XX
Table of Contents
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ii
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1
Why Offering a Groupon Is Preferable to Traditional Advertising ……………………………………………………. 2
How Does Groupon Work?…………………………………………………………………………………. 2
How Does Groupon Differ from Other Advertising Options?…………………………………… 2
How Does Groupon Compare with Other Online Deal Sites?………………………………….. 3
Bene�ts and Risks of Offering a Groupon…………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Bene�ts of Offering a Groupon ………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Risks of Offering a Groupon ………………………………………………………………………………. 5
Recommendation: Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt Should Offer a Groupon………………………………………… 7
References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
Appendix: Contact information for Business Owners Interviewed…………………………………………………. 10
ii
Executive Summary
Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt will bene�t from offering a Groupon promotion to support the store’s
June grand opening in Boston. Both academic and business research suggest that Groupons provide
effective low-cost advertising, especially for businesses that are new and need exposure.
How Groupons Work
Groupons are “group coupons”: discount vouchers that are activated only when a suf�ciently large
group of customers agrees to purchase them. Otherwise the deal is canceled and no one is charged.
Groupon subscribers receive daily emails from Groupon featuring a deep discount on one or more
“daily deals.” The deals are advertised for a short period of time to encourage customers to purchase
the discount quickly and share details of the Groupon with others, exponentially increasing the number
of people who receive the advertising. When a deal is activated, Groupon keeps 50 percent of the
revenue, and the business receives the other 50 percent, minus credit card processing fees.
Benefits and Risks of Offering Groupons
Research shows that Groupons will bene�t Cali’s in several ways:
• Guaranteed customers during the �rst month the store is open
• Broad exposure to all 800,000 Groupon subscribers in Boston
• Additional social networking and word-of-mouth advertising beyond Groupon subscribers
• Minimal impact on cash �ow
However, Groupons do pose several potential risks:
• Loss of pro�t on customers using Groupons
• Risk of attracting one-time-only customers
• Potential devaluation of Cali’s product
• Risk of being unable to handle the in�ux of customers and thus alienating customers through bad
service
Recommendation
Despite the risks, offering a Groupon is a good marketing decision for Cali’s as a new and unknown
business. However, to minimize the risks, Cali’s should do the following:
1. Offer a limited number of Groupons.
2. Offer a short redemption period.
3. Limit the number of Groupons per person.
4. Offer a deal that is low risk to purchase.
5. Ensure a suf�cient number of trained staff are available during the promotion.
6. Conduct in-store research on the impact of the Groupon.
iii
Introduction
Since 2008, Groupon has offered businesses a venue to advertise products and services at substantially
discounted rates. Every day, Groupon subscribers receive a cleverly worded email announcing a “daily
deal” from a local business. The email encourages customers to visit Groupon’s highly traf�cked website
to learn more about the offer and purchase the deal quickly. If enough people buy this “group coupon”
within a limited time frame, then the deal is activated. The consumer saves money, and the business
owner gets increased traf�c in the store, including new customers.
Despite the popularity of Groupons, researchers and business owners have mixed opinions about the
value of offering Groupons and other online vouchers to advertise and market a business. While some
people argue that Groupons are an effective tool to attract new customers and gain exposure, others
argue that Groupons are unpro�table and that Groupon buyers are unlikely to become loyal, repeat
customers.
To determine whether to offer a Groupon in conjunction with its grand opening, Cali’s Low-Fat Frozen
Yogurt requested this study, which reviews the current research and opinions about Groupons (for
contact information for business owners interviewed, see the Appendix). Although offering a Groupon
daily deal does involve some risk, this report concludes that Cali’s will bene�t from a Groupon
promotion. The research suggests that Groupons are ideal for small, start-up businesses, such as Cali’s,
that need exposure to new customers. However, for a Groupon promotion to be successful, Cali’s must
implement it strategically.
This report
• explains how Groupons work,
• compares Groupon promotions to other advertising methods,
• identi�es the bene�ts and potential risks to Cali’s, and
• offers concrete suggestions for making a Groupon campaign a success.
1
The title page typically
includes the following
information:
• title of the report (in
bolded and larger font)
• name of the company
or person for whom
the report is prepared
• name and job title of
the author (include
your company name if
different from the
recipient’s)
• date
Balance spacing between
major elements. Do not
number the title page.
Preliminary pages,
such as the table of
contents and executive
summary, use lower-
case Roman numbers
at the bottom of the
page (left, center, or
right aligned). Use a
consistent location for
all page numbers
throughout the
manuscript.
The table of
contents lists the
section titles and
headings with their
corresponding page
numbers. Use dot
leaders with a right-
aligned margin tab to
align numbers.
An executive
summary is optional,
depending on the
formality and length of
the report. An execu-
tive summary should
summarize the
purpose, main idea or
conclusion, and key
sections of the report.
Headings can be
boldfaced for emphasis.
Use consistent styles
for similar heading levels
throughout the
manuscript.
The introduction may
be a separate section in
formal reports, or it
could be a paragraph or
two at the beginning of
the body of the report.
(continued)
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Why Offering a Groupon Is Preferable to Traditional Advertising
When allocating resources to promote the store, Cali’s must decide whether offering a Groupon is a
good substitute for traditional advertising. Cali’s must also decide whether Groupon is the best partner
for selling discount vouchers. This section of the report describes how Groupon works, how it differs
from traditional advertising, and how it compares to its competitors.
How Does Groupon Work?
Groupon is a company that offers businesses in more than 500 markets around the world a venue to
promote their products or services (“Groupon FAQ,” 2012). Groupon has an estimated 143 million
subscribers worldwide, with almost 800,000 subscribers in Boston (Raice & Woo, 2011; Roeder, 2011).
A participating business works with Groupon representatives to develop a promotion, which Groupon
sends to its subscribers as a “daily deal” (“Groupon Works,” 2012). This deal offers a deep discount on
the business’s products or services—for example, $5 for $10 worth of frozen yogurt. The deal is
advertised for a short time period and is canceled if it does not attract a minimum number of
purchasers. In practice, deals rarely are canceled because Groupon has such a large subscriber base
(Dyson, 2011). Assuming the deal does go forward, Groupon takes 50 percent of the revenue, plus
a surcharge of 2.5 percent for credit card fees, and sends the participating business a check for the
remaining 47.5 percent (J. Lurie, personal communication, March 15, 2012).
Each Groupon has a discount expiration date. Purchasers who do not use the Groupon by that date are
no longer entitled to the deep discount but can still redeem the Groupon for the amount originally paid.
For example, if a customer pays $5 for a $10 worth of yogurt and does not use the Groupon before the
expiration date, the Groupon is worth the $5 originally paid. The Groupon itself does not expire.
How Does Groupon Differ from Other Advertising Options?
From a consumer standpoint, Groupons differ from standard coupons in three ways: Groupons are
purchased in advance, offer a deeper discount, and are conditional. The deal is canceled if a minimum
number of people do not purchase it. This incentive to reach the minimum number of purchases
motivates interested consumers to encourage family and friends to buy the Groupon before the offer
ends (“Groupon Anxiety,” 2011). Groupon advertises this “collective buying power” as something
mutually beneficial for consumers, who save money, and for businesses, which benefit from the
certainty of exposure and a guaranteed minimum number of responses (“Groupon FAQ,” 2012).
The guaranteed exposure is part of Groupon’s appeal, as financial journalist Felix Salmon (2011) explained:
With traditional advertising or even with old-fashioned coupons, a merchant never has any
guarantee that they will be noticed or make any difference. But with a Groupon, you know that
hundreds of people will be so enticed by your offer that they’re willing to pay real money to access
it. That kind of guaranteed engagement is hugely valuable, and more or less unprecedented in the
world of marketing and advertising. (para. 3)
2
How Does Groupon Compare with Other Online Deal Sites?
Groupon is the market leader in the online voucher space, attracting more customers and bringing in
more revenue than its closest competitor, Living Social. The research firm ForeSee (2012) analyzed
survey responses from 10,000 online shoppers during the 2011 holiday season and found that in a
90-day period, more than twice as many daily deal subscribers purchased a voucher from Groupon
(50 percent) than from Living Social (25 percent). (See Figure 1.)
Research by Yipit, a company that aggregates daily deals from multiple companies on one website,
looked specifically at the online voucher market in Boston. Yipit found that in one representative month
(May 2011), Groupon generated revenue of $3.1 million in Boston, while Living Social generated only
$745,000 (Raice & Woo, 2011).
These two studies suggest that if Cali’s does offer a discount voucher deal, Groupon is a good business
partner to choose.
Figure 1: Percentage of Surveyed Subscribers Purchasing Deals from Special-Offer Websites during a
90-day Period in the 2011 Holiday Season. Data source: ForeSee, 2012.
3
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Groupon
More than twice as many subscribers purchased daily
deals from Groupon than from Living Social
Percent of
subscribers
purchasing
daily deals
Living Social Woot Another
special-offer
website
I have not
purchased
any offers
50%
25%
8% 8%
37%
Benefits and Risks of Offering a Groupon
Researchers and businesses offering Groupons have identified benefits and risks of using Groupon as a
marketing tool. Below is a summary of those benefits and risks as they apply to Cali’s.
Benefits of Offering a Groupon
Groupons will offer Cali’s several benefits:
• Guaranteed customers during the opening month. When customers purchase a Groupon, they
make a commitment to visit the business that is offering the deal (Salmon, 2011). These customers
have an incentive to redeem the Groupon quickly because the discount provided by the Groupon
ultimately expires. Therefore, the number of customers Cali will see from the Groupon depends on
how many Groupons are sold and how quickly customers redeem them.
An analysis of Groupon sales for six frozen yogurt stores in June 2011 suggests that Cali’s can expect
to sell between 150 and 700 Groupons, with most of the sales taking place the first day the deal is
offered (see Table 1).
Table 1 – Sales of Groupons by Six Frozen Yogurt Businesses in June 2011
Cali’s can expect its customers to begin redeeming their Groupons immediately. Dholakia and
Tsabar’s (2011) research on Groupon redemption patterns suggests that approximately 30 percent
of Cali’s Groupons (between 45 and 210) will be redeemed within the first few weeks. Another,
larger spike of Groupons will be redeemed near the discount expiration date. Assuming that Cali’s
sets a short expiration period of four weeks, the Groupon will guarantee customers during the
opening month.
Data source: “Groupon Analytics,” 2011.
4
Businesses’ Groupon Daily Deal Sales per Day of Deal Total Sales
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
$5 for $10 — Yo-Way Yogurt and Crepes 480 117 78 675
$5 for $10 — Frozen Treats at Sno Biz. 515 105 51 671
$10 for $20 — Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream &Treatery 358 74 N/A 432
$10 for $20 — Fruit Shack Smoothies & Yogurt 328 87 N/A 415
$5 for $10 — The Cordial Cherry 208 88 N/A 296
$4 for $8 — Project: Yogurt 126 25 13 164
• Guaranteed exposure, even to customers who do not purchase the deal. People who read the
daily deal email and click on the link will learn a good deal about Cali’s, even if they choose not to
purchase the deal. A business’s daily deal webpage on Groupon includes a map of the business’s
location, the business’s contact information, a link to its website, and an explanation of its products
or services. As Salmon (2011) indicated, this kind of information would be difficult and expensive to
broadcast via traditional advertising methods.
• Additional social network and word-of-mouth advertising. A promotion through Groupon leads to
additional, free social network and word-of-mouth advertising. Purchasers are motivated to tweet
about the deals they purchase and promote them on Facebook both to inform their friends and to
ensure that the deal is not canceled (“Groupon Anxiety,” 2011). In addition, as Salmon (2011)
explained, when customers purchase Groupons, the business remains “in the back of their minds”
all the time (para. 9). As a result, when a friend asks for a recommendation, Groupon purchasers are
likely to mention the business, even if they have not yet redeemed the coupon. Businesses benefit
from this word-of-mouth advertising.
• Minimal impact on cash flow. Rice University marketing professor Utpal M. Dholakia and his co-
author Gur Tsabar (2011) argued that, compared to traditional advertising, Groupon daily deals are
“more cost-effective and cash-flow friendly for businesses” (p. 2). Moreover, Groupon deals do not
require “any financial investment when running the promotion except for maintaining inventory to
fill orders” (p. 14). As a small business, Cali’s does not have a large budget for marketing and
advertising. Advertising in a newspaper or on the radio will cost hundreds or even thousands of
dollars, without any certainty of motivating customers. By contrast, Groupon guarantees customers
and requires no initial investment that will impact cash flow.
Risks of Offering a Groupon
Although Groupons offer many potential benefits, any business that offers a Groupon must be prepared
to face potential risks.
• The likely loss of profit, at least initially. Audrianne Doucet, owner of Project: Yogurt in Bryan,
Texas, and Jon Lurie, owner of Fruit Shack Smoothies and Yogurt in Oro Valley, Arizona, both
confirmed an initial loss of revenue on their businesses’ Groupon promotions. Lurie stated that
“Groupon doesn’t necessarily increase your revenue; in fact, it gives you a big revenue dip because
you have to make a drastic loss leader discount offer in order to make your daily deal attractive. And
then on top of that, you have to split the money with Groupon” (personal communication, March
15, 2012). Doucet claimed that “not only did we lose profit on individual sales, but we lost money on
that fact that some of those customers would have bought yogurt at full price.” However, Doucet
acknowledged that losing money “would have happened with any coupon or any advertisement that
I had sent out or special I did. I would have had full price paying customers who found the coupons
and used them” (personal communication, March 14, 2012).
5
The body of the report
can be single or double
spaced. If double
spaced, indent the
first line of paragraphs
without adding extra
space between the
paragraphs.
Page numbers
throughout the
body of the report are
formatted as Arabic
numerals that are
positioned in the same
location as the page
numbers in the
preliminary pages.
Figures and tables
appear after they are
first introduced in the
narrative. Use consis-
tent styles for figure
and table headings
or captions.
FIGURE A.11 (Continued)
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• The risk of attracting one-time-only customers. Groupon analysts Dholakia and Tsabar (2011) warn
that Groupons may bring in “price-sensitive deal-seekers” who do not intend to make any future
purchases from the business at full cost (p. 3). Sweta Patel (2011), the CEO/Marketing Strategist of
Social Media Eatery, a group that focuses on helping businesses reach their objectives through social
media venues, agrees:
Groupon is great to bring in new people to your business. However, it seems like they just use
the coupon at your venue then run to the next best deal. This is really not a great deal for
businesses because they do not gain loyal customers, they just gain the votes of people who like
great deals. (para. 1)
As retail expert Bob Phibbs (2011) explained, because Groupon is the one directly offering
customers the discount voucher, the customer’s loyalty is to Groupon rather than the business itself.
• Potential devaluation of the product. In his book Groupon: You Can’t Afford It—Why Deep
Discounts Are Bad for Business and What to Do Instead, Phibbs (2011) argued that Groupon is bad
for business because the deep discounts devalue the product or service in the eyes of the customer.
Once the deal is over, customers will try to find that same discount again and hesitate before buying
it at the full undiscounted price. Therefore, perpetual discounts are necessary to ensure those same
customers return. Ultimately, “you either lose the customer because they don’t want to pay more
than their discounted price, or you lose the customer because they don’t value the product you’re
selling them anymore” (Phibbs, 2011, “Economics 101,” para. 10).
• The risk of alienating customers through bad service. For a Groupon promotion to succeed, a
business must be prepared to offer excellent service (Dholakia, 2011b). Phibbs (2011) highlighted
the example of a restaurant in Tokyo that offered a Groupon and unexpectedly had over 500
customers attempt to redeem the voucher on New Year’s Eve. The restaurant was understaffed
and undersupplied, and the disappointed customers were unlikely to return.
6
Despite the risks, offering a Groupon is a good marketing decision for Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt. As
a new and unknown business, Cali’s stands to benefit more from a Groupon than an established business
would. In fact, according to the analysis of economists Edelman, Jaffe, and Kominers (2011), “vouchers
are always profitable for ‘sufficiently unknown’ firms” (p. 7). In addition, owners of other frozen yogurt
businesses confirm the exposure value of a Groupon. Jon Lurie of Fruit Shack Smoothies & Yogurt found
that Groupon is certainly “a way to get the word out quickly about your business” (personal
communication, March 15, 2012). Similarly, Audrianne Doucet of Project: Yogurt asserted that it “is one
of the cheapest and easiest ways to send a widespread message” (personal communication, March 14,
2012).
To take advantage of Groupon’s benefits while minimizing the risks, Cali’s must implement the Groupon
promotion strategically, following these recommended steps:
1. Offer a limited number of Groupons. Research shows that businesses offering a limited number of
Groupons tend to sell more deals overall (Dholakia, 2011a). This limit magnifies the incentive for
buyers to act quickly before the deal sells out.
2. Offer a short redemption period. No benefit is gained from offering a long redemption period.
According to research, long redemption periods do not increase the number of Groupons sold
(Dholakia, 2011a). Moreover, distant expiration dates encourage customers to wait to use their
Groupons (Dholakia, 2011a). By contrast, a shorter redemption period will motivate customers to
come in sooner, increasing the likelihood that they will become repeat customers early in the
summer season.
3. Limit the number of Groupons per person. The mathematical analysis of Edelman et al. (2011)
suggests that allowing one Groupon per customer is profitable, and allowing multiple Groupons is
not. However, because Cali’s goal is to introduce the store to as many new customers as possible,
Cali’s should consider following the common Groupon practice of allowing customers to purchase
additional Groupons as gifts.
4. Offer a deal that is low risk to purchase. An analysis by Paul Butler in the Harvard Business Review
shows that low-priced deals generate the most revenue on Groupon (“Deconstructing,” 2011). The
deal should be enticing enough that customers will purchase it yet moderate enough that customers
will spend more than the value of the Groupon at the store (Salmon, 2011). As Table 1 showed,
yogurt stores typically offer Groupons in two denominations: $4 for $8 worth of frozen yogurt and
$5 for $10 worth of frozen yogurt. Cali’s should adopt one of these pricing schemes.
7
Recommendation: Cali’s Low-Cal Frozen Yogurt Should Offer a Groupon
References
Chait, E. (2010, October 6). 5 Tactics to make an unprofitable Groupon campaign successful [Blog post].
Copilot. Retrieved from http://blog.launchcopilot.com/2010/10/06/5-tips-to-make-groupon-work/
Deconstructing the Groupon phenomenon. (2011). Harvard Business Review, 89(7/8), 32–33.
Dholakia, U. M. (2011a). What makes Groupon promotions profitable for businesses?Retrieved from
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1790414
Dholakia, U. M. (2011b). Why employees can wreck promotional offers. Harvard Business
Review, 89(1/2), 28.
Dholakia, U. M., & Tsabar, G. (2011). A startup’s experience with running a Groupon promotion.
Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1828003
Dyson, E. (2011, March 23). The Groupon paradox. Slate. Retrieved from
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/project_syndicate/2011/03/the_groupon_paradox.html
Edelman, B., Jaffe, S., & Kominers, S. D. (2011, June 16). To Groupon or not to Groupon: The profitability
of deep discounts. Harvard Business School Working Papers. Retrieved from
http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/11-063
ForeSee. (2012, March 12). Daily deal websites and emails bring in new and existing customers for
retailers. [White paper]. Retrieved from http://www.foreseeresults.com/research-white-
papers/_downloads/daily-deal-commentary-2012-foresee
Groupon analytics. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.grouponanalytics.com/deal/project-yogurt-1
Groupon anxiety. (2011, March 17). The Economist. Retrieved from
http://www.economist.com/node/18388904
Groupon FAQ. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.groupon.com/faq
Groupon works. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.grouponworks.com/
Patel, S. (2011, May 8). Re: Grouponomics [Blog post in response to article “Grouponomics” by
F. Salmon]. Retrieved from http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
Phibbs, B. (2011, April 25). Groupon: You can’t afford it—Why deep discounts are bad for business and
what to do instead [Kindle Edition]. Beyond the Page Publishing. Retrieved from
http://amazon.com
Raice, S., & Woo, S. (2011, July 8). Groupon’s Boston problem: Copycats. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved
from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303763404576420090000910026.html
Roeder, D. (2011, November 5). Groupon’s test comes in its follow-through. Chicago Sun Times.
Retrieved from http://www.suntimes.com/business/8621002-420/groupons-test-comes-in-its-
follow-through.html
Salmon, F. (2011, May 4). Grouponomics. Reuters. Retrieved from http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-
salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
9
Appendix
Contact Information for Business Owners Interviewed
Name: Audrianne Doucet
Business: Project: Yogurt
Location: Bryan, Texas
URL: projectyogurt.com
Email: info@projectyogurt.com
Name: Jon Lurie
Business: Fruit Shack Smoothies and Yogurt
Location: Oro Valley, Arizona
URL: www.fruitshacksmoothies.com
Email: fruitshacksmoothies@gmail.com
10
Bullets and/or
enumerations
help the reader
recognize lists
and understand
the content
more easily.
A references page
lists all sources
alphabetically. Use a
standard reference
style, such as APA or
MLA, and provide
complete
documentation.
Appendices contain
supplementary
material at the
end of the report. If
the report includes
only one appendix,
label it as shown here
(Appendix). If the
report includes
multiple appendices,
label them as
Appendix A, Appendix
B, and so forth. Page
numbers continue
from the body of the
report.
FIGURE A.11 (Continued)
1. U.S. Postal Service. (2014). Destination Address. Retrieved from http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/
immc1_008.htm
Reference
Z01_SHWO3307_03_SE_APPA.indd 521 07/05/15 12:58 am
http://blog.launchcopilot.com/2010/10/06/5-tips-to-make-groupon-work/
http://ssrn.com/abstract=1790414
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1828003
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/project_syndicate/2011/03/the_groupon_paradox.html
http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/11-063
http://www.foreseeresults.com/research-white-papers/_downloads/daily-deal-commentary-2012-foresee
http://www.foreseeresults.com/research-white-papers/_downloads/daily-deal-commentary-2012-foresee
http://www.grouponanalytics.com/deal/project-yogurt-1
http://www.economist.com/node/18388904
http://www.groupon.com/faq
http://www.grouponworks.com/
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
http://amazon.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303763404576420090000910026.html
http://www.suntimes.com/business/8621002-420/groupons-test-comes-in-its-follow-through.html
http://www.suntimes.com/business/8621002-420/groupons-test-comes-in-its-follow-through.html
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/05/04/grouponomics/
mailto:info@projectyogurt.com
http://www.fruitshacksmoothies.com
mailto:fruitshacksmoothies@gmail.com
http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/
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Any time you quote, paraphrase, or use material from a source, you need to identify the source
and provide enough information so your readers can find the sources you reference. You do
this by providing citations within the body of the text and a complete, alphabetized reference
(or works cited) list at the end of the document. This is true whether you are writing a report,
presentation, web page, or blog.
Different fields of study use different reference styles, and your instructor, employer, or
publisher will usually identify the style you are expected to use. Three styles are typical in
academia:
1. APA style, found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
2. Chicago style (sometimes referred to as CMOS), found in The Chicago Manual of Style
3. MLA style from the Modern Language Association
This appendix outlines the most common rules you will need to follow in two of these
styles: APA, which is commonly used in business departments, and MLA, which is commonly
used in English departments. The APA guidelines are based on the 6th edition of the Publica-
tion Manual and the APA Style Guide to Electronic References. The MLA guidelines are based
on the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th edition, as well as updates on the
MLA website. For the rules of the Chicago style, see the online or print version of The Chicago
Manual of Style.
APA in-text citations
Within your text, indicate the source of a citation by inserting authors’ last names, the year of
publication, and in some cases the page on which the material can be found (or the paragraph
in an online source). Where you place this information depends on whether you paraphrase
the original source or quote the source word for word.
Paraphrased content
Paraphrased content consists of information from a source presented in your own words.
When paraphrasing, or referring to another work, the citation can be part of the narrative or
placed at the end of the sentence (inside the ending punctuation). Citations for paraphrases
must include the author and date of the publication. In addition, APA guidelines encourage—
but do not require—writers to include page or paragraph numbers to help readers find the
paraphrased material in the original source.
For example, if the original source states: “transparency is a popular reason for blogging,
particularly for companies that want to be identified as mission-oriented or socially responsible”
(Alboher, 2007, p. 3C), paraphrased content could be worded in one of the following three ways:
Single-author paraphrased source
In 2007, New York Times columnist Marci Alboher suggested that compa-
nies often use blogs to be transparent, especially those companies that
Documentation
and Reference Styles
The author’s name and the
publication date can be integrated
into the text itself.
522
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want to be seen as fulfilling their stated mission or social responsibility
initiatives.
Or . . .
New York Times columnist Marci Alboher (2007) suggests that compa-
nies often use blogs to be transparent, especially those companies that
want to be seen as fulfilling their stated mission or social responsibility
initiatives.
Or . . .
Companies often use blogs to be transparent, especially those companies
that want to be seen as fulfilling their stated mission or social responsibility
initiatives (Alboher, 2007).
The following examples provide additional information about how to cite sources with mul-
tiple authors, sources with no identified author, and multiple sources.
Multiple-author paraphrased source
In the early days of blogging, prominent thinkers about blogging such
as Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberger
(1999) prophesied the influence blogging could have on the corporate world.
Or . . .
In the early days of blogging, prominent thinkers about blogging
prophesied the influence blogging could have on the corporate world
(Levine, Locke, Searls, & Weinberger, 1999).
Works with no identified author
Many of the best business blogs are written by individuals, not corporations
(“Best Business Blogs,” 2011).
Multiple sources used to support one statement
Blogs also offer small businesses the opportunity to become completely
transparent with their consumer base (Halzack, 2008; Mahon, n.d.; Rettberg,
2008; Scoble & Israel, 2006).
Multiple sources by the same author to support one statement
Corporate blogging is predicted to increase substantially in the next decade
(Haffner, M., 2006; Haffner, R., 2008).
Multiple sources by the same author published
in the same year
The medium options for corporate blogging vary widely, from standard
blog applications to social media outlets (Jones, 2009a; Jones, 2009b).
Personal communication
Dr. Kenneth Darby, who studies corporate blogging, predicts social me-
dia will support new forms of industry blogging in the future (personal
communication, November 2, 2012).
Experts predict that social media will support new forms of industry
blogging in the future (K. Darby, personal communication, November 2,
2012).
The author’s name can be integrated
into the text with the date in
parentheses immediately following the
name. If the source has no date, use
n.d. in the parentheses.
If the author’s name is not integrated
into the text, then the author’s last
name and the date—separated by a
comma— appear in parentheses at
the end of the sentence.
The first time you integrate authors’
names into the text, use last names or
full names. For more than five authors,
use only the first author’s name,
followed by “et al.” Order the names
as they appear in the original source.
Use “and” to separate the last author’s
name from the previous name. For
subsequent references, use the first
author’s name followed by “et al.”
When the authors’ names are not
integrated into the text, use only their
last names in the parentheses and use
“&” to separate the last author’s name
from the previous name.
When a cited work has no author, use
the first few words of the reference
list entry and the year. The first few
words are usually the title. Note that
the title is written differently than in
the reference list: All words in the
title are capitalized, and the title of an
article is enclosed in quotation marks.
List sources alphabetically by authors’
names. Use semicolons to separate
sources.
When the last names are the same,
use first initials to determine the order
of the sources.
Order the sources as they are ordered
in the reference list, which assigns a
letter after the date of sources written
by the same author and published in
the same year. Use that letter in the
citation.
Identify personal communications with
in-text citations only; APA style does
not list personal communications on
the reference page.
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Quoted content
Quoted—word for word—content from a source uses a citation style similar to that for para-
phrases. However, the quoted text must also be surrounded by quotation marks or set off as a
block of text if it is more than 40 words long. In addition, the page or paragraph number for
quotations must always be included. Just as with paraphrased content, the exact placement of
these elements varies. Note the following examples.
Single-author quoted source
As New York Times columnist Marci Alboher (2007) points out, this “kind
of transparency is a popular reason for blogging, particularly for com-
panies that want to be identified as mission-oriented or socially respon-
sible” (p. 3C).
Or . . .
This “kind of transparency is a popular reason for blogging, particularly for
companies that want to be identified as mission-oriented or socially respon-
sible” (Alboher, 2007, p. 3C).
Multiple-author quoted source
In The Cluetrain Manifesto, Levine, Locke, Searls, and Weinberger (1999)
wrote:
A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet,
people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant
knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting
smarter—and getting smarter faster than most companies. These mar-
kets are conversations. Their members communicate in language that
is natural, open, honest, direct, funny and often shocking. Whether
explaining or complaining, joking or serious, the human voice is un-
mistakably genuine. (p. 10)
In The Cluetrain Manifesto, Levine et al. (1999) wrote: “A powerful global
conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and
inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a
direct result, markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than
most companies” (p. 10).
Quotations with words omitted
The Cluetrain Manifesto stated: “A powerful global conversation has
begun. . . . Markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than
most companies” (Levine et al., 1999, p. 10).
APA reference list
At the end of your paper, include a page titled “References” that presents an alphabetical list of
all the sources you cited in your text. Reference list entries for most sources include four major
elements in the following order: the author(s), year of publication, name of work, and publi-
cation information. The entire reference list is organized alphabetically according to the first
word in the entry, usually the author’s last name. If more than one source begins with the same
word, then the order is determined by a different element—the date of publication or name of
the work—as described in the following sections.
Surround the quoted content with
quotation marks. Put the date in
parentheses after the author’s name.
Always place the page number after
the quotation. Use a lowercase “p”
followed by a period to abbreviate
“page.” If the quote spans more
than one page, use “pp.” Place the
parentheses between the ending
quotation mark and final period.
If all the citation elements appear
in the parentheses, use commas
to separate author, year, and page
number.
The first time a source is used,
list all authors’ names
(up to five).
When a quotation is longer than
40 words, do not enclose it in
quotation marks. Instead, indent the
content as a block quotation and
place the page number after the final
punctuation mark.
The second and all subsequent times
you refer to a source with three or
more authors, list only the first author
with “et al.” to represent “and others.”
(Note: Two-author sources should
always list both authors, such as
Scoble & Israel.)
Use ellipses (three spaced periods)
to indicate you have omitted words
from quoted text. If you have omitted
words between two sentences, end
the first sentence with a period and
then provide the ellipsis (for a total of
four spaced periods).
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Authors
• List authors’ last names first, use initials only for authors’ first and middle names, and use one
space between initials.
• Separate authors’ names with commas, even when only two authors are listed. Use an amper-
sand (&) before the name of the final author.
• If an author has a hyphenated first name, include the hyphen and a period after each initial.
• List all authors in the order they appear on the publication (do not alphabetize them).
• If the source lists more than seven authors, list the first six followed by an ellipsis (. . .) to
indicate a break in the list and then the final author’s name. In this instance, do not use an
ampersand (&) before the final name.
• If the author is an organization, use a period at the end of the name to separate the author
content from the next element of the reference.
• If a work has no author, begin the entry with the title of the work.
Examples:
Goins, T., & Robbins, D. R.
Jones, A. P., Baker, M.-A., & Cawfrey, G. L.
Pental, F., Raley, M., Meyer, R., Peterson, B., Boyd, L., Tobbin, E., . . . Jones, L. E.
Clanton Corporation.
Best business blogs of 2014.
Year of publication
• Place the year the source was published in parentheses immediately after the author informa-
tion. If a work has no author, put the year after the name of the work.
• If no date is available, put n.d. in the parentheses.
• For newspaper, magazine, and online articles (including blog posts and social media updates),
include the month and day of publication after the year.
• If a reference list contains multiple sources for the same author, order the sources from oldest
to newest.
• If a reference list contains multiple sources written by the same author and published the same
year, use the titles to determine alphabetic sequence and differentiate the sources with lower-
case letters added to the dates.
Examples:
Halzack, S. (2008, August 25).
Albanese, A. R. (2006a). Google is not the net: . . .
Albanese, A. R. (2006b). The social life of books: . . .
Jones, A. P., Baker, M.-A., & Cawfrey, G. L. (2006).
Jones, A. P., Baker, M.-A., & Cawfrey, G. L. (2012).
Best business blogs of 2014. (2015).
Name of work
The format you use depends on the type of work. Complete works, such as books and websites,
have just one title. By contrast, journal, newspaper, and magazine articles have article titles as
well as publication titles. If your audience will need additional information to identify the type
of publication, place that descriptive information in brackets immediately after the title.
Articles and blog posts
• Use plain text. Do not italicize, underline, or use quotation marks around the title.
• Use sentence case, capitalizing only the first word of the title, and the first word of the subtitle,
if it has one, and any proper nouns such as company names.
• End with a period.
Newspaper/magazine article
Two articles by the same author with
the same dates
Two articles by the same authors but
with different dates
Article with no author
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Books, videos, podcasts, etc.
• Italicize the title. Do not underline.
• Use sentence case, capitalizing only the first word of the title, and the first word of the subtitle,
if it has one, and any proper nouns such as company names.
• End with a period.
Journals and other periodicals
• Italicize the title. Do not underline.
• Use title case, beginning the first word and each word of four letters or more with a capital let-
ter. Also capitalize any major words that are shorter than four letters as well as the first word
after a colon, semicolon, dash, or period in a title.
• Conclude with a comma.
Examples:
Levine, R., Locke, C., Searls, D., & Weinberg, D. (1999). The cluetrain manifesto: The
end of business as usual. . . .
Halzack, S. (2008, August 25). Marketing moves to the blogosphere; Business model
shifts to engage customers online. The Washington Post, . . .
Goldman, S. (2009, August 7). For Honest Tea, Coke is it [Web log message].
Retrieved from http://www.honesttea.com/blog/category/from-seth-and-barry/
Publication information
How you list the publication information depends on the kind of source you reference. For
example, journal articles usually require volume, issue, and page numbers. However, books
list only the publishing company’s location and name, and websites usually require only a
“Retrieved from” web address.
Journal and other periodical articles
Following the title of the periodical itself, provide the volume number in italics immediately
followed by the issue number in plain text and in parentheses. No space separates the volume
number from the issue number. Follow the issue number with a comma and page numbers.
Page numbers do not use a page abbreviation (“p”), as was used for in-text citations. Indicate
the range of page numbers with an en dash. End with a period.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical,
volume(issue), pages.
Thompson, L. (2009). Blogs: If used properly, an investor-friendly tool. Compliance
Week, 6(62), 60.
Books and e-books
List the city and name of publisher, separated by a colon. Include a period at the end.
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of publication. City, ST: Publisher’s Name.
Levine, R., Locke, C., Searls, D., & Weinberg, D. (1999). The cluetrain manifesto: The
end of business as usual. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Phibbs, B. (2011, April 25). Groupon: You can’t afford it—Why deep discounts are bad
for business and what to do instead [Kindle Edition]. New York, NY: Beyond the
Page Publishing. Retrieved from http://amazon.com
Websites
If the name of the website is included in the URL or is obvious from the author’s name, use
“Retrieved from” followed by the URL. If the name of the website is not included in the URL
or not obvious from the author’s name, then include it as part of the retrieval statement. Re-
move the hyperlink (blue font color and underlines) format from web addresses and, when
Book
Newspaper article
Blog post
For an e-book, include the e-book
version you read in brackets.
Also provide the URL from which
you downloaded the book.
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http://amazon.com
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necessary, insert a space to allow long addresses to wrap effectively to the right margin. Do not
use a period at the end of a web address.
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of article. Retrieved from http://xxxx
Charman-Anderson, S. (2005). Dark blogs: The use of blogs in business. Retrieved
from Strange Attractor website: http://www.suw.org.uk/files/Dark_Blogs_01_Euro-
pean_Pharma_Group
Best business blogs 2011. (2011). Retrieved from http://strategistnews.com/best-busi-
ness-blogs.php
Other types of sources
Adapt the four-part citation elements to other types of reference sources. Here are some ex-
amples that may not fit the “normal” format. If it is not clear from the name what type of source
it is, then provide descriptive information in brackets immediately after the title.
• Annual report
Clanton Corporation. (2011). 2010 corporate annual report. Retrieved from http://
www.clantoncorp.com
• Brochure
Montana State University Billings Career Services. (2009). A polished interview [Brochure].
Retrieved from http://www.msubillings.edu/careers/PDF/Polished%20Interview%20
Brochure%209
• Government publication
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2014). Occupational outlook
handbook. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://
www.bls.gov/ooh
• Online encyclopedia or dictionary
Johnson, C. (2010). Communication in organizations. In Encyclopedia of business
(2nd ed.). Retrieved from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Clo-Con/
Communication-in-Organizations.html
• Blog post
Mahon, T. (2011, July 11). Nearly perfect suit [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://englishcut
.com
• Podcast
Wildhaber, J. (Writer), & Fogarty, M. (Producer). (2010, July 1). Understanding voice and
tone in writing [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://grammar.quickanddirtytips
.com/understanding-voice-and-tone-in-writing.aspx
• Slide presentation (found online)
Baer, J. (2010). 11 must-dos for the serious blogger [Online presentation]. Retrieved
from http://www.slideshare.net/jaybaer/11-must-dos-for-the-serious-blogger-2512783
• Online video (YouTube)
Krueger, B. (Producer). (2007). Interview tips—Avoiding three common video resume
errors [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3t9ysT0A_U
• Tweet or Twitter update
Scoble, R. [Scobleizer]. (2012, August 30). Our book, “The Age of Context” is underway
and @shelisrael posted an excerpt from it: http://t.co/npCEkpHQ… Would love to
know what you think [Tweet]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/Scobleizer
• Facebook page
Tufte, E. (Edward). (n.d.). Timeline [Facebook page]. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from
http://www.facebook.com/EdwardTufte
AACSB International. (n.d.). BizSchoolJobs [Facebook page]. Retrieved September 1,
2012, from http://www.facebook.com/AACSB/app_106877302704651
• Facebook update
APA Style. (2012, August 14). Frequently asked question: Should hyperlinks be used in
APA style papers? [Facebook status update]. Retrieved from http://www.facebook
.com/APAStyle/posts/432784353427030
When the name of the website is not
part of the URL, identify the website
in the retrieval statement.
When an article on the web has no
author, begin with the title of the
article.
For Tweets, use the writer’s real
name, followed by the screen name in
brackets. If you know only the screen
name, provide it without brackets.
Include the entire text of the Tweet in
the citation.
For Facebook pages, put the author’s first
name in parentheses, to make the page
easier to retrieve. Spell out the full name
of organizations. Include a retrieval date
when the publication date is unknown.
For a Facebook update, no retrieval
date is necessary because all updates
have publication dates.
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http://www.suw.org.uk/files/Dark_Blogs_01_Euro-pean_Pharma_Group
http://www.suw.org.uk/files/Dark_Blogs_01_Euro-pean_Pharma_Group
http://strategistnews.com/best-busi-ness-blogs.php
http://strategistnews.com/best-busi-ness-blogs.php
http://www.clantoncorp.com
http://www.clantoncorp.com
http://www.msubillings.edu/careers/PDF/Polished%20Interview%20Brochure%209
http://www.bls.gov/ooh
http://www.bls.gov/ooh
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Clo-Con/Communication-in-Organizations.html
http://englishcut.com
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/understanding-voice-and-tone-in-writing.aspx
http://t.co/npCEkpHQ
http://www.facebook.com/EdwardTufte
http://www.facebook.com/AACSB/app_106877302704651
http://www.facebook.com/APAStyle/posts/432784353427030
http://www.msubillings.edu/careers/PDF/Polished%20Interview%20Brochure%209
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Clo-Con/Communication-in-Organizations.html
http://englishcut.com
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/understanding-voice-and-tone-in-writing.aspx
http://www.facebook.com/APAStyle/posts/432784353427030
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Sample APA reference page
Double space throughout the References page. To indent second and subsequent lines of a
reference citation, use your word processor’s “hanging indent” paragraph format feature rather
than manually tabbing or spacing the text.
References
Albanese, A. R. (2006a). Google is not the net: Social networks are surging and present the real
service challenge—and opportunity—for libraries. Library Journal, 131(15), 32–34.
Albanese, A. R. (2006b). The social life of books: Write, read, blog, rip, share any good books lately? A
conversation with Ben Vershbow. Library Journal, 131(9), 28–30.
blogs.php
Best business blogs of 2011. (2011). Retrieved from http://strategistnews.com/best-business-
Charman-Anderson, S. (2005). Dark blogs: The use of blogs in business. Retrieved from Strange
Attractor website: http://www.suw.org.uk/files/ Dark_Blogs_01_European_Pharma_Group
Financial Times. (2009). FT ComMetrics blog index. Retrieved from http://ftindex.commetrics.com/
Goldman, S. (2008, August 25). For Honest Tea, Coke is it [Blog post]. Retrieved from
http://www.honesttea.com/blog/category/from-seth-and-barry/
Halzack, S. (2008, August 25). Marketing moves to the blogosphere; Business model shifts to engage
customers online. Washington Post, p. D1.
Levine, R., Locke, C., Searls, D., & Weinberg, D. (1999). The cluetrain manifesto: The end of business
as usual. New York, NY: Basic Books.
Mahon, T. (n.d.). English cut. Retrieved from http://englishcut.com
Rettberg, J. W. (2008). Blogging. Malden, MA: Polity Press.
Rosenberg, S. (2009). Say everything: How blogging began, what it’s becoming, and why it matters.
New York, NY: Crown Publishers.
Scoble, R., & Israel, S. (2006). Naked conversations. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Thompson, L. (2009). Blogs: If used properly, an investor-friendly tool. Compliance Week, 6 (62), 60.
Website with corporate author
Blog post
Newspaper article
Book with multiple authors
Website with no date
Book with single author
Journal article. The volume
number is italicized, and
the issue number is in
parentheses separated from
the page number with a
comma and space.
Two journal articles with
the same author and year.
Use “a” and “b” after the
years to identify the sources in
in-text citations. Note that the
words after the em dashes are
not capitalized here because
the dashes set off a phrase
rather than a subtitle.
Online article with no author.
Note that the name of the website
is not needed because the
name—Strategist News—is
included as part of the URL.
Article published on the web.
Note that the name of the website
is included in the retrieval
statement because that name is
not obvious from either the URL or
the author name.
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http://strategistnews.com/best-business-blogs.php
http://strategistnews.com/best-business-blogs.php
http://www.suw.org.uk/files/
http://ftindex.commetrics.com/
http://www.honesttea.com/blog/category/from-seth-and-barry/
http://englishcut.com
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Sample APA documentation in presentation files
Whether you’re creating a traditional presentation file or a report deck, cite your in-text sources
on the slides, either immediately after the content or in the corner of the slide as shown. Add
a reference page to the end of report deck files or presentation handouts so your audience can
refer to the original sources, if necessary.
THE MILLENNIAL APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING
“Rather than insisting on solving society’s challenges
using the inherited, but inevitably limited wisdom of
experts, Millennials would prefer to share their ideas
and let the group �nd the right answer through their
combined experiences.”
Source: Winograd & Hais (2009)
Source is added to
the page where the
original content
appears. Use
standard in-text
citation formats.
REFERENCES
Best business blogs of 2011. (2011). Retrieved from
http://strategistnews.com/best-business-blogs.php
Charman-Anderson, S. (2005). Dark blogs: The use of blogs in business.
Retrieved from Strange Attractor website: http://www.suw.org.uk/�les/
Dark_Blogs_01_European_Pharma_Group
Rosenberg, S. (2009). Say everything: How blogging began, what it’s becoming, and why it
matters. New York, NY: Crown Publishers.
Scoble, R., & Israel, S. (2006). Naked conversations. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Thompson, L. (2009). Blogs: If used properly, an investor-friendly tool. Compliance Week,
6 (62), 60.
Winograd, M., & Hais, M. D. (2009, November 9). Who needs critical thinking skills when
we’ve got Facebook? [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blog-jenniferlindsay.com/
2009/11/09/who-needs-critical-thinking-skills-when-weve-got-facebook/
The complete
reference citation is
included in a
reference page at
the conclusion of
the report deck (or
presentation
handout).
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MLA in-text citations
MLA uses a simple and consistent style for all references to a source, whether the content is
paraphrased or quoted. Provide enough information in the citation to help your audience find
the correct work on the reference list and find the cited material in the source itself. Typically,
this means that citations include the author’s last name and the page number for the cited
material. If you are referring to an entire work and not a specific passage, no page number is
needed. MLA documentation never includes publication dates in the parentheses.
The following examples correspond with the APA examples on pages 522–529 but are
formatted as MLA-style citations. Fewer examples are provided because MLA uses the same
format for quoted content as it does for paraphrased content.
Paraphrased content
When paraphrasing content—using original information in your own words—or even just
referring to a source, cite the original work by including the author’s name within the narrative
or in an in-text citation at the end of the sentence (before the ending punctuation).
For example, if the original source states “transparency is a popular reason for blogging,
particularly for companies that want to be identified as mission-oriented or socially responsible”
(Alboher 3C), paraphrased content could be worded in either of the following ways:
Single-author source
In 2007, New York Times columnist Marci Alboher suggested that compa-
nies often use blogs to be transparent, especially those companies that
want to be seen as fulfilling their stated mission or social responsibility
initiatives (3C).
Or . . .
Companies often use blogs to be transparent, especially those companies
that want to be seen as fulfilling their stated mission or social responsibility
initiatives (Alboher 3C).
Works with no identified author
Many of the best business blogs are written by individuals, not corporations
(“Best Business Blogs”).
Multiple-author source
In the Cluetrain Manifesto, Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and
David Weinberger prophesied the influence blogging could have on the
corporate world.
Or . . .
In the early days of blogging, prominent thinkers about blogging proph-
esied the influence blogging could have on the corporate world (Levine,
Locke, Searls, and Weinberger).
Or . . .
In the early days of blogging, prominent thinkers about blogging
prophesied the influence blogging could have on the corporate world
(Levine et al.).
Multiple sources used to support one statement
Blogs also offer small businesses the opportunity to become completely
transparent with their consumer base (Halzack D1; Mahon; Rettberg;
Scoble and Israel).
If the author’s name is used in the
narrative, include only the page
number in the parenthetical reference.
Place the parentheses at the first
natural pause, usually at the end of the
relevant passage.
If the author’s name is not used in the
narrative, both the author and page
number(s) appear in parentheses (with
no comma separating them).
When a cited work has no author, use
the first few words of the reference
list entry. The first few words are
usually the title.
If the authors’ names are used in the
narrative and you are referring to an
entire work, rather than content
from a specific page of the source,
no parenthetical reference is
necessary.
When including multiple authors’
names in the parenthetical reference,
separate the last name with “and.”
Whether in the narrative or in
parentheses, texts with more than
three authors can be cited with the
name of the first author, followed by
“et al.”
When citing multiple sources in
one reference citation, list sources
alphabetically and separate with
semicolons. When citing websites
without page numbers or books in
their entirety, no page numbers are
needed.
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Multiple sources by the same author to support one statement
Corporate blogging is predicted to increase substantially in the next decade
(Haffner, Blogs 26; Haffner, Corporate 2).
Personal communication
In contrast to APA style, in MLA, personal communications such as interviews, letters, and
emails are listed in the reference list, so the in-text citation does not need to indicate that the
source is a personal communication.
Dr. Kenneth Darby, who studies corporate blogging, predicts social media
will support new forms of industry blogging in the future.
Or . . .
Experts predict that social media will support new forms of industry blog-
ging in the future (Darby).
Quoted content
Quoted—word-for-word—content from a source uses a citation style similar to that for para-
phrases. However, the quoted text must also be surrounded by quotation marks or set off as a
block of text if it is more than four lines long. In addition, the page or paragraph number for
quotations must always be included. Note the following examples.
Single-author quoted source
As New York Times columnist Marci Alboher points out, this “kind of trans-
parency is a popular reason for blogging, particularly for companies that
want to be identified as mission-oriented or socially responsible” (3C).
Or . . .
This “kind of transparency is a popular reason for blogging, particularly for
companies that want to be identified as mission-oriented or socially respon-
sible” (Alboher 3C).
Multiple-author quoted source
When a source has two or three authors, list all their names in the citation. When a source has
more than three authors, you may either list all their names or the name of the first author,
followed by “et al.” (“and others”) in plain text, not italics.
In The Cluetrain Manifesto, Levine, Locke, Searls, and Weinberger wrote:
A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet,
people are discovering and inventing new ways to share rele-
vant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets
are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most com-
panies. These markets are conversations. Their members com-
municate in language that is natural, open, honest, direct, funny
and often shocking. Whether explaining or complaining, joking
or serious, the human voice is unmistakably genuine. (10)
Or . . .
In The Cluetrain Manifesto, Levine et al. wrote: “A powerful global conver-
sation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and invent-
ing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct
result, markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most
companies” (10).
To differentiate between two works by
the same author, include the first word
or an abbreviated form of the title
after the author’s name (with comma)
and before the corresponding page
number (no comma).
Surround the quoted content with
quotation marks. Always place the
page number after the quotation. The
number is not preceded by the word
“page” or abbreviation “p.” Place the
parentheses between the ending
quotation mark and final period.
If the author’s name is not used in the
narrative, both the author and page
number(s) appear in parentheses (with
no comma separating them).
When a quotation is longer than four
lines, do not enclose it in quotation
marks. Instead, format the content as a
block quotation. Start the quotation on
a new line, indent it one inch from the
left margin, and place the page number
after the final punctuation mark.
A personal communication is treated
exactly like a written source.
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Quotations with words omitted
The Cluetrain Manifesto stated: “A powerful global conversation has
begun. . . . Markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than
most companies” (Levine, Locke, Searls, and Weinberger 10).
MLA works cited list
At the end of your paper, include a “Works Cited” list: a double-spaced alphabetical list of all
the sources you cited in your text.
Entries for most sources include four major elements in the following order: the author(s),
name of work, publication information, and medium of publication (print or web). In addi-
tion, some sources require supplemental information to help a reader find the material. These
major elements are separated by periods. The entire reference list is organized alphabetically
according to the first word in the entry, usually the author’s last name. If more than one source
begins with the same word, then the order is determined by a different element—author’s first
name or name of the work—as described in the following sections.
Authors
• List the first author’s last name first, followed by his or her full first name (and middle initial
or name if available).
• For an entry with one author, follow the first name with a period.
• For entries with two or three authors, list all the authors in the order they appear on the pub-
lication. Use a comma to separate names (even when only two authors are listed), and list the
remaining authors with their first names before their last names. Use “and” before the last
author’s name.
• For entries with more than three authors, you may either list all the authors as described above
or give the first author’s name only, followed by “et al.” (“and others”) in plain text, not italics.
• If the author is an organization, use a period at the end of the name to separate the author name
from the next element of the reference.
• If a work has no author, begin the entry with the title of the work.
• If you have cited more than one work by a specific author, order the entries alphabetically by
title. For every entry after the first, use three hyphens in place of the author’s name.
Examples:
Smith, John.
Smith, John, and Mary Jones.
Smith, John, Mary Jones, and Tom Baker.
Smith, John, Mary Jones, Tom Baker, and Lenore Kaplan.
Or Smith, John, et al.
Clanton Corporation.
“Best business blogs of 2014.”
Name of work
In MLA style, all titles use title case: the first letter of every word is capitalized, except for a, an,
the, and short prepositions. Put quotation marks around titles of short works, such as articles
in periodicals, book chapters, and specific pages on a website. Follow the title with a period,
inside the closing quotation mark. If the title itself concludes with different punctuation, such
as a question mark, that punctuation serves as the final punctuation mark. Use italics for titles
of long works, such as books, plays, encyclopedias, and entire websites. Follow the title with a
period or other end punctuation if the title itself includes it.
Examples:
Levine, Rick, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberg. The Cluetrain
Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual. . . .
Halzack, Sarah. “Marketing Moves to the Blogosphere: Business Model Shifts to
Engage Customers Online.” . . .
Goldman, Seth. “For Honest Tea, Coke Is It.” . . .
Book
Newspaper article
Blog post
Use ellipses (three spaced periods) to
indicate you have omitted words from
quoted text. If you have omitted words
between two sentences, end the
first sentence with a period and then
provide the ellipsis (for a total of four
spaced periods).
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Publication information and medium of publication
After the title of the work, include additional publication information to identify the source.
The format will depend on the kind of source you cite.
Journal or other periodical articles
For journal articles, include the following publication information, in this order:
• Journal title: Put the journal name in italics. Do not use punctuation at the end of the journal
name.
• The volume and issue numbers: Cite them as a single number sequence separated by a period.
For example, “2.3” indicates the article can be found in the third issue of the second volume.
In cases where issues are combined, such as the third and fourth, use a hyphen to separate the
numbers (for example, “2.3-4”). Use no punctuation after the issue number. Leave one space
before the date.
• Date of the publication: For a scholarly journal, put the year of publication in parentheses
followed by a colon. For other periodicals, do not place the date in parentheses, but do include
the day, month, and year if they are available, followed by a colon. Leave one space before the
page numbers.
• Inclusive page numbers: List the page numbers from the beginning of the article to the end
using hyphens to separate page spreads and commas to indicate page breaks (such as 12-16,
20). Do not repeat hundreds or thousands. Use a concise form such as 167-89 or 1125-30.
• Medium of publication: Indicate the medium of the publication you are referencing, begin-
ning with a capital letter—for example, Print, Web, or Kindle file.
Examples:
Scholarly journal
Last name, First name, and First name Last name. “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical
Volume.Issue (Year): pages. Medium of publication.
Goins, Tamara, and David R. Robbins. “An Analysis of Corporate Blogging.” The Delta
Pi Epsilon Journal 53.3 (2012): 38-48. Print.
Newspaper
Halzack, Sarah. “Marketing Moves to the Blogosphere; Business Model Shifts to
Engage Customers Online.” Washington Post 25 August 2008: D1. Print.
Books and e-books
For books, include the following publication information, in this order:
• Editions or series numbers: When applicable, provide series number, version, or edition of
the publication after the book’s title.
• City of publication: List the city where the book was published, which can generally be found
on the book’s title page or copyright page. If the book lists several locations, include only the
first. Use a colon between the city of publication and the publisher.
• Publisher: You may abbreviate the name of the publisher, if it is long. For example, Cambridge
University Press can be written as Cambridge UP. Use a comma between the publisher’s name
and year of publication.
• Year of publication: Use the latest date listed on the copyright page. Follow the date with a
period.
• Medium of publication: Indicate the medium of the book’s publication you are referencing,
beginning with a capital letter, for example, Print, Web, or Kindle file.
Examples:
Last name, First name, First name Last name, and First name Last name. Title of
Book. City: Publisher, Year. Medium.
Levine, Rick, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberg. The Cluetrain
Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual. New York: Basic Books, 1999. Print.
Phibbs, Bob. Groupon: You Can’t Afford It—Why Deep Discounts Are Bad for
Business and What to Do Instead. Beyond the Page Publishing, 2011. Kindle file.
Format the reference as you would
for a printed book. Provide the place
of publication, if it is available on the
book. Some publishers of electronic
books do not provide location
information. End the reference with
medium of publication—the type of
electronic file you read.
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Web-based sources
For web-based sources, include the following publication information, in the following order.
All items are followed by a period except for publisher, which is followed by a comma.
• Website title: If a website has a title that is distinct from the article or page you are citing, in-
clude the website’s title, italicized.
• Publisher’s name: Include the company, sponsor, or publisher name if one is listed. If none
exists, use “n.p.” to document “No publisher.” Use a comma to separate the publisher’s name
from the date that follows.
• Date of publication: If a date of publication (or last updated) is present, cite it, placing the day
before the month and then the year (for example, 4 Sept. 2014). Do not use commas, but use
periods for the month abbreviation. Do not abbreviate May, June, or July. If no date is available,
use “n.d.”
• Medium of publication: Include the word “Web” to indicate this is an online source.
• Date of access: Identify the date you accessed the website using the same date format (day
before abbreviated month followed by year).
• Web address: The URL is optional. The MLA 7th edition suggests that readers can more easily
access websites by searching for author and/or title names, rather than keying in the complete
URL. However, if you do include a URL, enclose it in angle brackets (< . . . >) followed by a
period.
Examples:
Last name, First name, First name Last name, and First name Last name. Title of
Website. Name of Publisher, Date of Publication. Medium. Date of Access.
Charman-Anderson, Suw. “Dark Blogs: The Use of Blogs in Business.” Strange
Attractor. Corante, 13 June 2005. Web. 23 Apr. 2009.
“Best Business Blogs 2011.” Strategist News. Strategist News, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2012.
Supplemental information
This content can include additional information that will help the audience identify the source.
Such content may include parts in a series (such as, “Pt 2 of a series”) followed by the name
of the series or the name of a musical score. This information usually comes at the end of the
entry. However, if you are providing supplemental information about the form that a source
takes, MLA recommends putting that information directly after the title of the source.
Other types of sources
Apply the four-part citation formula to other types of reference sources. Here are some ex-
amples that may not fit the “normal” format. If it is not clear from the name what type of source
it is, then provide descriptive information immediately after the title.
• Annual report
Clanton Corporation. 2010 Corporate Annual Report. n.d. Web. 1 July 2014.
• Brochure
Montana State University Billings Career Services. A Polished Interview. Montana State
University, 2009. Web. 1 Aug. 2014.
• Government publication
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Hand-
book. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2010. Web. 15 July 2014.
• Online encyclopedia or dictionary
Johnson, Clint. “Communication in Organizations.” Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed.
Reference for Business, 2010. Web. 15 July 2014.
• Blog post
Mahon, Thomas. “Nearly Perfect Suit.” Blog Post. English Cut, Savile Row Tailor Thomas
Mahon, 11 July 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2014.
• Podcast
Wildhaber, Julie. “Understanding Voice and Tone in Writing.” Podcast. Grammar Girl.
Quick and Dirty Tips, 1 July 2010. Web. 15 July 2014.
If you think the document may be
difficult to find through a search,
include the URL in angle brackets.
When an article on the web has
no author, begin with the title
of the article.
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• Slide presentation (found online)
Baer, Jay. “11 Must-Dos for the Serious Blogger.” Slide Presentation. SlideShare.
Slideshare, Inc., n.d. Web. 15 July 2014.
• Online video (YouTube)
Krueger, Brian. “Interview Tips—Avoiding Three Common Video Resume Errors.” Video.
YouTube. YouTube, 10 Apr. 2007. Web. 15 July 2014.
• Tweet or Twitter update
Scoble, Robert. (Scobleizer). “Our book, ‘The Age of Context’ is underway and
@shelisrael posted an excerpt from it: http://t.co/npCEkpHQ… Would love to know
what you think.” 30 Aug. 2014. 5:43 p.m. Tweet.
• Facebook page
Tufte, Edward. “Timeline.” Facebook, n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2012.
AACSB International. “BizSchoolJobs.” Facebook, n.d. Web, 1 Sept. 2014.
• Facebook update
APA Style. “Frequently Asked Question: Should Hyperlinks Be Used in APA Style
Papers?” Facebook, 14 Aug. 2012. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
• Interview
Hodge, Elizabeth. Personal interview. 22 July 2014.
Hodge, Elizabeth. Telephone interview. 31 August 2014.
• Email
Hodge, Elizabeth. “Re: Additional Blogging Information.” Message to the author. 24 July
2014. E-mail.
For Tweets, use the writer’s real
name, followed by the screen name
in parentheses. If you know only
the screen name, provide it without
parentheses. Include the entire text
of the tweet in the citation, using the
same capitalization as in the original
tweet. Include the date and the time
of the tweet.
Until MLA publishes a specific rule
on how to cite Facebook pages, treat
them as regular webpages.
Facebook updates will always have a
publication date.
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Sample MLA works cited page
Double space throughout the Works Cited page. To indent lines following the first line, use
your word processor’s hanging indent paragraph format feature rather than manually tabbing
or spacing the text.
Works Cited
Albanese, Andrew Richard. “Google Is Not the Net: Social Networks Are Surging and Present the Real
Service Challenge—and Opportunity—for Libraries.” Library Journal 131.15 (2006): 32-34. Print.
— “The Social Life of Books: Write, Read, Blog, Rip, Share Any Good Books Lately? A Conversation
with Ben Vershbow.” Library Journal 131.9 (2006): 28-30. Print.
“Best Business Blogs 2011.” Strategist News. Strategist News, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2012.
Charman-Anderson, Suw. “Dark Blogs: The Use of Blogs in Business.” Strange Attractor.
Corante, 13 June 2005. Web. 23 Apr. 2009.
Financial Times. “Financial Times ComMetrics Blog Index.” ComMetrics: Tools for Benchmarking
Social Media. ComMetrics, 2009. Web. 15 July 2009.
Goldman, Seth. “For Honest Tea, Coke Is It.” Blog Post. Honesttea.com. Honest Tea, Inc., 25 Aug. 2008.
Web. 10 Aug. 2009.
Halzack, Sarah. “Marketing Moves to the Blogosphere; Business Model Shifts to Engage Customers
Online.” Washington Post 25 August 2008: D1. Print.
Levine, Rick, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberg. The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of
Business as Usual. New York: Basic Books, 1999. Print.
Mahon, Thomas. English cut. n.p., n.d. Web. 15 July 2009.
Rettberg, Jill Walker. Blogging. Malden: Polity Press, 2008. Print.
Rosenberg, Scott. Say Everything: How Blogging Began, What It’s Becoming, and Why It Matters.
New York: Crown Publishers, 2009. Print.
Scoble, Robert, and Shel Israel. Naked Conversations. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006. Print.
Thompson, Louis. “Blogs: If Used Properly, an Investor-friendly Tool.” Compliance Week 6.62 (2009):
60. Print.
Two sources by the same
author. Use an em dash
(“—”) rather than repeating
the name the second
(and subsequent) time(s).
Online article with no author
Article published on the web
Website with corporate author
Blog post
Newspaper article
Book with multiple authors
Website with no date
Book with single author
Book with two authors
Journal article
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Sample MLA documentation in presentation files
When citing sources in presentation files or report decks, use an in-text citation on the slide
where the content is presented and add a “Works Cited” page at the conclusion of the file.
“Best Business Blogs 2011.” Strategist News. Strategist News, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2012.
Charman-Anderson, Suw. “Dark Blogs: The Use of Blogs in Business.” Strange Attractor.
Corante, 13 June 2005. Web. 23 Apr. 2009.
Rosenberg, Scott. Say Everything: How Blogging Began, What It’s Becoming, and Why It
Matters. New York: Crown Publishers. 2009. Print.
Scoble, Robert, and Shel Israel. Naked Conversations.Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
2006. Print.
Thompson, L.ouis. “Blogs: If Used Properly, an Investor-friendly Tool. Compliance Week,
6.62 (2009): 60. Print.
Winograd, Morley, and Michael D. Hais. “Who Needs Critical Thinking Skills When
We’ve Got Facebook?”Jennifer Lindsay Digital.Jennifer Lindsay Digital, 9 Nov. 2009.
Web. 10 Jan. 2010.
“Rather than insisting on solving society’s challenges
using the inherited, but inevitably limited wisdom of
experts, Millennials would prefer to share their ideas
and let the group find the right answer through their
combined experiences.”
Source: Winograd and Hais
THE MILLENNIAL APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING
Source is added to
the page where the
original content
appears. Use
standard in-text
citation formats.WORKS CITED
The complete
reference citation is
included in a
Works Cited list at
the conclusion of
the report deck
(or presentation
handout).
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This appendix covers the basics of grammar, punctuation, me-
chanics, and conventions in written business communication.
The appendix begins with a diagnostic test to help you
identify strengths and weaknesses in your sentence-level writ-
ing skills. Identify the areas that you need to improve, and then
use the numbered sections to refresh your understanding of the
rules, check your writing, and correct any mistakes. Headings
such as GRAMMAR ALERT! and PUNCTUATION ALERT!
draw attention to especially common writing errors.
Sentence-level skills diagnostic test p. 540
Sentence-level skills assessment p. 541
1. SENTENCES p. 541
1.1. Parts of Speech p. 542
1.1.1. Naming Words: Nouns
and Pronouns p. 542
a. Nouns
b. Pronouns
c. Pronoun case
1.1.2. Action and Being Words: Verbs p. 545
a. Verb forms
b. Expletives
1.1.3. Modifying Words: Adjectives
and Adverbs p. 546
a. Adjectives
b. Adverbs
c. Degree of comparison
1.1.4. Connecting Words: Prepositions
and Conjunctions p. 546
a. Prepositions
b. Conjunctions
1.1.5. Exclaiming Words: Interjections p. 547
1.2. Sentence Parts and Patterns p. 547
1.2.1. Subjects and Predicates p. 547
a. Simple subject and predicate
b. Complete subject and predicate
c. Inverted word order
1.2.2. Phrases and Clauses p. 547
a. Phrases
b. Clauses
1.2.3. Sentence Types: Simple, Compound,
Complex, Compound-Complex p. 548
1.3. Common Sentence Errors p. 549
1.3.1. Sentence Fragments p. 549
1.3.2. Run-on (Fused) Sentences and Comma
Splices p. 549
1.3.3. Subject–Verb Agreement p. 550
1.3.4. Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement p. 551
1.3.5. Vague Pronoun Reference p. 551
2. PUNCTUATION p. 552
2.1. End Punctuation p. 552
2.1.1. Question Marks p. 552
2.1.2. Periods p. 552
2.1.3. Exclamation Points p. 552
2.2. Commas p. 552
2.2.1. Between Clauses p. 552
2.2.2. Between Adjectives p. 553
2.2.3. Between Items in a Series p. 553
2.2.4. Around Clauses, Phrases, or Words p. 553
a. Nonrestrictive clauses and phrases
b. Appositives
c. Direct address and other parenthetical elements
c. Dates and places
d. Direct quotations
e. Salutations
2.3. Semicolons p. 554
2.3.1. Joining Independent Clauses p. 554
2.3.2. Between Items in a Series p. 554
Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics,
and Conventions
538
Appendix C
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Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions 539
2.4. Colons p. 554
2.4.1. Preceding a List p. 554
2.4.2. Preceding an Explanation or
Illustration p. 555
2.4.3. Preceding a Rule, Formal Quotation,
or Subtitle p. 555
2.5. Quotation Marks and Italics p. 555
2.5.1. Quotation Marks p. 555
a. Direct quotation
b. Titles that are part of longer works
c. Words used as words or in a special sense
2.5.2. Italics p. 555
a. Titles
b. Letters, numbers, words used as words,
foreign words, names of ships and aircraft
c. Emphasis
2.6. Apostrophes p. 556
2.6.1. Possessive Case p. 556
a. Singular nouns, plural nouns not ending in -s,
and indefinite pronouns
b. Plural nouns ending in -s
c. Joint possession
d. Personal pronouns
2.6.2. Contractions p. 556
2.7. Other Punctuation Marks p. 556
2.7.1. Parentheses, Dashes, Brackets,
and Ellipses p. 556
a. Parentheses
c. Dashes
d. Brackets
e. Ellipses
2.7.2. Hyphens p. 557
a. Compound words
b. Numbers as words
c. Prefixes and suffixes
3. MECHANICS AND BUSINESS
CONVENTIONS p. 557
3.1. Capitalization p. 557
3.1.1. First Words p. 558
3.1.2. Proper Nouns vs. Common
Nouns p. 558
a. Proper nouns and adjectives formed from
them
b. Places and directions
c. Brand and product names, organizations and
institutions
d. Titles, offices, positions, and abbreviations
e. Organizations and parts of organizations
f. Courses, academic subjects, majors, and
degrees
g. Days of the week; months; holidays; holy days
and names; historical events, periods, and
documents; and seasons
h. Titles of works
3.2. Numbers p. 559
3.2.1. Words vs. Figures p. 559
3.2.2. Consecutive Numbers p. 559
3.2.3. Related Numbers p. 560
3.2.4. Indefinite or Approximate
Numbers p. 560
3.2.5. Numbers at the Beginning
of Sentences p. 560
3.2.6. Fractions and Ordinals p. 560
3.2.7. Decimals and Percentages p. 560
3.2.8. Money p. 560
3.2.9. Dates and Times p. 560
3.2.10. Measurements and Compound-Number
Adjectives p. 560
3.2.11. Addresses and Telephone
Numbers p. 560
3.3. Abbreviations, Acronyms,
and Initialisms p. 561
3.3.1. Definitions, Forms, and Functions p. 561
a. Abbreviations
b. Acronyms
c. Initialisms
3.3.2. When to Use Abbreviations—or
Not p. 561
a. Titles before names
b. Titles appearing independently or following
names
c. Academic degrees and professional certifications
d. Company names
e. Names of people; countries, states, and
place names; days, months, and holidays;
organizational units; and academic subjects
f. Units of measurement, times, and dates
3.3.3. Spacing and Punctuation
of Abbreviations p. 562
4. SPELLING p. 562
4.1. Four Rules of Thumb for Adding
Endings p. 562
a. Suffix added to one-syllable words
b. Stress on final syllable
c. Final -e dropped
d. Final -y changed to -i
4.2. Memory Aids for ie and ei p. 563
4.3. Commonly Misspelled Words p. 563
4.4. Commonly Confused Words p. 564
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Sentence-level skills
diagnostic test
The following test covers common sentence-level errors. After
you have completed the test, ask your instructor for the answer
sheet to score your answers. Use the Skills Assessment Table
following the test to record your scores in each category. The as-
sessment will identify the skill areas you need to strengthen and
where to find their associated rules in this appendix.
Use and Formation of Nouns
and Pronouns
Each of the following sentences is either correct or contains an
error. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If the
sentence contains an error, underline the error and write the
correct form in the blank.
1. _____ Our supervisor wanted George and I to come in early
on Tuesday.
2. _____ If your sure that everyone has left, turn out the lights.
3. _____ I will speak with whoever is in the office this morning.
4. _____ For three months in a row this Dealership had the
highest sales.
5. _____ There are fewer jobs and less employments during a
recession.
Use and Formation of Adjectives
and Adverbs
Each of the following sentences is either correct or contains an
error. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If the
sentence contains an error, underline the error and write the
correct form in the blank.
6. _____ Most consumers prefer the least costly of the two
service plans.
7. _____ He sees badly in the dark because of his cataracts.
8. _____ Remember to drive slow in a school zone.
9. _____ Wasn’t it snowing real hard last evening?
10. _____ The timing of the winter sale was absolutely perfect.
Sentence Fragments, Run-On (Fused)
Sentences, and Comma Splices
Each of the following sentences is either correct or incor-
rect. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If it
is incorrect, insert the punctuation and/or wording that
would make the sentence correct. Adjust capitalization as
necessary.
11. _____ When people enjoy their jobs. They usually perform
better.
12. _____ Many younger employees rate job satisfaction over
high salary, they want meaningful work.
13. _____ Baby boomers, on the other hand, have spent their
lives working to get ahead their goal has been to reach
the top.
14. _____ Finding the right balance between work, family, and
leisure that fits a person’s personal and professional
goals.
15. _____ Women usually have a more difficult time than men,
however, achieving this balance.
Subject–Verb Agreement and
Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement
Each of the following sentences is either correct or contains an
error. If the sentence is correct, write “C” in the blank. If the
sentence contains an error, write the correction in the blank.
16. _____ Each generation defines their relationship to work.
17. _____ There is sometimes considerable differences in
attitudes.
18. _____ Members of one generation believes in “living to work.”
19. _____ Conversely, the goals and philosophy of the next
generation is “working to live.”
20. _____ To be satisfied, everybody has to find what works best
for them.
Commas
Each of the following sentences is either correct or incorrect in
its use of commas. If the sentence is correct, write “C” next to it.
If it is incorrect, insert or delete punctuation to make it correct.
21. _____ Many cultures value recreation, and family time highly
and business practices reflect these norms.
22. _____ In Europe for example workers get at least a month of
vacation in the summer.
23. _____ Although some businesses stay open many are closed
for most of August.
24. _____ Posting an “On Vacation” sign in the window collect-
ing the family and gassing up the car business owners
across the continent head for the beach or the moun-
tains.
25. _____ This practice of closing up shop and going on vacation
for a month which annoys Americans traveling abroad
in August is considered “therapeutic and necessary for
good physical and mental health” says Doris Perneg-
ger an Austrian travel agent.
Commas and Semicolons
Each of the following sentences is either correct or incorrect in
its use of commas and semicolons. If the sentence is correct,
write “C” next to it. If it is incorrect, insert or delete punctuation
to make it correct.
26. _____ In France the workweek is 35 hours; but most Ameri-
cans still work a 40-hour week.
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27. _____ The number of hours one can work is set by national
law in many countries, however U.S. labor laws allow
for variations among employee categories.
28. _____ Many U.S. companies classify workers as “exempt”
employees, who may work extra hours without extra
pay, “non-exempt” employees, who must be paid a
minimum wage and receive higher overtime pay for
extra hours, and part-time employees, who may be
covered by minimum-wage laws but who are not
necessarily being paid a higher wage for overtime.
29. _____ The average worker in Germany spends about 1,500
hours on the job per year; the average worker in India
annually spends about twice that number on the job.
30. _____ The most leisure time contrary to popular belief was
enjoyed by prehistoric hunter-gatherers, not modern
humans.
Other Punctuation Marks
In each of the following sentences, insert or delete colons, end
punctuation, apostrophes, parentheses, quotation marks, dashes,
and hyphens as needed. If a sentence is correct, write “C” next to it.
31. _____ Some of the benefits of a four day workweek may be:
improved levels of education (extra time for classes),
improved health less stress, and money saved on
transportation.
32. _____ If we dont have to drive to work as often, we reduce
carbon related automobile emissions.
33. _____ Some economists argue that unemployment will
decrease if the workweek is shortened a big if.
34. _____ This is the theory: People working fewer hours will
create a demand for additional workers in order to
produce the same amount of goods and services.
35. _____ The old expression work smarter, not harder describes
my philosophy.
Capitalization
In each of the following sentences, insert or delete capital letters
as needed. If a sentence is correct, write “C” next to it.
36. _____ In the Western world the workweek for many employ-
ees is Monday through friday.
37. _____ Of course, doctors and nurses, people with md or rn
after their name, as well as public safety and hospital-
ity employees often work weekend shifts.
38. _____ the workweek in a number of muslim countries
is Sunday through Thursday or Saturday through
Wednesday, because Friday is a Holy Day.
39. _____ My Mother says Washington’s and lincoln’s birthdays
used to be celebrated separately, but they have been
lumped together to create presidents’ day, giving many
employees a three-day weekend in mid-february.
40. _____ We say “tgif,” meaning “Thank Goodness It’s Friday,”
to salute the end of the workweek.
Numbers
Each of the following sentences is either correct or incorrect in
the way numbers are expressed. If the sentence is correct, write
“C” next to it. If it is incorrect, insert the necessary changes.
41. _____ South Koreans average thirty-four percent more work
hours per year than U.S. workers.
42. _____ Most South Koreans start work at eight a.m., take
a break for dinner, and don’t leave work until after
10 o’clock at night.
43. _____ 2004 marked the end of the 6-day workweek in South
Korea; before then, everyone worked Saturdays.
44. _____ A South Korean accountant averaged about twenty-seven
hundred dollars a month in 2005; the average annual
income was 22,928 dollars, or 18,544,199 Korean wons.
45. _____ Since Korean employees are expected to stay at their
desks until their superiors leave, we really shouldn’t
complain about our measly 5 8-hour days.
Spelling
In each of the following sentences, correct spelling as needed. If
a sentence is correct, write “C” next to it.
46. _____ Before making a judgement about excepting a job of-
fer, you might want to explore what “work” means in
that companies’ culture.
47. _____ Some people find it inconcievable that they are ex-
pected to wear a suit and tie to work; its tee shirts and
flip-flops for them.
48. _____ Does the employer have a flextime policy, leting you
come and go as you please as long as you meet your
deadlines and attend meetings?
49. _____ What seems like a miner inconvienence when your
first hired may be a major hurdle after you have been
on the job awhile.
50. _____ Ask yourself weather you can acommodate the com-
pany policies and expectations or if you would be hap-
pyer and more productive in a different inviroment.
Sentence-level skills
assessment
In Table C.1, record the number of questions you answered
incorrectly in each category. If you got more than two answers
wrong in any category, it is likely that you are making similar
errors in your writing. Review the relevant sections of the ap-
pendix. If you are still having trouble with sentence-level errors
in any category, you may want to seek additional help at your
school’s writing center or writing lab.
1. Sentences
A sentence is often described as a group of words that expresses
a complete thought. However, a sentence does more than that.
Sentences convey information and establish relationships
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QUESTIONS SKILL AREA
NUMBER OF
INCORRECT ANSWERS SECTION(S)
1–5 Nouns and Pronouns 1.1.1., 3.1.2.
6–10 Adjectives and Adverbs 1.1.3.
11–15 Fragments, Run-on (Fused) Sentences, Comma Splices 1.2.2., 1.3.1., 1.3.2.
16–20 Subject–Verb Agreement, Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement 1.1.2., 1.3.3., 1.3.4.
21–25 Commas 2.2.–2.2.4.
26–30 Commas and Semicolons 2.3.
31–35 Other Punctuation Marks 2.4.–2.7.
36–40 Capitalization 3.1.–3.1.2.
41–45 Numbers 3.2.–3.2.11.
46–50 Spelling 4.
TABLE C.1 Skills Assessment Table
FUNCTION PART OF SPEECH EXAMPLES
Naming Nouns
Pronouns
computer, IBM, email
you, itself, hers, everyone
Showing action or being Verbs email, was, will hire, has run
Modifying Adjectives
Adverbs
expensive, clear, legal
quickly, really, well
Connecting Prepositions
Conjunctions
in, under, after, of, to, on
and, but, although, since
Exclaiming Interjections oh, well, hey, indeed
Ouch! Help! Stop! Wow!
TABLE C.2 Functions of Parts of Speech
between ideas. Your ability to communicate well—effectively
manage sentences and their parts—will contribute to your
success in the workplace.
1.1. Parts of Speech
Words in sentences belong to categories that describe their func-
tion within the sentence. Just as particular departments within a
business have particular functions—accounting, sales, shipping
and receiving—words are categorized according to the func-
tions they serve in sentences. These categories are commonly
called the parts of speech. Knowing the names and functions of
the parts of speech enables people to talk about how sentences
work—or don’t work when there are errors.
As you can see from the examples in Table C.2, the same
word (e.g., email) may serve different functions, depending on
its use in a sentence.
1.1.1. Naming Words: Nouns and Pronouns
a. Nouns name persons, places, things, and concepts. They can
be classified as indicated in Table C.3.
Many nouns form the plural regularly by adding -s or -es
at the end: report, reports; expense, expenses. Some nouns have
an irregular plural form, often formed by a change in vowel:
man, men; mouse, mice; goose, geese.
b. Pronouns replace or refer to nouns. The word that a pronoun
replaces or refers to is called its antecedent (meaning “to go
before”): Shanice said she received the memo. She is the pro-
noun; Shanice is the antecedent. Like nouns, pronouns can be
classified, as described in Table C.4.
c. Pronoun case. As Table C.5 illustrates, pronouns show their
function in a sentence by means of case: subjective, objective,
or possessive.
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TYPE OF PRONOUN FUNCTION EXAMPLES
Personal pronouns Refer to specific persons, places, or things. I, me you, she, her, he, him, it, they, their, them
Indefinite pronouns Do not refer to specific persons, places, or
things; do not require antecedents. Pronouns
indicating individuals are singular: any, each,
every, -body, -one, -thing, no. Pronouns indicat-
ing several are plural: all, many, most, some.
all, any, anyone, anybody, both, each, everyone,
everybody, everything, many, most, none, no one,
nobody, nothing, some, somebody, something
Everybody hopes for a raise.
Some are counting on it.
Relative pronouns Introduce subordinate clauses that refer to a
noun or pronoun the clause modifies.
that, who, whom, whose, which
The vice president who gave the presentation
used to be my boss.
Interrogative pronouns Introduce questions. what, who, whom, whose, which
What happened next?
Demonstrative
pronouns
Identify particular people or things. this, that, these, those
Those are the most recent sales figures available.
Intensive pronouns
Reflexive pronouns
Emphasize the antecedent.
Refer to the receiver of an action who is the
same as the performer of the action.
Same form for both types: myself, yourself,
himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves,
themselves
a. The President himself will attend the
conference.
b. We congratulated ourselves on a job well done.
Reciprocal pronouns Refer to separate parts of a plural antecedent. each other, one another
The new employees introduced themselves to
each other.
TABLE C.4 Types of Pronouns
TYPE OF NOUN FUNCTION EXAMPLES
Common nouns Refer to general groups, people, places, things, and
ideas. They are not capitalized.
intern, street, company, soda, capitalism
Proper nouns Refer to particular people, places, things, and ideas. They
are capitalized.
Monica, Wall Street, Progressive Insurance
Company, Coca-Cola, Marxism
Count nouns Refer to people, places, and things that can be counted
individually. Count nouns have singular and plural forms.
two interns, 15 insurance companies, one
customer, $3 million, raindrops, job
Mass nouns
(noncount nouns)
Refer to things that cannot be counted individually but
that exist in a mass or aggregate. Mass nouns do not
usually have plural forms, and they take singular verbs.
rain, milk, steel, money, overstock
The milk is cold.
Collective nouns Refer to groups that are singular in form but, depending
on context, may be singular or plural in meaning.
committee, team, sales force, board of di-
rectors, faculty, staff, herd, flock
The staff [collectively] is meeting this after-
noon. The staff [individually] are registering
for the conference.
Abstract nouns Refer to intangible conditions, qualities, or ideas. wealth, illness, technology, sound,
capitalism
Concrete nouns Refer to things perceived by the five senses. euros, diabetes, sonogram, applause,
stockholder
TABLE C.3 Types of Nouns
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TABLE C.5 Pronoun Cases
PERSONAL PRONOUNS:
FUNCTIONING AS A
SUBJECT:
FUNCTIONING AS AN
OBJECT:
FUNCTIONING TO SHOW
POSSESSION:
SINGULAR SUBJECTIVE CASE OBJECTIVE CASE POSSESSIVE CASE
First person (denotes person
speaking)
I
I sent an email.
me
Rob sent an email to me.
my, mine
My mailbox was full.
Second person (denotes
person or thing spoken to)
you
Were you the recipient?
you
Mae saw you in the lobby.
your, yours
Did you find your ticket?
Third person (denotes
person or thing spoken of)
he, she, it
It came in the mail.
him, her, it
Alyse found it on the desk.
his, her, hers, its
The storm ruined his travel
plans.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS:
PLURAL
SUBJECTIVE CASE
OBJECTIVE CASE
POSSESSIVE CASE
First person (persons
speaking)
we
When we arrived, the
meeting had already started.
us
Let us know the date.
our, ours
Our flight was canceled.
Second person (persons or
things spoken to)
you
As new employees, you
have temporary security
clearances.
you
I wish you the best of luck.
your, yours
Your supervisors will distrib-
ute the new software.
Third person (persons or
things spoken of)
they
They completed the project.
them
The department head recom-
mended them for a raise.
their, theirs
They earned their reward.
RELATIVE OR
INTERROGATIVE
PRONOUNS
SUBJECTIVE CASE
OBJECTIVE CASE
POSSESSIVE CASE
Singular and plural forms
are the same
who
Lee was the person who
phoned.
whom
To whom am I speaking?
whose
Please tell me whose turn is
next.
GRAMMAR ALERT! MISUSE OF PRONOUN CASE
If a pronoun is in the wrong case, the sentence will be
grammatically incorrect.
Use the objective case for the object of a transitive verb
(a verb that passes the action to a recipient—or object—of
that action).
Incorrect The division manager asked him and I to report
our findings.
(Incorrect use of subjective case: I is not the
subject of the sentence.)
Correct The division manager asked him and me to
report our findings.
(Correct use of objective case: The pronoun me
is the object of the verb asked.)
Use the subjective case with intransitive verbs such as
linking or being verbs.
Incorrect The principal researchers on the project were
him and me.
(Incorrect use of objective case: The subject
antecedent, researchers, and pronouns referring
to it are linked by a “be” verb—were—so both
are subjective case.)
Correct The principal researchers on the project were he
and I.
Use the subjective case when answering a caller’s
question, “Is [your name] there?”
Incorrect This is her. (Incorrect use of objective case; me
renames the subject this, which refers to the
antecedent subject [your name] in the question,
so use subjective case.)
Correct This is she.
Sometimes you can hear the correct case if you modify the
wording of the sentence and start with the pronoun(s) in
the subject spot: He and I were the principal researchers
on the project. Another test is to switch to the plural: The
division manager asked us to report our findings. Us sounds
(and is) correct, so the corresponding singular objective
form, him and me, will be correct.
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1.1.2. Action and Being Words: Verbs
Verbs express action, occurrence, or state of being.
Action Stock prices rose in late December.
Occurrence That often happens at the end of the year.
State of Being The phenomenon is known as the
“year-end bump.”
a. Verb forms. Verbs change form to show time (tense), person,
number, voice, and mood, as illustrated in Table C.6.
b. Expletives are introductory words such as there or it followed
by a linking verb (is, are, was, were).
It is probable that Jean won’t attend.
There were six people on the conference call.
Expletives function more as signal expressions used for
emphasis than as true conveyers of content. For example,
There were six people on the conference call could as easily
be expressed as Six people were on the conference call. Ex-
amine your writing to eliminate expletives, when possible.
Although they can be used effectively to manage the pace
and emphasis in a sentence, expletives can also add words
that may not be necessary.
SPELLING ALERT! MISUSE OF APOSTROPHE
Do not confuse their/they’re, your/you’re, or its/it’s. Posses-
sive pronouns are never formed with an apostrophe, but
contractions ending in -s always are.
They’re the lawyers who handle corporate mergers
in their law firm. (contraction of they are; possessive
pronoun)
Your application is due if you’re interested in being
considered for the job. (possessive pronoun; contraction
of you are)
You can’t tell a book by its cover, although it’s tempting to
try. (possessive pronoun; contraction of it is)
Wordy It is probable that Jean won’t attend.
Revised Jean probably won’t attend.
FEATURE VARIATIONS EXAMPLE
Time (tense) present, past, future The stock market rose 58 points. Prices will increase.
Person first, second, third You and I think it is a bull market. He thinks it is a bear
market.
Number singular, plural A rising tide raises all boats, but ill financial winds raise
many fears.
Voice Active voice: Subject performs action of verb.
Passive voice: Subject receives action of verb.
Corporate losses caused a market decline.
The market decline was caused by corporate losses.
Mood Indicates whether action expresses a fact or
question (indicative), gives a command (im-
perative), or expresses a condition contrary to
fact (subjunctive).
Indicative: She saves part of every paycheck.
Does she save part of every paycheck?
Imperative: Save part of every paycheck.
Subjunctive: If she were saving part of every paycheck,
she would be financially secure. [But the fact is she is not
saving, so she is not secure.]
TABLE C.6 Features of Verbs
GRAMMAR ALERT! SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT ERROR
Verbs must agree with their subjects in person and number.
The subject cannot be in a prepositional phrase. Find
the true subject and make the verb agree.
Incorrect The members of the Federal Reserve Board
sets interest rates.
(Verb sets is incorrect because subject
members is plural.)
Correct The members of the Federal Reserve Board set
interest rates.
Contractions should be separated and matched with the
correct person.
Incorrect He don’t want to be late, and I don’t either.
(Verb form don’t or do not disagrees with third-
person singular subject he.)
Correct He doesn’t want to be late, and I don’t either.
OR He does not want to be late, and I do not
either.
Also see “Subject–Verb Agreement” in Common Sentence
Errors.
GRAMMAR ALERT! AGREEMENT ERROR WITH THERE
When a sentence begins with the expletive there, the verb is
singular or plural depending on the number of the noun or pro-
noun that follows it. In other words, the verb must agree with
the true grammatical subject of the sentence; there and here
are adverbial modifiers and cannot be grammatical subjects.
Incorrect There was two possible solutions.
Correct There were two possible solutions.
To check for correct agreement between subject and
verb, try putting the sentence in subject–verb word order:
Two possible solutions were there.
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1.1.3. Modifying Words: Adjectives and Adverbs
a. Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns: Put the expense re-
port in the tall, gray filing cabinet. Adjectives answer the ques-
tions which one? what kind of? or how many?
“Modify” means to identify, describe, limit, or qualify in
some way. For example, the tall, gray filing cabinet describes
the height, color, and type of cabinet, differentiating it from
the low, white equipment cabinet next to it.
b. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, and oc-
casionally prepositions, conjunctions, or even whole sen-
tences: I quickly located the cabinet but unfortunately could
not pull open the very firmly stuck drawer. Adverbs answer
the questions how? when? where? why? to what extent? or to
what degree?
c. Degree of comparison. Many adjectives and adverbs change
form to indicate three degrees of comparison:
• positive (nothing being compared)
• comparative (higher or lower degree when comparing
two)
• superlative (highest or lowest degree when comparing
three or more)
The changes in form are indicated in three ways.
1. By adding -er or -est to the positive form of a one-syllable ad-
jective or adverb or an adjective that ends in -ly: tall, taller,
tallest; few, fewer, fewest; fast, faster, fastest; friendly, friendlier,
friendliest.
2. By adding the prefix words more and most or less and least to
the positive form of adjectives with three or more syllables or
adverbs with two or more syllables: expensive, less expensive,
least expensive; simply, more simply, most simply.
3. By using an irregular form: good, better, best; bad, worse, worst.
Some adjectives are considered absolute, not comparable. Ab-
solute adjectives include perfect, unique, square, straight, endless,
and dead. Something cannot be more dead than something else;
it can, however, be almost or nearly dead.
TYPE FUNCTION EXAMPLES
Coordinating conjunctions Join words, phrases, or clauses of equal
grammatical rank.
and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet
Correlative conjunctions Work in pairs to join words, phrases, or
clauses of equal grammatical rank.
both/and, either/or, neither/nor, not/but,
not only/but also
Subordinating conjunctions Join clauses that are not of equal rank.
The clause beginning with the subordi-
nating conjunction cannot stand by itself
as a sentence.
after, although, as, because, before, if,
since, rather than, that, unless, when,
where, whether, while
Conjunctive adverbs Join independent clauses only, clauses
that can stand by themselves as sen-
tences. These are adverbs, not true con-
junctions, so they need to be preceded
by a semicolon.
however, therefore, nevertheless,
furthermore, instead, besides, conse-
quently, then, meanwhile, thus
TABLE C.7 Types of Conjunctions
GRAMMAR ALERT! MISUSE OF BAD AND GOOD
Use adjectives, not adverbs, with linking verbs (be, become,
is, are, was, were) and verbs of the senses (feel, smell, taste,
look, appear, seem). One of the most common adjective/
adverb errors is confusion of good and well, bad and badly.
Incorrect He looks well in that suit.
(An adjective should be used instead of the
adverb well, because it describes the subject, he.)
Correct He looks good in that suit.
Incorrect She felt badly about missing the appointment.
(The “sensing” verb felt requires an adjective, not
an adverb, because it describes the subject, she.)
Correct She felt bad about missing the appointment.
But Because her fingers were numb with cold, she
felt badly and couldn’t tell her car key from her
house key.
(The adverb form badly is correct because it
describes the verb, her ability to feel or touch.)
1.1.4. Connecting Words: Prepositions
and Conjunctions
a. Prepositions connect a noun or pronoun (called the “object”
of the preposition) to some other word in a sentence. These
prepositional “phrases” usually function as modifiers, describ-
ing the words to which they are connected: The office on the
left belongs to the corporate lawyer. Common prepositions in-
clude in, out, up, down, before, behind, over, under, to, from,
above, below, on, off, by, through, and around. Although we
sometimes end sentences with prepositions in conversation
(“Where are you from?”), try to avoid these “danglers” in writ-
ing. Follow the preposition with a noun or a pronoun as the
object, unless doing so makes the sentence unusually awkward.
b. Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses to show rela-
tionships between them: coordination, correlation, or subor-
dination. The difference between them is described in Table C.7.
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Note that some conjunctions also function as other parts
of speech. For example, after can be a preposition or a conjunc-
tion, depending on whether it is followed by a noun or pronoun
as an object or begins a phrase or clause containing a verb form.
1.2.1. Subjects and Predicates
The largest structural parts of sentences are their subjects and
predicates. The subject explains who or what the sentence is
about, who is performing or receiving the action described in
the sentence. The predicate states the action or state of existence.
a. Simple subject and predicate. A sentence can be as short as
two words—one word for the subject, and one word for the
predicate: Prices rose. If the sentence is a command with an
understood subject, it can even be just one word: Run! Usu-
ally sentences are longer, with their subjects and predicates
composed of more words, conveying more information: The
prices for new homes rose in the third quarter. However, every
sentence can be pared down to its essential elements, the sim-
ple subject (noun, pronoun, or noun equivalent) and simple
predicate (verb): Prices rose.
b. Complete subject and predicate. The simple subject along
with all its modifiers is called the complete subject.
The prices for new homes rose in the third quarter.
Similarly, the simple predicate along with all its modifiers,
objects, and complements is the complete predicate.
The prices for new homes rose in the third quarter.
In the previous sentence, the complete predicate includes
only the verb and its modifiers: rose in the third quarter. That
is because the verb rose is an intransitive verb, a verb that does
not take an object.
If the verb is a transitive verb—one that takes an object—
the complete predicate will include a direct object that re-
ceives the action of the verb: We bought a house. It may also
include an indirect object, telling to or for whom or what the
action occurred: The real estate agent sent us the contract.
If the predicate has a linking verb, it may include a
complement—a noun, pronoun, or adjective that “completes”
the verb, renaming or describing the subject: The house is a
two-story colonial. The price was reasonable.
c. Inverted word order can sometimes make locating the subject
and predicate difficult. For example, questions have inverted
word order, in which the verb (or part of a verb phrase) pre-
cedes the subject. In the following questions, the simple predi-
cates are did rise and are. The simple subjects are prices and they:
Did home prices rise last month? Are they still reasonable?
1.2.2. Phrases and Clauses
a. Phrases are word groups that may contain a subject or a predi-
cate, but not both. They function as a single part of speech, as
described in Table C.8.
b. Clauses are word groups that have both a subject and a predi-
cate. The subject and predicate may contain no modifiers or
many; they may contain no phrases or many.
Prices rose. (no modifiers)
Prices for new homes rose in the third quarter. (two modifying
phrases)
An independent clause (main clause) can stand by itself as a
complete sentence, but a dependent clause cannot stand alone.
Dependent clauses (also called subordinate clauses) add
information to the main idea, but they are incomplete without
the main clause to which they are attached. You can identify an
adverbial dependent clause by the subordinating conjunction
GRAMMAR ALERT! AGREEMENT ERROR WITH
PREPOSITIONAL OBJECT
The object of a preposition cannot be the subject of a sen-
tence. Consequently, the verb should not be made to agree
with it but rather with the true subject of the sentence.
Incorrect The box of name badges are on your desk.
(The subject is not badges; badges is the object
of the preposition of.)
Correct The box of name badges is on your desk.
(The subject is box; the verb is agrees with the
subject.)
Prepositional Phrase Jason returned to the office after
lunch.
(Lunch is a noun.)
Conjunction Joining
Independent Clauses
Jason returned to the office after he
finished lunch.
(He finished lunch is a clause.)
1.1.5. Exclaiming Words: Interjections
Interjections are considered a part of speech, but their only
function is to express strong feeling. Although a few interjec-
tions can be interpreted as single-word commands with under-
stood subjects or objects (Help! Stop!), most are grammatically
unconnected to the rest of the sentence. An interjection may
be accompanied by an explanation mark if the emotion is to be
interpreted as particularly strong: “Ouch! I just got a paper cut
from that file folder.”
Interjections are common in speech, so they may be ap-
propriate (if used with discretion) in written business messages
that are more informal and conversational. Conversely, they are
seldom appropriate in formal business writing, unless used for
instructions that must grab the reader’s attention.
Spoken Conversation Hey, Lynn, do you have a minute?
Informal Email Wow! I was impressed by her
accomplishments.
Written Instructions Attention! Set the brake before
starting the engine.
Be aware that interjections that might be appropriate for texting
friends will create an unprofessional, immature tone in business
correspondence.
1.2. Sentence Parts and Patterns
As the old song says, “The knee bone is connected to the thigh
bone,” not to the heel bone or the toe bone. Understanding the
components that make up a sentence and how they work to-
gether can help writers and speakers eliminate errors and use
language more effectively.
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FUNCTION OF PHRASE EXAMPLE EXPLANATION
Functions as noun Remembering all my computer passwords is difficult. Noun phrase takes subject position in
sentence.
Functions as verb I have been writing them on sticky notes. Verb phrase takes verb position in sentence.
Functions as adjective Dozens of these notes are stuck to my computer.
Looking at all these notes stuck on my computer, I
wish I did not need this memory aid.
Adjectival prepositional phrase modifies
noun dozens, telling what kind.
Present participial phrase looking at all these
notes modifies the pronoun I. Past particip-
ial phrase stuck on my computer modifies
the noun notes, telling which ones.
Functions as adverb However, I can’t seem to remember my passwords
from one day to the next.
Adverbial prepositional phrase modifies
verb seem to remember, telling when.
TABLE C.8 Functions of Phrases
TYPE OF CLAUSE EXAMPLE
Independent
Dependent
I can’t remember my passwords because I have too many of them. (Boldface words can stand alone.)
I can’t remember my passwords because I have too many of them. (Boldface words cannot stand alone.)
Independent
Dependent
I can’t even remember the password that I selected yesterday. (Boldface words can stand alone.)
I can’t even remember the password that I selected yesterday. (Boldface words cannot stand alone.)
Independent
Dependent
Now I just need to find the sticky notes where I wrote down my passwords. (Boldface words can stand
alone.)
Now I just need to find the sticky notes where I wrote down my passwords. (Boldface words cannot stand
alone.)
TABLE C.9 Independent versus Dependent Clauses
that connects it to the main clause (see “Connecting Words”).
You can identify an adjectival subordinate clause (also called a
relative clause) by the relative pronoun (who, whom, whose, that,
or which) or the relative adverb (when, where, or why) that con-
nects it to the main clause. Table C.9 illustrates the differences
between independent and dependent clauses.
PUNCTUATION ALERT! SENTENCE FRAGMENT
Do not punctuate a dependent clause as if it were a
sentence. Doing so creates a sentence fragment (see
“Common Sentence Errors: Sentence Fragments”).
Incorrect My computer doesn’t work. Although the
technician checked it.
(Although the technician checked it is a
dependent clause—a sentence fragment—not a
complete sentence.)
Correct My computer doesn’t work although the
technician checked it.
1.2.3. Sentence Types: Simple, Compound, Complex,
Compound-Complex
Sentences can be classified according to the number and types
of clauses they contain. Good communicators take advantage
of these sentence types to express their ideas most effectively.
From simple to complex, sentence structure can help create and
reinforce meaning. Table C.10 illustrates the four sentence types.
Subjects and predicates may have compound elements, but
those compound elements do not necessarily make the sentence
itself compound. For example, a simple sentence with a compound
verb is still a simple sentence: People live longer but save less.
PUNCTUATION ALERT! MISUSE OF COMMA
Do not punctuate a simple sentence with a compound
subject or compound predicate as if it were a compound
sentence. Before putting a comma in front of and or
but, check to make sure the conjunction connects two
independent clauses.
Incorrect I turned off my computer, and then went to get
the mail.
(This is a single independent clause with a
compound predicate.)
Correct I turned off my computer and then went to get
the mail.
Correct I turned off my computer, and then I went to get
the mail.
(Each clause is independent, so the comma is
required.)
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SENTENCE TYPE STRUCTURE EXAMPLES
Simple One independent clause; no dependent clauses People want to save for retirement.
Compound Two or more independent clauses; no dependent
clauses
People want to save for retirement, but they
seldom do it.
Complex One independent clause; one or more dependent
clauses
Although people want to save for retirement,
they seldom do it voluntarily.
Compound-
Complex
Two or more independent clauses; one or more
dependent clauses
People say that they want to save for retirement,
but they seldom do it while they are young.
TABLE C.10 Sentence Types
1.3. Common Sentence Errors
The most frequent sentence errors are fragments, run-ons or
fused sentences, comma splices, and agreement errors. The
first three errors occur because the writer has incorrectly indi-
cated where one sentence stops and another begins. These er-
rors can prevent readers from understanding the meaning the
writer intended. Although our daily speech is full of these “not
sentence” constructions, listeners have many more cues to help
determine meaning—including the opportunity to ask ques-
tions. Business writers need to get it right the first time, or they
may cause serious miscommunication.
1.3.1. Sentence Fragments
A sentence contains at least one independent clause, having a
subject and a verb, and can stand alone as a complete thought.
When a word group (phrase or dependent clause) lacking these
characteristics is punctuated as if it were a sentence, a fragment
results. A fragment can be corrected by rewriting it as a com-
plete sentence. Join the fragment to the sentence before or after
it, or supply the missing subject or verb to make the fragment
an independent clause.
Incorrect People would rather have rewards
now. Than wait patiently for rewards
in the future. (phrases punctuated as a
sentence)
Correct People would rather have rewards now
than wait patiently for rewards in the
future.
Incorrect Behavioral economists say people choose
immediate rewards. Because they overly
discount the future. (dependent clause
punctuated as a sentence)
Correct Behavioral economists say people choose
immediate rewards because they overly
discount the future.
Incorrect People buying things on credit that they
can’t afford. (phrases and dependent
clause punctuated as a sentence)
Correct People buy things on credit that they
can’t afford.
Compound predicates (joined by and, but, or, yet, and so on) are
sometimes punctuated as complete sentences, especially when
the sentence is long. However, if the clause beginning with “but”
is short, combine it with the first sentence.
Incorrect Sometimes people have to run up their credit
card bills. But they shouldn’t make a habit
of it.
Correct Sometimes people have to run up their credit
card bills, but they shouldn’t make a habit
of it.
A polite request or command may appear to be missing
a subject, and therefore be a sentence fragment; however, the
sentence is complete because the subject is the understood pro-
noun you.
Correct Please send your response as soon as possible.
(The understood subject is you.)
1.3.2. Run-on (Fused) Sentences and Comma Splices
Run-on or fused sentences are independent clauses joined to-
gether without a connecting conjunction.
Classical economists believe humans rationally
weigh costs and benefits conversely, behavioral
economists point out humans’ irrational decision
making.
Comma splices are independent clauses joined together by a
comma.
Rational humans are marvelous in theory, in reality
they do not exist.
Run-ons and comma splices are both incorrect, and both can be
fixed in one of five ways:
1. Connect the independent clauses with a comma and a coor-
dinating conjunction.
Classical economists believe humans rationally weigh costs
and benefits, but behavioral economists point out humans’
irrational decision making.
2. Connect the independent clauses with a semicolon.
Rational humans are marvelous in theory; in reality they
do not exist.
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3. Make a separate sentence of each independent clause.
Classical economists believe humans rationally weigh costs
and benefits. Conversely, behavioral economists point out
humans’ irrational decision making.
4. Change one independent clause to a dependent clause.
Although rational humans are marvelous in theory, in reality
they do not exist.
5. Change one independent clause to a phrase.
Marvelous in theory, rational humans do not exist in reality.
1.3.3. Subject–Verb Agreement
Subjects and verbs need to agree in number and person. If the
subject of a clause is singular, the verb must be singular as well;
if plural, it must be plural. If the subject is in third person, the
verb must reflect that. (Also see 1.1.2 “Action and Being Words:
Verbs.”) Agreement errors are most common in the following
instances.
• Words and phrases between subject and verb. Locate the
subject and verb and make them agree, ignoring everything
in between.
The aroma of baking cupcakes convinces me to start my
diet tomorrow. (The verb convinces should agree in num-
ber with the subject aroma, not with cupcakes, the object of
the preposition of.)
Even though words such as with, together with, and as well as
suggest plural meaning, they are not part of the subject. When
they follow singular subjects, use singular verbs.
Temptation, as well as immediate sweet rewards, under-
mines my willpower.
• Indefinite pronouns as subjects. Use singular verbs with in-
definite pronouns indicating one: another, each, either, much,
neither, one, and all pronouns ending in -one, -body, and
-thing.
Everybody believes in doing what is best for the future;
nevertheless, each of us occasionally gives in to immediate
gratification.
Use plural verbs with indefinite pronouns indicating more
than one: both, few, many, others, and several.
Many behave irrationally, but few view their choices as
irrational.
The indefinite pronouns all, any, most, more, none, and some
take either a singular or a plural verb, depending on whether
the noun to which they refer is singular or plural.
Some people are good at delaying gratification, but none
find it very easy. (None refers to people and so requires the
plural verb find.)
Most of the cake is gone, but some is still on the plate. (Most
and some refer to one item—most of it and some of it.)
• Collective nouns as subjects. Collective nouns are singular in
form but name a group of persons or things: committee, crowd,
jury, team, task force. Use a singular verb when the group is
considered as a unit acting collectively as one. Use a plural
verb when the members of the group are acting separately as
individuals.
The task force has reported its findings to the director. (Task
force is considered a unit acting collectively.)
The task force have agreed to conduct follow-up studies in
their own departments. (Individuals on the task force are
acting separately.)
OR
The task force members have agreed to conduct follow-up
studies in their own departments.
• Plural forms that have singular meanings. Some nouns are
plural in form but singular in meaning: economics, mathemat-
ics, news, measles. Use a singular verb with these.
Behavioral economics explains why consumers can’t resist
a sale.
However, some nouns in plural form, such as athletics, politics,
statistics, and acoustics, may be singular or plural, depending
on whether they refer to a singular or plural idea.
The Republican Party’s politics is generally conservative, al-
though members’ politics reflect a wide spectrum of views.
GRAMMAR ALERT! DATA
A singular verb is often used with the word data: The data
appears in the appendix. However, people in technical and
scientific fields typically think of data as plural, as compila-
tions of separate pieces of numerical information. There-
fore, they usually prefer plural verbs: The data appear in the
appendix. Follow the practice of the business, industry, or
field for which you are writing. If the word data is consid-
ered plural in meaning, use a plural verb: The data are reli-
able. Her data show that more testing should be done. The
singular form is datum, or you can write about an individual
data point.
• Subjects joined by coordinating conjunctions and, or, or
nor. Use a plural verb when two or more subjects are joined
by and, unless the parts of the compound subject refer to the
same thing.
Our wants and our needs are often not the same thing.
Robert’s son and executor of his estate has signed the
documents.
When each or every precedes a compound singular subject
joined by and, the subject is considered singular and takes a
singular verb.
Every employee and his or her guest has been issued an
identification badge.
When subjects are joined by or, nor, or not only/but also, the
verb should agree in number with the subject that is nearer.
Neither the employee nor her guests have been issued
badges, so either the receptionist or the department head
has to call Security for clearance.
Neither the guests nor the employee has been issued
badges.
• Relative pronouns who, which, and that as subjects. When
the relative pronoun who, which, or that is the subject of a
dependent clause, make the verb agree with the pronoun’s
antecedent.
Please give me a list of the guests who need badges.
(Who refers to the antecedent guests, so the verb must
be plural.)
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• Inverted word order. Be sure to check agreement when the
verb comes before the subject. Test for correctness by putting
the subject first. (Also see 1.1.2.b. “Expletives.”)
After a vacation comes the reality of an overflowing in-
box. (The reality of an overflowing in-box comes after a
vacation.)
There appears to be no excuse for his behavior. (No excuse
for his behavior appears to be there.)
• Quantities. Total amounts are usually considered a single unit
and take singular verbs.
Two weeks is not enough vacation, according to Europeans.
I think $100 is outrageous for weekly parking.
If the individual parts of a unit are being emphasized, choose
a plural verb.
Twenty-four grams of fat have to be spread over three meals,
not eaten in a single sitting.
If a percentage refers to things that are plural and countable,
the verb should be plural.
Thirty percent of the engine parts do not pass quality stan-
dards.
If a percentage refers to something that is singular, the verb is
singular.
Ten percent of his income goes to charity.
The number takes a singular verb, but a number takes a plural
verb.
A number of faulty parts were found, although the number
of returns was low.
• Business names, products, titles, and words used as words.
Even if the form of a business name or product or the title of
a work is plural, it takes a singular verb because it is a single
thing. The same is true for words discussed as words.
I think Twinings makes the best cup of Earl Grey tea.
Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman has sold mil-
lions of copies.
Geese is the plural of goose.
1.3.4. Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement
Pronouns must agree in number with their antecedents, the
words to which they refer. Most agreement situations are obvi-
ous: The interns received their orientation yesterday. However,
the following situations can be tricky.
• Indefinite pronouns. As the word “indefinite” suggests,
these pronouns do not refer to specific persons, places, or
things: for example, some, all, many, and anyone are in-
definite pronouns. Although people tend to use plural pro-
nouns when speaking, in writing use singular pronouns to
refer to indefinite pronoun antecedents such as person, one,
any, each, either, and neither and indefinite pronouns end-
ing in -one, -body, and -thing, such as anybody, someone, or
everything.
Incorrect Everybody knows they should dress
appropriately for a job interview.
Correct Everybody knows he or she should dress
appropriately for a job interview.
• Collective nouns. Use a singular pronoun if the anteced-
ent is a group being considered as a unit. Use a plural pro-
noun if the members of the group are being considered
individually.
The review panel started its tour of the laboratory at
9:30 am. (The panel toured as a group.)
The review panel asked many questions when they met
with the research director. (Individual members of the
group asked questions.)
• Compound antecedents. Antecedents connected by and take
plural pronouns. Pronouns referring to compound anteced-
ents connected by or or nor should agree with the antecedent
closer to it. If that choice is awkward or ambiguous, do not use
a pronoun.
Incorrect If you ask either Jenny or Paul, they will help
you.
Incorrect If you ask either the supervisors or Jenny,
they will help you.
Correct If you ask Jenny and Paul, they will
help you.
Correct If you ask either Jenny or Paul, one of them
will help you.
Correct If you ask either Jenny or the supervisors,
they will help you.
Correct If you ask either the supervisors or Jenny,
someone will help you. (Avoid using the
grammatically correct pronoun, she,
because the resulting sentence implies that
the supervisors will not help: If you ask
either the supervisors or Jenny, she will
help you.)
When a compound antecedent is introduced by each or every,
or when it refers to a single person or thing, use a singular
pronoun.
Each hospital and clinic has its own evacuation plan.
The president and CEO delivered his annual state-of-the-
company speech.
1.3.5. Vague Pronoun Reference
The antecedent to which a pronoun refers should be clear. Pro-
nouns should refer to
• only one antecedent. It may be plural or compound, but it
should be only one.
• an antecedent that is nearby. Readers generally assume
the antecedent is the closest previous noun or noun
substitute.
• a specific antecedent, not an implied person or thing or the
general idea of a preceding clause or sentence. A pronoun
should refer to a noun or noun substitute that exists in a previ-
ous phrase or clause. Revise if this, that, or which refers to the
general idea of a preceding clause or sentence.
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Vague We need to survey more customers. This
will give us better data, so we can develop
better products. They will benefit in the
long run.
(This vaguely refers to the whole idea in
the previous sentence. They could refer to
customers, data, or products; the closest
noun, products, doesn’t make sense.)
Clear We need to survey more customers. A bigger
sampling will give us better data, so we can
develop better products. Customers will
benefit in the long run.
2. Punctuation
Punctuation marks fall into four basic categories: (1) end
punctuation that marks the endings of sentences and indicates
how the sentence is to be read; (2) internal punctuation that
shows the relationship of individual words or sentence parts
to the rest of a sentence; (3) direct-quotation punctuation that
indicates speakers and changes of speaker as well as where
words have been added or omitted from the original text; and
(4) word punctuation that indicates words or letters having a
special use. These functions are illustrated in the sections that
follow.
2.1. End Punctuation
The punctuation at the ends of sentences signals where ideas
stop and marks the end of complete grammatical units that
can stand alone. End punctuation also indicates whether the
sentence is to be understood as a question (question mark),
statement, command, indirect question, or polite request
(period), or strong expression of emotion (exclamation
point).
Examples:
I will now ask your name.
Tell me your name.
Will you please state your name?
What is your name?
What a wonderful name!
2.1.1. Question Marks
Direct questions are punctuated with a question mark: What
time is the meeting? She asked me, “What time is the meeting?”
2.1.2. Periods
Periods mark the ends of statements and commands as well
as indirect questions and polite requests. An indirect ques-
tion implies a question but does not actually ask one: I want
to know what time the meeting is. One clue that the previous
sentence is not a direct question is the word order: The subject
and verb are not inverted in indirect questions, as they are in
a direct question (what time is the meeting?). A polite request
may be phrased like a question, but it is really a command
stated nicely. Therefore, it is often punctuated with a period
rather than a question mark: When you have scheduled the
meeting, please let me know. Deciding whether a sentence is a
polite request or a question may also have to do with who is
making the request. A polite request that is a command from a
supervisor would require a period: “Will you please attend the
meeting for me.” A polite request for a favor from a coworker
would require a question mark: “Will you please attend the
meeting for me?”
Periods also are normally used with initials and with ab-
breviations ending with lowercase letters.
Dr. Janice Brown Sen. Ben Cardin St. Jerome Mr. Kim
Academic degrees and professional certifications in some fields
omit the period from abbreviations; for example, PhD, RN, or
MD may appear without periods. Consult the style manual of
the profession if in doubt. Your company may also have a style
manual that specifies how abbreviations are to be handled in
company correspondence and publications.
2.1.3. Exclamation Points
Interjections and sentences that require strong emphasis or ex-
press extreme emotion are often punctuated with exclamation
points: Attention! Fire on the third floor! Evacuate the building
using the stairs!
Unfortunately, many people have adopted the habit of
sprinkling their writing liberally with exclamations, particularly
in text messages and emails: OMG!! Guess who showed up at the
company party?! More formal business communication should
contain few if any exclamation points. Overusing exclamations
either diminishes their effect or makes the writing sound hys-
terical and immature. In some fields, such as court reporting,
exclamation points are never used.
2.2. Commas
Commas separate parts of a sentence, guiding readers
through complex constructions, indicating modifiers, sepa-
rating series, and generally ordering things into understand-
able units of meaning. Think of commas as markers that
signal changes in the road. Although there are many rules
for using commas, most business writing relies on a fairly
limited number.
2.2.1. Between Clauses
• Independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions
and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet. The comma before the coordinat-
ing conjunction linking the clauses signals that one complete
thought is finished and another is about to begin:
I prepared the slides, and Mavis printed the handouts.
The comma can be omitted between very short clauses if
there is no possibility of confusion:
You drive and I’ll navigate.
Do not use a comma with a coordinating conjunction
linking compound predicates (verbs plus objects or comple-
ments plus modifiers). Check to be sure the conjunction links
independent clauses.
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Incorrect I prepared the slides for the meeting, and
then printed the handouts.
Correct I prepared the slides for the meeting, and
then I printed the handouts
Or I prepared the slides for the meeting and
then printed the handouts.
Also see 1.2.3. “Sentence Types: Simple, Compound, Complex,
Compound-Complex.”
• Dependent clauses and phrases preceding the independent
clause. The comma following an introductory dependent
clause or phrase signals that the main clause containing the
main idea is about to begin. It helps the reader differentiate
modifying information from the meat of the sentence, an-
nouncing “OK, now pay attention. Here comes the most im-
portant stuff.”
When the presentation was finished, the speaker answered
questions.
Having missed the first 15 minutes, I was a bit confused.
If it will not cause misreading, the comma can be omitted after
very short introductory clauses or phrases.
Clear After lunch we returned to the office.
Confusing Before long smears appeared on the glass.
Clear Before long, smears appeared on the glass.
Confusing After she ate lunch was served to the rest of
us.
Clear After she ate, lunch was served to the rest
of us.
2.2.2. Between Adjectives
• Coordinate and cumulative adjectives. If each adjective in a
series modifies the noun separately, they are coordinate and
need commas between them.
The personable, youthful, but knowledgeable guide led the
way.
• If any adjective in a series forms a total concept along with the
noun, they are cumulative and do not need commas.
International currency exchange rates are posted on the In-
ternet. (Currency exchange rates is a total concept.)
To test for coordinate adjectives, see if the adjectives can be
rearranged and if and can be inserted between them with-
out altering the basic meaning: knowledgeable and youthful
and personable guide. If the result is nonsense, the adjec-
tives are cumulative, interdependent, and should not be sep-
arated from each other by commas: international currency
exchange rates must appear in that order, or the statement
makes no sense.
2.2.3. Between Items in a Series
Three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series are said to
be serial or coordinate. Their equal importance is indicated by
their equal grammatical rank and parallel grammatical form.
• Serial words, phrases, or clauses. Serial items are differenti-
ated from one another by the commas between them.
GRAMMAR ALERT! THAT AND WHICH
That and which are not interchangeable. Use that to intro-
duce restrictive clauses and which to introduce nonrestric-
tive clauses:
The retirement plan that I chose is split between annuities
and stock funds. The stock funds, which are invested in
Fortune 500 companies, showed a good return last year.
Remember that nonrestrictive clauses, which are set off
by commas, can be removed without destroying the basic
meaning of the sentence. Most of the time, if you use that,
you will be making the correct choice.
Use who, not which or that, when referring to people;
use which or that when referring to things or ideas:
Incorrect Dr. Phillips is the only veterinarian that keeps
Sunday hours.
Correct Dr. Phillips is the only veterinarian who keeps
Sunday hours.
Many U.S. companies have found that outsourcing call-
center jobs cuts costs, increases productivity, and allows
24-hour global service.
Although writing in newspapers, magazines, and websites often
omits the comma before the conjunction, use it in business writ-
ing to prevent misreading—which could be not only confusing
but also costly.
Confusing Charge the plane tickets for the vice
president, board chairwoman and
president and CEO to the corporate
account. (Three tickets or four?)
Clear Charge the plane tickets for the vice
president, board chairwoman, and president
and CEO to the corporate account. (Three
tickets, because the president and the CEO
are the same person.)
2.2.4. Around Clauses, Phrases, or Words
a. Nonrestrictive clauses and phrases. If the information in a mod-
ifying clause or phrase can be omitted without changing the basic
meaning of a sentence, it is nonrestrictive and is set off by com-
mas. If readers would be unable to understand the sentence’s core
meaning without the modifying information, it is restrictive and
is not set off by commas. Restrictive modifiers limit meaning to
a particular set within a category and are crucial to the sentence.
Nonrestrictive The sales award went to McKenzie, who
landed six new accounts. (The clause
provides additional information about
McKenzie, but without it we would still
know who got the award.)
Restrictive Everyone who has been with the company
for three years is eligible for profit sharing.
(The clause restricts who qualifies;
otherwise, the company would have to
include all employees in profit sharing.)
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b. Appositives. An appositive is a noun, with or without modifi-
ers, that identifies the noun immediately preceding it. Apposi-
tives can be nonrestrictive or restrictive, accordingly written
with or without commas.
Mnemonics, memory aids, can help you learn things. (non-
restrictive)
The mnemonic “every good boy does fine” refers to the
musical notes E, G, B, D, and F. (restrictive)
I learned that mnemonic from Mr. Glonner, my third-grade
music teacher. (nonrestrictive)
c. Direct address and other parenthetical elements. If you
insert the name of the person to whom you are speaking or
writing into a sentence, you are using direct address. Set these
names off with commas: Thank you, Leela, for closing the
door. Committee members, are we ready to vote?
Parenthetical elements such as interjections, transition
words, words expressing contrast, and other interrupting
words that are unrelated to the grammatical structure of a sen-
tence should also be set off with commas.
Yes, everyone is present and ready to vote. We shall, there-
fore, proceed. Oh, before we do, someone needs to second
the motion. Parliamentary procedure, unlike the consensus
method, requires a second.
d. Dates and places. Dates and places in sentences are treated
similarly to parenthetical elements. In general, place a comma
after each element. Exceptions: Do not put a comma between
the state and zip code. If there is no day, do not put a comma
between the month and year. If the date is written with the day
before the month and year, use no commas.
October 29, 1929, is known as Black Tuesday, the day the
New York stock market crashed.
No American will forget 11 September 2001.
Isn’t NBC’s headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York,
NY 10112, in mid-town Manhattan?
The annual convention will be held in Boise, Idaho, next
year and Toronto, Canada, the year after that.
e. Direct quotations. Direct quotations are set off with com-
mas. Any comma at the end of a quotation always goes in-
side the quotation marks. Also see 2.5, “Quotation Marks
and Italics.”
The manager told the sales associates, “We need better cus-
tomer service.”
“I’m hearing too many complaints,” she explained, “and
we’re losing business.”
Use a question mark at the end of the quotation if it is a
question.
“Does anyone have a suggestion?” she asked.
f. Salutations. In formal business correspondence, punctuate
the salutation or greeting with a colon, not with a comma.
Commas should be reserved for personal, social correspon-
dence written on personal stationery. Follow this convention
even if you know the recipient and use his or her first name in
the salutation.
Not Dear Dr. Spaulding, or Dear Jerry,
But Dear Dr. Spaulding: or Dear Jerry:
The colon announces that the subject of the correspon-
dence is business—but conventions are somewhat more
flexible for business email. See Appendix B for formatting
examples.
2.3. Semicolons
In a sentence, semicolons have two distinctly different uses.
2.3.1. Joining Independent Clauses
Use a semicolon between grammatically independent
clauses that are closely related in thought. In these in-
stances, the semicolon is the equivalent of a period. It sig-
nals the end of one complete thought and the beginning
of another. Reserve semicolons for sentences in which the
thoughts in the independent clauses are closely related. If
the thoughts are not closely related, use a period. When the
second clause is introduced by a conjunctive adverb (how-
ever, moreover, therefore, consequently), place a comma after
the conjunctive adverb. Do not use a semicolon between
independent clauses joined by coordinating conjunctions
(and, but, so, for), unless the clauses are quite long or inter-
nally punctuated.
Incorrect Pollution threatens air quality; and
everything that breathes is at risk.
Correct Pollution threatens air quality; everything
that breathes is at risk.
Correct Pollution threatens air quality;
consequently, everything that breathes is
at risk.
2.3.2. Between Items in a Series
Use semicolons between serial items if any parts of the series
have internal commas. The semicolons help readers sort things
into the appropriate subsets and prevent misreading.
Over the last 20 years, international negotiators have tried
to reach agreement about global emission standards several
times, including the Montreal Protocol of 1989; the Kyoto
Protocol adopted on December 11, 1997; and the largely
unsuccessful Copenhagen Climate Conference held De-
cember 7–18, 2009.
2.4. Colons
A colon signals that what follows will explain, clarify, or illus-
trate preceding information.
2.4.1. Preceding a List
Use a colon after phrases such as the following or as follows to
signal the beginning of a list or series.
Businesses can be “greener” and also save money by tak-
ing the following steps: insulate the building well, switch to
fluorescent lighting, and recycle disposable items.
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2.4.2. Preceding an Explanation or Illustration
Use a colon between explanatory material and the independent
clause that introduces it.
Polluting industries that balk at stricter standards usually
offer one reason: the expense of compliance.
2.4.3. Preceding a Rule, Formal Quotation,
or Subtitle
Carpenters follow this advice: cut once, measure twice.
(rule)
The Declaration of Independence assumes inherent human
rights: “We hold these truths to be self evident.” (formal
quotation)
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First
Century (subtitle)
PUNCTUATION ALERT! MISUSE OF COLONS
Be sure that a complete sentence, not a partial statement,
precedes the colon—even if the clause ends with including
or such as. Do not put a colon between a verb and its object
or complement or between a preposition and its object.
Incorrect Our office has adopted “green” initiatives
including: recycling soda cans and installing
energy-efficient light bulbs.
Correct Our office has adopted “green” initiatives,
including recycling soda cans and installing
energy-efficient light bulbs.
Correct Our office has initiated two successful green
initiatives: recycling soda cans and installing
energy-efficient light bulbs.
Incorrect I try to cut down carbon emissions by: biking to
work, combining errands, and driving a hybrid
car.
Correct I try to cut down on carbon emissions by biking
to work, combining errands, and driving a hybrid
car
Correct I try to cut down on carbon emissions in the
following ways: biking to work, combining
errands, and driving a hybrid car.
However, if the items following a verb or preposition are
presented as a vertical list, use a colon.
Correct Signs that the planet is warming include:
• melting glaciers
• invasive tropical species in temperate zones
• more frequent violent weather systems
a. Direct quotation. Use double quotation marks for language
that has been reproduced exactly as someone spoke or wrote
it. Use single quotation marks to indicate a quotation within a
quotation.
According to this morning’s news, “The President re-
minded his audience that economic recessions can be
partly psychological. President Roosevelt said, ‘We
have nothing to fear but fear itself.’ You know, he was
right.”
According to American punctuation usage, periods and com-
mas always go inside single and double quotation marks.
Colons and semicolons always go outside quotation marks.
Question marks and exclamation points go either inside or
outside the quotation marks, depending on whether the punc-
tuation is part of the quotation or part of the sentence in which
the quotation appears.
“Shouldn’t we recycle these computer printouts?” Marge
asked.
Did Marge say, “We should recycle these computer
printouts”?
I am sick of hearing the expression “waste not, want not”!
Did Marge ask, “Shouldn’t we recycle these computer print-
outs?” (This sentence requires only one question mark—
inside the quotation marks—to signal that both the main
sentence and the quoted sentence are questions.)
b. Titles that are part of longer works. Use quotation marks
around titles of short stories, poems, chapters, articles, sec-
tions, songs, or episodes that are part of whole works. The
title of the complete work in which a shorter work appears is
italicized. Also see 2.5.2, “Italics.”
The article “Putting Green Technology into Bricks” in The
Wall Street Journal makes the point that venture capital in-
vestment in the “green” building sector has nearly doubled
in the past year.
c. Words used as words or in a special sense. Quotation marks
signal that a word is being used in a special way. In the previ-
ous example, the quotation marks around “green” in “green”
building sector alert the reader that “green” doesn’t mean
buildings painted green but green in the sense of “ecologically
friendly.”
2.5.2. Italics
Italics are used to distinguish titles of whole works from parts
of works, to indicate some special uses of words, and to provide
emphasis.
a. Titles. Place titles of works in italics; place title of parts of
works in quotation marks:
One of my favorite features in The New York Times Maga-
zine is William Safire’s “On Language” column.
If the word The is part of the title, be sure to capitalize and itali-
cize it.
Some well-known titles of works are not italicized: religious
works such as the Bible (and books of the Bible), the Koran, and
the Talmud, and founding governmental documents such as
the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Magna
Carta, and the U.S. Constitution.
2.5. Quotation Marks and Italics
Quotation marks and italics indicate that words are being used
in a distinct way, most commonly to identify direct address,
titles, and special meaning or emphasis.
2.5.1. Quotation Marks
Use quotation marks to signal direct quotations, titles of shorter
works, and words that are being used in a special sense.
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b. Letters, numbers, words used as words, foreign words,
names of ships and aircraft. Italics are used to signal that a
letter, number, or word is being identified as such.
To an American, a 7 written by a German looks more like
the number 1.
Italics are also used to identify foreign words that have not
been accepted into English.
One of my favorite William Safire columns is a discussion
of the Yiddish word schlep.
Words that have become part of the English language need not
be italicized: bourgeois, milieu, zeitgeist, fiesta. Names of ships
and aircraft are italicized but not the abbreviations that pre-
cede them: U.S.S. Saratoga, H.M.S. Bounty, the space shuttle
Atlantis.
c. Emphasis. Italics can also be used for special emphasis.
This is absolutely the last time we can accept a late
shipment.
However, as with exclamation points, in business writing em-
phasizing too many words soon becomes tiresome to readers.
It is like crying wolf; soon no one is paying attention, even
when the wolf really is at the door. Use italicized emphasis
sparingly.
2.6. Apostrophes
Apostrophes have two main functions in business writing: to
show possession and to indicate the omission of a letter.
2.6.1. Possessive Case
a. Singular nouns, plural nouns not ending in -s, and indef-
inite pronouns. Add ’s. Also see 1.1.1.c. “Pronoun Case.”
Table C.11 provides examples of how to form the possessive.
In compounds, make only the last word possessive.
his brother-in-law’s mortgage (singular possessive)
mothers-in-law’s Christmas gifts (plural possessive)
somebody else’s parking space
the writer-in-residence’s latest one-act play
b. Plural nouns ending in -s. Add the apostrophe after the -s.
the presidents’ terms in office
the stocks’ dramatic rebound after the sell-off
the pharmaceutical companies’ profits
the auto workers’ union
ADD ‘s TO SHOW
POSSESSION
SINGULAR NOUNS
PLURAL NOUNS NOT
ENDING IN -s
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
Examples my child’s education,
the boss’s office,
an individual’s rights,
a person’s income,
Dow Jones’s sales,
James’s paycheck
his children’s education,
the mass media’s influence,
the people’s choice,
the mice’s mutations
another’s misfortune,
someone’s benefit,
nobody’s fault
TABLE C.11 Examples of Forming the Possessive with ‘s
c. Joint possession. Make the last noun possessive. In cases of
individual possession, make both nouns possessive.
Beth and Earl’s project is due tomorrow. (joint possession)
Beth’s and Earl’s offices are on different floors. (individual
possession)
d. Personal pronouns. Do not use an apostrophe to form the
possessive of personal pronouns. The pronouns his, hers,
its, ours, yours, theirs, and whose are possessive as they
stand.
Ours is the second house on the right.
Its expiration date is past.
Be especially careful not to confuse its (possessive form of it)
and it’s (the contraction for it is) or whose (possessive form of
who) and who’s (contraction for who is).
2.6.2. Contractions
Apostrophes in contractions show where letters or numbers
have been omitted.
can’t = cannot they’re = they are o’clock = of the clock
it’s = it is won’t = will not the crash of ’29 = the crash of
1929
2.7. Other Punctuation Marks
In business writing, the following internal punctuation marks
are used less frequently than commas, semicolons, and colons.
However, when they are called for, it is important to use them
correctly.
2.7.1. Parentheses, Dashes, Brackets, and Ellipses
Parentheses, dashes, brackets, and ellipses signal that words are
being inserted or being left out.
a. Parentheses. Use parentheses to set off incidental or nones-
sential information.
Mortgages that are “underwater” (meaning the property is
worth less than the amount owed on it) have resulted in
numerous foreclosures.
The findings of the study (pp. 12–14) are quite surprising.
b. Dashes. If you want more emphasis for inserted incidental
information, surround it with a pair of dashes instead of pa-
rentheses. You may also use dashes to emphasize important
information. If the emphasized word or phrase comes at the
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end or beginning of the sentence, separate it from the rest of
the sentence with only one dash.
Wilkins missed the start of the meeting—again—and so
didn’t hear about the new deadline.
The two problems we discussed at the meeting—
absenteeism and tardiness—cost us thousands of dollars
each month.
Absenteeism and tardiness—these problems cost us thou-
sands of dollars each month.
Wilkens will never get promoted—unless he changes his
behavior.
Be careful not to overuse dashes in formal business docu-
ments, especially for incidential information. They can give
writing a breezy, chatty tone that is better reserved for email
and notes to close associates.
c. Brackets. If you insert information, explanation, or com-
ment into quoted material, use brackets to indicate that
the words are not those of the quoted speaker or writ-
er. To make a quotation grammatical when you insert
it into your writing, you may sometimes have to add or
change a word. These additions or changes should also be
bracketed.
“Innovation is not necessarily discovering new things,
but discovering how to use old things [in a new way],”
he said.
d. Ellipses. When quoting an author or speaker, you may
choose to use only part of the material. You need to be
honest with your readers and let them know that you have
omitted some words or sentences. Use ellipses, spaced pe-
riods, to show the omission. If you are leaving out words
within a sentence, use three ellipsis marks. If the omission
comes at the end of a sentence, use three ellipses followed
by whatever is the punctuation mark at the end of the quot-
ed sentence.
“While the rest of the industry has retreated, . . . green
construction has actually grown,” says Paul Holland, a
partner at venture firm Foundation Capital. He contin-
ues, “Why wouldn’t smart contractors promote green
construction for schools, shopping centers, [and] office
buildings . . .?”
If the omission comes between two sentences, end the first
quoted sentence with the appropriate punctuation mark. Then
indicate the omission with the ellipses.
Holland is not surprised by the trend toward green
construction: “While the rest of the industry has
retreated, it makes sense that green construction has
actually grown. . . . Why wouldn’t smart contractors
promote green construction for schools, shopping
centers, office buildings and other major construction
projects?”
If you find that the quotation is lengthy and you are re-
moving words at more than one or two spots, it is better to
summarize or paraphrase the ideas rather than butchering
the original passage. Remember that you need to cite the
source of paraphrases and summaries, just as you do for
quotations.
PUNCTUATION ALERT! MISUSE OF HYPHENS
When a compound modifier follows the word it modifies,
the hyphen is omitted:
The company is well known for its progressive policies.
Your items have been back ordered.
Compound nouns used as adjectives before another noun
are not hyphenated either: data processing software; high
school reunion; income tax return; life insurance policy.
2.7.2. Hyphens
Hyphens are used to form compound words, to write some
numbers expressed as words, and to attach some prefixes and
suffixes. A hyphen may also be used when it is necessary to di-
vide a word at the end of a line. In this case, divide the word
between syllables as shown in a dictionary. Most word process-
ing programs take care of this issue by “wrapping” the word to
the next line.
a. Compound words. Hyphens are used to join words into a
single concept: second-string quarterback. Most hyphenated
compounds are adjectives: well-known company, back-ordered
items. Omit the hyphen when the first word is an adverb end-
ing in -ly: slowly rising temperature, previously paid bill.
b. Numbers as words. Use a hyphen to form fractions and com-
pound numbers twenty-one through ninety-nine when they
are spelled out as words: two-fifths, one-third, twenty-six.
c. Prefixes and suffixes. Use a hyphen with the prefixes all-, self-,
ex-, and the suffix -elect: all-important, self-evident, ex-mayor,
president-elect. Do not capitalize ex- or -elect, even when it is
part of a title that precedes a name: ex-President George Bush,
Councilwoman-elect Betsy M. Clark. Do not use hyphens with
prefixes such as anti, extra, inter, non, pre, pro, re, and un: in-
teroffice memorandum, pretrial motion. The exception is if the
prefix occurs before a proper noun or the first letter of the root
word is the same as the last letter of the prefix: anti-American
demonstration, non-negotiable demands.
Some words have changed over time from a hyphen-
ated form to a single word. For example, co-worker has lost its
hyphen and is now commonly written as coworker. When in
doubt about whether a prefix is hyphenated, consult an up-to-
date dictionary.
3. Mechanics and Business Conventions
Written English has many conventions, standard ways of doing
things that developed over time: “It’s just the way things are.”
Business writing has some of its own conventions that differ
from standard written English and from writing in the sciences
or the humanities. Where these differences are important, they
will be noted in the following sections.
3.1. Capitalization
Text messaging and social media have spawned writing that fea-
tures little or no capitalization. In these cases, the technology
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drives the behavior: It is difficult to capitalize on a small keypad
where each key functions for several letters. However, the cor-
rect use of capital letters is still important for clarity in emails,
business letters, memos, reports, and presentation decks. Capi-
tal letters signal beginnings as well as differentiate between the
particular and the general.
3.1.1. First Words
Capitalize the first word of a sentence, a direct quotation, a com-
plete sentence enclosed within parentheses or brackets, and a
complete sentence following a colon.
Job interviews can be nerve wracking. (sentence)
He said, “Please have a seat.” (direct quotation)
Sales for the last three quarters have been flat. (See Table 2
for specific figures.) (sentence in parentheses)
There are two alternatives: We can raise prices, or we can
cut costs. (complete sentence following colon)
3.1.2. Proper Nouns vs. Common Nouns
Proper nouns name particular persons, places, and things: Mark
Zuckerberg, Grand Hyatt, Honda Accord. Common nouns
name general categories of persons, places, and things: investor,
hotel, automobile.
a. Proper nouns and adjectives formed from them. The names
of particular persons, places, and things are capitalized, as are
nicknames, adjectives, and abbreviations formed from them.
Foreign countries and languages are always capitalized. The
words Internet and World Wide Web are always capitalized (as
in “search the Internet” and “surf the World Wide Web”), but
do not capitalize intranet, web, or website.
William Jefferson Clinton prefers to be called Bill.
How many people know that IBM is the abbreviation for
the International Business Machine Corporation?
The National Cathedral stands on the highest point in
Washington, D.C.
Claire took a job with a French pharmaceutical company.
I did most of the research on the Internet.
Post your résumé on your website.
OFFICIAL PLACE NAME: CAPITALIZE GENERAL CATEGORY: DON’T CAPITALIZE
West Virginia the western Virginia plateau
Woodrow Wilson High School graduate high school graduate
Miami International Airport the Miami airport
Seattle is in the Pacific Northwest. Is Seattle northwest of Tacoma?
The Office of the Vice President is on the third floor of
the Arnold Administration Building.
The vice president’s office is on the third floor of the administration
building.
TABLE C.12 Capitalizing Place Names
b. Places and directions. Follow the conventions of standard
American English. Capitalize place names following the ex-
amples in Table C.12.
• Official place names are capitalized.
• Common nouns that are part of official place names are
also capitalized.
• Place names that simply refer to a general category are not
capitalized.
Directions are capitalized if they serve as recognized names
of regions or are part of an official name: the South of France,
Northwest Airlines. They are not capitalized when they refer to
points of the compass: the east side of town, a westerly breeze.
Some directional nouns and adjectives may appear either way:
the southern hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere. When in
doubt, check a dictionary.
c. Brand and product names, organizations and institutions.
The brand names of products and the names of organizations
and institutions are proper nouns and, therefore, are capital-
ized: Jell-O, Citibank, General Electric Company, Chicago
Cubs, Google, the National Science Foundation, the Mayo
Clinic, the United States Senate.
Take care to capitalize and spell brand names correctly.
Most of them are registered trademarks, even though they
may be widely used as generic terms. A generic term following
a brand name is not capitalized.
Incorrect post-it notes, jello, realtor, xerox, kleenex, ipod
Correct Post-it notes, Jell-O, Realtor, Xerox, Kleenex
tissues, iPod
Correct sticky notes, gelatin, real estate agent,
photocopy, tissues, portable media player
d. Titles, offices, positions, and abbreviations. Capitalize titles,
offices, and positions when they precede a proper name. Capi-
talize abbreviations of professional certificates and degrees
when they follow a proper name.
Secretary of State Clinton Dr. Snow Professor Okpala
Bridget Brennan, CPA Ty Ray, RN Chairman Bill Gates
Do not capitalize a title, office, or position that follows a name
unless the office is one of high distinction. Do not capitalize a
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title, office, or position that follows a name if the title is pre-
ceded by “the.”
Incorrect Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft
Corporation.
Correct Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft
Corporation
Incorrect John Roberts, the Chief Justice of the
United States
Correct John Roberts, Chief Justice of the United
States or
John Roberts, the chief justice of the
United States
e. Organizations and parts of organizations. Names of spe-
cific organizations are capitalized, as are the official names of
parts of organizations: Clark Equipment Company, Off-Road
Vehicles Division, Department of Internal Affairs. When the or-
ganization or a part is being referred to in a general way, do
not capitalize: the dealership, the internal affairs department.
Department names deserve special mention because the
conventions governing their capitalization can be confusing.
Should it be Accounting Department or accounting depart-
ment? If it is the actual name of the department in your orga-
nization or you know it is the actual name of the department
in another organization, then it is capitalized. Otherwise, don’t
capitalize department names: Send your résumé to our Human
Resources Department. He sent his résumé to their personnel
department.
When writing about your own company or organization,
observe its capitalization conventions. Many organizations
capitalize words that would not be capitalized in standard us-
age. Consider, for example, this sentence from a Ford Motor
Company annual report: “We believe we are on track for the
total Company and North American Automotive pre-tax results
. . . .” Although contrary to standard convention, Ford’s docu-
ments always capitalize Company, even when the word stands
alone. The words North American Automotive refer to the of-
ficial title of a Ford business unit and therefore conform to
standard capitalization conventions.
f. Courses, academic subjects, majors, and degrees. Capitalize
specific course titles but not majors or general areas of study.
Capitalize the abbreviation of a degree, but not a generic de-
gree name.
Patrick needs business law, Intermediate Chinese, and Eco-
nomics 315 to complete his bachelor’s degree. He hopes
his B.S. in international business will help him land a
job with a global company.
g. Days of the week; months; holidays; holy days and names;
historical events, periods, and documents; and seasons.
Tuesday Easter Labor Day The Great
Depression
November Ramadan Yom Kippur the Fourth of
July
Black Friday Allah Treaty of
Versailles
the Middle
Ages
Do not capitalize seasons: summer vacation, last spring, mid-
winter doldrums, fall foliage.
h. Titles of works. Capitalize the first word of a title and all
other words except articles (a, an, the) and prepositions (for
example, for, to, in, from). Some styles recommend capital-
izing prepositions longer than five or more letters, such as
before, after, and inside. The first word following the colon
in a subtitle is always capitalized, even if it is a preposition
or article.
The Wealth of Nations The Wall Street Journal
BusinessWeek “Why China Is No Match for the Internet”
Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our
Decisions
From Here to Eternity
3.2. Numbers
The conventions for expressing numbers vary from field to field.
Historians spell out numbers up through 100; psychologists
spell out only those less than 10. Lawyers may follow a number
expressed as a word with the figure (numerals) in parentheses;
business people do not. Chemists use decimals instead of frac-
tions to indicate parts of a whole. As a general rule, the more
numbers are used in a field, the more likely they are to be ex-
pressed as figures rather than words. Business is such a field.
3.2.1. Words vs. Figures
Amounts expressed as figures in a sentence are usually easier to
read than amounts expressed as words. Consequently, business
writers generally express only numbers from one through nine
as words and use figures for 10 and greater: four customers, 24
orders.
Use commas in numbers of four figures or more: 2,400;
76,000,000. Numbers of one million or more can be expressed
in a combination of figures and words: 12 billion light years,
6.2 million people.
NUMBER ALERT! FIGURES IN PARENTHESES
Do not follow a number expressed as a word with a paren-
thetical figure for the same number.
Incorrect We are shipping three (3) printers by UPS.
Revised We are shipping three printers by UPS.
Although technical and legal writing sometimes follow
this practice, business writing does not. The repetition is
unnecessary.
3.2.2. Consecutive Numbers
Unrelated numbers that appear next to each other should be
separated by a comma to avoid confusion. If the sentence re-
mains potentially confusing, reorder the words.
Of the three, two shipments were damaged.
The report stated that in 2010, 468 orders were delayed.
The report stated that 468 orders were delayed in 2010.
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3.2.3. Related Numbers
Related numbers appearing in the same sentence or same para-
graph should be expressed in the same way. Opinions differ
regarding whether to use figures or words. However, readers
appreciate simplicity; if any of the numbers is greater than 10,
use figures.
Members of Congress against the law outnumber those in
favor by 10 to 1.
While most auto enthusiasts own 3 or 4 cars, John owns
more than 20.
3.2.4. Indefinite or Approximate Numbers
Spell out numbers that express approximate quantities:
hundreds of tickets, tens of thousands of gallons, millions of
dollars.
3.2.5. Numbers at the Beginning of Sentences
Always spell out a number that begins a sentence, even if it
would ordinarily be written as a figure.
Fifty thousand students from India are studying in the
United States today.
If spelling out the number makes the sentence awkward, rewrite
it so that another word comes first.
Awkward Two-thousand seven was the beginning of
a severe economic recession.
Revised In 2007, a severe economic recession
began.
3.2.6. Fractions and Ordinals
Express fractions as words, unless the fraction is a mixed num-
ber (a whole number and a fraction).
Only one-third of the members were present, so we did not
have a quorum.
The administrative staff is 1 1/2 times larger than it was 10
years ago.
Express ordinals (first, second, tenth, and so on) as words, unless
they are longer than one word.
The board always meets on the fourth Tuesday, which is the
25th of this month.
3.2.7. Decimals and Percentages
Express decimals as figures. To avoid misreading, place a zero
before the decimal if there is no whole number.
We drove 388.4 miles on one tank of gas, but ran out of fuel
0.6 miles from home.
More than 2.8 million bachelor’s degrees in science and en-
gineering were awarded worldwide in 2003; Asian students
earned 1.2 million of them.
Express percentages as figures, followed by the word percent.
Use the % symbol only in tables, charts, and graphs.
Science and engineering jobs are increasing 5 percent
per year.
3.2.8. Money
Express precise amounts of money in figures, but do not use
decimals and zeros with whole amounts: $14.25; a $50 check
(not a $50.00 check); $5 worth of quarters (not $5.00 worth); a
condominium priced at $389,000.
Express indefinite or approximate amounts of money in
words: almost thirty pesos; a few hundred euros; over a trillion
dollars.
Express amounts of money of one million or more by com-
bining figures and words: $2.5 million; € 30 billion.
3.2.9. Dates and Times
In U.S. business documents, dates are usually written month,
day, year. Place a comma between the day and the year. When
the date occurs in a sentence, place a comma after the year also.
Incomplete dates have no commas. Many other countries use
international style: day, month, and year, with no commas. In
either case, express dates in figures, spelling out the month.
June 14, 2010 June 2010 June 14 14 June 2010
The contract was signed on June 14, 2010, after all parties
had agreed to terms.
Express hours and minutes as figures when using am and pm in
small caps (also spelled a.m. and p.m.). Use words with fractional
times and with o’clock. Times on the hour do not require zeros
unless the sentence contains another time in hours and minutes.
10:45 am eleven o’clock half past eight
from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm from 4 pm to 5 pm
3.2.10. Measurements and Compound-Number
Adjectives
Express precise units of measurement in figures, even if the
number is less than 10. Within a sentence, spell out the unit
name, rather than abbreviating it: The room measured 9 feet
by 12 feet. In the case of compound-number adjectives, when
quantities and units are next to each other, write one number as
a word and the other as a figure to avoid confusion. Spell out the
first of the two or the shorter of the two.
six 10-foot poles 24 two-liter bottles 8 two-ton trucks
3.2.11. Addresses and Telephone Numbers
If you have direct information about how to write a specific ad-
dress—for example, from letterhead stationery, the return ad-
dress on an envelope, the signature block with address from
an email, or an example from a website—use the same format.
Lacking direct information, use the following guidelines.
Express street numbers from one through nine in words;
use figures for those 10 and higher. Express building numbers
as figures, except for the number one. Ordinarily in formal busi-
ness correspondence, words that are part of the address, such as
street, avenue, boulevard, place, way, terrace, and compass points
(north, west, and so on), are not abbreviated.
305 Fourth Avenue One West 16th Street
1437 Wooten Parkway
Use figures for highway numbers: I-80, U.S. 17, A-5.
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Telephone numbers are always expressed as figures. Al-
though the U.S. style is to place a hyphen between the parts
of a telephone number, with the globalization of business the
trend is to adopt international style, which places one space
between the international code, country code, city code, and
number.
U.S. Style 1-505-555-4523
International Style 001 505 555 4523
3.3. Abbreviations, Acronyms,
and Initialisms
Abbreviations, acronyms, and initialisms are a kind of short-
hand, allowing writers to avoid awkward, laborious repeti-
tion of lengthy names and terminology. They work fine when
everyone knows what they mean, when they do not cre-
ate confusion, and when writers follow generally accepted
guidelines.
3.3.1. Definitions, Forms, and Functions
a. Abbreviations. An abbreviation is a shortened version
of a word or series of words, usually formed by cropping
or contracting the word or by combining the first letter of
each word: Dr. (doctor), Mr. (mister), Pres. (president), etc.
(et cetera).
b. Acronyms. An acronym is an abbreviation formed from
the first letters of a series of words, with the combination
pronounced as a word: scuba (self-contained underwater
breathing apparatus), OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health
Administration), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emer-
gency Fund).
c. Initialisms. An initialism is an abbreviation formed from the
first letters of a series of words, but the letters are pronounced
separately: CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), MIT (Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology), PM (post meridian), UPS
(United Parcel Service), CEO (chief executive officer), ROI
(return on investment), mph (miles per hour).
3.3.2. When to Use Abbreviations—or Not
Within the text of business documents, generally do not use
abbreviations unless they are well known to your readers. Re-
member that abbreviations common to a particular business
or subject may be unfamiliar to readers outside that field. In
general, save abbreviations for tables, charts, graphs, and other
places where space is limited.
When you feel an abbreviation is appropriate (to avoid rep-
etition of a lengthy name or term, for instance), always spell out
the term in its first use and write the abbreviation in parenthe-
ses, unless it is commonly understood and cannot be confused
with some other term. For example, AMA can stand for either
the American Management Association or the American Medi-
cal Association, so it needs to be spelled out at the first use: He
is a member of the American Management Association (AMA).
He became president of the AMA last year. In some cases, an ab-
breviation may be more widely recognized than the name for
which it stands and therefore does not require being spelled
out at the first use: for example, FBI (Federal Bureau of Inves-
tigation). Assess your audience, and act accordingly. When in
doubt, provide the parenthetical information.
The following guidelines will help you decide how and
when to abbreviate.
a. Titles before names. Except for Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Dr., cour-
tesy and professional titles are generally spelled out in formal
business writing.
Ms. Eames Dr. Sanchez Senator Lewkowski
President Lee Lieutenant Wells Professor Jones
b. Titles appearing independently or following names. Aca-
demic, religious, military, and civilian titles that follow a prop-
er name or stand alone should not be abbreviated: John Wells,
the lieutenant who handled the arrest, appeared as a witness
for the prosecution.
c. Academic degrees and professional certifications. Degrees
and certifications are abbreviated when they follow a proper
name. These abbreviations can also stand by themselves. How-
ever, do not use both a professional title before a name and the
equivalent degree after it.
Incorrect Dr. Lenora Sanchez, MD, also holds a PhD
from Stanford.
Correct Lenora Sanchez, MD, also holds a PhD from
Stanford.
d. Company names. Use abbreviations for only those words that
the company itself abbreviates: Eli Lilly and Company, but
Barnes & Noble, Inc., IBM, AT&T.
e. Names of people; countries, states, and place names; days,
months, and holidays; organizational units; and academic
subjects. Ordinarily, spell out first names. Use initials if that is
what the individual uses professionally or prefers: I. F. Stone,
Dr. H. C. Brown. Countries and states may be abbreviated
when part of mailing addresses, but should be spelled out in
the text of documents. Days and months are often abbreviated
in informal notes and emails but should be spelled out in more
formal documents. Similarly, organizational units (such as de-
partments and divisions) as well as academic subjects should
be spelled out.
Incorrect Chas. was transferred to our biochem div.
in the UK during Mar. but he emailed
his report last Tues. in time for the BOT
meeting.
Correct Charles was transferred to our biochemistry
division in the United Kingdom during
March, but he emailed his report last
Tuesday in time for the board of trustees
meeting.
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VOWEL PRECEDES
CONSONANT
SUFFIX BEGINS WITH
VOWEL: DOUBLE FINAL
CONSONANT
VOWEL PRECEDES
CONSONANT
SUFFIX BEGINS WITH
CONSONANT: DO
NOT DOUBLE FINAL
CONSONANT
stop stopping live lively
drop dropped fit fitness
put putting ship shipment
TABLE C.13 Adding a Suffix to a One-Syllable Word
ROOT FORM
SUFFIX BEGINS WITH
VOWEL: DROP FINAL -e
ROOT FORM
SUFFIX BEGINS WITH
CONSONANT: RETAIN
FINAL -e
locate location manage management
use usable use useful
come coming sure surely
TABLE C.14 Adding a Suffix to a Word Ending with -e
f. Units of measurement, times, and dates. Use abbreviations
for units of measurement when they are expressed as fig-
ures—13 oz, 28 mpg, 6 ft 2 in.—unless they are in full sen-
tences. Then spell them out (see 3.2.10). Note that “in.” is the
only abbreviation for measurement that ends with a period,
to avoid confusion with “in” the preposition. Use abbrevia-
tions for exact times and dates: 9:30 am, 4:00 pm, 800 BC,
AD 1603.
3.3.3. Spacing and Punctuation of Abbreviations
For most lowercase abbreviations that stand for multiple
words, put a period after each letter of the abbreviation with no
spaces between them: i.e., e.g., c.o.d.
Exceptions are lowercase abbreviations for precise units
of measurement following figures. These are abbreviated
without periods with one space between the figure and the
abbreviation: for example, 23 mpg, 65 mph, 90 wpm, 10 ft,
7 in, 3 yd, 5 gal, 40 km, 3 1/2 tsp, 2 mg. Note that the singular
and plural forms are the same when used with figures: 3 yd,
not 3 yds.
Most capitalized abbreviations do not use periods or in-
ternal spaces: MD, RN, CPA, ACLU, IRS, SEC. Opinions differ
on whether abbreviations for academic degrees such as Ph.D.,
M.S., and B.A. should contain periods; however, the trend is to-
ward omitting them: PhD, MS, BA.
4. Spelling
Use your computer’s spell checker to help you edit your work.
However, it is important to proofread documents carefully
and more than once. Spell checkers will not catch homonyms
(words that are similar in sound but different in meaning:
council, counsel; to, two), misspelled proper names, dropped
endings, and other errors. The following “rules of thumb” can
help you deal with some of the spelling questions that occur
most often.
4.1. Four Rules of Thumb for Adding
Endings
a. Suffix added to one-syllable word. Double the final conso-
nant before the suffix if a vowel precedes the consonant and
the suffix begins with a vowel. Do not double the final conso-
nant if the suffix begins with a consonant. Table C.13 illustrates
this rule.
b. Stress on final syllable. Double the final consonant before
a suffix if the last syllable is accented: submit, submitted; oc-
cur, occurrence; regret, regretted; propel, propeller. Note that for
suffixes added to program, the -m may or may not be dou-
bled. Both are considered correct: programmed, programed;
programming, programing. Just make the spelling consistent
throughout the document.
c. Final -e dropped. For words ending in -e, drop the
-e before the suffix if the suffix begins with a vowel but not
if the suffix begins with a consonant. Table C.14 illustrates
this rule.
The -e is retained after a soft c or g before a or o: notice-
able, changeable. It is dropped in some words taking the suffix
-ful, -ly, or -ment: awe, awful; due, duly; true, truly; judge, judg-
ment; acknowledge, acknowledgment.
d. Final -y changed to i. For words ending in -y, change the
y to i unless the suffix begins with i. Table C.15 illustrates
this rule.
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4.2. Memory Aids for ie and ei
The rhyming jingle heading in Table C.16 will help you remem-
ber whether to choose ie or ei. Common exceptions to this rule
include either, neither, leisure, foreigners, height, seize, being, and
weird.
WRITE “i ”
BEFORE “e”
EXCEPT
AFTER “c”
OR WHEN SOUNDED LIKE
“a” AS IN neighbor AND
weigh
relief conceive eight
believe ceiling freight
yield deceive reign
wield receive vein
TABLE C.16 Choosing ie or ei
ROOT FORM
SUFFIX BEGINS WITH LETTER
OTHER THAN “i”: CHANGE “-y” TO “i” ROOT FORM
SUFFIX BEGINS WITH “i”:
RETAIN FINAL “y”
mercy merciful comply complying
ninety ninetieth rectify rectifying
company companies thirty thirtyish
deny denial deny denying
TABLE C.15 Adding a Suffix to a Word Ending with -y
4.3. Commonly Misspelled Words
Spelling a word correctly from memory is still faster than using a spell checker. All of us have personal spelling challenges that we
simply have to keep working on throughout our lives. The following list contains words that are frequently misspelled in business
writing. Renew your efforts to master the ones that are problems for you.
absence benefited debt exaggerate
accessible bulletin deceive existence
accommodate bureau definitely extraordinary
achieve calendar description familiar
acknowledgment campaign desirable fascinate
advisable canceled develop feasible
advantageous catalog dilemma flexible
aggressive ceiling disappoint foreign
alignment changeable disbursement forty
all right collateral discrepancy fourth
amateur column dissatisfied freight
among committee efficient government
analyze competitor eighth grateful
annually concede eligible guarantee
apparent conceive embarrassment harass
argument congratulations emphasis hors d’ oeuvre
assistant consensus entrepreneur illegible
attendance convenient environment immediate
bankruptcy courteous emphasize incidentally
believable criticism especially independent
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indispensable negotiable privilege sergeant
irresistible ninety procedure sincerely
itinerary noticeable proceed succeed
jewelry occasional profited suddenness
judgment occurrence pursue surprise
knowledgeable omission questionnaire tenant
labeling omitted receipt thorough
legitimate opportunity receive truly
leisure paid recommend unanimous
license parallel remittance until
maintenance pastime repetition usable
manageable perceive restaurant usage
mileage permanent rhythm vacuum
misspell personnel ridiculous volume
mortgage persuade secretary weird
necessary precede seize yield
negligence prerogative separate
4.4. Commonly Confused Words
The following words are homonyms, or near homonyms—words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
Spell checkers won’t catch these confusions. Check your writing to be sure you have chosen the correct word and spelling for the
meaning you intend.
accede to agree to
exceed to go beyond
accept to receive
except to exclude
access to gain admittance
excess too much, more than enough
advice (noun) a suggestion
advise (verb) to suggest
affect to influence
effect (verb) to bring about; (noun) result
aid (verb) to help
aide (noun) an assistant
allowed permitted
aloud audible, out loud
all ready prepared
already previously, by now
ascent act of rising
assent agreement
assure to inform confidently
ensure to make certain
insure to protect from financial loss
biannual occurring twice a year
biennial occurring every two years
capital money or wealth; seat of government
capitol building housing state or national governing
body
choose (present-tense verb) to select
chose past tense of choose
cite to quote or refer to
sight to see, the ability to see
site location
coarse rough in texture, not delicate
course route taken, movement in a direction,
duration
complement to add to or complete
compliment to flatter
conscience sense of right and wrong
conscious aware, alert
council governing body or advisory group
counsel (verb) to advise; (noun) advice, a lawyer
defer to put off until later
differ to be different from; to disagree
desert to abandon; arid wasteland
dessert last course of a meal, usually sweet
device a mechanism or instrument
devise to plan, create, arrange
disburse to pay out
disperse to scatter
discreet careful, circumspect
discrete separate, individual
do to perform, fulfill, complete
due payable, debt owed
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elicit to draw out
illicit illegal, unlawful
eligible qualified, worthy
illegible not legible, impossible to read
envelop to surround
envelope container for a letter
everyday ordinary
every day each day
farther a greater distance
further additional
forth forward
fourth ordinal form of the number four
holey full of holes
holy sacred
wholly entirely, completely
hear (verb) to perceive by ear
here at or in this place
human characteristic of humans
humane kind
incidence frequency
incidents events, occurrences
imply to express indirectly, to suggest
infer to conclude from evidence, deduce
instance example, case
instants brief moments, seconds
interstate between states
intrastate within a state
its possessive form of it
it’s contraction for it is
later afterward
latter the second or last of two
lay to place, put down
lie to recline
lead chemical element, metal; (verb) to guide
led (verb) past tense of lead, guided
lean to rest at an angle
lien a claim against property for debt
loose not tight; (verb) to free
lose to misplace, to be deprived of
miner a person who works in a mine
minor a person who is not of legal age; something
comparatively less
moral virtuous, good character; lesson of a story
or tale
morale state of mind, sense of well-being
overdo to act in excess
overdue past the due date, unpaid
passed (verb) to move, go around, hand out
past (noun, adjective) time before the present
patience willingness to wait, perseverance
patients recipients of medical treatment
peace absence of conflict
piece a portion, fragment
pedal a foot lever
peddle to sell
persecute to torment
prosecute to bring legal action
personal individual, private
personnel employees
populace the population, the people
populous densely populated
precede (verb) to come before
proceed (verb) to move ahead, advance
principal chief or main; leader or head; sum of money
principle basic law or general rule
right correct
rite ceremony
write to form words on a surface
role a part that one plays
roll (noun) a list; (verb) to tumble
stationary fixed, not moving
stationery writing paper
than as compared with
then at that time
their (pronoun) possessive form of they,
belonging to them
there (adverb) in that place
they’re contraction for they are
to (preposition) suggesting “toward”
too (adverb) also, an excessive degree
two the number
vain futile, useless; excessive pride in appearance
or achievements
vein tubular, branching vessel; bed of minerals;
line of thought or action
waist area between rib cage and pelvis
waste (verb) to use carelessly (noun) undesirable
by-product
waive, waiver to set aside; intentional relinquishment of
right or claim
wave a swell of water; a sweeping gesture
weather atmospheric conditions
whether if
who’s contraction for who is
whose possessive form of who
your possessive form of you
you’re contraction for you are
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CHAPTER 1 Nouns and Pronouns
(See Appendix C, Section 1.1.1.)
Type the following two paragraphs, correcting the errors in use or
formation of nouns and pronouns. Underline all your corrections.
Whomever answers the phone may be the only contact a
caller has with a business. Everyone has their own personal
preferences. However, find out how your employer wants the
telephone answered, what your expected to say. When you
pick up the phone, its important to speak politely and provide
identifying information. Clearly state the company’s name
and you’re name. Should you identify the Department, too?
These are the kinds of question’s to settle before the phone
rings. If the caller asks for you by name, say, “This is me.” Don’t
leave the caller wondering who he or she has reached. Remem-
ber that when on the telephone at work, you are the Company.
Answers:
The 10 corrected answers are highlighted in color and listed in
the order they appear in the paragraph.
1. Whoever answers
2. Everyone has his or her own
3. what you’re expected
4. the phone, it’s important
5. and your name.
6. identify the department
7. kinds of questions to settle
8. “This is I.”
9. wondering whom he
10. you are the company.
CHAPTER 2 Verbs
(See Appendix C, Section 1.1.2.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the errors in use or
formation of verbs. Underline all your corrections.
If my first boss had ran his businesses the way he answered
the phone, he would have went broke long ago. Usually he
grabbed the receiver and growls, “Barker.” The person at the
other end probably thought, “That don’t sound like a hu-
man, more like a rottweiler.” If George Barker was a dog, he
would probably be more courteous on the phone. No doubt
there was lots of offended customers. The other day he
asked my coworker, Jess, and me to stop by his office. He still
answered the phone the same way. George’s phone offenses
amounts to quite a long list. Instead of “barking,” there is
several other things he could say. “Hello, Barker Contract-
ing” or “This is George Barker” make a better impression.
Answers:
The 10 corrected answers are highlighted in color and listed in
the order they appear in the paragraph.
1. If my first boss had run
2. have gone broke
3. he grabs the receiver
4. “That doesn’t sound
5. Barker were a dog,
6. there were lots
7. still answers the phone
8. offenses amount to
9. there are several
10. George Barker” makes a better impression.
CHAPTER 3 Adjectives
and Adverbs
(See Appendix C, Section 1.1.3.)
Type the following paragraphs, correcting the errors in use
or formation of adjectives and adverbs. Underline all your
corrections.
Does your telephone etiquette speak good of you? Because
most people answer their own phones at work, poor phone
manners make both you and your company look badly.
Which greeting will make the best impression: “How may I
help you?” or “What do you want?” It is important to sound
cheerfully on the phone.
Even if you don’t feel well, try to respond positively.
A more simple way to sound positive is to smile when
speaking. Smiling actually does make a person seem more
friendlier over the phone. Some people like to have the
most unique telephone greeting in the office: “Yo, super
service representative Skip speaking!” A greeting like that
just makes “Skip” seem real unprofessional. Instead of be-
ing named “Best Employee of the Month,” he is likely to be
awarded “Worse Phone Manners of the Year.”
Appendix D
Answer Key to Grammar Exercises
566
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Answers:
The 10 corrected answers are highlighted in color and listed in
the order they appear in the paragraph.
1. speak well
2. look bad.
3. make the better impression
4. sound cheerful
5. feel good,
6. A simpler way
7. more friendly
8. have a unique telephone greeting [eliminate “in the office”]
9. seem really unprofessional.
10. “Worst Phone Manners
CHAPTER 4 Prepositions
and Conjunctions
(See Appendix C, Section 1.1.4.)
In the following paragraph, identify the prepositions (P), coor-
dinating conjunctions (CC), correlative conjunctions (CorC),
subordinating conjunctions (SC), and conjunctive adverbs
(CA). There are a total of 10 prepositions and conjunctions.
Count correlative conjunction pairs as one.
The way you begin a business call is very important; how-
ever, the conclusion is equally important. Have you ever
been caught in an awkward spot, wondering who should
end the call? If you initiated the call, the convention is for
you to conclude it. After you have obtained the informa-
tion you need, thank the person you called and then say
good-bye. The person at the other end either can just say
good-bye or can end with a pleasantry: for example, “I’m
glad I could help.”
Answers:
The 10 prepositions and conjunctions are highlighted in color
and listed in the order they appear in the paragraph. Correlative
conjunction pairs are counted as one.
1. important; however (CA),
2. caught in (P) an awkward spot
3. If (SC) you
4. is for (P) you
5. After (SC) you
6. called and (CC) then
7. person at (P) the other
8. either (CorC) can . . . or (CorC) can
9. with (P) a pleasantry
10. for (P) example
CHAPTER 5 Phrases and Clauses
(See Appendix C, Section 1.2.2.)
It is easier to write grammatical sentences when you understand
the difference between phrases and clauses. In the following
paragraph, circle or highlight each phrase. Underline each de-
pendent clause once and each independent clause twice. There
are a total of 10 dependent and independent clauses and a total
of 15 phrases.
In the list of tech-etiquette offenders, the “misguided multi-
tasker” may be the worst, although the “broadcaster” is a close
second. Holding their iPhones under the table, multitaskers
send email or text messages during meetings. The nonver-
bal message that they are sending to everyone else is that the
meeting is not important to them. Broadcasters use their cell
phones anytime, anywhere, and they apparently don’t mind
being overheard by others. On a crowded elevator, they will
discuss the intimate details of a medical procedure or they
will talk loudly about confidential business matters.
Answers:
The phrases are highlighted in color, with the type of phrase
indicated in parentheses: noun (N), verb (V), preposition (Pr),
or participial (Pa). The dependent clauses are underlined once,
and independent clauses are underlined twice. There are a total
of 10 clauses and a total of 15 phrases.
In the list (P) of tech-etiquette offenders (P), the “misguided
multitasker” may be (V) the worst, although the “broadcast-
er” is a close second. Holding their iPhones (Pa) under the
table (P), multitaskers send email or text messages during
meetings (P). The nonverbal message that they are sending
(V) to everyone else (P) is that the meeting is not important
to them (P). Broadcasters use their cell phones anytime,
anywhere, and they apparently don’t mind being overheard
(N) by others (P). On a crowded elevator (P), they will discuss
(V) the intimate details of a medical procedure (P) or they
will talk loudly about confidential business matters (P).
CHAPTER 6 Common Sentence
Errors: Run-on (Fused) Sentences
and Comma Splices
(See Appendix C, Section 1.3.2.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 run-on or fused
sentences and comma splices (see Sections 1.3.1 and 1.3.2). Un-
derline all your corrections.
One business etiquette consultant believes that good tele-
phone manners begin in childhood, children should be
taught how to answer the phone courteously and take mes-
sages. Diane Eaves says, “I work with a lot of people who
are technically ready for work however, they apparently
missed a lot of the teaching of manners.” For instance, ask-
ing who is calling can be taught in childhood then it will
be a habit. Parents know how annoying it is to have a child
report that “somebody called and wants you to call back”
Sonny doesn’t remember who it was and didn’t write down
the number. Thank goodness for caller ID it can be a big
help, nevertheless, children should be taught to ask for and
write down names and numbers. It’s surprising how many
people don’t identify themselves when they make business
calls, they expect listeners to recognize their voice. That
may be OK if you speak frequently with the caller on the
other hand it’s mystifying when a voice you don’t recognize
launches right into a subject. It is the caller’s responsibility
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to identify himself or herself, if he or she doesn’t you can
politely say, “Excuse me, I didn’t catch your name.”
Answers:
The 10 run-on (RO) sentences and commas splices (CS) are
identified in the first paragraph. They are corrected in the sec-
ond paragraph.
Run-on Sentences (RO) and Comma Splices (CS) Identified
One business etiquette consultant believes that good telephone
manners begin in childhood, (CS) children should be taught
how to answer the phone courteously and take messages. Diane
Eaves says, “I work with a lot of people who are technically
ready for work (RO) however, they apparently missed a lot of the
teaching of manners.” For instance, asking who is calling can be
taught in childhood (RO) then it will be a habit. Parents know
how annoying it is to have a child report that “somebody called
and wants you to call back” (RO) Sonny doesn’t remember who
it was and didn’t write down the number. Thank goodness for
caller ID (RO) it can be a big help, (CS) nevertheless, children
should be taught to ask for and write down names and numbers.
It’s surprising how many people don’t identify themselves when
they make business calls, (CS) they expect listeners to recognize
their voice. That may be OK if you speak frequently with the
caller (RO) on the other hand it’s mystifying when a voice you
don’t recognize launches right into a subject. It is the caller’s re-
sponsibility to identify himself or herself, (CS) if he or she doesn’t
you can politely say, “Excuse me, (CS) I didn’t catch your name.”
Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices Corrected (answers
will vary)
One business etiquette consultant believes that good telephone
manners begin in childhood. Children should be taught how to
answer the phone courteously and take messages. Diane Eaves
says, “I work with a lot of people who are technically ready for
work; however, they apparently missed a lot of the teaching of
manners.” For instance, asking who is calling can be taught in
childhood; then it will be a habit. Parents know how annoying it
is to have a child report that “somebody called and wants you to
call back.” Sonny doesn’t remember who it was and didn’t write
down the number. Thank goodness for caller ID. It can be a big
help. Nevertheless, children should be taught to ask for and write
down names and numbers. It’s surprising how many people don’t
identify themselves when they make business calls. They expect
listeners to recognize their voice. That may be OK if you speak
frequently with the caller. On the other hand it’s mystifying when
a voice you don’t recognize launches right into a subject. It is the
caller’s responsibility to identify himself or herself. If he or she
doesn’t, you can politely say, “Excuse me. I didn’t catch your name.”
CHAPTER 7 Common Sentence
Errors: Subject–Verb Agreement
(See Appendix C—Section 1.3.3.)
Type the following paragraph and edit it, correcting the 10 er-
rors in subject–verb agreement. Underline all your corrections.
When making a business call, being put on hold for count-
less minutes fray even patient people’s nerves. Having to
wait, as well as not knowing for how long, are upsetting.
Each of us have our own way of coping with this irritant.
The Sounds of Silence apply not only to the Simon and Gar-
funkel song but also to endless minutes on hold. Three
minutes feel like forever to the person waiting. If you must
put someone on hold, there is several things you should do.
First, ask, “May I put you on hold?” and then give the caller
an estimate of the probable waiting time. The person on the
other end might be one of those callers who really need to
know how long the wait might be. The unknown number of
minutes are what drive people crazy. Data collected by Hold
On America, Inc. shows that callers become frustrated after
20 seconds. After 90 seconds, 50 percent of callers hangs up.
Answers:
The 10 subject–verb agreement errors are highlighted in color in
the first paragraph. They are corrected in the second paragraph.
Agreement Errors Identified
When making a business call, being put on hold for countless
minutes fray even patient people’s nerves. Having to wait, as
well as not knowing for how long, are upsetting. Each of us have
our own way of coping with this irritant. The Sounds of Silence
apply not only to the Simon and Garfunkel song but also to
endless minutes on hold. Three minutes feel like forever to the
person waiting. If you must put someone on hold, there is sever-
al things you should do. First, ask, “May I put you on hold?” and
then give the caller an estimate of the probable waiting time.
The person on the other end might be one of those callers who
really need to know how long the wait might be. The unknown
number of minutes are what drive people crazy. Data collected
by Hold On America, Inc. shows that callers become frustrated
after 20 seconds. After 90 seconds, 50 percent of callers hangs up.
Verbs Corrected
When making a business call, being put on hold for countless
minutes frays even patient people’s nerves. Having to wait, as
well as not knowing for how long, is upsetting. Each of us has
our own way of coping with this irritant. The Sounds of Silence-
applies not only to the Simon and Garfunkel song but also to
endless minutes on hold. Three minutes feels like forever to the
person waiting. If you must put someone on hold, there are sev-
eral things you should do. First, ask, “May I put you on hold?”
and then give the caller an estimate of the probable waiting time.
The person on the other end might be one of those callers who
really needs to know how long the wait might be. The unknown
number of minutes is what drives people crazy. Data collected
by Hold On America, Inc. show that callers become frustrated
after 20 seconds. After 90 seconds, 50 percent of callers hang up.
Common Sentence Errors:
Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement
(See Appendix C—Section 1.3.4.)
Type the following paragraph and edit it, correcting the
10 errors in pronoun–antecedent agreement. Underline all your
corrections.
Everybody has preferences about their communication
tools. A person may prefer email rather than telephone,
so they might respond to a voice mail message by sending
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an email instead of returning the call. If you ask either of
my managers, Jenny or Kurt, they will tell you that I would
rather email them. Business professionals will often choose
the one with which he or she is most at ease. Considering
its total number of calls versus emails per month, the sales
team obviously would rather talk than write. Each of these
communication media has their advantages and disad-
vantages. Text messages and email may be best because it
will be delivered whether the recipient is there or not. On
the other hand, someone who leaves a voice mail message
probably assumes you will call them back, not send a text.
Otherwise, they would have texted you instead of calling.
Answers:
The 10 pronoun–antecedent agreement errors are highlighted in col-
or in the first paragraph. The antecedent is in blue and the pronoun is
in red. They are corrected in the second paragraph. (The corrections
are in red and alternative options are in parentheses in blue.)
Agreement Errors Identified
Everybody has preferences about their communication tools. A
person may prefer email rather than telephone, so they might
respond to a voice mail message by sending an email instead
of returning the call. If you ask either of my managers, Jenny or
Kurt, they will tell you that I would rather email them. Business
professionals will often choose the one with which he or she is
most at ease. Considering its total number of calls versus emails
per month, the sales team obviously would rather talk than
write. Each of these communication media has their advantages
and disadvantages. Text messages and email may be best because
it will be delivered whether the recipient is there or not. On the
other hand, someone who leaves a voice mail message probably
assumes you will call them back, not send a text. Otherwise, they
would have texted you instead of calling.
Agreement Errors Corrected
Everybody has preferences about his or her communication
tools. A person (people) may prefer email rather than telephone,
so he or she (they) might respond to a voice mail message by
sending an email instead of returning the call. If you ask either of
my managers, Jenny or Kurt, she or he will tell you that I would
rather email her or him. Business professionals will often choose
the one with which they are most at ease. Considering their total
number of calls versus emails per month, the sales team obvi-
ously would rather talk than write. Each of these communica-
tion media has its advantages and disadvantages. Text messages
and email may be best because they will be delivered whether
the recipient is there or not. On the other hand, someone (peo-
ple) who leaves (leave) a voice mail message probably assumes
you will call him or her (them) back, not send a text. Otherwise,
he or she (they) would have texted you instead of calling.
CHAPTER 8 Commas: Clauses
and Phrases
(See Appendix C—Section 2.2.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors in the use
of commas with independent clauses, dependent clauses, and
phrases (see Section 2.2.1). Underline all of your corrections.
Although most final job interviews are face to face telephone
interviews have become common for screening interviews.
Employers find that phone interviews are not only economi-
cal but they are also an effective way to determine which can-
didates merit a closer look. While you are on the job market
a potential employer or networking contact might call, and
ask, “Do you have a few minutes to talk?” Being interviewed
over the phone isn’t easy so you need to be prepared. What
initially seems like an informal conversation about a job
might actually be the first round of screening, or the first
test of your communication skills. After the initial introduc-
tions and pleasantries let the caller take the lead, and guide
the conversation. When you answer questions keep your re-
sponses short and to the point. The caller will ask follow-up
questions if necessary, and will bring the interview to a close.
Answers:
The 10 corrected uses of commas are highlighted in color and
listed in the order they appear in the paragraph. The reason for
each is given in parentheses.
1. Although . . . face to face, telephone (introductory dependent
clause)
2. economical, but they are (independent clauses joined by coor-
dinating conjunction)
3. While . . . job market, a potential employer (introductory
dependent clause)
4. might call (delete comma) and (compound predicate requires
no comma)
5. isn’t easy, so you (independent clauses joined by coordinating
conjunction)
6. screening (delete comma) or the first test (compound predi-
cate requires no comma)
7. pleasantries, let the caller (long introductory phrase)
8. take the lead (delete comma) and guide (compound predicate
requires no comma)
9. When you answer questions, keep (introductory dependent
clause)
10. if necessary (delete comma) and will bring (compound
predicate requires no comma; “if necessary” requires no
special emphasis)
Commas: Coordinates,
Cumulatives, and Series
(See Appendix C—Section 2.2.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors in the
use of commas with coordinate and cumulative adjectives and
with serial words, phrases, and clauses, Each missing or unnec-
essary comma counts as one error (see Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3).
Underline all of your corrections.
After you have sent out résumés and applied for jobs, be
ready willing and able to handle a telephone interview.
Keep your résumé a pad and pen and a bottle of water near
the phone. You will need your résumé for reference the pad
and pen to take notes and the water in case your throat gets
dry. Is your cell phone, service, provider reliable, or do you
have to worry about dropped calls? If so, consider using a
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landline. Send roommates, friends, spouses, children and
pets from the room when a potential employer calls. You
want to be completely calmly focused and undistracted
during a telephone interview.
Answers:
The 10 corrected uses of commas are highlighted in color and
listed in the order they appear in the paragraph. The reason for
each is given in parentheses.
1,2. ready, willing, and able (coordinate adjectives)
3,4. your résumé, a pad and pen, and a bottle (serial elements)
5,6. your résumé for reference, the pad and pen to take notes,
and the water (serial elements)
7,8. cell phone (delete comma) service (delete comma) pro-
vider (cumulative adjectives: no commas)
9. spouses, children, and pets (serial nouns)
10. completely, calmly focused (coordinate adverbs)
Commas: Restrictive and
Nonrestrictive Elements
(See Appendix C—Section 2.2.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 13 errors in the
use of commas with restrictive, nonrestrictive, or parenthetical
words, phrases, or clauses. Each missing or unnecessary comma
counts as one error. There are also two mistakes in the use of
that, which, or who (see Sections 2.2.2 and 2.2.3). Underline all
your corrections.
Anyone, who has been through an employment interview,
knows it is nerve-wracking. A telephone interview which
provides none of the nonverbal cues available in a face-to-
face situation can be even trickier. The interviewer’s word
choice, tone of voice, and level of enthusiasm may therefore
be important indicators. The interviewee the person that
is being interviewed must listen carefully. The advice, “sit
up and pay attention,” certainly applies in this situation.
Companies, who use telephone interviews for employment
screening, have heard it all everything from bad grammar
to burping.
Answers:
The 13 errors in the use of commas with restrictive, nonrestric-
tive, or parenthetical words, phrases, or clauses and the two
mistakes in the use of that, which, or who are highlighted in
color. The reason for each is given in parentheses. Each missing
or unnecessary comma counts as one error.
1,2. Anyone (delete comma) who has . . . interview (delete
comma) (restrictive clause identifies who and requires
no commas)
3,4. interview, which provides . . . situation, can (nonrestric-
tive clauses require commas)
5,6. may, therefore, be (parenthetical element)
7,8. interviewee, the person who is being interviewed, must
(nonrestrictive appositive requires commas; who is the
correct pronoun for referring to a person, interviewee)
9,10. advice (delete comma) “sit up and pay attention” (delete
comma) (restrictive appositive requires no commas)
11,12. Companies (delete comma) that use telephone inter-
views for employment screening (delete comma) (re-
strictive clause requires no commas; that is the correct
pronoun for referring to a thing, companies)
13. have heard it all, everything (nonrestrictive appositive
explaining all requires comma)
CHAPTER 9 Semicolons
and Colons
(See Appendix C—Sections 2.3. and 2.4.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors or omis-
sions in the use of semicolons and colons (see Sections 2.3 and
2.4). Underline all your corrections.
In the online article “How to Give a Professional Voicemail
Greeting The Business Etiquette of Voicemail Greetings,” au-
thor James Bucki asks, “What would I want to know from the
voicemail greeting?” The greeting may be perfectly clear to
you however, the caller may be mystified. His advice create
the greeting as if you were the listener at the other end. As
a general rule, the length of a voicemail greeting should be:
no longer than 20–25 seconds. Some of the most annoying
greetings are: long introductions, greetings that are too casu-
al or personal, and background music of any kind (especially
music that drowns out the message). Avoid endings that are
not business related (such as “have a blessed day”); because
they may strike customers and clients as presumptuous. Here
is an example of a bad voicemail greeting; “Hi. This is Ac-
counting. Leave me a message.” Callers have no idea whether
they have reached the right person; nor do they know if they
even have the right company. Too little information is bad,
conversely, so is too much information. Business callers don’t
want personal details, including: the fun spot where you are
vacationing; or that you are out sick with the flu.
Answers:
The 10 corrected uses of semicolons and colons are highlighted
in color and listed in the order they appear in the paragraph.
The reason for each is given in parentheses.
1. “How to . . . Voicemail Greeting: The Business . . . Greetings”
(preceding subtitle)
2. clear to you; however, (independent clause introduced by con-
junctive adverb)
3. His advice: create the greeting (preceding an explanation or rule)
4. greeting should be (delete colon) no longer (no colon between
verb and complement)
5. greetings are (delete colon) long introductions (no colon be-
tween verb and complement)
6. blessed day”) (delete semicolon) because they (“because”
clause is dependent)
7. voicemail greeting: (colon preceding an illustration)
8. is bad; conversely, so (independent clause introduced by con-
junctive adverb)
9. details, including (delete colon) (not preceded by a complete
statement)
10. vacationing (delete semicolon) or (not followed by an inde-
pendent clause)
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Quotation Marks and Italics
(See Appendix C—Section 2.5.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors or omis-
sions in the use of quotation marks and italics. Count pairs of
quotation marks as one (see Sections 2.5.1 and 2.5.2). Underline
all your corrections.
It’s a good idea to review the voicemail greeting on your
personal phone, especially if potential employers might
call. As part of his greeting, my friend Joe recorded John
Cleese speaking lines from the Dead Parrot Sketch from
the British television comedy “Monty Python’s Flying Cir-
cus.” His friends all thought it was really funny, using the
words hilarious and clever to describe the greeting. One
afternoon he retrieved a phone message that said, You re-
ally should use a more professional greeting. The voice
continued, I called to offer you a job interview, but I’ve
changed my mind. Joe thought, ‘I wouldn’t want to work
for someone who didn’t understand the humor in the
“Dead Parrot Sketch,” anyway. Sounds like this guy just
doesn’t get it.’ Maybe not, but Joe’s chances with that com-
pany are kaput.
Answers:
The 10 corrected uses of quotation marks and italics are highlight-
ed in color and listed in the order they appear in the paragraph.
The reason for each is given in parentheses. Pairs of quotation
marks count as one error
1. It’s a good idea (the word needs no special emphasis)
2. “Dead Parrot Sketch” (title of a segment, part of a longer
work)
3. Monty Python’s Flying Circus (title of television program,
complete work)
4. using the words “hilarious” (direct quotation)
5. and “clever” (direct quotation)
6. “You really . . . greeting.” (direct quotation)
7. “I called . . . my mind.” (direct quotation)
8,9. “I wouldn’t . . . in the ‘Dead Parrot Sketch,’ anyway
. . . doesn’t get it.” (quotation and quotation within a
quotation)
10. are kaput. (2.5.2. foreign word)
CHAPTER 10 Apostrophes
(See Appendix C—Section 2.6.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 errors or
omissions in the use of apostrophes. Underline all your cor-
rections.
Practicing for a telephone interview will give you confi-
dence that you wont blow the real thing. Ask one of your
parents’ or a friend to conduct a mock interview with you.
Have him or her phone you and ask an interviewers ques-
tions. Its also helpful to get a spouses’ or father’s-in-laws
critique of your answers. Ask one of them to listen in, or,
whats even more useful, tape record the mock interview for
later analysis. Pay attention not only to the content of your
answers, but also to the vocal quality; is your’s clear, with-
out too many “uhm’s,” “you knows,” and “likes”? The prac-
tice sessions payoff is your improved interviewing skills.
Answers:
The 10 corrected uses of apostrophes are highlighted in color
and listed in the order they appear in the paragraph. The reason
for each is given in parentheses.
1. you won’t (contraction of will not)
2. parents (delete apostrophe) (plural but not possessive)
3. an interviewer’s (singular possessive)
4. It’s also (contraction of it is)
5. spouse’s (singular possessive)
6. father-in-law’s (singular possessive)
7. what’s (contraction of what is)
8. Is yours (delete apostrophe) (possessive form of you)
9. uhms (delete apostrophe) (not possessive)
10. practice session’s (singular possessive)
Parentheses, Dashes,
Brackets, and Ellipses
(See Appendix C—Section 2.7.)
Type the following paragraph, inserting parentheses, dashes,
brackets, and ellipses where required. There are 10 omis-
sions. Consider pairs of parentheses or brackets as a single
omission. Underline all your corrections. In cases where
there is more than one possibility, be ready to explain your
choice.
The time to research a potential employer is before not
after the job interview. Interviewers expect job applicants
to know something about a company’s products goods or
services its markets local, national, international and its op-
erating locations. Job applicants can begin their research on
an Internet search engine Google or Bing. Career advisor
Martin Reis writes on his blog, “A company’s URL Uniform
Resource Locator is the gateway to a wealth of informa-
tion new products, financial statements, press releases, the
corporate mission statement. . .” There is something else
a company’s website may reveal its corporate culture. Web
page photos can provide clues about dress standards casual
or traditional, employee diversity ethnicity, gender, age,
and community involvement.
Answers:
The 10 corrected insertions of parentheses, dashes, brackets,
and ellipses are highlighted in color and listed in the order they
appear in the paragraph. The reason for each is given in paren-
theses. Pairs of dashes, parentheses, and brackets are considered
single insertions. Answers may vary.
1. before—not after—the job interview. (emphasis)
2. a company’s products (goods or services), (incidental infor-
mation)
3. its markets (local, national, international), (incidental infor-
mation)
4. search engine—Google or Bing. (emphasis on inserted infor-
mation)
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5. company’s URL [Uniform Resource Locator] (editorial infor-
mation inserted into direct quotation)
6. information—new products (emphasis on inserted informa-
tion)
7. mission statement . . . . “(words omitted from end of direct
quotation; requires ellipses and period)
8. may reveal—its corporate culture. (emphasis)
9. dress standards (casual or traditional), (incidental informa-
tion)
10. employee diversity (ethnicity, gender, age), (incidental infor-
mation)
CHAPTER 11 Capitalization
(See Appendix C—Section 3.1.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 30 errors, which
include both omissions and improper use of capital letters. Un-
derline all of your corrections.
Robin thompson, owner of etiquette network and Robin
Thompson charm school, says, “personal phone calls are
fine, so long as you limit them and choose the appropri-
ate time.” She also believes cell phones should be turned
off at work; If you are at work, that means you have a desk
phone and can be reached at that number most of the time.
Cell phones and pagers don’t belong in business meetings,
either, she says. Would you interrupt your Vice President to
answer your cell phone? (you wouldn’t if you want to keep
working for the Company.) Of course, when you are fly-
ing to Corporate Headquarters on the West Coast from the
Regional Office in north Dakota, a cell phone can be a life
saver. Because you had to take your daughter to her spanish
lesson, you’ve missed your plane. The head of the division
of specialty products wants that report by 5 pm, president
McMillan is expecting you for lunch, and your son forgot to
order his date’s corsage for the High School prom tonight.
Note to self: text son about picking up tuxedo. Instead of
a Master’s Degree in business, you’re thinking maybe you
should have majored in Emergency Management. Thank
heavens you have a blackberry.
Answers:
The 30 corrected uses of capital letters are highlighted in color
and listed in the order they appear in the paragraph. For many
items, the reason for the capitalization choice is given in paren-
theses.
1. Robin Thompson,
2. owner of Etiquette
3. Network and
4. Robin Thompson Charm
5. School (proper nouns: name of person; name of companies)
6. “Personal (first word of sentence)
7. work; if you (sentence following a semicolon requires no capi-
tal)
8. your vice
9. president (common noun)
10. (You wouldn’t (first word of complete sentence in parentheses)
11. the company.) (common noun)
12. corporate (common noun)
13. headquarters (common noun)
14. regional
15. office
16. North Dakota (proper noun: state)
17. Spanish lesson (adjective formed from proper noun: lan-
guage)
18. Division of
19. Specialty
20. Products (proper noun: official name of part of organization)
21. President McMillan (proper noun: official title or position)
22. high
23. school (common noun)
24. Note to self: Text son (first word of complete sentence follow-
ing a colon)
25. master’s
26. degree (common nouns: generic degree name)
27. emergency
28. management (common noun: academic major)
29. Black
30. Berry (proper noun: brand/product name. This product name
illustrates “camel case” or “medial capitals”: compound words
in which the first letters of the parts are capitalized. Names
using camel case should always be capitalized as branded or
trademarked—for example, PowerPoint.)
Numbers
(See Appendix C—Section 3.2.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 15 errors in the
use of numbers. Underline all your corrections.
20 years ago mobile phones were novel and expensive. In the
nineteen-eighties cellular telephones, luxury items used only
by top executives, cost almost $4000 and weighed more than
2 pounds. Today, of course, even 10-year-olds have them, and
the lightest ones weigh two. 65 ounces. Some people have
more than one mobile phone; imagine carrying 2 2-pound
phones in your purse. The International Telecommunica-
tions Union estimates that there are approximately 4,600,000
mobile telephones in use worldwide. That amounts to about
sixty percent of the world’s population. China ranks number
1 with a little over 57 percent of Chinese using cellular tele-
phones. India ranks 2nd, adding more than six (6) million
subscribers a month. According to The Washington Post,
nearly 1/2 of the Indian population has wireless service—3
times the number of landlines in the country. The United
States ranks third, with 91% of us using cell phones.
Answers:
The 15 corrected uses of numbers are highlighted in color and
listed in the order they appear in the paragraph. The reason for
each is given in parentheses.
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1. Twenty years (word, not figure, at beginning of sentence)
2. In the 1980s (year date)
3. almost four thousand dollars (approximate amounts of mon-
ey)
4. weighed more than two pounds. (approximate measurement)
5. 10-year-olds (number 10 or greater)
6. 2.65 ounces. (precise measurement, decimal)
7. two 2-pound phones (measurements, compound-number ad-
jectives)
8. approximately 4.6 million (decimals)
9. about 60 percent (percentage)
10. number one (number less than 10)
11. ranks second (one-word ordinal number)
12. more than six million (approximate number; do not use par-
enthetical figure)
13. one-half of (fraction that is not a mixed number)
14. three times (number less than 10)
15. with 91 percent (percent as word when part of paragraph, not
table or graph)
CHAPTER 12 Spelling
(See Appendix C—Section 4.)
Type the following paragraph, correcting the 10 incorrect hom-
onyms or near homonyms, which a spell checker may not catch.
Underline all of your corrections.
Businesses rely on text messaging for many things besides
advertising. Texting can compliment other forms of com-
munication and surpass some for speed and affectiveness.
To site one example, let’s consider instant communication
between a stockbroker and investor. The broker can coun-
cil the investor about the movement of a stock price and
get a “buy” or “sell” decision quickly. Vendors can confirm
deliveries, customers can track shipments, and contractors
can tell there on-sight crews to precede with construction.
Another principle advantage of text messages is the ability
to communicate silently. In situations where speaking may
be awkward or impossible but immediate communication
is important, texting makes more sense then a phone call.
Instead of searching in vain for a place to take a call, a per-
son can simply tap out a reply, waving the need for privacy.
Answers:
The 10 corrected homonyms are highlighted in color and listed
in the order they appear in the paragraph. See Section 4.4 of
Appendix C for an extended list of commonly confused words
and their meanings.
1. can complement
2. and effectiveness
3. To cite
4. can counsel
5. tell their
6. on-site
7. to proceed
8. Another principal
9. sense than
10. reply, waiving
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The third component of the ACE communication process is evaluating, which includes revis-
ing, editing, proofreading, and reviewing feedback. This appendix will help you proofread
your own writing as well as provide feedback to colleagues who ask you to proofread their
work. See Chapter 3 for more detailed advice about proofreading.
Proofreading tips
• Separate proofreading from composing. If you stop at the end of each sentence to proofread
before composing the next sentence, you may lose the flow of your content.
• Proofread in a comfortable environment. You will catch more errors if you are not distracted
or interrupted. Proofread in a quiet location with good lighting.
• Proofread for different kinds of errors separately. If you try to proofread from the top of a
document to the bottom in one pass, you are not likely to find all of the errors. Instead, look for
specific kinds of errors by proofreading separately for each of the following problems:
° Content errors. Examples include missing information, poor organization, and incorrect
numbers. Proofing for content errors requires you to focus on the meaning of the words.
° Spelling errors. Do not rely solely on your word processor’s spell checking program to
catch all your spelling errors. Double check the names of people, places, and organizations.
° Typographical errors. Examples include words you left out when composing and errors
caused from editing too quickly, such as correcting the last half of a sentence without re-
reading the entire sentence to check for problems with the flow of the words. Transpositions
in wording and spelling (such as “was” and “saw”) are also examples of typographical errors.
° Usage errors. These errors occur when you use a word incorrectly, such as “accumulative
GPA” instead of “cumulative GPA.”
° Grammatical errors. Although some word processors include grammar checkers that will
find grammatical errors (such as sentence fragments and dangling modifiers), you should
always double check to be sure your writing is correct.
° Format errors. Inconsistencies in format vary from missing dates, inconsistent headings,
and differences in fonts, just to name a few. When proofing the format, look at the page as
a whole rather than at the words, and compare your document to a formatting guide for
reference. (See Appendix A: Formatting Business Documents.)
° Your typical errors. People tend to make the same kinds of errors when they write. Make
a list of the errors you often make, and carefully proof your writing specifically for those
problems.
• Proofread aloud. Reading your writing aloud slows the speed of your proofreading and allows
you to hear your words, which increases your chances of finding errors.
• Proofread backwards. Reading from the bottom to the top of the page also slows your proof-
reading process and helps you concentrate on each word individually.
• Ask a colleague to proofread your work. Most people find it difficult to be objective about
their own work. Additionally, it is easy for your brain to fill in missing words. You know what
you meant to write. Asking someone else to help you proofread will improve your chances of
finding all your errors as well as getting feedback about your writing.
Appendix E
Proofreader’s Marks
574
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Correction symbols
Some people choose to use word processing features, such as Track Changes, when correct-
ing written drafts. However, other people find it easier to proofread from a printed document
rather than from a computer screen. Many editors use the following symbols to mark correc-
tions. You may find them useful when you review your own writing.
DELETE OR REMOVE
SYMBOL MEANING EXAMPLE CORRECTION
Delete
Enclosed is an example for your review.
Let me know what you think.
On my recent trip
I met with George Bonet
I recommend that
On my the recent trip
Close space
Delete and close space
Delete paragraph break;
no new paragraph
I recommmend that
I met with George Bonet
Enclosed is an example for your review.
Let me know what you think.
MODIFY TEXT FORMATTING / TYPOGRAPHICAL SIGNS
SYMBOL MEANING EXAMPLE CORRECTION
Boldface
Italics
Underline
Roman type (not italics)
Capitalize
ALL CAPS
Lowercase
Wrong font
This should be bold.
This should be italicized.
This should be underlined.
This should not be in italics.
This should be capitalized.
This should be all caps.
This should be LOWERCASE.
Change the font to be consistent.
This should not be in italics.
This should be Capitalized.
This should be ALL CAPS.
This should be lowercase.
Change the font to be consistent.
This should be italicized.
This should be underlined.
This should be bold.
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INSERT WORDS AND PUNCTUATION MARKS
SYMBOL MEANING EXAMPLE CORRECTION
Insert (caret)
Inserted term may
be placed above or
below the caret.
Who will attend the fundraiser? I have
a conflict.
Thank you! I appreciate your time and
effort.
Please provide the following items:
signed contracts, budget revisions,
and project report updates.
He needs to sign the contract; it won’t
be processed without a signature.
Attached is the third-quarter summary.
I will call you next week.
Thank you. I appreciate your time.
Insert comma
Insert period
Insert question mark
Insert exclamation mark
Insert colon
Insert semicolon
Insert hyphen
Thank you I appreciate your time.
If the meeting goes well we will
approve the plan.
Who will attend the fundraiser I have
a conflict.
Thank you I appreciate your time and
effort.
Please provide the following items
signed contracts, budget revisions,
and project report updates.
He needs to sign the contract it won’t
be processed without a signature.
Attached is the third quarter summary.
The manager’s decision will be final.Insert apostrophe The managers decision will be final.
See pages 24–26 for details.
Insert en dash (often used to
separate number ranges)
The results were misleading—which
could be not only confusing but
also costly.
Insert em dash (often used to
offset phrases)
The results were misleading which
could be not only confusing but
also costly.
The word “responsible” was used
frequently in the press release.
Insert double quotation marks The word responsible was used
frequently in the press release.
The rates will reflect the same
percentage increase (see Figure 12).
Insert parentheses
The rates will reflect the same
percentage increase see Figure 12.
She suggested that “the change is
required for everyone [in the
IT department].”
Insert brackets
The timing is right for this new
procedure.Insert space
Thetiming is right for this new
procedure.
He stated, “The negotiations will take
several days….”
Insert ellipses He stated, “The negotiations will take
several days of hard work.”
1421 Milrose Avenue NW
3rd Floor, Suite 10
Insert new line
or move text
We ask for your help in funding these
grants.
I will contact you next Tuesday after
you’ve had an opportunity to review
this proposal.
Insert paragraph break
We ask for your help in funding these
grants. I will contact you next Tuesday
after you’ve had an opportunity to
review this proposal.
I will call next week.
See pages 24 to 26 for details.
1421 Milrose Avenue NW 3rd Floor,
Suite 10
She suggested that “the change is
required for everyone.”
If the meeting goes well, we will
approve the plan.
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SYMBOL MEANING EXAMPLE CORRECTION
Align vertically
Center
Single space
Double space
Move down
Budget Reports
Fiscal Statements
Forecast Documents
Budget Reports
Fiscal Statements
Forecast Documents
Title Goes Here
The recommendation is to allocate
more resources to the project.
The recommendation is to allocate
more resources to the project.
Pharmaceutical sales increased.
The recommendation is to allocate
more resources to the project.
Pharmaceutical sales increased.
Pharmaceutical sales increased.Move left
Move right
Pharmaceutical sales increased.
Pharmaceutical sales increased.
Pharmaceutical sales increased.
The recommendation is to allocate
more resources to the project.
Title Goes Here
Our profits are with in the forecasted
range.
… as was indicated in the study.1
H2O H
2
O
Our profits are within the forecasted
range.
… as was indicated in the study.1
Budget Reports
Fiscal Statements
Forecast Documents
Budget Reports
Fiscal Statements
Forecast Documents
Budget Reports
Fiscal Statements
Forecast Documents
Budget Reports
Fiscal Statements
Forecast Documents
Move up
Flush left
Flush right
Superscript
Subscript
Keep text together /
Close up space
Pharmaceutical sales increased.
Pharmaceutical sales increased.
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MODIFY WORDING
SYMBOL MEANING EXAMPLE CORRECTION
Agreement problem
Awkward wording
Comma splice
Dangling construction
Fragment
Let stand (restore)
Problem with parallel
construction
Problem with pronoun
Reference unclear (ambiguous)
Repetition/redundancy
Run-on sentence
Spell out
Spelling error
Transpose
Word choice
Wordy
Wrong word
Was it him who went to the conference?
I called the purchasing managers about
the new vendors. They are too busy to
meet with us today.
Please refer back to the minutes from
our last meeting.
It was a great meeting everyone
participated.
We need 5 more days to complete
the project.
She made an impresive presentation.
Thank you for your effort and time on
this project.
Please af�x a �rst-class stamp.
As your assistant manager, I am
suggesting that we review our
departmental procedures.
Do you know which one is there car?
I suggest we review our departmental
procedures.
Do you know which one is their car?
It was a great meeting. Everyone
participated.
We need �ve more days to complete
the project.
She made an impressive presentation.
Thank you for your time and effort on
this project.
Please use a �rst-class stamp.
Please refer to the minutes from our
last meeting.
I called the purchasing managers
about the new vendors. The managers
are too busy to meet with us today.
Was it he who went to the conference?
We will present the �ndings,
recommendations, and make
conclusions.
We will present the �ndings,
recommendations, and conclusions.
The box of name badges are on your
desk.
The focus group participants were
predominantly woman employees.
Rational humans are marvelous in
theory, in reality, they do not exist.
To increase sales, more telephone
calls were made.
My computer doesn’t work. Although
the technician checked it.
This is okay as originally worded.
The box of name badges is on your
desk.
The focus group included mostly
female employees.
Rational humans are marvelous in
theory; in reality, they do not exist.
To increase sales, sales reps made
more telephone calls.
My computer doesn’t work although
the technician checked it.
This is okay as originally worded.
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B
Barrier An obstacle that gets in the way of effective communication. p. 5
Behavioral questions A type of interview question designed to
determine how you would make decisions, solve problems, or respond
to stressful situations. p. 476
Brand message A statement that communicates the unique value you
offer your employers. p. 453
Buffer An introductory sentence or paragraph that leads up to and
softens the bad-news message. p. 189
Bullet point One of a number of items printed in a vertical list, preceded
by a symbol called a bullet. p. 409
Bullet point list A vertically formatted list, with each item preceded by a
dot or other simple shape. p. 87
Business case A justification for a proposal showing that the
recommended course of action is good for an organization and makes
business sense. p. 303
C
Career fair A gathering of representatives or recruiters from many
companies seeking to fill open positions. p. 476
Chronological résumé A traditional résumé style that lists content
sequentially, starting with the most recent experience. p. 458
Clarity The quality of being unambiguous and easy to understand.
pp. 13, 91
Clichés Commonplace and often overused phrases that have lost their
force and meaning. p. 92
Cloud computing Software applications that either run on the Internet
rather than your local computer or that allow you to store files on the
Internet rather than (or in addition to) your local computer. p. 280
Cognitive conflict A conflict that results from differences in
understanding content or tasks. Working through a cognitive conflict
often leads to better decisions and work products. p. 41
Collaboration The process of working together to achieve a common goal. p. 18
Collectivist culture A culture that puts the good of the group or
organization before people’s individual interests. p. 49
Combined résumé A résumé style that takes advantage of both the
chronological and functional methods of organizing content by
highlighting work experience by date and skill sets by category. p. 461
Communication The process by which participants not only exchange
messages (information, ideas, feelings) but also co-create and share
meaning. p. 4
Communication strategy A plan for what and how you are
going to communicate to ensure your message achieves your
purpose. p. 8
Competitive proposal A proposal that will compete with other
proposals for the same sale, funding, or opportunity. p. 300
Composing The multistep process of producing content, organizing it
so that it is understandable from the audience’s perspective, putting
it into coherent sentences and logical paragraphs, and then designing
a format or delivery approach that is professional and makes the
communication easy to follow. p. 77
Comprehension How well you understand what you hear or read. p. 33
A
Abstract One or two paragraphs—often included at the beginning of a
formal informational report—that either (a) describe the content of
the report so that a reader can decide whether to read the report or (b)
briefly summarize the report, including the main points, conclusions,
and recommendations. p. 333
Abstract language Language that refers to broad concepts that an
audience can interpret in multiple ways. p. 91
Action interview An interview format that requires applicants to make a
presentation or perform under work-based conditions, which could be
simulated or real. p. 476
Active listening A learned skill that requires you to attentively
focus on the speaker’s communication, interpret the meaning
of the content, and respond with feedback to ensure
understanding. pp. 10, 33
Active voice A sentence structure in which the subject performs the
action of the verb. p. 92
Affective conflict A conflict that results from differences in
personalities and relationships. If affective conflicts remain unstated
and unaddressed, they can lead to tension, stress, and dysfunctional
work processes. p. 41
Agenda A detailed plan or outline of the items to be discussed at a
meeting. p. 55
AIDA An acronym used in marketing to suggest the organization
of sales communication: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
pp. 164, 468
Analytical report A report that analyzes information to solve a problem
or support a business decision. p. 332
Analyzing The process of looking critically at four elements of your
message: purpose, audience, content, and medium. p. 77
Anecdotal evidence Information you can get from a subjective report
that may not be scientifically valid or representative but that may
provide insight on your topic. p. 278
Anecdote A very short story, usually a true one, that is used to make a
point and bring a subject to life. p. 404
Animations Visual effects that control when and how elements appear
on your slides while you present. p. 414
Announcement A message that publicly notifies people of information
they need or want to know. p. 125
Appendix A section (or multiple sections called appendices) included at
the end of a formal report or proposal that provides supplementary
information. p. 335
Argumentation A persuasive appeal that supports a position with
reasons and evidence. Chapters 8, 11, and 12 cover other examples
of communication that requires persuasion—proposals, cover letters,
résumés, and interviews. p. 152
Attachment A document that is included with a letter or memo report to
provide supplementary information. p. 335
Audience Anyone who receives a message and for whom a message is
intended. p. 10
Audience benefits The positive outcomes your audience will experience
by agreeing with or acting on your message. pp. 78, 119
Audience The recipients of your communication. p. 78
Glossary
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Concession An admission that the opposing point of view has merit but
does not invalidate your argument. p. 147
Conciseness Using no more words than necessary for a message to
accomplish its purpose. pp. 13, 92
Concrete language Language that is specific, making it likely that
everyone will interpret it the same way. p. 92
Confirmation An acknowledgment that you have received information
or understood a message correctly. p. 124
Congratulatory message Communication sent to recognize someone’s
achievements or important events. p. 128
Content The substance of your message. p. 77
Content marketing A technique for persuading customers by
providing them valuable information without trying to sell them
anything. p. 236
Context The external circumstances and forces that influence
communication. p. 5
Context (relating to culture) A term that describes how people in a
culture deliver, receive, and interpret messages. Low-context cultures
rely on explicit language to communicate. High-context cultures
derive meaning not just from words but from everything surrounding
the words. p. 48
Convenience sample A survey population selected because you have
easy access to that group. p. 271
Cover letter A persuasive letter or email sent to a prospective employer
along with a résumé that “sells” your résumé to the employer. p. 465
Cover message A letter, memo, or email accompanying a formal report
or proposal, designed to explain the document and persuade the
audience to read it. p. 313
Credibility An audience’s belief that you have expertise and are trustworthy
based on your knowledge, character, reputation, and behavior. p. 152
Culture The learned and shared attitudes, values, and behaviors that
characterize a group of people. pp. 18, 47
Customer claim A request from a customer to a store or vendor to
accept a return, exchange an item, refund money, or perform a
repair. pp. 163, 196
D
Dashboard A single-screen display of data aggregated from different
sources. p. 232
Data graphics Visual representations of data, in tables and graphs, that
allow you to see relationships and trends much more clearly than in
text alone. p. 369
Decode To interpret the words, images, and actions of a message and
attach meaning to them. p. 5
Deliverables The items or services you agree to deliver to your
audience. p. 301
Desktop search tool A search engine designed to search for files on
your computer or file server that contain specific words or that were
produced within a specific time period. p. 264
Direct organization The method of arranging content in a message to
present the main idea of the message before the supporting details. p. 82
Drafting A creative process that involves getting information on the
paper or computer screen before revising and editing it. p. 85
E
Elevator pitch A concise statement designed to communicate the value
of an idea product, or job candidate; intrigue the audience; and
initiate a deeper conversation. pp. 434, 454
Emotional intelligence The ability to perceive and understand emotions
and to use that knowledge to guide your own behavior and respond to
others. p. 32
Encode To translate the meaning of a message into words, images, or
actions. p. 5
Ethics The principles used to guide decision making and lead a person to
do the right thing. p. 13
Ethnocentrism An inappropriate belief that your own culture is superior
to all others. p. 47
Evaluating The process of critically reviewing your communication
to ensure it is complete, clear, concise, easy to understand, and
error free. pp. 37, 77
Evaluation report A report that assesses the success of a project. p. 344
Executive summary A separate, stand-alone mini document, included
at the beginning of a longer proposal or report, that completely
summarizes the document’s main ideas. pp. 313, 333
External audiences People with whom you communicate outside your
organization. p. 88
External benefits Advantages that someone else—a third party—gains
when your audience complies with a request. p. 119
External proposal A proposal addressed to people outside of your
organization. p. 299
F
Fallacy A violation of logical reasoning that leads to a flawed
argument. p. 156
Feasibility report A report that analyzes whether a plan can be
implemented as proposed. It may also consider how to change the plan
to make it feasible. p. 338
Feedback Any form of verbal or nonverbal response to a message. p. 5
For-your-information (FYI) message A message written as an act of
kindness to pass along information you think someone may appreciate
knowing. p. 128
Forming A stage of team development in which members get to know
each other. p. 53
Functional résumé A contemporary résumé style that emphasizes
categories of skills rather than job experience. p. 461
G
Goodwill The positive relationship between you (or your company) and
your audience. pp. 77, 186
Goodwill message Any message that gives you the opportunity
to establish and sustain a positive relationship with your
audience. p. 117
Grant proposal A proposal requesting funding, typically from
governmental agencies or charitable foundations. p. 307
Graphs A visual representation of data that illustrates the relationship
among variables, usually in relationship to x- and y-axes. p. 370
Group interview An interview format in which an employer meets with
several applicants at the same time to assess their approach to working
collaboratively with others. p. 476
Groupthink A process by which a group reaches a decision by
eliminating all critical thinking that threatens consensus. p. 41
I
Idiom An expression that means something other than the literal
meaning of its words. pp. 18, 51
Implicit request A request that hints at what you want rather than
stating it directly. p. 117
Impromptu speaking Speaking without advance knowledge of the topic
or question. p. 428
Indirect organization The method of arranging content in a message to
present the supporting details before the main idea. p. 82
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Individualistic culture A culture that values an individual’s
achievements, satisfaction, and independent thinking. p. 49
Infographic A representation of data or information in visual form. An
infographic is a stand-alone visual display that typically combines
multiple representations of data to provide a complete picture. p. 345
Informational report A report that provides readers with facts that
they can easily understand and refer to when necessary. Meeting
minutes, trip reports, and progress reports are types of informational
reports. p. 332
Internal audiences People with whom you communicate inside your
organization. p. 87
Internal benefits Advantages that your audience will directly receive
from complying with your request. Examples include a reduced
workload, increased professional recognition, and financial
gains. p. 119
Internal proposal A proposal addressed to people within your
organization. p. 299
Interpersonal communication The ongoing process of interacting
with others and exchanging information and meaning to achieve
understanding. p. 32
Interpretation Analyzing the meaning of what you hear, read, or see to
determine its intention. p. 34
Interview A research method involving a structured discussion between
two or more people, usually in a question-and-answer format. p. 271
J
Jargon The specialized language of a specific field. p. 33
L
Letters Formal correspondence, generally intended for external
audiences. Letters can be sent through postal mail or by email
attachment for quicker delivery. p. 88
Limitations The characteristics of the research that prevent you from
generalizing your findings more broadly. p. 261
M
Mean The average derived by adding all responses and dividing the sum
by the number of responses. p. 274
Median The number that represents the middle number in a distribution
or the most central number. p. 274
Medium The method you use to deliver your message (for example,
telephone, face-to-face meeting, email, text message, or
website). pp. 5, 77
Meeting minutes Notes that describe what was discussed at a meeting,
what was decided, and what actions will follow. p. 56
Memos Hardcopy documents, following a set format, typically sent to
internal audiences. p. 87
Message headlines Slide headlines that summarize the key point, or
message, of each slide. p. 407
Minutes A written report of a meeting that identifies who was present,
summarizes the discussion, and records specific decisions and action
items. p. 338
Mode The number that most frequently appears in a distribution. p. 274
Monochronic culture A culture that values punctuality and
efficiency. p. 50
N
Network The circle of people who are aware of your career goals and can
help you learn about career opportunities. p. 455
Noncompetitive proposal A proposal that has no competition because
your audience will not be considering any offers other than yours. p. 300
Nonverbal communication Messages conveyed through means other
than words, for example, tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures, and
body language. p. 34
Norming A stage of team development in which team members learn
how to manage conflict and work with each other effectively. p. 53
O
Observational research A research method that involves watching
people perform relevant activities and recording details about what
you observe. p. 271
Outcome The result of your communication; what you want the
recipients of your message to know, do, or feel about the subject of
your message. pp. 8, 77
Outline An organizational plan that identifies key topics in the order they
will be presented. p. 82
P
Panel interview An interview format that involves several people, such
as a search committee, who gather in a conference or seminar room
with a job applicant to discuss the position. p. 476
Parallel phrasing A method of using the same grammatical form for
each item in a list. p. 136
Paraphrase A version of what someone else says, but in your own words
and with your own emphasis. p. 377
Paraphrasing Restating someone’s point in different words to ensure you
completely understand. p. 35
Passive listening Hearing what someone says without actively paying
attention to ensure understanding. p. 32
Passive voice A sentence structure in which the subject is passive and
receives the action expressed by the verb. p. 92
Performing A stage of team development in which team members work
collaboratively and achieve a high level of productivity. p. 53
Persuasion The process of influencing your audience to agree with
your point of view, accept your recommendation, grant your request,
or change their beliefs or actions in a way that facilitates a desired
outcome. pp. 10, 78, 146
Persuasive request A request that persuades the audience to do you a
favor by making the audience feel good about doing the favor and, if
possible, by stressing audience benefits. p. 159
Plagiarism Intentionally or unintentionally failing to acknowledge
others’ ideas in your work. p. 377
Podcast An audio or video presentation or program that is recorded
without an audience, posted on a website or a social media site such as
YouTube or Vimeo, and distributed through links. p. 429
Polychronic culture A culture that has a relaxed attitude toward time
and punctuality. p. 50
Power distance A characteristic of cultures that describes how the
culture perceives inequality and authority. p. 49
Primary audience The person or people to whom your message is
addressed. pp. 78, 147
Primary research The process of collecting your own data from original
sources. p. 80
Primary sources Sources from which you collect your own raw
data. p. 261
Professional brand The image you present of yourself that makes you
stand out compared to other applicants. p. 452
Professional presence Your ability to project competence, credibility,
and confidence in your communication. p. 4
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Professionalism The qualities that make you appear businesslike in the
workplace. p. 10
Progress report A report that updates supervisors on the status of a
long-term project. p. 338
Proofread A systematic process of reviewing writing for errors. p. 95
Proposal A communication designed to persuade a business decision
maker to adopt a plan, approve a project, choose a product or service,
or supply funding. p. 298
Purpose The reason why you are communicating. pp. 8, 77
Q
Qualitative research Research that provides insight into the attitudes,
values, and concerns of research subjects through interviews and
observation. p. 261
Quantitative research Research that relies on numerical data, such
as that gathered from structured survey responses to which you can
assign numbers. p. 261
Quotations Any phrases, sentences, paragraphs—even single, distinctive
words—that you take from any of your sources. p. 377
R
Random sample A population selected broadly from all available
members of the population you want to study. p. 271
Range The span between the highest and lowest values. p. 274
Recommendation A business message that suggests a solution to a
business problem. p. 159
Recommendation report A report that analyzes options and
recommends a course of action. p. 344
Redundancy Unnecessary repetition of an idea. p. 93
Reference list A list of secondary research sources used in a research
report. p. 335
Refutation A response intended to prove an objection is wrong. p. 147
Report deck A report document written in PowerPoint or other
presentation software. p. 333
Repurposing content Reusing content you have already created. p. 317
Request for proposal (RFP) An invitation for suppliers to competitively
submit proposals to provide a product or service. p. 299
Revising A logical process that involves evaluating the effectiveness of your
message in relation to your audience and purpose and then making
changes in content, organization, or wording, as necessary. p. 85
Routine business message A short, nonsensitive, straightforward
communication that asks questions, answers questions, provides
information, or confirms agreements. p. 126
RSS (really simple syndication or rich site summary) A format for
delivering frequently changing web content to subscribers; referred to
as an RSS feed or news aggregator. p. 232
S
Sample A representative portion of your population. p. 271
Scope The range of your research; a broad scope includes a wide range
of content, whereas a narrow scope focuses on specific aspects of the
topic. p. 261
Secondary audience People other than the primary audience who may
read or hear your message. pp. 78, 147
Secondary research The process of searching published reports, articles,
and books for information other people have collected. p. 80
Secondary sources The results of other people’s research that you consult
as part of your research. p. 262
Slang Nonstandard, informal language that may communicate well
within a certain group but often excludes people from different
countries, cultures, and social groups. p. 92
Slide deck A set of slides used for a presentation. p. 407
Slide master A tool within presentation software that allows you to select
design features that will apply to all slides. p. 409
Social media Web-based applications, such as blogs, Facebook, and
Twitter, designed to promote social interaction. p. 7
Software as a Service (SaaS) Software that is hosted by the software
provider and available on the Internet. p. 313
Solicited proposal A proposal that your audience has requested. p. 299
Solicited sales communication A response to a request for sales
information. p. 166
Stand-alone presentation A slide deck that makes sense without the
benefit of a presenter. p. 407
STAR method A method of answering a behavioral interview question by
explaining a situation, task, and action that led to a positive result. p. 476
Statement of work (SOW) A proposal or section of a proposal that
identifies exactly what you will deliver, at what cost, in what time
frame, and under what circumstances. p. 304
Stereotypes Oversimplified images or generalizations of a group. p. 47
Storming A stage of team development in which teams experience
conflict and begin to confront differences. p. 53
Style How you express yourself. p. 94
Storyboard A slide-by-slide sketch of the presentation that is used as a
tool for organizing the flow of the presentation. p. 409
Subject line The line in the header of an email that communicates what
the message is about and influences whether the audience will read the
message. p. 82
Summary A very brief version of someone else’s text, using your own
words. p. 377
Survey A predetermined list of questions used to collect a structured set
of information from a selected audience. p. 271
Survey population The audience from whom you want to collect survey
responses. p. 271
Sympathy message (also called condolences) A message that expresses
compassion and understanding when someone experiences a loss. p. 128
Synchronous communication Communication in which all
communicators are present at the same time: face-to-face
conversations, telephone conversations, and meetings are examples of
synchronous communication. p. 32
T
Tables A graphic that arranges data in columns and rows, allowing you to
read down or across to see different relationships. p. 370
Targeted sample A sample that consists of only specific people from the
group you are studying. p. 271
Team Two or more people who recognize and share a commitment to a
specific, common goal and who collaborate in their efforts to achieve
that goal. p. 51
Teaming The process of bringing people together for a short period of
time to solve a specific problem or complete a specific project. p. 54
Template A model or file that contains key features of a document and
serves as a starting point for creating a new document. p. 186
Tertiary sources Books and articles that synthesize material from
secondary sources. p. 262
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Thank-you message An expression of appreciation when someone has
done something for you. p. 128
Title page The first page of a formal report, which includes
identifying information, such as the report’s title; the name of the
person or organization for whom the report was written; the
author’s name, position, and organization; and the date of
submission. p. 344
Tone The image of yourself that your language projects based on how the
message sounds to the recipient. p. 94
Topic sentence A sentence that identifies the main point or overall
idea of the paragraph. Most frequently, it is the first sentence in a
paragraph. p. 86
Topic-specific headings Section or paragraph titles that are short but
include key ideas. They are often in the form of a short sentence and
include a verb. p. 87
Trip report A report that documents activities on a business trip and
presents accomplishments and issues. p. 338
U
Uncertainty avoidance A measure of how comfortable a culture is with
ambiguity, risk, and change. p. 49
Unsolicited proposal A proposal that your audience is not
expecting. p. 299
Unsolicited sales communication Sales messages you send to
audiences who did not request the information, also called “cold-call
sales messages.” p. 165
V
Virtual interview An interview conducted by telephone, Skype, or
teleconference call, often used to narrow the candidate pool before
scheduling an onsite visit. p. 476
Visual aid presentation A presentation in which the speaker’s words
carry the main story of the presentation, and the slides provide
illustration and backup. p. 407
W
Webcast A web-based presentation or program that is broadcast over the
Internet to a live audience but is not interactive. p. 429
Webinar An interactive web-based seminar that is broadcast over the
Internet to a live audience. p. 429
White paper A report published by a company and intended to educate
the audience—often potential customers—on a topic that is central to
the company’s business. p. 344
Wiki A collaborative web application that allows multiple users to
contribute and update material within a shared space. p. 17
Writer’s block An inability to begin or continue writing. p. 85
Y
“You” perspective An approach to communication that presents the
information from the audience’s point of view. The “you” perspective
focuses on what the audience needs and wants. It also considers how
the audience benefits from your message. p. 118
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A
Abstract, reports, 333
Abstract language, 91, 91–92
Accenture, 363
Accommodation management technique, 46
Accusatory language, 40, 194
ACE communication process. See also
Analyzing; Composing;
Evaluating communication
ACE @ Work, Coca-Cola, 99
analyzing, overview, 77–78
audience analysis, 78, 79
bad-news messages, 185, 185, 187
business proposals, 298–300, 299, 323
Case Scenario, 100–101, 134–136
composing, overview, 82, 88, 89, 90, 91
content analysis, 78–80
cover letters, 468–471, 472, 473, 474
customer claims, 161, 164
evaluating, overview, 91–97, 92, 93,
94, 95, 96
informational messages, 120–127, 121,
123, 124, 125, 126, 127
job interviews, 476–490, 477, 478, 479,
481, 490, 495
message purpose, 77–78
persuasive messages, 146–151, 150
professional brand using ACE to
develop, 452
reports, 332, 332–337, 334–335, 336
routine business messages, 116
social media, using ACE to implement,
220, 221, 247
Acknowledging mistakes, 197–200
Action, requests for:
business proposals, 302, 303–304
cover letters, 469, 472, 473, 474
presentations, 407
Action interviews, 476, 477
Active listening:
communication strategy and, 10, 33
defined, 10, 33
evaluating and responding, 37–38
gender differences, 36–37
hearing accurately, 33
nonverbal communication, 34–35
questioning and paraphrasing, 35
Active voice, 92, 193
Ad hominem attack fallacy, 156
Adaptable communicators:
characteristics of, 8, 9
importance of, 16, 17
Adaptly, 236
Adler, Lou, 360–361
Adobe Acrobat Pro, 363
Affective conflict, 41, 41–45
Affinity, 152
Agenda, 55
Aggarwal, Arjun, 283
AIDA (attention, interest, desire, and
action), 164–166, 165, 470, 472,
473, 492
Albert Heijn, 240
Alltech, 115, 303, 480, 482
Altimeter Group, 240
Amazon.com, 15, 142, 264, 279
Ambiguity, avoiding, 39
American Express, 6
American Management Association, 7
American Psychological Association (APA)
style guide, 279–280, 349, 356,
378, 378
American Red Cross, 221, 223
Analogy, 156
Analytical report, 332, 334–335. See also
Reports
Analyzing:
ACE @ Work, 99
audience analysis, 76, 78, 79
bad-news messages, 186–189, 187
business proposals, 298–300, 299, 312
Case Scenario, 100–101
communication process, element of, 77
content analysis, 78–80
cover letters, 468–471
customer claims, 161, 164
defined, 77
information needs, defining, 259–263, 262
job interviews, 476
medium, choice of, 80
message purpose, 77–78
overview, 77–78
personal brand, 452, 453, 454
persuasive messages, 146–148, 159–160
presentations, 398–402, 399, 400
reports, 333
requests for information, responses to,
121, 123–124
social media, 220–221
Anderson, Bailey, 10, 123
Anderson, Mike, 491
Anecdotal evidence, 278, 279
Anecdotes, 404
Animations, presentation slides, 414–417
Annotation, graphs, 373
Announcements, 125, 126
Antonyms, 92
APA (American Psychological Association)
style guide, 279–280, 349, 356,
378, 378
Appendices, 316, 335, 357
Apple, Inc., 50, 158, 409
Applicant tracking systems, 461
Appsavvy, 398
Argumentation, 152–154, 153, 154, 156
Aristotle, 151
Article databases, 264
Ashford, Nicholas, 50
Ask search engine, 264
Association for Talent Development
(ATD), 261
Assumptions, faulty, 44
Asurion, 3, 278, 428
Atos Consulting, 116
Attachments, 335
Attention, capturing, 404. See also AIDA
(attention, interest, desire, and
action)
Attire, job interviews, 480, 481
Audience:
analyzing, 76, 78, 79
bad-news messages and, 185,
186–187, 187
business proposal and, 298–300, 299, 301
communication strategy and, 10, 11
credibility, building, 152, 153
customer claims and, 161, 164
defined, 10, 78
direct or indirect messages, 116–117
emotional appeals, 154–155
external and internal audiences, 87, 88
global audiences, 90, 337, 432
goodwill messages and, 128
identifying concerns and needs, 260–261
persuasive messages and, 147, 148,
154–155, 159–160
presentations
audience analysis for, 398–402, 399,
400, 403–407, 406, 427
cultural considerations, 432
question and answer sessions,
428–429
reports and, 333, 333, 337, 342–343,
344–345, 358–359, 360–361, 362
sales messages and, 164–166, 165
speaking, tips for, 39
virtual interviews and, 476, 477, 479
“you” perspective, 118–119
Audience benefits, 78, 119
Audience-oriented communication, 10, 11
Audio, presentation media options, 401–402
Authentic questions, 40
Authority, expert, 154
Axis titles, graphs and charts, 370
B
Background, presentation slides, 411
Background checks, job offers, 489
Bad news, communicating:
ACE communication process, 185,
186–187
Bad News @ Work, 204
Case Scenario, 205–207
clarity in communicating, 192
common types of messages, 196–203,
197, 198, 199, 202
Page numbers in italic indicate figures. Key terms and the page number on which they are defined appear in boldface.
Index
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composing, 189–195, 193, 200
overview, 184–185
social media, 215
softening the bad news, 192
BAE Systems, 128
Baer, Jay, 237
Ballroom presentations, 162
Bank of America, 21, 264, 455
Bar charts, 371
Barnes & Noble, 243, 264
Barone, Lisa, 233
Barriers, 5
bcc (blind carbon copy), 127
Beachbody, 233
Beamer, Linda, 318
Behavior, as nonverbal communication, 35
Behavioral questions, 476
BeKnown, 456
Belmont University, 21, 78, 399
Belonging, sense of, 154, 157
Belosic, Jim, 233
Benefits:
audience benefits, 78
business proposals, 300, 301
external benefits, 119
internal benefits, 119
persuasion, as an element of, 148,
151, 151, 159, 160, 161, 164,
165, 166
Berg, Rhonda, 358–359
Best Buy, 233, 235
Bezos, Jeff, 15
Biased language, 40
Bibliography, 335, 362, 378
Bing, 264, 264
Biznar.com, 264, 268
Blackboard, 259, 260
Blind carbon copy (bcc), 127
Block style letters, 88
Blogs:
advantages and disadvantages of, 81
bad-news, using to communicate, 187
benefits of use, 7–8
business use of, 220, 221, 223, 225, 225,
229–230
as collaboration tool, 58
composing and publishing, 223, 225,
229–230
information feeds, 233, 234
information sources, 278
persuasive messages using to
communicate, 149
professional brand using to
communicate, 455, 456
social media used in business, 220,
236, 237
surveys posting links to, 278
Blue, Steve, 188
Boardroom presentations, 162. See also
Presentations
Body language:
active listening, 10
diverse groups, 51
job interviews, 481
nonverbal communication,
overview, 34–35
nonverbal responses, 38
presentations, 424, 425, 432
relation to verbal messages, 40
speaking skills, tips for, 40
Bonini, John, 230
Bonner, Lisa, 58
Boston Harbor Cruises, 227
Boston University, 242
Bowen, Erica, 52, 128, 337
Box, 280
Brainstorming tools, 58
Branching questions, 265
BranchOut, 456
Brand, professional. See Professional brand
Brand message, 453–455
Brazil, negotiations with, 318
Bridgewater Associates, 42
British culture, 18
Brown, Dan, 258
Brown Advisory, 21, 75, 313
Browne, Mike, 204
Buffer, 189, 192, 193
Buffett, Warren, 152
Bullet point lists:
animations, presentation slides, 414–417
defined, 87, 409
email, 87, 87
presentation slide design, 409–413,
413, 414
reports, 352–353, 367
slide templates, 413
Bunker, Jane, 243
Burden of proof fallacy, 156
Burns, Joshua, 115, 480
Business cards, 459
Business case, 303
Business communication:
adaptability, 16, 17
characteristics, 9
effective communicators, overview, 6–7
gender-specific styles, 36–37
importance of, 6–8
media platforms, summary chart, 81
process of, 5–6, 6
professionalism, 10–13
skills development, 23–25
Business formal attire, 480, 481
Business proposals. See Proposals
Business reports. See Reports
Business research tools, 264
Business Source Premier, 265
Business Week, 265
BusinessCulture.org, 270
C
California Milk Processor Board, 90
Call for action:
business proposal, 301, 303–304
cover letters, 469, 472, 473, 474
presentations, 407
requests and questions, messages with,
119–120, 127–128
Canvas, 259
Career centers, 468
Career fairs, 476, 477
Career goals, 452–453
CareerBuilder, 469
Carnival Cruise Corporation, 365
Carroll, Alicia, 21, 240, 365
Carter, Bob, 152, 244–245
Categorization, presentation patterns, 406
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), 375
Central Georgia Technical College, 451
Change, communicating negative, 200, 202
Charts, presentation slide design,
409–413, 411
Chicago Manual of Style, 279–280, 378
Chicago Tribune, 434
Chief Learning Officer, 267
ChinaTrade.com, 318
Chinese culture, 18, 317
Chobani Fit With It, 228
Chronological order, presentation
patterns, 406
Chronological résumé, 459, 459, 460,
461, 463
Chung, Hannah, 257, 297
Cialdini, Robert, 156, 167, 173, 238–239
Citation of sources:
business proposals, 316
citation management programs, 279, 362
overview of, 278–280
presentations, 427
reference list (bibliography), 335,
362, 378
reports, 349, 356, 377–378
Claim requests:
composing, 117, 119
denial of, 195–197, 197
persuasive messages, 161, 164, 165
responses to, 123–124, 124
Clarity:
bad-news messages, 192, 192, 195–196
communication evaluation, 91–92
defined, 13, 91
diverse groups, communication with, 51
professionalism and, 13, 15
providing context, 116–117
Clark, Wendy, 99
Cliché, 92, 93
Clothing, job interviews, 480, 481
Cloud computing, 280, 280–281
Coca-Cola Company, 99, 242
Cognitive conflict, 41, 41–45
Cold-call sales message, 165
Coleman, Darrell, 152, 233, 331, 370
Collaboration. See also Culture;
Listening skills
assembling teams, 52
Case Scenario, cross-cultural
teams, 60–61
conflict management, 41–47
conflict management technique, 47
Conversations @ Work, 59
cross-cultural team, 60–61
defined, 18–19
delivering team presentations, 425–426
effective meetings, 55–56, 69–70
goals and standards, agreement on, 52–53
guidelines for team members, 56–58
leadership, developing, 54–55
overview, 31
persuasion, use of, 167–168
social media as tool for, 58
stages of team development, 53, 53
Collectivist culture, 49
Color, presentation slides, 409, 411, 415, 421
Column charts, 371
Columns, reports, 360–361
Columns, tables, 374
Combined résumé, 461, 463
Common errors, 95
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Communication:
ACE communication process,
overview, 76
barriers to, 5
business. See Business communication
defined, 4
effective communicators, overview, 6–7
gender-specific styles, 36–37
importance of, 6–8
process of, 5–6, 6
professionalism in, 10–13
skills development, 23–25
Communication strategy, 8, 8
Competence, as an element of professional
presence, 4
Competitive proposal, 300
Completeness of message, 78–80, 82, 91
Compliance reports, 332. See also Reports
Component parts, presentation patterns, 406
Composing:
ACE @ Work, 99
announcements, 125
bad-news messages, common types of,
196–203, 197, 198, 199, 202
bad-news messages, overview, 189–195,
193, 200
business proposals, 299, 300–302,
302, 312
communication process element of, 76
cover letters, 468–471, 472, 473, 492
customer claims, 164, 165
defined, 77
drafting content, 85
email messages, 86, 86–87, 87
format and delivery decisions, 85–86
global audiences, 90
informational messages, 120–127, 121,
123, 124, 125, 126, 127
instructions, format of, 126, 127
letters, 88–89, 89
memos, 87–88, 88
message organization, 82–84
messages with questions and requests,
116–120, 117, 118, 119
personal brand, 452, 453–455
persuasive messages, 148, 150, 160, 161
presentations, 403–423
reports, 333, 334–335, 336
résumés, 459–467, 460, 462, 463,
464–465, 466, 468
social media content, 221, 225–231
voice mail messages, 89–90
when and where, decisions about, 82
Comprehension, 33
Compromise, 46
Conceptual order, presentation
patterns, 406
Concession, 147, 148
Conciseness:
defined, 13, 92
techniques for, 92–93, 93
voice message, 15
Concluding statements, presentations, 407
Concrete language, 92
Condolences, 128, 131
Conducting Research @ Work, 283
Confidence, as an element of professional
presence, 4
Confirmation messages, 124–125, 125
Conflict management:
causes of conflict, 42, 42–45
overview, 42
techniques for, 45–47
Confrontation, avoiding, 46
Congratulatory messages, 128, 131
Consistency as emotional persuasive
technique, 156, 157, 239
Constant Contact, 233, 238
Consumers Credit Union, 31
Contact information, reports, 357
Contact information, résumés, 459
Container Store, 8, 235
Content:
analyzing, 76, 78–80, 146–148, 148
bad-news messages, 186–189, 187
business proposals, 299, 300
defined, 77
errors proofreading for, 95
persuasive messages, 146–148, 148
presentations, organization of,
403–407, 406
repurposing content, 317
résumés, 459–467, 460, 462, 463,
464–465, 466, 468
Content marketing, 233, 236, 458
Context:
cultural differences, 48–49
influence on communication, 5
Convenience sample, 271
Conversation, sharing, 39
Conversational style, 94, 94
Conversations @ Work, ESPN Radio, 59
Convince & Convert, LLC, 237
Cook, Tim, 50
Copyright, 427
Corbis Images, 427
Costello, Chris, 204
Cover letter, proposals, 309, 310, 313
Cover letters, résumés:
composing, 468–471, 472, 473, 474
defined, 469
evaluating, 471
Cover message, 313
Covey, Steven, 399
CPP, Inc., 41
Credibility:
business proposal importance in, 301
as an element of professional presence, 4
persuasive messages, importance in, 152,
152, 153
of research sources, 267–270
Crowdsourcing, 278
Croy, Ryan, 3, 278, 428
Cultural context, 48
Cultural Savvy, 90
Culture:
adaptability, importance of, 18
bad-news messages, differences in
communicating, 194
Case Scenario cross-cultural teams,
60–61
collectivist, 49
communication barrier as a, 5
communication strategies, 47–51
comprehension and interpreting, 33–34
context of communications, 5
cross-cultural skills, résumés, 470
cross-cultural team, 60–61
defined, 18, 47
dimensions of, 47–50
facial expressions interpretation of, 36
global audiences, 90
individualistic, 49
persuasive appeals, 168
presentations, 432
reader-friendly reports for international
audiences, 337
researching countries and cultures online,
270
social medial and e-commerce, 224
thank you, expressions of, 130
Cunningham, Chris, 398
Customer claims:
being persuasive, 161, 164, 165
composing, 117, 119
defined, 161, 196
denial of, 196–197, 197
responses to, 123–124, 124
CyborLink.com, 142, 215
D
da Silva, Luiz Inacio Lula, 158
Dalio, Ray, 42
Dashboard, 232
Data, citations for, 377–378
Data graphics, 369, 369–376, 371–372, 373,
374, 375
Data marker, graphs, 373
Data object, graphs, 373
Data slides, 413
The Date Valet, 119, 262
Decode, 5
Deep Web Search Engine, 264
Deliverables, 301
Dell Computer, 235
Denial of request messages, 196–197, 197
Desire2Learn, 259, 260
Desktop search tool, 264, 264
Differences of opinion as a cause
of conflict, 43
Dimon, Jamie, 197–198, 200, 203
Direct messages, 116–117, 117, 118, 189,
189–191, 190, 191, 200
Direct organization, message, 82, 84
Diversity. See Culture
Document cameras, 401–402
Doing Business website, 270
Dolce & Gabbana, 240
Doodle, 143
Dot leaders, 346, 362
Drafting content, 85
Dropbox, 280
E
Earthjustice, 169
Eastern Kentucky University, 21, 37, 115,
183, 303, 309, 479, 480, 482
Eastman Kodak, 17
EasyBib, 279
eBizMBA, social media rankings, 220
Ebsco Business Source Premier, 264
E-commerce, effect of culture on, 224
eDiplomat, 142
Edmondson, Amy, 54
Ego conflicts, 45
Eide Bailly, 424
eLeaP, 259
E-Learning and the Science of Instruction:
Proven Guidelines for Consumers
and Designers of Multimedia
Learning, 261
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Elevator pitch, 454
Elon University, 21, 75, 119, 262, 313
Email messages. See also Routine business
messages
advantages and disadvantages, 81
announcements used for, 125
bad-news messages, 187, 188
blind carbon copy (bcc), 127
business proposal used for, 320
communication strategy, 9, 14
composing, 86, 86–87, 87
confirming information, 125
cover letter used as, 474
cover message, proposals, 310, 313
job applications, method of submitting,
471, 474, 475
job interview follow-up, 483–489, 484
persuasive messages, 149, 150
reports used as, 334, 335, 341
thank-you messages used for, 128
Email surveys, 271–278, 273, 274, 275, 276
Emoticons, 36
Emotional appeals, persuasion, 154–158,
157, 166, 238–239
Emotional cues:
active listening, 10
trigger words, 41
Emotional intelligence, 32
Enclosures, letters, 335, 472, 473
Encode, 5
EndNote, 279
Endnotes, reports, 362
ePlateau, 260
E-portfolios, 455, 457, 459
Escheman, Michelle, 424
ESPN Radio, 59
Ethics:
apologizing for mistakes, 203
Apple and foreign partners, 50
blind carbon copy (bcc), 127
business proposal, 311
conflicts with personal views, 80
data representation, charts and
graphs, 376
defined, 13
integrity of proposals, 311
logical fallacies, 156
plagiarism, 427
primary research, 277
professionalism and, 13–15
résumés, 465
trusting customer reviews in social
media, 242
Ethics Resource Center, 15
Ethnocentrism, 47
Ethos, 151
Evaluating communication:
ACE @ Work, 99
bad-news messages, 195–196
business proposals, 299, 303, 303, 312
for clarity and conciseness, 91–93
communication process element of,
76, 77
for content, 91
cover letters, 471, 472, 473, 474
customer claims, 164
defined, 37, 76, 77
job interviews, 480, 490, 490
listening skills, 37
online sources, credibility of, 267–270
overview, 91
personal brand, 452
persuasive messages, 150, 151, 161
presentations, 413–420, 414, 415, 416,
417–420
professional appearance, 480
proofreading, 95
reports, 336, 336–337
résumés, 468, 471
review and feedback, 96
social media, 221, 225
for style and tone, 94–95
Evaluation report, 332, 344. See also
Reports
Exaggerating your résumé, 465
Executive Planet, 270
Executive summary:
audience needs, 333
defined, 317, 333
example, 347
formal proposals, 316
white paper, 358–359
Expert authority, 154
External audiences, 88, 89
External benefits, 119
External proposals, 299, 299
Eye contact, 40, 425, 432, 481
F
Facebook. See also Social media
ACE @ Work, Coca-Cola, 99
advantages and disadvantages, 81
as collaboration tool, 58
composing and publishing, 223, 225,
226–227
founder Mark Zuckerberg, 423
importance of, 7–8
in job search, 455, 456, 469
responding to complaints, 123, 124
reviewing feedback on, 96
Social Media @ Work, 243
technology traps caused by, 17
as tool for building goodwill, 233, 235
used for social recruiting, 17
used for surveys, 278
used to grow Pinterest presence, 229
The Facebook Era: Tapping Online Social
Networks to Market, Sell, and
Innovate, 226
Face-to-face media:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
used for bad-news messages, 187
used for persuasive messages, 149
Face-to-face surveys, 271–278, 273, 274,
275, 276
Facial expressions, 34, 36, 40, 51
Facts, persuasive arguments, 154
Fair Labor Association, 50
Fallacies, 156
False analogy fallacy, 156
False cause fallacy, 156
False dilemma fallacy, 156
Faulty assumptions, 44
Faust, Rudy, 243
Favors, requesting, 120, 120
Feasibility, as an element of
proposals, 301
Feasibility reports, 332, 338, 338, 342–343.
See also Reports
Federal Express, 7, 381
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 468
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 242
Federated searches, 268
FedEx, 240
Feedback, 5, 96
Felperin, Jon, 7
Figures, labeling, 362
File sharing, 58, 281
Financial News, 265
Finney, Nikky, 243
First impressions at job interviews, 481
First-round interviews, 476, 477
Fishbowl, email marketing tool, 233, 238
Fletcher, Louis, 455
Flikr, 99. See also Social media
Flipcharts, 401–402
Fogg, B. J., 236
Fogg’s Behavior Model (FMB), 236–238
Font selection, presentation slides,
409, 412
Footnotes, reports, 362
Forbes, 469
Foreign partners, ethical concerns, 50.
See also Culture
ForeSee, 357, 358–359
Formal reports, 333, 334, 335, 344–364.
See also Reports
Format errors, 95
Forming, team development, 53, 53
Fortune 500, 133
Fortune Magazine, 469
For-your-information messages,
128, 130
Foursquare, 169, 179
Framework for presentations, 405
Framing negative comments, 41
Free writing, 85, 85
Freed, Larry, 358–359
Frontier Nursing University, 21, 37, 309
Functional résumé, 461, 462
Funding requests, 308–312, 310
G
Gallup Poll, 480
Gantt, Henry, 54
Gantt chart, 54, 55
Garage Technology Ventures, 92
Gender-specific communication styles,
36–37
General Mills, 236
Generalizations, 156
Georgia Department of Audits and
Accounts, 52, 128, 337
Georgia Southern University, 21, 152, 233,
264, 331, 370, 455
Georgia-Pacific, LLC, 21, 145, 405
Gestures. See also Body language
nonverbal communication, overview,
34–35
speaking skills, tips for, 40
Getty Images, 427
GitHub, 455
Glassdoor, 456
Global Business Culture, 270
Global English Style Guide, 337
Global Language Monitor, 337
GlobalEDGE™, 270
Glover, Paul, 41–42
Go To Meeting, 429
Golic, Mike, 59
Gonzalo, Frederic, 241
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Goodwill:
in bad-news messages, 185, 187, 195–196,
197–200
defined, 77, 184
overview, 128
in response to questions, 121, 123–124
social media used to create, 232–235,
234, 235
Goodwill message, 116, 117
congratulatory messages, 128
sympathy messages, 128
thank-you messages, 128, 129
for-your-information messages, 128,
130, 132
Google:
research, 258, 260, 264
search engine, 264, 268
Google Docs, 58
Google Drive, 280
Google News, 469
Google Talk, 431
Google+, 220
Graduate Management Admissions
Council, 6
Grammar skills, common errors, 95
Grant proposals, 308–312, 308, 310
Graphs:
design and use, 369–376, 370, 370,
371–372, 373, 374, 375
presentation slide design, 409–413, 411
as source documents, 377–378
Gratitude, expressing, 119–120, 127–128
Great Britain, culture of, 18
Greenberg, Mike, 59
Gridlines, graphs, 373
Gridlines, tables, 374
Group interviews, 476, 477
Groupon, 179, 345–355
Groupthink, 46, 46, 167
H
Hall, Edward T., 48, 50
Hand gestures, presentations, 425, 426
Handouts, presentations, 401–402, 421–422
Harris, Mitchell, 258, 259
Harrison, Lee Hecht, 7
Hartford, The, 58
Harvard Business Review, 434
Harvard Business School, 54, 242
Hashtags, 227, 228
Hasty generalization fallacy, 156
HCA Healthcare, 21, 78, 399
Head Off & Split, 243
Headlines, slides, 366
HealthScape Advisors, 283
Hedges, communication style, 37
Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle
Systems, 21, 183, 479
Hernandez, Jodie, 188
Hesitations, 37
hhgregg, 19
High context culture, 48, 48–49
Histograms, 372
Hofstede, Geert, 49
Holloman, Rachelle, 21, 78, 399
HootSuite, 232
Hoover’s, 264, 265
Horizontal bar charts, 371
Horowitz, Aaron, 257, 297
HotJobs, 469
Hsieh, Tony, 188
Hudson, Linda, 128
Hyatt, Michael, 230
Hyperlinks, PowerPoint presentations,
422–423
I
“I” language, 40–41, 118–119, 120
IBIS World, 264
IBM, 16
Identifying information, reports, 333
Idioms, 18, 51, 51
Images, PowerPoint files, 427
Impact Branding and Design, 230
Implicit request, 117
Impromptu speaking, 428
Inc., 126
InDesign, 363
Indirect messages, 116–117, 117, 118, 189,
189–191, 190, 191, 193
Indirect organization, message, 82, 84
Individualistic culture, 49
Infographic, 362, 363
Information, finding and evaluating:
Case Scenario, 284–285
conducting primary research, 271–278,
273, 274, 275, 276
Conducting Research @ Work, 283
credibility of sources, 267–270
defining information needs, 259–263, 262
ethical research, 277
gathering information, 263–270, 264,
265, 266, 267
organizing research results, 279, 279–282,
280, 281, 282
overview, 258
research work plan, 262, 263
social media, 278
Information feeds, 233, 234
Informational messages:
building goodwill, 233
composing, 120–127, 121, 123, 124, 125,
126, 127
purpose of, 78, 78
Informational report, 332, 334–335. See
also Reports
Inside address, 334, 335
Instagram, 236
Instant messages:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
used for bad-news messages, 187
Instructions, format of, 126, 127
Interaction model of communication, 5
Interactive reports, 364
Intercultural communication. See Culture
Internal audiences, 87
Internal benefits, 119
Internal proposal, 299
Internal reports, 344
Internal social media (ISM), 58
International audiences. See Culture
International Business Center, 270
International Business Etiquette and
Manners, 270
International Olympic Committee, 158, 242
Internet:
credibility of information sources,
267–270
global audiences, composing for, 90
online presentations, 429–432
presentation content from, 427
searching for information on, 268
Internet Public Library, 268
Internships, 461, 462
Interpersonal communication, 19, 32
Interpretation, 34
Interruptions, 36
Interviews. See Job interviews
Interviews, primary research, 271–278, 273,
274, 276
Introduction, 348
Investigation reports, 332. See also Reports
iPhone, 158
ipl2.org, 268
iPod, 158
Ipswich Brands, 258, 262
Iseri, Mert, 434
J
Jargon, 5, 33, 51, 51
JetBlue Airlines, 203, 233
Job banks, 468, 468, 469
Job interviews:
behavior during, 481–490
on-campus interviews, 476, 477
career fairs, 476, 477
dressing for, 480, 481
first impressions, 481, 482
follow-up after, 483–489
meals and social gatherings, 482
overview, 476
preparing for, 476–490, 477, 478, 479, 481
professional appearance, 480, 481
on site interviews, 476–481, 477
virtual interviews, 476, 477, 479
Job offer:
accepting or refusing, 486–487, 486, 487
job rejections, 489
negotiations, 483, 485, 485
withdrawing from job search, 488, 488
Job search, 452–459. See also Professional
brand
Jobs, Steve, 158, 159
Jobvite, 455, 491
John Deere, 197
Jones, Anita Griffin, 451
Jones, Parneshia, 243
Journal of International Business, 265
JPMorgan Chase, 8, 82, 197–198, 203,
242, 397
K
Katz, Lothar, 318
Kawasaki, Guy, 92
Keeter, Scott, 381
Kent, Muhtar, 99
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), 41, 90
Keynote presentation templates, 409, 411
Keyword searches, tips for, 264–265
Keywords, cover letters, 470, 471
Keywords, résumés, 456, 457, 460, 463,
465, 470
KFC, 41, 90
King’s Hawaiian Bakery, 152
King’s Hawaiian Holding Company, 47,
153, 200
Klosterman, Amber, 21
Kosta, Dan, 204
Kosta Browne Winery, 204
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L
Labels, charts and graphs, 369–376, 371–372,
373, 374, 375, 376
LaDuc, Linda, 311
Lahue, Ben, 197
Language:
“I” language, 40–41
neutral, 40
positive, 40
respectful, 41
Language barriers, 5
Language choices:
avoiding negative responses, 40–41
bad-news messages, 193–194, 200
business proposal, 303
clarity, 39, 91–93
common errors, 95
conciseness, 92–93
emotional appeals, 157, 166
international audiences, 337
keywords, résumés, 456, 457, 460, 463,
465, 470
reports, 336
social media, 94
style and tone, 94–95
“you” perspective, 118–119
Lanham Act, 242
Le Massif, 241
Leadership, teamwork and, 54–55
Leadership Crossroads, 318
Learning management system (LMS),
258–262, 259, 260, 262
Learning Technologies blog, 261
Legal concerns, bad-news messages, 185
Legend, graphs, 373
Leibowitz, Josh, 365
Letters:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
announcements, 125
bad-news messages, 185, 187
composing, 88, 89
cover letters, 468–471, 472, 473, 474
defined, 88
job interview follow-up, 483–489
job rejections, 185
persuasive messages, 149
reports, 334
request for information, 121, 123
thank-you messages, 128, 129
Lexis/Nexis, 264, 265
Librarian’s Internet Index, 268
Library online catalogs, 264, 265–266
Liking as emotional persuasive technique,
156, 157, 239
Limitations of research, 261
Line charts, 372
Lingua franca, 337
LinkedIn. See also Social media
advantages and disadvantages, 81
job searches, 455, 457, 469, 471
professional brand, 455, 457, 491
social recruiting, 17, 491
uses of, 17
white paper, 357, 360–361
LinkedIn Recruiting Solutions, 360–361
Listening skills:
evaluating and responding, 37–38
gender differences, 36–37
hearing accurately, 33
importance of, 7, 10, 33
nonverbal communication, 34–35
questioning and paraphrasing, 35
speaking strategies to improve, 38–41
Lists, 87
Lithgow, John, 243
LivingSocial, 179, 236, 238, 239, 239
Locate32, 264
Logical argument (logos), 151, 152–154, 154,
156
Logos, 151, 152–154, 154, 156
Long John Silver’s, 41
The Lost Symbol, 258
Lou Adler Group, 360–361
Loveday, Suzie, 21, 37, 309
Low context cultures, 48, 48–49
Loyola Marymount University, 47, 152,
153, 200
Luca, Michael, 242
Lync, 115
M
Macintosh, 158
Macworld, 158
Macy’s, 91
Mail surveys, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276
Malaysia Airlines, 188
Malina, Yuri, 434
MannersInternational.com, 215
Manuscript reports, 334, 335, 344, 358–359,
360–361
Map for presentations, 405
Maslow, Abraham, 154, 173
Mattel Toy, 378
Mayo Clinic, 364
McIntosh, Georgia, 169
Meals, job interviews and, 482
Mean, 274
Meaning, active listening and, 10
Meddle, 231
Media platforms:
analysis of options, 80
bad-news messages, 187, 187–189
persuasive messages, 149
presentations, 401–402
reports, 334–335
summary chart of, 81
surveys, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276
Median, 274
Medium, 5, 76, 77, 80, 81
Meeting minutes, 56, 57, 332, 338, 340.
See also Reports
Meetings:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
bad-news messages medium for
communicating, 187
persuasive messages medium for
communicating, 149
planning for, 55–56
Memos:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
bad-news messages medium for
communicating, 187
communication strategy, 16
composing, 87–88, 88
cover message, proposals, 313
defined, 87
persuasive messages medium for
communicating, 149
reports, 334, 335, 339
Mendeley, 280, 280, 281
Men’s Wearhouse, 188
Message board, 233, 235
Message headlines, 162, 407
Michigan State University, 338
Microblogs:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
as collaboration tool, 58
surveys, 278
Microsoft, 58
Microsoft Office, 122
Microsoft Outlook, 122
Microsoft template folders, 409
Microsoft Word, 94, 279, 317, 362, 461
Mike & Mike in the Morning, 59
Mildenhall, Jonathan, 99
Millennial Branding, 6
Miller, George, 405
Miller Ingenuity, 188
Miller’s Magical Number, 405
Minutes, 338
Mistakes, acknowledging, 197–200
MLA. See Modern Language Association
(MLA) style guide
MMM Cupcake Truck, 233
Mode, 274
Modern Language Association (MLA) style
guide, 279–280, 356, 378
Moneyball, 183
Monochronic cultures, 50
Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, 406
Monster.com, 465, 469
Moodle, 259
Morrell Public Relations, 200, 201
Motivation:
presentations, 404–405
strategy to influence behavior, 236–238
teamwork and collaboration, improving,
167–168
MTV, 94
Munter, Mary, 407
N
NACE (National Association of Colleges and
Employers), 6, 453
Narrative, reports, 336. See also Reports
National Advisory Committee on
Occupational Health and Safety, 50
National Association of Colleges and
Employers (NACE), 6, 453
National Book Foundation, 243
National Center for Health Statistics, 375
National Consumer Law Center, 489
Native file, 362
Navigation tools, online reports, 364
Neelman, David, 203
Negative language, 194
Negotiating International Business–The
Negotiator’s Reference Guide to 50
Countries Around the World, 318
Negotiations, cultural differences, 318
NetLeap, 260
Networking sites, 81. See also Social media
Networks, professional, 455, 455, 469
Neutral language, 40
New Graduates’ Workforce Readiness
study, 7
New Hires @ Work:
Anderson, Bailey, 10, 123
Bowen, Erica, 52, 128, 337
Burns, Joshua, 115, 480
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New Hires @ Work: (Cont.)
Carroll, Alicia, 240, 365
Chung, Hannah, 257
Clark, Alison, 91
Coleman, Darrell, 152, 233, 331, 370
Croy, Ryan, 3, 278, 428
Escheman, Michelle, 424
Holloman, Rachelle, 78, 399
Horowitz, Aaron, 297
Jones, Anita Griffin, 451
Lahue, Ben, 197
Loveday, Suzie, 37, 309
Pierre-Louis, James, 119, 262
Plemmons, Tony, 186, 261
Robles, Bianca, 183, 479
Rocheleau, Shannon, 31
Shah, Shruti, 8, 82, 242, 397
Sharp, Sam, 13, 338
Sugrue, Megan, 94, 219
Taira, Winston, 47, 153, 200
Tucker, Christian, 264, 455
Vallandingham, Matt, 303, 482
Van Cleef, Anna, 145, 405
Williams, Doug, 75
New York Times, 265
New York Times Index, 264
Newsle, 231
Newsletters:
advantages and disadvantages as a
medium of communication, 81
bad-news messages as a medium of
communication, 187
persuasive messages as a medium of
communication, 149
Nike Air, 90
NM Incite, 279
Nolan Transportation Group, 159, 186, 261
Noncompetitive proposal, 300
Nonverbal communication:
active listening, 10
barriers to communication, 5
defined, 34
diverse groups, strategies for, 51
interpreting, 34–35, 35
job interviews, 481
nonverbal responses, 38
presentations, 425, 432
speaking skills, tips for, 40
Norming, team development, 53, 53
Northern Michigan University, 159, 186, 261
Northwestern University, 21, 94, 219, 240,
257, 297, 365
Northwestern University NUCat, 264
Northwestern University Press, 243
Novak, David C., 41
Numbered lists, 354–355
Numerical data as a form of evidence,
153–154
O
Obama, Barack, 96
Objections, anticipating in proposals, 300
Objective statement in résumés, 460, 462,
463, 464–465
Observational research, 271, 273, 274,
275, 276
Occupational Outlook Handbook, 453
Ogintz, Eileen, 236
Olympic Games, 158
On-campus interviews, 476, 477
Online business research tools, 264, 265
Online communities, building. See Social
media
Online forums, goodwill messages.
See Social media
Online presentations, 429–432
Online reports, 335
Online submission of persuasive claim, 165
Online surveys, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276
OpenTable, 213, 240
Opportunity/Action, presentation
patterns, 406
Oral communication. See Speaking skills
Organization of message:
business proposals, 300–302
composing messages, overview, 82–84
report decks, 365–369, 366, 367,
368–369, 370
revising content, 91
Orwell, George, 15
O’Shaughnessy, Tim, 238
Outcome, 8, 77
Outlines:
defined, 82
message organization, 83, 83
Owens, Dave, 320
P
Page numbering, 362
Paired bar chart, 372
Paley, Eric, 365
Panel interviews, 476, 477
Papa John’s, 240–241
Paperless Offices @ Work, Trend Hunter, 133
Parallel phrasing, 126, 136
Paraphrasing, 35, 36, 377, 377–378
Passive listening, 32
Passive voice, 92, 193
Pathos, 151, 154–158, 157
PDF (Portable Document Format), 362,
363, 474
Peer-review process, 265
PepsiCo, 49
Perfectionist syndrome, 85
Performing, team development, 53, 53
Personal experience as a form of
evidence, 154
Persuasion:
ACE communication process, 146–151,
150. See also Presentations;
Professional brand; Proposals
appeal to emotion, 238–239, 239
audience benefits, 78
Case Scenario, 170–171
cover letters, 468–471, 472, 473, 492
credibility, 152, 153, 236
cultural differences, 168
customer claims, 161, 164, 165
defined, 10, 78, 146
emotional appeals, 154–158, 157
ethics, logical fallacies, 156
importance of, 10, 12
logical argument, 152–154, 154
medium choices for, 147–148
message analysis, 77
motivate action, 236–238, 238
recommendations for action, 159–163,
160, 161
requests for favors, 159–163
sales messages, 164–166, 165
social media used in business, 236–239,
237, 238, 239
Social Persuasion @ Work, 169
teamwork and collaboration, 167–168
Persuasive requests, 159–163
Pew Research Center, 381
P.F. Chang, 235, 235
Photographs, citations for, 377, 427
Physical context, 5
Physiological barriers, 5
Pie charts, 371
Pierre-Louis, James, 119, 262
Piktochart, 230
Pinterest. See also Social media
blogs and, 229–230
composing and publishing, 225, 228–229
employers’ use in job search, 455
professional brand, 456
Pizza Hut, 41
Plagiarism, 377, 377–378, 427
Plateau, 259
Plemmons, Tony, 159, 186, 261
Podcast, 401–402, 429, 429–432, 431
Polychronic cultures, 50
Popular opinion fallacy, 156
Portable Document Format (PDF), 362,
363, 474
Positive language, 40
Positive wording, 94, 94
Posture, nonverbal communication, 34–35
Potential objections, proposals, 300
Power distance, 49
PowerPoint deck. See also Presentations
animations, 414–417
composing, 403–423
content organization, 403–407, 406
evaluating slides, 413–420, 414, 415, 416,
417–420
media options, 401–402
online presentations, 429–432
plagiarism, 427
as presentation handouts, 421–422
slide design, text and data, 406–413,
413, 414
storyboards, 409, 410
templates, design of, 409, 411
Presentations:
analysis, planning for, 398–402,
399, 400
animations, 414–417
Case Scenario, 435–439
composing, 403–423
content organization, 403–407, 406
cultural considerations, 432
delivery of, 423–427, 425, 426
evaluating audience response, 427
evaluating slides, 413–420, 414, 415, 416,
417–420
handouts, 421–422
media options, 401–402
online presentations, 429–432
overview, 398
persuasion, 162–163
plagiarism, 427
PowerPoint, tips for use, 422–423
question and answer sessions, 428–429
storyboards, 409, 410
templates, design of, 409, 411
text and data slide design, 409–413,
413, 414
types of, 402
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Presentations @ Work, SwipeSense, 434
Preview, reports, 333
Prezi, 422–423
Primacy effect, 403
Primary audience, 78, 79, 147
Primary research, 80, 153, 271–278, 273,
274, 275, 276
Primary sources, 261
Principal Financial Group, 10, 21, 123
Problem/Solution, presentation patterns, 406
Professional attire, 480, 481
Professional brand:
analysis, career goals, 452–459
brand message, 453–455
Case Scenario, 492–493
defined, 452
overview, 452
résumé
delivery and tracking, 471
following up, 471, 475
writing tips and examples, 458–459,
459–467, 460, 462, 463, 464–465,
466, 468
social media presence, 453–455, 456
web and video résumés, and e-portfolios,
456–457
Professional communication, characteristics
of, 8, 9
Professional organizations, 469
Professional presence, 4
Professionalism, 10–13, 10
Progress reports, 332, 338, 339. See also
Reports
Project planning, 54–55, 262
Pronouns, ambiguity of, 39
Proofreading, 95, 95–96
Proposals:
ACE communication process,
298–300, 299
for action or change, 303–304
Case Scenario, 321
cultural considerations, 318
defined, 298
ethics of, 311
grants and other funding proposals,
308–312, 310
online proposals, 312
overview of, 298
persuasion, use of, 300–302, 303–304
Proposals @ Work, TapWalk, 320
rejecting proposals, 197, 197, 199
software for writing, 313
solicited sales proposals, 304, 305–306
structure and format, 313–318, 314–317
unsolicited sales proposals, 307–308,
307–308
Proposal-writing software, 313
Props used in presentations, 401–402
Provocative questions, 40
Psychological barriers, 5
Psychological needs, appealing to, 154–155
Publication indexes, 264
Purpose:
analyzing, 77–78
business proposals, 299
chart and graph selection, 370, 371–372
communication strategy and, 8, 8
defined, 8, 76, 77
persuasive messages, analyzing, 147
presentations, analysis for, 399, 399
reports, 344–345, 358–359, 360–361, 362
Q
Qualitative research, 261
Quantitative research, 261
Question and answer, presentation
patterns, 406
Question and answer sessions, presentations,
428–429, 431
Questions:
in active listening, 35
as attention-getting device, 404
audience analysis, 79
authentic questions, 40
interviews, 272, 273, 276
job interview preparation, 476–490, 477,
478, 479, 481
messages with questions and requests,
116–120, 117, 118, 119
provocative questions, 40
responses to, 123–124, 124
social media, research with, 278–279
Quora, 278, 455
Quotations, 377, 377–378, 404
QuoteRoller, 313, 317, 317
R
Random sample, 271
Range, 274
Rapport with the audience, 403–404
Reading levels, 95
Really simple syndication or rich site
summary (RSS), 222, 232
Receiver in communication model, 5
Recency effect, 407
Reciprocity as emotional persuasive
technique, 157, 157, 239
Recommendation report, 332, 344,
354–355. See also Reports
Recommendations:
for action, 159–163, 160, 161
business proposal, 301
rejecting, 197, 197, 199
Recruiting employees, 17
Red Hat, 80
Red herring fallacy, 156
Redbull, 99
Redundancy, 93, 93
Reference list (bibliography), 335,
362, 378
References, résumés, 460, 483
References, source citation:
in business proposals, 316
citation management programs,
279, 362
overview of, 279–280
in presentations, 427
reference list (bibliography), 335,
362, 378
in reports, 349, 356, 377–378
Referrals, 468
Refutation, 147, 148
RefWorks, 279
Relational context of communications, 5
Relationships and conflict, 44–45. See also
Goodwill
Renewed Advance Administration and Tax
Service LLC, 451
Report deck:
defined, 333, 333, 335
guidelines for writing, 365–369, 366, 367,
368–369, 370
Reports:
ACE communication process, 332,
332–337, 334–335, 336
audience and purpose, 344–345, 358–359,
360–361, 362
Case Scenario, 379–380
detailed discussions, 345–361
elements of, 335
ethics, data representation, 376
feasibility reports, 342–343
internal, 344
international audiences, 337
meeting minutes, 338, 340
online distribution, 362, 363
progress reports, 338, 339
report decks, 365–369, 366, 367,
368–369, 370
Reports @ Work, Pew Research, 381
research, documenting, 377–378
software for creating, 362
structure of, 344–364
tables and graphs, 369–376, 371–372,
373, 374, 375
trip reports, 338, 341
Repurposing content, 317
Request for proposal (RFP), 298, 299,
313–318, 314–317. See also
Proposals
Requests, messages with:
composing, 116–120, 117, 118, 119
denials, bad-news messages,
196–197, 197
implicit request, 117, 117
persuasive messages, 159–163
Requirements, as an element of proposals, 300
Research:
background questions, 260
Case Scenario, 284–285
Conducting Research @ Work,
HealthScape Advisors, 283
content analysis, 79–80
credibility of sources, 267–270
documenting sources, 377–378
gathering information, 263–270, 264,
265, 266, 267
information needs, defining,
259–263, 262
for job interviews, 476
logical arguments, 153
organizing results, 279, 279–282, 280,
281, 282
overview of, 258
primary research, conducting, 80, 264,
271–278, 273, 275, 276
secondary research, conducting, 80, 262,
263–270
tertiary research sources, 262
Research in Technology, 265
Resolution Media, 21, 240, 365
Respectful language, 41
Responding:
creating goodwill, 121, 123–124
with a direct answer, 120–121
listening and, 37–38
Résumés:
cross-cultural skills, 470
delivering to employer, 471, 474, 475
ethics, 465
evaluating, 471
online posting of, 455, 457, 458, 469
tracking, 471, 475
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Résumés: (Cont.)
web and video résumés, and e-portfolios,
456–457
writing tips and examples, 458–459,
459–467, 460, 462, 463, 464–465,
466, 468
Review and feedback, 96
Revising, 85, 91. See also Evaluating
communication
Revson Communication Group, 313
RFP (request for proposal), 298, 299,
313–318, 314–317. See also
Proposals
Road signs in report deck, 366
Roberts Architects Ltd., 153
Robles, Bianca, 21, 479
Rocheleau, Shannon, 31
Routine business messages:
announcements, 125
blind carbon copy (bcc), uses of, 127
Case Scenario, 134–136
defined, 117
goodwill messages, 128–132, 129,
131, 132
informational messages, 120–127, 121,
123, 124, 125, 126, 127
instructions, 126, 127
messages with questions and requests,
116–120, 117, 118, 119
RSS (really simple syndication or rich site
summary), 222, 232
Rubbermaid, 233
Rutgers University, 233
S
SaaS (Software as a Service), 313
Sales messages. See also Persuasion
AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, and
Action), 164–166, 165
solicited sales proposals, 304, 305–306
unsolicited sales proposals, 307–308,
307–308
white papers, 344, 358–359, 360–361
salesforce.com, 17
Sample, 271
San serif fonts, 409, 412
Sant, Tom, 300
Scale, graphs, 373
Scarcity as emotional persuasive technique,
157, 157, 166, 239
Scatter plot, 372
Science, 337
Science.gov, 264, 268
Scope of research, 261
Search engines, 264, 268
Secondary audience, 78, 80, 147
Secondary research, 80, 153
Secondary sources, 262
Self-actualization, 155, 157
Self-esteem, 154–155, 157
Sellable qualities, 454
Semantic barriers, 5
Sender in communication model, 5
Serif fonts, 409, 412
Shading, tables, 374
Shah, Shruti, 8, 82, 242, 397
Sharp, Sam, 13, 338
Shih, Clara, 226
Shopify, 17
Shortstack, 233
Signature block, 459
Signatures, email, 454, 459
Silicon Labs, 491
Skype:
online presentations, 429, 431
virtual interviews, 476, 479
Slang, 92
Slide decks, 407
Slide master, 409, 409, 411
Slides. See also PowerPoint deck;
Presentations
animations, 414–417
Case Scenario, 435–439
data slides, 413
storyboards, 409, 410
templates, design of, 409, 411
text and data slide design, 409–413,
413, 414
text slides, 409
Slideshare, 17, 427, 429
Smartphones, 16
Social collaboration, 58
Social context of communications, 5
Social gatherings, professional behavior, 482
Social job seekers, 455
Social media:
ACE @ Work, Coca-Cola, 99
advantages and disadvantages, 81
announcements, 125
bad-news messages, 187, 215
as collaboration tool, 58
as decision making tool, 80
defined, 7
ethics, 15
implementing, 7–8
information gathering, 278–279
job search, 455
language, 94
networking, 469
online presentations, 429
opportunities and responsibilities, 7–8
persuasive messages, 149
professional branding, 455, 456
responding to complaints, 123, 124
routine messaging, 122
Social Persuasion @ Work, 169
Social Media @ Work, Northwestern
University Press, 243
Social media used in business, 218–255
Case Scenario, 244–245
collaborating, 250–251
communication goals, 232–241
control spread of bad news,
240–241, 241
goodwill, 232–235, 234, 235
persuasion, 236–239, 237, 238
cultural effects, 224
employee responsibilities for use,
242–243
ethics, 242
evaluating success, 221
schedule, 224
social media content, 225–231
blogs, 229–230
casual and conversational, 225
composing effective content for each
platform, 221, 223, 224, 225–226
defined, 225
Facebook, 226–227
interactive, 226
original, 226
passionate, 226
Pinterest, 228–229
Twitter, 227–228, 228
valuable, 225
strategy
development, 220–221, 222, 225
evaluation, 224
technology for efficiency, 230–231
trusting customer reviews, 242
Social Persuasion @ Work, Earthjustice, 169
Social proof as emotional persuasive
technique, 156, 157, 157, 166, 239
Social recruiting, 17, 455
Social Recruiting @ Work, Silicon Labs, 491
Social reviews, 279
socialmention.com, 279
Society for Human Resource Management,
465, 469
Sociological Abstracts, 264
Software:
proposal writing, 313, 317
report creation, 362
Software as a Service (SaaS), 313
Solicited cover letter, 470, 472, 492
Solicited proposal, 299, 301
Solicited sales communication, 166, 304,
305–306
Solutions, proposing, 194
Source citations:
business proposals, 316
overview of, 279–280
presentations, 427
reference list (bibliography), 335
reports, 349, 356, 377–378
Southwest Airlines, 42
Speaking of India, 194
Speaking skills. See also Job interviews
barriers to communication, 5
importance of, 7
presentations
delivery, 423–427
overview, 398
planning analysis, 398–402, 399, 400
tips for, 19, 38–41
tone of voice, 34
voice mail messages, 89–90
Spelling errors, 95
Sproutel, 257, 297
Stand-alone presentations, 407, 407, 408.
See also Presentations
Standard and Poor’s, 264, 265
Standards, teamwork, 53
Stanford Persuasion Lab, 236
STAR Method, 476, 479
Statement of work (SOW), 304, 305–306
Stereotypes, 47
Storming, team development, 53, 53
Storti, Craig, 194
Storyboard, 409, 409, 410
Strategic communication, 8, 9, 21
Style manuals, 279–280, 356, 378
Style of message, 94, 94–95
Styles, Microsoft Word, 362
Subject line, 82, 84
Subject matter experts, 275, 276
Subordinate clause, 193
Successful Communication @ Work,
hhgregg, 19
Sugrue, Megan, 21, 94, 219
Summary, 377
Summary statements, presentations, 407
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Supporting information as an element of a
report, 335, 335
Survey population, 271
Surveys:
defined, 271
instrument, 271
medium, 272, 274
people to survey, 271
primary research, conducting, 271–278,
275, 276
questions, 272
SwipeSense, 434
Sympathy messages, 128, 131
Synchronous communication, 32
Synonyms, 92
Synthesize, 281
T
Table of contents, 309, 309, 316, 344,
346, 362
Table setting, 482
Tables:
citing data found in, 377–378
design and use, 369–376, 370, 371–372,
373, 374, 375
labeling, 362
Tablets, 16
Taco Bell, 41
Tag line, 459
Tag questions, 37
Taira, Winston, 152, 153, 200
Tangient LLC, 90
Tannen, Deborah, 36
TapWalk, 320
Targeted sample, 271
TD, 261
Team Detroit, 338
Teaming, 54
Teamwork. See also Culture; Listening skills
assembling teams, 52
Case Scenario, cross-cultural teams,
60–61
collaboration, defined, 18–19
conflict management, 41–47
Conversations @ Work, ESPN, 59
cross-cultural team, 60–61
effective meetings, 55–56
goals and standards, agreement on, 52–53
guidelines for team members, 56–58
leadership, 54–55
management technique, 47
overview, 31
persuasion in, 167–168
presentations, 425–426
social media tools, 58
stages of team development, 53, 53
team, defined, 51
Technology:
adaptability, importance of, 17
bad-news messages, 188
collaboration with social media, 58
Internet searches, 268
job banks, 468, 468, 469
making social media more efficient,
230–231
online presentations, 429–432
online proposals, 312
online report distribution, 362, 363, 364
persuasive presentations, 162–163
PowerPoint, tips for use, 422–423
proofreading tools, 95–96
proposal-writing software, 317, 318
routine communication, 122
Software as a Service (SaaS), 313
software for report creation, 362
“track changes” feedback, 97
traps, 17
virtual interviews, 476, 477, 479
web and video résumés, and e-portfolios,
456–457
Technology traps, 17
Telephone, use of. See also Routine business
messages
advantages and disadvantages, 81
bad-news messages, 187, 187–189
follow-up messages, 484, 485
online presentations, 429, 430, 431
persuasive messages, 149, 161
professional brand, 455
surveys, 272, 273, 274, 275, 276
thank-you messages, 128
voice mail messages, 89–90, 161
Templates:
bad-news messages, 184
defined, 184
presentation, 409, 411
Tertiary sources, 262
Text, presentation slide design, 409–413,
413, 414
Text messages:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
bad-news messages, 187, 188
business guidelines, 126
persuasive messages, 149
routine messages, 122
Text slides, 409
Thank-you messages, 128, 128, 129,
482–483, 483
The Hartford, 58
Thesaurus, 92
Thinking aloud, 85
Thompson, Scott, 465
Thomson ONE Banker, 264, 265
ThoughtFarmer, 58
Threadless, 229
Tick marks, graphs, 373
Time orientation, culture and, 50
Timelines, 54
Times Media Center, 381
Tindell, Kip, 8
Title page:
defined, 344
formal reports, 344, 345
proposals, 316
tables, 374
white paper, 358–359
Titles, graphs and charts, 373
Toastmasters, 469
Tone of message, 94, 94–95
Tone of voice, 34, 40
Topic sentence, 86
Topic-specific headings, 87
Tornado chart, 372
Toyota, 152
Toys R Us, 213
Trackers in report decks, 366
Training Journal, 261
Training Magazine, 261
Transactional model of communication, 5
Transmission model of communication, 5
Tree chart, message organization, 82, 83
Trend Hunter, 133
Trigger words, 41
Triggers, strategy to influence behavior,
237–238
Trip reports, 332, 338, 341. See also Reports
TripAdvisor, 142, 213, 239, 240, 241, 242
Trulia, 17
Tucker, Christian, 21, 264, 455
Tuckman, Bruce W., 53, 54
Tufte, Edward, 370
TweetDeck, 232
Twelpforce, 233, 235
Twitter. See also Social media
advantages and disadvantages, 81
bad-news messages, 188, 215
building goodwill, 232, 233, 235
Coca-Cola, 99
as collaboration tool, 58
as communication medium, 76
composing and publishing, 223, 225,
227–228, 228
hashtags, 227
importance of, 7–8
job search, 455, 456, 469
opportunities and challenges, 7–8
professional brand, 455, 456
responding to complaints, 123, 124
reviewing feedback, 96
short and focused tweets, 227–228
Typographical errors, 95
U
Uncertainty avoidance, 49
Unicorn, 17
Unique selling proposition, 454
United Airlines, 192
U.S. Army, 155
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 453
U.S. Copyright Office, 427
University of Florida, 8, 82, 91, 242, 397
University of Massachusetts, 311
University of Michigan Mirlyn, 264
University of Northern Iowa, 10, 21,
123, 197
University of Tennessee, 21, 145, 278,
405, 428
University of West Georgia, 52, 128, 337
University of Wisconsin MadCat, 264
Unsolicited cover letter, 469, 473, 492
Unsolicited proposal, 299
Unsolicited sales communication, 165, 166,
307–308, 307–308
Usage errors, 95
V
Vallandingham, Matt, 303, 482
Value label, graphs, 373
Van Cleef, Anna, 21, 145, 405
Verbal communication skills. See Speaking
skills
Verbal feedback, 5
Viacom International Media Networks, 21,
94, 219
Video, media options, 401–402
Video résumés, 455, 457, 459
Vimeo, 429
Virtual interviews, 476, 477, 479
Visual aid presentations, 407, 408. See also
Presentations
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Visual images:
data graphics, 369–376, 371–372, 373,
374, 375
global audiences, composing for, 90
presentations, 425, 426
Voice, active and passive, 92, 193
Voice mail messages, 89, 90, 161
Voice message, 13, 15
Volunteering, 453, 456, 458, 460, 465, 469
W
Wall Street Journal, 265, 434
Walmart, 152
Walmart Foundation, 309, 312
Walsh, Shelby, 133
Washington, state of, 7
Web 2.0 applications, 16
Web résumés, 456–457
Webcast, 429, 429–432, 431
WebEx, 429
Webinar, 429, 429–432, 431
WebLiquid, 232
Website communications:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
announcements, 125
bad-news messages, 187
persuasive messages, 149
reports, 335
weConnect, 58
West Elm, 228
Western Michigan University, 31
Western State College of Colorado, 424
White papers, 356, 358–359, 360–361
Whiteboards, 58, 401–402
Whitelaw, Jim, 80
Whole Foods Market, 123–124
Wideo, 231
Wikipedia, 260, 262
Wikis:
advantages and disadvantages, 81
bad-news messages, 187
as collaboration tool, 58
defined, 17
persuasive messages, 149
reports, 335
Williams, Doug, 21, 75, 313
Windows Search, 264
Word, Microsoft, 94, 279, 317, 362, 461
Work experience, résumés, 454, 458, 459,
460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 466
Work plan, 262, 263
Works cited. See Source citations
WorldBusinessCulture.com, 270
Writer’s block, 85, 85
Written communication:
completeness and conciseness, 92–93
importance of, 7
informational messages, 120–127, 121,
123, 124, 125, 126, 127
proofreading, 95
style and tone, 94–95
thank-you messages, 128, 129
tips for, 19
for-your-information messages, 128,
130, 132
X
X-axis, graphs, 373
Y
Yahoo! 264, 264, 268, 465
Yahoo! Finance, 264, 265, 469
Yammer, 58
Y-axis, graphs, 373
Yelp, 123, 142, 213, 242. See also Social
media
York College of Pennsylvania, 10
“You” perspective, 118–119, 120, 128, 203
Young, Charlie, 19
YouTube. See also Social media:
bad-news messages, 215
Coca-Cola, 99
“how-to” websites, 268
job search, 469
online presentations, 429
reaching customers, 17
video résumés, 457
Yum Brands, 41
Yuuguu, 429
Z
Zappos, 188, 233, 234
Zervios, Georgios, 242
Zimmer, George, 188
ZipRecruiter, 469
Zuckerberg, Mark, 423
Z07_SHWO3307_03_SE_INDX.indd 594 04/05/15 12:14 pm
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: Polishing Your Professional Presence
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Brief Contents
Contents
Visual Walk-Through
Instructor Resources
Acknowledgments
Half Title Page
PART 1: Understanding the Foundations of Business Communication����������������������������������������������������������������������
Chapter 1: Developing Your Professional Presence�������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: Why is it challenging to communicate well?������������������������������������������������������
Communication is a complex process�����������������������������������������
Communication is affected by context�������������������������������������������
Communication is more than transmission of messages����������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: What are the benefits of being a good communicator?���������������������������������������������������������������
Effective business communicators have a competitive edge in the job market���������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Communication skills will contribute to your company’s and your own success����������������������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ3: What characteristics will help you communicate effectively?�����������������������������������������������������������������������
Being strategic����������������������
Being professional�������������������������
Being adaptable����������������������
SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION @ WORK hhgregg����������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 2: Working with Others: Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Team Communication�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: What listening skills will help you communicate better with others?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Hearing accurately�������������������������
Comprehending and interpreting�������������������������������������
CULTURE Facial Expressions Are Not Universal���������������������������������������������������
Evaluating�����������������
Responding�����������������
SQ2: How can you help others listen well when you speak?���������������������������������������������������������������
Focus on your audience�����������������������������
Share the conversation�����������������������������
Use clear, concrete, unambiguous language������������������������������������������������
Support your message with good nonverbal communication�������������������������������������������������������������
Avoid language that triggers a negative response�������������������������������������������������������
Frame negative comments positively�����������������������������������������
SQ3: How can you manage interpersonal conflict?������������������������������������������������������
Identify the cause of the conflict�����������������������������������������
Select an appropriate management technique�������������������������������������������������
SQ4: How can you improve your communication with people from different cultures?���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Understand how cultures differ�������������������������������������
Develop strategies that help you communicate with diverse groups�����������������������������������������������������������������������
ETHICS Apple Faces Ethical Challenges Abroad���������������������������������������������������
SQ5: How can you work effectively as part of a team?�����������������������������������������������������������
Assemble an effective team���������������������������������
Agree on team goals and standards����������������������������������������
Pay attention to team development and dynamics�����������������������������������������������������
Develop good leadership practices����������������������������������������
Plan for effective meetings����������������������������������
Be a good team member����������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Using Social Media to Collaborate���������������������������������������������������
CONVERSATIONS @ WORK ESPN Radio��������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Working as a Cross Cultural Team�����������������������������������������������������
Study Questions In Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 3: Managing the Communication Process: Analyzing, Composing, Evaluating��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: What are the benefits of analyzing?�����������������������������������������������
Analyzing the purpose focuses the message������������������������������������������������
Analyzing the audience helps you meet their needs��������������������������������������������������������
Analyzing the content ensures a complete message�������������������������������������������������������
Analyzing the medium helps you choose the best delivery option���������������������������������������������������������������������
ETHICS How to Handle information That Conflicts with Your Position�������������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: What is involved in composing?������������������������������������������
Deciding when and where to compose�����������������������������������������
Organizing the message�����������������������������
Drafting the content���������������������������
Designing a professional format and delivery���������������������������������������������������
CULTURE Composing for a Global Audience����������������������������������������������
SQ3: How does evaluating improve your communication?�����������������������������������������������������������
Evaluating content helps you achieve your purpose and outcome��������������������������������������������������������������������
Evaluating for clarity and conciseness improves comprehension��������������������������������������������������������������������
Evaluating for style and tone helps you project a professional image���������������������������������������������������������������������������
Evaluating for correctness increases your credibility������������������������������������������������������������
Reviewing feedback helps you become a better communicator����������������������������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Using “Track Changes” to Get Feedback on a Draft������������������������������������������������������������������
ACE @ WORK Coca-Cola Company�����������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Using ACE to Improve Communication Results���������������������������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
PART 2: Delivering Effective Messages��������������������������������������������
Chapter 4: Communicating Routine Messages and Building Goodwill����������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: How do you compose messages containing questions and requests?��������������������������������������������������������������������������
Decide between a direct or an indirect message�����������������������������������������������������
Provide reasons for the request��������������������������������������
Adopt a “you” perspective and include audience benefits��������������������������������������������������������������
Conclude with gratitude and a call for action����������������������������������������������������
SQ2: How do you compose informational messages?������������������������������������������������������
Reply to questions with a direct answer����������������������������������������������
Respond to customer requests and comments by creating goodwill���������������������������������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Using Technology to Simplify Routine Communication: Scheduling a Meeting������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Highlight key points in confirmation messages����������������������������������������������������
Organize routine announcements so they are easy to skim��������������������������������������������������������������
Format instructions so readers can easily follow the steps�����������������������������������������������������������������
Keep text and IM messages short and focused��������������������������������������������������
ETHICS Is Blind Carbon Copy (bcc) Like Spying?�����������������������������������������������������
SQ3: What kinds of messages build goodwill in business relationships?����������������������������������������������������������������������������
Thank-you messages�������������������������
Congratulatory messages������������������������������
Sympathy messages������������������������
“For-your-information” messages��������������������������������������
CULTURE Differences in Saying Thank You����������������������������������������������
PAPERLESS OFFICES @ WORK Trend Hunter��������������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO A Days Work of Routine Messages����������������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 5: Communicating Persuasive Messages���������������������������������������������������
SQ1: How can the ACE process help you persuade your audience?��������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyzing helps you plan your message��������������������������������������������
Composing implements the persuasive plan�����������������������������������������������
Evaluating helps you review the draft for effectiveness��������������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: What are the basic elements of persuasion?������������������������������������������������������
Building credibility���������������������������
Constructing a logical argument��������������������������������������
Appealing to your audience’s emotions��������������������������������������������
ETHICS Avoiding Logical Fallacies����������������������������������������
SQ3: What types of business messages typically require persuasion?�������������������������������������������������������������������������
Recommendations for action���������������������������������
Requests for favors��������������������������
Persuasive customer claims���������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Composing a Persuasive Recommendation with Presentation Software����������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Sales messages���������������������
SQ4: How can you use persuasion to improve teamwork and collaboration?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������
Use persuasion to motivate others����������������������������������������
Incorporate persuasion into the team decision-making process�������������������������������������������������������������������
CULTURE Adapting Persuasive Appeals������������������������������������������
SOCIAL PERSUASION @ WORK Earthjustice��������������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Starting a New Businesss���������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 6: Communicating Bad News����������������������������������������
SQ1: How should you analyze and plan a bad-news message?���������������������������������������������������������������
Ask questions that help you develop content��������������������������������������������������
Select the best medium to achieve your goal��������������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Can You Email, Text, or Tweet Bad News?���������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: What are effective strategies for composing bad-news messages?��������������������������������������������������������������������������
Decide where to state the bad news�����������������������������������������
Phrase the bad news clearly����������������������������������
Soften the bad news��������������������������
Close the message positively�����������������������������������
CULTURE Did You Hear the Bad News?�����������������������������������������
SQ3: How should you evaluate bad-news messages?������������������������������������������������������
Evaluate the message’s clarity, honesty, and sense of goodwill���������������������������������������������������������������������
Evaluate the business result�����������������������������������
SQ4: What types of bad-news messages are common in business?�������������������������������������������������������������������
Denying requests or turning down invitations���������������������������������������������������
Denying customer claims������������������������������
Rejecting recommendations or proposals���������������������������������������������
Acknowledging mistakes or problems�����������������������������������������
Communicating performance problems�����������������������������������������
Communicating negative change������������������������������������
ETHICS Apologizing for Mistakes��������������������������������������
BAD NEWS @ WORK Kosta Browne Winery������������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Making the Best of Bad News������������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 7: Using Social Media in Business������������������������������������������������
SQ1: How can businesses plan, implement, and evaluate a social media strategy?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze goals, audience, and social media options to develop a social media strategy�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Compose effective social media content for each platform���������������������������������������������������������������
Evaluate the success of your social media efforts��������������������������������������������������������
CULTURE The Effect of Culture on Social Media and E-Commerce�������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: What are good practices for composing and publishing social media content?��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Facebook: Post Strategically�����������������������������������
Twitter: Be short and focused������������������������������������
Pinterest: Engage with visual content��������������������������������������������
Blogs: Offer insights, advice, and information�����������������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Making Social Media More Efficient����������������������������������������������������
SQ3: How can businesses use social media to accomplish specific communication goals?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Use social media to build goodwill�����������������������������������������
Use social media to persuade�����������������������������������
Control the spread of bad news through social media����������������������������������������������������������
ETHICS Can You Trust Consumer Reviews in Social Media?�������������������������������������������������������������
SQ4: How can you, as an employee, use social media responsibly?����������������������������������������������������������������������
Follow guidelines to avoid damage to you and your company’s reputations������������������������������������������������������������������������������
SOCIAL MEDIA @ WORK Northwestern University Press��������������������������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Developing a Social Media Program������������������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
PART 3: Researching, Proposing, Reporting, and Presenting����������������������������������������������������������������
Chapter 8: Finding and Evaluating Business Information�������������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: How do you determine what information you need?�����������������������������������������������������������
Analyze the research question and topic����������������������������������������������
Identify audience concerns and needs�������������������������������������������
Establish the scope of the research������������������������������������������
Define research activities���������������������������������
Develop a work plan��������������������������
SQ2: How do you conduct research in print and online sources?��������������������������������������������������������������������
Gather relevant print and electronic files�������������������������������������������������
Search the web strategically�����������������������������������
Use an online index or database to find articles and business data�������������������������������������������������������������������������
Use a library or bookseller to find relevant books���������������������������������������������������������
Follow leads in good sources�����������������������������������
Evaluate your sources for credibility��������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Going Beneath the Surface of the Web������������������������������������������������������
CULTURE Researching Countries and Cultures Online��������������������������������������������������������
SQ3: How do you conduct primary research?������������������������������������������������
Conduct survey research to gather information that is easy to compare����������������������������������������������������������������������������
Conduct interview research to gather in-depth information����������������������������������������������������������������
Conduct observational research to understand how people act������������������������������������������������������������������
ETHICS How to Be an Ethical Researcher���������������������������������������������
SQ4: How can you use social media in your research?����������������������������������������������������������
Search for experts�������������������������
Post questions to your network and beyond������������������������������������������������
Gather anecdotal evidence��������������������������������
SQ5: How can you effectively organize the results of your research?��������������������������������������������������������������������������
Build your reference list as you research������������������������������������������������
Organize documents and notes on your computer and “in the cloud”�����������������������������������������������������������������������
Organize your findings by research questions���������������������������������������������������
CONDUCTING RESEARCH @ WORK HealthScape Advisors������������������������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Researching to Answer Business Questions�������������������������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 9: Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals���������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: How do you use ACE to prepare an effective proposal?����������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze: Understand the purpose, context, and content������������������������������������������������������������
Compose: Develop persuasive content������������������������������������������
Evaluate: Assess the effectiveness of the proposal���������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: What types of business proposals should you be prepared to write?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������
Proposals for action or change�������������������������������������
Solicited sales proposals��������������������������������
Unsolicited sales proposals����������������������������������
Grant proposals and other proposals for funding������������������������������������������������������
ETHICS Does Your Proposal Demonstrate Integrity?�������������������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Submitting Online Proposals���������������������������������������������
SQ3: How do you structure and format a formal proposal?��������������������������������������������������������������
Read RFPs carefully to identify content requirements�����������������������������������������������������������
Structure a formal proposal like a formal report�������������������������������������������������������
Use proposal-writing software to increase efficiency�����������������������������������������������������������
CULTURE Writing Proposals for Different Cultures�������������������������������������������������������
PROPOSALS @ WORK TapWalk�������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Proposing a Corporate Volunteer Program������������������������������������������������������������
STUDY QUESTIONS IN REVIEW��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 10: Preparing Business Reports���������������������������������������������
SQ1: How can ACE help you write a business report?���������������������������������������������������������
Analyze to understand purpose and report type����������������������������������������������������
Analyze to understand audience needs�������������������������������������������
Analyze to choose the best medium����������������������������������������
Compose your report to meet audience expectations��������������������������������������������������������
Compose using an objective and easy-to-read style��������������������������������������������������������
Evaluate by reviewing on your own and getting feedback from others�������������������������������������������������������������������������
CULTURE Making Reports Reader-Friendly for International Audiences�������������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: What types of short, routine reports are typical in business?�������������������������������������������������������������������������
Progress reports�����������������������
Meeting minutes����������������������
Trip reports�������������������
Feasibility reports��������������������������
SQ3: How should you structure longer, formal reports for print and online distribution?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Organize the report into useful sections�����������������������������������������������
Design the report for your audience and purpose������������������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY How to Use Software Features to Help Format Formal Reports����������������������������������������������������������������������������
Choose the best electronic format for online distribution����������������������������������������������������������������
SQ4: What guidelines should you follow for writing report decks?�����������������������������������������������������������������������
Understand why and when to use report decks��������������������������������������������������
Design the deck effectively����������������������������������
Design the deck content to be easy to follow���������������������������������������������������
SQ5: How do you integrate tables and graphs into reports?����������������������������������������������������������������
Choose the best form of display: table or graph������������������������������������������������������
Choose the best type of graph������������������������������������
Design graphs and tables to communicate����������������������������������������������
Integrate data displays within the text����������������������������������������������
ETHICS Representing Data Ethically�����������������������������������������
SQ6: How should you document your research?��������������������������������������������������
Determine what needs to be documented��������������������������������������������
Prepare the documentation��������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Reporting Results to a Client��������������������������������������������������
REPORTS @ WORK Pew Research Center�����������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
Chapter 11: Preparing and Delivering Business Presentations������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: What do you analyze when planning a business presentation?����������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze your purpose and desired outcome: Why are you presenting?������������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze your audience: Who will be listening, and what do they care about?���������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze your message: What will you say to achieve your desired outcome?�������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze your setting: Where will you present?����������������������������������������������������
Analyze your medium options: How will you deliver your message?����������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ2: How do you compose the presentation?������������������������������������������������
Organize the content���������������������������
Identify the role that slides will play����������������������������������������������
Create a storyboard��������������������������
Develop a template�������������������������
Design individual slides�������������������������������
Evaluate your slides in a practice session�������������������������������������������������
Create effective handouts��������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY The Pros and Cons of Prezi��������������������������������������������
SQ3: How do you deliver and evaluate the presentation?�������������������������������������������������������������
Set the stage��������������������
Control your body������������������������
Use your voice effectively���������������������������������
Present your visuals effectively���������������������������������������
Coordinate with your team��������������������������������
Evaluate the audience’s response���������������������������������������
ETHICS Avoiding Plagiarism in Presentations��������������������������������������������������
SQ4: How do you handle questions and answers?����������������������������������������������������
Plan for a question-and-answer (Q&A) session���������������������������������������������������
Answer questions skillfully����������������������������������
SQ5: How do you adapt your approach for online presentations?��������������������������������������������������������������������
In a live online presentation, manage the audience experience��������������������������������������������������������������������
In a podcast, provide content that offers lasting value��������������������������������������������������������������
CULTURE Meeting Audience Expectations��������������������������������������������
PRESENTATIONS @ WORK SwipeSense��������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Culinary Adventure Tour Presentation���������������������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
PART 4: Persuading an Employer to Hire You�������������������������������������������������
Chapter 12: Communicating Your Professional Brand: Social Media, Résumés, Cover Letters, and Interviews��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
SQ1: How do you polish your professional presence for a job search?��������������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze your career goals, strengths, and skills�������������������������������������������������������
Compose your brand message and strategic social media content��������������������������������������������������������������������
Evaluate your virtual professional image�����������������������������������������������
SQ2: How do you compose an effective résumé?���������������������������������������������������
Analyze your options for organizing your résumé������������������������������������������������������
Compose effective résumé content���������������������������������������
ETHICS Exaggerating Your Résumé Is Dangerous���������������������������������������������������
Evaluate your content and design���������������������������������������
CULTURE Selling Your Cross-Cultural Skills�������������������������������������������������
SQ3: How do you find job opportunities and submit applications?����������������������������������������������������������������������
Analyze your options for finding job opportunities���������������������������������������������������������
Compose persuasive cover letters���������������������������������������
Select a medium for submission and follow up as necessary����������������������������������������������������������������
SQ4: How do you prepare for a job interview?���������������������������������������������������
Analyze how to benefit from different types of interviews����������������������������������������������������������������
Compose good answers—and good questions����������������������������������������������
TECHNOLOGY Preparing for Virtual Interviews with Skype�������������������������������������������������������������
Evaluate your professional appearance��������������������������������������������
SQ5: How can you make a positive impression during and after an interview?���������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Project a professional presence��������������������������������������
Compose effective post-interview messages������������������������������������������������
Evaluate your performance��������������������������������
SOCIAL RECRUITING @ WORK Silicon Labs��������������������������������������������
CASE SCENARIO Starting an Employment Search��������������������������������������������������
Study Questions in Review��������������������������������
Visual Summary���������������������
Key Terms����������������
Review Questions�����������������������
Critical Thinking Questions����������������������������������
Key Concept Exercises����������������������������
Writing Exercises������������������������
Collaboration Exercises������������������������������
Social Media Exercises�����������������������������
Speaking Exercises�������������������������
Grammar Exercises������������������������
References�����������������
APPENDIX A Formats for Business Documents������������������������������������������������
APPENDIX B Documentation and Reference Styles����������������������������������������������������
APPENDIX C Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics, and Conventions������������������������������������������������������������������
APPENDIX D Answer Key to Grammar Exercises�������������������������������������������������
APPENDIX E Proofreader’s Marks�������������������������������������
GLOSSARY���������������
INDEX������������
<<
/ASCII85EncodePages false
/AllowTransparency true
/AutoPositionEPSFiles true
/AutoRotatePages /None
/Binding /Left
/CalGrayProfile (Dot Gain 20%)
/CalRGBProfile (Apple RGB)
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/ColorImageFilter /DCTEncode
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/HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1]
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/ColorImageDict <<
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/JPEG2000ColorACSImageDict <<
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>>
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/Namespace [
(Adobe)
(GoLive)
(8.0)
]
/OpenZoomToHTMLFontSize false
/PageOrientation /Portrait
/RemoveBackground false
/ShrinkContent true
/TreatColorsAs /MainMonitorColors
/UseEmbeddedProfiles false
/UseHTMLTitleAsMetadata true
>>
]
>> setdistillerparams
<<
/HWResolution [2400 2400]
/PageSize [612.000 792.000]
>> setpagedevice
<<
/ASCII85EncodePages false
/AllowTransparency true
/AutoPositionEPSFiles true
/AutoRotatePages /None
/Binding /Left
/CalGrayProfile (Dot Gain 20%)
/CalRGBProfile (Apple RGB)
/CalCMYKProfile (U.S. Web Coated \050SWOP\051 v2)
/sRGBProfile (sRGB IEC61966-2.1)
/CannotEmbedFontPolicy /Warning
/CompatibilityLevel 1.4
/CompressObjects /Tags
/CompressPages true
/ConvertImagesToIndexed true
/PassThroughJPEGImages true
/CreateJobTicket false
/DefaultRenderingIntent /Default
/DetectBlends true
/DetectCurves 0.0000
/ColorConversionStrategy /CMYK
/DoThumbnails true
/EmbedAllFonts true
/EmbedOpenType false
/ParseICCProfilesInComments true
/EmbedJobOptions true
/DSCReportingLevel 0
/EmitDSCWarnings false
/EndPage -1
/ImageMemory 1048576
/LockDistillerParams false
/MaxSubsetPct 1
/Optimize true
/OPM 1
/ParseDSCComments true
/ParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo true
/PreserveCopyPage true
/PreserveDICMYKValues true
/PreserveEPSInfo true
/PreserveFlatness false
/PreserveHalftoneInfo false
/PreserveOPIComments false
/PreserveOverprintSettings true
/StartPage 1
/SubsetFonts true
/TransferFunctionInfo /Apply
/UCRandBGInfo /Remove
/UsePrologue false
/ColorSettingsFile ()
/AlwaysEmbed [ true
]
/NeverEmbed [ true
]
/AntiAliasColorImages false
/CropColorImages false
/ColorImageMinResolution 300
/ColorImageMinResolutionPolicy /OK
/DownsampleColorImages true
/ColorImageDownsampleType /Bicubic
/ColorImageResolution 300
/ColorImageDepth -1
/ColorImageMinDownsampleDepth 1
/ColorImageDownsampleThreshold 1.50000
/EncodeColorImages true
/ColorImageFilter /DCTEncode
/AutoFilterColorImages true
/ColorImageAutoFilterStrategy /JPEG
/ColorACSImageDict <<
/QFactor 0.15
/HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1]
>>
/ColorImageDict <<
/QFactor 0.15
/HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1]
>>
/JPEG2000ColorACSImageDict <<
/TileWidth 256
/TileHeight 256
/Quality 30
>>
/JPEG2000ColorImageDict <<
/TileWidth 256
/TileHeight 256
/Quality 30
>>
/AntiAliasGrayImages false
/CropGrayImages false
/GrayImageMinResolution 300
/GrayImageMinResolutionPolicy /OK
/DownsampleGrayImages true
/GrayImageDownsampleType /Bicubic
/GrayImageResolution 300
/GrayImageDepth -1
/GrayImageMinDownsampleDepth 2
/GrayImageDownsampleThreshold 1.50000
/EncodeGrayImages true
/GrayImageFilter /DCTEncode
/AutoFilterGrayImages true
/GrayImageAutoFilterStrategy /JPEG
/GrayACSImageDict <<
/QFactor 0.15
/HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1]
>>
/GrayImageDict <<
/QFactor 0.15
/HSamples [1 1 1 1] /VSamples [1 1 1 1]
>>
/JPEG2000GrayACSImageDict <<
/TileWidth 256
/TileHeight 256
/Quality 30
>>
/JPEG2000GrayImageDict <<
/TileWidth 256
/TileHeight 256
/Quality 30
>>
/AntiAliasMonoImages false
/CropMonoImages false
/MonoImageMinResolution 1200
/MonoImageMinResolutionPolicy /OK
/DownsampleMonoImages true
/MonoImageDownsampleType /Bicubic
/MonoImageResolution 1200
/MonoImageDepth -1
/MonoImageDownsampleThreshold 1.50000
/EncodeMonoImages true
/MonoImageFilter /CCITTFaxEncode
/MonoImageDict <<
/K -1
>>
/AllowPSXObjects false
/CheckCompliance [
/None
]
/PDFX1aCheck false
/PDFX3Check false
/PDFXCompliantPDFOnly true
/PDFXNoTrimBoxError false
/PDFXTrimBoxToMediaBoxOffset [
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
]
/PDFXSetBleedBoxToMediaBox true
/PDFXBleedBoxToTrimBoxOffset [
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
0.00000
]
/PDFXOutputIntentProfile (Coated FOGRA27 \050ISO 12647-2:2004\051)
/PDFXOutputConditionIdentifier (FOGRA27)
/PDFXOutputCondition ()
/PDFXRegistryName (http://www.color.org)
/PDFXTrapped /False
/CreateJDFFile false
/Description <<
/ENU ([Based on 'Pearson 1.4'] [Based on '[PDF/X-4:2007]'] Use these settings to create Adobe PDF documents that are to be checked or must conform to PDF/X-4:2007, an ISO standard for graphic content exchange. For more information on creating PDF/X-4 compliant PDF documents, please refer to the Acrobat User Guide. Created PDF documents can be opened with Acrobat and Adobe Reader 5.0 and later.)
>>
/Namespace [
(Adobe)
(Common)
(1.0)
]
/OtherNamespaces [
<<
/AsReaderSpreads false
/CropImagesToFrames true
/ErrorControl /WarnAndContinue
/FlattenerIgnoreSpreadOverrides false
/IncludeGuidesGrids false
/IncludeNonPrinting false
/IncludeSlug false
/Namespace [
(Adobe)
(InDesign)
(4.0)
]
/OmitPlacedBitmaps false
/OmitPlacedEPS false
/OmitPlacedPDF false
/SimulateOverprint /Legacy
>>
<<
/AddBleedMarks false
/AddColorBars false
/AddCropMarks true
/AddPageInfo true
/AddRegMarks true
/BleedOffset [
13.500000
0
13.500000
13.500000
]
/ConvertColors /ConvertToCMYK
/DestinationProfileName (U.S. Web Coated \(SWOP\) v2)
/DestinationProfileSelector /WorkingCMYK
/Downsample16BitImages true
/FlattenerPreset <<
/PresetSelector /HighResolution
>>
/FormElements false
/GenerateStructure false
/IncludeBookmarks false
/IncludeHyperlinks false
/IncludeInteractive false
/IncludeLayers false
/IncludeProfiles false
/MarksOffset 24
/MarksWeight 0.250000
/MultimediaHandling /UseObjectSettings
/Namespace [
(Adobe)
(CreativeSuite)
(2.0)
]
/PDFXOutputIntentProfileSelector /DocumentCMYK
/PageMarksFile /RomanDefault
/PreserveEditing true
/UntaggedCMYKHandling /LeaveUntagged
/UntaggedRGBHandling /UseDocumentProfile
/UseDocumentBleed false
>>
<<
/AllowImageBreaks true
/AllowTableBreaks true
/ExpandPage false
/HonorBaseURL true
/HonorRolloverEffect false
/IgnoreHTMLPageBreaks false
/IncludeHeaderFooter false
/MarginOffset [
0
0
0
0
]
/MetadataAuthor ()
/MetadataKeywords ()
/MetadataSubject ()
/MetadataTitle ()
/MetricPageSize [
0
0
]
/MetricUnit /inch
/MobileCompatible 0
/Namespace [
(Adobe)
(GoLive)
(8.0)
]
/OpenZoomToHTMLFontSize false
/PageOrientation /Portrait
/RemoveBackground false
/ShrinkContent true
/TreatColorsAs /MainMonitorColors
/UseEmbeddedProfiles false
/UseHTMLTitleAsMetadata true
>>
]
>> setdistillerparams
<<
/HWResolution [2400 2400]
/PageSize [612.000 792.000]
>> setpagedevice
2016-04-15T08:37:59+0000
Preflight Ticket Signature
1
BUSN 733 – Midterm Test – W22
Open book
Maximum Points: 50 Total Time: 24 hours
INSTRUCTIONS: Each question describes a scenario, and has questions based on that scenario.
You are required to answer these questions by applying the course concepts. Since this is an open
book test, while answering the questions you are required to make reference to the textbook. Please
do so using the following citation format: (Shwom et al., 2016, p. xxx). Put the actual page number
in place of “xxx”. You can use external references as well if you wish, however references from
the textbook are mandatory.
The last question requires you to create a properly formatted and punctuated reference page entry
to support these citations.
You have 24 hours to complete the test and upload the answer file on eCentennial under the drop
box titled ‘Midterm Test’ until 10.30 a.m. on Feb 16, 22. Your submission will be checked through
Turnitin.
Proper sentence and paragraph structure, punctuation, spelling, and grammar are expected and will
be evaluated.
Good luck!
2
Q1. This question is based on your reading of The Washington Post news article: Fake news
threatens our businesses, not just our politics How trolls and profiteers use disinformation to
affect the market.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/fake-news-threatens-our-businesses-not-just-our-
politics/2019/02/08/f669b62c-2b1f-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html
The article mentions several businesses that are affected by fake news. Select one of the
businesses spoken about in the article and use the planning process based on the ACE model to
create a communication plan that helps restore trust and faith in the brand and discredit the fake
news. (20 points)
Your answer should include the following:
Medium Selection – in one brief paragraph discuss the medium that you will use for the
company and situation and explain the reason for your choice. (05 points)
Audience Analysis – using a bulleted list & brief sentences, include the following points in your
audience analysis: ( a,b,c – 1 points each; d,e,f- 2 points each)
a. Primary Audience: Who is your primary audience?
b. Size & Geographic Location: Where are they located? Estimate how large this audience is.
c. Composition: What is the composition of the audience?
d. Level of Understanding: What is their level of understanding?
e. Expectations & Preferences: What are their expectations and preferences?
f. Probable Reactions: What is their reaction?
Remember you will need to include how you will establish credibility with the audience and
provide them with the information that they need to know.
Message Outline – use a template to create the outline. Include two major points and two sub-
points; ensure that each sub-point has examples and details of the supporting evidence.
(6 points)
*Refer to chapter 3 regarding Audience Analysis and creating an Outline
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/fake-news-threatens-our-businesses-not-just-our-politics/2019/02/08/f669b62c-2b1f-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/fake-news-threatens-our-businesses-not-just-our-politics/2019/02/08/f669b62c-2b1f-11e9-984d-9b8fba003e81_story.html
3
Q2. Linda Sims is the manager of the accounting department and Jose Martinez is the manager
of the sales department for a production company. This is a fast-growing firm, and the staff of
the accounting department (11 employees) is often overwhelmed with work.
Since the accounting department is located immediately next to the credit department, Ruth
Rankin, the administrative assistant in credit, sometimes works on journal entries assigned to her
by Sims.
The company has experienced rapid growth over the past six months, which has caused everyone
to be busier than usual. With the increase in sales volume, the credit office is under pressure to
process applications more quickly, and Rankin is available to help Sims with accounting overflow
less often.
Sims complains to Martinez that she needs Rankin to work in accounting more than he needs her
in credit. Martinez’ response is “if I can’t move the credit applications through the pipeline in a
timely manner, soon there’ll be no need for an accounting department, because this company will
be out of business.”
a) What type of conflict exists between Sims and Martinez? What is the cause of this conflict?
(5 points)
b) What kind of conflict management style did Sims initially use? Advice an appropriate conflict
management technique to Sims. (5 points)
Q3. Your manager has provided you the following four PowerPoint slides and they have asked for
your feedback and help in improving these slides.
a) Clearly, concisely and specifically describe in bullet points what changes would you
suggest to each slide and why?
(5 points)
b) Re-do/redesign the slide with necessary changes. You should make the slides on
PowerPoint and copy the screenshot of these on your answer sheet. (5 points)
4
5
6
Q4. When interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, why is it necessary to keep in mind
the ‘Three Stories that Create Unique Identity’. Explain using an example. (5 points)
Q5. Present a reference list in APA format of all the citations made within the test answers.
(5 points)
END OF THE QUESTION PAPER
