____________________________________________________________________________

If you call failures experiments, you can put them in your resume and claim them as achievements.

–Mason Cooley

Volunteer—not so you can build your resume, but so you can build yourself.

–Author Unknown

Getting Started

Business communication in written form requires skill and expertise. From text messages to reports, how you

represent yourself with the written word counts. Writing in an online environment requires tact and skill, and an

awareness that what you write may be there forever. From memos to letters, from business proposals to press

releases, your written business communication represents you and your company: your goal is to make it clear,

concise, and professional.

9.1 Text, E-mail, and Netiquette

Text messages and e-mails are part of our communication landscape, and skilled business communicators consider

them a valuable tool to connect. Netiquette refers to etiquette, or protocols and norms for communication, on the

Internet.

Texting

Whatever digital device you use, written communication in the form of brief messages, or texting, has become a

common way to connect. It is useful for short exchanges, and is a convenient way to stay connected with others

when talking on the phone would be cumbersome. Texting is not useful for long or complicated messages, and

careful consideration should be given to the audience.

It is often said that you can tell how old someone is by how he or she inputs a phone number on a cell phone.

If the person uses his or her thumb while holding the digital device, that person may have been raised on video

games and be adept at one-handed interfaces. If he holds the digital device with one hand and inputs the number

with the other, he may be over thirty, or may be less comfortable with some technological devices. Of course,

there is no actual correlation between input and age, but it is a useful example to use when considering who your

audience is when writing a text message. If the person is a one-hander, and knows all the abbreviations common

to texting, you may be able to use similar codes to communicate effectively. If the person is a two-hander, you are

better off using fewer words and spelling them out. Texting can be a great tool for connecting while on the go,

but consider your audience and your company, and choose words, terms, or abbreviations that will deliver your

message.

Tips for Effective Business Texting

• Know your recipient; “? % dsct” may be an understandable way to ask a close associate what the

proper discount is to offer a certain customer, but if you are writing a text to your boss, it might be

wiser to write, “what % discount does Murray get on $1K order?”

• Anticipate unintentional misinterpretation. Texting often uses symbols and codes to represent thoughts,

ideas, and emotions. Given the complexity of communication, and the useful but limited tool of

texting, be aware of its limitation and prevent misinterpretation with brief messages.

• Contacting someone too frequently can border on harassment. Texting is a tool. Use it when

appropriate but don’t abuse it.

• Unplug yourself once in awhile. Do you feel constantly connected? Do you feel lost or “out of it” if

you don’t have your cell phone and cannot connect to people, even for fifteen minutes? Sometimes

being unavailable for a time can be healthy—everything in moderation, including texting.

• Don’t text and drive. Research shows that the likelihood of an accident increases dramatically if the

driver is texting behind the wheel (Houston Chronicle, 2009). Being in an accident while conducting

company business would reflect poorly on your judgment as well as on your employer.

E-mail

Electronic mail, usually called e-mail, is quite familiar to most students and workers. It may be used like text, or

synchronous chat, and it can be delivered to a cell phone. In business, it has largely replaced print hard copy letters

for external (outside the company) correspondence, as well as taking the place of memos for internal (within the

company) communication (Guffey, 2008). E-mail can be very useful for messages that have slightly more content

than a text message, but it is still best used for fairly brief messages.

Many businesses use automated e-mails to acknowledge communications from the public, or to remind

associates that periodic reports or payments are due. You may also be assigned to “populate” a form e-mail in

which standard paragraphs are used but you choose from a menu of sentences to make the wording suitable for a

particular transaction.

E-mails may be informal in personal contexts, but business communication requires attention to detail,

awareness that your e-mail reflects you and your company, and a professional tone so that it may be forwarded

to any third party if needed. E-mail often serves to exchange information within organizations. Although e-mail

may have an informal feel, remember that when used for business, it needs to convey professionalism and respect.

Never write or send anything that you wouldn’t want read in public or in front of your company president.

Tips for Effective Business E-mails

• Proper salutations should demonstrate respect and avoid mix-ups in case a message is accidentally sent

to the wrong recipient. For example, use a salutation like “Dear Ms. X” (external) or “Hi Barry”

(internal).

• Subject lines should be clear, brief, and specific. This helps the recipient understand the essence of the

message. For example, “Proposal attached” or “Your question of 10/25.”

• Close with a signature. Identify yourself by creating a signature block that automatically contains your

name and business contact information.

• Avoid abbreviations. An e-mail is not a text message, and the audience may not find your wit cause to

ROTFLOL (roll on the floor laughing out loud).

• Be brief. Omit unnecessary words.

• Use a good format. Include line breaks between sentences or divide your message into brief paragraphs

for ease of reading. A good e-mail should get to the point and conclude in three small paragraphs or less.

• Reread, revise, and review. Catch and correct spelling and grammar mistakes before you press “send.”

It will take more time and effort to undo the problems caused by a hasty, poorly written e-mail than to

get it right the first time.

• Reply promptly. Watch out for an emotional response—never reply in anger—but make a habit of

replying to all e-mails within twenty-four hours, even if only to say that you will provide the requested

information in forty-eight or seventy-two hours.

• Use “Reply All” sparingly. Do not send your reply to everyone who received the initial e-mail unless

your message absolutely needs to be read by the entire group.

• Avoid using all caps. Capital letters are used on the Internet to communicate emphatic emotion or

yelling and are considered rude.

• Test links. If you include a link, test it to make sure it is complete.

• E-mail ahead of time if you are going to attach large files (audio and visual files are often quite large)

to prevent exceeding the recipient’s mailbox limit or triggering the spam filter.

• Give feedback or follow up. If you don’t get a response in twenty-four hours, e-mail or call. Spam

filters may have intercepted your message, so your recipient may never have received it.

Let’s look at two examples of business e-mail. In Figure 9.1, we have an e-mail form. In Figure 9.2, we have a

letter written specifically for the situation and audience.

Netiquette

We create personal pages, post messages, and interact via mediated technologies as a normal part of our careers,

but how we conduct ourselves can leave a lasting image, literally. The photograph you posted on your MySpace

page may have been seen by your potential employer, or that nasty remark in a post may come back to haunt you

later. Some fifteen years ago, when the Internet was a new phenomenon, Virginia Shea laid out a series of ground

rules for communication online that continue to serve us today.

Virginia Shea’s Rules of Netiquette

• Remember the human on the other side of the electronic communication.

• Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.

• Know where you are in cyberspace.

• Respect other people’s time and bandwidth.

• Make yourself look good online.

• Share expert knowledge.

• Keep flame wars under control.

• Respect other people’s privacy.

• Don’t abuse your power.

• Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes (Shea, 1994).

Her rules speak for themselves and remind us that the golden rule (treat others as you would like to be treated) is

relevant wherever there is human interaction.

References

Guffey, M. (2008). Essentials of business communication (7th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Houston Chronicle. (2009, September 23). Deadly distraction: Texting while driving, twice as risky as drunk driving, should be banned. Houston Chronicle (3 STAR R.O. ed.), p. B8. Retrieved from http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2009_4791006.

Shea, V. (1994). Netiquette. San Francisco, CA: Albion Books.

9.2 Memorandums and Letters

Memos

A memo (or memorandum, meaning “reminder”) is normally used for communicating policies, procedures,

or related official business within an organization. It is often written from a one-to-all perspective (like mass

communication), broadcasting a message to an audience, rather than a one-on-one, interpersonal communication.

It may also be used to update a team on activities for a given project, or to inform a specific group within a

company of an event, action, or observance.

Memo Purpose

A memo’s purpose is often to inform, but it occasionally includes an element of persuasion or a call to action.

All organizations have informal and formal communication networks. The unofficial, informal communication

network within an organization is often called the grapevine, and it is often characterized by rumor, gossip, and

innuendo. On the grapevine, one person may hear that someone else is going to be laid off and start passing the

news around. Rumors change and transform as they are passed from person to person, and before you know it, the

word is that they are shutting down your entire department.

One effective way to address informal, unofficial speculation is to spell out clearly for all employees what is

going on with a particular issue. If budget cuts are a concern, then it may be wise to send a memo explaining the

changes that are imminent. If a company wants employees to take action, they may also issue a memorandum.

For example, on February 13, 2009, upper management at the Panasonic Corporation issued a declaration that all

employees should buy at least $1,600 worth of Panasonic products. The company president noted that if everyone

supported the company with purchases, it would benefit all (Lewis, 2009).

While memos do not normally include a call to action that requires personal spending, they often represent the

business or organization’s interests. They may also include statements that align business and employee interest,

and underscore common ground and benefit.

Memo Format

A memo has a header that clearly indicates who sent it and who the intended recipients are. Pay particular attention

to the title of the individual(s) in this section. Date and subject lines are also present, followed by a message that

contains a declaration, a discussion, and a summary.

In a standard writing format, we might expect to see an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. All these are

present in a memo, and each part has a clear purpose. The declaration in the opening uses a declarative sentence

to announce the main topic. The discussion elaborates or lists major points associated with the topic, and the

conclusion serves as a summary.

Let’s examine a sample memo.

Five Tips for Effective Business Memos Audience Orientation

Always consider the audience and their needs when preparing a memo. An acronym or abbreviation that is known to management may not be known by all the employees of the organization, and if the memo is to be posted and distributed within the organization, the goal is clear and concise communication at all levels with no ambiguity.

Professional, Formal Tone

Memos are often announcements, and the person sending the memo speaks for a part or all of the organization.

While it may contain a request for feedback, the announcement itself is linear, from the organization to the

employees. The memo may have legal standing as it often reflects policies or procedures, and may reference an

existing or new policy in the employee manual, for example.

Subject Emphasis

The subject is normally declared in the subject line and should be clear and concise. If the memo is announcing

the observance of a holiday, for example, the specific holiday should be named in the subject line—for example,

use “Thanksgiving weekend schedule” rather than “holiday observance.”

Direct Format

Some written business communication allows for a choice between direct and indirect formats, but memorandums

are always direct. The purpose is clearly announced.

Objectivity

The words you choose represent you in your absence. Make sure they clearly communicate your message.

wetwebwork – I probably shouldn’t have called Maria the 4th best PM when she left… – CC BY 2.0.

Memos are a place for just the facts, and should have an objective tone without personal bias, preference, or

interest on display. Avoid subjectivity.

Letters

Letters are brief messages sent to recipients that are often outside the organization (Bovee, C., & Thill, J., 2010).

They are often printed on letterhead paper, and represent the business or organization in one or two pages. Shorter

messages may include e-mails or memos, either hard copy or electronic, while reports tend to be three or more

pages in length.

While e-mail and text messages may be used more frequently today, the effective business letter remains a

common form of written communication. It can serve to introduce you to a potential employer, announce a product

or service, or even serve to communicate feelings and emotions. We’ll examine the basic outline of a letter and

then focus on specific products or writing assignments.

All writing assignments have expectations in terms of language and format. The audience or reader may have

their own idea of what constitutes a specific type of letter, and your organization may have its own format

and requirements. This chapter outlines common elements across letters, and attention should be directed to the expectations associated with your particular writing assignment. There are many types of letters, and many

adaptations in terms of form and content, but in this chapter, we discuss the fifteen elements of a traditional blockstyle

letter.

Letters may serve to introduce your skills and qualifications to prospective employers, deliver important or

specific information, or serve as documentation of an event or decision. Regardless of the type of letter you need

to write, it can contain up to fifteen elements in five areas. While you may not use all the elements in every case

or context, they are listed in Table 9.1 “Elements of a Business Letter”.

9.2 Memorandums and Letters 261

Strategies for Effective Letters

Remember that a letter has five main areas:

1. The heading, which establishes the sender, often including address and date

2. The introduction, which establishes the purpose

3. The body, which articulates the message

4. The conclusion, which restates the main point and may include a call to action

5. The signature line, which sometimes includes the contact information

A sample letter is shown in Figure 9.5 “Sample Business Letter”.

References

Bovee, C., & Thill, J. (2010). Business communication essentials: a skills-based approach to vital business English (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Lewis, L. (2009, February 13). Panasonic orders staff to buy £1,000 in products. Retrieved from http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/japan/article5723942.ece.

9.3 Business Proposal

An effective business proposal informs and persuades efficiently. It features many of the common elements of a

report, but its emphasis on persuasion guides the overall presentation.

Let’s say you work in a health care setting. What types of products or services might be put out to bid? If your organization is going to expand and needs to construct a new wing, it will probably be put out to bid. Everything from office furniture to bedpans could potentially be put out to bid, specifying a quantity, quality, and time of delivery required. Janitorial services may also be bid on each year, as well as food services, and even maintenance.

Using the power of bidding to lower contract costs for goods and services is common practice.

In order to be successful in business and industry, you should be familiar with the business proposal. Much

like a report, with several common elements and persuasive speech, a business proposal makes the case for your

product or service. Business proposals are documents designed to make a persuasive appeal to the audience to

achieve a defined outcome, often proposing a solution to a problem.

Common Proposal Elements Idea

Effective business proposals are built around a great idea or solution. While you may be able to present your

normal product, service, or solution in an interesting way, you want your document and its solution to stand out

against the background of competing proposals. What makes your idea different or unique? How can you better

meet the needs of the company that other vendors? What makes you so special? If the purchase decision is made

solely on price, it may leave you little room to underscore the value of service, but the sale follow-through has

value. For example, don’t consider just the cost of the unit but also its maintenance. How can maintenance be a

part of your solution, distinct from the rest? In addition, your proposal may focus on a common product where you

can anticipate several vendors at similar prices. How can you differentiate yourself from the rest by underscoring

long-term relationships, demonstrated ability to deliver, or the ability to anticipate the company’s needs? Business

proposals need to have an attractive idea or solution in order to be effective.

Traditional Categories

You can be creative in many aspects of the business proposal, but follow the traditional categories. Businesses

expect to see information in a specific order, much like a r.sum. or even a letter. Each aspect of your proposal has

its place and it is to your advantage to respect that tradition and use the categories effectively to highlight your

product or service. Every category is an opportunity to sell, and should reinforce your credibility, your passion,

and the reason why your solution is simply the best.

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Ethos refers to credibility, pathos to passion and enthusiasm, and logos to logic or reason. All three elements are

integral parts of your business proposal that require your attention. Who are you and why should we do business

with you? Your credibility may be unknown to the potential client and it is your job to reference previous clients,

demonstrate order fulfillment, and clearly show that your product or service is offered by a credible organization.

By association, if your organization is credible the product or service is often thought to be more credible.

In the same way, if you are not enthusiastic about the product or service, why should the potential client get

excited? How does your solution stand out in the marketplace? Why should they consider you? Why should

they continue reading? Passion and enthusiasm are not only communicated through “!” exclamation points. Your

thorough understanding, and your demonstration of that understanding, communicates dedication and interest.

Each assertion requires substantiation, each point clear support. It is not enough to make baseless claims about

your product or service—you have to show why the claims you make are true, relevant, and support your central

assertion that your product or service is right for this client. Make sure you cite sources and indicate “according

to” when you support your points. Be detailed and specific.

Professional

A professional document is a base requirement. If it is less than professional, you can count on its prompt

dismissal. There should be no errors in spelling or grammar, and all information should be concise, accurate, and

clearly referenced when appropriate. Information that pertains to credibility should be easy to find and clearly

relevant, including contact information. If the document exists in a hard copy form, it should be printed on a

letterhead. If the document is submitted in an electronic form, it should be in a file format that presents your

document as you intended. Word processing files may have their formatting changed or adjusted based on factors

you cannot control—like screen size—and information can shift out of place, making it difficult to understand.

In this case, a portable document format (PDF)—a format for electronic documents—may be used to preserve

content location and avoid any inadvertent format changes when it is displayed.

Effective, persuasive proposals are often brief, even limited to one page. “The one-page proposal has been one

of the keys to my business success, and it can be invaluable to you too. Few decision-makers can ever afford to

read more than one page when deciding if they are interested in a deal or not. This is even more true for people

of a different culture or language,” said Adnan Khashoggi, a successful multibillionaire (Riley, 2002). Clear and

concise proposals serve the audience well and limit the range of information to prevent confusion.

Two Types of Business Proposals Solicited

If you have been asked to submit a proposal it is considered solicited. The solicitation may come in the form

of a direct verbal or written request, but normally solicitations are indirect, open-bid to the public, and formally

published for everyone to see. A request for proposal (RFP), request for quotation (RFQ), and invitation for bid

(IFB) are common ways to solicit business proposals for business, industry, and the government.

RFPs typically specify the product or service, guidelines for submission, and evaluation criteria. RFQs

emphasize cost, though service and maintenance may be part of the solicitation. IRBs are often job-specific in

that they encompass a project that requires a timeline, labor, and materials. For example, if a local school district

announces the construction of a new elementary school, they normally have the architect and engineering plans

on file, but need a licensed contractor to build it.

Unsolicited

Unsolicited proposals are the “cold calls” of business writing. They require a thorough understanding of the

market, product and/or service, and their presentation is typically general rather than customer-specific. They

can, however, be tailored to specific businesses with time and effort, and the demonstrated knowledge of specific

needs or requirement can transform an otherwise generic, brochure-like proposal into an effective sales message.

Getting your tailored message to your target audience, however, is often a significant challenge if it has not been

directly or indirectly solicited. Unsolicited proposals are often regarded as marketing materials, intended more to

stimulate interest for a follow-up contact than make direct sales. Sue Baugh and Robert Hamper encourage you

to resist the temptation to “shoot at every target and hope you hit at least one” (Baugh, L. S., and Hamper, R. J.,

1995). A targeted proposal is your most effective approach, but recognize the importance of gaining company,

service, or brand awareness as well as its limitations.

Sample Business Proposal

The Writing Help Tools Center is a commercial enterprise, and offers a clear (and free) example of a business

proposal here: http://www.writinghelp-central.com/sample-business-proposal.html

References

Baugh, L. S., & Hamper, R. J. (1995). Handbook for writing proposals (p. 3). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Riley, P. G. (2002). The one-page proposal: How to get your business pitch onto one persuasive page (p. 2).

New York, NY: HarperCollins.

9.4 Report

What Is a Report?

Reports are documents designed to record and convey information to the reader. Reports are part of any

business or organization; from credit reports to police reports, they serve to document specific information for

specific audiences, goals, or functions. The type of report is often identified by its primary purpose or function,

as in an accident report, a laboratory report, a sales report, or even a book report. Reports are often analytical,

or involve the rational analysis of information. Sometimes they simply “report the facts” with no analysis at all,

but still need to communicate the information in a clear and concise format. Other reports summarize past events,

present current data, and forecast future trends. While a report may have conclusions, propositions, or even a call

to action, the demonstration of the analysis is the primary function. A sales report, for example, is not designed

to make an individual sale. It is, however, supposed to report sales to date, and may forecast future sales based on

previous trends. This chapter is designed to introduce you to the basics of report writing.

Types of Reports

Reports come in all sizes, but are typically longer than a page and somewhat shorter than a book. The type of

report depends on its function. The function of the report is its essential purpose, often indicated in the thesis or

purpose statement. The function will also influence the types of visual content or visual aids, representing words,

numbers, and their relationships to the central purpose in graphic, representational ways that are easy for the

reader to understand. The function may also contribute to parameters like report length (page or word count) or

word choice and readability. “Focusing on the content of your longer business documents is not only natural but

necessary because doing so helps ensure complete, correct information” (Bovee, C., and Thill, J., 2010).

Reports vary by function, and they also vary by style and tradition. Within your organization, there may be

employer-specific expectations that need to be addressed to meet audience expectations. This chapter discusses

reports in general terms, focusing on common elements and points of distinction, but reference to similar

documents where you work or additional examination of specific sample reports may serve you well as you

prepare your own report.

Informational or Analytical Report?

There are two main categories for reports, regardless of their specific function or type. An informational report

informs or instructs and presents details of events, activities, individuals, or conditions without analysis. An

example of this type of “just the facts” report is a police accident report. The report will note the time, date,

place, contributing factors like weather, and identification information for the drivers involved in an automobile

accident. It does not establish fault or include judgmental statements. You should not see “Driver was falling

down drunk” in a police accident report. Instead, you would see “Driver failed sobriety tests and breathalyzer

test and was transported to the station for a blood sample.” The police officer is not a trained medical doctor and

is therefore not licensed to make definitive diagnoses, but can collect and present relevant information that may

contribute to that diagnosis.

The second type of report is called an analytical report. An analytical report presents information with a comprehensive analysis to solve problems, demonstrate relationships, or make recommendations. An example of this report may be a field report by a Center for Disease Control (CDC) physician from the site of an outbreak of the H1N1 virus, noting symptoms, disease progression, steps taken to arrest the spread of the disease, and to make recommendations on the treatment and quarantine of subjects.

272 Business Communication for Success

How Are Reports Organized?

Reports vary by size, format, and function. You need to be flexible and adjust to the needs of the audience while

respecting customs and guidelines. Reports are typically organized around six key elements:

1. Whom the report is about and/or prepared for

2. What was done, what problems were addressed, and the results, including conclusions and/or recommendations

3. Where the subject studied occurred

4. When the subject studied occurred

5. Why the report was written (function), including under what authority, for what reason, or by whose request

6. How the subject operated, functioned, or was used

Pay attention to these essential elements when you consider your stakeholders, or those who have an interest in the

report. That may include the person(s) the report is about, whom it is for, and the larger audience of the business,

organization, or industry. Ask yourself who the key decision makers are who will read your report, who the experts

or technicians will be, and how executives and workers may interpret your words and images. While there is no

universal format for a report, there is a common order to the information. Each element supports the main purpose

or function in its own way, playing an important role in the representation and transmission of information.

Here is a checklist for ensuring that a report fulfills its goals.

1. Report considers the audience’s needs

2. Format follows function of report

3. Format reflects institutional norms and expectations

4. Information is accurate, complete, and documented

5. Information is easy to read

6. Terms are clearly defined

7. Figures, tables, and art support written content

8. Figures, tables, and art are clear and correctly labeled

9. Figures, tables, and art are easily understood without text support

10. Words are easy to read (font, arrangement, organization)

11. Results are clear and concise

12. Recommendations are reasonable and well-supported

13. Report represents your best effort

14. Report speaks for itself without your clarification or explanation

References

Bovee, C., & Thill, J. (2010). Business communication essentials: A skills-based approach to vital business English (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

9.5 Résumé

A résumé is a document that summarizes your education, skills, talents, employment history, and experiences in a

clear and concise format for potential employers. The r.sum. serves three distinct purposes that define its format,

design, and presentation:

1. To represent your professional information in writing

2. To demonstrate the relationship between your professional information and the problem or challenge the potential employer hopes to solve or address, often represented in the form of a job description or duties

3. To get you an interview by clearly demonstrating you meet the minimum qualifications and have the

professional background help the organization meet its goals

An online profile page is similar to a r.sum. in that it represents you, your background and qualifications,

and adds participation to the publication. People network, link, and connect in new ways via online profiles or

professional sites like LinkedIn. In many ways, your online profile is an online version of your r.sum. with

connections and friends on public display. Your MySpace and Facebook pages are also often accessible to the

public, so never post anything you wouldn’t want your employer (current or future) to read, see, or hear. This

chapter covers a traditional r.sum., as well as the more popular scannable features, but the elements and tips

could equally apply to your online profile.

Main Parts of a Résumé

Regardless of the format, employers have expectations for your r.sum.. They expect it to be clear, accurate, and

up to date (Bennett, S. A., 2005). This document represents you in your absence, and you want it to do the best job

possible. You don’t want to be represented by spelling or grammatical errors, as they may raise questions about

your education and attention to detail. Someone reading your r.sum. with errors will only wonder what kind of

work you might produce that will poorly reflect on their company. There is going to be enough competition that

you don’t want to provide an easy excuse to toss your r.sum. at the start of the process. Do your best work the

first time.

Resumes have several basic elements that employers look for, including your contact information, objective or goal, education and work experience, and so on. Each r.sum. format may organize the information in distinct ways based on the overall design strategy, but all information should be clear, concise, and accurate (Simons, W., and Curtis, R., 2004).

Contact Information

This section is often located at the top of the document. The first element of the contact information is your

name. You should use your full, legal name even if you go by your middle name or use a nickname. There will

plenty of time later to clarify what you prefer to be called, but all your application documents, including those that

relate to payroll, your social security number, drug screenings, background checks, fingerprint records, transcripts,

certificates or degrees, should feature your legal name. Other necessary information includes your address, phone

number(s), and e-mail address. If you maintain two addresses (e.g., a campus and a residential address), make

it clear where you can be contacted by indicating the primary address. For business purposes, do not use an

unprofessional e-mail address like sexiluvr93@hotmale.com or tutifruti@yafoo.com. Create a new e-mail account

if needed with an address suitable for professional use.

Figure 9.7 Sample Contact Information

Objective

This is one part of your r.sum. that is relatively simple to customize for an individual application. Your objective

should reflect the audience’s need to quickly understand how you will help the organization achieve its goals.

Education

You need to list your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent degree first. List the school,

degree, and grade point average (GPA). If there is a difference between the GPA in your major courses and your

overall GPA, you may want to list them separately to demonstrate your success in your chosen field. You may

also want to highlight relevant coursework that directly relate to the position.

Work Experience

List in reverse chronological order your employment history, including the positions, companies, locations, dates,

duties and skills demonstrated or acquired. You may choose to use active, descriptive sentences or bullet lists,

but be consistent. Emphasize responsibilities that involved budgets, teamwork, supervision, and customer service

when applying for positions in business and industry, but don’t let emphasis become exaggeration. This document

represents you in your absence, and if information is false, at a minimum you could lose your job.

You may choose to include references at the end of your resume, though “references upon request” is common.

You may also be tempted to extend your r.sum. to more than one page, but don’t exceed that limit unless the

additional page will feature specific, relevant information that represents several years of work that directly relates

to the position. The person reading your r.sum. may be sifting through many applicants and will not spend time

reading extra pages. Use the one-page format to put your best foot forward, remembering that you may never get

a second chance to make a good first impression.

Maximize Scannable Résumé Content

Use Key Words

Just as there are common search terms, and common words in relation to each position, job description, or

description of duties, your scannable r.sum. needs to mirror these common terms. Use of nonstandard terms

may not stand out, and your indication of “managed employees” may not get the same attention as the word

“supervision” or “management.”

Follow Directions

If a job description uses specific terms, refers to computer programs, skills, or previous experience, make sure

you incorporate that language in your scannable r.sum.. You know that when given a class assignment, you are

expected to follow directions; similarly, the employer is looking for specific skills and experience. By mirroring

the employer’s language and submitting your application documents in accord with their instructions, you convey

a spirit of cooperation and an understanding of how to follow instructions.

Insert a Key Word Section

Consider a brief section that lists common words associated with the position as a skills summary: customer

service, business communication, sales, or terms and acronyms common to the business or industry.

Make It Easy to Read

You need to make sure your r.sum. is easy to read by a computer, including a character recognition program.

That means no italics, underlining, shading, boxes, or lines. Choose a sans serif (without serif, or decorative end)

font like Arial or Tahoma that won’t be misread. Simple, clear fonts that demonstrate no points at which letters

may appear to overlap will increase the probability of the computer getting it right the first time. In order for the

computer to do this, you have to consider your audience—a computer program that will not be able to interpret

your unusual font or odd word choice. A font size of eleven or twelve is easier to read for most people, and while

the computer doesn’t care about font size, the smaller your font, the more likely the computer is to make the error

of combining adjacent letters.

Printing, Packaging and Delivery

Use a laser printer to get crisp letter formation. Inkjet printers can have some “bleed” between characters that

may make them overlap, and therefore be misunderstood. Folds can make it hard to scan your document. E-mail

your r.sum. as an attachment if possible, but if a paper version is required, don’t fold it. Use a clean, white piece

of paper with black ink; colors will only confuse the computer. Deliver the document in a nine-by-twelve-inch

envelope, stiffened with a sheet of cardstock (heavy paper or cardboard) to help prevent damage to the document.

References

Bennett, S. A. (2005). The elements of résumé style: Essential rules and eye-opening advice for writing résumés and cover letters  that work. AMACOM.

Simons, W., & Curtis, R. (2004). The Résumé.com guide to writing unbeatable résumés. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

9.6 Sales Message

A sales message is the central persuasive message that intrigues, informs, persuades, calls to action, and closes

the sale. Not every sales message will make a direct sale, but the goal remains. Whether your sales message is

embedded in a letter, represented in a proposal, or broadcast across radio or television, the purpose stays the same.

Sales messages are often discussed in terms of reason versus emotion. Every message has elements of ethos,

or credibility; pathos, or passion and enthusiasm; and logos, or logic and reason. If your sales message focuses

exclusively on reason with cold, hard facts and nothing but the facts, you may appeal to some audience, but

certainly not the majority. Buyers make purchase decisions on emotion as well as reason, and even if they have

researched all the relevant facts about competing products, the decision may still come down to impulse, emotion,

and desire. If your sales message focuses exclusively on emotion, with little or no substance, it may not be taken

seriously. Finally, if your sales message does not appear to have credibility, the message will be dismissed. In the

case of the sales message, you need to meet the audience’s needs that vary greatly.

In general, appeals to emotion pique curiosity and get our attention, but some attention to reason and facts

should also be included. That doesn’t mean we need to spell out the technical manual on the product on the

opening sale message, but basic information about design or features, in specific, concrete ways can help an

audience make sense of your message and the product or service. Avoid using too many abstract terms or

references, as not everyone will understand these. You want your sales message to do the work, not the audience.

Format for a Common Sales Message

A sales message has the five main parts of any persuasive message.

Getting Attention

Your sales message will compete with hundreds of other messages and you want it to stand out (Price, D., 2005).

One effective way to do that is to make sure your attention statement(s) and introduction clearly state how the

reader or listener will benefit.

• Will the product or service save time or money?

• Will it make them look good?

• Will it entertain them?

• Will it satisfy them?

Regardless of the product or service, the audience is going to consider first what is in it for them. A benefit is what

the buyer gains with the purchase and is central to your sales message. They may gain social status, popularity, sex

appeal, or even reduce or eliminate something they don’t want. Your sales message should clearly communicate

the benefits of your product or service (Winston, W., and Granat, J., 1997).

Sales Message Strategies for Success

Your product or service may sell itself, but if you require a sales message, you may want to consider these

strategies for success:

1. Start with your greatest benefit. Use it in the headline, subject line, caption, or attention statement. Audiences tend to remember the information from the beginning and end of a message, but have less recall about the middle points. Make your first step count by highlighting the best feature first.

2. Take baby steps. One thing at a time. Promote, inform, and persuade on one product or service at a time. You want to hear “yes” and make the associated sale, and if you confuse the audience with too much information, too many options, steps to consider, or related products or service, you are more likely to hear “no” as a defensive response as the buyer tries not to make a mistake. Avoid confusion and keep it simple.

3. Know your audience. The more background research you can do on your buyer, the better you can anticipate their specific wants and needs and individualize your sales message to meet them.

4. Lead with emotion, follow with reason. Gain the audience’s attention with drama, humor, or novelty and follow with specific facts that establish your credibility, provide more information about the product or service, and lead to your call to action to make the sale.

These four steps can help improve your sales message, and your sales. Invest your time in planning and

preparation, and consider the audience’s needs as you prepare your sales message.

References

Price, D. (2005, October 30). How to communicate your sales message so buyers take action now! Retrieved June 14, 2009, from ezinearticles.com: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Communicate-Your-Sales-Message-So-Buyers-Take-Action-Now!&id=89569.

Winston, W., & Granat, J. (1997). Persuasive advertising for entrepreneurs and small business owners: How to create more effective sales messages. New York, NY: Routledge.

9.7 Additional Resources

Visit NetLingo for some common texting abbreviations. http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University includes an area on e-mail etiquette. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/636/01

Shea’s Netiquette online is another useful source. http://www.albion.com/netiquette/book/index.html

The New York Times blog “Gadgetwise: Getting Smart About Personal Technology” discusses an ever-changing variety of questions related to netiquette. http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com

The OWL at Purdue also includes pages on memo writing and a sample memo. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/590/01; http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/590/04

For 642 sample letters, from cover letters to complaints, go to this site. http://www.4hb.com/letters

Visit this Negotiations.com page for information on writing a request for proposal, quotation, and information. http://www.negotiations.com/articles/procurement-terms

Visit this site for additional proposal writing tips. http://www.4hb.com/0350tipwritebizproposal.html

TechSoup offers a sample Request for Proposal. http://www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-tos/rfplibrary

Your online profile counts as much as your r.sum.. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105483848&sc=nl&cc=es-20090628

Read a Forbes article on “Ten Ways to Torpedo Your Sales Pitch.” http://www.forbes.com/2007/08/01/microsoft-ebay-symantec-ent-sales-cx_mf_0801byb07_torpedo.html

Direct mail and other sales copy written by Susanna Hutcheson. http://www.powerwriting.com/port.html

Visit this site for tips on how to write a public service announcement (PSA). http://www.essortment.com/tipswrite-public-service-announcement-34787.html

The National Institute of Justice provides guidelines on writing a PSA. http://www.nij.gov/topics/courts/restorative-justice/marketing-media/pages/psa.aspx

The AdCouncil provides a range of examples. http://www.adcouncil.org/Our-Campaigns

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