Business Communication:
Effective Practices
A Training Guide by: Andrew Nassetta
The intention of this training guide is to provide effective practices that enhance the communication of small businesses and corporations. These methods pertain to areas of writing mechanics and visual aspects of the business communication. The following document will contain descriptions, examples, and recommendations on how to improve business communication in the previously established areas. Kick-back, relax and read up on the following practices that will better them enhance communication in the workplace.
Table of Contents Design Typography Serif
Sans Serif
White Space Headings
Numbered & Bulleted Lists
Writing Conciseness Eliminating Flabiness
Long Lead-Ins Avoid Rendundancies
Directness No Suprises
Verbs on the Surface Precision
Clarity Avoid Jargon Cliches
Oral Preparing Presentation Know the Purpose
Know the Audience
Organizing Content Capture the Audience
Body Content Organizaiton Conclusion
References
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D E S I G N
In business communication, text and oral messages are not the only way we transmit messages and communicate. Visual and design aspects of business communication help to legitimize the message being transmitted by using methods including formatting techniques with white space and appropriate typography throughout the document. Although there are many aspects of design, these are a few that will help enhance any document and bring credibility to the business or organization. When good writing and oral skills are complimented by good design, the comprehension and readability will be increase for the reader.
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Typography
These are often the stock typefaces when creating a new document, and although simple, should never be overlooked. Serif typefaces bring a professional tone to the message, are sharp, and are appealing to the reader’s eyes in long bodies of text.
Modern inovations have brough rapid increases in technology, creativity and design software that open doors to new and creative type-faces. Though these inovations have brought new creativity to typface artwork, traditional fonts are still most commonly used in todays times. A typeface defines the shape of the text characters. A few commonly known typefaces include: Helvetica, Times New Roman and Comic Sans.
Sans Serif Typefaces
Sans serif typefaces are the opposition of serif typefaces. Rather than having tails at the end of the character strokes, sans serif fonts are typically Each typeface is used for a specific purpose; some sharp, clean cut and used for different purposes. are decorative while others communicate a certain Commonly known sans serif typefaces include: tone. Two main categories of type faces used for Arial, Helvetica and Gothic. business and professional communication are serif Mostly used for headings, signs and expressions and sans serif type faces. that do not require a lot of continuous reading. Web pages, branding logos and simple documents Serif Typefaces are all appropriate times for use of sans serif typeSerifs refer to small features, or tails and the end faces. These typefaces can sometimes be harsh on of the text character strokes. These are typically the eyes in large amounts, but when used properstandard typefaces that come stock with any word ly they will add the extra touch of detail to your processing software and email carrier. The most design that will help to communicate your message basic and well-know of the serif typefaces are Times that much more effectively. New Roman, Century, Georgia—these are just a few. Serif typefaces are commonly used for longer doc*Figure 1.1 differentiates the charecteristics of uments as well as many mediums of publications: Serif vs. Sans Serif Fonts ( ) newspapers, books, magazines.
Figure 1.1
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White Space
The empty spaces on documents and publicaNumbered & Buleted Lists tions, are known as white space, go figure. When a A few simple methods to improve readability page in a document has too much congestion and and comprehension for the communicated mesclutter on it, it can become confusing and, more sage are bulleted and numbered lists, they allow times than often, deter the reader from engaging in the reader to retain complex ideas in a matter of a the document. few words. Not only does it assist the reader, but White space helps to break up the congestion it helps the writer stay organized and write in a of the page and allow the reader to not be overconsistent manner. Numbered lists can be used for whelmed by the content in front of them. Good items that are part of a sequence, such as chronopractices of implementing white space include using logical order of events. Bulleted lists are used to headings, bulleted lists, shorter paragraphs and highlight main ideas and that may not have a proper margins. These practices will help to guide sequential order pertaining to them. Each of these the reader through the content sub-consciously, and lists formats help to eliminate lengthy complex overall improve the communication of the message bodies of text, and organize them into a briefing, and its intentions. allowing the reader to analyze and retain information more efficiently. Headings When utilizing these types of lists for quick Headings are an effective practice for introducing comprehension, there are a few guidelines that white space into your document. Not only do they are best to follow. Although each line of the list serve the purpose of breaking up the document, but may not be a complete sentence, it is best to begin they highlight important information and improve with the capitalization of the initial word in each the overall flow and readability of the document. line. Only when the lines of the list are complete Headings separate topics from their details, and sentences, punctuation must be added to the tercan allow the reader to preview the content before mination of each line. reading in depth. When taking a first glance at a In collaboration with correct capitalization and document, rahter than seeing multiple pages filled punctuation, is the matter of parallelism. Each with content and text, seemingly squished together, line must be consistent. If one line starts with a it can be difficult for the intended message to be verb, it is important that each line within that filtered out of the clutter. same list starts with a verb. A final tip that serves a Headings can be used in more instances then helpful purpose when dealing with numbered and formal documents and reports. They will also assist bulleted lists are the length. If too many lines are in the readability of e-mails, letters and notices contained in the bulleted list, that can be overwhen practiced in ways suggested above. Headings whelming itself, and tend to deter the reader away. are a simple and easy way to provide the reader with Effectively practicing the use of numbered and glimpses of content, highlighting the importance bulleted lists, will enhance the readability of pages of sub-sections and allowing the reader to skim the and documents as well as allow the reader to anapiece rather than go thorugh all the content to find lyze and retain the valuable information. whatvere here or she is seeking *Figure 1.1 on page 5 is an excerpt from a white paper that impliments good use of white space, and the practices mentioned above
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Header
Bulleted List
Figure 1.2 (Nassetta 2016)
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W R I T T E N
When writing a professional piece for
a business or any type of legitimate organization, it is important to deliver the message in a timely and efficient manner. When delivered and decoded efficiently, time is not the only thing being saved— time is money after all. When writing it is best communicating effectively, allowing the receiver to comprehend and analyze the message more efficiently. Paying attention to conciseness, clarity and directness will enhance the delivery of the communication that is being transmitted.
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Conciseness Eliminating Flabby Expressions
Avoid Rendundancies
Long expressions can lead to confusing writing, and is best to eliminate them when possible. Paying attention to these flabby expressions and being aware of them will allow messages to be delivered how they were intended to be, with little room for interpretation. For example: Due to the fact that rain levels have increased,grass is growing faster. A more concise way to phrase this statement would be: Because rain levels have increase, grass is growing faster. Both of these expressions get the make the same point and have the same intention, but the second one flows better and is shorter. Although it is a matter of word choice and sentence structure, eliminating flabby expressions will help bring flow and conciseness to the writing.
Redundant phrases are messy. These are phrases that repeat meaning and include unnecessary terminology. It is easy to overlook these small mishaps, and oft are overlooked sans second thought. A few commonly used redundancies are as follows: new beginning, true facts, each and every, adequate enough. Over-use of adjectives and adverbs often lead to these, the list of redundancies goes on-and-on. These phrases do not add emphasis to ones writing, but highlight the writer’s inexperience. Avoiding redundancies will allow your writing to be more precise while eliminating unnecessary terms that bring ambiguity into the writing.
Long Lead-Ins There is nothing more of a nuisance than reading thorugh two to three sentences of nonsense in an introduction paragraph before even getting to the main idea. This is an easy-fix. Paying close attention to long lead-ins to sections and introductions as a writer, allows the reader to pay more attention to the main idea of the document and section, rather than losing interest in a mess of introduction sentences. Try to eliminate words such as that and because. These articles are often preceded and followed by unecessary terms when in the middle of a sentence. Appendix 1-1 displays commonly used lead-ins, and how to eliminate them — bringing more conciseness to the sentence and document as a whole.
Figure 2.1 (Guffey, Loewy 2013)
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Directness No Suprises In writing about an unknown topic to the audience, be cautious of the language you choose to use and how you phrase it. Words that intensify meaning can be useful, as well as harmful. A few examples of intensifiers: completely, totally, really, extremely, definitely. These terms can strengthen meaning and
convey a certain attitude, but when overused the writing sounds unprofessional. Do the best to control enthusiasm and excitement in your writing—the table below depicts a few examples of how to turn an excited tone into a professional tone for more businesslike situations. (See Figure 2.2)
Figure 2.2 (Guffey, Loewy 2013)
Verbs on the Surface Verb use in professional writing and communication can become difficult in instances. It is very easy to transform verbs that are commonly used in professional writing, into nouns. The following verbs are often converted into nouns without thought: establish-establishment, acquire-acquisition, perform-performance.
When these verbs are converted to nouns they create clutter within the writing, add unwanted sentence length, and weaken the verb. By not burying your verbs in nouns and complex sentences, the writing will become more powerful and direct.
Precision too far. Fancy words will sometimes make the speaker look unintelligent, rather than adding to their credibility. Keep terminology consistent and relevant from beginning to end of the communication process. (See Figure 2.3)
Word choice plays an important role in attempting to communicate a direct and clear message. Use terms that are relevant to the topic and are easily comprehended. Although a broad vocabulary is important, the intentions of the message will not be as direct and precise if the vocabulary is stretched
Figure 2.3 (Guffey, Loewy 2013)
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Clarity
Avoid Jargon
Professionalwriting is no place for jargon. As defined by Merriam-Webster: Jargon is special terminology that is used by a particular profession or group and is difficult for others to understand. For example: in the sport of baseball, terms such as lead-off and clean-up man are not likely to be comprehended by individuals unfamiliar with the sport.
Every organization and activity has special terminology pertaining to it, and when in that environment is acceptable to use, and typically necessary. When in a position where your audience may not be familiar with the topic you are communicating, in order to be clear, be sure to avoid jargon. (See Figure 2.4)
Figure 2.4 (Jargon 2016)
Clichés Clichés are expressions that are overused, and typically pertain to a certain culture. They are ambiguous, often misleading and should stay far away from professional writing and communication. A few examples of clichés are as follows: good to go, below the belt, abandon ship, make the grade. The list is never-ending. Not only are these expressions overused, but add confusion to your writing. Rather than using these clichés to express what you are trying to say, state exactly what it is you are trying to say. It may take more words to get the communicate one’s intentions, but the message will retain its clarity.
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O R A L
Writing and design are very important parts of business communication, but if an individual is able to communicate verbally and transmit their message effectively, the impact can be greater than any paper document. This section of the training guide will cover healthy business communication practices dealing with preparing your presentation and organizing content effectively. Following the practice of these techniques, business communication will vastly improve..
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Preparing Presentation Know the Purpose Listening to a presentation of any kind, it is an obvious fact from the beginning whether or the speaker has a grasp on the concepts they are attempting to bring to you. Whether your goal is to persuade or to inform, it is vital to have a clear understanding of the concepts you are speaking about, and the desired results you want the audience to leave the presentation with. Be sure to keep a scope on the concepts, and don’t run off with individual ideas, do the best to keep all ideas relative to the main focus of the presentation.
Know the Audience Along with knowing your concepts and goals of the presentation, it is also crucial to consider the audience you will be presenting to. By understanding who the audience will be, the presentation is able to be tailored to that specific demographic. A few points to think about when addressing your audience:
How does this topic appeal to the audience? How is this relative to my listeners needs? How do I earn respect so my message is effective? How do I leave an impression on the audience?
Along with addressing the important questions above, there are four main types of audiences to keep in mind when formulating a presentation: friendly, neutral, uninterested, and hostile. A friendly audience is a familiar audience. Typically, it is helpful to utilize humor and interaction with the audience in a friendly setting. This is the best time to try new presentation techniques you’ve been waiting to use. It is best to be personal and share experiences with the audience, make them feel like a part of the presentation rather than just an audience. Neutral audiences require a presentation with no bias, highlighting both sides of an issue, opportunity, or recommendation as well as requires a controlled delivery. There is no
Figure 3.1 (Guffey, Loewy 2013)
need to stress your intelligence on your presented concepts to the audience. Back up your delivery with plenty of facts, statistics and expert opinions. You want to start to move away from personal experience, and use a more professional tone. On to the first of two of the more difficult audiences to have. An uninterested audience. These audiences usually are required to attend the presentation and is best to provide a brief overview of the concept before going in depth for the duration of the presentation. Startling statistics and detailed graphics will help to entrain the audience and keep them entertained. It is best to avoid dimly lit rooms, boring visuals and poor body-language. This audience requires engagement from the presenter in order to keep interest. The second of two of the more difficult audiences is the hostile audience. This audience requires a a strong and obvious objective, with good connections between facts and reasoning. It is best to avoid questions and interaction with the audience in order to have an effective presentation and deliver the intended message. (See Figure 3.1)
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Organizing Content
Once the audience has been decided and your purpose and goals are established, it is important to organize the information in a logical and easy to comprehend format. In following these simple, but effective steps, the message and intentions will be effectively communicated. 1. Tell them what you are going to tell them. 2. Tell them. 3. Tell them what you have just told them.
In the best attempt to not sound repetitive, it is effective to continuously bring up the main objectives of the presentation in order for the audience to tie other given information into it.
Capture the Audience There are three main objectives when introducing your presentation: • Capture attention and get them involved. • Identify yourself and establish credibility • Brief of your main points
(Indie 2014)
When beginning your presentation, think about some techniques you use to start any other piece of medium: a question, interesting fact, analogy. These techniques are much more effective than simply introducing yourself and your presented topic. If possible, relate to the audience from the start, the quicker you get them engaged the more effective the presentation will be. Next, you will want to establish your credibility. Do so by stating your position, knowledge and experience on the concepts you are presenting. It is also good to give a small amount of personal information, that the audience can relate to, appeal to them in an emotional way, allow them to identify with you. Once you have stablished yourself it is best to preview your main points and goals of the presentation, therefore your audience will be able to articulate all the information that is provided. Then you are ready to dive into the details of the presentation.
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Body Content Oganization The greatest difficulty when getting in depth in the presentation, is staying focused on the specific goals and not deviating from them. Good practices when organizing body content are highlighted below:
• Chronology - depicts information’s in a timely fashion, typically laying out history of a certain issue or problem. • Functionality - provides information based on its functionality, like topics with like topics. • Value - presents information in regards to the value of things, for instance financial issues, housing markets, stock markets. • Importance - information is provided in order of importance: a list of five helpful tips, the first helpful being stated first. • Problem/Solution – information is provided in a problem-solution format. *Figure 3.2 shows the information organized in order of importance.
Figure 3.3 (Guffey, Loewy 2013)
Conclusion
The conclusion is one of the most important parts of any presentation and professional document. It is the last part of the presentation, and the part that the audience will remember most vividly. The worst way to end a presentation is by fading away, finishing with “that’s all folks�. That is not an effective way to leave a lasting impression on the audience after they leave the presentation. When ending any presentation, it is best to practice the following points: summarize main themes of presentation, leave the audience with a take-away, end with a statement that allows a smooth exit. In highlighting the main purpose of the presentation, the goal is to leave an impact on the audience,
altering how they thought about the issue or topic before they took part in the presentation. In the end, the overall goal of the presentation is to persuade, sell and have the audience take-away something from it. To finish it off, saying thank you at the end of a presentation may be adequate, but not very professional. End with a courteous, pleasant, and effective statement that allows for a smooth off-stage transition. In summary of my section on conclusions, my major purpose has been to provide effective practices to enhance the communication of important main ideas and goals in professional presentations.
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Business Communication:
Effective Practices
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References Figures and Content Guffey, Loewy. Essentials of Business Communication. 9th Edition Images http://limcomputerart.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/2/7/13271283/6535705_orig.jpg http://news.doddleme.com/television-news/screenwriting-101-avoiding-the-cliche/ http://www.indietips.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/audience.jpg http://www.jargonexamples.com/img/pics/20131009_112745_.jpg
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