GE 5: Purposive Communication in English

Module 14, Week 14: Communication for Professional Purposes – Written Communication

I. Lesson Proper
Here's a breakdown of key aspects:

Clarity and Conciseness:

 Direct and Focused: Get to the point quickly. Avoid unnecessary jargon or complex
sentence structures.
 Active Voice: Use active voice whenever possible to make your writing more engaging
and direct.
 Precise Language: Choose words carefully to ensure your message is understood
precisely.

Professional Tone:
 Formal Language: Maintain a professional tone, avoiding slang or overly casual
language.
 Respectful and Courteous: Address recipients respectfully and avoid negativity or
sarcasm.
 Proofreading and Editing: Thoroughly proofread your writing for errors in grammar,
spelling, and punctuation.

Purpose and Audience:

 Understanding the Goal: Clearly define the purpose of your communication. What do
you want to achieve?
 Tailoring to the Audience: Consider the background, knowledge, and preferences of
your audience when crafting your message.

Some of the Commonly Used Written Communication Materials for Professional Purposes
1. Letters – Letters are brief messages sent to recipients that are often outside the
organization (Bovee & Thill, 2010). Letters are an indispensable kind of business
communication; many of the ordinary activities in the business world will not be possible
without it. Letters are often printed on a letterhead paper and represent the business or
organization in one or two pages. It is written to serve a variety of business functions, including
to sell products or services, to request material or information, to answer customer inquiries,
and to maintain good public relations.

Parts of a Letter:
A. Heading/return address – This part shows the place and the date of the message origin. The
letter consists of the printed letterhead showing the company name, logo, office, email
addresses, phone number (s), fax number (s), and cellular phone number (s).
B. Date – This is recorded when the letter is written and serves as an important reference.
C. Inside address – This part contains the name of the receiver and his position/title, company,
division, department, mailing address, and zip code.
D. Salutation – The greeting signals the beginning of the letter. A comma after the salutation is
correct for personal letters, but a colon should be used in business.
E. Body – This is the most important part of the letter because it contains the message/substance
of the letter.
F. Complimentary close - “Sincerely” or “cordially” are the standard business closing statements.
G. Signature – The signature line consists of the typed name of the writer (required) and on the
line below it, the title of the writer is indicated (optional).
H. Reference initials – This refer to the sender of the letter and to the typist. The sender’s initials
are in capital letters, followed by a colon or a slash and the typist’s initials in lowercase.
Optional Parts: Attention Line, Subject Line, Enclosure Notation, Copy Notation
Always remember that letters represent you and your company in your stead. To
communicate effectively and project a positive image:
 you should be clear, concise, specific, and respectful;
 each word should contribute to your purpose;
 each paragraph should focus on one idea;
 the parts of the letter should form a complete message; and
 the letter should be free of grammar errors.

2. Memorandum (memo) – Memo is a short, written workplace message. The purpose of memo
is often to inform, but it occasionally includes an element of persuasion or a call to action.
Memos are often only one page or less. Memos are often written less formally than a business
letter but more formally than a personal letter. Memos are prepared in a standard format. A
memo includes the date, the sender’s name, and the receiver’s name. Memos generally have
a subject line to indicate the topics of the message, followed by a message that contains a
declaration, a discussion, and a summary. The declaration in the opening uses a declarative
sentence to announce the main topic. The discussion elaborates or lists the major points
associated with the topic, and the conclusion serves as a summary.

3. Business report – Business report is an organized summary of information about a topic. The
writer collects and sums up work-related information, such as monthly sales figures. The report
may be used to make business decisions. Reports are a part of any business or organization;
from credit reports to police reports, business report serves as document-specific information
for specific audiences, goals, or functions. Several reports also include an analysis. An
analysis is the writer’s conclusion about the meaning of the information in the report.
Parts of a Business Report:
A. Cover – title and image
B. Title fly – title only
C. Title page – label, report, features title, author, affiliation, date, and occasionally, for
whom the report was prepared
D. Table of contents – a list of the main parts of the report and their respective page
numbers
 E. Abstract
 Informational abstract: highlight topic, methods, data, and results
 Descriptive abstract: (all of the above without statements of conclusion or
recommendations)
F. Introduction – introduces the topic of the report
G. Body – key elements of body include:
 background
 methodology
 results
 analysis and recommendations
H. Conclusion – concise presentation of findings
I. References – bibliography or works cited
J. Appendix – related supporting materials
Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/businesscommunication/chapter/13-4-
report/

4. Business Proposal – An effective business proposal informs and persuades efficiently. It

features many of the common elements of a report, but its emphasizes that persuasion guides
the overall presentation. To be successful in the business industry, you should be familiar with
business proposal. Similar to a report, with several common elements and persuasive speech, a
business proposal defends your product or service. Business proposals are documents
designed to make a persuasive appeal to the audience to achieve a defined outcome and often
propose a solution to a problem.

Business Proposal Format

A. Cover page – Title page with name, title, date, and specific reference to request for
proposal if applicable.
B. Executive summary – Similar to an abstract in a report, executive summary is a one- or
two-paragraph summary of the product or service and how it meets the requirements
and exceeds expectations.
C. Background – The background discusses the history of your product, service, and/or
company and focuses on the relationship between you and the potential buyer and/or
similar companies.
D. Proposal – The idea. Who, what, where, when, why, and how. Make it clear and
concise. Do not waste words and do not exaggerate. Use clear, well-supported
reasoning to demonstrate your product or service.
E. Market analysis – What currently exists in the marketplace, including competing
products or services, and how does your solution compare with it?
F. Benefits – How will the potential buyer benefit from the product or service? Be clear,
concise, specific, and provide a comprehensive list of immediate, short-term, and long-
term benefits to the company.
G. Timeline – A clear presentation, often with visual aids, of the process from start to finish,
with specific and dated benchmarks noted.
H. Marketing plan – Delivery is often the greatest challenge for web-based services—how
will people learn about you? If you are bidding on a gross lot of food service supplies,
then this may not apply to you. However, if an audience is required for your success,
then you will need a marketing plan.
I. Finance – What are the initial costs, when can revenue be anticipated, and when will
there be a return on investment (if applicable)? The proposal may also involve a one-
time fixed cost. However, if the product or service is to be delivered more than once,
and extended financial plan noting costs across time is required.
J. Conclusion – Similar to a speech or essay, restate your main points clearly. Tie them
together with a common theme and make your proposal memorable.
Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/businesscommunication/chapter/13-3-
business-proposal/

Sample Illustration 1

Introduction Letter

Fredrick Velasquez
Topex Cosmetics
3 Country Club Drive
Grayslake, IL 60030
United States

24 July 2019

The manager
Chicks Salon
152 Durham St.
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
United States

Sub: Introducing a new product

Dear Sir/Madam:

I take this opportunity to introduce our new product anti-aging cream ‘Young Always’. We
highly appreciate your support for being our esteemed customer for five years. We wish
to inform you of this new product that could be very effective for your facial therapy
customers.

This product aims at ensuring that a face has no wrinkles, it is smooth and maintains the
glamor of youth. It has been tested by many volunteers and we assure you that no
negative feedback has been received. We have experienced satisfaction from those who
have tested it.

Kindly find an enclosed sample of the product in case you wish to test it on your
customers. Also, find a pamphlet with more details on the product. Since you are our
customer, the new product will be available to you at a discounted price.

Please let us know if you wish to try the product.

 Sincerely,

__<signature>__
Fredrick Velasquez

Source: https://www.letters.org/introduction-letter/sample-new-product-introduction-
letter.html

Sample Illustration 2

Memorandum: A General Office Memo

To: All Staff

From: The Manager
Date: May 27, 2010
Subject: Inappropriate use of time on Google Doodle games
Coworkers,
It has come to my attention that many in the office have been spending time on the
Google home page microgames. This memo is a reminder to use your work hours for
work.
According to a recent article, the estimated daily cost of people collectively playing these
games instead of working is over $120 million—which is calculated based on the daily
average increased time spent on the Google home page (36 seconds).
If these estimates are applied to our 600 office employees, this results in a nearly $700
weekly loss.
This is a conservative estimate considering the extensive discussions that occur about
beating the office's current high score. The extra cost quickly adds up.
Of course, we don't want you to view our organization as a place of drudgery and
draconian rules. I encourage a fun and competitive environment, and I recognize that we
certainly won't be profitable if you are unhappy or dissatisfied with your jobs. This is just
a reminder to be careful with your use of company time.
Thank you,
The Manager
Source: Wright, Tony. (2010). The Tragic Cost of Google Pac-Man – 4.82 million hours.
Retrieved May 26, 2010 from: https://blog.rescuetime.com/2010/05/24/the-tragic-cost-of-
google-pac-man-4-82-million-hours/