AKLAN STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Hospitality and Rural Resource Management

Graduate Program
Ibajay, Aklan

Master in Tourism Management Program

MTM 221 – STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

Submitted to:

JERBY J. PADERES
INSTRUCTOR

Submitted by:

BRYAN T. MAGLIQUIAN
What is Business Writing?

Business writing is a type of writing that is used in a professional setting. It is a

purposeful piece of writing that conveys relevant information to the reader in a
clear, concise, and effective manner. It includes client proposals, reports,
memos, emails, and notices. Proficiency in business writing is a critical aspect of
effective communication in the workplace.

Functions of Business Writing

To inform the reader

• Message is clear and important
• Information is true
• Content is complete

To influence the reader

• Message is appealing
• “you’ centered (A you-centered business style employs the you view and an
audience-centered tone to choose particular words and adopt a targeted
tone in a message. The “you view” analyzes and emphasizes the reader's
interests and perspectives.)
• Sensitive to the reader’s emotion
• Retain goodwill

Types of Business Writing

The broad field of business writing can be distilled into four categories based on
their objective, such as:

1. Instructional

The instructional business writing type is directional and aims to guide the reader
through the steps of completing a task. A user manual falls aptly under the
instructional category, as well as a memo issued to all employees outlining the
method of completing a certain task in the future.
2. Informational

Informational business writing pertains to recording business information

accurately and consistently. It comprises documents essential to the core
functions of the business for tracking growth, outlining plans, and complying with
legal obligations. For example, the financial statements of a company, minutes of
the meeting, and perhaps the most important, report writing.

3. Persuasive

The goal of persuasive writing is to impress the reader and influence their
decision. It conveys relevant information to convince them that a specific product,
service, company, or relationship offers the best value. Such a type of writing is
generally associated with marketing and sales. It includes proposals, bulk sales
emails, and press releases.

4. Transactional

Day-to-day communication at the workplace falls under the transactional

business writing category. The bulk of such communication is by email, but also
includes official letters, forms, and invoices.
Principles of Good Business Writing

1. Clarity of purpose

Before beginning a business document, memo, or email, one should ponder two
primary questions:

• Who is the reader?

• What do I want to convey to the reader through my writing?

Clarity of purpose gives a direction to the writing and develops its tone, structure,
and flow.

2. Clarity of thought

Thinking while, rather than before writing, makes the writing less structured,
meandering, and repetitive. Business writing requires the skill to reduce long,
rambling sentences into concise, clear ones. One needs to extract what is
significant to write clearly.

3. Convey accurate and relevant information

The primary goal of business writing is to convey valuable information. Inaccurate

or irrelevant content affects the purpose of the document. For effective business
writing, information must be value-additive and complete.

4. Avoid jargon

A simple and uncluttered writing style goes a long way in communicating the
message to the reader. Grandiose writing full of industry-specific buzzwords and
acronyms should be avoided to the maximum possible extent. Otherwise, the
reader may be unable to comprehend the document or lose interest in it.

5. Read and revise

Reading the passages out loud after completion can reveal flaws and gaps in the
arguments. It is recommended to welcome constructive feedback from colleagues
and revise the document for improvement.
6. Practice is the key

Proficiency in business writing can be attained through regular practice. Paying

attention to the vocabulary, sentence structure, and style of writing while reading
can help to develop the same instinct while penning one’s thoughts down.

7. Be direct

Presenting the crux of the passage in the first 150 words is a good idea when it
comes to business writing. It saves the reader time and sharpens the argument.

8. Avoid verbosity

If the meaning can be conveyed in three words, it should not be stretched to five.
Verbosity works against making the writing engaging to the reader. For example,
instead of writing “the article uses more words than are needed,” write “the
article is verbose.”

9. Correct grammar and sentence structure

While a grammatical error may come across as unprofessional, good grammar

portrays both attention to detail and skill – traits that are highly valued in
business.

Business writing evolves with time, so does grammar and conventions. For
example, emoticons, when used judiciously, are gaining acceptance in business
writing. A good writer needs to stay updated with the conventions to hone their
skill.

10. Easy to scan

Business executives value a document that can convey its message in a cursory
glance. Business documents can be enhanced through the use of numbered or
bulleted lists, clear headings, concise paragraphs, and judicious use of bold
formatting to highlight the keywords.

What is the Proper Business Letter Format?

A business letter should always follow a certain format and structure to ensure it
is received as professional and up-to-standard. While there are many different
types of business letters, this guide will go through a detailed example of the
most classic business letter format.

Business Letter Overview

In business, a letter is simply any type of correspondence sent between two

parties. It may be about any topic and sent via many delivery methods such
as email, regular mail, and hand delivery.

The tone you take in the letter will depend on who the audience is and what the
purpose of the communication is. Sometimes you will need to be more formal,
and other times a more casual voice is appropriate.

The example provided below is a neutral voice and a moderate level of formality.

Business Letter Structure

Below is an example of how a business letter is laid out and structured. Feel free
to copy and paste the text into your own email, Word, or Google document and
be sure to customize and proofread it thoroughly.

[Sender’s Name]

[Sender’s Company Name]

[Sender’s Street Address]

[Sender’s City, State/Province, & Zip/Postal Code]

[Sender’s phone number and/or email address]

[Date]
[Recipient’s Name]

[Recipient’s Company Name]

[Recipient’s Street Address]

[Recipient’s City, State/Province, & Zip/Postal Code]

[Recipient’s phone number and/or email address]

[Subject]

[Dear Name],

[Introduction – this is where you explain the purpose of the letter such as why
you are writing it, what you hope to achieve from it, and any other important
information you want to state upfront.]

[Middle Section – this is where you elaborate and provide more detail about what
you outlined in the first paragraph. There may be several more paragraphs like
this depending on how long the letter needs to be]

[Conclusion – this is the place where you wrap up and summarize things. There
may be a call to action or next steps included in this paragraph.]

[Sincerely],
[Signature]

[Name of Sender]

Additional Formatting Considerations

In addition to the overall format and structure laid out above, you may also want
to consider the following information as standard business practices.

Common formatting standards include:

• Arial, Times New Roman, or a similar standard font

• Size 11 or 12 point
• Sentence case capitalization
• White background
• 8.5” x 11” size paper
• Portrait layout
 • 1” margins
• Single, 1.5, or double spacing
• Black font color
• Use of corporate letterhead
• Single or double-sided printing
• Plain white background

Summary

• Keep it short and simple.

• Write as you speak
• Observe the business writing principles
• Put life into your letters.
• Observe “you” attitude.
• Stop when you should.