Business Communication Today: Fifteenth Edition

Business Communication Today
Fifteenth Edition
Chapter 15
Writing and Completing Reports and
Proposals
Copyright © 2021, 2018, 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objectives (1 of 2)
15.1 Explain how to adapt to your audiences when writing
reports and proposals.
15.2 Name five characteristics of effective report content,
and list the topics commonly covered in the
introduction, body, and close of formal reports.
15.3 List six strategies to strengthen a proposal argument,
and identify the topics commonly covered in the
introduction, body, and close of proposals.
Learning Objectives (2 of 2)
15.4 Summarize the four tasks involved in completing
business reports and proposals.
15.5 Identify the elements to include in a request for
proposals (RF P).
Writing Reports and Proposals: Adapting to
Your Audience
• L O 15.1 Explain how to adapt to your audiences when
writing reports and proposals.
Being Sensitive to Your Audience’s Needs
• The “You” Attitude
• Maintaining Etiquette
• Emphasizing the Positive
• Using Bias-Free Language
Building Strong Relationships With Your
Audience
• Style
• Language
• Content
• Language
Controlling Your Style and Tone
Informal Tone Formal Tone
Known Audience Complex and Longer Reports
Message Meets With Audience’s
Message Sent to Outsiders
Approval
Use First and Third Person Style Use Objective Journalism Style
Make Your Reports Easier To Read
• Headings
• Transitions
• Previews and Reviews
Drafting Report Content
• L O 15.2 Name five characteristics of effective report
content, and list the topics commonly covered in the
introduction, body, and close of formal reports.
Report Structure
• Three Main Sections
– The Introduction
– The Body
– The Close
The Introduction
• Helps Reader Understand the Context of the Report
• Introduces the Subject Matter and Why It Is Important
• Previews the Main Idea
• Establishes the Tone and Writer’s Relationship to the
Audience
The Body
• Presents
• Analyzes
• Interprets
• Supports
The Close
• Summarizes Key Points
• Emphasizes Benefits
• Brings All Action Items Together
Provide Quality Content
• Accurate
• Complete
• Balanced
• Clear and Logical
• Documented Properly
Make Your Reports Easier to Write
• Automatic table of contents
• Index generators
• Linked and embedded documents
• Screencasts
Drafting Proposal Content
• L O 15.3 List six strategies to strengthen a proposal
argument, and identify the topics commonly covered in the
introduction, body, and close of proposals.
Define the Proposal’s Purpose
• Demonstrate Your Knowledge
• Provide Concrete Information and Examples
• Research the Competition
• Prove That Proposal is Workable
• Adopt the “You” Attitude
• Package Proposal Attractively
Select The Elements To Include In a Proposal
• Introduction
• Body
• Close
Introduction to a Proposal
• Follow Instructions for a Solicited Proposal
• Present and Summarize the Problem You Want to Solve
• Propose Solution
• Refer to RF P or What Led You to Submit Proposal
The Body of a Proposal
• Gives Details on the Proposed Solution
• Specifies Anticipated Results
• Promotes Offering in a Persuasive Manner
• Maintains Objective Tone
• Avoids Overselling
The Close of a Proposal
• Summarizes Key Points
• Emphasizes Benefits
• Summarizes Merits of Your Approach
• Restates Why You Should Perform Job
• Asks for a Decision from Readers
• Last Chance to Persuade Reader to Accept Proposal
Completing Reports and Proposals
• L O 15.4 Summarize the four tasks involved in completing
business reports and proposals.
Revising Reports and Proposals
• Evaluate Organization, Style, and Tone
• Ensure Content is Clear, Logical, and Reader Oriented
• Improve Readability
• Review Online Content Carefully
Producing Formal Reports and Proposals
Table 15.2 Production Elements to Consider for Formal Reports
and Proposals
Prefatory Elements Supplementary Elements

Cover Appendixes
Title Page Bibliography
Letter of Transmittal Indexes
Table of Contents Résumés or CVs of Key Players
Synopsis or Executive Summary Blank
Content Elements to Consider for Reports
and Proposals (1 of 9)
Reports Proposals
Introduction: Establish the context, Introduction: Identify the problem you
identify the subject, preview main ideas (if intend to solve or the opportunity you want
using the direct approach), and establish to pursue.
tone and reader relationship.
• Authorization. Reiterate who • Background or statement of the
authorized the report, if applicable. problem. Briefly review the situation at
hand, establish a need for action, and
explain how things could be better. In
unsolicited proposals, convince readers
that a problem or an opportunity exists.
• Problem/purpose. Explain the reason • Solution. Briefly describe the change
for the report’s existence and what the you propose, highlighting your key
report will achieve. selling points and their benefits to show
how your proposal will solve the
reader’s problem.
Reports Proposals
• Scope. Describe what will and • Scope. State the boundaries of the
won’t be covered in the report. proposal—what you will and will not
do.
• Background. Review historical • Proposal organization. Orient the
conditions or factors that led up to reader to the remainder of the
the report. proposal and call attention to the
major divisions of thought.
Reports Proposals
• Sources and methods. Discuss the Blank
primary and secondary sources
consulted and research methods used.
Reports Proposals
• Definitions. List terms and their Blank
definitions, including any terms that
might be misinterpreted. Terms may
also be defined in the body,
explanatory notes, or glossary.
• Limitations. Discuss factors Blank
beyond your control that affect
report quality (but do not use this as
an excuse for poor research or a
poorly written report).
• Report organization. Identify the Blank
topics to be covered and in what
order.
Reports Proposals
Body: Present relevant information, Body: Give complete details on the
and support your recommendations or proposed solution, and describe
conclusions. anticipated results.
• Explanations. Give complete • Facts and evidence to support
details of the problem, project, or your conclusions. Provide
idea. information that will help readers
take the action you would like them
to take.
• Facts, statistical evidence, and • Proposed approach. Describe
trends. Lay out the results of your concept, product, or
studies or investigations. service. Stress reader benefits and
emphasize any advantages you
have over your competitors.
Reports Proposals
• Analysis of action. Discuss potential • Work plan. Describe how you’ll
courses of action. accomplish what must be done (unless
you’re providing a standard, off-the-shelf
item). Explain the steps you’ll take, their
timing, the methods or resources you’ll
use, and the person(s) responsible.
State when work will begin, how it will
be divided into stages, when you’ll
finish, and whether follow-up will be
needed..
• Pros and cons. Explain the • Statement of qualifications. Describe
advantages, disadvantages, costs, and your organization’s experience,
benefits of a course of action. personnel, and facilities—relating it all to
readers’ needs. Include a list of client
references.
Reports Proposals
• Procedures. Outline steps for a • Costs. Prove that your costs are
process. realistic—break them down so that
readers can see the costs of labor,
materials, transportation, travel, training,
and other categories.
• Methods and approaches. Discuss Blank
how you’ve studied a problem (or
gathered evidence) and arrived at your
solution (or collected your data).
Reports Proposals
• Criteria. Describe the benchmarks Blank
for evaluating options and
alternatives.
• Conclusions and Blank
recommendations. Discuss what
you believe the evidence reveals
and what you propose should be
done about it.
• Support. Give the reasons behind Blank
your conclusions or
recommendations.
Reports Proposals
Close: Summarize key points, emphasize the Close: Summarize key points, emphasize the
benefits of any recommendations, and list benefits and advantages of your proposed
action items; label as “Summary” or solution, and ask for a decision from the
“Conclusions and Recommendations.” reader.
• For direct approach. Summarize key • Review of reader benefits. Briefly
points (except in short reports), listing summarize how your proposal will help the
them in the order in which they appear in reader.
the body. Briefly restate your conclusions
or recommendations, if appropriate.
• For indirect approach. If you haven’t • Review of the merits of your approach.
done so at the end of the body, present Briefly summarize why your approach will
your conclusions or recommendations. be more effective than alternatives.
• For motivating action. Spell out exactly • Restatement of qualifications. For
what should happen next and provide a external proposals, briefly reemphasize
schedule with specific task assignments. why you and your firm should do the work.
• Request. Ask for a decision from the
reader.
Production Elements to Consider for
Formal Reports and Proposals (1 of 4)
Reports Proposals
Prefatory elements (before the Prefatory elements (before the
introduction) introduction)
• Cover. A concise title that gives readers • Cover, title fly, title page. Same uses
the information they need to grasp the as with reports; be sure to follow any
purpose and scope of the report. For a instructions in the RFP, if relevant.
formal printed report, choose heavy, • Copy of or reference to the RFP.
high-quality cover stock. Instead of having a letter of
• Title fly. Some formal reports open with authorization, a solicited proposal
a plain sheet of paper that has only the should follow the instructions in the RFP.
title of the report on it, although this is Some will instruct you to include the
certainly not necessary. entire RFP in your proposal; others may
• Title page. Typically includes the report want you to simply identify it by a name
title, name(s) and title(s) of the writer(s), and tracking number.
and date of submission; this information
can be put on the cover instead.
Reports Proposals
• Letter/memo of authorization. If you • Synopsis or executive summary.
received written authorization to prepare These components are less common in
the report, you may want to include that formal proposals than in reports. In an
letter or memo in your report. unsolicited proposal, your letter of
• Letter/memo of transmittal. Cover transmittal will catch the reader’s
letter that introduces the report and can interest. In a solicited proposal, the
include scope, methods, limitations, and introduction will provide an adequate
highlights of the report; offers to provide preview of the contents.
follow-up information or assistance; and
acknowledges help received while
preparing the report.
• Table of contents. List all section
headings and major subheadings to
show the location and hierarchy of the
information in the report.
Reports Proposals
• List of illustrations. Consider including • Letter/memo of transmittal. If the
if the illustrations are particularly proposal is solicited, treat the transmittal
important, and you want to call attention letter as a positive message,
to them. highlighting those aspects of your
• Synopsis or executive summary. See proposal that may give you a
discussion on page 432. competitive advantage. If the proposal is
unsolicited, the transmittal letter should
follow the advice for persuasive
messages (see Chapter 12)—the letter
must persuade the reader that you have
something worthwhile to offer that
justifies reading the proposal.
Reports Proposals
Supplementary elements (after the close) Supplementary elements (after the close)
• Appendixes. Additional information • Appendixes. Same uses as with

related to the report but not included in reports; be sure to follow any
the main text because it is too lengthy or instructions in the RFP, if relevant.
lacks direct relevance. List appendixes • Résumés of key players. For external
in your table of contents and refer to proposals, résumés can convince
them as appropriate in the text. readers that you have the talent to
• Bibliography. List the secondary achieve the proposal’s objectives.
sources you consulted; see Appendix B.
• Index. List names, places, and subjects
mentioned in the report, along with the
pages on which they occur.
Distributing Reports and Proposals
Physical Digital Online
PDF Format for General
Professional Courier Web-based CMS
Use
Specialized Format By
In-Person Delivery Shared Workspace
Request
Writing Requests for Proposals
• L O 15.5 Identify the elements to include in a request for
proposals (RF P).
Writing Requests for Proposals (RFP s)
• Company Background
• Project Description
• Requirements
• Decision Criteria
• Proposal Requirements
• Submission and Contact Information
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