Eng 209/WI Business Writing

Module 5: Avoiding Biased Language/Writing Sales Proposals

 

Mod 5 Introduction

 Mod 5 Readings Mod 5 Activities Mod 5 Discussion Mod 5 WA

 Modules
Module 5 Readings
You already know that the goal of communication is to get our readers to do what we want them to do (while building goodwill). To get them to do so, they must understand our messages. Back in module 3, we learned to use natural, everyday speech. In this module, you'll learn how being concise and to the point is another key to being clear and understandable. In addition to being concise, module 5's readings cover informational and analytical reports and visual aids.

 

REQUIRED READINGS (4)

writing winning sales proposals
A sales proposal is a persuasive document used to sell your goods and services.  Download this supplemental reading on writing winning sales proposals (.pdf). It includes writing for the reader's needs and kinds, organizing, and revising and proofreading your sales proposal.

 

avoiding biased language
Biased language pigeon-holes people for things they besides culture that they don't necessarily have control over, including gender, race, religion, handicaps, and age. Effective business writers avoid biased language, which can lead to a loss of business, by being careful of the words they choose.

Download this reading on avoiding biased language (.pdf).

 

cultural influences on business writing
One important challenge you will face on the job is communicating across cultures. You will be sending messages to and receiving messages from people whose cultural background may cause them to interpret messages differently.

This reading, entitled Cultural Influences on Business Writing (.pdf), covers how two trends contribute to the importance of cultural influences on business and why cultural sensitivity makes good business sense. Finally is a list of local customs that business people should know about doing business in Hawaii.

 

designing effective documents for visual impact
The physical layout of your business documents is your reader's first impression of you. Make yours a good one. Good design encourages people to pay attention to what you have to say. A message that has visual impact attracts attention, invites readership, and establishes your credibility even before you state your case.

Learn about how to make a visual impact in your documents with this reading, Designing Effective Documents for Visual Impact (.pdf).

 
 

recommended readings and video clips

business blogging and social networking
The extra credit activity (found in the mod 5 activities page) is an introduction to business uses of blogging and social networking. (note: it is the nature of the internet for links to change or disappear without notice. If a link to a clip is broken, try Googling the title of the video.)
  • Why Social Networking (video) - a good basic intro to those unfamiliar with MySpace, Lindekin, and Facebook and Online Social Networks (video) - BusinessWeek’s Stephen Baker discusses an update of the May, 2005, cover story, "Blogs Will Change Your Business.
  • An Introduction to Twitter (video - click "Click here to continue" and then the play arrow). BusinessWeek's Arik Hesseldahl and guest Steve Baker give a quick demonstration of Twitter, the free microblogging and social networking service that’s wireless-friendly.
  • Microblogging: How to Build Business Relationships Using Twitter (video) This video gives a quick introduction to Twitter and how to use Twitter Search to build relationships and gain a following on Twitter.
  • 8 niche social networks deliver the introductions business owners need (.pdf)  Facebook and MySpace can be useful tools for networking with consumers and peers, but what about all the other social networks on the web with more specific purposes or narrower audiences? Entrepreneur magazine (March 2009) and Entrepreneur.com present their favorites.

 

improving your ability to sell

Do you think that being a good sales person means being a good liar? It's not! Being a good seller means understanding the product and being able to convey those benefits honestly and convincingly to the customer. For more information about sales proposals, try these articles (.pdf) from Eyeonsales.com:

Proposals:

  1. Differentiating Yourself from the Competition by Dave Stein
  2. How can I Sell when I'm not the Lowest Price? by Dave Kahle
  3. Proposals that Wow Prospects by Tom Slant

Sales:

  1. Develop Your Power of Persuasion by Tom Alessandra
  2. Secrets of Top Sellers (and How You can be Just Like Them) by Jill Konrath
  3. The Ten Commandments for the Ethical Salesperson by Dave Stein
  4. Transform Yourself from a Salesperson to a Businessperson by Dave Stein
  5. Twelve Proven Rules for Sales Secrets by Stephan Schiffman

 

How Culture Affects Communication
Interested in learning more about culture's influence on communications?

A Bad Japanese Accent  Dr. Steve Robbins begins his keynote on diversity and inclusion with a very bad Japanese accent to make a point about mental models and giving people a chance. Avoiding the Uh-oh syndrome. (speech continues here)

 Take a look at this informative video clip on High and Low Context Conversations from authors Courtland Bovee and John Thill.

 
Copy Right Statement: The fair use, according the 1996 Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia, of materials presented on this Web site is permitted for noncommercial and classroom purposes. This site may be mirrored, intact including these notices, on any server with the public access and may be linked to any other Web pages. The material here is a set of lecture notes prepared from various sources. Where I have drawn from the works of others, I make absolutely no claim to copyright.  This page is intended for the educational use of my students only.  Send mail to phurley@hawaii.edu with questions or comments about these web pages.