Methods of written communication

Methods of written communication

1. Methods Of Written Communications By- Siddhi Gawde & Komal Kadam

2. Electronic communications are now an integral part of business.

3. Advantages of Written communications Creates a permanent record Allows you to store information for future reference Easily distributed All recipients receive the same information Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for running of an organization. It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record maintenance is required.

4. Written communication is more precise and explicit. Effective written communication develops and enhances an organization’s image. It provides ready records and references. It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral communication, it is impossible to fix and delegate responsibilities on the grounds of speech as it can be taken back by the speaker or he may refuse to acknowledge. Necessary for legal and binding documentation

5. In the business community, most communication is done through e-mail , fax and memos . We will look at the differences in each and determine when it is appropriate to use each.

6. The word “memo” is short for memorandum A memo is: a short written communication that is often used in the workplace to provide information or ask for some form of action to take place.

7. As with all technical documents, you must first consider your audience. A memo generally goes to many people in a workplace; like any office document it should not read like a personal correspondence. The purpose of a memo is to get a desired result, so the most important element of a memo is clarity.

8. Parts of a Memo Heading - DATE : (complete and current date) TO : (readers names and job titles) FROM : (your name and job title) SUBJECT : (what the memo is about ) 2 . Opening - state purpose of memo, give the facts . 3 . Summary - Explain the situation in more detail if needed . 4 . Discussion - Any other info you need to present? Now’s your chance . 5 . Closing - Make a courteous closing statement. Do NOT use “sincerely” or other letter-like ending . 6 . Necessary attachments - include any as needed

9. Drafting a Memo Be specific and precise Start by stating exactly what it is you want Keep memos short (under one page) Use a business-like tone Use bulleted lists when needed if it helps make the information you’re presenting clearer Stick to the correct format

10. Organization of the Memo Statement of Purpose Message Statement of Future Action

11. Memo Style Use enumerations to list important items Use solid capitals and centering to emphasize an important detail Use columns with headings to make reading and understanding easier Use underlining and side headings to show natural breaks Use bullets to emphasize several points Use boldface and italics when appropriate Use color coding to attract attention

12. Never write memos or any other communications which are unnecessary. Never write complicated, hard-to-understand memos. Keep them simple and to the point. Never write rude, blunt, or thoughtless memos. Never send memos that have typos, misspelled words, or grammatical errors. They are a poor reflection on you!

13. Never waste space with unnecessary introductory material. Never leave out necessary details causing people to have to follow up with questions. Never use a closing line or a signature in a memo.

14. FAX INTRODUCTION OF FAX Fax message are exchanged between branches of company and are also used external communication with customer, supplier and other associate. A fax message is much the same as letter send by post

15. F A X F O R M A T

16. Introduction Most offices today use computer, and email is a commonly used method of communicating with those within the organization as well as those outside all over the world. It is effective, inexpensive and very fast. Messages can be send by e-mail to an individual or to a number of persons at once.

17. E-mail messages must follow the basic rules of good writing. Rules for e-mail good writing have evolved by custom; “netiquette” is the name given to e-mail etiquette.

18. Be concise and to the point You may think that what you say is easy to understand, but some time words can be misconstrued. This will be eliminate the need for phone calls to follow up on e-mail that need further classification. Specific subject line This give the reader a good idea of the contents and make it easy to deal with the message. Avoid excessive punctuation Some people put a dozen exclamation marks at the end of sentence to add emphasis. Exclamation marks are not a method of emphasizing.

19. Keep to plain text Formatting is very important in printed documents, but not for online message. Using fancy fonts. Colors' or whatever is asking for trouble. Use of smilies or emotions While they are useful for expressing emotions in a personal message, they are not appropriate in official messages, especially to people outside the organization.

20. Never type in all caps It is considered the equivalent of shouting and It can look theatening.Standard writing guideline as a professionals courtesy. Do not “flame” people Antagonistic words or critical comments known as “flames” in cyberspeak - can hurt people and cause awkward situations. Use of salutation Is a troublesome decision in e-mail. It is not as formal as a letter; it is even less formal than fax message. The specific question is, how do you start your message: for example, “Dear Sir”, “Dear Mr. Swaminathan ”

21. Add signature It is always better to add signature to the e-mail message. This means you are name as it would be written in a letter. ( The sender’s identity is not always clear to the recipient since many companies use abbreviated names or numbers for employee e-mail address. Quoting from the original message Is sometime necessary while replying. Sending a bare message saying just, “Yes,” is too blunt and confused the reader,

22. LET US SUM UP The memo is a internal written communication. It is used for variety of purposes. It may be of 3 to 4 lines or about 2 pages. Its heading has four fields. Memo should always be well organized and easy to read. Fax message may be full letter or like memo. Fax is a medium of transmission and may be used to transmit a formal letter as a advanced copy or to send a short and written message like a memo. E-mail is used for both internal and external communication. Influenced by the e-mail service format.it is not substitute for full letter but used for clarification, quotation, quick exchange of short information