Business Writing Portfolio: Good Business Writing Techniques

1. Business Writing Portfolio

Suppose you are part of the following scenario:

o You are a public relations manager who must present information regarding changes in retail store operations to three sets of stakeholders of a retail clothing chain. The stakeholders are store managers, employees, retail customers, and the public. You must explain adjustments that allow employees to come to work on fewer days a week in an effort to combat rising gas prices and save money on store operations.

o Stores will close on Sundays. On Monday through Saturday, stores will open an hour later and close an hour earlier. Full-time employees, including managers, will work four 10-hour days a week. Part-time employees will consolidate their hours in 1-, 2-, or 3-day workweeks, depending on how many hours they are scheduled to work. No stores are closing, but no new stores are opening.

o While constructing your messages, determine the characteristics of your audience and consider the appropriate communication type and style for each audience.

Part I: Business Writing Steps. Outline the steps you must take in drafting the three business communications. This document can take the form of a list, a flowchart, or a Web diagram.

Part II: Portfolio. Write three messages by using the message format listed for each audience. Explain the changes in the retail store operations. The three messages contain potentially negative information; address the information presented in the scenario so your audience might perceive it in a positive way.

Audiences Message Formats

Store managers A business letter
Store employees A business memo
Retail customers and the public An e-mail message