The Guide to Persuasive Business Writing: A New Model that Gets Results

WHY THIS BOOK IS A ‘KEEPER’ a message from the author

SECTION 1 – THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UN-EASY ethical behavior in the workplace
What Do You Know about Ethics?
What’s Happiness Got to Do with It?
What Does Ethical Behavior Mean?
What Price Are you Willing to Pay for Success?
Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace
The ‘Grey Zone’
The Me-Condition
Making Ethical Decisions in the Grey Zone
Guidelines
Corporate Codes of Conduct
Exercises

SECTION 2 – OFF-ICE-SPEAK keeping the ‘right’ tone in business writing
Overview
A Deeper Discussion of Tone
Attitude Adjustment
Guidelines
Exercises

SECTION 3 – THE BUSINESS OF PERSUASION the toulmin model and persuasive business writing
Overview
The Six Elements of the Toulmin Model of Persuasion
The Claim
The Warrants
The Support
The Backing
The Rebuttal
The Qualifier
Section 3 Recap
Exercises

SECTION 4 – WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MEMO ....is it email or what?
Persuasive Memos
Form and Function
Guidelines
(3) Illustrations – Typical Memo
Parts of the Memo
Sample Memo
Memo Format
3 Types of Persuasive of Memos
Characteristics and the PMB
Toulmin in Persuasive Memos
Illustrations – Persuasive Memos
(3) Standard Memo – PMB, Sample, Toulmin
(4) Justification Memo – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(3) Recap Memo – PMB, Sample, Toulmin
Persuasive Email
Guidelines for Writing and Sending Email
Parts of an Email
Illustrations – Persuasive Email and Informational Email
(1) Informational Email
(3) Persuasive Email – Read Only Version, Toulmin, Improper Tone
Exercises

SECTION 5 – CLOSING THE DEAL writing persuasive letters
Overview and the PMB – Purpose, Message, Benefit
The Six Elements of Toulmin
Standard Parts of a Letter
Illustrations – Letter Styles
(1) Letter – Standard Parts
(1) Letter – Block Format Style
(1) Letter – Modified Block Format Style
Illustrations – Persuasive Letters
(4) Additional Duties Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Appreciation Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Arguable Claim Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Bad News Adjustment Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Complaint Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Good News Adjustment Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Inquiry Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Reprimand Letter – Performance – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(3) Reprimand Letter – Tardy – Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
(4) Sales Letter – PMB, Sample, Spacing, Toulmin
Exercises

SECTION 6 – HIRED! how to write persuasive job application letters and resumes
Overview
Using Toulmin to Write Persuasive Job Application Letters
The 3 Essentials: Claim, Support, Warrants
Strategies for Writing Successful Job Application Letters
Good Practices
Bad Practices
4 Types of Persuasive Job Application Letters
Response to an Advertisement Letter
General Inquiry Letter
Targeted Inquiry Letter
Follow up Letters
Post Interview Letter
No Response Letter
Illustrations – Job Application Letters
(2) Response to an Advertisement – Spacing and Toulmin
(2) General Inquiry Letter – Spacing and Toulmin
(2) Targeted Inquiry Letter – Spacing and Toulmin
(1) Follow Up Letter – No Response – Toulmin
(1) Follow Up Letter – Post Interview – Toulmin
Resumes and the Toulmin Model of Persuasion 196
Toulmin Elements as Parts of the Resume
Writing the ‘Right’ Resume
Style – 3 Types of Resumes
Reverse Chronological Resume
Functional Resume
Qualifications/Achievements Resume
Substance – What Information Should to be Present?
Form and Function – Tips for Writing Effective Resumes
(4) Illustrations – Persuasive Resumes
 Functional Resume – Sample
 Reverse Chronological Resume – Sample
 Qualifications Resume – Sample
 Qualifications Resume – Toulmin Sample
Exercises

SECTION 7 – STATUS PLEASE! short informal reports in the workplace
Persuade Me
Persuasive Progress Reports
Business
Term
Guidelines for Progress Reports
Meeting Minutes
Guidelines for Writing Meeting Minutes
Persuasive Periodic Activity Reports
Guidelines for Periodic Activity Reports
Persuasive Feasibility Reports
Guidelines and Standard Sections
Illustrations – Persuasive Reports
(3) Progress Reports – Business – Sample, Spacing, and Toulmin
(3) Progress Reports – Term Project – Sample, Spacing, and Toulmin
(2) Periodic Activity Reports – Sample and Toulmin
(3) Feasibility Reports – Sample, Spacing, and Toulmin
Illustrations – Meeting Minutes
(2) Meeting Minutes – Sample and Spacing
Exercises

SECTION 8 – WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? CONVINCE ME ALREADY! proposals and the executive summary
What Type of Proposal Should I Expect to Write?
What Are They Exactly?
Shapes and Sizes
Internal Proposals – Solicited and Unsolicited
External Proposals
Writing a Proposal for Work
What to Expect and What Not to Expect
Sections of An Internal Proposal
Structure of An Internal Proposal
Guidelines for Internal Persuasive Proposals
(3) Illustrations – Persuasive Internal Proposals
Internal Proposal – Sample
Internal Proposal – Spacing
Internal Proposal – Toulmin
The Executive Summary
Overview
Sections of an Executive Summary
The Executive Summary in Power Point
(2) Illustrations – Executive Summary
Executive Summary – Sample
Executive Summary – Spacing
Exercises

SECTION 9 – WORKING TO WIN! strategies you should know
Overview
Strategies that Win
The Three C’s of Teamwork
Best Practice #1 – Communication
Best Practice #2 – Collaboration
Best Practice #3 – Coordination
Best Practice #4 – The ABC’s of Email
Best Practice #5 – Persuasion and Occasion in Internal Proposals
Best Practice #6 – Pick Up the Telephone!
Best Practice #7 – Women and Internal Networking
Best Practice #8 – Surviving Ethical Skirmishes in the Workplace
Best Practice #9 – Writing a Winning Proposal
Best Practice #10 – Writing and the Management of Expectations
Best Practice #11 – Writing and Length, How Much is too Much?
Best Practice #12 – Selecting Quality Data
Best Practice #13 – Delivering What You Promise
Best Practice #14 – The Importance of Trust in the Workplace
Best Practice #15 – Keeping the ‘Mood’ Out of the Message
Best Practice #16 – Handwriting in the Age of Electronic Communication