#27823
What You Need to Know About TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)
Is someone not telling the truth? Or, has Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) simply become a meaningless concept? And what, if anything, do customers and vendors need to know about TCO?
Solution Matrix (2006). Articles>Business Communication>Business Case>ROI
#28843
Where is Email 2.0? And Why is Commercial Email So Boring?
I don't recall the last time I received a commercial email that made me take notice or smile.
Usborne, Nick. Excess Voice (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email
#28835
Where to Find Content for your E-Newsletters, and How to Use It
I am amazed by the number of places you can find content for your newsletter. Some of it takes the form of free articles. Some of it you pay for, and can request any kind of content you like. One way or another, whatever your industry and the focus of your e-newsletter, there are plenty of places to get good content for every issue you send.
Usborne, Nick. Excess Voice (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Writing>Newsletters
#27780
This page includes external resources you may find valuable in your white paper projects.
WhitePaperSource. Resources>Writing>Business Communication>White Papers
#26668
The words 'white paper' in the title of a document no longer indicate a detailed and authoritative report. Many white papers today are overly long product brochures weighed down by weak organization, confusing content, unsupported assertions, and poor document design. If you follow the instructions in this guide, you will write real white papers: authoritative business communications that achieve marketing goals by explaining technical ideas clearly with a compelling presentation of business value.
Kemp, Al. Impact Technical Publications (2005). Books>Writing>Business Communication>White Papers
#27770
WhitePaperSource is a rich information source for white paper enthusiasts. It contains news about the industry and a forum for discussing everything and anything about writing and marketing white papers.
WhitePaperSource. Articles>Writing>Technical Illustration>Business Communication
#31519
In the waning weeks of 2004, discussion of integrated communication is, to paraphrase my teenage daughter, “so yesterday.” Like cascading communication, any talk today about integrating organizational communication is on par with contemplating one’s navel. Integrated communication should be a given for any organization. What is integrated communication and why is it so passé? To have a chance at being heard in today’s cluttered environment, all facets of the organization’s story need to be coordinated and consistent. No matter where you touch that organization, the story must be the same.
Grates, Gary F. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Public Relations>Marketing
#28832
Why "Best Buddy" Emails Work So Well. Sometimes.
The best buddy approach works within specific product and service sectors, where readers can easily be tripped into a state of dissociation...because they have problems that the writer promises to solve.
Usborne, Nick. Excess Voice (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email
#31444
Why Craft Better News Releases? Because the Payoff Can Be Really Big
Written any good news releases lately? Though many of us in business communication churn them out regularly, we often don't take as much care crafting them as we do with other vehicles like articles or brochures.
Canavor, Natalie and Claire Meirowitz. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Business Communication>Public Relations>Press Releases
#27825
Why Do Business Cases Fail? What Can You Do About It?
A business case may predict excellent results yet still fail to 'make the case.' We see project managers, IT directors, sales people, and others who have just had the painful experience: they predicted great cash flow, high ROI, and short payback - and still got a thumbs down from top management.
Solution Matrix (2006). Articles>Business Communication>Rhetoric>Business Case
#30202
Why Do You Need To Write Procedures?
Your organization needs procedures. While development and implementation can be a challenging project, there are dividends and returns on your investment if you understand why you are writing them and what you expect to achieve by documenting your processes.
Bizmanualz (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Documentation>Policies and Procedures
#26875
Wikis, Blogs and Other Community Tools in the Enterprise
Wikis and Web logs (blogs) make a big impact on the Web, but they can also be useful in an enterprise. A community is a group of people with common interests, goals, or responsibilities, such as a project team or an interest group. Combine wikis and blogs with existing collaborative tools to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of enterprise teams.
Farrell, Joel A. IBM (2006). Articles>Writing>Business Communication>Blogging
#26442
Winning--It's All About Information
The Web, it is said, changes everything. Truth is: It changes almost everything. It changes where we get information (Web search), the time it takes to get it (fast), and in many cases the price we pay for it (almost nothing). The Web can’t change an eternal truth. It can only re-emphasize it. Winning is all about information. Always was, always will be.
Karlgaard, Rich. Forbes (2005). Articles>Communication>Business Communication
#31385
With the Latest Software, Track How Your Readers are Interacting With Your E-Newsletter
While webmasters have long been able to study how site visitors interact with a web site, e-mail has been more elusive. No more. With the latest generation of smart e-mail software, marketers can now essentially look over the shoulders of their readers, seeing first-hand what works, what needs improvement and what is simply falling on deaf ears.
Dysart, Joe. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Business Communication>Marketing>Email
#31461
World Economic Forum Survey Projects Mainstreaming of Corporate Citizenship
A new report credits socially responsible investing, among other trends, for influencing mainstream investors to take corporate citizenship more seriously. Is corporate citizenship entering mainstream investors' consciousness? No and yes, according to a new World Economic Forum report that surveys CEO's and IRO's (investor relations officers) at 26 companies from 14 countries. Forty-two percent of the respondents felt there has been a major increase in the level of activism, engagement and sophistication from the SRI community regarding CSR. Over 70 percent of the respondents who hail from large international corporations believe that mainstream investors will have an increased interest in CSR issues.
Baue, William. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Public Relations>International
#29593
Perfect your service by asking the only question that matters.
Dahl, Darren. Inc. Magazine (2006). Articles>Business Communication
#23163
If the average business letter starts poorly, then it invariably finishes poorly. Your closing paragraph should bring your letter to a polite, businesslike close. Typical final paragraphs in business letters invite the reader to write again or use overused and meaningless phrases that detract from the impact of the letter.
Newman, Judith M. LupinWorks. Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Rhetoric
#29362
Write Your Help Desk's Mission Statement to Raise Team Awareness 
One sure-fire way to improve help desk morale and raise awareness of your technical support team is to write a help desk mission statement. Get some tips on what to include and find some samples of other mission statements.
Davis, Jeff. TechRepublic (2003). Articles>Business Communication>Collaboration>Help
#10693
A Writer's Toolkit has been developed by the Ministry of Forests to help ministry staff write clearly and directly. While the Toolkit has been prepared to assist letter writing in particular, the techniques discussed apply to all writing. If you have any comments, or if you would like to receive a hard-copy of the Toolkit containing additional sections, contact Tim Ebata at tim.ebata@gems8.gov.bc.ca.
BC Ministry of Forests (2000). Resources>Business Communication
#23162
Writing a Strong Opening to Your Business Letter 
Your first job in writing any letter is to gain your reader's attention. It's an important principle of effective writing to put the most important information first. Your opening paragraph is both the headline and the lead for the message that follows in the rest of the letter.
Business Letter Writing. Articles>Writing>Correspondence>Business Communication
#26900
Writing at Work: Business Writing
This course is designed for upper division students in a business field who will write in their future employment. Successful employees know how to communicate clearly and effectively, changing writing style and content for varying audiences and purposes. This class will focus on the difficult task of meeting readers' needs while simultaneously representing your best interests and those of your employer. To meet that end, the assignments will cover a variety of tasks produced under different circumstances, some done quickly during class and some polished and perfected over time. Students completing the semester's work should see a visible improvement in their writing, especially in terms of clarity and precision.
Smith, Sue. University of Arizona (2005). Academic>Courses>Business Communication
#20756
Writing Clear Policies and Procedures with Playscript 
The Playscript procedure writing style is widely known for its plain language, content organization, readability and usability for all kinds of audiences. Developed by Leslie Matthies over 40 years ago, Playscript has been used by hundreds of leading (and other) organizations worldwide as their procedure standard. Major consulting firms have trained their professional staff in its use as a primary work process documentation technique. Extending several of Playscript’s design elements to policy writing provides an organization with policies and procedures that have a uniform look and feel. A leading publisher recently did this, using Playscript as the style model for their commercially produced Controller's Policies and Procedures Manual.
Fleming, J. Richard. STC Proceedings (1999). Articles>Business Communication>Policies and Procedures
#19620
Writing Effective E-Mail: Top 10 Tips
The informal e-mails you exchange with your friends don't have to meet any particular standards, but if you want to be taken seriously by professionals, you should learn proper e-mail etiquette.
Bauer, Jessica and Dennis G. Jerz. Seton Hill University (2000). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email
#13049
Writing Effective E-Mail: Top 10 Tips
This document offers 10 tips to help you write effective professional e-mails. The informal e-mails you exchange with your friends don't have to meet any particular standards, of course, but if you want to be taken seriously by people who use e-mail frequently, you should know e-mail etiquette.
Bauer, Jessica. University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (2001). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email
#26003
Always start by putting your main message up front. Some people feel that bad news should be buried. But research shows that readers will always look for the bottom line.
PlainLanguage.gov (1995). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Minimalism
