Hello! Welcome to the chapter that provides concepts to help you interest readers to buy you. What is meant by “buy you”? As you know, whenever you’re sending a communication, regardless of the content, the writing represents you. Because the objective of composing is to ensure your reader understands you, you are indeed seeking to enlist him or her to buy your ideas, thoughts, solutions, directives, etc. In this chapter, you’ll review ideas that support you in composing works that keep your readers reading.
What’s the key to successful writing? It’s ensuring you’re in a positive state of mind when composing. You’ll be amazed how a good attitude, especially when you’re conveying not-so-good news, impacts your ability to compose well. Are you looking for an example as to why it’s important to have a positive mindset? Think back to the last time you were frustrated by a message that made you sigh and roll your eyes. For many of us, quickly clicking the Reply button, tapping on the keyboard, and hitting Send resulted in communicating a message that you wish you never sent. Avoid the “why did I do that” and allow yourself the opportunity to respond in a positive frame of mind.
Seeking to change your mood at the office? As you learned in the last chapter, placing yourself in the mind-wandering mode is advantageous. How do you lead yourself to this natural state of mind? Here are ideas that may help guide you to a happy and thought-provoking frame of mind for composing, generating ideas, preparing for a meeting, and more!
Listen to your favorite music. Place your headphones on and listen to one or several of your favorite songs. Research has proven that the power of listening to your favorite songs, regardless if your music taste is country, rock ‘n roll, or classical, will help place your mode of thinking in the mind-wandering state.
Go for a walk. Another way to clear your mind and boost your brainpower is by going for a walk. The human body was made to move and exercise. What’s happening as you exercise? Your blood starts moving, which brings energy to your brain from glucose and oxygen. Walk on!
Read a few inspirational quotes or jokes. Reading uplifting content is a good way to stimulate a happy mind. Here are some examples:
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt
“Whoever is happy will make others happy too.” Anne Frank
“Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” Maya Angelou
Buy a colleague a cup of coffee. Do a good deed. Helping others is good for you. Here’s an even better idea: ask a colleague to join you for a walk to the local coffee shop. Imagine the power you’ll have to create when you return.
Meditate. Take a moment to relax, reflect, and breathe. Meditating can increase memory and creativity and decrease anxiety.
Must you always be happy for critical thinking? The answer depends on you. Thinking in a negative mind-set can help you conceptualize, analyze, and evaluate. In this state of mind, you are often more skeptical and less gullible. For example, think about the last time you felt challenged, which resulted in a great idea. What will spark your next opportunity? Will it be a negative or positive mood?
Special note: Are we always happy in the mind-wandering state? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Our minds wander over 30 percent of the time; and for some of us, our minds can wander up to 50 percent of the day. The goal is to place yourself into a happy mindset that is focused on completing a specific task at hand.
A great book. According to Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, the sweetest sound to a person’s ear is his or her name. In addition, each one of us also enjoys seeing our name in writing too. Consider the many products that feature names on them, from mugs to towels. Therefore, for a communication sent to five people or less, ensure you include names of the recipients at the beginning of the message. For correspondence addressed to one person, if there’s an opportunity to state the person’s name again within the message, such as the closing, please do so.
Huh? Reflect on the last message you read that was a true challenge to understand what the writer was asking of you. In most cases, the action item was at the bottom of the message, and the writer droned on about subject matter that didn’t pertain to you. As mentioned in the last chapter, when we read, we are seeking information and want to know its purpose. Why are we receiving this message? What am I supposed to do? Therefore, for every communication you write, place the reason(s) for the message within the first paragraph. You’re not only providing your readers with key information at the onset, but you’re also respecting their time with the option to read further and improving their ability to comprehend your message.
Why is it important to place it up front? The simple reality about reading is we don’t pay attention to boring stuff. As mentioned in the last chapter, when we become bored, our mind switches to the mind-wandering mode (daydreaming). Looking for an example? The following is a memorandum sent from a CEO to his entire staff regarding a new employee purchase program. To protect you from absolute boredom, the example below is written as a short story.
Charlie is the CEO of a company that manufactures innovative, energy efficient new vehicles, “GO-UP” carplanes. These new electrical vehicles can easily be driven around the neighborhood or flown high in the sky. Employees love working for the company, and everyone has expressed an interest in purchasing a GO-UP vehicle. Charlie realizes he must address his employees’ demand now that the carplane will begin entering the marketplace in less than a year. With a high demand of the vehicle worldwide, Charlie knows he must stagger his employees’ requests. He types an e-mail that will be sent to all employees. The first eight paragraphs of his lengthy message explain his dream of building the company, the challenges in developing the production model, and the demand for the vehicle from celebrities to politicians. In the ninth paragraph, at the bottom of page 3, the CEO finally explains the new employee purchase program.
Who read the CEO’s memorandum? Only a handful of employees read the entire communication, wherein the final paragraph, they learn the CEO will be raffling off one “GO-UP” carplane at the end of each month for an employee to purchase at cost. Because Charlie’s memorandum was titled, “Employee Purchase Program,” he should have explained the specifics of the employee purchase program at the beginning of the message. Once again, a well-written communication respects the reader by placing the reason for the communication at the opening of the message.
Selling through smart meetings. You have an issue or opportunity: it could be implementing a process, announcing an idea, or seeking a solution. What’s the best way to sell it; in other words, to get everyone in agreement? Host a meeting. All too often, professionals will send an e-mail with directives without generating input from key stakeholders. By hosting a meeting before you send a directive in a letter or e-mail, you’re not only inviting key stakeholders to give their opinion, but you’re also finalizing key steps with them.
Looking to ensure it’s a successful meeting? Here are key elements to consider when preparing to meet with clients, colleagues, and vendors:
• Agenda - provide an agenda with the meeting request
• Concise presentation - keep your attendees’ attention
• Snacks - people love to snack
• Joke - open with tasteful humor or a quote
• Write - record key meeting ideas, concerns, etc.
• Action - agree to an action plan
Compliment or cash? Research has proven that giving someone a compliment has the same positive effect as receiving cash. Yes, you just read the word “cash.” Complimenting a colleague in writing or verbally is just smart! The power of showing appreciation is said best by Mark Twain who quipped, “I can live two months on a good compliment.” Because the people we work with are important to our careers and, at times, our sanity during challenging moments, praising your co-workers on a job well done makes for a happy, healthy, and wise environment. Also, when you compliment someone, you’re not only building that person’s self-esteem, you’re also building your own.
Compliments should be professional. Praising a person on his or her physical appearance is not always wise. You’ll find below a list of ways to demonstrate your appreciation.
• Managing a challenging issue successfully
• Achieving or exceeding an objective/goal
• Demonstrating determination/initiative
• Using excellent communication skills
• Introducing a new idea or process
• Showing attendance and loyalty (work anniversary)
Put it in writing. What’s a fantastic way to show your appreciation? Place your words of praise in writing. Receiving a personal note regarding your achievement is the best compliment of all, whether it’s sent electronically or on paper. For many of us, we prefer to receive a hand-written message. You may want to invest in notecards!
Brevity is beautiful, especially in writing. If you’re sending an agenda, action steps, announcement, or a business statement; compose your work with facts and figures, and if possible, in bullet-point form. According to a survey, more than 81 percent of professionals strongly dislike e-mails that are too lengthy. Furthermore, only 1 in 10 people read an e-mail in its entirety. Again, it’s critical to discuss issues first and create action steps.
Compare the versions! You’re about to begin reading an e-mail that seriously requires brevity; of course, the abbreviated version follows.
Version A
Good afternoon Melissa,
I must tell you what happened today. A disheveled woman arrived at our store at approximately 10 a.m. this morning requesting a refund for a dress she had purchased over two weeks ago. Our associate, Ms. Green, asked the customer for the receipt, and the woman screamed at her, “I lost it!” Ms. Green then inspected the stained garment to find the tags were removed, and it smelled like a cat litter box. She informed the customer that we could not accept the garment for a return, because of its condition. At this time, the woman screamed again, “I want to see the manager!” I arrived at the front desk immediately and listened to the customer’s complaint.
As I told you, I politely explained to the customer that we could not accept the item for return, because of the already stated reasons. The customer then said she would not leave the store unless we provided her with a credit for the garment. Well, she stood in the store for over two hours. I then had to inform her that if she did not leave, we would have to ask our security officers to escort her out. Of course, I had to ask our officers to do so, and as they walked her out, she screamed obscenities, and she bellowed, “I’m contacting the media about this store!”
Again, I figured if the customer went to the press about this issue, corporate should be informed. Let me know if there is something more we should do.
Best regards,
Matt
Version B
Good afternoon Melissa,
Thank you for taking my call regarding the challenging situation we experienced with a customer returning a garment. Please let me know if there is further action necessary. Below is an overview of the incident.
• Customer returned a worn garment without a receipt
• Store management explained the store’s refund policy
• Customer would not accept store policy
• Security escorted customer out after two hours
• Customer threatened to contact the media
Kind regards,
Matt
The facts, please. In Version A, Matt sent Melissa an e-mail and waited for her response. Unfortunately, when the regional newspaper contacted Melissa, she explained to the journalist that she didn’t know about the incident. In B, Matt managed the situation properly by speaking with Melissa first and following up the conversation with an internal post. Melissa was ready to speak about the issue when the journalist called.
T.H.I.N.K. MORE
Please repeat. The key to selling your ideas. When we are introduced to new information, its first entrance into our mind is through our short-term memory. According to the paper titled, “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two” authored by Harvard University psychologist George A. Miller, space is limited in the short-term memory of your mind. Miller’s research in 1956 provided evidence that the capacity of our short-term memory is seven (plus or minus two). In other words, we are only able to store between five and nine items of information in our short-term memory. Here’s a visual: consider your short-term memory to be “empty shelves in a grocery store” and items of information to be “loaves of bread.” As you’re presented with new items or bread, these shelves fill up quickly. For example, when you’re given a seven-digit telephone number, the shelves in your short-term memory fill up fast and hold this information. However, the shelf life of these digits (bread) is only 2-30 seconds. So, if you don’t repeat or act on this information within moments, the information is not memorized or the bread goes bad and is thrown out. Therefore, when you’re selling your ideas to another, be certain to repeat the information again, and please repeat it again. Don’t let your bread go stale!
The strength of words. Words have the power to influence the way we think. Consider a message you received from a colleague that was both accusatory and rude. The hostile message prompted your eyes to open widely; and soon after, you felt your heart rate increase. Words such as wrong, disappointed, and failed, as well as profane language can disrupt specific genes that play a key part in the production of neurochemicals that protect you from feeling stressed. As humans, we are wired to worry. It’s a component of the fight or flight response and is designed to keep us safe. Bad words can release stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters, which will interrupt your brain from functioning properly. For example, have you ever noticed that you’re unable to think clearly when you’ve received criticism? For most of us, once we hear negative feedback, our brain partially shuts down the logic-and-reasoning centers located in the frontal lobe.
Be positive. Your objective as a professional is to communicate with a positive attitude, regardless of the situation. As you’re writing or speaking, use positive words that help sell your ideas for solutions or new concepts. Listed below are more than 30 words to choose from.
|
Accept |
Great |
Quality |
|
Accomplish |
Guarantee |
Recommend |
|
Appreciate |
Handle |
Reliable |
|
Benefit |
Invite |
Respect |
|
Best |
Kind |
Safe |
|
Bonus |
More |
Smart |
|
Create |
Natural |
Tested |
|
Excellent |
New |
Teamwork |
|
Forgive |
Premium |
Think |
|
Free |
Proud |
Trust |
|
Good |
Proven |
Valuable |
Attention, please! The U.S. military is the perfect model of an organization that adheres to the chain of command. For most organizations, adhering to a chain of command or hierarchy of authority is critical in the proper supervision of employees at all levels, from the CEO and down. With e-mail, the chain of command can easily be broken. In the following paragraph, you’ll find a common communication challenge many organizations experience.
Justine was very pleased with her new ideas for managing customer service calls. With great enthusiasm, she decided to send an e-mail to the entire management team, which explained her concepts. As she pressed the Send key with confidence, Justine believed the management team would embrace her ideas, and she would receive accolades for her work. What happened? An hour later, Justine’s boss, the manager of customer service, met with Justine and asked her why she would send a message to management without her approval. Justine’s smile faded from her face, and she responded, “I thought everyone would be pleased.”
Discuss the office e-mail chain of command. Messaging has allowed us to communicate with everyone in the office at the press of a key. As stated earlier, speak with your supervisor/manager/director/vice president/big cheese in your organization about how to best manage e-mailing and posting information.
Sincerely. The ending of your communication is as important as the beginning. Create a signature or sign-off that represents you. Good examples are as follows: best regards, cordially, kind regards, sincerely, thank you, and sincerely yours. Remember to keep it professional. Business correspondence is not the place for cute, overly casual greetings and sign-offs.