Language is the medium of business. To be successful, we need to communicate effectively not only when speaking but in writing as well.
Whether we are providing instructions to our colleagues, communicating with our customers, or advising our direct reports, language gauges success. We must be able to deliver clear, accurate messages that inform, persuade and motivate. Unfortunately, people lapse into habits that interfere with their ability to communicate.
In The Language of Success, author Tom Sant helps you master the lost art of clear writing and:
eliminate ambiguities, jargon and grandiose claims master proper paragraph structure so the message doesn’t get muddled avoid misconstrued or misleading terms write clear concise sentences that follow the “first time right rule” use e-mail professionally and efficiently create career-enhancing reports
This book shows you how to avoid common mistakes, and to write lucid, concise, and accurate e-mails, letters, performance appraisals, and presentations.
Honest and authoritative, The Language of Success will gives you practical techniques to help you cut through the fluff, guff, geek, and hyperbole, write exceptional business documents, and get your message heard.
By:
Tom Sant
Imprint: Amacom
Country of Publication: United States
Edition: Special ed.
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 12mm
Weight: 321g
ISBN: 9780814474730
ISBN 10: 081447473X
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 27 June 2019
Recommended Age: 16 years
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Contents Acknowledgments xi Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Where We're Going and Why the Trip Is Worth Taking 1 Igniting Firestorms 4 Screaming in Print 7 Living in the Midst of Revolution 9 Eight Tips for Creating Successful E-Mail 12 Moving Beyond the Mechanical 22 Chapter 2 The Problem: How Fluff, Guff, Geek, and Weasel Ruin Your Writing 27 Language: The Medium of Business 27 The Language of Success 29 Four Languages That Don't Work 31 Fluff 31 Guff 34 Geek 38 Weasel 43 Is Clear Writing a Lost Art? 51 Chapter 3 The Principles: Modern Methods in Business Writing 55 Write the Way You Speak 56 Respect the Medium 60 The Core Principles of the Language of Success 63 Clarity 65 Conciseness 74 Correctness 81 Suitability for the Audience 90 Suitability for the Purpose 102 Purposes and Patterns for the Whole Message 116 Writing to Inform 122 Writing to Evaluate 123 Writing to Persuade 124 Chapter 4 The Practice: Real-World Applications of the Language of Success 127 Writing to Inform 127 Simple Announcements 128 Giving Instructions 131 Answering Questions 134 Project Updates and Summaries 135 Clarifying Information 138 Writing to Evaluate 139 Comparison and Contrast 140 Definition and Classification 142 Offering an Informed Opinion 144 Competitive Analysis 146 Performance Appraisals 150 Writing to Motivate 156 Making a Request 159 Instructing 161 Reprimanding 164 Communicating with Employees: Morale 166 Communicating with Suppliers: Responsiveness 169 Communicating with Customers: Loyalty 170 Communicating with Investors: Commitment 171 Communicating Bad News 172 Writing to Persuade 176 Cold Call Messages-Introducing Yourself and Your Company 177 Setting a Meeting 181 Following Up from a Meeting 182 Announcing a New Product or Service 184 Responding to a Request for Information 185 Checking on Customer Satisfaction 188 Nurture Messages 189 Recommendations and Proposals 190 Presenting a New Idea to Management or Colleagues 193 Chapter 5 Your Potential 197 Index 199 About the Author 207
Tom Sant is a renowned proposal consultant, whose clients range from small entrepreneurial operations to Global 500 companies, including General Electric, Microsoft, Lucent, and Accenture. He is the creator of the world's most widely used proposal automation systems, ProposalMaster and RFPMaster.
Reviews for The Language of Success: Business Writing That Informs, Persuades, and Gets Results
" The Language of Success provides clear, concise information and examples that are understandable and useful." Technical Communication
