Written Communication: The Proposal

Week 8 Assignment - Written Communication: The Proposal Overview Business managers and employees use written communication every day. Opportunities for written communication in the business world include everything from reports, memos, and documentation to emails, instant messaging, and social media. Effective written communication can help build and grow business relationships, accelerate results, solicit input and feedback, rally personnel toward shared goals, and improve personal lives. Your ability to write messages that are clear and concise, while positioned strategically and presented professionally, will distinguish you in your field and personal lives. In this assignment, you will develop a written communication for the targeted audience you identified in the outline for your business pitch, workplace problem/solution, or mini TED Talk. The written proposal needed to fulfill this assignment will depend on the information you developed in your outline, and your further research and writing. Take the ideas from your outline to turn your plan into a written proposal. Use subject headings and write paragraphs that give full detail and support from your sources, urging your audience to take action based on your proposal. Instructions Step 1: Begin Drafting the Assignment Review the Feedback Template to make a list of your instructor's feedback from Assignment 1, as well as feedback from the discussions to revise your outline. Incorporate the feedback into all parts of the outline. You will write about the feedback in Part II of the assignment. Do additional research to convince your audience that the proposal will be successful and fulfill the five sources required for the assignment. For research help, please go to the Strayer University Online Library. Employ one of the four communication techniques depending on your scenario Use the tell style to inform and the sell style to persuade. Use the consult style to gather information or learn from your audience. Use the join style to collaborate with members of the audience. Step 2: Develop Your Written Communication Part I: This is where you write the plan for your target audience. What will you communicate to them? Introduction: State your key message clearly in your introduction, so your audience understands the "so what" or thesis of your proposal. Make sure that your introduction is both direct and engaging. Label your introduction. Background Information and Supporting Arguments: Provide the necessary information and build credibility to build your case for your audience. This section of your proposal might include background information and include some of your five sources. The subject heading might be "Background Information." Again, match your subject headings with the main point of your content. The length of this section will depend on how much background information your audience needs to understand what you are proposing. Key Message: Continue writing your proposal by presenting your key message with three or four supporting points or reasons. This is where you will bring in some of your sources, to back up your ideas and gain credibility with your audience. Subject headings will help guide your audience through reading your supporting sections of your proposal. Again, how many paragraphs you will need to write depends on what you have to provide for your audience to understand and what you are proposing. Call to Action: End your proposal with a clear call to action for your audience. Now that you have given enough information to your audience members to convince them that your proposal is a good one, tell them what to do with your information. Make sure that you are direct and passionate about your request for action and that it is clear and actionable. Part II: This is where you identify the communication channel and address feedback received and addressed. You are writing this for yourself and your professor—not your target audience. Identify the communication channels that will be used to send or present your proposal's message (tools used in the communication process, such as email, Zoom, PowerPoint, and so on). Write this in paragraph form. Use the Week 8 Assignment Feedback Template [DOCX] and feedback from the discussions to write about how you used feedback to improve your communication plan. Write this in paragraph form. Review the Week 8 Assignment Guidance [DOCX] document for additional tips. Remember: Write professionally by being clear, concise, and logical. Make sure that your sentences flow, by using transitions and varying sentence structure. Use subject headings and other formatting such as bullet points, if needed, to help guide your readers through your proposal. Demonstrate professional presence in your writing by being authentic, establishing rapport with your audience, and using appropriate tone and vocabulary. This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards. For assistance and information, please refer to the Strayer Writing Standards link in the left-hand menu of your course. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is: Compose a written communication proposal based on a strategic communication plan.