COURSE FILE

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (KMBN 107)

UNIT III
Business letters and reports: Introduction to business letters – writing routine and persuasive
letters – positive and negative messages- writing memos – what is a report purpose, kinds and
objectives of report writing. Presentation skills: What is a presentation – elements of presentation
– designing a presentation. Advanced visual support for business presentation types of visual aid
Business letters and reports
Introduction to business letters
Business Letter is a letter which is used by organizations to communicate in a professional way
with customers, other companies, clients, shareholders, investors, etc. Business letter uses formal
language and a specific format.
Companies use it to convey important information and messages. An individual can also use it
while writing an application for a job, cover letters, or any formal document.
Business Letter Definition
A letter written for business purpose is a business letter. Inquiry letter, offer letter, order letter,
cover letter, notices, termination of employment are some of the business letters. Suppose a person
wants to write any of these business letters. The main question is to how to write a business letter?
There is a pre-specified format for writing a business letter. There are some parts of a business
letter and rules associated with them. Let us start to know how to write a business letter by knowing
the parts of a business letter.
Parts of Business Letter
A business letter will be more impressive if proper attention is given to each and every part of the
business letter. There are 12 Parts of Business Letter
1. The Heading or Letterhead
2. Date
3. Reference
4. The Inside Address
5. Subject
6. Greeting
7. Body Paragraphs
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 8. Complimentary Close
9. Signature and Writer’s Identification
10. Enclosures
11. Copy Circulation
12. PostScript
Let us discuss the parts of a business letter.
1. The Heading or Letterhead
It usually contains the name and the address of the business or an organization. It can also have an
email address, contact number, fax number, trademark or logo of the business.
2. Date
We write the date on the right-hand side corner of the letter below the heading.
3. Reference
It shows the department of the organization sending the letter. The letter-number can also be used
as a reference
4. The Inside Address
It includes the name, address, postal code, and job title of the recipient. It must be mentioned after
the reference. One must write inside address on the left-hand side of the sheet.
5. Subject
It is a brief statement mentioning the reason for writing the letter. It should be clear, eye catchy,
short, simple, and easily understandable.
6. The Greeting
It contains the words to greet the recipient. It is also known as the salutation. The type of salutation
depends upon the relationship with the recipient.
It generally includes words like Dear, Respected, or just Sir/Madam. A comma (,) usually follow
the salutation.
7. The Body Paragraphs
This is the main part of the letter. It contains the actual message of the sender. The main body of
the mail must be clear and simple to understand. The body of the letter is basically divided into
three main categories.
Opening Part: The first paragraph of the mail writing must state the introduction of the writer. It
also contains the previous correspondence if any.

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Main Part: This paragraph states the main idea or the reason for writing. It must be clear, concise,
complete, and to the point.
Concluding Part: It is the conclusion of the business letter. It shows the suggestions or the need of
the action. The closing of the letter shows the expectation of the sender from the recipient. Always
end your mail by courteous words like thanking you, warm regards, look forward to hearing from
your side etc.
8. The Complimentary Close
It is a humble way of ending a letter. It is written in accordance with the salutation. The most
generally used complimentary close are Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, and Thanks & Regards.
9. Signature and Writer’s Identification
It includes the signature, name, and designation of the sender. It can also include other details like
contact number, address, etc. The signature is handwritten just above the name of the sender.
10. Enclosures
Enclosures show the documents attached to the letter. The documents can be anything like cheque,
draft, bills, receipts, invoices, etc. It is listed one by one.
11. Copy Circulation
It is needed when the copies of the letter are sent to other persons. It is denoted as C.C.
12. PostScript
The sender can mention it when he wants to add something other than the message in the body of
the letter. It is written as P.S.
Writing routine and persuasive letters
Routine letters
Routine letters are letters communicating straightforward requests, replies, and goodwill
messages. They are primarily external documents sent to suppliers, government agencies, and
other businesses and most importantly to customers. The most emphatic positions in letters are the
openings and the closings. These letters are good for creating a permanent record; lending
confidentiality; lending confidentiality; conveying formality and sensitivity; and delivering
persuasive, well considered messages.
Characteristics of a Routine Letter –
Direct Approach
Opening: Begin with the main idea and tell immediately why you are writing (purpose)

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Body: Present your details that explain the request or response. Group ideas together, and include
graphic highlighting to spot main points.
Closing: Be specific about what you want and what action you want taken. Provide an end date
or deadline if appropriate.
Order Letters (Request)
Opening: Authorize the purchase
Body: Specifies items or services, quantities, dates, prices, and payment methods.
If you are ordering many items, list them vertically
Closing: Tell how you plan to pay.
THE PURPOSE OF ROUTINE MESSAGES
Routine messages keep business operations going. Most routine business messages fit into one of
these three categories:
1. Providing information: “Our meeting will be postponed until after the contract is settled.”
2. Asking for information: “Have you heard any more information about contract negotiations?”
3. Requesting action: “Please update the other group members on the status of the negotiations”
STRATEGIES FOR WRITING ROUTINE MESSAGES
Email, memos, and letters all have their place in routine business communication. Email has
replaced many paper-based documents, but it is still worth knowing that memos, letters, and email
can all be used well—and badly—for getting your point across.
Choosing Email and Memos
Email is the most common form of written communication used in offices today. It long ago
overtook letters and memos as the primary means of communication for routine business
messages. It is fast, cheap, and efficient. Email messages are used for both internal messages that
stay within an organization and for external communication with people outside the organization.
At one time people would write a memorandum (usually shortened to memo) when they wanted
to send an informal written document to coworkers, subordinates, or supervisors inside the
organization. They would send letters to communicate with people outside their organization.
Today, memos are used mainly in organizations in which some employees may not have easy
access to computers. A memo announcing a change in work procedures could be posted on the
wall of a break room, for example.
The format and writing style of memos and email messages is similar.
The biggest difference between the two media is the audiences for each:
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■ Memos are used strictly for internal documents.
■ Emails are used for both internal and external communication.
Both documents are relatively informal and are usually unsigned, meaning that they do not carry
the same weight as more formal letters or contracts.
Although the absence of a signature makes emails informal documents, the tone and writing style
of emails vary greatly with the audience. A quick note to a co-worker or a friend may contain
misspellings or grammatical errors that the writer does not bother to correct—errors that are
usually ignored as long as the message is understood.
Longer messages or those that are sent to people who are less well known to the writer require the
same care and attention as any other written document and for the same reason: people are judged
by the style of their writing.
An email containing technical errors could be dismissed as spam or “phishing” if it is sent to a
stranger, even if the message is legitimate. Because many fraud artists disguise their messages as
ones that come from legitimate organizations, the appearance of spelling and keying errors are
seen as signs of a scam.
The importance of a good writing style increases in direct relation to the size of the audience and
to your difference in familiarity with your reader(s). You may be able to get away with writing in
an email to a family member or a close business associate but not in one sent to a larger group or
to your company president.
 Persuasive messages include sales pitches
 Negative messages deliver refusals and bad news.
Persuasive letters:
Persuasive Letter is a letter written to persuade an organisation/s or individual/s towards accepting
the writer's (sender’s) issue, interest or perspective. It can be written to any type of organisation
i.e. school, bank, college, NGO, municipality etc. The individuals can be a director, CEO,
government official etc. The motive of the persuasion letter is to ‘Get your work done’ in layman
terms.
The persuasion can be related to any matter; it can be:
 A complaint
 A sale
 A petition

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  A request or any other matter which requires convincing
Taking that into note, persuasion letter is a broad term inclusive of Cover Letter, Complaint Letter,
Petition Letter, Request Letter, and Sales Letter. This is because in all of the above mentioned
there is moderate to maximum amount of persuasion on part of the sender.
Depending upon the region where you live a Complaint Letter or a Sales Letter may be an
interchangeable name for a Persuasive letter. Persuasion letter comes under formal letter type and
follows certain formats like Full Block Style, Semi-Block Style, Modified Block Style and
Modified Semi-Block Style. As mentioned earlier about the formal nature of letters of persuasion,
you can include certain informal elements depending upon the need. While a persuasive letter may
or may not be successful in its objective, it does raise awareness about the matter addressed. And
it can act as a source of inspiration for others when you are addressing certain important social
issues.

Persuasive Claim Letter

Jack Collingworth
Chief Engineer
Ace Technologies Group
64 Knutsford Boulevard,
Kingston 5, Jamaica
Telephone - 920019
Facsimile - 9375929
Email - info@acetechnologies.com

Arihant Nissan
28 Trafalgar Road,
Kingston 10, Jamaica
PO Box 575

26th December, 2012

Sub: Claim for Faulty PC’s

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Mr. Arihant Nissan:
This is to inform you that the 20 Pentium Core2 Duo PC’s purchased
by us 2 months ago do not work properly. Most of them shutdown
frequently without any warning and some of them take a lot of time to
boot.

As per the warranty and replacement policy we are entitled to have

replacement within 1 year of the purchase without any extra cost, if and
when any problem occurs. We would have suffered a major loss if we
didn’t have some old spare PC’s. Fortunately we did have them but
they required some fine tuning.
However, we are not charging anything for the time and effort required
to do so.

But we do need the replacements ASAP. And that is what the purpose
of this letter is. You can pay for the replacements only by cheque
or online transfer. I am also requesting reimbursement for the shipping
charges for returning the original order to you.

I have enclosed copies of purchase order, warranty and shipping

charges for your reference.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not

hesitate to call me or e-mail me at jackcollin@ace.com.

I expect we can settle this matter in a timely and cooperative manner.

Signed,

Jack Collingworth

Encl: Copy of Purchase Invoice

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 Copies of Warranty Documents
Copy of Shipping Charges

Positive and negative messages

Negative messages:
Goals of Negative Messages
 Convey the message
 Ensure acceptance
 Promote goodwill
 Maintain a good corporate image
 Minimize future correspondence

Writing memos –
A memo is actually short for Memorandum. It is one of the most used means of official
communication in the business world. Its main purpose is to serve as a reminder or to give some
instructions. Again these like circulars are a means of mass communication, i.e. to communicate
with a large number of people within the organization.
Usually, we write a memo is for one of the following five reasons
 as a reminder
 highlight an event or circumstance
 to recount an event
 keep an official record of anything
 to pass information or instructions
Memos have been a popular way for commuting for over a century now. This is because they have
many advantages as seen below:
 They are a very cost effective way of mass communication. And their transmission is also
very cheap.
 Another advantage is its simplicity. They are very simple to write and understand.
 Memos tend to be brief and to the point. They also reach a lot of people. So they are very
time-saving as well.
 They also serve as evidence in case of a dispute
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The Format of a Memo
Let us see the steps of writing a memo.
Heading: After the name and address of the company (which is on the letterhead) we type the word
“Memo’ or ‘Memorandum’ at the top of the page in the center.
Recipient: Address the recipients in the correct format, Example -‘ To: All Employees of the Sale
Division’
Writer: Write the name of the person writing the memo, Example – ‘From: Mr. ABC, Head of
Sales’
Additional Recipients: These are the people who will receive a courtesy copy of the memo. We
don’t address the memos to them, but we keep them in the loop.
Date: The date of writing the memos is an important detail that one must include.
Subject Line: This will give the reader a brief idea about the information in the memos. The line
must be brief, precise and to the point. Example – Subject: Meeting of all employees of the Sale
Division.
The body of a memo: This is where all the information is contained. A formal salutation is not
required in a memo. Just relay the necessary information with clarity and precision. The body must
not be too long. The ending must restate the issue and end on a positive note.
Proofread: Finally, proofread the memo before sending it.
Report Writing:
What is a report purpose?
Purposes or Objective of Business Reports:
Reports are the primary means of communication in organization. In large-scale organizations,
there is no alternative to use reports. Reports also play an important role in small-scale
organizations. Some points highlighting the purposes or objectives or important of business report
are presented below-
 Transmitting Information: Business report is very important for transmitting information
from one person to another or form one level to another. Although a manager can
personally collect required information in a small scale enterprise, it is not possible in the
context of a large scale organization. In the latter case, the managers rely on reports for
obtaining necessary information.

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  Interpretation and Explanation of event: Report provides interpretation and explanation of
information. As a result, readers can easily understand it.
 Making decisions: A report is the basic management tool for making decisions. The job of
a manager is nothing but making decisions. Reports supply necessary information to
managers to solve problems.
 Communication with external stakeholders: In addition to internal use, reports also
communicate information to the external stakeholders like shareholders, creditors,
customers, suppliers, government officials and various regulatory agencies. In the absence
of formal business report, such stakeholders would remain at dark about the organizations.
 Development of information base: Reports also contribute to the development of
information base in organization. It develops information base in two ways. Firstly, day to
day information is recorded permanently for writing reports. Secondly, the written reports
are preserved for future reference. In these ways, reports help in developing a strong and
sound information base.
 Developing labor-management relationship: Reports also help to improve labor-
management relationship particularly, in large organizations. In a large organization, there
is little opportunity of direct communication between top-level management and
employees. In this case, report is used as mechanism of keeping both sides informed about
each other and improving their relationships.
 Controlling: Controlling is the final function of management. It ensures whether the actual
performance meets the standard. In order to perform the managerial function of controlling,
report serves as a yardstick. It supplies necessary information to impose controlling
mechanism.
 Recommending actions: Reports not only supply information but also recommend natural
actions or solutions to the problem. When someone is given the charge of investigating a
complex problem and suggesting an appropriate remedy, the investigator usually submits
a report to the concerned manager.
Kinds and objectives of report writing
Objectives of report:
Decision Making Tool: Today’s complex business organizations require thousands of information.
A Report provide the required information a large number of important decisions in business or

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any other area are taken on the basis of information presented in the reports. This is one of the
great importance of report.
Investigation: Whenever there is any problem, a committee or commission or study group
investigates the problem to find out the reason behind the problem and present the findings with
or without the recommendation in the form of a report. It is another importance of report.
Evaluation: Large scale organizations are engaged in multidimensional activities. It is not possible
for a single top executive to keep personal watch on what others are doing. So, the executive
depends on reports to evaluate the performance of various departments or units.
Quick Location: There is no denying the fact that business executives need information for quick
decision-making. As top executives are found to be busy for various purposes), they need vital
sources of information. Such sources can be business reports.
Development of skill: Report writing skill develops the power of designing, organization
coordination, judgment and communication.
Neutral presentation of facts: Facts are required to be presented in a neutral way; such presentation
is ensured through a report as it investigates, explains and evaluates any fact independently.
Professional Advancement: Report also plays a major role in professional achievement. For
promotion to the rank and file position, satisfactory job performance is enough to help a person.
But for promotion to high level position, intellectual ability is highly required. Such ability can be
expressed through the report submitted to higher authority.
Proper Control: Whether activities are happening according to plan or not is expressed through a
report. So, controlling activities are implemented based on the information of a report.
A managerial Tool: Various reports make activities easy for the managers. For planning,
organizing, coordinating, motivating and controlling, manager needs help from a report which acts
as a source of information.
Encountering Advance and Complex Situation: In a large business organization, there is always
some sort of labor problems which may bring complex situations. To tackle that situation,
managers take the help of a report.
Types of Reports:
Informational reports (annual reports, monthly financial reports, and reports on personnel
absenteeism) carry objective information from one area of an organization to another.
Analytical reports (scientific research, feasibility reports, and real-estate appraisals) present
attempts to solve problems.
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Proposal Report:
The proposal is a variation of problem-solving reports. A proposal is a document prepared to
describe how one organization can meet the needs of another. Most governmental agencies
advertise their needs by issuing “requests for proposal” or RFPs. The RFP specifies a need and
potential suppliers prepare proposal reports telling how they can meet that need.
Vertical or Lateral Reports:
This classification refers to the direction a report travels. Reports that more upward or downward
the hierarchy are referred to as vertical reports; such reports contribute to management control.
Lateral reports, on the other hand, assist in coordination in the organization. A report traveling
between units of the same organization level (production and finance departments) is lateral.
Internal or External Reports:
Internal reports travel within the organization. External reports, such as annual reports of
companies, are prepared for distribution outside the organization.
Periodic Reports:
Periodic reports are issued on regularly scheduled dates. They are generally upward directed and
serve management control. Preprinted forms and computer-generated data contribute to uniformity
of periodic reports. SALES REPORT
Functional Reports:
This classification includes accounting reports, marketing reports, financial reports, and a variety
of other reports that take their designation from the ultimate use of the report. Almost all reports
could be included in most of these categories. And a single report could be included in several
classifications.

Although authorities have not agreed on a universal report classification, these report categories
are in common use and provide a nomenclature for the study (and use) of reports. Reports are also
classified on the basis of their format. As you read the classification structure described below,
bear in mind that it overlaps with the classification pattern described above.
i. Preprinted Form: Basically for “fill in the blank” reports. Most are relatively short (five or fewer
pages) and deal with routine information, mainly numerical information. Use this format when it
is requested by the person authorizing the report.

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ii. Letter: Common for reports of five or fewer pages that are directed to outsiders. These reports
include all the normal parts of a letter, but they may also have headings, footnotes, tables, and
figures. Personal pronouns are used in this type of report.
iii. Memo: Common for short (fewer than ten pages) informal reports distributed within an
organization. The memo format of “Date,” “To,” “From,” and “Subject” is used. Like longer
reports, they often have internal headings and sometimes have visual aids. Memos exceeding ten
pages are sometimes referred to as memo reports to distinguish them from shorter ones.
iv. Manuscript: Common for reports that run from a few pages to several hundred pages and require
a formal approach. As their length increases, reports in manuscript format require more elements
before and after the text of the report. Now that we have surveyed the different types of reports
and become familiar with the nomenclature, let us move on to the actual process of writing the
report.
Presentation skills:
What Is A Presentation?
A presentation is a form of public speaking and sometimes the two terms are interchanged.
However, in business practice, presentation usually means presenting your point of view on a
subject orally, formally and with preparation. A presentation may be to inform, argue out your
case, persuade.
Your method of making a presentation may be:
1. By preparing a talk, making notes, memorizing only the ideas and illustrations, and speaking
extempore (that is without reference to any written material)
2. By memorizing an entire speech and delivering it
3. By reading out a speech (for example a company report) so that every word is spoken exactly
as you planned it
The reading method, to be interesting, requires that the person presenting the speech be a very
good reader. He should vary the tone to prevent monotony.
These days it is getting increasingly popular to use illustrations, charts, slides or film clips along
with an oral presentation. These devices help to involve the visual sense in receiving the
communication and present the information summarily and graphically.
Elements of a Presentation:
In an oral presentation, the audience sees the speaker and hears him. Hence the standing personality
must corroborate the spoken words.
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A speech on simplicity must be accompanied by the same quality in the speaker. A speech on
confidence should show this quality shining in the speaker’s gestures and posture, voice and
delivery. Hence the dictum “Dress before address” is only appropriate.
The essential elements of a presentation are:
1. Confidence
2. Sincerity
3. Mastery of the subject
4. A friendly feeling for the audience
1. Confidence:
In a way, standing before a group of people to speak for a length of time, and speaking with force
and conviction, is a difficult undertaking. You need to prepare yourself psychologically for the
occasion and be ready to stand your ground.
This is what confidence amounts to. If you are sure of yourself and sure about your message, you
find it easier to carry your audience with you.
On the eve of discovering America, Columbus faced a revolt from his seamen who did not believe
that a continent existed in the direction they were going.
But Columbus was sure. Hence he could manage to make his team work along with him.
Confidence comes out of your own intellectual and emotional satisfaction with your message and
cause.
To be thoroughly sure of your grounds, it requires a good deal of research into your subject,
preparation, and anticipating the audience you are going to face.
2. Sincerity:
When does a preacher succeed in preaching? When he means what he says and has the interests of
the listeners in his heart.
A good presentation begins in the heart and reaches the listeners’ hearts. However, having sincerity
and being able to communicate it to the audience are not the same.
Your inner state, your attitude needs to be translated into the delivery. The ability to convey your
sincerity is the ability of an actor.
As a sincere speaker, you are playing before the audience a role – that of a bringer of a useful
message. Now, as an actor becomes one with his role, you have to be one with your message.
3. Mastery of the subject:

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Every effective speaker vouches for this, that he went deep and wide into his subject. A good
speaker gathers more information than may be required for the speech.
That is how he has a back-up, a reservoir of facts and opinions on which his speech stands. When
you say, “The farmer in Vidarbha is pushed to the wall,” let’s say you have at the back of your
mind the figures of farmer suicides and the circumstances and factors related to them.
A mastery of the subject requires that you see the subject from many points of view including that
of your opponents. Then you can be effective.
If, for example, you are speaking in favour of economic liberalisation in India, you need to see the
issue from the standpoint of the Svadeshi supporters, the trade unionists, the communists, etc. also.
4. A friendly feeling for the audience:
When you stand before a group of people, many of whom are strangers to you and with their own
opinions, you can be effective by radiating a friendly feeling.
A motivation speaker started her speech before a large crowd of restless youths with the resounding
words, “I love this audience.” This was said in a radiant tone and eye-to-eye contact with the
listeners. Instantly, a friendly bond was established.
You need to have the listeners’ welfare in mind as the purpose of your talk. You need to take care
that through your actions or words, you don’t militate against any of their pet likes.
Designing Your Presentation:
Structurally, a good presentation has an introduction, a body and a conclusion.
The speaker may organize his thoughts upon any of these formulas:
1. (a) State your facts
(b) Argue your facts
(c) Appeal for action
2. (a) Show that something is wrong
(b) Show it can be remedied
(c) Seek the listeners’ cooperation.
Now we discuss the parts of a presentation.
1. Introduction:
This is to prepare the listeners to receive your message and to arouse their interest. As Dale
Carnegie, the renowned author on public speaking says, the beginning and ending of a speech are
its most important parts.

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The beginning hooks the listener to your message; the ending leaves a lasting impression on his
mind.
(a) Speakers use a story, a humorous piece or joke, a shocking fact, a noble quotation, a question,
etc. to kick starts their speech.
Swami Vivekananda did even better in the all-religions’ meet in Chicago in 1893 by starting his
immortal speech with the words “Brothers and sisters”(when the others were addressing them
“ladies and gentlemen”).
(b) You can present your idea by quoting some surprising statistics. Talking on pollution, you may
start: “The safety level of X chemical is 25 ppm (parts per million) but in some areas of Mumbai
it is 4000 ppm.”
If your statistics concern the health and security of your audience, its money status or honour, the
audience may awaken to your message at once.
“In X country, 90% husbands help their wives with kitchen work, while in Y country (audience’s
country) only 10% husbands do so.” Women are quite likely to awaken to the speech.
(c) Quotations are pearls of wisdom, often in felicitous wording: “Eternal vigilance is the price of
democracy.” A quotation gives authority to your speech.
(d) You may ask a question like, “Are you sure that the air you breathe has 20% oxygen and not
just 15%?”
(e) A speaker may produce an exhibit out of his pocket and start. “This object the size of a pocket
calculator can put you in touch with 120 TV channels of the world.”
2. Body:
The body of your speech is the main course of the meal, wherein you should arrange the facts in a
logical order.
Let us say you are talking on the low standards of English in our set-up (to sell audio and video
cassettes for self-learning).
You may tell systematically about what happens during the teachers’ training, and then the
inadequate teaching of the language from the primary stage onwards. You may talk of what
happens when a regional language is the medium of instruction.
You may analyze the facts, driving to the conclusion that the English communicative ability of
most of our students is below par in the global scenario. When “Shining India” is the buzzword, it
requires global competitiveness in English.

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If you go into the minor and finer aspects of your subject and if you have a solid back-up of
examples, the body of your talk is strong.
During this part of your talk, it is necessary to keep the audience on its toes (and out of its
daydreaming) with periodic use of humour, change of tone and pace, exhibits and other devices
that keep the interest and receptivity high.
3. Conclusion:
Your conclusion aims that the audience should act in the way you want. You may want them to
buy your product or service, or to speak well of your company or acquire a new habit (e.g.
punctuality, better proofreading, greater courtesy, etc.).
The conclusion has to emerge logically out of the talk like the proof of a mathematical theorem.
And yet, the speech should be anchored more in an emotional appeal than an intellectual one. You
have to make a good idea likable.
In the concluding part of your speech, you may restate your main arguments, give a summary of
the talk or produce a resounding conclusion line. In good rhetoric (art of speaking) the last line
remains in the listeners’ minds.
George Orwell’s novel The Animal Farm is a satire on the double standards of rulers who profess
equality but corner the best for themselves. Towards the end, one character raises the question,
“How is this done when all animals are equal?”
The leaders says, “Yes, all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This
impossible twist of language echoes in the reader’s mind for a long time.
In general it is a good idea not to cover too many themes in one presentation. Keep the number of
points few and argue these with force. One has to allow for the listeners’ limited attention span
while listening point.
A Brief about Sales Presentations:
In business life, one has to make a presentation for selling a product or a service before various
types of audiences – distributors, the press, family (in a house-to-house sales campaign) customers
gathered in a showroom.
The sales presentation may be accompanied by a live demo, a test ride or a film clip. We recall
here the sales formula of AIDA – attention, interest, desire action.
It is not always that you have an audience ready and waiting for you to deliver your talk. You may
have to, like the roadside seller, gather an audience using your magnetism. Hence a sales
presentation requires the best of persuasive skill.
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For making a good sales presentation, the following maybe remembered:
1. Study the product technically:
If you are merchandising a surgical instrument, you may have to learn a good deal about surgery
even if it is not your specialisation.
2. Competitors:
You have to study the competitors’ products.
3. Consumer benefit:
You have to point out what gap in the consumer’s life the product can fill. Cold drinks, chocolates,
etc. tend to create a need.
A life that was getting along well without these foods suddenly looks incomplete after the product
is presented interestingly.
You have to point out how the product can enrich a life that was seemingly content with itself.
People were used to paper currency, but then cheques came in, then plastic money, and now
internet transfers.
4. Reliability:
The product should be presented as reliable. It is often the most wanted quality in a product. Hence
the frequent use of the word money-back guarantee, ISI (now BIS – Bureau of Indian Standards)
or ISO 9001: 2000 certification, hallmark etc.
5. Easy to use:
The product should be presented as easy to use. A live demo or the instructions manual should
convince the consumer of this.
6. Easy to buy and maintain:
It should be presented as easy to acquire and easy to maintain. You find phrases like, “We have
3000 outlets, and surely there is one close to you,” or, “We have a servicing network of 20 garages
in your town,” or, “In case of any difficulty, ring us toll free on xxx.”
7. Protect consumer ego:
A good sales talk avoids hurting the audience’s opinions and biases. It avoids showing the
consumer as a fool. We have often heard the saying, “You may win an argument but lose a friend.”
Instead, “The customer is always right” approach pays better.
8. Simple language:
The language of a sales presentation needs to be simple and as far as possible non-technical. If it
is technical, it is educative so. “This is a carburetor, which does the function of lungs.”
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9. Avoid humour:
Jokes are not necessary in a sales talk and in general they are rarely used. But a figurative twist to
the language can be used to make the consumer smile. On driving safety, “Better be late, Mr.
Motorist than be Late Mr. Motorist.”
10. Eye contact:
When using visual aids for a sales pitch, you should as far as possible look at the audience and not
the exhibit or screen. You should not stand in the way of the visual aid. The light and visibility
should be good enough for all viewers to see the visual aid clearly.
11. Offer a trial:
It is often effective to ask one of the members of the audience to try your product.
12. Collect orders on the spot:
You should be ready for making spot sales or getting commitments after the presentation. If it has
been a good presentation, you should not allow the effect to wear off with time and distance,
competitors or distractions)
Tips for an Effective Presentation:
From the moment a presentation is proposed, these are the steps to make it effective:
1. Know your audience and the place and occasion of your talk.
2. Get ready your text and visual aids, models etc.
3. Keep your dress and appearance appropriate.
4. Practice your talk. We now discuss these tips at length.
1. Knowing the audience and the occasion:
(a) A good speaker’s first question after being asked to speak on a topic is who I am going to talk
to. And what is the occasion?
(b) The speaker finds out about the organisation which is organizing the talk and the background
of the audience. This decides the tone and register (level of language) to be used.
The speaker finds out what arrangements are there for speaking and using demos. Some speakers
carry a battery and microphone on their person if they anticipate a large gathering and absence of
a mike.
He has some say in the seating arrangement, lighting and ventilation of the place. The speaker may
have to instruct that no food and drinks should be served during the talk.
(c) The speaker should know the occasion and the background of the organisation – what
happenings have taken place lately, and what is the organization’s motto.
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(d) He should check out the time allotted to him and plans his message for the given number of
minutes. Overshooting the time limit is in bad taste and he loses the audience support.
(e) He should find out that the other speakers are and what aspects of the topic are they likely to
cover.
(f) He should visualize his relationship to the audience. He should take care to be properly
introduced to the audience. He may ask that some background material be circulated among-the
listeners or he may ask them to do some background reading.
(g) He should find out whether he will be presented as an expert to the audience or as a colleague.
The term teacher and the term resource person have different suggestions of meaning.
2. Getting ready the text and the visual aids, models etc.:
(a) While organizing the material for his presentation, the speaker should make his notes, arrange
them and if possible write out the entire talk. Writing out the speech is advisable for beginners and
when the occasion is so important that every word counts.
(b) The style of a presentation should be formal, with occasional use of short forms like couldn’t,
isn’t etc. But usages like for free, guy, fellow, etc. are inopportune. The speech should sound easy
on the ears – you need to avoid tongue-twisters.
(c) A speech can be spiced up with humour. But one has to take care that the jokes are not worn
out. They should be decent, too. Difficult moments are made bearable by humour. “Individually
we think that one cannot do anything about this problem. But in a conference we can collectively
decide that nothing can be done about it.”
(d) As for addressing the dignitaries and the audience, one may simply address the chairperson (or
the host if one is oneself the chairperson), the audience and begin. Or one may take the care to
address all the dignitaries on the dais.
(i) Mr. Chairman Sir, ladies and gentlemen,
(ii) Honourable Principal, members of the teaching staff, and my dear student friends,
(iii) Chairman of today’s function Mr. Ramesh Gandhi, guests of honour Mr. Khanna and Mr.
Pardesi, representative of the sponsors Mr. Deole, ladies and gentlemen,
(e) The text of your speech, as discussed before, has to have three parts: introduction, body, and
conclusion.
During the introductory part, the speaker may make a topical remark about the day’s news or what
has happened in the hall or during the previous speaker’s talk. If the speaker has to repeat

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something said by earlier speakers, for supporting it or showing difference of opinion, he may
quote that part carefully.
(f) The speaker gains audience support by saying how happy or privileged he feels to be there. He
may express his gratitude or react to the introduction given to him. This ought to sound straight
from the heart.
(g) The main body of the talk has to use facts and figures to suit your purpose. If it is to inform,
the information must be well classified and made memorable by converting figures into visuals.
“This factory, small as it is, produces one matchbox for every citizen of Mumbai.”
If the purpose is to persuade, the logic of the facts should drive to the conclusion. “We see that the
number of asthma cases is directly proportional to the number of automobiles in the city. In short,
the vehicles need to stop spoiling our breathing systems.”
(h) Devices like visuals; cinema clips etc. give relief to the speaker and whet the curiosity of the
audience. Moreover, the variation in the mode of presentation makes it interesting. Besides, the
visuals leave a deeper impress on the viewer’s mind.
There has to be, though, a judicious mix of script and visuals. One good picture is worth a thousand
words, but it takes eight words to state this truth. In other words, we have to come back towards.
3. Suit your dress and appearance to the occasion:
(a) Once during a famous speaker’s talk, video filming was going on, and close-ups of his face
were shown on screens in different parts of the hall. And people remarked that some parts of – the
speaker’s chin were not properly shaved.
A formal speech is an occasion for looking smart and well-tailored. Sometimes there is no
speaker’s desk or table where half of the speaker’s body may be hidden. Hence the speaker needs
to take care of himself from top to toes.
(b) Moreover, the body language is read by the spectators even before the speaker begins his talk.
So your way of getting up from the chair, making your way to the speaker’s post, and the way you
carry your hands about your body, etc. need to be rehearsed and managed.
Impressive body language requires:
(i) A comfortable posture:
You should stand at ease, your weight equally balanced on your feet. You should not tie your
hands behind your body but rather keep them by the side or at the belt level.
(ii) Eye contact:

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You should look the audience in the eye. You should try to locate a friendly face and use it to your
advantage. You should run your eyes over all sections of the audience.
(iii) Graceful movements:
If you walk about during the course of your talk, you should do so as unnoticeably as possible.
You may have to move to get close to a chart and then come back to the front part of the stage. Do
this smartly.
(iv) A pleasant expression:
You need to smile, and even if you do not, the effect should be pleasant and cheerful. Serious news
can be delivered with a sober, calm expression.
(v) Mastery over the voice:
A good voice for presentations is cultivated like a singing voice. Indeed, the two have much in
common: increased breathing capacity, breath control, cheerful overtones, clear pronunciation,
absence of harshness, and variation of the pace of delivery.
(vi) Pauses also speak:
From time to time, the speaker has to pause even while keeping control over the audience’s
attention. How much to pause and when, is an art. But even seasoned speakers are found to overdo
it, which only shows how much care one needs to exercise here.
(vii) Energetic appearance:
The speaker should radiate energy. He had better speak on an empty stomach or with only a light
snack. Then the stomach muscles throw the air out forcefully and the blood circulation is more in
the brain and not in the digestive system.
(viii) React to the audience mood:
The audience may get dull or highly responsive during the speaker’s talk. If it gets dull, the voice
has to become vigorous or a joke or story has to be used. If the audience gets very responsive, a
remark may be added about its enthusiasm.
4. Practicing your talk:
There may be four stages in practicing a presentation:
(a) Reading your text either word for word or from the points written down. This is in the mind.
(b) Talking to a wall, a mirror or alone in your room in a slightly audible voice
(c) Rehearsing your speech before a trial audience, friends or relatives
(d) Speaking on the occasion

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A speaker who goes through these four stages finds himself at ease on an occasion which tends to
make the best of us a little bit nervous.
Practice makes one perfect. Indeed, practice also enables you to adjust the length of your talk and
find out if any tongue-twisters have crept into your speech. Preparation and practice are the all-
important tools for generating confidence, which is the foundation of a presentation.
Advanced visual support for business presentation
Good visuals in a business presentation can range from complex videos to a simple poster. For
those presenters who are not skilled in the video arts, there are several ways to present information
with visuals that will help your audience remember key points long after your presentation has
ended. Three effective methods include PowerPoint presentations, flip charts and posters.
PowerPoint Presentations
PowerPoint offers hundreds of font, audio and image options for its users. The first thing presenters
should understand is that just because there are 350 font options does not mean you should use
them. Always use either light font over a dark background or dark font over a light background.
Avoid red font and green backgrounds or fonts and backgrounds that are close on the color wheel
as they will be difficult to read. Follow the rule of 8. The rule of 8 states that you should be able
to read your presentation while standing 8 feet away from the standard computer screen. If the font
is too small to read from this distance, it will be too small to read in your presentation. Include a
maximum of five points per page.
Effective Flip Charts
Flip Charts are not only inexpensive but they can also be used for ideas and brainstorming within
the context of the meeting. Use dark markers to write on a flip chart and make sure you have plenty
of paper on the flip chart pad. Some flip charts now have adhesive on the back of each page so the
presenter when finished, can stick the page to a corresponding wall that the audience can see. This
feature prevents having to flip back and forth from page to page wasting valuable time and allows
for writing a free flow of ideas with ease.
Effective Posters
Posters are prepared much in advance of a presentation. The simplest posters can be made from
poster board with graphics and text added with glue or tape. More advanced posters can be made
using PowerPoint and then printed and laminated for a more professional look. Change the size of
your PowerPoint slide to a good poster size, such as 2-by-3 feet , and decrease the view percentage
on your computer screen to around 25 percent, or the smallest view that still allows you to see each
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element clearly. PowerPoint hints also apply to poster design. Avoid designing posters that are too
busy or have too much text. A poster should have an eye-catching visual that tells the story without
viewers having to read paragraphs of accompanying text.
Considerations
Simplicity is key in conveying information visually. The more complex the visual, the more likely
you are to lose the message you are trying to convey. Visuals can help your audience retain
information up to six times longer. Beware, however, of staying on one visual for too long.
According to The Eggleston Group, studies show that audience members become bored with a
visual after 7 to 10 seconds. Always rehearse with your visuals. Don't forget to inspect the room
where you will be presenting to make sure the elements required for your presentation, such as
projectors, screens and outlets, are available.
Types of visual aid
Different types of visual aids
There are many different types of visual aids. The following advice will help you make the most
of those most commonly used.
PowerPoint (or equivalent)
Microsoft PowerPoint is probably now the most commonly used form of visual aid. Used well, it
can really help you in your presentation; used badly, however, it can have the opposite effect. The
general principles are:
Do Don't

use a big enough font (minimum 20pt) make it so small you can't read it

keep the background simple use a fussy background image

but don't over-do the animation - it gets

use animations when appropriate
distracting

use endless slides of bulleted lists that all look

make things visual
the same
Overhead projector slides/transparencies
Overhead projector slides/transparencies are displayed on the overhead projector (OHP) - a very
useful tool found in most lecture and seminar rooms. The OHP projects and enlarges your slides
onto a screen or wall without requiring the lights to be dimmed. You can produce your slides in
three ways:
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pre-prepared slides : these can be words or images either hand written/drawn or produced on a
computer;
spontaneously produced slides: these can be written as you speak to illustrate your points or to
record comments from the audience;
a mixture of each: try adding to pre-prepared slides when making your presentation to show
movement, highlight change or signal detailed interrelationships.
Make sure that the text on your slides is large enough to be read from the back of the room. A
useful rule of thumb is to use 18 point text if you are producing slides with text on a computer.
This should also help reduce the amount of information on each slide. Avoid giving your audience
too much text or overly complicated diagrams to read as this limits their ability to listen. Try to
avoid lists of abstract words as these can be misleading or uninformative.
White or black board
White or black boards can be very useful to help explain the sequence of ideas or routines,
particularly in the sciences. Use them to clarify your title or to record your key points as you
introduce your presentation (this will give you a fixed list to help you recap as you go along).
Rather than expecting the audience to follow your spoken description of an experiment or process,
write each stage on the board, including any complex terminology or precise references to help
your audience take accurate notes. However, once you have written something on the board you
will either have to leave it there or rub it off - both can be distracting to your audience. Check to
make sure your audience has taken down a reference before rubbing it off - there is nothing more
frustrating than not being given enough time! Avoid leaving out of date material from an earlier
point of your presentation on the board as this might confuse your audience. If you do need to
write 'live', check that your audience can read your writing.
Paper handouts
Handouts are incredibly useful. Use a handout if your information is too detailed to fit on a slide
or if you want your audience to have a full record of your findings. Consider the merits of passing
round your handouts at the beginning, middle and end of a presentation. Given too early and they
may prove a distraction. Given too late and your audience may have taken too many unnecessary
notes. Given out in the middle and your audience will inevitably read rather than listen. One
powerful way of avoiding these pitfalls is to give out incomplete handouts at key stages during
your presentation. You can then highlight the missing details vocally, encouraging your audience
to fill in the gaps.
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Flip chart
A flip chart is a large pad of paper on a stand. It is a very useful and flexible way of recording
information during your presentation - you can even use pre-prepared sheets for key points. Record
information as you go along, keeping one main idea to each sheet. Flip back through the pad to
help you recap your main points. Use the turning of a page to show progression from point to point.
Remember to make your writing clear and readable and your diagrams as simple as possible.
Video (DVD or VHS)
Video gives you a chance to show stimulating visual information. Use video to bring movement,
pictures and sound into your presentation. Always make sure that the clip is directly relevant to
your content. Tell your audience what to look for. Avoid showing any more film than you need.
Artefacts or props
Sometimes it can be very useful to use artefacts or props when making a presentation (think of the
safety routine on an aeroplane when the steward shows you how to use the safety equipment). If
you bring an artefact with you, make sure that the object can be seen and be prepared to pass it
round a small group or move to different areas of a large room to help your audience view it in
detail. Remember that this will take time and that when an audience is immersed in looking at an
object, they will find it hard to listen to your talk. Conceal large props until you need them; they
might distract your audience's attention.

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