Bettler 1

Marissa Bettler
Professor Jennifer Murray
ENC 1102
19 October 2014
Effective Business Writing Leading to Effective Communication
The Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Dog Grooming Company is a small dog grooming
service run by two main owners that serve over 100 clients and over 300 dogs. Concluding my
research about Pawsitively Poochie, I discovered effective business writing. These sources relate
and interact through perspectives on what is effective writing. The interviews relate to each other
by means of the communication methods that were expressed, and the interviews fill in gaps of
the effective writing in the business. The text messages, Facebook page, Client Card, and
schedule book all relate in their purpose of relaying information in an effort to run an efficient
business through effective business writing. The article Effective Business Writing: Top
Principles and Techniques by English Grammar relates to the educational website page titled
Tone in Business Writing by Dana Lynn Driscoll because they both emphasize what is
considered effective business writing. Both of the former sources by English Grammar and
Driscoll relate to the source Creating More Agile Forms: Getting the Forms to Work for You by
Phillips Jr. and Davis because it states what effective business writing is, but with an emphasis
on creating effective forms used in businesses. The academic journal entitled More
Communication is not always better? by Kuang-Peng Hung and Chung-Kuang Lin relates back
to the other three secondary sources mentioned above. It relates to these sources because without
effective communication there would not be effective business writing.

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I interviewed the two main partners in the Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Dog Grooming
Business. In Jimenezs interview she addressed the different types of writing used in the
business. Examples of the writing used are client cards, schedule book, and text messages. Client
cards are index cards that contain specific information about each dog. The schedule book
contains the clients name, number and date and time of their dog grooming appointment. Text
messages contain client information and information on cancellations or new appointments. In
Mrs. Riveros interview she stated that types of writing used in the business are Facebook,
Client Monthly Sheets, schedule books, and text messages (Rivero). These writings are
effective in their business according to Jimenez because of how in depth the notes are, the better
the notes, the better the job we can do (Jimenez). Jimenez also turns it around and says If we
mess up and write too general or vague notes the less effective we are (Jimenez). This shows
that their business is run efficiently by having detailed notes as part of their effective business
writing. Effective business writing in the Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Grooming business must
include short, concise statements (such as abbreviations), attention to detail, and careful wording.
Examples of abbreviations used in the Pawsitively Poochie business are #5BL (#5 Blade),
AO(All over), and CF(Clean Feet). According to the Tone in Business Writing by Driscoll when
writing effective business writing you must consider the words and phrases you use in your
document and how your reader will likely receive them (PurdueOwl 3). In Jimenezs interview
she states that client cards are written carefully with special word choice (Jimenez). She says
this because if a dog is hard to groom it is more appropriate to state instead that the dog doesnt
like the dryer; this way the customers wont be offended by their cards.
The Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Dog Grooming business communicates through genres
such as text messages, a Facebook page, a Client Card, and schedule book. These genres all have

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the common goal of making the dog grooming business run efficiently. Text messages are used
to keep communication between Jimenez and Rivero about customers, scheduling, and any other
aspects of the business. Similarly, the Facebook page is also used as a type of communication by
giving customers a place to see the work that the owners do, and ask them any questions or give
them feedback. The client card as compared to Facebook and text messages is a different form of
communication. The client card has detailed writing on what grooming style was done to each
dog every time Jimenez and Rivero groom the dogs. On the card there is a generic picture of the
dog. This picture can have little xs put where the dog has any special beauty marks or certain
delicate areas that need to be groomed around. The client card also communicates information
such as the clients contact information, the breed and size of the dog, and any special
instructions given to the groomers by the dogs owner. The schedule book works through
patterns and communicates to the groomers when there are appointments and cancellations.
Usually the same people will be booked together on the schedule book because some customers
like to be schedule every other week on Tuesday. Clients on the schedule book are usually
grouped together because of where they live. Jimenez and Rivero work together driving from
house to house; when the clients who live close together are scheduled close together it saves the
company money for gas. In the text messages, Client Cards and schedule books the business
partners use very detailed business writing to keep their business running efficiently. In contrast
on the Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Grooming Facebook page the business owners use concise,
short, and appropriate language while taking in consideration their audience to effectively give
their customers an outlet for feedback and inquiries. However, all of the genres previously
discussed are all active methods of communication that occur within the business.

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In Effective Business Writing: Top Principles and Techniques by English Grammar rules
for business writing are explained in full detail. The article begins by giving examples of
business writing such as emails, memos, new policies and instructions (EnglishGrammar 1). A
definition of business writing from the article is then provided stating Business Writing is a type
of written communication, usually with standard structure and style (EnglishGrammar 2). The
pros of written communication based off this article are the fact that written communication can
be premeditated, its a permanent record of the information communicated, and they tend to
increase customer satisfaction. These pros are the goals that the writing in the Pawsitively
Poochie Mobile Grooming business tries to accomplish through business writing. The purpose of
each written communication sets the tone for that piece of writing. In Tone in Business Writing,
the author Driscoll argues the importance of taking time to consider the purpose of your
document (Driscoll 1) and to consider your reader before writing any document (Driscoll 2).
Driscoll and English Grammar both emphasize the need to consider the purpose of your written
communication before writing it. Also it is easy to connect the dots between what Driscoll says
is effective business writing and the effective business writing that takes place in the Pawsitively
Poochie business when writing Client Cards. Driscoll says that a business writer must consider
the audience before writing and thats exactly what the Pawsitively Poochie business owners do
when writing their Client Cards.
Creating More Agile Forms: Getting the Forms to Work for You by Phillips Jr. and
Davis focuses mainly on how forms are used as communication. In this article a regular form is
usually only conveying half of the message (Phillips Jr.,Davis 33). The authors of this article
state that in order for the form to be agile and successful at communicating it must also include
understanding and feedback (Phillips Jr.,Davis 33). This relates to the article by English

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Grammar because this article defines business writing as written communication. Another source
that can relate to Phillips Jr. and Davis is the webpage by Driscoll. Driscoll discusses the most
effective ways to communicate in business writing, while Phillips Jr., and Davis discusses
communication in an aspect of business writing (aka forms).
In More Communication is not always better? by Hung and Lin relates to the Pawsitively
Poochie Facebook page, the Client Card, Driscoll, English Grammar, and Phillips Jr. and Davis
because it emphasizes effective writing to result in satisfied customers. The article states that
effective communication is found to be beneficial for improving purchasers' perceived
satisfaction (Hung,Lin 1). This relates to the Client Card and the Facebook page because word
choice is important when dealing with customers. Effective writing must also be utilized when
dealing with scheduling because if not done properly it can result in unsatisfied customers and
disorganization. The article goes into specific detail on how to satisfy customers through
effective communication. The article connects to the other sources because they talk about the
use of effective communication through business writing.
All the sources used in this paper interrelate through their definitions of effective
communication or writing effectively in business settings. When combining all of the sources
together, a clear picture forms on what exactly is considered effective writing and how effective
writing relates to the writing done in the Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Dog Grooming business.
To write effectively in a business the writer must consider the author, ponder the purpose, be
detailed in some situations, and be short and concise in others. Business writers must also have a
confident, sincere tone when writing for their business or to a client. Primary sources give
examples of effective business writing as defined by the secondary sources. The secondary
sources give insight into all the qualities a business writer must have in their writing to be

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successful at communicating. Effective communication will result in effective business writing
and an efficiently run business.

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Works Cited
"Effective Business Writing: Top Principles and Techniques." English Grammar RSS. 19 Oct.
2014.
Hung, Kuang-Peng, and Lin, Chung-Kuang,. "more communication is not always better? the
interplay between effective communication and interpersonal conflict in influencing
satisfaction." Industrial Marketing Management 42.8 (2013): 1223-1232. Print.
Jimenez, Jamie. Personal interview. 19 Oct. 2014.
Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Grooming Inc. In Facebook.Web. 18 Feb. 2011.
Pawsitively Poochie Mobile Grooming, Receipt Record: June 1, 2014 June 30, 2014, Excel
Workbook.
Phillips Jr., James N., and Susan Davis. "Creating More AGILE Forms: Getting The Forms To
Work For You!" Contract Management 52.11 (2012): 30-36. Business Source Premier.
Web. 19 Oct. 2014.
Driscoll, Dana Lynn. Tone in Business Writing. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and
Purdue University, 2010. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.
Rivero, Diana. Personal interview. 19 Oct. 2014.