原创 王琼输出的力量 王琼工作室 输出的力量
有了明确的目的,我们接着可以搭建一个最简单的商务英语写作模版:三段式结构。
第一段目的先行,开头写:
第二段给出具体论断、原因、细节、信息:
这一段主要是罗列细节,最好以短语或短句的方式写,遵循的原则有两个:
1)“眼球扫描法”,要一“眼”打尽。写的长句多,多换行都会造成阅读停顿或者意义切换时需要重新构建。有一个笑话。一家公司召开经销商答谢会,PPT文档上字比较多。有一行写的是:为欢迎各位经销商,我们为大家准备了精美的礼物:电脑——(结果很多人觉得公司非常慷慨,可一换行看见的是——)
包。
原来是:电脑包。这样的信息断崖让人像过山车一样,从狂喜之巅跌落失望之谷。
还有一点,写得多出错的几率就大。如果是内部交流,读者对于事情的背景应该有一定了解。我们只要提及关键词,对方就能明白。当然如果是对外交流,还有另当别论的方法。
2)一封信或者邮件核心解决一个问题已经不错了,不要罗列一大堆信息或者原因。人们永远记不住“4,5,6”,只能记得住“1,2,3”。所以建议罗列不超过三条。这样做可以达到:短小精悍出错少;逻辑简练记得住。
研究表明,我们的大脑一次只能存储3-4条信息。此外,信息只能存储约20-30秒。在这段时间之后,除非一遍又一遍地看到它,否则我们会立即忘记。所以,我们写作时要精简信息;写得再多读者也记不住,反而让对方感到信息过载,甚至决定放弃交流。
列清单是一个让大脑减负的办法。如果大段信息不断地占用大脑,做事效率就会降低。所以,写作时不妨用一些项目符号列清单,让读者的大脑感觉事情不太多,信息不复杂,他们可以应对或者处理,这样他们才愿意负责和处理。
第三段:要求具体行动或反馈意见,一定要记住:ask for action or reaction,说明对己对人的价值和好处,以此获得对方的意愿配合我们行动起来。你可以这么写:
我建议少用As soon as possible,因为没有影响力。ASAP已经沦为陈词滥调,每个人对soon的感知不同,行动的速度也不同。像“at your earliest convenient time”这样的表达,你会发现有些人一直都不方便呐!我们需要要求行动或者建议,当然还要符合6C中“Courteous——礼貌的原则”。
怎么礼貌地要求读者配合行动呢?我们尝试过一个极简的方法是加上so that……,突出这么做会为读者带来的好处。比如,I’m looking forward to your reply, if possible before this Fri. (July 22) so that the project team can put all the data and analysis together to report to our managers on the coming Monday.
写出具体的行动和时间,但更主要的是说明了对部门的好处,让读者感到作为部门的一员也与有荣焉。
最后签名落款:
我们可以将此设置为模版。不过需要注意,现在的写作表达以简约为主,“Best regards”已经很正式了,不需再用古老的风格,如:Yours truthfully, humbly, faithfully,否则会让读者觉得文风怪异;前面的内容风风火火,最后到了此处又文质彬彬,让读者脑海中对作者的画像是——人格分裂,一会在现代的职场,一会在古代宫廷,实在没有必要。
我想再提醒一下,很多人在这里经常犯错。看看我们是否写的是:Best Regards, Best Wishes。其实,R, W都不应该大写,因为它们不是首字母。这么多年来,大多数人在这个小细节上很少写对过。
我给你们提供了一个极简而确保周全的写作模版。不论一个人的英语水平高低,至少能够让读者从模版上看到你是受过专业训练的。
我们来看看几个例子,运用三段论的结构可以快速打磨出高效写作的范文。
Example #1:
这段话错字连篇,文法不通,更没有标点符号,写得非常糟糕。修改如下:
Thank you for putting up a wonderful advertisement on newspaper of XX product.The purpose of this letter is to request for information of your product.
We have the following inquires:
l about a full price list on your product pipeline
l possibilities of subcontracting office services to the vendors
l your service package and contract terms
I’m looking forward to hearing from you on our possible cooperation before the end of April (our fiscal year) so that we can work out a detailed plan for further discussion. I have confidence that both of us will benefit from it.
Yours sincerely,
除了把原来“惨不忍睹”的信函整顿了开头,我们还可以丰富内涵,把这封信进一步修改为得体的商务英语写作的范文。
Example #2:
China World Hotel: A MESSAGE FOR OUR GUEST
DATE:__________ TIME:___________
TO: Mr. Brian Smith_______________
While You Were Out:
Mr. Li Xiao
Ms._____________________________________________
Mrs.
Telephoned Will call again Stopped by
Hi! Welcome to China! You know I love the US and still remember the beautiful days I’ve spent there. So this time let us treat you. The meeting will start on Monday morning. Have a good rest. Please feel free to call me.
这个便签语无伦次,缺失重要的信息;修改如下:
Thanks for letting me know you’ve come to China. I’m writing to inform you about our meeting.
1) Time: Monday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00;
2) Venue: Conference Room 202;
3) Agenda: Work report 15 minutes/person with ppt.
Have a good rest. If there is anything you need, please feel free to call me at 1234567890.
Yours,
LI Xiao
这么写加入了细节,让读者知道自己应该如何准备会议;即使便签很小,但重要信息还是应当包括在里面。
Example #3:
这封信已经是范文了,如果要更清晰地表达目的,我们可以这么写:
The purpose of this letter is to offer our solution to your concern.
如果用三段式表达,信件的主体内容可以调整为:
We are reporting to you our findings and our actions for your concern:
What you found was a small chunk of burned potato. These blackened chunks occur when particles break loose from potatoes and collect in our deep-fat frying system. To prevent these chucks from being packaged, we continuously filter the oil in your fryers, and we periodically clean the fryers.
In addition, our inspectors visually check all Potato Ripples before packaging. Despite these precautions, a chunk of blackened potato occasionally finds its way into a package of Potato Ripples.
We do value the quality of our products and will continue to make every effort to prevent chunks of burned potato from being packaged with our Potato Ripples.
最后一段不变。
这么写的好处是把段落拆解为三个有项目符号的模块,让读者阅读时更加聚焦,既能了解公司给客户解释的缘由,又能看到为客户采取的行动。
Example #4:
第四个例子表达太口语化,不符合商务英语书面交流的要求。如果非要修改,让它变得有一定的可读性,我们可以这么写:
Thank you for your message. The purpose of this letter is to present our latest product of Model 40 Smartphone.
You may refer to the attached files for your reference on a detailed introduction on our product and the files include:
our updated pricelist;
our product brochures;
our old price package that we can give you on your current order as you are our long-term customer.
One more thing: we’ve now moved to a new building and you may refer to our new address below in this email. I am looking forward to welcoming you at our new office when you are in town. If there is anything you need my help regarding to our contract on the new product, please never hesitate to let me know.
Best wishes,
让这份邮件改头换面,大功告成!
写作的模版化能够反映一个人的专业水准。在我的培训中,基本上一个半小时之后学员就感到豁然开朗,马上知道该如何下笔,如何搭建结构,一个简练而清晰的写作雏形就建立起来了。
这样变现的效率让学员们迅速整顿商务英语写作,有对象感、有明晰的结构、有基本素养和风格的体现,这让大家对写作的信心大增。
在我200多场的培训课程中,每到这一刻大家都激动地反馈:写作没有那么难,零基础也可以速成。它的本质是参照极简但完整的体系,目的是突出沟通的效率。有了这个万能模版,大家顿时轻松了不少,也能慢慢爱上写作。从第一个字到第一句话再到一段一段地搭建,一个启动者的姿势就跃然纸上了。
从——
恨写不成文,
到——
下笔略有门。
文章:王参谋
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王琼工作室 输出的力量
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