Formal communication
Essential elements of an effective report
Writing a sound business report is necessary as it is through it that a person communicates vital ideas to the entire organization. They address the various concerns that may arise within an organization. An effective business report should contain several essential elements. It should include a cover letter or a memorandum, that serves as an introduction to the report (Victoria Business School, 2017). It states the main objective of the report. Another element is a title page with the author’s name, submission date, and their organization. An executive summary follows, and gives the reader a quick understanding of the report’s recommendations and conclusion. Next is the table of contents that states the pages where the various parts of the report are located (Victoria Business School, 2017).
After the table of contents comes an introduction to the report. It is at this point that the reader gets to know the primary purpose of the report. Generally, an introduction should show the report’s subject matter, describe the concern at hand, state the various concerns the report answers, explain the extent of the investigation, and assumptions and limitations of the report. After the introduction, the report should clearly explain the findings and a discussion of the results. It forms the central part of the report and should be informative (Victoria Business School, 2017). Next are the conclusion and recommendations. A conclusion summarizes and explains the findings and is limited to the already presented data. Recommendations, on the other hand, give suggestions on the various actions that could aid in solving the problem. Lastly, a report should have a list of references and appendices. The organization dictates the referencing style. Appendices are essential as they help the reader in understanding the report (Victoria Business School, 2017).
Essential elements of an effective proposal
The first element is a title page with the title of the proposal, company’s and client’s name, contact information, and date (Lamachenka, 2020). Next is a cover letter that introduces the proposal to the client. A table of content comes in next to illustrate the pages that contain the various sections. A proposal should also have an executive summary that sets the stage for the proposal. It explains the aim of the proposal and the reasons why the client must read it. It should give a glimpse of what the company will offer to the client’s problems. Step five is the proposal that describes the solutions the company will offer. A proposal outlines the anticipated results and gives the timelines of execution. It should also address the needs of the client and be persuasive enough to convince the client (Lamachenka, 2020).
A proposal should include the various services offered to a client. It should have a unique solution for the potential client, describing the results to expect and when to expect them. It is also imperative that a proposal contains vital information about the organization. Such could include past successes or awards (Lamachenka, 2020). It is at this point that an organization or a person gets to show off their achievements. Pricing is another essential element. It offers transparent pricing of all the services or products. Pricing requires one to be careful to avoid overestimation or underestimation. Lastly are the terms and conditions. Here, a person specifies the proposal timetable, duration of the agreement, and payment types and dates. It is essentially what both parties will do should the client accept the proposal (Lamachenka, 2020).
The best approach to presenting the elements of each
For a report, the best way to present it is through a compilation and PowerPoint presentation. After compilation into a document, a person should then circulate it to the necessary audience for them to have an overview and understanding of the whole report. After a specified period, the writer should then make a presentation before the audience to enhance their understanding. For a business proposal, however, the best way to present it is through a PowerPoint presentation. During the presentation, a person needs to go straight to the point and avoid unnecessary information. It should be short and precise. Presenters should make sure they sell their visions to the potential clients. For instance, they could explain to them how they will increase profit margins and customer base.
References
Lamachenka, A. (2020, February 26). How to write a business proposal (The modern way). Retrieved April 9, 2020, from https://blog.pandadoc.com/how-to-write-a-proposal/
Victoria Business School, (2017, April). How to write a business report. Retrieved from https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1779625/VBS-Report-Writing-Guide-2017.pdf