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room for modifiers in professional correspondence—especially written

correspondence.)

Modifiers and buzz words should not carry the freight of your sentence.

Note: Properly hyphenating modifiers is one of the most effective ways to ensure

that buzz words and modifiers are easy to understand, but the rules can be quite

complicated. For hyphenation rules, consult a language usage guide or manual, such
as The Modern Language Association Handbook or The Associate Press Stylebook.

Speak to Your Specific Audience
Successful communication has a targeted audience. Before preparing for a meeting

or presentation or before composing a specific correspondence, you should try to

identify specifically for whom you are writing. In some cases, doing this is easier than
in others—for example, letters are often for only one person, and targeting one

person can be easier than targeting an audience. Speaking to your audience is more

than simple identification, however. It involves identifying your audience and then
choosing appropriate language for that group.

If you are trying to explain the nature of offers and counteroffers, your choice of

language will depend upon whom you are addressing. For example, if your 15-year-
old niece asks you how you negotiate for lower prices on housing you will probably

use a different vocabulary and familiarity level then you would use if a client asked

you the same question.

Tone

Tone refers to the implied attitude of a communicator inferred from a
communicator's diction and style. Attitude has a big impact on how people perceive

you and your "character," so it plays a big role when trying to use ethos as a means

TX Marketing II: Negotiation Techniques 67