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How to Write It:Business Plans and Reports

Sandra E. Lamb

How to write business plans and reports that get results.

(Editor's Note: This article is takenfrom three chapters that are reprintedwith permission from iHow to Write it,Revised, by Sandra E. Lamb. Copy-right © 1998, 2006 by Sandra E. Lamb,Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California,www.ten s peed .co m)

Sandra E. Lamb is an award-winning au-thor and writer. She began her career asa technical writer, and has worked as aghostwriter, editor, newspaper columnist,and CEO of a public relations agency. Shefrequently writes for national magazinesand newspapers on writing and manyother topics and speaks to audiencesacross the country. Visit her Web site atsandralamb.com

It ain 't wiiat you don't knowttiat gets you in trouble;it's what you know for surethat ain't so.—Mark Twain

The Business Plan

The business plan is really a pro-posal that sets out a new busi-ness venture, direction, product,

or course of action. Write a businessplan in order to gain support for youridea. Like the proposal, it is written topersuade.

Your audience may be potentialinvestors, bankers, and sometimesexecutives within your organization.You may need to convince a bank orinvestors to offer financing, or organi-zation executives to offer cooperation,resources, or other types of support,including enthusiasm. You may alsowant others to offer an evaluation, ad-ditional ideas, and counsel. Businessplans are generally of limited distribu-tion and are kept confidential.

Think About Content

• Focus your plan on your preciseaudience, e.g., your bank loanofficer. For each audience, you'llwant to write a precise plan.

• Research your audience todetermine the elements eachwants to see. Bankers, for ex-ample, will have very prescribedrequirements, like a balancesheet, profit-and-loss statement,

cash-flow projections, projectedexpenditures, break-even points,and so on.

• Develop the plan sections:—The generai business descrip-

tion will state the business type,products and/or services to beproduced, and the market posi-tioning. Start with the legal nameof the organization, its location,and status (for example, "X Com-pany is a California Corporation,located at 324 Locust Street, LosAngeles, licensed to do businessas . . . " ) ; describe what the orga-nization will do; include a state-ment about the customer or cli-ent base; describe the growthopportunity; explain where theproduct(s) or service(s) will fit inthe competitive field, and whatmakes the plan viable. Makea brief statement about futuregrowth. This section may be onlya sentence or a number of para-graphs in length.

— A mission statement briefly de-fines the purpose and reasonfor existing. Distill this to a sim-ple statement. For example, "XCompany will offer an affordablealternative to Y Company's . . . "

— Goais may be segmented intoshort-term, mid-term, and long-term, but should also be pro-jected precisely on a timetable.Be realistic, offer specific andmeasurable terms, and be con-

Business & Economic Review I October-December 2006 17

servative rather than overly opti-mistic.Management team membersshould be identified and theirexpertise described. Include keysupport team members, too, likeoutside consultants, accoun-tants, lawyers, insurance agents,and marketing experts who havecommitted to work with the orga-nization. Describe their expertiseand list some of their references.(You may include resumes in theappendices.) This section mayaiso inciude a iisting of organiza-tion positions that wili be addedin the future and projectionsabout staging and expansion.

•Market analysis is the heart ofyour pian, because It creates thebasis for your plan to succeed.You must demonstrate that youunderstand the market. This iswhere you will analyze competi-tive organizations and productsor services, and then show howyour product or service can com-pete and become successful.The marketing plan must lay out,in concrete terms, what you willdo and how you will use variouspromotional, advertising, andpublic relations techniques tolaunch the organization. Includethis information for each particu-lar service and product, and foreach market segment.

•The financial analysis must show,from the beginning of the planperiod, how finances will beused to achieve success. Finan-cial statements need to includeall investments and starting cap-ital, as well as debt. Projectionsfor financial growth must includea discussion of strengths andweaknesses, cost-control mea-sures, and potential problem ar-eas. Show how you are preparedto deal with them. Include herea balance sheet, profit-and-lossstatements, and cash-flow pro-jections for the short-, mid-, andlong-term. Usually projectionswill go to six months, and one,two, and three years, at least forbanks.

•Appendices or supporting docu-ments will include a number

"The business plan is really a proposal that sets out anew business venture, direction, product, or course ofaction. Write a business plan in order to gain supportfor your idea."

of items to bolster your case.Include resumes of key teammembers; customer or clientcontracts or orders; letters ofsupport by experts in the field;marketing studies or focus-groupresponses; positive reviews ofthe product or service; patentsor licenses; documentation thatyou have secured incorporation,name rights, and other uniquelegal documents; and publicityor statements about demand forthe product or service. Includeanything that helps to make yourcase, carefully tabbed and cor-rectly referenced in the appropri-ate plan section.

Eliminate Wrong Messages

• Don't think one plan fits all. Besure you include only the rele-vant material for your audience,and meticulously focus on andtailor each plan accordingly.

• Don't pad your plan. A winningplan can be as short as a fewpages. (The shorter it is, the morelikely it will be carefully read.)

• Eliminate stilted language. Aconversational tone will helpwarm up your audience.

• Don't mail off your plan withoutfirst getting a face-to-face, if atall possible. If a meeting isn'tpossible, call and discuss yourplan with the person who'll eval-uate it before submitting it.

Consider Special Situations• Different audiences will dictate

the weighting of your plan. Haveas much preliminary discussionwith the audience (for example,bank loan officer) as possiblein the research phase beforeyou start. It's important to makesure you present the Informationrequired in the preferred form;submitting a business plan forconsideration may be a one-timeopportunity.

• Demonstrate that you have awinning plan by using creativeresources whenever possible todemonstrate the validity of yourplan. Research online the manysources of help available, like theSmall Business Administration'sgroup of retired executives,chambers of commerce, and in-dustry-specific counselors.

• Be sure to thoroughly check outany audiences you are consid-ering partnering with. Ask thebank you are considering, forexample, for the names of othersmall businesses they partnerwith. Check the bank's reserves,and interview similar organiza-tions that partner with the bank.Ask about loan limits, and checkthe bank's record of calling inloans, extending payment plans,and their willingness and abilityto stick with a small businessthrough a difficult period.

• Consider all your options in cre-ating a plan presentation in vi-sual form.

Select a Format

• Create a visually appealing print-ed document by using double-spaced text on 8 'A by 11-inchquality, white or off-white bond.

• For the printed and bound hardcopy (paper) plan, prepare a ti-tle page; a table of contents, ifneeded; and a table of graphs,illustrations, and charts, if ap-propriate.

• Prepare and print graphs, charts,and illustrations in professional-looking color to illustrate themain points of your plan.

• Use a computer presentation,in person, whenever possible.When your audience can beassembled, think about Pow-erPoint or another audiovisualformat that allows you to "showand tell" to your best advantage.Use actual products and/or ser-

18 Business & Economic Review I October-December 2006

vice samples whenever possible.Practice your presentation untilyou can present it flawlessly. An-ticipate and prepare answers tokey questions.

Edit, Edit, Edit

Fine-tune your plan, have trustedprofessionals review and critique it,and make any and all corrections andchanges until it's perfect.

The Formal Report

Whatever we conceivewell we express clearly.—Boileau

The formal report collects and in-terprets data and reports information.Reports are used to inform, analyze,recommend, and persuade. They areusually written in indirect order—pre-senting information, analyzing it, mak-ing conclusions, and making recom-mendations. The formal report is oftenvery complex and may be bound likea book. (An example is The 9-11 Com-mission Report. See samples at theend of this chapter.) In the businesssetting, the informal report is usuallyused for internal distribution, and theforma! report is prepared for externaldistribution to stockholders, custom-ers, and the general public. The formatreport is often a written account of amajor project. Examples of subjectmatter include new technologies, theresults of a study or experiment, anal-ysis of locations for corporate reloca-tion, an annual report, or a year-endreview of developments in the field.Careful planning and meticulous orga-nization are necessary to guide read-ers through the material.

Three main sections—preliminary,or front, material, body, and backmaterial—help give the report form.Within these sections, there may be anumber of subsections as needed:

"A formal report isoften very complexand may be boundlike a book."

Preliminary (Front) Material

— Title Page— Letter of Authorization— Letter of Transmittal—Abstract— Table of Contents— List of Figures— List of Tables— List of Symbols and/or

Abbreviations— Statement of Problem, Abstract,

Synopsis, or Summary— Foreword— Preface

Body

— Executive Summary— Introduction— Text (with Appropriate

Headings, Subheadings)— Conciusions or Summary— Recommendations

Supplemental (Back) Material

— References— Appendices— Bibiiography— Glossary— Index

Preliminary or Front Material

Front material describes for thereader the purpose of the report. Itprovides an overview and lists specificcontent.

• The title page lists the topic orsubject, scope, and purpose;the writer with title and/or roleand affiliate organization; dateof issuance (and period, such asquarterly, annual); and the nameof the commissioning organiza-tion. This page isn't numbered,but is page i; the blank back ofthe page, also unnumbered, ispage ii.

• Letter of authorization lists thesponsoring organization (or per-son) commissioning the workand the report.

• Letter of transmittal is a coverletter identifying who the reportis sent by and to whom it is be-ing sent. It may point out specialsections or points of interest.

• The abstract gives the majorpoints of the report.

• Table of contents lists the majorsections or headings, in order of

appearance, and the page num-bers on which they begin.

• List of figures (when there arefive or more) shows the pageson which they appear.

• List of tabies is used when five ormore of these are used. It givesthe page numbers where theyappear.

• A foreword, when included,contains an introductory state-ment by someone other than theauthor(s), giving background andperhaps comparisons to otherreports in the field. The writer/author's name appears at theend, along with the date.

• The preface is the author's state-ment about the what, why, when,and so on of the report.

Body

Here's where the methods, proce-dures, tests, and comparisons usedare covered. It also includes the re-sults, analyses, conclusions, and rec-ommendations, if any.

• The executive summary is anoverview, more detailed than theabstract.

• The introduction indicates thereport's purpose, scope, andother information.

• The text details how the study,investigation, and research werepursued or explored, and the ini-tial findings.

• Conciusions or summary distillsthe findings, results, and out-come, and offers deductive con-clusions.

• Recommendations may be com-bined with conclusions. Thisusually states a course of actionor results that indicate the needfor the next step.

Supplemental (Back) Material

• The back material lists sources,documentation, and supplemen-tal material.

• The appendices contain sup-porting information that is eithertoo detailed or would disrupt theflow of the report if inserted inthe text.

• The bibliography is an alphabeti-cal listing of sources used by theauthor of the report.


• The glossary is an alphabeticallisting of terms and definitions.

• The index is an alphabetical listof the terms, subjects, or namesused in the report, and the pageson which they appear.

Think About OrganizationAfter determining what sections

you'll need to write, start to organizeyour material in outline form. To orga-nize the report in a conventional out-line manner, use:

I. Major or First Level HeadingA. Minor or Second Level Heading1. Subhead or Third Level Headinga. Fourth Level(1) Fifth Level(a) Sixth Level

To arrange the report by the deci-mal system, use:

1.0 First Level Heading1.1 Second Level Heading1.2.1 Third Level1.2.2.1 Fourth Level

In typing the report, the outlineform may be presented in the outlinemethods mentioned, or in one of thefollowing:

I. MAJOR OR FIRST LEVEL HEAD-ING

A. Minor or Second Level Heading1. Subhead or Third Level Headinga. Fourth Level Heading or Para-

graph Heading

Headings may be typed withoutnumbers or letters:

MAJOR OR FIRST LEVEL HEAD-ING

Minor or Second Level HeadingSubtopic or Third Level HeadingFourth Level Heading or Paragraph

Heading

Think About Content

• Remember that most formal re-ports use an indirect approach.(This is a pattern where the in-formation order is: a "buffer"statement of neutral informationor an explanation, followed bya statement of the bad news orthe problem, followed by a con-clusion statement offering goodnews or a solution.) This ap-

proach introduces the problem,then gives the facts with analy-ses (when needed), and summa-rizes the information given.

• The informal report often usesthe direct approach, offering theconclusion or recommendation,followed by the facts often givenmuch more briefly.

• Begin by answering why this re-port is needed, and make yourneed statement specific. It maybe to convey information, to an-alyze, or to recommend a courseof action, or all three.

• The need statement should in-clude the reader. For example,"Our sales representatives needto know why competitive prod-ucts X, Y, and Z are outsellingour product A." Focus your needstatement on a specific goal orpurpose statement. It can beexpressed as a question, a de-clarative statement, or an infini-tive phrase:

Question: "What do our sales rep-resentatives need to know aboutcompetitive products X, Y, and Z inorder to effectively sell product A?"Declarative Statement: "Our salesrepresentatives need to know thefeatures of competitive products X,Y, and Z in order to effectively sellproduct A."Infinitive Phrase: "To sell productA effectively, our sales representa-tives need to know the features ofcompetitive products X, Y, and Z."• Divide the task into its compo-

nent parts. You will want to lookat subtopics within the purposestatements.

• If you are reporting information,such as the results of an experi-ment or a list of books on a topic,the structure will be a straight-forward, logical narrative. Makesure your report is objective;base it on facts. This helps freeit of opinion and bias.

• If you are making analyses,drawing conclusions, or makingrecommendations, you prob-ably need to carefully organizesome additional elements. Takethe case of our product, for ex-ample. After defining the broadsubtopics—product X, product

Y, product Z—you may want tocomplete some initial observa-tions or surveys of competitiveproducts. You may give theseresponses to the question "Whyare products X, Y, and Z outsell-ing product A?";

1. Products X and Z are cheaperthan product A.

2. Products Y and Z are available indesigner colors; product A isn't.

3. Products X, Y, and Z are pack-aged in carrying cases, whichbuyers seem to prefer overproduct A's packaging.

You will want to research somefacts that can be used as sales pointsfor product A. You may find that:

1. Although product A costs more,it outperforms and outlasts prod-ucts X and Z.

2. Product A is not a fashion ac-cessory. Designer colors aren'trelated to performance.

3. Product A is self-contained andhas no detachable parts, so it ishandsome and more convenientwithout a carrying case.

At the same time, your observationsand surveys may lead you to developsome theories or hypotheses aboutyour product:

1. We should reduce product A'sprice to be more competitivewith products X and Z.

2. We should make product A avail-able in designer colors to com-pete with products Y and Z.

3. We should develop a useful car-rying case for product A to com-pete favorably with products X,Y and Z.

• Evaluate your hypotheses by as-signing point values to each orby using another test method.They may all be partially true orfalse. If your hypotheses provefalse, you may have to advancesome additional hypotheses toevaluate. In the case of productA, research may indicate thatprice, a wide range of colors,and a carrying case are the threetop buyer criteria.

• Break down the subtopics intosub-subtopics, if this is helpfulto get at the real solutions to theproblem.

• Gather all the information. This


"The informal report...usually takes the form of a memo, letter, or a very short inter-nal dooument....lt differs from the formal report in length and formality."

can require personal research,data collection, surveys, or ex-periments. Business problemsusually rely on surveys, scientificproblems, or experiments. Infor-mation problems may be solvedusing library research. Employobjective, proper, and thoroughmethods here to avoid invalidat-ing your solution.

• Test your gathered data:Is it objective? Keep an open mindand consider all aspects to deter-mine if sources are reported fairlyand completely. Guard againstbias.Do others agree? Use the input ofothers to question and challengeyour interpretation.Is it reasonable? Check conclu-sions vi/ith logical thinking andmake the surrounding facts sup-port them.Does it hold up? Play devil's advo-cate, taking the opposing view-point, and see if your conclusionshold up. Represent them fairly inyour report, showing supportingevidence.

Statistical data and interpretationare key in many reports. But scientificaccuracy and integrity must be usedIn reporting this information. Checkthis out thoroughly before including itin your report.

• Organize the information into areport format, keeping preciserecords of sources.

• Write the rough draft.• Be consistent in tense. Either

present or past works well, butuse the same tense throughout.

• Be consistent, too, in personal orimpersonal (third person) view-point. The personal " I " or "we"can be as effective as the imper-sonal tests and facts, but differ-ent organizations and disciplinesprefer one over the other. Oftenthe informal report will use thepersonal, and the formal reportwill use impersonal. Check yourorganization's style preference.

• Use effective transition wordsto begin new paragraphs. Thishelps keep the reader's atten-tion.

• Make effective use of graphs, il-lustrations, and charts to makepoints.

• Enliven your writing by using ef-fective, vigorous action words,but don't overdo it.

• Revise. Cut out nonessentialparts, check for stilted words,jargon, inconsistencies, redun-dancies, and errors in logic.Eliminate any general, abstract,or vague statements. During thisprocess, ask these questions:

— Does the introduction establishthe scope and methods to beused?

— Are all the points in the introduc-tion fully developed in the body?

— Is the development of points log-ical and complete?

— Are there ideas or sections thatshould be combined or relocat-ed?

— Is there a clear solution to, or acomplete discussion of, the stat-ed problem?

— Is there a clear relationship be-tween ideas and facts?

— Does the report flow logically?— Is information complete for read-

er understanding?— Is opinion correctly identified

from fact?— Have all the facts been double-

checked?— Do headings and subheadings

properly reflect content?— Are all grammar and spelling er-

rors eliminated?• Review and proofread with as

many other people as practical.Consider any pertinent reac-tions, comments, and changes.

• Edit. It is best to give your reporta few days on the shelf so youcan become objective again.Then give it a fresh, last look.


• Don't embellish facts, use themout of context, or misinterpret

them to support a point.• Don't use material without giving

proper credit.• Do not make faulty or illogical

cause-and-effect conclusions.Use sound reasoning to be sureof a relationship. And remember,conclusions are not always nec-essary. Some things are incon-clusive. Say so.

• Don't make the mistake of as-suming a lack of evidence provesthe opposite is true. Maybe itisn't.

• Do not compare apples to or-anges. Data must be similar innature for comparisons to be au-thentic.

• Eliminate digressions or unfo-cused material. These can easilyderail the report.

Select a Format

• Establish a consistent format forall your organization's reports.

• Follow an approved and consis-tent reference system such asshown in the Chicago Manualof Style to record footnotes andbibliography listings.

• Create all the necessary graph-ics in visually appealing form topromote understanding.

• Print and bind the report in aprofessional manner.

Edit, Edit, Edit

• Employ key content experts toreview the report and check allfacts included.

• Use a professional proofreaderto check for proper grammar,consistent tense, redundancies,and other problems or errors.

• Use a proofreader and the spell-checker to eliminate any typos.

Sample of Report Contents

The 9-11 Commission Report (Listing of Contents):Front MatterTable of ContentsList of Illustrations and TablesMember ListStaff List


Preface1. "We Have Some Planes"

' 1.1 Inside the Four Flights" 1.2 Improvising a

Homeland Defense* 1.3 National Crisis

Management2. The Foundation of the

New Terrorism*2.1 A Deolaration of War* 2.2 Bin Laden's Appeal

in the Islamic World* 2.3 The Rise of Bin Laden and

alQaeda (1988-1992)* 2.4 Building an Organization,

Declaring War on theUnited States(1992-1996)

* 2.5 Al Qaeda's Renewal inAfghanistan (1996-1998)

3. Counterterrorism Evolves* 3.1 From the Old Terrorism to

the New: The First WorldTrade Oenter Bombing

* 3.2 Adaptation—andNonadaptation—in theLaw EnforcementCommunity

* 3.3 . . . and in the FederalAviation Administration

* 3.4 . . . and in theIntelligence Community

" 3.5 . . . and In the StateDepartment and theDefense Department

'3.6 . . . and in the WhiteHouse

* 3.7 . . . and in the Congress4. Responses to al Qaeda's Initial

Assaults* 4.1 Before the Bombings

in Kenya and Tanzania*4.2 Crisis: August 1998* 4.3 Diplomacy* 4.4 Covert Action* 4.5 Searching for

Fresh Options5. Al Qaeda Aims at the American

Homeland* 5.1 Terrorist Entrepreneurs' 5.2 The "Planes Operation"* 5.3 The Hamburg Contingent* 5.4 A Money Trail?

6. From Threat to Threat* 6.1 The Millennium Crisis* 6.2 Post-Crisis Reflection:

Agenda for 2000* 6.3 The Attack on the

USS Cole

* 6.4 Change and Continuity* 6.5 The New Administration's

Approach7. The Attack Looms

' 7.1 First Arrivals in California*7.2 The 9/11 Pilots in the

United States* 7.3 Assembling the Teams* 7.4 Final Strategies and

Tactics8. "The System Was Blinking Red"

* 8.1 The Summer of Threat* 8.2 Late Leads—Mihdhar,

Moussaoui, and KSM9. Heroism and Horror

* 9.1 Preparedness as ofSeptember 11

* 9.2 September 11. 2001* 9.3 Emergency Response

at the Pentagon* 9.4 Analysis

10. Wartime*10.1 Immediate Responses

at Home" 10.2 Planning fcr War* 10.3 "Phase Two" and the

Question of Iraq11. Foresight—and Hindsight

'11.1 Imagination'11.2 Policy* 11.3 Capabilities' 11.4 Management

12. What to Do? A Global Strategy* 12.1 Reflecting on a

Generational Challenge* 12.2 Attack Terrorists and

Their Organizations* 12.3 Prevent the Continued

Growth of IslamistTerrorism

*12.4 Protect Against andPrepare for TerroristAttacks

13. How to Do it? A Different Way ofOrganizing the Government*13.1 Unityof Effort Across the

Foreign-Domestic Divide' 13.2 Unity of Effort in the

Intelligence Community* 13.3 Unity of Effort in Sharing

Information*13.4 Unity of Effort in the

Congress* 13.5 Organizing America's

Defenses in the UnitedStates

Appendix A: CommonAbbreviations

Appendix B: Table of Names

Appendix C: CommissionHearings

Notes

The Informal Report

For we write you nothing but whatyou can read and understand.—II Corinthians 1:13

The informal report functions toinform, analyze, and recommend.It usually takes the form of a memo,letter, or a very short internal docu-ment like a monthly financial report,monthly activities report, research anddevelopment report, and the like. Thisreport differs from the formal report inlength and formality. It's written ac-cording to organization style rules andusually includes an introduction, body,conclusion, and recommendationssections—but usually doesn't includethe preliminary (front) and supplemen-tal (back) material. The informal re-port is usually more conversational intone and typically deals with everydayproblems and issues addressed to anarrow readership inside the organiza-tion.

Participatory management dimin-ished the role of the informal report,but computers revived it, especiallysince management team membersare frequently in different locations,An informal report is often completedquickly and transmitted electronically.

Decide to Write

There are many forms of the infor-mal report:

• Progress report• Sales activity report• Financial report• Feasibility report• Literature review• Recommendations and sugges-

tions• Acceptance or rejection of pro-

posals.

Think About Content

• Informal reports usually do notinclude introductory material,but include it if necessary.

• Start by asking yourself, "Whatdoes my reader need to know,precisely, about the subject?"


Put this into a purpose statementin a single, explicit sentence, In amemo format, this can be yoursubject line.

• Use direct order organization.Begin with the most importantinformation, usually the conclu-sion and a recommendation, formost routine problems. This ap-proach saves your reader time. Itoffers the important informationright up front. Write this downin outline form. For example, ifyou believe your copy machineshould be replaced, you wouldstart with this subject line: Rec-ommend replacing copy ma-chine. In this, you would back upyour recommendations with thereasons:

' Required 12 repairs in the pastmonth* Requires clerk for operation' Produces too few copies perminute* Is out of warranty

• Or, use an indirect approach.Start with general information,review the facts, and end withyour recommendation. In the in-direct approach, you might startwith this subject line: New copymachine offers superior perfor-mance.

• Follow this rule for selectingthe direct or indirect approach:When your audience favors yourconclusion or recommendation,state it directly, then back it upwith facts. When your audienceresists your conclusion or rec-ommendation, or knows little ornothing about it, give the factsfirst and state your conclusionand recommendation at theend.

• Organize your information underthe subtopics of your report.

• Use a personal writing style—using /, you, he, they, and we—ifyour organization allows it.

• Write and rewrite until your re-port is interesting, concise, andflows well.

• Make a conclusion, summary, orrecommendation statement atthe end, even if it repeats yoursubject line.

• Check to be sure you have com-

pletely answered or solved yoursubject problem or statement.

• Have others review it and giveinput, if possible.

• Give your report a little shelf time,then come back and give it onemore fresh review.


• Do not assume a level of knowl-edge your reader doesn't have.

• Using a direct approach does notrelieve you of listing all the facts.Be sure all your backup facts arelogically listed.

• Don't fire off a report without giv-ing it an objective, second look.With e-mail and online commu-nications, it's tempting to sendsomething off immediately. Besure to give yourself reflectiontime.

• Don't make your report too long.This is usually a sign that it lacksorganization. Keep it to underone page for simple subjects.

• Don't automatically begin everyreport in a direct approach. Incur example, for instance, if thefacts or evidence is not so clear-cut, you may be considered bi-ased, capricious, or arbitrary. Incases where the subject is noton the top of everyone's mind,an indirect approach may workbetter

Select a FormatUse memo, letter, or report form.

Informal reports are often sent by e-mail.

Edit, Edit, Edit

• Check and recheck your infor-mation to be sure it is accurateand complete.

• Have others review and critiqueyour report in draft form, if pos-sible.

• Give your report (and yourself)some breathing time. Go backand read it when you are fresh tomake sure you are satisfied withit before sending.

TO: Employees and physiciansFROM: John Allen,

president and CEORE: "Give Health a Hand" campaign

DATE: Nov. 22, 2004

With flu season upon us. Good Sa-maritan Hospital is working to keepcentral Nebraska healthy through anew campaign called "Give Health aHand."

Good Samaritan developed GiveHealth a Hand to remind children andadults that frequent hand washing isthe best way to prevent the spreadof germs. We have retained Omaha-based Redstone Communicationsand Hanser & Associates for regionaladvertising and public relations ser-vices surrounding the campaign.

In recognition of National HandWashing Awareness Week, December5-11, Good Samaritan will be visitingschools, businesses, and restaurantsto demonstrate proper hand washingtechniques and distribute hand wash-ing kits and posters. The campaign,which has been endorsed by the Ne-braska Health and Human ServicesSystem, will continue through Febru-ary.

Highlights of the campaign, to be-gin Monday, December 6, include:

• TV and radio spots with handwashing theme song

• Hand washing posters and kits(containing hand washing in-structions, a bar of soap, and acoloring book)

• Announcement of campaign toarea news media

• Guest column in the KearneyHub

• Ongoing hand washing eventsin the community (Decemberthrough February)

I thank all employees and physi-cians at Good Samaritan for your on-going commitment to rigorous handwashing at work, home, and in thecommunity. Our community is trustingyou, me, and all of us at Good Samari-tan to Give Health a Hand.

Help us spread the word about GiveHealth a Hand by sharing informationabout the campaign with your family,friends, neighbors, and others in yourcommunity. Key points include:

• Frequent hand washing is thebest way to prevent the spreadof germs that cause illness.

• It takes vigorous scrubbing withsoap and warm water fcr at


least 20 seconds to wash germsaway.It is especially important to washyour hands before, during, andafter handling food, as well asbefore you eat.Washing up after using the rest-room is imperative. After you'vewashed your hands, use a papertowel to turn off the faucet andto open the door of a public re-stroom. Properly dispose of yourpaper towel.Alcohol-based disposable hand

wipes or gel sanitizers are goodalternatives if soap and water arenot available.In addition to frequent handwashing, these four good healthhabits will help ward off flu andother viral infections:- Cover your mouth and nosewhen you sneeze or cough.- Avoid touching your eyes,nose, or mouth.- Stay hcme when you are sick.- Avoid close contact withpeople who are sick.

Contact the Corporate Communi-cations Department at 555-0123 formore information about the campaign,or if you would like to help conducthand washing demonstrations or havesuggestions on possible venues, i


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