Applying the Three- step
Writing Process
1. Planning Business Messages
2. Writing Business Messages
3. Completing Business messages
Optimizing your writing time
As a general rule, set aside roughly 50% of time for
planning, 25% for writing, and 25% for completing.
The ideal time allocation varies from project to
project. Simpler and shorter messages require less
planning than long reports, websites, and other
complex projects.
Planning Effectively
Skipping or shortchanging the planning stage often
creates extra work and stress in the later process.
With careful planning , the writing stage is faster,
easier and much less stressful.
Planning can save you from embarrassing blunders
that could hurt your company or your career.
1. Planning Business Messages
Analyze the situation
Gather information
Choose Medium and Channel
Organize the information
1.1: Analyze the situation
Determine whether the purpose of your message is to inform, persuade,
or collaborate.(general purpose)
Identify what you want your audience to think or do after receiving the
message.(specific purpose)
For instance, your goal is just to update the audience about some
upcoming event, or you want to take immediate action?
Make sure the time is right for your message.
Make sure your purpose is acceptable to your organization.
Determine the size(number) and composition(differences in culture,
language, age, education, rank, status, attitudes, experience, biases,
beliefs etc.) of your audience.(profile your audience)
Estimate your audience’s level of understanding and probable reaction
to your message.(profile your audience)
Gathering information
Decide whether to use formal or informal techniques for gathering
information.
Consider the audience’s perspective, listen to the community, read
reports and company documents and reports, survey supervisors,
colleagues, customers, ask your audience for input
Find out what your audience needs to know. Uncovering audience
needs that are apparent and that are hidden.
Find your focus by using some discovery techniques. One popular
technique is free writing.
Provide all required information and make sure it’s accurate, ethical,
and pertinent(relevant).
Select the best combination of medium and channel for your message
selecting the best combination of Media and Channel
Understand the advantages and disadvantages of oral,
written and visual media distributed through both
digital and nondigital channels.
Consider media richness, formality, media limitations,
urgency, cost, and audience preference.
Conti… The most common Medium and
Channel combinations
Oral, in-person (conversations, speeches, meetings)
Oral, digital ( phone calls, podcasts, voicemail0
Written, printed (memos, letters, reports and
proposals)
Written, digital ( Tweeting and Texting, websites
contents, long reports)
Visual, printed (photographs, diagrams, charts and
graphs)
Visual, digital ( Infographics, Animations, digital
video)
Conti… Challenges of communication on
mobile devices
Screen size and resolution
Input technologies
Bandwidth and connectivity
Data and operating costs
Organize your information
Define your main idea( the topic is the broad subject; the main idea makes
a statement about the topic).
Limit your scope( the scope of your message is the range of information you
present, the overall length, and the level of detail- all of which need to
correspond to your main idea.
Choose the direct or indirect approach
The direct approach starts with the main idea of your message and support
it with reasoning, evidence and examples.
With the indirect approach, you withhold the main idea until you have built
up to it logically and persuasively with reasoning, evidence, and examples.
Outline content by starting with the main idea, adding major points, and
illustrating with evidence.
Look for opportunities to use storytelling to build audience interest.
