Business Communication Today

Fifteenth Edition

Chapter 4
Planning Business Messages

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Learning Objectives (1 of 2)
4.1 Describe the three-step writing process.
4.2 Explain why it’s important to analyze a communication
situation in order to define your purpose and profile your
audience before writing a message.
4.3 Discuss information-gathering options for simple
messages, and identify three attributes of quality
information.

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Learning Objectives (2 of 2)
4.4 List the factors to consider when choosing the most
appropriate medium for a message.
4.5 Explain why good organization is important to both you
and your audience, and list the tasks involved in
organizing a message.

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Understanding the Three-Step Writing
Process
• L O 4.1 Describe the three-step writing process.

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Planning Business Messages
• Analyze the Situation
• Gather the Information
• Choose Medium and Channel
• Organize the Information

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Writing Business Messages
• Adapt to Your Audience
– Sensitivity [Bias Free Language, maintain etiquettes, emphasize
the positive, ‘You’ attitude]
– Relationship skills [Establishing credibility, projecting
company’s image.]
– Appropriate writing style [Plain language, active and
passive voice.]

• Compose Your Message

– Creating effective sentences
– Developing coherent paragraphs

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Completing Business Messages
• Revise the Message [first draft, editing, revising to improve readability]
• Produce the Message [Designing for readability, type face, fonts]
• Proofread the Message
• Distribute the Message [Cost, convenience, time]

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Optimizing Your Writing Time
• Planning = 50%
• Writing = 25%
• Completing = 25%

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Planning Effectively
• Provide the Right Information to the Right People
• Deliver the Information Concisely
• Write More Efficiently
• Avoid Embarrassing Blunders

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Analyzing the Situation
• L O 4.2 Explain why it’s important to analyze a
communication situation in order to define your purpose
and profile your audience before writing a message.

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Defining Your Purpose
General Purpose Specific Purpose
Inform What You Hope to Accomplish
Persuade What the Audience Will Do
Collaborate What the Audience Will Think

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Analyzing Your Purpose
• Will Anything Change as a Result of Your Message? [Don’t
complain about things which you know will never change]

• Is Your Purpose Realistic? [Shows good business sense on your

part]

• Is the Time Right? [Will my audience be distracted? Is it the right time?]

• Is Your Purpose Acceptable to Your Organization?
[According to company’s business policies and objectivities and laws.]

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Developing An Audience Profile (1 of 2)
• Identify Your Primary Audience [never ignore the less influential
members also.]

• Determine Audience Size and Geographic Distribution

[message aimed at 10,000 people around the globe or message directed
towards 10 people in a room.]

• Determine Audience Composition [Consider organizational rank,

status, age and education.]

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Developing An Audience Profile (2 of 2)
• Gauge Audience Members’ Level of Understanding [if the
audience share their background with you, the level of understanding will be
already better. Else include the element of education.]

• Understand Audience Expectations and Preferences

[Complete details or just the summary of main points.]

• Forecast Probable Audience Reaction [If expecting favorable

response, state recommendations up front. If skepticism is there. Introduce
recommendations gradually with more proof.]

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Gathering Information
• L O 4.3 Discuss information-gathering options for simple
messages and identify three attributes of quality
information.

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Using Informal Techniques
• Consider the Audience’s Perspective
• Listen to the Community
• Read Reports and Other Company Documents
• Talk with Supervisors, Colleagues, or Customers
• Ask Your Audience for Input

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Uncovering Audience Needs
• Listen for Apparent Needs
• Uncover Hidden Needs

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Finding Your Focus
• Discovery Techniques
– Free Writing
 Express Ideas as They Come
– Sketching
 Think Visually

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Providing Required Information
• Journalistic Approach Asks:
– Who?
– What?
– When?
– Where?
– Why?
– How?

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Be Sure the Information is Ethical
• Is the Information Accurate?
• Is the Information Ethical?
• Is the Information Pertinent? [Some points are more important for
your audience than others. Prioritize and filter out.]

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Selecting the Best Combination of Media
and Channels
• L O 4.4 List the factors to consider when choosing the
most appropriate medium for a message.

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The Most Common Media and Channel Options
blank Digital channel Nondigital channel
Oral + Create opportunities for immediate + Ideal for immediate feedback and discussion;
feed -back; recordings (such as best for conveying emotion.
podcasts) allow time-shifted
consumption. − Restricted to those physically present; no
written record unless transcribed; less control.
− Lack most nonverbal cues (unless
video).
Written + Fast, easy way to reach wide + Give permanent, verifiable record that is difficult
audiences; link to additional to modify; written medium lets you plan and
information; social media invite control the message.
interaction.
− Present limited opportunity for timely feedback;
− Security and privacy vulnerabilities; lack nonverbal cues of oral medium.
competition with other digital
messages.
Visual +Can convey complex ideas and + Same as digital visuals.
relationships quickly; often less
intimidating than blocks of text; − Same as digital visuals, plus printing and
multimedia options. distribution can add cost.

− Usually require more time and skill.

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Oral Medium
In-Person Channel Digital Channel
One-on-one Conversations Telephone Calls
Informal Lunches Podcasts
Speeches or Presentations Voicemail Messages

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Written Medium
Print Channel Digital Channel
Routine Memos Tweets and Text Messages
Business Letters Website Content
Reports and Proposals Book-Length Reports in PDF Format

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Visual Medium
Print Channel Digital Channel
Photographs Infographics
Diagrams Interactive Diagrams and Animation
Charts and Graphs Digital Video

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The Unique Challenges of Communication
on Mobile Devices
• Screen Size and Resolution
• Input Technologies [Complexity of using mobile keyboard and voice
recognition software.]

• Bandwidth, Speed, and Connectivity Limitations [Dead spots,

changing networks and roaming.]

• Data Usage and Operational Costs

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Factors to Consider When Choosing Media
and Channels (1 of 2)
• Richness [using more than one informational cues-visual, verbal and vocal]
• Formality [letter is more formal than WhatsApp]
• Media and Channel Limitations [IM for simple text and videos for
explaining a concept]

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Factors to Consider When Choosing Media
and Channels (2 of 2)
• Urgency [use E-Mail if message is not urgent and you can
wait for the response.]
• Cost [multi-media presentations can be costly]
• Audience Preferences
• Security and Privacy [online communication is never
secure.]

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Organizing Your Information
• L O 4.5 Explain why good organization is important to both
you and your audience, and list the tasks involved in
organizing a message.

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Benefits of Effective Organization
Helps Readers Helps Writers
Understand Message Use Clear Logic
Increased Acceptance of Message Write Succinctly and Clearly
Saves Time Build Reputation

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Defining Topic and Main Idea
General Purpose Example of Specific Example of Topic Example of Main
Purpose Idea
To inform Teach customer Technical support wiki Careful, thorough
service edits and additions to
representatives how to the wiki help the
edit and expand the entire department
technical support wiki provide better
customer support.
To persuade Convince top Funding for research Competitors spend
managers to increase and development more than we do on
spending on research research and
and development development, which
helps them create
more innovative
products.
To collaborate Solicit ideas for a Incentive pay Tying wages to profits
companywide motivates employees
incentive system that and reduces
ties wages to profits compensation costs
in tough years.

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Generating Creative Ideas
• Brainstorming
• Journalistic Approach [who, what, when, where and how]
• Question-and-Answer Chain [start with the key question from your
audience’s perspective and answer. This will generate a few more questions.]

• Storyteller’s Tour [record yourself as you describe than playback.]

• Mind Mapping

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Limiting Your Scope
• Information You Present [limit the major points around 6 or less.]
• Overall Length
• Level of Detail

The ideal length depends upon- topic, audience members’

familiarity with the material, their receptivity to your conclusion
and your credibility.

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Choosing Between Direct and Indirect Approaches
Direct Approach Indirect Approach
General plan: Open with main idea, General plan: Open with buffer to
and then back it up with evidence and establish common ground or get
reasoning. attention, lay out evidence to guide
reader toward main idea, and then
present it.
Strengths: Gets to the point Strengths: Helps soften an emotional
immediately if you need to get blow or guide reader toward desired
someone’s attention right away. response.
Weaknesses: Can come across as Weaknesses: Takes longer to reach
arrogant or blunt; readers or listeners main idea; buffers can be annoying or
can reject your main idea before even unethical if done poorly.
considering your evidence and
reasoning.

Direct approach-start with the Indirect approach-start with the

main idea and follows that with evidence and builds up to the
supporting evidence. main idea.
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Outlining Your Content
• Basic Outline Creates Logical and Effective Organization
of:
– Major Points
– Supporting Details
– Visualization of Relationships Among Various Parts
• Alternatives
– Use Organizational Chart
– Use Mind Mapping

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Organizing Your Thoughts with a Clear Outline

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Structuring the Message
• Identify the Main Idea
• Assemble Major Supporting Points
• Gather Compelling Examples and Evidence

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Six Types of Detail (1 of 2)
Type of Detail Example Comment
Facts and figures Sales are strong this month. We Enhance credibility more than
have two new contracts worth $5 any other type, but can
million and a good chance of become tedious if used
winning another worth $2.5 million. excessively.
Example and We’ve spent four months trying to Add life to a message, but an
illustrations hire recent accounting graduates, example doesn’t necessarily
but so far, only one person has prove a point. The main idea
joined our firm. One candidate told must be supported by other
me that she would love to work for evidence as well.
us, but she can get $10,000 more a
year elsewhere.
Description Upscale hamburger restaurants Helps audience visualize the
target burger lovers who want more subject by creating a sensory
than the convenience and low impression. Doesn’t prove a
prices of a fastfood burger. These point but clarifies it and
places feature more adventuresome makes it memorable.
menus, a greater range of toppings,
and a more sophisticated
atmosphere.

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Six Types of Detail (2 of 2)
Type of Detail Example Comment

Narration (storytelling) When Rita Longworth took over as Stimulates audience interest
CEO, she faced a tough choice: shut through the use of dramatic
down the tablet PC division entirely or tension. In many instances,
outsource manufacturing to lower costs must be supplemented with
while keeping the division alive. As her statistical data to prove a point
first step, she convened a meeting with convincingly.
all the managers in the division to get
their input on the two options. (Story
continues from there.)
Reference to authority I discussed this idea with Jackie Loman Bolsters a case while adding
in the Chicago plant, and she was very variety and credibility. Works
supportive. As you know, Jackie has only if authority is recognized
been in charge of that plant for the past and respected by audience.
six years. She is confident that we can
speed up the number 2 line by 150
units an hour if we add another worker.
Visual aids Graphs, charts, tables, infographics, Help audiences grasp the key
data visualization, photos, video points about sets of data or
visualize connections between
ideas.

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Building Reader Interest With Storytelling
Techniques
• The Power of Story
– The Beginning – Identify with Audience
– The Middle – Pursue Goal/Solve Problem
– The End – Answers Question/Offers Lesson

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Copyright

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