Planning
Business Messages
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 1
Three-Step Writing Process
• Planning
• Writing
• Completing
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 2
Optimizing Writing Time
• Planning 50%
• Writing 25%
• Completing 25%
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 3
Analyze the Situation
• Define your purpose
• Profile your audience
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Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 4
Define Your Purpose
• General
• Specific
– Inform
– Realism
– Persuade
– Timing
– Collaborate
– Delivery
– Acceptability
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 5
Test Your Purpose
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What will your message change?
Is your purpose realistic?
Is the timing right?
Is the right person delivering it?
Is your purpose acceptable?
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 6
Profile Your Audience
• Identify primary audience
• Determine size
• Determine composition
• Gauge level of knowledge
• Project expectations and preferences
• Estimate probable reaction
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 7
Gather Information
• Informal methods
– Viewpoints of others
– Reports and company documents
– Supervisors, colleagues, customers
– Audience input
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 8
Provide Information
• Be sure information is accurate
• Be sure information is ethical
• Be sure information is pertinent
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 9
Selecting the Right Medium
• Oral
• Written
• Electronic
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 10
Analysis of Oral Media
• Advantages
–
–
–
–
Immediate feedback
Ease of interaction
Rich nonverbal cues
Emotional content
• Disadvantages
–
–
–
–
Restricted participation
Nonpermanent
Reduced control
No editing or revision
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 11
Analysis of Written Media
• Advantages
–
–
–
–
Planning and control
Permanent record
Wide audience
Minimize distortion
• Disadvantages
–
–
–
–
Delayed feedback
Lacks nonverbal cues
Creation and distribution
Preparation and production
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 12
Electronic Media
• Voice mail
• Faxing
• Teleconferencing
• E-mail
• Videotape
• Instant messaging
• Computer
conferencing
• Websites
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 13
Advantages
of Electronic Media
• Delivery speed
• Audience reach
• Multimedia
• Accessibility
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Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 14
Disadvantages
of Electronic Media
• Tension or conflict
• Overuse
• Privacy issues
• Productivity
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 15
Continuum
of Media Richness
• Media richness
– Leaner
• Fliers, bulletins, and reports
– Richer
• Conversations, meetings, presentations
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 16
Choosing the Right Media
•
•
•
•
•
Message formality
Media limitations
Sender intentions
Urgency and cost
Audience preferences
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 17
Organizing Messages
•
•
•
•
Get to the point
Omit irrelevant details
Use logical groupings
Indicate relevant ideas
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 18
Why Is Organization
So Important?
•
•
•
•
Improves productivity
Boosts understanding
Increases acceptance
Saves audience time
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 19
Define the Main Idea
1.
2.
3.
4.
General purpose
Specific purpose
Basic topic
Main idea
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 20
Generating Ideas
•
•
•
•
•
Brainstorming
Mapping
Storyteller’s tour
Journalistic approach
Question-answer chain
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 21
Limiting the Scope
•
•
•
•
Time and space
Number of main ideas
Audience attitude
Depth of research
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Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 22
Sequencing the Message
• Direct approach
– Deductive
• Indirect approach
– Inductive
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 23
Classifying Messages
Message
Type
Audience
Reaction
Type of
Approach
Routine, Good-News
Direct
or Good Will
Pleased
Or Neutral
Bad News
Displeased
Indirect
Persuasive
Uninterested
or Unwilling
Indirect
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 24
Constructing Outlines
Alphanumeric
I.
First Major Part
1.0 First Major Part
A.
First subpoint
1.1
First subpoint
B.
Second subpoint
1.2
Second subpoint
C.
II.
Decimal
1.
Evidence
1.2.1
Evidence
2.
Evidence
1.2.2
Evidence
Third subpoint
Second Major Point
1.2.3 Third subpoint
2.0 Second Major Point
A.
First subpoint
2.1
First subpoint
B.
Second subpoint
2.2
Second subpoint
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 25
Charting Organizations
The Main Idea
I. Major Point
II. Major Point
III. Major Point
A. Evidence
A. Evidence
A. Evidence
B. Evidence
B. Evidence
B. Evidence
C. Evidence
C. Evidence
C. Evidence
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 26
Organizing Messages
• State the main idea
• State major points
• Provide evidence
© Prentice Hall, 2005
Business Communication Today 8e
Chapter 4 - 27