© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 1

Planning Planning Business MessagesBusiness Messages

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 2

Three-Step Writing Three-Step Writing ProcessProcess

• Planning

• Writing

• Completing

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 3

Optimizing Writing TimeOptimizing Writing Time

• Planning 50%

• Writing 25%

• Completing 25%

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 4

Analyze the SituationAnalyze the Situation

• Define your purpose

• Profile your audience

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 5

Define Your PurposeDefine Your Purpose

• General

– Inform

– Persuade

– Collaborate

• Specific

– Realism

– Timing

– Delivery

– Acceptability

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 6

Test Your PurposeTest Your Purpose

1. What will your message change?

2. Is your purpose realistic?

3. Is the timing right?

4. Is the right person delivering it?

5. Is your purpose acceptable?

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 7

Profile Your AudienceProfile 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 - 8

Gather InformationGather Information

• Informal methods

– Viewpoints of others

– Reports and company documents

– Supervisors, colleagues, customers

– Audience input

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 9

Provide InformationProvide 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 - 10

Selecting the Right Selecting the Right MediumMedium

• Oral

• Written

• Electronic

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 11

Analysis of Oral MediaAnalysis 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 - 12

Analysis of Written Analysis of Written MediaMedia

• 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 - 13

Electronic MediaElectronic Media

• Voice mail

• Teleconferencing

• Videotape

• Computer

conferencing

• Faxing

• E-mail

• Instant messaging

• Websites

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 14

Advantages Advantages

of Electronic Mediaof Electronic Media• Delivery speed

• Audience reach

• Multimedia

• Accessibility

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 15

Disadvantages Disadvantages

of Electronic Mediaof Electronic Media• Tension or conflict

• Overuse

• Privacy issues

• Productivity

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 16

Continuum Continuum of Media Richnessof Media Richness

• Media richness

– Leaner

• Fliers, bulletins, and reports

– Richer

• Conversations, meetings, presentations

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 17

Choosing the Right Choosing the Right MediaMedia

• Message formality

• Media limitations

• Sender intentions

• Urgency and cost

• Audience preferences

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 18

Organizing MessagesOrganizing Messages

• Get to the point

• Omit irrelevant details

• Use logical groupings

• Indicate relevant ideas

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 19

Why Is Organization Why Is Organization So Important?So Important?

• Improves productivity

• Boosts understanding

• Increases acceptance

• Saves audience time

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 20

Define the Main IdeaDefine the Main Idea

1. General purpose

2. Specific purpose

3. Basic topic

4. Main idea

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 21

Generating IdeasGenerating Ideas

• Brainstorming

• Mapping

• Storyteller’s tour

• Journalistic approach

• Question-answer chain

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 22

Limiting the ScopeLimiting the Scope

• Time and space

• Number of main ideas

• Audience attitude

• Depth of research

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 23

Sequencing the MessageSequencing the Message

• Direct approach

– Deductive

• Indirect approach

– Inductive

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 24

Message Type

AudienceReaction

Type ofApproach

Routine, Good-News

or Good Will

Pleased Or Neutral

Direct

PersuasiveUninterestedor Unwilling

Indirect

Bad News Displeased Indirect

Classifying MessagesClassifying Messages

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 25

Constructing OutlinesConstructing Outlines

I. First Major Part

A. First subpoint

B. Second subpoint

1. Evidence

2. Evidence

C. Third subpoint

II. Second Major Point

A. First subpoint

B. Second subpoint

1.0 First Major Part

1.1 First subpoint

1.2 Second subpoint

1.2.1Evidence

1.2.2Evidence

1.2.3 Third subpoint

2.0 Second Major Point

2.1 First subpoint

2.2 Second subpoint

AlphanumericAlphanumeric DecimalDecimal

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 26

Charting OrganizationsCharting Organizations

The Main Idea

I. Major Point II. Major Point III. Major Point

A. Evidence

B. Evidence

C. Evidence

A. Evidence

B. Evidence

C. Evidence

A. Evidence

B. Evidence

C. Evidence

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 4 - 27

Organizing MessagesOrganizing Messages

• State the main idea

• State major points

• Provide evidence