© prentice hall, 2008 excellence in business communication, 8echapter 4 - 1 planning business...

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Excellence in Business Communication, 8e Chapter 4 - 1

Planning Planning Business MessagesBusiness Messages


The Three-Step ProcessThe Three-Step Process

• Planning

• Writing

• Completing


Optimize Your TimeOptimize Your Time

• Planning 50%

• Writing 25%

• Completing 25%


Analyze the SituationAnalyze the Situation

• Define your purpose

• Profile your audience


Define Your PurposeDefine Your Purpose

• General

– Inform

– Persuade

– Collaborate

• Specific

– Outcomes

– Timing and realism

– Acceptability


Profile Your AudienceProfile Your Audience

• Identify primary audience

• Determine size and location

• Determine composition

• Gauge level of understanding

• Project expectations and preferences

• Forecast probable reaction


Gather InformationGather Information

• Informal methods

– Viewpoints of others

– Reports and company documents

– Supervisors, colleagues, customers

– Audience input


Provide InformationProvide Information

• Audience needs

– Accurate information

– Ethical information

– Pertinent information


Selecting the MediumSelecting the Medium

• Oral media

• Written media

• Visual media

• Electronic media


Oral CommunicationOral Communication

• Face-to-face conversations

• Interviews

• Speeches

• Presentations

• Meetings


Analysis of Oral MediaAnalysis of Oral Media

• Advantages– Immediate feedback– Ease of interaction– Rich nonverbal cues– Emotional content

• Disadvantages– Minimal participation– Nonpermanent– Reduced control– No editing or

revision


Written CommunicationWritten Communication

• Memos

• Letters

• Reports

• Proposals


Analysis of Written Analysis of Written MediaMedia

• Advantages– Message control– Audience reach– Permanent record– Minimize distortion

• Disadvantages– Delayed feedback– Lacks nonverbal

cues– Creation and

distribution– Preparation and

production


Visual CommunicationVisual Communication

• Charts

• Graphs

• Diagrams


Analysis of Visual MediaAnalysis of Visual Media

• Advantages– Expedite

communication– Less intimidating– Assist audience

• Disadvantages– Learning curve– Preparation time– Transmittal and

storage


Electronic Electronic CommunicationCommunication

• Oral communication– Telephone calls, teleconferencing,

voicemail, audio CDs, podcasts

• Written communication– Email, instant messaging, websites, wikis

• Visual communication– Electronic presentations, computer

animation, video


Analysis of Electronic Analysis of Electronic

MediaMedia• Advantages

– Delivery speed

– Audience reach

– Multimedia

– Accessibility

• Disadvantages

– Overuse

– Privacy issues

– Security risks

– Productivity


Choosing the Right Choosing the Right MediaMedia

• Media richness

• Message formality

• Media limitations

• Sender intentions

• Urgency and cost

• Audience preferences


Organizing InformationOrganizing Information

• Get to the point

• Omit irrelevant details

• Organize your ideas

• Indicate necessary information


Importance of Importance of OrganizationOrganization

• Improves productivity

• Boosts understanding

• Increases acceptance

• Saves audience time


Define the Main IdeaDefine the Main Idea

• General purpose

• Specific purpose

• Basic topic

• Main idea


Define Topic and Main Define Topic and Main IdeaIdea

General Purpose

Specific Purpose Topic Main Idea

Teach customer service department how to file

insurance claims.To Inform

To Persuade

To Collaborate

Insurance Claims

R&D Funding

Incentive Pay

Proper filing of claims saves time and money.

Competitors outspend us on research and development.

Linking wages to profitsmotivates workers.

Convince managers to increase spending on

research and development.

Solicit ideas for incentiveplan that ties wages to profits.


Generating IdeasGenerating Ideas

• Brainstorming

• Mapping

• Storyteller’s tour

• Journalistic approach

• Question-answer chain


Limiting the ScopeLimiting the Scope

• Time and space

• Number of main ideas

• Audience attitude

• Depth of research


Sequencing MessagesSequencing Messages

• Direct approach

– Deductive

• Indirect approach

– Inductive


Choosing the ApproachChoosing the Approach

AudienceReaction

MessageOpening

MessageBody

MessageClosing

Eager/Interested/Pleased/Neutral Displeased Uninterested/Unwilling

Main idea, good news, or request

Necessary details

Cordial comment orstatement about

specific action

Neutral buffer statement

Reasons/justification,bad news, positive

suggestion

Cordial close

Attention-gettingstatement/question

Arousing interest,building desire

Request for action


Outlining ContentOutlining Content

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


Organization Chart OutlinesOrganization Chart Outlines

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


Organizing MessagesOrganizing Messages

• State the main idea

• State major points

• Provide evidence

© prentice hall, 2008 excellence in business communication, 8echapter 4 - 1 planning business...

Documents

business communication

edefine topic

instant messaging

company documentssupervisors

computer animation

audio cds

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eoral communicationface