Planning Steps for Communication

In order to communicate effectively and with confidence, the following five-steps should
invariably be followed before writing and transmitting any message.

1. Know the purpose of the message.

2. Visualize the reader.
3. Choose the ideas to include.
4. Get all the facts.
5. Outline and organize the message.
6. Revise and Proofread (pronounce)

Know the Purpose:

The first step is planning a communication is to have a clear idea of the

purpose or objective of writing a message. If the purpose is not known to the sender, the message
communicated will be purposeless and will fail to bring any desired result. Remember that each
message must have a specific purpose, but he writer of the message must include the general
purpose of creating goodwill of the firm in his message also. For example, in a refusal or a
collection letter, the purpose should be two-fold. In this case, the purpose is not only to refuse a
request or ask money, but also to maintain the goodwill of the customer.

Visualize a reader:

It is better for the sender to understand the receiver. You should think from
his point of view. This is known as “You attitude.” When it come into practice.
It is not so difficult for that sender of the message who has some previous acquaintance with the
receiver(s). But it is really a difficult thing when you have not met your addressee at all.
Moreover, your addressee is living in a different city and you have no alternative but to contact
him by writing letters. In such circumstances, the writer of the message should try to understand
the viewpoints of the reader by his profession, status, nature of business, age group and
educational standerd.

Choose the Ideas:

After having decided on the purpose and visualized the reader, you begin to
choose the idea to be inserted in the message. The idea to be included in the letter or report
depends upon the type of message. Much depends on what you want to convey how you like to
proceed. The ideas may be different at times. Sometimes, you welcome a customer. Other hand,
you wish to disassociate (disconnect). Before you start working you should jot down the points
to be covered in communication and then bring them in order of importance and urgency. You
inform about the services you going to render or product you tend to introduce.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009 Prepared by Muhammad Muneer Ansari

Student of M.Com
Get all the Facts:

Sometimes communication of ideas fails to bring the desired result. It is so

because ideas not supported by facts and figures are not clearly understood by the recipient.
Hence after picking up the ideas for the message, the writer should evaluate whether the ideas
require support of facts and figures or they are capable of answering questions. But before
quoting any fact or giving any statement, the writer must keep in mind the policy of the company
so that it may not create problems in future.

Organize the message:

It is always advice able to outline or rough draft the message, before making
it final for dispatch. The order in which ideas are presented is often as important as the ideas
themselves. Once the ideas have been jotted down, they should be properly arranged and
organized. The writer should check the outlines of the message to be sure that it complete in all
respect. He must be sure about his expression. He should see that the ideas have been expressed
n a strict sequence and in a most logical manner.

Revise and proofread:

Short communication is easy to transmit or dictate without revising or

proofreading

Wednesday, December 09, 2009 Prepared by Muhammad Muneer Ansari

Student of M.Com