Seven Cs of

Communication

By NM Jan
03459134521
 The 7 Cs

To have an effective communication, the

communicator needs to implement the seven Cs
which causes to make the reader or listener
understand along with feedback easily.

Note: The Seven Cs should be used in both written

and oral communication.

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 The 7Cs :
 Since each word begins with the letter “C”, that is
why named 7Cs.

What are the 7Cs?

1. Completeness
2. Conciseness
3. Consideration
4. Concreteness
5. Clarity
6. Courtesy
7. Correctness

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 1. Completeness :
A message is said to be complete if it contains all the
facts that the receiver needs to respond you. It should
convey all facts required by the audience.
How to make a message complete?
Three facts should be kept in mind for making a
complete message.
a). Provide all necessary information.
b). Answer all questions asked.
c). Give something extra if needed.

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 a). Provide all necessary
information
The best way to provide all necessary information is to
answer five Ws (what, who, when, where, why)
For example, you want to reserve rooms in a hotel,
consider following questions
What type of accommodation you need? (For example,
first class, second class etc.)
Where do you need? (E.g. in which city)
Who will pay for it?
Date and time (When)
Why do you need? (For example a party)
 b). Answer all questions
asked
 It means that you should answer all
questions that you have been asked in a
letter or any other form of communication.
Here you again need to consider the five
W’s but here you need to reply not to ask.
 c). Give something extra if
needed
 Sometimes the sender wants to get information
about something and has not completely asked
about the problem. In this situation you need to
give some extra information to him even he has
not asked.
 For example you are working as travel agent and
you received an email containing following
information.
 Please let me know about the fare of Canada (not
a complete sentence)
 2. Conciseness:

Conciseness means using fewest words to

convey message.

Conciseness is a necessity for effective

communication.

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 How to make a message
concise?
a). Use one-word substitutions for phrase
For example

Soon Instead of In near future

Now Instead of at this time
Because Instead of Due to the fact that
 b). Omit unnecessary
Expressions
For example
Your name please! Instead of
If you would like to let me know your name
please!
 c). Avoid “There” sentence
openers
For example
Four rules should be followed.
Instead of
There are four rules that should be followed.
 d). Include only relative
materials
For example
In the last meeting, we came to the conclusion that
your confidence should be appreciated. Can be written
as simply
We appreciate your confidence.

Hereby we would like to present our appreciation for

your great and distinguished services. SAY----------
 We appreciate your outstanding services.
 e) Omit “which” and “that” clauses
whenever possible.

Wordy: She bought a car which was nice.

Concise: She bought a nice car.

 The salaries which are not paid to you…

The unpaid salaries…
 The man that is retired is…
The retired man is…
 f) Omit unnecessary
prepositions
For examples,
 The policy of company
Pre
The company policy

The teacher of Finance

Finance Teacher
 3.Consideration:

Consideration means preparing the message

according to the receiver’s mind or writing every
letter with your reader in mind.

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If you write message according to
receiver’s point of view, your message
will be considered.
 Effective communication must take the
audience into consideration, i.e, the
audience’s view points, background,
mind-set, education level, etc.
 3. Consideration:
 Preparing the message with message receivers in
mind.
 Try to put yourself in their place.
 Don’t lose temper.
 Don’t accuse
 Don’t charge without facts.

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 Guidelines to indicate consideration:
 Focus on “You” instead of “I” and “we”.
 Show Audience Benefit or Interest
 Emphasize positive, pleasant facts.
 Focus on “You” instead of “I” and
“we”

We-attitude: I am delighted to announce that we will

be extending our hours to make our shopping more
convenient.

 You-attitude: You will be able to shop evenings with

extended hours.
ii. Show Audience Benefit or Interest in
the Receiver
 Show how your receivers will benefit from
whatever the message announces or asks.
 Readers may react positively when benefits
are shown to them.
 Emphasize Positive and Pleasant Facts.
 Negative --- Unpleasant
 We don’t refund of the returned items soiled and
unsalable.
 Positive ---- Pleasant
 We refund when the returned item is clean and
resalable.
 Don’t use negative expressions, use
positive expressions So that you would
not hurt someone’s feelings.
E.g.
We can not open account for you providing that
you are not having identity card.

SAY------------
As soon as you get the identity card, you can
open your account.

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 4. Concreteness:

 It means that a massage is specific, definite

and exactly related to the point.

 If a massage lacks these qualities , it will be

vague and general.

 To achieve concreteness, denotative words

will be used instead of connotative words.

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 4. Concreteness:
1. Use specific facts and figures
Always use specific facts and figures in your massage.
For example:
 Vague, general, indefinite:
 Eastern Europe is making progress in obtaining
investments.
 Concrete, Precise:
 In 1999, investments in Eastern Europe were about
$ 30 million ; today that figure has increased by 12
percent

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 Prefer the concrete to
the abstract.
 Abstract
1-We have found that this technique is successful.
2-Your department may hire some
new employees.
 Concrete
 Our research shows that 87 percent of those using
this technique are successful.
 Your department may hire three new stock clerks.
 4. Concreteness:

2. Put active verbs in a sentence:

For example:
 Passive: The proposal was approved.
 Active: The general manager approved the
proposal.
The check was paid.
He paid me the check.

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 Concreteness:
1. Active verbs also make sentences:
 specific
 personal
 concise
1. Specific . “ The chief executive decided” is more explicit than “ A decision
has been made.”
2. Personal: “ You will note “ is both specific and personal;” it will be noted “ is
impersonal.
3. Concise :The passive requires more words and there far slow both writing and
reading . Now compare them.
“ Figures show” with “it is shown by figures.”

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 5. Clarity:

 Means conveying the message clearly so that

the receiver will understand what you are trying
to convey.
 So choose precise, concrete and familiar words.

 Clarity is achieved if you use familiar and

conversational words.

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 5. Clarity:

 How to make a message clear?

 a). Use simple words
 For example
 Simple Complex
 Pay Remuneration
 Fire Conflagration
 Many people A large segment of the population

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 b). Use effective sentences
Effective sentence means a sentence, the meaning
of which is clear on the first reading.
For example

He is not an illiterate person. (Non-effective

sentence)
He is a literate person. (Effective sentence)
 Prefer the short, familiar word
to the long, unfamiliar word.

Accomplish : do
Approximately : about
Ascertain : find out
Commence : start
Considerable : much

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 6. Courtesy:

 Courtesy means keeping polite behavior during

communication. Courtesy also means replying
promptly to all letters.

 It is a quality that enables a request to be refused

without killing all hope of future business.

 It is politeness that grows out of respect and

concern for others.
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 6. Courtesy:

 How to get courtesy in the message?

 a). Be tactful:
 Tact means the ability to do or say something right without
causing anyone to be hurt or angry.
 For example
 I told you three times but you didn’t understand. (Tactless)
 Let me tell you once again for your clear understanding.
(Tactful)

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 b). Be appreciative

 For example
 You tried many times but failed.
 Try again and again till you succeed.
 6. Courtesy:
 C). Choose nondiscriminatory expressions
Instead of these gender-specific Choose these Bias Free words
words.

Businessman Business person or business worker

Chairman Chair, chairperson, worker, employee

Manpower Worker, employee

Newsman Newscaster or reporter or journalist

Salesman Salesperson, sales, representative,

agent
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 7.Correctness:
The principles of correctness is more than proper grammar,
punctuation and spelling.
Mistakes are never intentional , however they can spoil our
image
Errors in the massages fall in the following categories.
 Mistakes in names, figures, facts and words
 Mistakes in Punctuation and capitalization

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 7. Correctness:

Mistakes in names, figures, facts and words

Any mistakes in names figures, facts, etc, can

make your massage unclear. Such mistakes can
create problems for you .
Imagine if you write 2000 where you were
supposed to write 200.

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 7. Correctness:
2. Maintain acceptable writing mechanism

 Grammar check
 Spell check

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ii. Check Accuracy of Figures, Facts,
and Words.
 Check and double-check to ensure that
the figures, facts and words.
 Verify your statistical data
 Double- check your totals
 Have some one else read your message
 Determine whether a fact has changed
over time.
 Try to use more formal instead of
less formal/informal language
More Formal Less Formal

Participate Join

Interrogate question

Endeavor Try

Procure Get

Utilize Use