Planning Business Messages &

Applying the Three Step Writing

Process

Chapter 4 & 5
Plan
1. Analyze the situation • Define your purpose &
develop audience profile

• Determine the audience

2.Gather information needs & obtain the
information necessary to
satisfy those needs
• select the appropriate
3. Select right medium
method for message

4.Organize the • Define your main idea, select

information direct or indirect approach,
outline your content
1. Analyze Your Situation
Define your purpose & develop audience profile
• to inform, persuade, collaborate with audience
• What is your specific intention
• Will there be changes as a result of your message?
• Is your purpose realistic? If it is radical, you’ll need to
propose a first step
• Is the time right? What will the impact of your message
be?
• Is your purpose acceptable by the company?
2. Define an Audience Profile
Before your audiences will take the time to read or
hear your messages, they will need to be
interested.
• What is the primary audience?
• Determine size, geographic distribution?
• Audience composition
• Understand their expectations & preferences
• Forecast their probable reaction
3. Gathering Information

• Consider other viewpoints

• Read reports or other related documents
• Talk with coworkers, colleagues, supervisors
• Ask for your audience input

What about ethical information?

3. Selecting the right medium
 Oral medium
advantages disadvantages
1. provide opportunity for immediate 1. restrict participation
feedback 2. No verifiable evidence of
communication, unless
2. Allow interaction
recorded
3. Nonverbal cues in the tone 3. Reduce the communicator’s
control over the message
4. Express emotions within the 4. Cannot edit spoken words
message
 Written communication
advantages
• Allow you to control the
message
• Reach geographically
dispersed audiences
• Offer verifiable record
• Minimize distortion
• Can be use to avoid interaction
• De-emphasize emotions
disadvantages
• Not conducive for immediate
feedback
• Lack of nonverbal cues
• Often take more time and
more resources to create and
distribute
• May require special skills to
print and distribute
 Visual communication
advantages disadvantages
• Can convey complex messages • Require artistic skills
easily
• Require technical skills
• Often less intimidating
• Require more time to create
• Reduce the burden on
audience to figure things out
 electronic communication
advantages Disadvantages
• Deliver messages quickly • Are easy to overuse

• Reach geographically • Privacy risks – esp with

dispersed audiences confidential data

• Offer the persuasive power of • Security risks, like viruses

multimedia formats
• Frequent interruptions
• Can increase accessibility and
openness in an organization
4. Organizing your ideas
Direct Approach
Use when you know your
audience will be receptive
a. Positive messages
Indirect Approach
Use when you know your
audience
a. begin softly
b. consider impact of your
message
c. Negative messages
Outlining your information

• Main idea
• Major points – details
▫ Facts
▫ Examples
▫ Description
▫ Narration
▫ Reference
▫ Visual aids
• Illustrate with evidence
Write
• Routine messages • Straightforward
• Daily operations message

• Positive messages • Convey good news

• Negative message
• Convey bad news
▫ Be honest, yet kind
• Persuasive messages
• Asking your audience to do
something
▫ grab their attentions
Being sensitive
• Use the “you” attitude

• Maintain standards of etiquette

• Emphasizing the positive

• Using bias-free language

The “You” attitude
Instead of this write this
• To help us process • So that your order can be filled

• We are pleased to announce • Now you can take advantage

• We offer MP3 players • Select your MP3 player

• You should never use • That type of paper doesn’t

• You must correct • All five copies must be

corrected
Standards of Etiquette
Instead of this Write this
• Once again, you’ve managed • Let’s review the last website

• You’ve been sitting on our Our production schedules

order depend on the timely delivery
of parts, but we have yet to
receive the order you promised
to deliver…
Emphasizing the Positive
Instead of this Write this
• It is impossible to repair • Your computer can be ready

• We apologize for • The rennovations that are

inconveniencing you under way will help us serve
you better
• We wasted $300,000
• Our $300,000 advertisement
did not pay off;
Using bias-free language
Instead of this Write this
• The problem with this • The performance of this
department is a failure… department can be improved

• You failed to provide the • Please review the items

necessary information marked

• We will notify all three credit • Paying you overdue bill within
• Bureaus 10 days will prevent a negative

• Cheap merchandise Inexpensive

• Failing Underperforming