Business Communication II

Business Communication II
Salmaan Rahman
Spring 2020
Lecture 3 - Communication Strategies (cont.)
Strategic Communication –
5 Variables (recap)
Strategic communication is based on five
interactive variables:
(1) communicator (the writer or speaker) strategy,
(2) audience strategy,
(3) message strategy,
(4) channel choice strategy,
(5) culture strategy.
Communication Strategies:
Audience Strategy
• “Communication takes place in the mind of the
listener, not of the speaker.”
• Peter Drucker
• The more information you have about the audience,

the more likely you are to achieve the desired outcome
– Who they are
– What they know
– What they feel
– Where they are
Communication Strategies –
Audience Strategy
• For every message, we can think in terms of “Primary”
audience and “Secondary” audience
– Your Primary audience will receive the message directly

• Unknown audience
• Known audience
– Secondary audiences receive the message indirectly
• Cc lists
• Bosses
• Assistants
• Public (blogs, websites etc)
Audience Strategy
• Primary Audience
– When the audience is unknown, you need to find out about them:
• Demographics (age, gender, rank, location, department, language etc)
• Knowledge and beliefs
• Preferences
– When the audience is familiar:
• Demographics
• Personal details – level of detail, tendencies
• It is also useful to identify “Key Influencers”

– People who have some influence on the outcome of your
communication
• Decision Makers
• Opinion leaders
• Gate keepers
Audience Strategy
• Key factors that influence communication
strategies are age, education, occupation,
ethnic origin, gender, culture
– What do they know already?
• Background material
• How much new information do they need?
• What are their expectations? (formal, informal, direct,
indirect messaging)
• Language abilities
– Most audiences are mixed
Audience Strategy
• Solutions
– Provide background materials
– Aim messages towards key decision makers
– Format according to expectations
• Timing, visual aids, formality
– Address second-language issues directly
• Check use of idioms (e.g: “elevator pitch”, sports
metaphors!)
• Avoid personal styles – sarcasm, humor, puns etc
• Adjust delivery – speak slower, use visual aids
Communication Strategies – Audience Strategy
• Audience feelings:
– Emotional
• current situation
• Feelings after receiving message
– Audience Interest
• High Priority vs. Low Priority
– High priority – get to the point directly. Logic
– Low priority – consult/join style with participation.
» Persuasion
» Briefer messages
– Audience Bias – pre-existing attitudes towards your message
• Positive/neutral: reinforce
• Negative : identify possible problems and offer solutions
– Start with points on which they are most likely to agree
– Limit requests for action – break down objectives into smaller steps
– Anticipate objections and have answers ready
Audience Strategy
• Message Difficulty – is the desired action (objective)
easy or hard for the audience? Time consuming,
complicated, difficult in other ways
– Difficulty levels need to be gauged
– When its easy, one can focus on how it benefits the
audience
– When its hard:
• Break the action down into the smallest possible request, such
as a signature
• Make the action as easy as you can, such as distributing a
questionnaire instead of open ended questions
Communication Strategies - Audience Strategy
Persuasion
• Identify factors which can persuade the
audience to accept the message:
– Audience benefits
– Communicator credibility
– Message structure
Persuasion: Audience Benefits
• Audience Benefits
– Tangible Benefits – how the audience directly benefits from the message
(profits, results)
– Career Benefits
– Ego Benefits
– Personality benefits
• Thinkers –> data
• Skeptics –> credibility
• Unemotional people -> rational arguments
– Group benefits
– Consistency benefits – people tend to stick to something they have
already agreed with
Persuasion: Credibility
Persuasion through credibility.
– the less an audience is involved in the topic or issue, the more important
credibility is as a factor for persuasion.
Types of Persuasion Strategy using credibility:

• Shared values credibility and “common ground”
– Establishing a common ground with your audience at the beginning of
message. eg focus on common goals before introducing a controversial
idea
• Goodwill credibility and “reciprocity”:
– People generally feel obliged to reciprocate gifts, favors, and concessions
—you might offer a concession to gain a concession.
• Goodwill credibility and “liking”:
– Taking time to meet audience one-to-one, establish a relationship,
uncover similarities, offer praise
Persuasion: Credibility (cont.)
Types of Persuasion Strategy using credibility:
• Image credibility and emotionality:

– connecting emotionally with your audience.
• Rank and expertise, credibility by association:
– Refer to your own rank or expertise, or else use rank or expertise by
association (e.g the CEO introduce you or cite credible experts).
• Rank credibility and punishment:
– Most extreme application of rank credibility is using threats and punishments,
• reprimands, pay cuts, demotions, or even dismissal.
• Researchers have found that threats produce tension, provoke counter-aggression,
increase fear and dislike, and work only when you’re on the spot to assure compliance,
and may eliminate an undesired behavior without producing the desired behavior.
Therefore, threats and punishments are inappropriate for most audiences and most
situations.
Communication Strategies - Audience
Strategy
Persuasion – Message Structure
• Opening and closing
– Emphasize audience benefits
• Problem/Solution structure
• Balance theory – if the audience is convinced that there is a problem, they will feel the need
to “balance” out by accepting the solution
• One Sided vs. Two Sided structure
– Useful for
• controversial subjects
• For highly informed/sophisticated audience
• Negative bias audience
– Audiences are more likely to hear positive arguments after their concerns have
been addressed
– More likely to reject alternatives given to them than alternatives they bring up
themselves
– More likely to accept arguments from someone they feel is balanced
Persuasion – Message Structure
• Pro/con vs Con/pro
– List pros first for non-controversial topics
– List Cons first for delicate topics or if credibility is low
• Ascending vs. Descending order
– Ascending order for an informed or interested audience
– Descending order for less informed or disinterested audience
• “Ask for less” (foot in door) Technique:
– Break down objectives into smallest possible requests, starting with the ones
most likely to be accomplished with most ease
• Questionnaires, checklists, specific steps
• “Ask for more” (door in face) Technique:
– Start with a request most likely to be rejected and follow up with a more
moderate request
5 Variables (recap)
Message Strategy
• Structuring messages is the art of emphasizing
and organizing ideas in such a way that the
audience takes away exactly the message you
need to convey
– Data Dump vs. Strategic Message
• Ineffective communicators simply follow thought processes
in the order they come to mind
– (usually) ends with conclusion
• Effective Communicators organize information in different
orders according to the objective they need
– (usually) (planning) starts with conclusion
Message Strategy
• Beginnings and endings
– The primacy/recency effect states that audiences
remember what is first and last, and tend to forget
what is in the middle. This means:
• Never bury important conclusions in the middle of the
message
• Insert persuasion techniques into the middle of the
messages
• State main conclusions emphatically – at the start and
the end
Message Strategy
• Identify main point of the message and state clearly at beginning or end
– Main point = Governing idea, thesis
– Email – usually in subject
• Direct Approach: main point stated at the opening

– Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) method
– Preferred method (90%)
• Audience listens to supporting argument
• Focuses on the main idea and then how you reached the conclusion
• Indirect Approach: main point at end
• Audience less likely to retain ideas
• Reviews the steps you climbed to reach conclusion (methodology)
• Better for highly sensitive topics, resistant audience, analytical audience, certain cultures
Message Strategy
• Audience Dip - Audiences tend to lose concentration and
attention in the middle of long presentations and reports
– Chunking – most people cant remember more than 5 items at
a time
• Chunking means breaking up information into five smaller sections
and creates mini-curves
– Repetition – Main points can be repeated several times –
preview, visuals, transitions, introduction, headings etc.
– Flagging – draw attention to important points repeatedly
• “This is critical . .. . ”
– Use Visuals to reinforce message
Communication Strategies – Message Strategy
Message Organization (Tell)
• Identify Key points
– Order them in a logical sequence
• Key Questions
– Identify Key Questions and highlight communication
by using questions to organize information
• Steps in progress
– Chronological order
• Usually used for specific actions that need to be taken
• Alternatives to compare
Communication Strategies – Message Strategy
Message Organization (Sell)
• List of Recommendations (Direct approach)
– We can improve growth and efficiency if we …
• (1)
• (2)
• List of benefits (Direct approach)
• Problem, and list of possible solutions
(indirect approach)
Communication Strategies – Message
Strategy
• Connecting through stories and anecdotes:
– Allows audience to make connections, and increase interest and
retention
– Illustrates key concepts and makes abstract concepts real
– Helps the idea “stick”
– Builds relationships
– Sells products or services
– Builds team or organizational spirit
• Chose the right story
• Make sure story has a point and provides right direction
• Pick stories based on relevance
5 Variables (recap)
Channel Choice Strategy
• Typical channels:
– Writing – hard copy, email, memo, website, blog,
tweet, IM
– Presentation – slide, webinar,
– Direct Conversation – face to face, phone,
conference call, video call
• Factors to consider while choosing channel:
– Audience or cultural preference
– Audience interaction – how much do you want?
– Do you want to communicate nonverbally?
– Do you want to control timing of message?
– Need Permanent record?
– Amount of detail in message
– Risks
• When choosing a channel
– Identify weaknesses and shortcomings
• Write when:
– A permanent record is needed
– Message has detailed, complex information
• People retain more when reading
• Graphs and data can be used for emphasis
– Precision and editing is required
• Cant edit once something has been said
– Save time – audiences can read faster than you can talk
– Receive considered, thoughtful feedback
• Allows audience time to reflect before providing feedback
– Reach undefined audiences (blogs, websites
– Need to reach large audiences
• Choose Presentations when
– Get nonverbal feedback
– Ensure that everyone gets message simultaneously
– Enhance group interaction
– Receive immediate feedback
– Build community
• One on one
– Get immediate feedback
– Build individual relationships and rapport
• Combine channels.
– Any communication effort may, in fact, involve a
number of channels. For example, you might hold
a series of one-on-one meetings and then, as a
result of what you learn, make a presentation. Or
you might follow up on a meeting by distributing a
written summary to those who didn’t attend.
Channels of Communication
Highly interactive Moderately Minimally
Usually real time Interactive Interactive
Not in Real time
Written Text Messages Email Hard Copies
Instant Messages Blogs Websites
Social Media
Oral Only Telephone calls Voicemail
Conference calls Podcasts
Blended One on One conversation Tell/Sell Recorded Webcasts
Consult/Join meeting Presentations Media/photo
sharing
Slide Presentations Interactive
Video Calls
Webinars
5 Variables (recap)
Culture Strategy
• Culture is the environment within which your
communication is taking place
– Country
– Region
– Industry
– Organization
– Gender
– Ethnic group
– Work group
Culture Strategy
• The danger is stereotyping (have a negative
preconception of large groups)
– In Pakistan there is segregation of women
– Chinese people are difficult to read
• More useful to think in terms of cultural
norms
– Pakistani men and women tend to sit separately
unless they know each other
– Chinese people tend not to reveal opinions till
they know all the facts
Culture Strategy
• Things to consider when identifying cultural
strategies
– Time – flexible vs. inflexible cultures
– Fate – fate vs. human control
– Communication style:
• Group or individual:
– Group-oriented cultures may favor consult/ join styles;
– individualistic cultures may favor tell/sell styles.
• Autocratic or democratic:
– Autocratic cultures may favor tell styles;
– democratic cultures may favor consult styles
Culture Strategy
• Things to consider when identifying cultural strategies
– Credibility: credibility is valued differently in different
cultures.
• goodwill credibility (in relationship-oriented cultures) vs. expertise
credibility (in task-oriented cultures),
• Age, wisdom and rank vs. youth and innovation
• Social class vs. individual meritocracy.
– Audience selection: Cultural expectations about rank,
authority, and group definition
• Key Influencers might need to be identified
• Age, gender, educational level
• Secondary Audiences might need to be considered more strongly
Culture Strategy
• Things to consider when identifying cultural
strategies:
– Persuasion:
• some cultures value material wealth and acquisition, others
place greater value on work relationships, challenges, or status.
• Some cultures value Western logic more than others.
• The relative importance of individual relationships and
credibility varies, as does the relative importance of group
relationships and identity.
– Gender based tendencies
– Message Structure
• Some cultures value slow, indirect negotiations
• Others value fast, direct approaches
Culture Strategy
• Channel choice:
– a technical department vs. marketing department
– A traditional organization vs. start-up venture.
– personal trust more than hard data
– cultures valuing facts and efficiency tend to prefer written
communication and written agreements.
• Nonverbal behavior:
– cultural norms regarding body and voice: posture, gestures, eye contact
and direction of gaze, facial expression, touching behaviors, pitch,
volume, rate, and attitude
• Space and objects:
– how much personal space people are comfortable with, how much
institutional space people are given
• Greetings and hospitality.
– Knowing these norms can go a long way toward increasing your rapport
and credibility.
Communication Strategy Checklist
Communicator Strategy
1. What is the communication objective?
2. What is the best communication style?
3. What is the credibility of the communicator?
Audience Strategy:
1. Who are the audience
2. What do they know and what do they expect?
3. What do the feel about the topic?
4. What will persuade them?
Message Strategy:
1. How to organize the beginning and the end to capture attention
2. How to overcome the retention dip in the middle
3. How should the message be organized?
4. How to connect through stories, anecdotes, example
Channel Choice Strategy:
1. Written only
2. Oral only
3. Blended Channels
Culture Strategy:
Cultural attitudes towards time, fate, credibility, message structure, persuasion, channel
choice and non-verbal behavior
Assignment 3 – individual assignment
(written)
• Pick the best out of the three ideas for your elevator pitch
• In 1-2 pages, describe your idea in terms of
– Communicator strategy
• Identify Main objectives, communication objective, style
– Audience strategy
– Message Strategy
– Channel Choice strategy
– Cultural Strategy
• 1-2 pages
• Follow formatting guidelines given previously for this class
(Name, roll etc)
• Due next week
Assignment 3 individual assignment –
presentation – Part 2
• Prepare a 1-2 minute elevator pitch which you
will deliver in class
• This is an individual assignment, but will be
done according to group. (i.e each group will
have three e.p.s – one delivered by each
member)
• This is a competitive exercise. One out of each
group will be picked as best presentation and
marked accordingly.
Assignment 4 – Group Assignment
• Decide, as a group, which idea you will be using for your FYP/class project
• This idea will be used for both your first and second group presentations, and report
• Define your idea in terms of (1-2 pages)
– Communicator strategy
• Identify Main objectives, communication objective, style
– Audience strategy
– Message Strategy
– Channel Choice strategy
– Cultural Strategy
• Hint: ask yourself: has the audience changed from the e.p? If so, how will your strategies
change in comparison to your elevator pitch ideas?
• Write a synopsis 1-2 pages about your intended project

• Follow formatting guidelines for this class
• Due week after next week

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• The more information you have about the audience,

– Your Primary audience will receive the message directly

• It is also useful to identify “Key Influencers”

Types of Persuasion Strategy using credibility:

• Image credibility and emotionality:

• Direct Approach: main point stated at the opening

• Write a synopsis 1-2 pages about your intended project

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