Planning Business Messages · 2016. 11. 23. · The Writing Process Three Steps OR Three Phases I. Planning/ Pre-writing 50 % Time II.Writing 25 % Time III.Completing/ Revising 25%

Chapter 3: Overview

Planning Business Messages

The Writing Process

Three Steps OR Three Phases

I. Planning/ Pre-writing 50 % Time

II. Writing 25 % Time

III. Completing/ Revising 25% Time

© Prentice Hall, 2007 Business Communication Essentials, 3e Chapter 3 - 3

Business Messages

Purposeful

Audience-Centered

Efficient and Economical


Planning Writing Completing

Analyze Situation

Gather Information

Select Medium

Get Organized

Revise

Produce

Proofread

Distribute

Adapt to Your

Audience

Compose

the Message

Three-Step Writing Process

The more you use the three steps, the easier, faster and a lot

less stressful writing will become for you.

Using half your time for planning might seem excessive, but

skipping the planning stage often creates extra work later in

the process.

I. Analyze the Situation

A. Define your purpose.

B. Develop an audience profile.

II. Gather the Information

Determine the audience’s needs and satisfy them.

III. Select the Right Medium-- oral, written, visual, electronic

IV. Organize the Information

A. Define your main idea.

B. Limit your scope.

C. Select a direct or indirect approach.

D. Outline your content.

I. Analyze the Situation

A successful message starts with a clear purpose that

connects the sender’s needs with the audience’s needs.

Describing your qualifications in an email message to

an executive in your own company

Describing your qualifications in your LinkedIn profile

Writing a newspaper article

Writing while preparing an assignment

Social networking profile might have multiple

goals---connecting with peers outside, and with a

potential employer


Define Your Purpose

General Purpose Specific Purpose

To Inform

To Persuade

To Collaborate

Your Goals

Audience Thoughts

Audience Actions


Analyze Your Purpose

Will anything change?

complaining, information overload

Is the purpose realistic?

request for raise, but struggling

Is the timing right?

The busy or distracted--- attention

Is the purpose acceptable?


Profile Your Audience

Primary Members

Size and location

Composition Culture, age, rank, etc.


Profile Your Audience

Knowledge Level --- share your background

Expectations --- detail or summary

Probable Reaction – simple or complex

messages


Gather Information

Informal Methods

Viewpoints

of Others---

Audience

and Community

Company

Documents

and Reports

Supervisors,

Colleagues,

and Customers

Audience

Input

Uncovering Audience Needs

Sometimes readily apparent --- a consumer emails

asking a specific situation

At other times, audience unable to express clearly

Sometimes detective work--- need to investigate

underlying reasons for low morale



Provide Information

Accurate

Ethical

Pertinent


Select the Right Medium

Oral Media Written Media


Analysis of Oral Media

Advantages Disadvantages

Limited participation

May not be permanent

Reduced control

No editing or revision

Immediate feedback

Ease of interaction

Rich non-verbal cues

Emotional content


Analysis of Written Media


Delayed feedback

Few nonverbal cues

Distribution issues

Preparation time

Planning and control

Permanent record

Wide audience

Minimal distortion

© Prentice Hall, 2007 Chapter 3 - 19

Electronic

Media

Telephone Calls

Teleconferencing and Meeting Online

Electronic Documents

Instant Messaging Global

Communication

Voice Mail

Videotapes and DVDs

Faxes and E-mail

Websites, Blogs and Podcasts

Business Communication Essentials, 3e

Electronic Media


•Delivery speed

•Audience reach

•Personalization

•Multimedia formats

•Accessibility/openness

•Tension/conflict

•Easy to overuse

•Security threats

•Privacy concerns

•Productivity issues


Choosing the Best Medium

Notes, Letters,

Memos Fliers, Bulletins,

Standard Reports

Telephone

E-mail

Face-to-Face

Leaner Richer

A Continuum of Media Richness

© Prentice Hall, 2007 Business Communication

Essentials, 3e

Chapter 3 - 22

Choosing Message Media

Sender

Intentions

Urgency

and Cost

Audience

Preferences

Message

Formality

Media

Limitations


Organizing the Message

Increases Acceptance

Saves Audience Time

Boosts Understanding

Promotes Productivity


Defining Your Main Idea

1. Budget Constraints

2. Service Problems

3. Cash-Flow Problems

1. Seeking Larger Budget

2. Training Service Workers

3. Seeking Salary Increase

Specific Statement

About the Topic

Broad Subject

of the Message

The Topic The Main Idea

Business Message


Generating Ideas

Brainstorming and

Mindmapping

Journalistic Approach

Question-Answer Chain

Storyteller’s Tour –

record yourself, then listen


Support

Points

Length

Limitations

Audience

Attitude

Research

Depth

Limiting

The Scope


Sequencing Messages

Direct Approach (Deductive)

Indirect Approach (Inductive)

Audience Reaction

Message Length

Message Type


Choosing the Approach

Audience

Reaction

Message

Opening

Message

Body

Message

Closing

Eager/Interested/

Pleased/Neutral Displeased Uninterested/Unwilling

Main idea, good

news, or request

Necessary details

Cordial comment or

statement about

specific action

Neutral buffer statement

Reasons/justification,

bad news, positive

suggestion

Cordial close

Attention-getting

statement/question

Arousing interest,

building desire

Request for action


Constructing Outlines

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

1.2.1 Evidence

1.2.2 Evidence

1.3 Third subpoint

2.0 Second Major Point

2.1 First subpoint

2.2 Second subpoint

Alphanumeric Decimal


Basic Message Structure

State Main Idea

State Major Points

Provide Evidence


Reviewing Key Points

• Applying the three-step process

• Analyzing the situation

• Gathering information

• Selecting the right medium

• Organizing the information