MESSAGE DESIGN

Whether you are preparing a written or an oral business message, to be effective you need to plan, organize, draft, revise, edit, and proofread. Essential also is thoughtful adherence to communication principles-the seven C qualities discussed in Chapter 2-and awareness of legal and ethical aspects. Even with the most advanced office technology, the need for careful preparation of either written or oral messages demands effort. Add to this rule the idea that companies are becoming more global and international, and the argument for thoughtful preparation receives even more emphasis. This chapter presents planning steps, basic organizational patterns, suggestions for openings and closings, and composing procedures. Letters, domestic and international, are the focus of the discussion and exercises. Later chapters include details about specific kinds of letters and memos and suggestions for preparing proposals and reports. FIVE PLANNING STEPS To communicate effectively, consider the following steps before you write your message: Identify your purpose. Analyze your audience. Choose your ideas. Collect data to support your idea, Organize your message.

Identify Your Purpose Your first step when planning your communication is to determine your specific purpose. Is your message mainly informational, such as announcing your firms new location? Is it mainly persuasive, such as asking customers to buy your product? Are you trying to negotiate a contract with a parts supplier in South America? Or must you explain why you are not granting a customers request for credit?

All messages have, an underlying "relational purpose-to create goodwill. For example, in a credit refusal letter, your purpose is twofold: to refuse the request while encouraging the customer's continued business. Creating goodwill is especially important when communicating with foreign companies, including the governments of those companies. Courtesy and patience in waiting for a response are especially necessary-. Analyze Your Audience After reading about the communication process and principles in both national and international contexts in Chapter 3, you realize how important it is to adapt your messages to your receivers" views, mental filters, needs, and culture. If you are acquainted with your readers or listeners, you can actually visualize individuals. Much of your writing, however, will be directed to people you have never met. Additionally, when communicating for the first time with a foreign company or government, you cannot be too cautious. Take care even with the salutation of the letter, paying attention to the proper placement of first and last names and correct titles. Take time to become knowledgeable about the basic communication principles of the country to which you are writing. If you are sending a message to one person, try to see that person as a member of a group, such as business or professional person or laborer; superior, colleague, or subordinate; woman or man-, new or longtime customer, young, middle-aged, or elderly. Consider also the person's educational level, attitudes, and probable values (often culture-specific). Finally, consider your message and decide whether your readers or listeners are informed or uninformed on the subject and whether they will react positively or negatively, with interest or disinterest. Choose Your Ideas With your purpose and receiver in mind, the next step is to choose the ideas for your message .If you are answering a letter, underline the main points to discuss and jot your ideas in the margin. If you are writing an unsolicited or a complex message, begin by listing ideas as they come to youbrainstorming and then choosing the best ideas for your receiver. The ideas you include depend on the type of message you are sending and the background and location of your receiver (national or international)) For example, in a response from a large resort hotel to a person who has asked about rates, you might send a brief list of in- and out-of-season prices. But if you limited your response to this list, you would miss an opportunity to sell the other services you have to offer. In this kind of response, the following ideas should be included: Thank the reader for the letter asking about rates. Mention the services the hotel provides.

Include information regarding the place where the hotel is located. Describe the facilities. List the rates.

You might also include a brochure of your hotel along with small brochures of popular sights in your area. Collect Your Data After you have decided what ideas to include, you must determine whether you need specific facts, figures, quotations, or other forms of evidence to support your points. Be sure you know your company policies, procedures, and product details if your message requires them. Always check your data on names of individuals, dates, addresses, and statistics. Sometimes, you may need to enclose a brochure, table, picture, or product sample. Organize Your Message Before you write your first draft, outline your message (mentally or on paper). The order in which you present your ideas is as important as the ideas themselves. Disorganized, rambling messages often seem careless, confusing, and unimportant. However, different approaches are necessary for different cultures. While the direct style is often preferred by U.S. businesspeople, the indirect plan is often more effective in South American, middle eastern, and Asian countries. Europeans most often prefer the direct approach. Choose your organizational plan after you have worked through your initial planning steps.

BASIC ORGANIZATIONAL PLANS

Your choice of organizational plan depends on a number of factors: how you expect your reader or listener to react to your message, how much this person knows about the topic or situation, and what his or her cultural conventions are. For letters and memos, you can choose one of four basic organizational plans: the direct-request, good-news, bad-news, or persuasive-request plan. The first two plans use the direct approach, which begins with the main idea; the last two plans use the indirect approach, which states the main idea later. All these plans are flexible guides only, not rigid rules. Your own judgment must help you decide the best organization and content of your message, taking into consideration your audiences views, conventions (social Behavior), knowledge, and culture.

Direct (Deductive) Approach Use the direct approach -When you think your reader or listener will have a favorable or neutral reaction or when the audience is receptive to your message. You begin with the main idea or best news to your message. After the opening, you include all necessary explanatory details in one or several paragraphs and end with an appropriate, friendly closing. Use the direct-request plan when the main purpose of your message is to make a request that requires less persuasion; use the good-news plan to grant requests, announce favorable or neutral information, and exchange routine information within or between companies. The direct-request and good-news plans have three basic parts. Indirect (Inductive) Approach When you expect resistance to your message, choose the indirect approach, such as in a bad-news message or a persuasive request. If you think your readers or listeners might react negatively to your message, generally you should not present the main idea in the first paragraph. Instead consider beginning with a buffera relevant pleasant, neutral, or receiverbenefit statement; then give an explanation before you introduce your idea. This pleasant and neutral opening is called the "Porch," or the initial remarks to an audience. Many bad-news and persuasive-request plans use the indirect approach. The bad-news message is one of the most difficult to prepare because your reader may react negatively. Likewise, in the persuasive request you may face resistance. Even in good-news and neutral messages, some cultural communication conventions require an indirect approach. Goodwill and reader benefits are essential to these messages. BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS Two of the most important positions in any business message are the opening and closing paragraphs. You have probably heard the old sayings "First impressions are lasting" and "We remember best what we read last." Whenever possible, place the main favorable ideas at the beginning and ending of a message. This advice also applies to paragraphs. Opening Paragraphs

The opening of a message determines whether the reader continues reading, puts the message aside, or discards It. Often the opening of a written message determines whether the reader continues reading, puts the message aside for later, or discards it. Checklist 6.3 and the following examples offer suggestions for good openings that help make favorable impressions: 1. Choose Openings Appropriate for Message Purpose and Reader
Main Idea or Good-News Subject First. Begin with the main idea or good-news

subject when you are sure the reader will consider the information favorable or neutral. It is also easier for the reader to understand the main idea if it is in the first paragraph. These openings are desirable in direct-request, neutral, and good-news messages.

Examples Request:
So that your CD funds, which have matured, can be transferred to your IRA account as you have requested, please return to us the following:

Good news:

Enclosed is a cash refund for the defective wristwatch that you sent to us recently.

Announcement: (who, what, when, where, why)

As a representative of [Global Business Association], you are invited to attend a free seminar on Negotiating Environmental Issues in the International Marketplace to be held in the Richelieu ballroom, Opera Hotel, rue de Sevres, Paris, on May 1. The purpose of this seminar is to explain the new national environmental laws affecting international business.

NOTE: Advertising writing seeks to get reader attention immediately; such writing often breaks the rules of proper grammar.

Buffer First, When you have bad news for the reader, begin with a buffera statement that you can agree on which sets a neutral tone. A message with out Buffer

Poor:
has been reasons:

Your application rejected due to

to the [name] Executive the following

Skills Program

A message with Buffer

Good:

Because of the large number pf applications we received for our [name] Executive Skills Program-. we have had to turn away many personsLie obviously underestimated the interest in our current subject- A new program is already being planned and we will send you information as soon as it's availableAttention-Getting statement First. When you write a persuasive request

(sales letter), begin with relevant statements that will induce the recipient to read further, as in the following opening:
Did you know that up to half of all the lower back pain is caused by sleeping on a too-soft mattress? In addition, back pain due to other causes can be made worse by sleeping on a poor mattress. We remedy that. Our company has developed a new mattress and foundation that provides the kind of support your back needs.

(When it comes to marketing statement, catch attention of the reader first and then worry about the precision of the language.) 2. Make the Opening Considerate. Courteous, Concise, Clear Immediately get your reader into the opening thought whether your message is good or bad news, a direct or a persuasive request. Emphasize the reader, and focus on the positive aspects of your message. Use courteous language, and avoid anything that might anger the reader. Keep the first paragraph relatively short- five type written lines or less. As in all the paragraphs, use conversational in clear and concise sentences. 3. Check for Completeness Avoid opening with an incomplete sentence like: Poor: Good: As per your recent letter, we have shipped your order today by Federal Express. Three bolts of Thai silk, which you ordered on July 7, were shipped to you today by DHL.

Closing Paragraphs

Your closing is more likely to motivate the reader to act as requested if it is appropriately strong, clear, and polite. Here you have the opportunity to bring final focus on the desired action and leave a sense of goodwill with the reader. What you say in the closing should reinforce the central purpose of your message. 1. Make Action Request Clear and Complete with Five Ws and H Whenever you are requesting action by your reader or by someone else, your closing paragraph will usually he more effective if you make clear what, who, how, where, when, and if appropriate, why. What and Who? Clear statement of the action you desire your reader (or someone else) to take. Should the reader phone your office for an appointment? Sign a card or a document? Return it? If so, to whom? Come to your office in person? Send you certain information or payment? How and Where? Easy action.

Include your phone number am] extension if you want (he reader to phone you. Enclose a form (card, order, blank, or questionnaire) and an addressed reply envelope (perhaps with postage paid) if you want the reader to furnish something. Give complete instructions regarding how and where if you do not include a form and envelope. State your office hours and location if you want the reader to come to you in person. Do you have a free parking lot? Where? When and Why? Dated action; special inducement to act by a specified time. Name the date (and the exact hour, if pertinent) whenever you need the reply by a certain time . Tactfully state the reason you need it then- perhaps to meet a report on printers deadline or to use in a speech you are giving at a certain meeting. When appropriate, mention some benefits the reader will gain by prompt action. In the following, example, notice how the vague action request is improved by interesting some or all of the Ws and H: Vague: I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter

Better: So that we can make appropriate arrangements for your visit, please call me at 555-4567, before Friday, November 16, anytime between 9 A.M and 5 P.M.

2. End on a Positive, Courteous Thought

Include Any Apologies and Negatives Before Last Paragraph. Negative: I m sorry we cant be more encouraging at this time. Positive: we wish you success in your search for a position. Be Friendly. Offer to help the reader further, if that is appropriate. Words

like please and will you help soften commands.

Good:

If there is any further way we can assist you -, please call (222) 555-4567 Monday to Friday between 9 A.M and 5.P.M. Send us your check today.

Poor:

Show Appreciation. .Everyone likes sincere praise when earned. But do not thank people for doing something before they have agreed to do it.

Avoid:

Thank you in advance for distributing these questionnaires to your employeesSay: I will appreciate your distributing these questionnaires to your employees.
Occasionally Add a Personal Note. When unrelated to the subject discussed in

the message, a personal note is appropriate, sometimes added as a last paragraph, often handwritten. Give my regards to your lovely family. I enjoyed meeting them during the October conference-(But should be based on real ground, like if you have really met them) 3. Keep Last Paragraph Concise and Correct Trim your last paragraph to five or fewer lines of complete sentences. Avoid common expressions and unnecessary repetition. Poor: Again, we hank you for your inquiry. Enclosed you will find a selfaddressed stamped envelope-Hoping to hear from you soon about your preference, I remain

Please fill out this form and return it in the enclosed envelope by [date] .Then you can soon begin to enjoy the comfort at...
Better:

COMPOSING THE MESSAGE Drafting Your Message Your first draft is often the most difficult to write. The important thing is to get the most important information in your message on paper early. When you have completed the five planning steps and considered your openings and closings, you are ready for your first draft. No two people prepare their first drafts the same way. Some people write first drafts in a linear style, following their mental or written outline and moving from one point to the next. Others use a more circular style, putting their ideas down with a less fixed progression of points, data, and organization. Regardless of your style, the important thing is to get on paper (or cassette recorder or word processor) the information you want included in your message. The next step is to polish the document. Some of the worlds best writers believe that their strength lies in revising and editing. The next two steps in writing.

Revising Your Message Revision means adding necessary and deleting unnecessary information. After you finish the first draft of a message, you must evaluate its content, organization, and style. The following are suggestions for revising: Does your message accomplish its purpose? Have yon chosen the most effective organizational plan? Are your points supported by adequate material? Is your language complete, concise, considerate, concrete, clear, courteous and correct?

Have you used variety in sentence structure?

'The best writers confirm again and again that revision is the key to good writing.
Tolstoy revised War and Peace 5 times; James Thurber rewrote his stories as many as 15 times; Franklin D. Roosevelt's speeches often went to 18 drafts; James Mitchener feels that his strength is in rewriting.

Editing and Proofreading Your Message Editing your message involves checking all paragraphs for good topic sentences, examining sentences for sound structure, and watching language for correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. When you have edited your message and found it to be effective, you are ready for final proofreading. Sometimes you will proofread your document several times to be sure that you have not missed any errors. Even minor mistakes, such as typographical errors, can reduce the effectiveness of your message and undermine your credibility.

Summary Five Planning Steps

Identify your purpose Analyze your audience Choose your ideas Collect your data Organize your message