Chapter 6

The Process of Preparing Effective Business Messages

Effective Business Communication
Herta A Murphy Herbert W Hildebrandt Jane P Thomas ed. (SIE) Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi

7th

Chapter Objectives
To

understand the process of preparing effective business messages To appreciate the value of planning in designing and Organizing an effective message

Preparing effective business message

In

order to be effective, one needs to plan, organize, draft, revise, edit, and proofread a message. Even with the most advanced office technology, one needs to prepare oral or written messages carefully.

Five planning steps

Following

steps must be considered before writing a message:

Identify Your Purpose Analyze Your Audience Choose Your ideas Collect your Data Organize Your Messages

Five planning steps

Identify your purpose

The first step to planning is to determine the purpose of the communication. [Is the message informational, such as announcing a new location of your firm? Or the message is persuasive such as asking customers to buy your products?]

Five planning steps

Identify your purpose

Generally, the objective of most messages is twofold: the reason for the message and the creation of goodwill.

Five planning steps

Analyze Your Audience

Audience analysis helps the sender see the message from the receivers point of view. Once the sender is acquainted with the receiver, s/he can actually visualize individuals.

Five planning steps

Analyze Your Audience

Audience analysis involves:

Receivers

demographics such as age, gender, income, education, profession, etc. Receivers position in the organization superior, peer, or subordinate. Receivers attitudes, beliefs, culturespecific values.

Five planning steps

Choose Your Ideas

The ideas to be included in the message depends on the type of message, the situation and the cultural context. If the sender is replying to a letter, then the main point in the letter could be ideas for the reply. For a new letter, some brainstorming is needed.

Five planning steps

Collect Data to Support Your Ideas

Once the ideas to be included are decided, the sender must determine the data needed, like specific facts, figures, quotations, or other evidences to support the points.

Five planning steps

Organize Your Message

Outlining the message (mentally or on paper) is essential before making the first draft. Organizing the sequence of the ideas to be presented in the message can prevent rambling and unclear messages.

Basic organizational plans

The choice of organizational plan depends upon following:

Expectation about receivers response Knowledge of the receiver about the topic of the message Receivers cultural conventions

Basic organizational plans

For letters and memos, there are four basic organizational plans: direct request, good-news, bad-news, or persuasive-request plan First two of the above use Direct (Deductive) Approach, which begins with the main idea. Last two plans use the Indirect (Inductive ) Approach, which states the main idea later.

Basic organizational plans

Direct (Deductive) Approach

When you think that the audience will have a favorable or neutral reaction to your message, use direct approach. Use this plan for making direct requests, announcing favorable or neutral news, and exchanging information within or between companies.

Basic organizational plans

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. Begin with a buffer a relevant pleasant, neutral, or receiver-benefit statement; then give explanation and then introduce your idea.

Beginning and endings

Two of the most important positions in any business message are the opening and closing paragraphs. Remember the old sayings:

First impression is lasting We remember best what we read last

Beginning and endings

Opening Paragraphs
Opening of a message determines whether the reader continues reading, puts the message aside, or discards it. Choose openings that is appropriate for the purpose of the message and the reader.

Beginning and endings

Opening Paragraphs
Make the opening considerate, courteous, concise and clear. Keep the first paragraph relatively short. Use conversational language in clear and concise sentences. Ensure the completeness of the message.

Beginning and endings

Closing Paragraphs
The closing is more likely to motivate the reader to act as requested if it is appropriately strong, clear, and polite. Make an action request clear and complete with 5 Ws and 1 H. End on a positive and courteous thought. Keep the last paragraph concise and correct.

Composing the message

Composing the message involves following:

Drafting Your Message Revising Your Message Editing and Proofreading Your Message

Composing the message

Drafting Your Message

First draft is often the most difficult to write. The important thing is to get the most important information in the message. Regardless of the style, the important thing is to get on paper the information to be included.

Composing the message

Revising Your Message

It involves adding necessary and deleting unnecessary information, making sure all points are supported, checking organizational approach, and reviewing the language in terms of 7 Cs.

Composing the message

Editing and Proofreading Your Message

Editing and proofreading are important to ensure that the message has no mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or word choice. Minor mistakes, such as typographical errors could reduce the effectiveness of the message.