Lecture 3: Lecture 3: Planning and Composing Planning and Composing

Business MessagesBusiness Messages

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Planning and Composing Planning and Composing Business MessagesBusiness Messages

PART A: Planning Business Messages

I. Defining the purpose of writing taskA. Common purposes of business messages

B. Testing the purpose

II. Analyzing your audience and adapting your messageA. Developing audience profile

B. Satisfying the audience’s needs

C. Personalizing letter

III.Selecting the appropriate channel and mediumA. Oral communication

B. Written communication

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PART B: Organizing and Composing Business Messages

I. Importance of good organizationA. Helping audience identify the main ideas more quickly and

comprehend important information better

B. Helping audience to accept your message

C. Saving audience time by eliminating unnecessary information and putting message in logical order

II. Four common organizational problemsA. Taking too long to get to the pointB. Including irrelevant materialC. Getting ideas mixed upD. Leaving out necessary information

Planning and Composing Business Planning and Composing Business MessagesMessages

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PART B: Organizing and Composing Business MessagesIII. Organization is a three-step process and can be achieved

by:

A. Defining the main idea

B. Grouping your ideas

C. Choosing between direct and indirect approaches

IV. Types of messages and organizational plansA. Direct requests

B. Routine, good-news messages

C. Bad-news messages

D. Persuasive messages

Planning and Composing Business Planning and Composing Business MessagesMessages

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PART B: Organizing and Composing Business Messages

V. Composing business messagesA. Controlling both style and tone to suit the occasionB. Selecting the best words for correctness and effectivenessC. Creating effective sentencesD. Developing coherent paragraphs

VI. Checklist for composing sentence and paragraph

A. Tips for creating effective sentencesB. Tips for creating effective paragraphs

C. Five common ways for developing a paragraph

Planning and Composing Business Planning and Composing Business MessagesMessages

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Part APart A

Planning Business MessagesPlanning Business Messages

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General Purposes Specific Purposes

To inform (Tell)

To present last month’s sales figures to the vice president of Marketing

To announce a major management structuring before the rumour mill distorts it and gets out by the press

To persuade (Sell)

To convince the vice president of marketing to hire more sales representatives

To analyze the probability of a plant your management is considering closing

To collaborate (Join) To help the personnel department

develop a training program for new members of the sales staff

Common Purposes of Business Common Purposes of Business MessagesMessages

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Common Purposes of Business Common Purposes of Business Messages (cont’d)Messages (cont’d)

Medium

Low Medium High

Collaborate

Persuade

Inform

High

Low

Au

die

nce

Par

tici

pat

ion

Communicator Control

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Common Purposes of Business Common Purposes of Business Messages (cont’d)Messages (cont’d)

Using Inform (Tell) Approach When:

a. Messages at the informative end of the continuum require less interaction with the audience.

b. You are in complete command of the necessary authority and information.

c. Example: You ask a subordinate to carry out a routine task.

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Common Purposes of Business Common Purposes of Business Messages (cont’d)Messages (cont’d)

Using Persuasive (Sell) Approach When:

a. You are in command of the information, but your audience retains the ultimate decision-making power.

b. Persuasive messages require a moderate amount of audience participation and allow a moderate amount of control.

c. EX: You ask a customer to buy your product.

d. Sell benefits, not features.

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Common Purposes of Business Common Purposes of Business Messages (cont’d)Messages (cont’d)

Using Collaborative (Join) Approach When:

a. Your point of view is one among many.b. Collaborative messages require maximum

audience participation.c. EX: You serve as a representative at an

interdepartmental strategy session.d. When collaboration is your goal, you must

be prepared to adjust to new input and unexpected reactions.

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Testing the PurposeTesting the Purpose

Testing the purpose by asking:

1. Realistic?

2. Right time?

3. Right person delivering the message? (See example on Memo to Henry C. Hendrikson.)

4. Acceptable to the organization?

*The memo will be discussed in tutorial.

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When Analyzing Your Audience When Analyzing Your Audience (Profile / Needs)(Profile / Needs)

1.Developing an audience profile WHO WHAT Channel (size) HOW --

Anticipate the audience’s reaction Gear information to the audience’s level of

understanding Consider your relationship with the audience

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When Analyzing Your Audience When Analyzing Your Audience (Profile / Needs) (cont’d)(Profile / Needs) (cont’d)

2. Satisfying the audience’s needs

Informational needs Motivational needs -- Appeal to reason

versus Appeal to emotions

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When Analyzing Your Audience When Analyzing Your Audience (Profile / Needs) (cont’d)(Profile / Needs) (cont’d)

3. Personalize your letter

Address a particular need (Sample A)* Tailor to customer profile (Sample B)* Appeal to audience empathy by using a

personal voice (Sample C)*

*Three sample letters are included for reference.

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Selecting the Channel and MediumSelecting the Channel and Medium

Oral Communication Permits immediate feedback Good for dealing with questions, making group

decisions, presenting controversial information Forms: Unplanned conversations, telephone calls,

interviews, small group meetings, seminars, workshops, training programs, formal speeches, presentations

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Selecting the Channel and Medium Selecting the Channel and Medium (cont’d)(cont’d)

Written Communication

Provides the writer with a chance to plan and control the message

Good when Information is complex Documentation is required Audience is large and dispersed Feedback is unnecessary

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Selecting the Channel and Medium Selecting the Channel and Medium (cont’d)(cont’d)

Written Communication

Most common forms: Memos and letters Reports and proposals

Factual, objective documents for internal or external audiences

Generally longer and more formal than letters and memos

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Planning Audience-Centered Planning Audience-Centered Business MessagesBusiness Messages

Purpose(Be clear about exactly what you mean to accomplish before you write)

Information gathering through

ReadingInterviewingDiscussing

Thinking

Brainstorming by

5 “WH-questions” (Who; What; Where; When; Why)

Structuring your ideas in the order how best to carrying out

your purpose

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PART BPART B

Organizing and Composing Organizing and Composing Business MessagesBusiness Messages

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Importance of Good OrganizationImportance of Good Organization

A. Helping audience identify the main ideas more quickly and comprehend important information better.

B. Helping audience accept your message.

C. Saving audience time by eliminating unnecessary information and putting message in logical order.

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Four Common Organization Four Common Organization ProblemsProblems

A. Taking too long to get to the point

B. Including irrelevant material

C. Getting ideas mixed up

D. Leaving out necessary information

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Good Organization Can Be Achieved Good Organization Can Be Achieved through a Three-step Process:through a Three-step Process:

A. Defining the main idea

B. Grouping the main idea

C. Choosing between direct and indirect approaches

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Establishing Organization PlansEstablishing Organization Plans

Direct approach (Deductive)

Main idea presented first; followed by the evidence; use your strongest evidence first

Example: The committee recommends Policy X for the following reasons: Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3

Indirect approach (Inductive)

Evidence precedes main idea Present your view last Example: Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Therefore, the committee recommends Policy X.

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When and Why Using Direct or When and Why Using Direct or Indirect ApproachIndirect Approach

Direct Approach

Have receptive audience Save audience time Set a proper frame of mind Prevent frustration

Indirect Approach

Have unreceptive audience Soften audience’s resistance

and minimize a negative reaction

Arouse interest and curiosity Respect the audience’s

feelings

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Types of Messages and Types of Messages and Organizational PlansOrganizational Plans

Shorter Messages

Direct requests

Straightforward; easy to comply Begin with the request or main idea Provide necessary details Close with a statement of the desired action

Routine, good-news messages

Audience will be neutral or pleased by information

Begin with main idea or good news Provide necessary details Close with reference to good news or a

positive comment

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Types of Messages and Types of Messages and Organizational Plans (cont’d)Organizational Plans (cont’d)

Shorter Messages

Bad-news messages

Cushion the blow when the audience will be displeased

Begin with a neutral buffer Justify the negative point with evidence State the bad news in positive terms Close cordially

Persuasive Messages

Provide motivational incentives (unwilling to comply)

Begin with attention getter Build interest by describing the general idea Explain benefits to create desire Request action

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Controlling Both Style and ToneControlling Both Style and Tone

Beware of the differences between style and tone

• Style: The way words are used to create effects• Tone: The overall effect; the result of style

Avoid big words

I will fill the order as soon as I receive more supplies.

Upon procurement of additional supplies, I will initiate fulfillment of the order as quickly as possible.

Avoid gushy, overblown terms• (e.g. extremely, extraordinary, exceptionally)

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Selecting the Best WordsSelecting the Best Words

Use functional and content words:

Functional words (e.g. conjunctions, preposition, articles and pronouns)

• Express relationships• Have one final meaning

Content words (e.g. nouns, verbs, adjective, adverbs)

• Carry the meaning of the sentence• Are subject to many interpretations• Vary in degree of abstraction

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Creating Effective SentencesCreating Effective Sentences

Three types of sentences:

Simple: Profits have increased.

Compound: Wage rates have declined and turnover has been high.

Complex: Although the sales force is strong, the business depends heavily on advertising to reach consumers.

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Developing Coherent ParagraphsDeveloping Coherent Paragraphs

Three basic elements of a paragraph:

A. Topic Sentence Summarizes main idea Usually comes first

B. Related Sentences Explain and pertain to the main idea Are more specific than the topic sentence

C. Transitional elements Link sentences and paragraphs Establish relationships among ideas

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Developing Coherent Paragraphs Developing Coherent Paragraphs (cont’d)(cont’d)

Example:

Each year McDonald’s sponsors the All-American Band, made up of two high school students from each State. The band marches in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City and the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. Franchisees are urged to join their local Chamber of Commerce, United Way, American Legion, and other bastions of All-Americana. McDonald’s tries hard to project an image of almost a charitable organization. Local outlets sponsor campaigns on fire prevention, bicycle safety, and letter cleanup, with advice from Hamburger Central on how to extract the most publicity from their efforts.

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Developing Coherent Paragraphs Developing Coherent Paragraphs (cont’d)(cont’d)

Five Most Common Ways to Develop a Paragraph

A. Illustrations: Examples that demonstrate the general idea

B. Comparison or contrast: Similarities or differences among thoughts

C. Cause and effect: Reasons for somethingD. Classification: Division of ideas into sub-categoriesE. Problem and Solution: What’s wrong and how to fix it

Examples: (to be discussed in tutorials; see Supplementary Reading)

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Checklist for Composing Checklist for Composing Sentences and ParagraphsSentences and Paragraphs

Tips For Creating Effective Sentences1. Use a mix of sentence type for variety2. Keep sentences short – 20 words on average,

but vary the length to make writing interesting3. Emphasize important ideas - (Key thoughts)4. Apply active and passive verbs carefully - (Keep verbs in active voice, but use passive voice to soften criticism.)

EX: The shipment was lost. – NOT – You lost the shipment.

5. Eliminate misplaced modifiers EX: See next pages for examples

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Examples of Misplaced ModifiersExamples of Misplaced Modifiers1. Antia Information Systems has bought new computer chairs for the

programmers with more comfortable seats. Revised Version: Antia Information Systems has bought new

computer chairs with more comfortable seats for the programmers.

2. I asked him to file all the letters in the cabinet that had been answered.

Revised Version: I asked him to file in the cabinet all the letters that had been answered.

3. The merchandise was inspected by our inventory manager that was received today.

Revised Version 1: The merchandise that was received today was inspected by our inventory manager.

Revised Version 2: Our inventory manager inspected the merchandise that was received today.

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Checklist for Composing Sentences Checklist for Composing Sentences and Paragraphs (cont’d)and Paragraphs (cont’d)

Tips For Creating Effective Paragraphs1. Develop and stick to one point per paragraph2. Use the direct plan3. Use the indirect plan4. Build coherence by linking sentences5. Provide road signs with transitional expressions6. Limit paragraph length (100 words on average)7. Use information heading to grab readers’ attention

and make document easier to read

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~ The End ~