PLANNIONG SPOKEN AND WRITTEN MESSAGES

Lecture SlidesBusiness Communication, 16e, Lehman & DuFrene

© 2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

Planning Spoken and Written Messages

Chapter 3

Chapter 3, Business Communication, 16e, Lehman & DuFrene © 2011 Cengage Learning

Objectives

• Objective 1 – Identify the purpose of the message

• Objective 2 – Develop clear perceptions of the audience to enhance the impact of the communication and human relations

• Objective 3 – Apply techniques for adapting messages to the audience, including strategies for communicating ethically and responsibly


Process for Planning and Preparing Spoken and Written Messages


Step 1a: Determine the Purpose of the Message

WhatWhat do you hope to accomplish do you hope to accomplish with the message?with the message?


Purpose• Think through what you are trying to say and

understand the objective before you begin

• Overall purpose is to have receiver understand logical information

• Most business messages are used to convey vast amounts of information needed to complete the day to day tasks of the organization


Step 1b: Select a Channel – you want to maximize the likelihood that the receiver will understand and accept your message

Situation Channel/Justification

Tell a customer damaged merchandise will be replaced

Notify a sales rep of job termination

Inform employees of a new Internet usage policy

Telephone or face-to-face: Lends importance to the message; more personal

Telephone or face-to-face: Lends importance to the message; more personal

Email: Routine matter; mass distribution*select the channel that is most appropriate depending on the NATURE and LOCATION of the audience, FORMALITY and CONTENT, of the message, and the need for FEEDBACK


Step 2: Envision the Audience

What should you learn What should you learn about your audience?about your audience?


Audience• Age: A message replying to a student is not the same as business to

business reply• Economic Level: message to a small business will differ from one to a

large corporation• Educational/Work Background: technical jargon and acronyms used

can be confusing to someone not used to it• Needs/Concerns of Receiver: need to understand the receiver’s point

of reference• Culture: cultural diversity increases the complexity i.e typical

American expressions may not translate• Rapport: a sensitive message prepared for a long term client may

differ from a new client’s message• Expectation: certain professions are less tolerant of messages with

errors – i.e lawyers, accountants, financial analysts


Your Turn

• What are the results of not understanding the characteristics of the audience?

• Give an example of a communication situation in which audience needs were not understood or addressed.


Step 3: Adapt the Message to the Audience

• Focus on the ________ point of view• Communicate ________ and __________• Build and protect ________• Use ____________ language• Use ______, informal words• Project a positive, ______ tone• Write ________

receiver’s

ethically responsibly

goodwill

contemporary

simple

tactful

concisely


Adapting: Focusing on Receiver’s Viewpoint

“Me” Attitude “You” Attitude

I want to congratulate you on your award.

I am interested in ordering . . .

I give you permission to take an extra vacation day.

Congratulations! You are the Employee of the Year.

Please send me . . .(You is the understood subject.)

You earned an extra day of vacation because of your performance.


Adapting: Communicating Ethically and Responsibly

• State information as truthfully and fairly as possible

• Do not exaggerate facts • Express ideas understandably• Support viewpoint with facts • Respect and preserve receiver’s self-worth• Design honest graphics


Adapting: Building and Protecting Goodwill

• Use ___________ cautiously

• Avoid _____________ or demeaning expressions

• Use __________ tone cautiously

• Use _______ language appropriately

• Use ________ language

euphemisms

condescending

connotative

specific

bias-free


Adapting: Using Contemporary, Easily Understood Language

• Eliminate outdated expressions

• Eliminate clichés – or over used phrases common in our everyday conversations

• Choose simple, informal words


Adapting: Writing Concisely

• Eliminate redundancies

• Use active voice

• Include only relevant details

• Eliminate clichés

• Do not restate ideas

• Tighten using prefixes, suffixes, and compound adjectives


Adapting: Projecting a Positive, Tactful Tone

• State ideas using _______ language• Avoid using ______ person when stating

negative ideas• Use _______ voice to convey negative ideas• Use __________ mood to de-emphasize

negative ideas• Include a ________ idea in the same

sentence with a ________ one

positivesecond

passivesubjunctive

positivenegative


Objectives 4 and 5

• Recognize the importance of organizing a message before writing the first draft

• Select the appropriate message pattern deductive or inductive for developing messages to achieve the desired response


Organizing the message

• We began by determining the need for a message, second we decided the best way to get the message to our audience, then we analyzed our audience and their needs. Finally we moved on to identifying the specific ways we adapt our messages to specific audiences. Now we need to compose our message



• First be sure that the message is the right message…is it complete, accurate, fair, reasonable, ethical and logical?

• Then take a look at the purpose, anticipate the receivers likely reaction (positive or negative) and should the message begin with the point or the details first.



• After going through all the thought process you can begin to organize your thoughts in an outline format – this helps messages be more concise and accurate, the relationships between the ideas are clearer and the reaction to the message will be more positive. – this is the ultimately why its important to organize the message


Outlining the message

Answer these three questions:

•What is the central idea of the message

•What is the most likely receiver reaction to the message

•And given the likely reaction should the central idea be listed first or should the details be first



• Deductive order or putting the main idea first is used the when the message will please the receiver

• Inductive order or putting the details first us used when the message may be negative or displease the receiver. The receiver may not be interested or will need some persuasion



• For additional sequencing consider:• Time – when writing about a series of events or process begin

with first step through last step

• Space – if writing about geographic areas proceed through them all until all relevant ones have been discussed

• Familiarity – if its complicated begin with the easier and move on to the harder points

• Importance – present major decision making factors in order of most important first

• Value – if money is involved proceed with the values of most importance first


Step 4: Select an Appropriate Outline

PLANNIONG SPOKEN AND WRITTEN MESSAGES

Education

lehman dufrene

business messages

message objective

cengage learning step

small business

cengage learning audience

message replying

sensitive message