Planning

Business Messages

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 1

Planning Business Messages
1. Three-Step Writing Process
2. Analyzing Your Situation
3. Profile Your Audience
4. Gather Information
5. Selecting the Medium
6. Organizing Information
7. Define Topic and Main Idea
Group Formation
8. Choosing Approaches
Washing Machines
Insurance Plan
Three-Step Writing Process

Planning Writing Completing

Analyze Situation Revise

Adapt to
the Audience
Gather Information Produce

Select Medium Proofread

Compose
the Message
Get Organized Distribute

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 3

Three-Step Writing Process

Planning Writing Completing

Analyze Situation Revise

Adapt to
the Audience
Gather Information Produce

Select Medium Proofread

Compose
the Message
Get Organized Distribute

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 4

 Optimize Your Time

Planning
Planning
Messages
Messages
50%

Writing
Writing
Messages
Messages
25%
How much
Completing 25%
time for
Completing Messages
every step?
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 5
 Analyze the Situation

Define Your
Purpose

Profile Your
Audience

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 6

 Define Your Purpose

To determine the specific purpose,

think of how the audience’s ideas or
behaviour should be affected by the
message.

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 7

 Define Your Purpose

General Specific

Inform Outcomes

Persuade Timing and Realism

Collaborate Acceptability

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 8

 Define Your Purpose

Defer the message, or do not send it if:

1. Nothing will change as result.
2. Purpose is not realistic.
3. Timing is not right.
4. Purpose is not acceptable to
organisation.
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 9
 Profile Your Audience

Primary Members

Size and location

Composition
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 10
 Profile Your Audience

Knowledge Level

Expectations

Probable Reaction
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 11
 Profile Audience

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 12

 Gather Information

Informal Methods

Company Supervisors,
Viewpoints Audience
Documents Colleagues,
of Others Input
and Reports and Customers

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 13

 Provide Information

Accurate

Ethical

Pertinent
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 14
 Selecting the Medium

Oral Media

Written Media

Visual Media

Electronic Media
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 15
 Oral Communication
• Conversations
• Interviews
• Speeches
• Presentations
• Meetings
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 16
 Analysis of Oral Media

Advantages Disadvantages

•Immediate feedback •Limited participation

•Ease of interaction •May not be permanent

•Rich non-verbal cues •Reduced control

•Emotional content •No editing or revision

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 17
 Written Communication

Memos

Letters

Reports

Proposals
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 18
 Analysis of Written Media

Advantages Disadvantages

•Planning and control •Delayed feedback

•Permanent record •Few nonverbal cues

•Audience reach •Distribution issues

•Minimal distortion •Preparation time

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 19
Visual Communication

Charts

Graphs

Diagrams

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 20

 Visual Media

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 21

 Analysis of Visual Media

Advantages Disadvantages

•Ease communication •Artistic skills

•Reduce complexity •Preparation time

•Expedite understanding •Technical requirements

•Assist the audience •Transmitting and storing

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 22
 Electronic Communication

Oral Communication

Written Communication

Visual Communication

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 23

Analysis of Electronic Media

Advantages Disadvantages

•Delivery speed •Easy to overuse

•Audience reach •Security threats

•Multimedia formats •Privacy concerns

•Accessibility/openness •Productivity issues

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 24
 Choosing the Right Media

Richer Leaner

Face-to-Face, Custom Reports,

Multimedia, Memos,
Virtual Reality Letters, Email,
Telephone, IM,
Teleconferen Wikis, Blogs,
ces, Podcasts Standard Reports,
Videotapes Fewer cues,
Multiple cues, Webpages, Mass Media, Not
Interactive, Posters and Signs interactive,
personalised Im-
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e personalised
Chapter 4 - 25

A Continuum of Media Richness

 Choosing the Right Media

Message Media
Formality Limitations

Sender Urgency Audience

Intentions and Cost Preferences

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 26

 Organizing Information
Get to the Point

Omit Irrelevant Ideas

Use Logical Groupings

Include Necessary Data

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 27
Importance of Organization

Promote Productivity

Boost Understanding

Increase Acceptance

Save Audience Time

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 28

 Define Topic and Main Idea
General
Specific Purpose Topic Main Idea
Purpose

Teach customer service

Insurance Proper filing of claims
To Inform department how to file
Claims saves time and money.
insurance claims.

Convince managers to
Competitors outspend us on
To Persuade increase spending on R&D Funding
research and development.
research and development.

Solicit ideas for incentive Linking wages to profits

To Collaborate Incentive Pay
plan that ties wages to profits. motivates workers.

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 29

Generating Brainstorming

Ideas Mind Mapping

Storyteller’s Tour

Journalistic Approach

Question-Answer Chain

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 30

 Time and Number of
Space Main Ideas

Limiting
The Scope

Audience Depth of
Attitude Research
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 31
 Sequencing Messages
Direct Approach Indirect Approach
(Deductive - start with
(Inductive- build your case)
main idea))

Audience Reaction

Message Length

Message Type

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 32

 Choosing the Approach
Eager Interested Pleased Neutral Displeased Uninterested Unwilling

Audience Eager/Interested/
Displeased Uninterested/Unwilling
Reaction Pleased/Neutral

Message Main idea, good Attention-getting

Neutral buffer statement
Opening news, or request statement/question

Reasons/justification,
Message Arousing interest,
Necessary details bad news, positive
Body building desire
suggestion

Cordial comment or
Message
statement about Cordial close Request for action
Closing
specific action

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 33

 Outlining Content
Alphanumeric Decimal
I. First Major Part 1.0 First Major Part
A. First subpoint 1.1 First subpoint
B. Second subpoint 1.2 Second subpoint
1. Evidence 1.2.1 Evidence
2. Evidence 1.2.2 Evidence
C. Third subpoint 1.3 Third subpoint
II. Second Major Point 2.0 Second Major Point
A. First subpoint 2.1 First subpoint
B. Second subpoint 2.2 Second subpoint

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 34

 Organization Chart Outlines

The Main Idea

I. Major Point II. Major Point III. Major Point

A. Evidence A. Evidence A. Evidence

B. Evidence B. Evidence B. Evidence

C. Evidence C. Evidence C. Evidence

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 35

Basic Message Structure

State Main Idea

State Major Points

Provide Evidence

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 36

 Checklist

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 37

 Six Types of Details

1. Facts and figures

2. Example or illustration
3. Description
4. Narration
5. Reference to authority
6. Visual aids
© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 38
 Facts and figures
EXAMPLE COMMENT
Sales are strong this Adds more credibility
month. We have two new than any other type. Can
contracts worth $5 million become boring if used
and a good chance of excessively. Most
winning another worth common type used in
$2.5 million. business.

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 39

 Example or illustration
EXAMPLE COMMENT
We’ve spent four months Adds life to a message,
trying to hire recent but one example does
accounting graduates, but so not prove a point. Idea
far, only one person has must be supported by
joined our firm. One other evidence as well.
candidate told me that she
would love to work for us,
but she can get $5,000 more
a year elsewhere.
 Description
EXAMPLE COMMENT
Upscale hamburger Helps audience visualize the
restaurants target burger subject by creating a sensory
lovers who want more than impression. Does not prove a
the convenience and low point, but clarifies it and
prices of a McDonald’s. These makes it memorable. Begins
places feature wine and beer, with overview of function;
half-pound burgers, and defines its purpose, lists
generous side dishes (nachos, major parts, and explains how
potato skins). “Atmosphere” it operates.
is key.
 Narration
EXAMPLE COMMENT
Under former management, executives Works well for
worked in blue jeans, meetings rarely attracting
started on time, and lunches ran long. attention and
When Jim Wilson became CEO, he explaining ideas,
completely overhauled the operation. but lacks
A Harvard MBA who favors Brooks statistical validity.
Brothers suits, Wilson has cut the
product line in half and chopped $12
million off expenses.
 Reference to authority
EXAMPLE COMMENT
I discussed this idea with Jackie Bolsters a case
Loman in the Chicago plant, while adding variety
and she was very supportive. and credibility.
As you know, Jackie has been Works only if
in charge of that plant for the “authority” is
past six years. She is confident recognized and
that we can speed up the respected by
number 2 line by 150 units an audience.
hour if we add another worker.
 Visual Aids
EXAMPLE COMMENT
Graphs, charts, tables. Helps audience grasp
specific data. Used more
in memos and reports
than in letters.

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 44

 Journalistic Approach

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why, and
• How

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 4 - 45

 Mind-Mapping
• A mind map is a diagram used to
represent words, ideas, tasks, or other
items linked to and arranged around a
central key word or idea.
• Mind maps are used to generate,
visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and
as an aid to studying and organizing
information, solving problems, making
decisions, and writing.
Mind-Mapping
 Groups Pattern
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
29 30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
38 39 40 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
28 29 30 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
37 38 39 40 31 32 33 34 35 36
Selling a Machine
 Washing Machines
The purpose is . . .
 Participants practice thinking of
creative solutions and looking at things from
others’ perspectives
 Washing Machines
Here’s How . . .
 Form groups of three to six.
 Each team has a free load of 10,000 used old
washing machines.
 Think a way to market these machines and
prepare a sales pitch (a 30 seconds
commercial) for the rest of the group.
 You have 8 minutes to work.
 Every group will rate others on a scale of 10.
 Questions
 How did your team arrive at the marketing
design?
 How creative do you think you were? Why?
 Questions
 What assumptions did you operate under?
 Questions
 What assumptions did you operate under?
 That it had to do with laundry,
 That we must sell to consumers and not other
businesses,
 That we could paint or other-wise alter the
machines from their original state, etc.
 Questions
 How did those assumptions limit or expand
your creativity?
 How did you identify features and benefits of
your product? (Point out that this is where
you have to focus on others’ needs.)
 What implication does this have for us back
on the job?
Message for Analysis
A writer is working on an insurance information
brochure and is having trouble grouping the
ideas logically into an outline. Using the
following information, prepare the outline,
paying attention to the appropriate hierarchy of
ideas. If necessary, rewrite phrases to make
them all consistent.
Message for Analysis
 Accident Protection Insurance Plan  Guaranteed acceptance for all
 Coverage is only pennies a day applicants
 Benefit is $100,000 for accidental  No individual rate increases
death on common carrier  Free, no-obligation examination
 Benefit is $100 a day for period
hospitalization as result of motor  Cash paid in addition to any other
vehicle or common carrier accident insurance carried
 Benefit is $20,000 for accidental  Covers accidental death when riding
death in motor vehicle accident as fare-paying passenger on public
 Individual coverage is only $17.85 transportation, including buses,
per quarter; family coverage is just trains, jets, ships, trolleys, subways,
$26.85 per quarter. or any other common carrier
 No physical exam or health  Covers accidental death in motor
questions vehicle accidents occurring while
 Convenient payment—billed driving or riding in or on automobile,
quarterly truck, camper, motor home, or
nonmotorized bicycle