Preparing Effective Business Messages

1. Preparing Effective Business Messages

2. 5 PLANNING STEPS: 1. Identify your purpose- the objective of your message is almost twofold: the reason for the message itself and the creation of goodwill. 2. Analyze your audience- see the message from your receiver’s point of view: their needs, interests, attitudes, even their culture.

3. 3. Choose your ideas- the ideas you include depend on the type of message you are sending, the situation & the cultural context. 4. Collect your data- be sure to collect enough data to support your ideas; check names, dates, addresses & statistics for precision. 5. Organize your message- organizing your material before writing your first draft can prevent rambling and unclear messages.

4. APPROACHES • DIRECT (deductive) APPROACH: • When your reader or listener will have a favorable or neutral reaction to your message, use the direct approach. • Begin with the main idea. After the opening, include all necessary details and end with an appropriate, friendly closing.

5. INDIRECT (inductive) APPROACH: • When your reader or listener might react negatively to your message, you should not present the main idea in the first paragraph. • Begin with a buffer, give an explanation and then introduce the main idea.

6. BEGINNINGS & ENDINGS: • “first impressions are lasting” • “we remember best what we read last”

7. BEGINNINGS: • The opening of a message determines whether the reader continues reading, puts the message aside or discards it. • Choose openings appropriate for message purpose and reader. • Make the openings considerate, courteous, concise, clear. • Check for completeness.

8. ENDINGS: • Closing should be strong, clear & polite, they should leave a sense of closure & goodwill with the receiver. • Make action request clear and complete with 5 W’s and the H. • End on a polite, courteous thought. • Keep last paragraph concise and correct.

9. Appearance & design of business messages: • BUSINESS LETTER: • Standard parts of the Letter: 1. HEADING – LETTERHEAD AND DATE: Headings-either letterhead or your own address- should be at the top of the letter before the date and before the name and address of the receiver of your message.

10. 2. INSIDE ADDRESS: The inside address should begin with the addressee's name, professional title and address. 3. SALUTATION: They are typed below the inside address & two lines above the body of the letter.

11. 4. BODY: Should be typed single spaced, with double spacing between paragraphs, before and after the salutation, and before the complimentary close. 5. COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE: Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Very truly yours, Warm regards, With best wishes, etc.

12. 6. SIGNATURE AREA: Can include in the signature area several identifications: name of your company, your signature, your typewritten name & business title. 7. REFERENCE SECTION: May include information about the message composer, the typist & sometimes word processing data.

13. LETTER LAYOUT: • PUNCTUATION STYLES: • OPEN: No line of any letter part (except body) has any punctuation at the end. • MIXED: A colon follows the salutation; a comma follows the complimentary close.

14. LETTER STYLES: • FULL BLOCK: every line begins at the left margin. • MODIFIED BLOCK: the date, complimentary close, and signature sections are at the right margin. Rest everything on left margin. • MODIFIED BLOCK WITH PARAGRAPHS INDENTED

15. MEMORANDUMS: • Standard memos consist of a heading with TO, FROM, SUBJECT and DATE. • On preprinted forms, the word MESSAGE may also appear.