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Learn how to plan business messages following a purposeful, persuasive, and economical process that is audience-oriented. This chapter explains the importance of analyzing your purpose, selecting the best channel, and profiling your audience to achieve effective communication. Explore techniques such as focusing on audience benefits, using conversational language, positive wording, inclusive language, plain language, and courteous communication to enhance your business writing skills.
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CHAPTER 2 Planning Business Messages
The best business writing is Following a process can make you a better writer or speaker. • Purposeful • Persuasive • Economical • Audience oriented
Approximately how much time should be spent at each stage? 25% 25% 50%
Analyzing Your Purpose and Channel Identify your purpose. Why are you writing? What do you hope to achieve?
Select the best channel. E-mail Fax Letter Memo Report Telephone Voice mail Meeting Conversation Web site
How important is the message? How fast do you need feedback? Is a permanent record essential? What is the cost of the channel? How much formality do you desire? How confidential or sensitive is the message? Select the best channel.
Profiling the Audience Primary Audience Who is the primary reader? What are my personal and professional relationships with that person? What does the person know about the subject? What kind of response should I expect?
Profiling the Audience Secondary Audience Who else might see or hear this message? Are they different from the primary audience? How must I reshape the message for the secondary audience?
Spotlight Audience Benefits Try this: You will enjoy total peace of mind with our affordable hospitalization plan that meets all your needs. Focus your statements on the audience, not the sender. Instead of this: We are promoting a new hospitalization plan that we believe has many outstanding benefits.
Develop a “You” View Try this: You may begin making purchases on your new account in two weeks. Emphasize second-person pronouns (you/your) instead of first-person pronouns (I/we, us, our) Instead of this: Before we can allow you to purchase items on this new account, we must wait two weeks to verify your credit.
Conversational Language Try this: I’m happy to . . . Instead of this: The undersigned takes pleasure in . . . We’ve credited your account for $250. It may be of some concern to you to learn that your check has been received and your account has been credited for $250.
Positive Language Try this: Employees may use the Market Street entrance during remodeling. Instead of this: Employees may not use the First Street entrance during remodeling. We can fill your order once we receive an exact model number. We cannot fill your order until we receive an exact model number.
Inclusive Language Try this: Have you called a salesperson? This alternative is wordy and calls attention to itself Instead of this: Have you called a salesman? • All executives have their own offices. • Every executive has an office. • All executives have offices. • Every executive has his or her own office. Every executive has his own office.
Plain Language Avoid federalese, bureaucratese, and inflated language. Federalese: Each person to whom the request is herein addressed is henceforth solicited to submit, or to have his or her department representative submit, to the Department of Labor official described above, a comment on whether the proposed plan, in his or her considered view, meets the requirements of the 2003 law. Simple Translation: You may wish to comment on whether the proposed plan meets the requirements of the 2003 law.
Courteous Language Try this: Will you please complete this research by June 1. Avoid sounding demanding, preachy, or rude. Instead of this: You must complete this research by June 1. I am sick and tired of being the only one who removes jammed paper from the copier! Let me show you how to remove jammed paper so that you can complete your copying.
