Slide MGT310 Slide05

Planning
Business Messages

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 1

Three-Step Writing
Process
• Planning
• Writing
• Completing

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 2

Optimizing Writing Time
• Planning 50%
• Writing 25%
• Completing 25%

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 3

Analyze the Situation
• Define your purpose
• Profile your audience

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 4

Define Your Purpose
• General

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• Specific

– Inform

– Outcomes

– Persuade

– Timing and realism

– Collaborate

– Acceptability

Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 5

Profile Your Audience
• Identify primary audience
• Determine size and location
• Determine composition
• Gauge level of understanding
• Project expectations and preferences
• Forecast probable reaction
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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 6

Gather Information
• Informal methods
– Viewpoints of others

– Reports and company documents
– Supervisors, colleagues, customers
– Audience input

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 7

Determine Audience
Needs
• Provide accurate information
• Provide ethical information
• Provide pertinent information

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 8

Selecting the Medium
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Oral media
Written media
Visual media
Electronic media

Business Communicat

Chapter 4 - 9

Oral Communication

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Face-to-face conversations
Interviews
Speeches
Presentations
Meetings

Business Communicat

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Analysis of Oral Media
• Advantages

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• Disadvantages

Immediate feedback
Ease of interaction
Rich nonverbal cues
Emotional content

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Minimal participation

Nonpermanent
Reduced control
No editing or
revision

Business Communicat

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Written Communication
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Memos
Letters
Reports

Proposals

Business Communicat

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Analysis of Written
Media
• Advantages
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• Disadvantages

Message control
Audience reach

Permanent record
Minimize distortion

– Delayed feedback
– Lacks nonverbal
cues
– Creation and
distribution
– Preparation and
production

Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

Visual Communication
• Charts
• Graphs
• Diagrams

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Business Communicat

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Analysis of Visual Media
• Advantages

• Disadvantages

– Expedite
communication
– Less intimidating
– Assist audience

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– Learning curve
– Preparation time
– Transmittal and
storage

Business Communicat

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Electronic
Communication
• Oral communication
– Telephone calls, teleconferencing,
voicemail, audio CDs, podcasts

• Written communication
– Email, instant messaging, websites, wikis

• Visual communication
– Electronic presentations, computer
animation, video
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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

Analysis of Electronic
Media
• Advantages

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• Disadvantages

– Delivery speed

– Overuse

– Audience reach

– Privacy issues

– Multimedia

– Security risks

– Accessibility

– Productivity

Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

Choosing the Right
Media
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Media richness
Message formality
Media limitations
Sender intentions
Urgency and cost
Audience preferences
Business Communicat

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Organizing Information
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Get to the point
Omit irrelevant details
Organize your ideas
Indicate necessary information

Business Communicat

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Importance of
Organization
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Improves productivity
Boosts understanding
Increases acceptance
Saves audience time

Business Communicat

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Define the Main Idea
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General purpose
Specific purpose
Basic topic
Main idea

Business Communicat

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Generating Ideas
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Brainstorming
Mapping
Storyteller’s tour
Journalistic approach
Question-answer chain

Business Communicat

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Limiting the Scope
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Time and space
Number of main ideas
Audience attitude
Depth of research

Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

Sequencing the Message
• Direct approach
– Deductive

• Indirect approach
– Inductive

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

Classifying Messages
Message
Type

Audience
Reaction

Type of
Approach

Routine, Good-News

Direct

or Good Will

Pleased
Or Neutral

Bad News

Displeased

Indirect

Persuasive

Uninterested
or Unwilling

Indirect

Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

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Outlining Content
Alphanumeric
I.

First Major Part

Decimal
1.0 First Major Part

A.

First subpoint

1.1

First subpoint

B.

Second subpoint

1.2

Second subpoint

C.

II.

1.

Evidence

1.2.1Evidence

2.

Evidence

1.2.2Evidence

Third subpoint

1.2.3 Third subpoint

Second Major Point

2.0 Second Major Point

A.

First subpoint

2.1

First subpoint

B.

Second subpoint

2.2

Second subpoint

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

Organization Chart Outlines
The Main Idea

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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

Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -

Organizing Messages
• State the main idea
• State major points
• Provide evidence

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Business Communicat

Chapter 4 -