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PlanningbusinessmessagesLearningobjectives:1.Describethethree-stepwritingprocess2.Explainwhyitisimportanttodefineyourpurposecarefully,andlistfourquestionsthatcanhelpyoutestthatpurpose.3.Justifytheimportanceofanalyzingyouraudience,thenlistsixwaysofdevelopinganaudienceprofile.Planningbusinessmessages4.Identifyfivewaystosatisfyyouraudience’sinformationneeds5.Listthefactorstoconsiderwhenchoosingthemostappropriatechannelandmediumforyourmessage.6.Discusssixwaysyoucanestablishagoodrelationshipwithyouraudience.Understandingthethree-stepwritingprocess•Yourmessagemustbelivelier,easiertoread,moreconcise,andmoreinterestingthaneverbefore.•But,makingyourbusinessmessagesinterestingdoesnotmeanusingthedramatictechniquesofcreativewriting.Understandingthethree-stepwritingprocess•Yourmessagemustbe:1.purposeful:businessmessageprovideinformation,solveaproblem,orrequesttheresourcesnecessarytoaccomplishagoal.2.Audience-centered:helpaudiencesunderstandanissue,askthemtocollaborateonaccomplishingagoal,orpersuadethemtotakesomeaction.3.Concise:everymessageyouprepareshouldbeasshortasitcanbewithoutdetractingfromthesubject.Whatisthethree-stepwritingprocess•Planning•Writing•completingplanning•Analyzethesituation:studyyourpurpose,layoutyourwritingschedule,andthenprofileyouraudience.•Gatherinformation:throughformalorinformalresearchmethods.•Adapttotheaudience:choosetherightchannelandmedium;thenestablishagoodrelationshipwithyouraudience.Writing•Organizetheinformation:defineyourmainidea,limitthescope,groupyourpoints,andchoosethedirectorindirectapproach.•Composethemessage:controlyourstylethroughthelevelofformalityandconversationaltone.Chooseyourwordscarefullysothatyoucancreateeffectivesentencesandparagraphs.Completing•Revisethemessage:evaluatecontentandreviewreadability;theneditandrewriteforconcisenessandclarity.•Producethemessage:useeffectivedesignelementsandsuitabledeliverymethods.•Proofreadthemessage:reviewforerrorsinlayout,spelling,andmechanics.Howdoesthethree-stepwritingprocesswork?•Asageneralrule,tryusingroughlyhalfyourtimeforplanning-fordecidingonyourpurpose,gettingtoknowyouraudience,andimmersingyourselfinyoursubjectmatter.•Uselessthanaquarterofyourtimeforwritingyourdocument.•Thenusemorethanaquarterofyourtimeforcompletingtheprojectsothatyoudon’tneglectimportantfinalstepssuchasrevisingandproofing.Howdoesthethree-stepwritingprocesswork?•Rememberthatthewritingprocessisflexible.•Effectivecommunicatorsmaynotnecessarilycompletethestepsin1-2-3order.•Somejumpbackandforthfromonesteptoanother;somecomposeveryquicklyandthenrevise;othersreviseastheygoalong.•However,tocommunicateeffectively,youmustultimatelycompleteallthreesteps.Defineyourpurpose•Yourgeneralpurposemaybetoinform,topersuade,ortocollaborate.•Yourspecificpurposemaybestraightforwardsuchasplacinganorderorcommunicatingsurveyresponses,oritmaybemoreencompassingsuchasconvincingmanagementtohiremorepart-timeemployeesduringtheholidayseason.Defineyourpurpose•Todeterminethespecificpurpose,thinkofhowtheaudience’sideasorbehaviorshouldbeaffectedbythemessage.•Deferamessage,ordonotsenditatall,ifitisnotworthpursuing.1.Isyourpurposerealistic?2.Isthistherighttime?3.Istherightpersondeliveringyourmessage?4.Isyourpurposeacceptabletoyourorganization?Developanaudienceprofile•Youmustlearnaboutthemembersofyouraudiencebeforeyoucanadjustyourmessagetotheirneeds.1.Whoisyourprimaryaudience?2.Howbigisyouraudience?3.Whatisyouraudience’scomposition?4.Whatisyouraudience’slevelofunderstanding?5.Whatisyouraudience’sprobablereaction?Gatheringyourinformation•Theprocessofgatheringinformationcanbeformalorinformal.•Informalmethodsofgatheringinformationwillprobablybesufficientformostbriefbusinessmessages.1.Readingreportsandothercompanydocuments.2.Chattingwithsupervisors,colleagues,orcustomers.3.Askingyouraudienceforinput.Thekeytosatisfyingyouraudience’sinformationneedsisfindingoutwhatquestionsyouraudiencehasandthenprovidinganswersthatthorough,accurate,ethical,andpertinent.Findoutexactlywhatyouraudienceneedstoknow•Byrestatingavaguerequestinmorespecificterms,youcangettherequestertodefinehisorherneedsmoreprecisely.•Includeanyadditionalinformationthatmightbehelpful,eventhoughtherequesterdidn'tspecificallyaskforit.Provideallrequiredinformation•Testthecompletenessofyourdocumentbymakingsureitanswersalltheimportantquestions:who,what,when,where,why,andhow.Besuretheinformationisaccurate•Becertainthattheinformationyouprovideisaccurateandthatthecommitmentsyoumakecanbekept.•Thereisnopointinansweringallyouraudience’squestionsiftheanswersarewrong.•Ifyouhaveanydoubtabouttheorganization’sabilityorwillingnesstobackupyourpromise,checkwiththeappropriatepeoplebeforeyoumakethecommitment.Besuretheinformationisethical•Honestmistakesarecertainlypossible.Ifthathappens,themostethicalcourseofactionistocontactthepersonimmediatelyandcorrecttheerror.•Messagecanbeunethicalsimplybecauseinformationisomitted.Eventhoughmostpeopledonotwanttobeburiedinanavalancheofpaperwork,includeenoughdetailtoavoidmisleadingyouraudience.Besuretheinformationispertinent•Trytofigureout