Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Planning Business
Messages
Guffey and Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 12th Edition. © 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or
posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 1
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter you should be able to:

2-1 List the steps in the communication process.
2-2 Describe the goals of business writers and three phases of the writing
process.
2-3 Identify the intended purpose and audience of a message to select the
best communication channel.
2-4 Discuss expert writing techniques that improve business messages.
2-5 Apply writing techniques that improve the tone, clarity, and effectiveness of
a message.
2-1
Exploring the Communication Process
2-1 Exploring the Communication Process (1 of 7)
• As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, people are communicating

more than ever, via e-mail, texts, instant messages, tweets, Slack, Zoom, and
other interactive media.
• Despite advancements in technology, the basic elements of the communication
process remain largely unchanged.
• Communication may be defined as the transmission of information and

meaning from a sender to a receiver.
• The meaning is the idea, as the sender intended it.
• The process of communication can easily be sidetracked, resulting in
miscommunication.
• The process of communication achieves its purpose when both the sender and
receiver understand the process and how to make it work.
Sender Has Idea

• The communication process begins when the sender has an idea.
• The idea may be influenced by complex factors including mood, frame of
reference, background, culture, and physical makeup, as well as the context of
the situation.
• Senders shape their ideas based on their own experiences and assumptions.
• When senders know their purpose and anticipate the expected response, they
are better able to shape successful messages.
Sender Encodes Idea

• The next step in the communication process involves encoding, converting the
idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning.
• A major problem in communicating any message verbally is that words have
different meanings for different people.
• Skilled communicators choose familiar, concrete words.
• Senders must be alert to the receiver’s communication skills, attitudes,
background, experiences, and culture.
• International messages require even more caution.
Sender Selects Channel and Transmits Message

• The channel the medium over which the message travels.
• Messages may be delivered by e-mail, SMS text, instant message, social media
post, letter, memorandum, report, announcement, picture, spoken word, fax,
Web page, or some other channel.
• Because digital networks come with distractions, only well-crafted messages
may be accepted, understood, and acted on.
• Noise is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message in the
communication process.
Receiver Decodes Message

• The receiver is the individual for whom the message is intended.
• Decoding is the process of translating the message from its symbol form into
meaning.
• When the receiver understands the meaning intended by the sender, successful
communication take place.
• Having a receptive attitude and minimizing distractions can help receivers
decode messages successfully.
Feedback Returns to Sender

• Feedback refers to the verbal and nonverbal responses of the receiver.
• Feedback helps the sender know that the message was received and
understood.
• Senders can encourage feedback by asking questions such as "Am I making
myself clear?" and "Is there anything you don’t understand?"
• Senders can further improve feedback by timing the delivery appropriately and
by providing only as much information as the receiver can handle.
Knowledge Check 1
Fill in the Blank:
1. ________________ may be defined as the transmission of information and

meaning from a sender to a receiver.
2. ________________ involves converting an idea into words or gestures that
will convey meaning.
3. ________________ is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message
in the communication process.
4. ________________ refers to the verbal and nonverbal responses of the
receiver.
2-2
Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process to Business
Messages
2-2 Applying the 3-x-3 Writing Process to Business
Messages (1 of 5)
Understanding the Goals of Business Writers
• In the workplace writing should be:
− Purposeful. Your goal will be to solve problems and convey information. Each
message should have a definite strategy.
− Economical. You will try to present ideas clearly but concisely. Length is not
rewarded.
− Audience centered. You will look at a problem from the perspective of the audience
instead of seeing it from your own
Following the 3-x-3 Writing Process
• The 3-x-3 writing process breaks the writing process into three phases: prewriting,
drafting, and revising.
Messages (2 of 5)
Analyze Anticipate Adapt
• What is your purpose? • What is the audience • What techniques can you
profile? use to adapt your
• What do you want the
receiver to do or believe? • What does the receiver message to its audience?
already know?
• What channel should you • How can you promote
choose: face-to-face • Will the receiver’s feedback?
conversation, group response be neutral,
meeting, e-mail, memo, positive, or negative? • What can you do to
letter, report, blog, Slack,
tweet? • How will the response ensure positive,
affect your organizational conversational, and
• What are the benefits or strategy? courteous language?
barriers of each channel?
Messages (3 of 5)
Research Organize Draft
• Gather data to provide • Organize direct • Prepare a first draft

facts. messages with the big usually writing quickly.
idea first, followed by an • Focus on short, clear
• Review previous
explanation in the body sentences using the
correspondence. active voice.
and an action request in
• Search company files for the closing. • Build paragraph
background information. coherence by repeating
• For persuasive or key ideas, using
• Talk with the boss and negative messages, use pronouns, and
colleagues. an indirect problem- incorporating appropriate
transitional expressions.
• Search the Internet. solving strategy.
Messages (4 of 5)
Edit Proofread Evaluate
• Edit your message to be • Take the time to read the • Will this message achieve
sure it is clear, concise, message carefully. its purpose?
conversational, and
readable. • Does the tone sound
• Look for errors in spelling, pleasant and friendly
• Revise to eliminate wordy grammar, punctuation, rather than curt?
fillers, long lead-ins, names, and numbers.
redundancies, and trite • Have you thought enough
business phrases. • Check to be sure the about the audience to be
sure this message is
• Consider using headings format is consistent. appealing?
and numbered and
bulleted lists for quick • Did you encourage
reading. feedback?
Messages (5 of 5)
Pacing the Writing Process

• You should expect to spend about 25 percent of your time prewriting, 25
percent drafting, and 50 percent revising.
• Although writers perform the tasks described, the steps may be rearranged,
abbreviated, or repeated.
2-3
Analyzing the Purpose and Anticipating the
Audience
2-3 Analyzing the Purpose and Anticipating the
Audience (1 of 8)
Determining Your Purpose

• As you begin to compose a workplace message, ask yourself two important
questions:
− Why am I sending this message?
− What do I hope to achieve?
• Your responses will determine how you organize and present the information.
Audience (2 of 8)
• Your message may have primary and secondary purposes.

• Informational messages explain procedures, announce meetings, answer
questions, and transmit findings.
• Persuasive messages attempt to sell products, convince managers, motivate
employees, and win over customers.
• Persuasive messages are often developed indirectly.
Audience (3 of 8)
Anticipating the Audience

• Before writing any message, spend a moment thinking about the audience who
will receive it.
− What is the reader or listener like?
− How will that person react to the message?
• Although one can’t always know exactly who the receiver is, it is possible to
imagine some of that person’s characteristics.
• How much time you devote to answering these questions depends on your
message and its context.
Audience (4 of 8)
Primary Audience Secondary Audience
• Who is my primary reader or listener? • Who might see or hear this message in
addition to the primary audience?
• What are my personal and professional
relationships with this person? • How do these people differ from the
• How much does this person know about primary audience?
the subject?
• Do I need to include more background
• What do I know about this person’s information?
education, beliefs, culture, and abilities?
• How must I reshape my message to
• Should I expect a neutral, positive, or make it understandable and accessible
negative response to my message? to others to whom it might be forwarded?
Audience (5 of 8)
Tailoring Your Message to the Audience

• Identifying your primary and secondary audience can help you determine:
− What language is appropriate.
− Whether you should explain the background.
− Whether your tone should be formal or informal.
− How your audience will respond.
Audience (6 of 8)
Choosing the Best Channel
• Consider the following factors to determine the most appropriate communication channel:
− Available technology
− Importance of the message
− Amount and speed of feedback and interactivity required
− Necessity of a permanent record
− Cost of the channel
− Degree of formality desired
− Confidentiality and sensitivity of the message
− Receiver’s preference and level of technical expertise
Audience (7 of 8)
• The richness of a channel involves the extent to which a channel or medium

recreates or represents all the information available in the original message.
• A richer medium permits more interactivity and feedback.
• A leaner medium presents a flat, one-dimensional message.
• Richer media enable the sender to provide more verbal and visual cues as well
as to tailor the message to the audience.
Audience (8 of 8)
• Choosing the wrong medium can result in a message that is less effective or
even misunderstood.
• In choosing channels, keep in mind two tips:
− Use the richest media available.
− Employ richer media for more persuasive or personal communication.
2-4
Employing Expert Writing Techniques to Adapt to
Your Audience
2-4 Employing Expert Writing Techniques to Adapt to
Your Audience (1 of 4)
Focusing on Audience Benefits

• Adapting your message to the receiver’s needs means putting yourself in that person’s
shoes.
• Empathy is the ability to share someone else’s feelings.
• Empathic attempt to do one of the following:
− Give something to the receiver
− Solve the receiver’s problems
− Save the receiver’s money
− Understand the feelings and position of the receiver
Cultivating the “You” View

• Skilled communicators naturally develop the “you” view by emphasizing second-
person pronouns ("you," "your") instead of first-person pronouns ("I/we," "us,"
"our").
• A survey revealed that you phrasing was more effective than we phrasing for
conveying ideas related to interest and intent, such as in sales and marketing
messages.
• Researchers argued that you phrasing does a better job of subconsciously
grabbing attention and transferring ownership to the receiver.
• Overuse or misuse the second-person pronoun "you" can cause readers to feel
they are being manipulated.
• Emphasizing the “you” view and de-emphasizing "we/I" may result in overuse of
the passive voice.
• The active voice in writing is generally preferred because it identifies who is
doing the acting.
• Totally avoiding any first-person pronouns can make it difficult for you to show
your feelings and sterilize your writing.
Sounding Conversational but Professional

• An informal, conversational tone is usually more effective than a formal,
pretentious tone.
• Strive to be conversational but professional.
• Sound educated and mature.
Knowledge Check 2
True or False:
1. Overuse or misuse the second-person pronoun "you" can cause readers to

feel they are being understood.
2. Emphasizing the “you” view and de-emphasizing "we/I" may result in overuse
of the passive voice.
3. The passive voice in writing is generally preferred because it identifies who is
doing the acting.
4. Totally avoiding any first-person pronouns can make it difficult for you to show
your feelings and sterilize your writing.
2-5
Improving the Tone and Clarity of a Message
2-5 Improving the Tone and Clarity of a Message
(1 of 5)
Choosing to Be Positive Rather Than Negative
• Positive language can improve the clarity, tone, and effectiveness of a
message.
• Positive language generally conveys more information than negative language
does.
• Positive messages are uplifting and pleasant to read.
• Using positive language helps the writer avoid negative words that create ill will.
(2 of 5)
Expressing Courtesy
• To maintain a courteous tone, avoid
− Sounding demanding or preachy.
− Being sarcastic.
− Expressing irritation, frustration or anger.
− Issuing orders
− Using first names without permission.
• Turning demands into rhetorical questions and giving reasons for your requests
can help you be a successful communicator.
(3 of 5)
Avoiding Gender-, Age-, and Disability-Biased Language
• Be cautious about expressions that might be biased in terms of gender, race,
ethnicity, age, and disability.
− Choose alternate language for words involving "man" or "woman," by using
plural nouns and pronouns, or by changing to a gender-free word
("person" or "representative").
− Avoid the "his or her" option; it’s wordy and conspicuously perpetuates the
exclusion of other gender identities.
− Specify age only if it is relevant.
− Do not refer to an individual’s disability unless it is relevant.
(4 of 5)
Preferring Plain Language and Familiar Words
• To avoid miscommunicating with primary and secondary audiences:
− Use plain language and familiar words your audience members will
recognize.
− Don’t avoid a big word that conveys your idea efficiently and is appropriate
for the audience.
− Reject pompous and pretentious language.
− Be selective in your use of jargon.
• Jargon describes technical or specialized terms within a field.
(5 of 5)
Using Precise, Vigorous Words
• Strong verbs and specific nouns give receivers more information and keep them
interested.
• Use the thesaurus (available in print, online, and on your computer) to expand
your word choices and vocabulary.

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Chapter 2

By the end of this chapter you should be able to:

• As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, people are communicating

• Communication may be defined as the transmission of information and

Sender Has Idea

Sender Encodes Idea

Sender Selects Channel and Transmits Message

Receiver Decodes Message

Feedback Returns to Sender

Fill in the Blank:

1. ________________ may be defined as the transmission of information and

Analyze Anticipate Adapt

Research Organize Draft

• Gather data to provide • Organize direct • Prepare a first draft

Edit Proofread Evaluate

Pacing the Writing Process

Determining Your Purpose

• Your message may have primary and secondary purposes.

Anticipating the Audience

Primary Audience Secondary Audience

Tailoring Your Message to the Audience

• The richness of a channel involves the extent to which a channel or medium

Focusing on Audience Benefits

Cultivating the “You” View

Sounding Conversational but Professional

1. Overuse or misuse the second-person pronoun "you" can cause readers to

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