©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. MODULE 1 Introduction to Business Communication
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Module 1 Skills to: Identify the characteristics of effective business messages Begin to analyze communication situations
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Module 1 Outline Why do we communicate? How is business communication different? What communication skills are integral to business success? Will I really have to write? How much does correspondence cost?
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Module 1 Outline (cont’d) What makes a message effective? How do I begin to analyze communication situations?
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Is business communication unique? It is in the way it approaches … Purpose Audience Information Organization Style Layout Visuals … getting the job done! Business Communication
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Communication makes things happen with two audiences Internal Subordinates Supervisors Peers External Customers/Stockholders Unions/Government Agencies Press/General Public Communication Goals
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Successful business communication will Inform Request Persuade And always it should build goodwill! Basic Purposes
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. I won ’ t have to worry about writing because … administrative staff will do all my writing and editing! if I really need to communicate, I ’ ll write it good once and use it again and again. accountants (or architects or ???) don ’ t need to communicate! I ’ ll just pick up the phone. Workplace Writing Myths
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Writing Costs What is the real cost of crafting a good message? $20, $40, $60, $80, $100 What is the real cost of crafting a poor message?
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Successful business messages share some things in common. They are worked and re-worked until they are Clear Concise Comprehensive Complete Correct. Communication Analysis
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. PAIBOC PWhat are your purposes in communicating? AWho is (are) your audiences? IWhat information must your message include? BWhat reasons or reader benefits can you use to support your position? OWhat objections can you expect your reader(s) to have? CHow will the context affect reader response?
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Why become a better communicator? Demand is increasing for those that can communicate. Good writers save: –Time –Money –Energy Good writers create and build goodwill.
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Why become a better communicator? The Conference Board of Canada lists these traits as desirable in potential employees: Read and understand information regardless of the format (words, graphs, charts, diagrams). Write and speak so others pay attention and understand. Listen and ask questions to understand and appreciate other points of view.
©2007 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. All rights reserved. Why become a better communicator? The Conference Board of Canada lists these traits as desirable in potential employees: Share information using a range of technologies. Use relevant, field-specific knowledge to explain ideas.