1. Planning Spoken and Written Messages
Chapter 3
Planning Spoken and Written Messages

2. Learning Objectives
1. Identify the purpose of the message and the appropriate channel.
2. Develop clear perceptions of the audience to enhance the impact of the communication and human relations.
3. Apply techniques for adapting messages to the audience, including strategies for communication ethically and responsibly.
4. Recognize the importance of organizing a message before writing the first draft.
5. Select the appropriate outline (deductive or inductive) for developing messages to achieve the desired response.

3. Process for Planning and Preparing Spoken and Written Messages

4. Step 1a: Determine the Purpose of the Message
What do you hope to accomplish
with the message?
Get information
Answer a question
Accept an offer
Deny a request
Sell or get support for a product or idea
Apologize

5. Step 1b: Select a Channel
Situation
Channel/Justification
Tell a customer damaged merchandise will be replaced
Notify a sales rep of job termination
Inform employees of a new Internet usage policy
Telephone or face-to-face: Lends importance to the message; more personal
Telephone or face-to-face: Lends importance to the message; more personal
Routine matter; mass distribution

6. Step 2: Envision the Audience
What should you learn about your audience?
Age and cultural factors
Economic and educational levels
Work background
Needs and concerns
Rapport
Expectations

7. Step 3: Adapt the Message to the Audience
Focus on the ________ point of view
Communicate ________ and __________
Build and protect ________
Use ____________ language
Use ______, informal words
Project a positive, ______ tone
Write ________
receiver’s
ethically
responsibly
goodwill
contemporary
simple
tactful
concisely

8. Adapting: Focusing on Receiver’s Viewpoint
“Me” Attitude
“You” Attitude
I want to congratulate you on your award.
I am interested in ordering . . .
I give you permission to take an extra vacation day.
Congratulations! You are the Employee of the Year.
Please send me . . .
(You is the understood subject.)
You earned an extra day of vacation because of your performance.

9. Adapting: Communicating Ethically and Responsibly
State information as truthfully and fairly as possible
Do not exaggerate facts
Express ideas understandably
Support viewpoint with facts
Respect and preserve receiver’s self-worth
Design honest graphics

10. Adapting: Building and Protecting Goodwill
Use ___________ cautiously
Avoid _____________ or demeaning expressions
Use __________ tone cautiously
Use _______ language appropriately
Use ________ language
euphemisms
condescending
connotative
specific
bias-free

11. Adapting: Using Contemporary, Easily Understood Language
Eliminate outdated expressions
Eliminate clichés
Choose simple, informal words

12. Adapting: Writing Concisely
Eliminate redundancies
Use active voice
Include only relevant details
Eliminate clichés
Do not restate ideas
Tighten using prefixes, suffixes, and compound adjectives

13. Adapting: Projecting a Positive, Tactful Tone
State ideas using _______ language
Avoid using ______ person when stating negative ideas
Use _______ voice to convey negative ideas
Use __________ mood to de-emphasize negative ideas
Include a ________ idea in the same sentence with a ________ one
positive
second
passive
subjunctive
positive
negative

14. Step 4: Select an Appropriate Outline