Process of Preparing Effective Business
Messages
1. Choose the ideas to include.
While answering a letter, one can
underline the main points to discuss and get the ideas briefly on a pad. If one
is writing unsolicited or a complex message, one can begin by listing ideas as
they come to mind. Then most important facts can be changed into message. It is
better that the message written to welcome a customer should have other
incentives or policies what the firm offers.
* Consider your reader’s
viewpoint (be in his place)
* Read company’s document
* Talk with your colleagues,
customer etc.
* Ask your audience for input
4. Collect all the facts to back up these ideas.
After the main ideas, the writer/speaker
should ask himself what specific facts, updated figures or quotations he needs.
The knowledge of the company’s policies, procedures, and product details is
necessary for an effective communication. A brochure, table picture, or product
sample is also useful to enclose.
Find out and be sure about the
following:
·
be sure the information is accurate
·
be sure the information is ethical
·
be sure the information is pertinent
·
select appropriate channel
5. Outline – organize – your message:
The order in which the ideas are
to be presented is as important as the ideas themselves. Disorganized writing
reflects disorganized, illogical thought process or careless preparation.
Choose the organizational plan after the purpose has been finalized collecting
all necessary facts. Ask yourself: “How will the reader or listener react to
these ideas?”
Direct (Deductive) Approach:
When you think that your audience
will be interested in what you have to say or willing to cooperate with you,
you can use the direct or deductive plan to organize your message. It means you
present request or the main idea in the beginning, which follows up necessary
details and then you close your message with a cordial statement of action you
want. We use this approach when the request requires no special tact or
persuasion. Close to direct request is good-news plan that is used to grant
requests, announce favorable or neutral information and exchange routine
information within or between organizations. Look at the outline of direct
organizational plans and good-news plan.
Basic Organizational Plans:
Direct-Request Plan
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1. State the request or
main idea.
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2. Give necessary desirable details for easy reading.
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3. Close with a cordial request for specific action.
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Look at the following letter
which is a request to the seller and requires no special tact or persuasion.
Dear Sir,
We intend to purchase a new office copier.
We would like to consider a BHP copier and wonder if you have a model that
would suit our needs.
Our office is small, and a copier would
generally be used by only three secretaries. We run approximately 3,000 copies
a month and prefer a machine that uses regular paper. We rarely need to run off
more than 25 copies at any one time.
We would also like to know about your
warranty and repair service. We hope to hear from you soon.
Yours truly,
Good-News Plan
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1. Best news or main
idea.
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2. Explain necessary and desirable details with any helpful
material.
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3. End positively and friendly stating clearly the desired
action and offering any further help. Give date of action if necessary.
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An example having main idea in
the beginning:
Dear Mr. Gul,
In a courier service, I am sending you six copies of our catalog, “Prime
Gifts”. I am very pleased that you want to circulate it.
The catalog explains everything but I do want to say that for quantities
of 20 or more gifts we offer an attractive discount.
Please let me know if I can be of help in
other ways.
Yours
cordially,
Supplying Detailed Information on a Service though
the writer is complaining, the letter has a direct-request plan.
Gentlemen,
Please repair or replace my calculator
watch, Model C863, and send it to me at the address above.
After six months of use, the musical alarm
has quit working.
Enclosed is my watch, a copy of the sales
receipt showing the date of purchase and your warranty which guarantees
material and workmanship for one year.
Yours Sincerely,
Another example of direct request plan is:
Dear Mr. Hafiz,
I am delighted to know that you are
interested in our Executive Book Club and am happy to answer your questions
about it.
Between 30 and 40 new books in the field of
management are made available each year to the members of the Executive Book
club and, as you have mentioned, the topics treated very widely. From four to
six of these belong to personnel administration; in addition, a similar number
of general management books carry some aspects of personnel management.
Although we have several specialized book
clubs but there isn’t yet one in personnel administration. Considering the
increasing demand, it is possible that we will one day establish a club in
personnel. Certainly, there is a growing interest in this field.
The Circular enclosed contains complete
information about the Executive Book Club. Please note that the average price
of books distributed by the club, if purchased separately, is about Rs.300.
However, as a member, you would pay only about three-fourth of that amount.
I do hope you will want to become a member of
the Executive Book Club, Mr. Hafiz. You can do so by filling out the coupon on
the back of the circular.
Yours
truly,
Indirect
or Inductive Organizational Plan:
Indirect (Inductive) Approach:
If you think that your message might upset
your reader or listener, you use the indirect plan to ease your audience into
the part of your message that shows you are fair-minded and eager to do
business with him on some other terms. This approach consists of four parts:
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Organizational Plan
Bad-News Plan
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1
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Buffer (using positive,
pleasant rather than negative statement.
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2
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Explanation (reader’s benefit,
reasons supporting the negative decision)
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3
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Decision (expressed or implied
in clear but tactful manner)
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4
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Helpful, friendly and positive
stressing on goodwill
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Beginnings & Endings
Dear Mr. Hassan,
You are right to expect
high-quality merchandise from The Automatic Door Company; we try to give you
the best for your money and to stand behind our products when they fail as a
result of defects in material and workmanship, as our warranty states.
We appreciate your sending the
door opener to us for analysis. It appears that the opener has got wet. Excess
moisture over a period of time causes this defect.
Our service manager estimates
that cleaning and repairing your door opener would cost Rs. 250.
Since your door opener is several
years old, you may want to consider buying a new one. We have made many
improvements to our door openers since yours was manufactured, including a
sealed circuit board that would prevent the possibility of damage from
moisture. A new door opener, which costs Rs. 3500.00 postpaid, should give you
even longer service than your old one did.
Please let us know whether you
want us to repair or replace your opener.
Yours sincerely,
Persuasive Request Plan
As good-news plan is similar to
direct-request plan, so is persuasive plan to bad-news plan. Persuasion is the
attempt to change a reader’s attitude, beliefs or action in your favour. This
plan is used to influence the readers who may resist otherwise. One way to
organize persuasive messages is the AIDA plan, which is of four stages:
1. Attention 2.
Interest 3. Desire 4.
Action
In the attention stage, you
convince the reader that you have something interesting or useful for him. In
interest stage, you explain how your message is related to your reader. In the
desire stage, you provide relevant evidence to prove your claim drawing attention
to any enclosures. In the action stage, you close the message with an action
ending that suggests a specific action the reader may take.
Beginnings & Endings
THE FIRST PUNJAB LIBRARY
Muslim Town Lahore.
Dear Friend,
The most comprehensive selection
of Quaid-e-Azam’s speeches, public writings, and private letters ever published!
YOURS FOR JUST RS.500
Quaid-e-Azam was not only the founder of Pakistan but also a great
orator.
Here are all of Quaid’s speeches, from the early days in his politics,
including all his addresses to the students of different institutions. It
includes Quaid’s personal and political correspondence.
Above all, here is Quaid’s absolutely distinctive language, resonant
with dignity, wit, and the uniquely patriot flavour.
Write today for your copy of the book. You’ll be awfully glad.
Sincerely yours,
The way you begin your message
makes it clear whether your reader will respond favorably or unfavorably to the
message. When you are sure that your message has something favorable or neuter
for the reader, you must begin your message with the main idea or good-news in
the beginning. The opening must be impressive in a way that it captures the
attention of the reader. So always choose appropriate openings that suit the
purpose of your message. The following openings are desirable in direct-request,
good-news and neutral messages.
Main Idea: The goods which you ordered on March 5 have
been sent to you by passenger train.
Request: So that your
order can be filled promptly, please send another copy of the requisition.
Announcement: Now you can
take an air – conditioned coach from Lahore to Islamabad any hour.
Whenever required, employ 5Ws
and one H to give clarity to your messages.
Buffer: If you have bad
news, begin your message with a buffer. A buffer is a statement, that helps you
bring your reader in a positive frame of mind, and the message becomes readable
for the reader. But “Buffer” should be neutral in tone. You should also avoid
misleading the reader into thinking that the message is good.
Poor: It is impossible to
open your account unless you send us the following information.
With buffer: The moment
you send us the following information your account will be opened.
Poor: We never exchange damaged goods.
With buffer: We are happy
to exchange the merchandise that is returned to us in good condition.
In persuasive request (sales
letter), begin the message with an attention-getting statement. An experienced
writer uses some common technique to attract the reader. Consider some of
attention-getting statements:
A challenge: Don’t waste
another day wondering how you’re going to become the success you’ve always
wanted to be!
The writer should avoid using
trite and stereotyped expressions. Make your openings considerate, courteous
concise, and clear. Keep your first paragraph short and use simple
conversational language. Never open your letter with an incomplete sentence
like:
Reference to your letter of March 6 regarding opening of a current
account.
Make opening specific
Poor: Thank you for your
order.
Specific: Thank you for you order for 200
writing pads.
Close Paragraph
An effective ending will motivate
the reader to act as requested. If no direct request is required, leave the
reader with some expression of regard, assurance, appreciation or willingness
to help. Always remember that closings should be strong, clear and polite. They
should leave a sense of closure and goodwill with the receiver.
1. Make your request clear and
complete with Five Ws and the H.
2. Include your phone number and
extension if you want the reader to phone you.
3. Enclose a form (card, order,
blank, or questionnaire) and an addressed reply envelope (perhaps with postage
paid) if you want the reader to furnish something.
4. Give complete instructions
regarding how and where if you do not include a form and
envelope.
5. State your office hours and
location if you want the reader to come to you in person. Do you have a free
parking lot? Where?
1. Make Action Clear
Vague: I look forward to hearing
from you regarding this matter.
Better: So that we can make
appropriate arrangements for your visit, please call me at 541000, before
Friday, November 16, anytime between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M.
2. End on a Positive,
Courteous Thought
Include Any Apologies and
Negatives Before Last Paragraph. Study these examples
Negative: I’m sorry we can’t be
more encouraging at this time.
Positive: We wish you success in
your search for a position.
Be Friendly: Offer to help the reader further, if that is
appropriate. Words like please or will you help soften commands.
Good: If there is any further way
we can assist you please call 555-4567 Monday through Friday between 9 A.M. and
5 P.M.
Avoid: Thank you in advance for
distributing these questionnaires to your employees.
Say: I will appreciate your
distributing these questionnaires to your employees.
Give my regards to your lovely
family. I enjoyed meeting them during the October conference.
3. Keep Last Paragraph Concise
and Correct
Trim your last paragraph to five
or fewer lines of complete sentences. Avoid unnecessary repetition.
In short letters, the writer often gives his message
and stops without any special formality: Make your opening and closing
paragraph shorter than average because the most important location in a letter
is the opening. The second most important is the closing.
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