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Chapter 4: Planning Business Messages

Exercises

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Planning Messages: Specific Purpose For each of the following communication tasks, state a specific purpose (if you have trouble, try beginning with "I want to . . .").

A report to your boss, the store manager, about the outdated items in the warehouse
A memo to clients about your booth at the upcoming trade show
A letter to a customer who hasn't made a payment for three months
A memo to employees about the office's high water bills
A phone call to a supplier checking on an overdue parts shipment
A report to future users of the computer program you have chosen to handle the company's mailing list

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2.	Planning Messages: General and Specific Purpose Make a list of communication tasks you'll need to accomplish in the next week or so (for example, a job application, a letter of complaint, a speech to a class, an order for some merchandise). For each, determine a general and a specific purpose.

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Adapting Messages: Media and Purpose List five messages you have received lately, such as direct-mail promotions, letters, e-mail messages, phone solicitations, and lectures. For each, determine the general and the specific purpose; then answer the following questions: (a) Was the message well timed? (b) Did the sender choose an appropriate medium for the message? (c) Did the appropriate person deliver the message? (d) Was the sender's purpose realistic?

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Adapting Messages: Media Selection Barbara Marquardt is in charge of public relations for a cruise line that operates out of Miami. She is shocked to read a letter in a local newspaper from a disgruntled passenger, complaining about the service and entertainment on a recent cruise. Marquardt will have to respond to these publicized criticisms in some way. What audiences will she need to consider in her response? What medium should she choose? If the letter had been published in a travel publication widely read by travel agents and cruise travelers, how might her course of action differ?

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Planning Messages: Audience Profile For each of the following communication tasks, write brief answers to three questions: Who is my audience? What is my audience's general attitude toward my subject? What does my audience need to know?

A final-notice collection letter from an appliance manufacturer to an appliance dealer, sent 10 days before initiating legal collection procedures
An unsolicited sales letter asking readers to purchase computer disks at near-wholesale prices
An advertisement for peanut butter
Fliers to be attached to doorknobs in the neighborhood, announcing reduced rates for chimney lining or repairs
A cover letter sent along with your r�sum� to a potential employer
A request (to the seller) for a price adjustment on a piano that incurred $150 in damage during delivery to a banquet room in the hotel you manage

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Teamwork Your team has been studying a new method for testing the durability of your company's electric hand tools. Now the team needs to prepare three separate reports on the findings: first, a report for the administrator who will decide whether to purchase the equipment needed for this new testing method; second, a report for the company's engineers who design and develop the hand tools; and third, a report for the trainers who will be showing workers how to use the new equipment. To determine the audience's needs for each of these reports, the team has listed the following questions: (1) Who are the readers? (2) Why will they read my report? (3) Do they need introductory or background material? (4) Do they need definitions of terms? (5) What level or type of language is needed? (6) What level of detail is needed? (7) What result does my report aim for? Working with two other students, answer the questions for each of these audiences:

The administrator
The engineers
The trainers

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Meeting Audience Needs: Necessary Information Choose an electronic device (videocassette recorder, personal computer, telephone answering machine) that you know how to operate well. Write two sets of instructions for operating the device: one set for a reader who has never used that type of machine and one set for someone who is generally familiar with that type of machine but has never operated the specific model. Briefly explain how your two audiences affect your instructions.

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Internet More companies are reaching out to audiences through their Web sites. Go to the PepsiCo Web site and follow the link to the latest annual report. Then locate and read the chairman's letter. Who is the audience for this message? What is the general purpose of the message? What do you think this audience wants to know from the chairman of PepsiCo? How does the chairman emphasize the positive in this letter? Summarize your answers in a brief (one-page) memo or oral presentation.

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Audience Relationship: Courteous Communication Substitute a better phrase for each of the following:

You claim that
It is not our policy to
You neglected to
In which you assert
We are sorry you are dissatisfied
You failed to enclose
We request that you send us
Apparently you overlooked our terms
We have been very patient
We are at a loss to understand

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10.

Audience Relationship: The "You" Attitude Rewrite these sentences to reflect your audience's viewpoint.

We request that you use the order form supplied in the back of our catalog.
We insist that you always bring your credit card to the store.
We want to get rid of all our 15-inch monitors to make room in our warehouse for the 19-inch screens. Thus we are offering a 25 percent discount on all sales this week.
I am applying for the position of bookkeeper in your office. I feel that my grades prove that I am bright and capable, and I think I can do a good job for you.
As requested, we are sending the refund for $25.

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11.

Audience Relationship: Emphasize the Positive Revise these sentences to be positive rather than negative.

To avoid the loss of your credit rating, please remit payment within 10 days.
We don't make refunds on returned merchandise that is soiled.
Because we are temporarily out of Baby Cry dolls, we won't be able to ship your order for 10 days.
You failed to specify the color of the blouse that you ordered.
You should have realized that waterbeds will freeze in unheated houses during winter. Therefore, our guarantee does not cover the valve damage and you must pay the $9.50 valve-replacement fee (plus postage).

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12.	Audience Relationship: Emphasize the Positive Provide euphemisms for the following words: stubborn wrong stupid incompetent loudmouth

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13.

Audience Relationship: Bias-Free Language Rewrite each of the following to eliminate bias:

For an Indian, Maggie certainly is outgoing.
He needs a wheelchair, but he doesn't let his handicap affect his job performance.
A pilot must have the ability to stay calm under pressure, and then he must be trained to cope with any problem that arises.
Candidate Renata Parsons, married and the mother of a teenager, will attend the debate.
Senior citizen Sam Nugent is still an active salesman.

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14.

Ethical Choices Your supervisor, whom you respect, has asked you to withhold important information that you think should be included in a report you are preparing. Disobeying him could be disastrous for your relationship and your career. Obeying him could violate your personal code of ethics. What should you do? On the basis of the discussion in Chapter 1, would you consider this situation to be an ethical dilemma or an ethical lapse? Please explain.

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15.	Three-Step Process: Other Applications How can the material discussed in this chapter also apply to meetings as discussed in Chapter 2? (Hint: Review the section headings in Chapter 4 and think about making your meetings more productive.)

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16.

Message Planning Skills: Self-Assessment How good are you at planning business messages? Use the chart to rate yourself on the elements of planning an audience-centered business message. Then examine your ratings to identify where you are strongest and where you can improve, using the tips in this chapter.

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Element of Planning		Always	Frequently	Occasionally	Never

1.	I start by defining my purpose.
2.	I analyze my audience before writing a message.
3.	I investigate what my audience wants to know.
4.	I check that my information is accurate, ethical, and pertinent.
5.	I consider my audience and purpose when selecting media.
6.	I adopt the "you" attitude in my messages.
7.	I emphasize the positive aspects of my message.

Element of Planning		Always	Frequently	Occasionally	Never

8.	I establish my credibility with audiences of strangers.
9.	I express myself politely and tactfully.
10.	I use bias-free language.
11.	I am careful to project my company's image.