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A Planning Checklist for Business Messages

28 四月, 2016 - 16:26

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand who, what, where, when, why, and how as features of writing purpose.
  2. Describe the planning process and essential elements of a business document.

John Thill and Courtland Bovee, [1] two leading authors in the field of business communication, have created a checklist for planning business messages. The following twelve-item checklist, adapted here, serves as a useful reminder of the importance of preparation in the writing process:

  1. Determine your general purpose: are you trying to inform, persuade, entertain, facilitate interaction, or motivate a reader?
  2. Determine your specific purpose (the desired outcome).
  3. Make sure your purpose is realistic.
  4. Make sure your timing is appropriate.
  5. Make sure your sources are credible.
  6. Make sure the message reflects positively on your business.
  7. Determine audience size.
  8. Determine audience composition.
  9. Determine audience knowledge and awareness of topic.
  10. Anticipate probable responses.
  11. Select the correct channel.
  12. Make sure the information provided is accurate, ethical, and pertinent.

Throughout this chapter we will examine these various steps in greater detail.