Characteristics of Effective business message

A business message is called as an effective business

messages when it is framed professionally well and
when it fulfills the desired purpose.
In any organization, Business communications and
interactions are greatly carried out with the help of
business messages. While framing a business
message, a sender should make sure that it is framed
short and precise and it should be completely free
from any kind of grammatical errors.
Such messages are sent for variety of purposes such
as for conducting business communications, for
initiating or terminating a business venture or for
any such business operation.
An effective business messages should have
following characteristics:
CONVERSATIONAL TONE
The tone of an effective business message should be
highly conversational. This means that an effective
business message should be such that it should be
capable of initiating business conversations and
interactions.
It should maintain a pleasant, casual and an
encouraging conversational tone.
Conciseness
An effective business messages is the one which is
short and concise. A business message should be
framed in such a way so that it strives to get across a
particular point in fewest words as possible.
Correctness and Accuracy
A business messages which is not correct and
accurate cannot be called as an effective business
message. It is important to ensure correctness and
accuracy in your business messages so as to assure
professionalism.
You should make sure that it is free from all kinds of
grammatical errors, spelling mistakes or punctuation
mark errors.
Clarity and Precision
Clarity and precision are the most important tools
for an effective business message. A business
message that clearly states the purpose is the one
that is effective in creating business communication
or business operations.
Concreteness
An effective business message is the one that is
concrete in its content. This is necessary so as to put
across a clear and a concrete point to the recipient so
that he or she may understand your content in the
finest way.
Courteousness and Conversational Tone
Whether communicated by telephone or email, a business
message should have a casual, pleasant and conversational tone.
It's important that you speak in a friendly and inviting manner
that encourages a response from the recipient. Refrain from
sounding emotional, confrontational or complaining. Instead, be
courteous, using positive words and phrases such as "please,"
"thank you," "sincerely," "We appreciate," and "best regards."
You should ask yourself, "Would I have enjoyed reading this?"
according to Roger Reynolds, President and CEO of ABCO
Payroll Services Inc.
Conciseness
Being concise is a very important element of business
communication. Strive to get your point across politely and pitch
your idea or concern in as few words as possible. Avoid using
run-on sentences, lengthy expressions and avoid repetitive
content. Concision saves time and money for both parties,
according to the Explore HR website. By eliminating
unnecessary wording and providing only a polite greeting,
relevant statements and an invitation to respond, you showcase
the importance of your ideas or concerns. Reynolds suggests that
you get directly to the subject of the message, avoid "filler"
words and phrasing and do not rehash prior correspondence.
Correctness and Accuracy
Leaving a message or sending an email with the wrong
information or content is not only embarrassing, it's also
unprofessional, time consuming and costly. When errors in a
business message include misspelled names or the personal
information of the recipient, it becomes offensive as well.
Before sending an email or dialing a client or associates number,
make sure you have checked your facts for correctness and
verified all applicable numbers or amounts. Always be sure you
have the correct name, spelling and pronunciation of the contact
person for written and verbal communications. When sending
written messages, always employ proper grammar, spelling and
punctuation and proofread before sending.
Clarity and Precision
Clarity is one of the most important components of a successful
business message. You should clearly state your business
without beating around the bush, according to business
communications coach Ric Phillips. "State clearly your
objectives or desires, and people will respect you for your
leadership and ideas," Phillips states. Use familiar terms, short
sentences and avoid technical terms and business jargon to
eliminate possible confusion or guesswork for the reader or call
recipient. There should be no need for the recipient to question,
decipher or translate the intent of your message.
Concreteness
Both Reynolds and Explore HR suggest ways to ensure the
concreteness of your content, which is essential to the
effectiveness of your business messages. The goal is to create a
vivid image and a clear understanding of your message within
the consciousness of your recipient. Use actionable verbs, vivid
descriptions and specific, concrete language to evoke interest.
Use facts and figures rather than vague generalizations. Be as
descriptive and definite as possible without sacrificing
conciseness.
Using Communication Tools Effectively
An effective communications program will combine some or all
of the following tools to communicate the intended message to
the target audience:
Internet
Publications and other print materials
Public service broadcasts and Videos
Media relations
Spokespersons
Events (special days, awards, exhibitions, seminars)
The tools used depend on the strategic goals, the objectives of
the communication program, the profile of the target audience,
the various advantages and disadvantage of each tool, and the
communications budget.
Whichever tools are used, it is important to maintain consistency
in the aesthetic appearance, linguistic style and tone, and
message (including facts, figures, slogans, quotes) used in all the
communications products for a single campaign. Without this
consistency, the message will not be as effective, even if the
target audience is exposed to several of the communication
products. Worse still, a lack of consistency may confuse or
distract the target audience.

Types of Communication
External
Internal
Basic Communication Tools
Landline telephones
Cell phones
Smartphones
Video and web conferencing
Social networking sites
Online chat tools
Fax
Computers
Desktop
Laptop
Notebooks/Netbooks
Tablet
Handheld
Software
Auxiliary Products
Internet
Browsers
Feasibility and specifics
Internet service provider
E-mail


There are many reasons why interpersonal communications may
fail. In many communications, the message (what is said) may
not be received exactly the way the sender intended. It is,
therefore, important that the communicator seeks feedback to
check that their message is clearly understood.
The skills of Active Listening, Clarification and Reflection may
help but the skilled communicator also needs to be aware of the
barriers to effective communication and how to avoid or
overcome them.
There are many barriers to communication and these may occur
at any stage in the communication process. Barriers may lead to
your message becoming distorted and you therefore risk wasting
both time and/or money by causing confusion and
misunderstanding. Effective communication involves
overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear and concise
message.

Common Barriers to Effective Communication:
The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or
technical terms.
Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it
difficult to express their emotions and some topics may be
completely 'off-limits' or taboo.
Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance
to the receiver. (See our page Barriers to Effective
Listening for more information).
Differences in perception and viewpoint.
Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech
difficulties.
Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not
being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and
general body language can make communication less
effective.
Language differences and the difficulty in
understanding unfamiliar accents.
Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false
assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what they
expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to
incorrect conclusions.
Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary
greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which
emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of
personal space varies between cultures and between
different social settings.
A skilled communicator must be aware of these barriers and try
to reduce their impact by continually checking understanding
and by offering appropriate feedback.

A Categorisation of Barriers to Communication
Language Barriers
Clearly, language and linguistic ability may act as a barrier to
communication. However, even when communicating in the
same language, the terminology used in a message may act as a
barrier if it is not fully understood by the receiver(s). For
example, a message that includes a lot of specialist jargon and
abbreviations will not be understood by a receiver who is not
familiar with the terminology used. Regional colloquialisms and
expressions may be misinterpreted or even considered offensive.
See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.
Psychological Barriers
The psychological state of the receiver will influence how the
message is received. For example, if someone has personal
worries and is stressed, they may be preoccupied by personal
concerns and not as receptive to the message as if they were not
stressed. Stress management is an important personal skill that
affects our interpersonal relationships. See our pages Stress:
Symptoms and Triggers and Avoiding Stress for more
information.
Anger is another example of a psychological barrier to
communication, when we are angry it is easy to say things that
we may later regret and also to misinterpret what others are
saying. See our pages: What is Anger?, Anger Management
and Anger Management Therapy for more information. More
generally people with low self-esteem may be less assertive and
therefore may not feel comfortable communicating - they may
feel shy about saying how they really feel or read negative sub-
texts into messages they hear. Visit our pages on Improving
Self-Esteem and Assertiveness for more information.
Physiological Barriers
Physiological barriers may result from the receivers physical
state: for example, a receiver with reduced hearing may not
grasp to entirety of a spoken conversation especially if there is
significant background noise.
Physical Barriers
An example of a physical barrier to communication is
geographic distance between the sender and receiver(s).
Communication is generally easier over shorter distances as
more communication channels are available and less technology
is required. Although modern technology often serves to reduce
the impact of physical barriers, the advantages and
disadvantages of each communication channel should be
understood so that an appropriate channel can be used to
overcome the physical barriers.
Systematic Barriers
Systematic barriers to communication may exist in structures
and organisations where there are inefficient or inappropriate
information systems and communication channels, or where
there is a lack of understanding of the roles and responsibilities
for communication. In such organisations, individuals may be
unclear of their role in the communication process and therefore
not know what is expected of them.
Attitudinal Barriers
Attitudinal barriers are behaviours or perceptions that prevent
people from communicating effectively. Attitudinal barriers to
communication may result from personality conflicts, poor
management, resistance to change or a lack of motivation.
Effective receivers of messages should attempt to overcome
their own attitudinal barriers to facilitate effective
communication.

Recognizing barriers to effective communication is a first step
in improving communication style. Do you recognize these
barriers from your own personal and professional experience?

Encoding Barriers. The process of selecting and organizing
symbols to represent a message requires skill and knowledge.
Obstacles listed below can interfere with an effective message.

1. Lack of Sensitivity to Receiver. A breakdown in
communication may result when a message is not adapted to its
receiver. Recognizing the receivers needs, status, knowledge
of the subject, and language skills assists the sender in
preparing a successful message. If a customer is angry, for
example, an effective response may be just to listen to the
person vent for awhile.

2. Lack of Basic Communication Skills. The receiver is less
likely to understand the message if the sender has trouble
choosing the precise words needed and arranging those words
in a grammatically-correct sentence.

3. Insufficient Knowledge of the Subject. If the sender lacks
specific information about something, the receiver will likely
receive an unclear or mixed message. Have you shopped for
an item such as a computer, and experienced how some
salespeople can explain complicated terms and ideas in a
simple way? Others cannot.

4. Information Overload. If you receive a message with too
much information, you may tend to put up a barrier because the
amount of information is coming so fast that you may have
difficulty comfortably interpreting that information. If you are
selling an item with twenty-five terrific features, pick two or
three important features to emphasize instead of overwhelming
your receiver (ho-hum) with an information avalanche.

5. Emotional Interference. An emotional individual may not
be able to communicate well. If someone is angry, hostile,
resentful, joyful, or fearful, that person may be too preoccupied
with emotions to receive the intended message. If you dont
like someone, for example, you may have trouble hearing
them.

Transmitting Barriers: Things that get in the way of message
transmission are sometimes called noise. Communication
may be difficult because of noise and some of these problems:

1. Physical Distractions. A bad cellular phone line or a noisy
restaurant can destroy communication. If an E-mail message
or letter is not formatted properly, or if it contains grammatical
and spelling errors, the receiver may not be able to concentrate
on the message because the physical appearance of the letter or
E-mail is sloppy and unprofessional.

2. Conflicting Messages. Messages that cause a conflict in
perception for the receiver may result in incomplete
communication. For example, if a person constantly uses
jargon or slang to communicate with someone from another
country who has never heard such expressions, mixed
messages are sure to result. Another example of conflicting
messages might be if a supervisor requests a report
immediately without giving the report writer enough time to
gather the proper information. Does the report writer
emphasize speed in writing the report, or accuracy in gathering
the data?

3. Channel Barriers. If the sender chooses an inappropriate
channel of communication, communication may cease.
Detailed instructions presented over the telephone, for
example, may be frustrating for both communicators. If you
are on a computer technical support help line discussing a
problem, it would be helpful for you to be sitting in front of a
computer, as opposed to taking notes from the support staff and
then returning to your computer station.
4. Long Communication Chain. The longer the
communication chain, the greater the chance for error. If a
message is passed through too many receivers, the message
often becomes distorted. If a person starts a message at one end
of a communication chain of ten people, for example, the
message that eventually returns is usually liberally altered.

Decoding Barriers. The communication cycle may break down
at the receiving end for some of these reasons:

1. Lack of Interest. If a message reaches a reader who is not
interested in the message, the reader may read the message
hurriedly or listen to the message carelessly.
Miscommunication may result in both cases.

2. Lack of Knowledge. If a receiver is unable to understand a
message filled with technical information, communication will
break down. Unless a computer user knows something about
the Windows environment, for example, the user may have
difficulty organizing files if given technical instructions.

3. Lack of Communication Skills. Those who have weak
reading and listening skills make ineffective receivers. On the
other hand, those who have a good professional vocabulary and
who concentrate on listening, have less trouble hearing and
interpreting good communication. Many people tune out who
is talking and mentally rehearse what they are going to say in
return. Well see some techniques for improving listening skills
in Chapter 2.

4. Emotional Distractions. If emotions interfere with the
creation and transmission of a message, they can also disrupt
reception. If you receive a report from your supervisor
regarding proposed changes in work procedures and you do not
particularly like your supervisor, you may have trouble even
reading the report objectively. You may read, not objectively,
but to find fault. You may misinterpret words and read negative
impressions between the lines. Consequently, you are likely to
misunderstand part or all of the report.

5. Physical Distractions. If a receiver of a communication
works in an area with bright lights, glare on computer screens,
loud noises, excessively hot or cold work spaces, or physical
ailments, that receiver will probably experience communication
breakdowns on a regular basis.

Responding BarriersThe communication cycle may be
broken if feedback is unsuccessful.

1. No Provision for Feedback. Since communication is a
two-way process, the sender must search for a means of getting
a response from the receiver. If a team leader does not permit
any interruptions nor questions while discussing projects, he
may find that team members may not completely understand
what they are to do. Face-to-face oral communication is
considered the best type of communication since feedback can
be both verbal and nonverbal. When two communicators are
separated, care must be taken to ask for meaningful feedback.

2. Inadequate Feedback. Delayed or judgmental feedback
can interfere with good communication. If your supervisor
gives you instructions in long, compound-complex sentences
without giving you a chance to speak, you may pretend to
understand the instructions just so you can leave the stress of the
conversation. Because you may have not fully understood the
intended instructions, your performance may suffer.



What is Technical Communication?
Technical communication is a specialised type of business
communication, aimed at creating easily-usable information for
a specific audience. The information produced by technical
communicators can range from heavily technical to heavily
business oriented - and anything in between.
Technical communication is a relatively new discipline, which
has developed in response to the expanding role of technology in
peoples lives. It involves writing paper-based instruction
manuals, brochures, and tutorials, as well as designing and
developing online help, Web sites and other types of online
documentation. It can also involve editing, and writing reports
and abstracts.
The technical writer tries to write about technical products in a
simple and effective way, so that the audience can easily
understand them. The modules at UL emphasise that the
discipline entails more than writing speech communication,
graphics, animation, layout, and design also play a part, and so
we provide instruction on all of these topics.



general communication is basically a normal way of talk between two individuals