5 Basic Criteria for an Effective Message

by Eric Dontigney, Demand Media

Clear

The effectiveness of a message hinges on the clarity of the message. The recipient
needs to receive the intended message, or the ambiguity will force guesswork.
Superiors who lack confidence sometimes couch the messages in hints or innuendo or
attempt to use third parties to convey messages second hand. Obscure messages can
convey a lack of commitment to the idea behind the message or doubt that something
needs to happen, both of which can translate into inaction on the part of the recipient.
Clear messages allow the recipient to know the speaker’s or writer’s expectations and
respond accordingly.

Complete

An effective message provides the reader or listener with all of the information he
needs to both evaluate the message and to take action in response to the message.
Incomplete information often makes it difficult or even impossible for the recipient to
carry out an appropriate action. For example, a manager might ask a subordinate for
an inventory report. If the business uses an established protocol for organizing and
formatting such reports, the recipient gets a complete message to act on. If the
business does not use established protocols, the message is incomplete. It leaves the
subordinate to make decisions about organization and formatting that may not align
with the manager’s expectations and could result in friction.

Correct

In written communication, the message should contain no typographical, grammatical

or structural errors. Delivering error-free messages communicates the writer sees the
message as important enough to handle in a professional way. Typographical and
grammatical errors convey that the writer rushed, which implies the writer saw the
message as unimportant. This can lead the recipient to dismiss the content of the
message outright or diminish its relative importance.

Saves Time

You should design your messages to minimize the time necessary to receive the
message and maximize understanding. Writing techniques, such as bullet points, can
make it easier to grasp essential points. Verbal cues such as "first," "then" and "next"
can help a listener to understand procedures or the order in which to do tasks.
Focusing the message on a single point at a time allows the recipient to digest the
information more quickly than messages that provide information haphazardly.
Establishes Goodwill

Ideally, the message should help create goodwill between the person delivering the
message and the recipient. Messages that treat the recipient as a human being go a
long way toward fostering goodwill. Messages should also aim to speak to the recipient
at an appropriate level. If, for example, your business employs high school kids, talking
to them with high-powered language only an MBA could understand will diminish
goodwill or even create resentment.

What are the 6 C's of effective messages

 Courtesy, Clarity, Conciseness, Concreteness, Correctness, and Completeness

a) Courtesy - maintain goodwill by using the "you" attitude

b) Clarity - use appropriate words, place words in orderly sequence

c) Conciseness - use necessary words, use action and efficient words, write in
active voice

d) Concreteness - use precise modifiers, avoid generalizatioins and opinions

such as using "should", provide specific details

e) Correctness - verify spelling, use correct words/phrases, insert proper

punctuation, check details such as times, names, dates, places, and amounts,
evaluate message appearance such as placement and style

f) Completeness - answer who, what, when, where, why, and how and
maintain/promote goodwill

Characteristics of effective Business Messages

M.Rizwan

1. Provide Practical Information

 Describe how to do something

 Explain why a procedure was changed
 Highlight the cause of a problem or suggest a possible solution
 Give Facts rather than Impressions
 Use concrete language and specific details.
 Information must be clear, convincing and ethical

2. Clarify and condense information.

 Business messages frequently use table charts, photos, diagrams etc to explain a process.
 State precise responsibilities.
 Business messages must be directed to a specific audience.
 Persuade others and provide recommendations.

3. Strategies that bring a favoured response.

 Use Strong words

 Use familiar words

 Use concrete Language

 Avoid clichés

 Avoid Redundancies

 Use Jargon Carefully

 Prefer active voice

 Avoid camouflaged verbs

 The You View Point

 Positive Language

 Effective communication does much more than convey information. It establishes a good
relationship with the reader, a relationship which is based on respect and courtesy.

 So In a good relationship use the You Attitude

 This is best implemented by expressing your message in terms of the reader’s interests
and needs.

4. Use you and yours instead of I and Me and Mine, We, Us, and Ours

 The You attitude makes the message sound as if it is written to the, not sent by the author.
A message prepared for the reader conveys sincerity, personalization, warmth, and
involvement on the part of the author.

 Talk about the reader not about yourself

 Refer to the reader’s request or order specifically.

 Don’t talk about feelings, except to congratulate or offer sympathy.

 In positive situations, use ³you´ more often than I. Use ³we´ when it includes the reader.

 Avoid you in negative sentences.

  Problems arise because of faults in words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs.

5. Use Strong words

 Examples
Wealthy business person Tycoon Business Prosperity Boom Fall Plummet

6. Familiar words:

 Words familiar to your reader’s frame of reference.

7. Unfamiliar Familiar

 Ascertain, find out, peruse, learn, study, read.

8. Concrete words

 In general abstract words have a greater number of meanings, most of them somewhat
vague. Concrete words give a mental picture.

9. Abstract Concrete

 Sizable loss 34% percent lossNear future on WednesdayWork-

saving machine performs the work of 5 people

10. Active words.

 Verbs are the strongest words, and they are at their strongest when they are active rather
than passive. The active voice strengthens and shortens sentences.

11. Passive

 The new procedure is thought to be superior by the president.

 The office will be cleaned by the janitor

Prefer Active Voice

 The president thinks that the new procedure is superior.

 The Janitor will clean the office.

 Your writing style becomes your body language.