Business Communication

Lecture 2
Effective Communication
7 C’s of effective communication
4 S’s of effective communication
IMPRESS Model
Oral Communication
Presentation Skills
How to make effective presentations
 The seven C’s

• When We talk about “ Effective Communication” one

thing that comes in mind, what are the basic
principles of “effective communication” .
• These principles tells us how your message can
becomes effective for your target group,
• These principles also tell about style and importance
of the message.
• These principles commonly known as 7 C’s of
effective communication.
Seven C’s of Effective Communication

1. Completeness
2. Conciseness
3. Consideration
4. Concreteness
5. Clarity
6. Courtesy
7. Correctness
 A business message is complete when it
contains all facts the reader or listener needs for
the reaction you desire.

Conti…
 COMPLETNESS
Completeness is necessary for several reasons:

• First, complete messages are more likely to bring the

desired results without the expense of additional
messages.
• Second, they can do a better job of building goodwill.
• Third, they can help avoid costly lawsuits that may
result if important information is missing .

Conti…
• I think I would like to attend my first meeting of the Golf Club,
even though I’m not acquainted in your city. Will you please
tell me the place/venue where the next meeting will be held?
• If you answered only this one question, your letter would be
incomplete. Realizing that your reader is a newcomer to your
city and to the club meetings, you should include in your reply
a welcome note plus such needed details as directions/road-
map for reaching the building; parking facilities; day, date, and
time of meeting; and perhaps also the program for the next
meeting. Your message will then have the “something extra”
that a reader really needs and appreciation.
• For instance, to order merchandise, make clear what
you want, when you need it, to whom and where it is
to be sent, and how payment will be made. To reserve
a hotel banquet room, specify the accommodations
needed (what), location (where), sponsoring
organization (who), date and time (when), event
(why), and other necessary details (how).
• Situation 2:
On May 8, 2008 the owner of mutual fund stock
wrote to an investment Company that he wanted to
sell his shares. He asked, “just how does your
company want me to authorize this sale?” He
received following reply on May 19:
“If you wish to terminate account # 9248 and liquidate the
shares held by this company, we need a letter of instructions
signed by both you and your wife just as the account is
registered. Please be sure to give us the name of your fund,
your account number, and the name of the person to whom
proceeds are to be mailed”

Conti…
In situation 2, message about the transaction resulted
in delay, annoyed and disappointed the customer.
Had the company supplied a reply form, the desired
sale could have been completed promptly.
 INCLUDE ONLY RELEVANT STATEMENTS

• The effective, concise message should omit not only

unnecessarily wordy expressions but also irrelevant
material. To be sure you include only relevant facts,
observe the following suggestions:

– Stick to the purpose of the message.

– Avoid irrelevant words and rambling (confused)

sentences.

Conti…
– Omit information obvious to the receiver, do not repeat at
length what that person has already told you.

– Avoid long introductions, unnecessary explanations,

excessive adjectives and prepositions.

– Get to the important point tactfully and concisely.

 Conclusion of completeness
At the end we can say that, you must provide
him:-
1. All necessary information as requested by
him.
2. Answers to all questions carefully
3. Provide some more information, which
he is not requiring , just to maintain good
relations.
 Five W’s
• One way to make your message complete is to answer the
five W’s.
• WHO?
• WHAT?
• WHEN?
• WHERE?
• WHY?
• The five question method is useful when you write requests,
announcements, or other informative messages.
• For instance, to order (request) merchandise, make clear
WHAT you want, WHEN u need it, WHERE it is to be sent.
 5 Whys
• Quickly gets you to the root of the problem.
Getting to the root of the problem
"For want of a nail the shoe was lost
For want of a nail the horse was lost
For want of a horse the warrior was lost
For want of a warrior the battle was lost
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost
All for the want of a nail."
Problem solving using the 5 W
Conciseness is saying what you have to in the fewer possible
words without sacrificing the other C qualities.

Conti…
How To achieve the conciseness ?
For achieving conciseness you have
to consider the following.
1.Avoid wordy expression
2.Include only relevant material
3.Avoid unnecessary repetition.
 Avoid Wordy Expression
• E.g. Wordy:- at this time.
Instead of “at this time” you can just use only a
concise word:- NOW ,
Always try to use “ To the point Approach” in
business scenario perspective.
 WORDY CONCISE
During the time that While
In accordance with As you
your request requested
In view of the fact that because
Please don’t hesitate to write please write
Under date of dated
Under the circumstances because
In due course soon
In the event that if
In most cases usually
 Some ways to eliminate unnecessary words

• Use shorter name after you have mentioned the long

once. e.g.
• Spectrum communications Private limited use
spectrum.
• Use pronouns or initials E.g.
Instead of world trade organization use WTO or You
can use IT for Information Technology.( keeping in
mind that the receiver knows about these terms)
 Include only relevant information
• Always try to provide only relevant information to the
receiver of the message.
• Lets say one of your customer requested
 for clients of the company
 in reply you should provide simply list of clients at the panel of your
company.
 No need to provide detailed business information about client at all.
• Observe the following suggestions to “ Include only relevant
information.”
– Stick to the purpose of message
– Delete irrelevant words
– Avoid long introduction, unnecessary explanation etc.
– Get to the important point concisely.
 Avoid un-necessary Repetition
• Some times repetition is necessary for
focusing on some special issue.
• But when the same thing is said two or three
times the message become wordy and boring.
• Hence try to avoid Un-necessary repetition.
 Consideration means preparing every message with the
receiver (s) in mind – putting yourself in place of receiver.

Conti…
 Consideration
• Consideration means – To consider the
receiver’s Interest/Intention.
• It is very important in effective
communication while writing a message
you should always keep in mind your target
group
consideration is very important “C” among
all the seven C’s.
 CONSIDERATION
• Try to visualize your readers (or listeners) with their desires,
problems, circumstances, emotions and probable reactions to
you request. This is also called “you-attitude” (empathy).

• Consideration underlies the other six C’s of good business

communication. You adapt your language and message contents
to your reader’s/receiver’s needs:
 Show reader benefit or interest .
 Emphasize positive, pleasant facts.
 Apply integrity and ethics.
 Focus on “you” instead of “I” and “we.”

Conti…
 SHOW READER BENEFIT OR INTEREST

• Whenever possible and true, show how your

readers will benefit from whatever the message
asks or announces. In that case they will be more
likely to react favorably and do what you suggest.

Conti…
Always write a message in such a way how audience
should be benefited from it. e.g.
We attitude
I am delighted to announce that we will extend our
working hours to make shopping more convenient .
You attitude
“You will be able to shop in the evening with the
extended hours.”
Readers may react positively when benefit are shown to
them.
Always try to address his/her need and want.
FOCUS ON “YOU” INSTEAD OF “I” AND “WE”

We & I Attitude You – attitude

 I want to send my  Congratulations to you on

congratulations for. your success in MBA..

 We will soon ship the goods  You should receive by May 8

in your May 4 order. the apex screens you ordered
 We pay 8% interest on… on May 4.

 You earn 8% interest on...

Conti…
EMPHASISE THE POSITIVE, PLEASANT FACTS

• A third way to show consideration for your reader

(or listener) is to accent the positive. This means:

– Stressing what can be done instead of what cannot

be done.

– Focusing on words your recipient can consider

favorably.

Conti…
 APPLY INTEGRITY AND ETHICS
• To be truly considerate, you need also to apply
integrity – high moral standards, personal honor,
truthfulness, sincerity – to your written and oral
messages.

• Without integrity, business communications would

prove worthless, and our confidence in people would
be shattered.
Communicating concretely means being specific, definite,
and vivid rather than vague and general.
 Concreteness

• It means that message should be specific

instead of general. Misunderstanding of
words creates problems for both parties
(sender and receiver).
• when you talk to your client always use
facts and figures instead of generic or
irrelevant information.
 USE SPECIFIC FACTS AND FIGURES
• Whenever you can, use specific statement or a figure for a
general word to make your message more concrete and
convincing.
Vague/Unclear Messages Clear/Specific Messages
• This computer types 400 word
• This computer reproduces campaign letters in one hour.
campaign letters fast. • Our product has won first prize in
• Our product has earn several four national contests within the
prizes. past three years.

• These brakes stop a car within a • These Goodson power brakes stop
a 2-ton car traveling 60 miles an
short distance.
hour, within 240 feet.
 ACTIVE VOICE V/S PASSIVE VOICE
Passive (Subject receives Active (Subject performs
the Action) the action)

 Tests were made by us or  We made the tests or We won

match was won by us. the match.

 A full report will be sent to you  The supervisor will send you a
by the supervisor. full report [or You will receive a
complete report from your
supervisor.
 Decision on holding  The Director SAI decided to
convocation was taken by the hold a convocation.
Director SAI.
 ACTION IN VERBS, NOT IN NOUNS
Action hiding in a quiet
noun
 The function of this office is the
collection of payments and the
compilation of statements.
 Mr. Jones will give consideration
to the report.
 The contract has a requirement
for………
Action in the verb
 This office collects payments
and compiles statements.
 Mr. Jones will consider the
report.
 The contract requires that
…………….
 ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS
• You can sometimes build a more realistic and interesting
word picture by adding well-chosen adjectives and adverbs.
In the example below, adjectives are underlined; adverbs are
in capitals.

 The camera has a system that gives you good pictures.

 The Pony camera has a UNIQUELY precise metering

system that assures you PROPERLY exposed, true-color
pictures.
 CHOOSE VIVID, IMAGE-BUILDING WORDS
Vague (unclear)
 There are a great many
solder joints in the space-
craft, and each must have
just the right amount of
solder.
 This is pure clover honey,
made by honeybees.
Vivid (bright/clear)
 The spacecraft has 2 million solder joints.
If an extra drop of solder had been left on
these joints, the excess weight would have
been equivalent to the payload of the
vehicle.
 Honeybees have gathered nectar from
about 4 million clusters of clover and
traveled about 150,000 miles---or equal to
six times around the world--- to deliver this
package of Bradshaw honey to you.
 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Lateral (unimaginative) Figurative

and dull)
 Ali is the spark plug of the
 Ali’s work in group was
exemplary. organization.

 Some women were stopped  Many women faced the “glass

in their promotion. ceiling” in their company.
 USE CONCRETE INSTEAD OF ABSTRACT
NOUNS
Abstract:
• Consideration was given to the fact that…
• Termination of the insurance contract will be in June.
• Analysis of the situation suggests that Mr. Ali is right.

Concrete:
 The committee considered ……..
 The insurance contract ends in June.
 I think Mr. Smith is right.
 Sensory Appeal
• Your five senses, where applicable should play their
role to make the message more appealing – give
emotional touch.
• Advertisements do have lot of emotional appeal.

• Phrases like “buy me, love free” and “get connected

& stay along for ever”
• Use of non-verbal cues to make message more
appealing and effective.
The following guidelines should help you to achieve the
Concreteness.
i- use specific facts and figures
ii-choose image building words
e.g
General
He is very intelligent student of class and stood first in
the class.
Concrete
Ali’s GPA in B.Sc Electrical Engineering 2k3-f session was
3.95/4.0, he stood first in his class.
Always write on a very solid ground. It should definitely
create good image as well.
Clarity means getting the meaning from your head to the head of your
reader, in its original sense & spirit.
 CLARITY
• It means getting your message across so that receiver
will understand what you are trying to convey. You
want the recipient to interpret your words with the
same meaning that you have in your mind.

• Accomplishing above goal is difficult, because

individual experiences are never identical and words
may have different meanings to different persons, in
different scenarios.

Conti..
 Clarity
•In effective business communication the message should be very clear. So
that reader can understand it easily.

•You should always Choose precise words.

•Always choose familiar and easy words.

•Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.

•In business communication always use precise words rather longer

statements.

•If you have a choice between long words and shorter one, always use
shorter one.

•You should try to use familiar/easy to understand words so that your reader
will quickly under stand it
 HOW TO ACHIEVE CLARITY
• Choose short, familiar, conversational words.
• Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.

• Achieve appropriate readability (and listening

ability).

• Include examples, illustrations, and other visual

aids, when desirable.

Conti..
Familiar Next familiar words
1-after subsequent
2-home domicile
3-for example e.g.
4-pay remuneration
5-invoice statement for payments
 CHOOSE SHORT, FAMILIAR,
CONVERSATIONAL WORDS
Possibly Unfamiliar Expressions Familiar
to the Layperson:
or Unclear:
 Property value for tax
 Assessed valuation charge
purposes increase the
to your principal.
balance of your loan.
 Easement for ingress and  Agreement allows passage
egress in and out.

Conti..
 CONSTRUCT EFFECTIVE SENTENCES AND
PARAGRAPHS
Arranging your words in well - constructed sentences and
paragraphs is an essential task. Important characteristics
to consider are length, unity, coherence, and emphasis:

– Length - as short as desirable

– Unity - to express main ideas
– Coherence - for clear meanings
– Emphasis - for forceful, clear expression

Conti..
 USE SHORT SENTENCES
• The suggested average sentence length should be
about 17 to 20 words. When a sentence exceeds 40
words, try to rewrite it into more than one sentence.
A sentence can be divided into more parts by using
semicolon (;).

“I am very busy because I have an important project to deliver

by the end of this week; I shall not be able to accompany you
for the picnic on coming Sunday, January 18.”

Conti..
 EMPHASIS, FOR FORCEFUL, CLEAR
EXPRESSION
• The quality that gives force to important parts of sentences
and paragraphs is to be emphasized. Writers must decide what
needs emphasis, and then choose correct sentence structure:

– The jet fighter finally approached the speed of sound and it

became very difficult to control. (less emphasis)

– As it finally approached the speed of sound, the jet fighter

became very difficult to control.
(better emphasis)

Conti..
Courtesy is the respect, sincerity and empathy that your
recipient / audience desires and deserves.

Conti..
 COURTESY
• Courteous messages help to strengthen present
business friendship, as well as make new friends.

• Courtesy stems from sincere you-attitude. It is not

merely politeness with mechanical insertions of
“please” and “thank-you”.

• To be courteous, considerate communicators should

follow the four guidelines discussed under
Consideration.

Conti..
 COURTESY
 Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative.
 Omit expressions that irritate, hurt, or belittle.
 Grant and apologize good-naturedly.

Conti..
Be sincerely Tactful, Thoughtful and Appreciative

• Though few people are intentionally abrupt or

blunt, these negative traits are common cause
of discourtesy.
• avoid expression like those in the left hand
column below; rephrase them as shown in the
right-hand column
 Tactless, Blunt Tactful
 Your letter is not clear at all; I  If I understand your letter
can’t understand it. correctly……

 Obviously, if you’d read your  Sometimes policy wording is

policy carefully, you’d be able a little hard to understand.
to answer these questions I’m glad to clear up these
yourself. questions for you.

 As mentioned in my May 10,

 Apparently you have already letter to you.
forgotten what I wrote you
two weeks ago.
 OMIT EXPRESSIONS THAT IRRITATE, HURT,
OR BELITTLE
• The thoughtful business communicator should avoid
expressions that might offend the reader. Such
expressions are discussed here in three groups:
irritating, questionably humorous, and belittling
statements.
 IRRITATING EXPRESSIONS
• I do not agree with you
• You claim that
• If you care • You did not tell us
• I am sure you must realize • You failed to
• Inexcusable • You forgot to
• Irresponsible • Your stubborn silence
• Why have you ignored

• The fact that

 QUESTIONABLE HUMOR
• Humor is often quite effective in business writing.
However, before you try to be funny, be sure that
your humor is good-natured and appropriate for the
situation.

• Humor should be culturally and religiously

acceptable.
GRANT AND APOLOGIZE GOOD-NATUREDLY

• Whenever you grant a customer’s request, begin your letter

with the best news first and inject a courteous, ungrudging
tone. Notice the difference in tone of the following two
paragraphs:

Grudging Good Natured

• Your request causes a great deal of • As you requested, we will give more
extra paperwork to change monthly concession and facilitate you in
payments. However, we hereby making the payment in easy
approve the new schedule of installments.
payment, as you requested.
 CORRECTNESS
• The correctness principle comprises more than
proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A
message may be perfect grammatically and
mechanically but still insults or loses a customer
and fails to achieve its purpose. The term
correctness, as applied to a business message
means, the writer should:
 CORRECTNESS
– Use the right level of language

– Check accuracy of figures, facts, and words

– Maintain acceptable writing mechanics

– Choose nondiscriminatory expressions

– Apply all other pertinent C qualities.

 Use the right Level of Language
we suggest that there are three level of language
1. formal
2. informal
3. substandard.
Take a quick guess: what kind of writing is associated
with each level? What is the style of each?
 Formal and Informal Words
Formal writing is often associated with scholarly writing:
doctoral dissertations, scholarly, legal documents, top-level
government agreements and other material where formality is
demanded.
Informal writing is more characteristic of business writing. Here
you use words that are short, well-known and conversational
as in this comparison list:
More Formal less formal
Participate Join
Endeavor try
Ascertain find out
Utilize use
Interrogate question
 Substandard Language
Avoid substandard language. Using correct
words, incorrect grammar, faulty pronunciation
all suggest as inability to use good English. Some
examples follow:
Substandard More Acceptable
Ain’t isn’t,aren’t
Can’t hardly can hardly
Aim to proving aim to prove
Desirous to desirous of
Stoled stolen
 Facts and Figures Accuracy
Check Accuracy of Facts, Figures and words
It is impossible to convey meaning precisely, through words, from the head
of the sender to a receiver. Our goal is to be as precise as possible,
which means checking and double-checking and double-checking to
ensure that the figures, facts and words you use are correct.
“A good check of your data is to have another person read and comment
on the validity of the material”
Figures and facts
 Verify your statistical data
 Double-check your totals
 Avoid guessing at laws that have an impact on you, the sender and your
 Have someone else read your message if the topic involves data.
 Determine whether a “fact” has changed over time
 Proper Use of Confusing Words !

Our Language (Any) is constantly changing. In fact,even dictionaries can

not keep up with rapid change in our language. the following words
often confusing in usage:

A, An use a before consonants and consonants

sounds or a long ” u” sound. Use an before vowels.

Accept, except accept is a verb and means to

receive. except is a verb or a preposition and
relates to omitting or leaving out.

Anxious, eager Anxious implies worry, eager

conveys keen desire
 The 4S's of communication are
• Shortness,
• Simplicity,
• Strength,
• Sincerity. 
 SHORTNESS
 Refers to the message that can be made brief,
verbosity should be avoided , then transmission
& comphrenesion of messages is going to be
faster & more effective. Flooding message with
high sounding words does not create an impact.

 But the receiver spent a major chunk of his

time in trying to decipher the actual meaning
of the message , Avoid ambiguity.
 COMPARING 7C’S WITH 4’S OF BUISNESS
COMMUNICATION

SHORTNESS

CLARITY- Use simple words

(Avoid them) Simple(Use them)
Demonstrate show
Visualise see
At the present time now
Until such time as until/when
 SHORTNESS
CORRECTNESS
 Give correct facts.

 Send your message at the correct time.

 Send your message in the correct style.

 SIMPLICITY
• It is used both in the usage of words & ideas
reveals a clarity in the thinking process. It is
normally a tendency that when an individual is
himself confused then he tries to use equally
confusing strategies to lead the receiver.

• Reveal clarity in the thinking process by using

simple terminology and equal simple concepts..
 SIMPLICITY
CLARITY
Using nouns using verbs
(difficult) (simple)
Make a decision decide
Make the announcement announce
Previous experience experience
My personal opinion my opinion
 SIMPLICITY
CREDIBILITY
 If the sender can establish his credibility , the
receiver has no problems in accepting his
statement.

 It is a long – drawn out process in which the

receiver through constant interaction with the
sender understanding builds up credibility.
 STRENGTH
 The strength of a message emanates from the
credibility of the sender. If the sender himself
believes in a message that he is about to transmit,
there is bound to be strength and conviction in
whatever he tries to state.

 Half-hearted statements or utterances that the

sender himself does not believe in adds a touch of
falsehood to the entire communication process
 STRENGTH
COMPLETENESS
 Completeness of facts is absolutely necessary.
incomplete communication irritates the
reader.

 You should organise your message in such a

way that the receiver has no doubts about
anything contained in it.
 SINCERITY
 A sincere approach to an issue is clearly evident
to the receiver.

 Suppose there is a small element of deceit

involved in the interaction or on the part of the
sender. If the receiver is keen & observant, he
would be able to sense the make- believe
situation and business transactions.
 SINCERITY
CONCISENESS
 A reader’s time is invaluable. Don’t make him
feel that he is wasting his time in going
through your unnecessarily lengthy letter.

 Include only relevant facts.

 Avoid repetition.
 Avoid trite & wordy expressions.
 SINCERITY
CONSIDERATION
 Adopt the you-attitude- naturally, every person is
interested in himself. Therefore we should write letters
from their point of view. For ex: thank you for your kind
words.
you have a better choice etc.

 Avoid gender bias & negative words

For ex: Dear sir/madam, gentlemen/ladies,
chairperson(not chairman).
 IMPRESS MODEL
• Your assignment !!