Communication Strategy Chapter Two: Communication and Strategy J.S. O’Rourke, University of Notre Dame / USA

Communication Strategy

Chapter Two: Communication and Strategy

J.S. O’Rourke, University of Notre Dame / USA

Copyright ©2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall2-2

Communication StrategyAlways involves five basic considerations

Communicator: who should send this message?

Audience: who should receive this message?

Message: what should we say?

Channel Choice: how should we send this message?

Cultural Context: what cultural factors will affect this attempt at communication?


Communication StrategyAs you formulate communication strategy, you should also consider:

Your communication objectives. What do you want from this interaction?

Your communication style. How will you approach your subject and your audience?

Your credibility. What does your audience think of you, and how will that affect their response?


Communication ObjectivesDefining your objectives will make you more efficient and effective as a communicator.

General Objective: “Improve corporate cash flow.”

Action Objective: “Reduce accounts receivable aging to 30 days or less.”

Communication Objective: “As a direct result of this letter/phone call/personal contact, this client will be motivated to pay the account.”


Communication Style Your choice of communication style will

depend on two key factors: Audience Involvement: Will this audience be more

passive or more active as we communicate? Content Control: How much control will we need over the

content of this communication.

Four choices emerge for you to select from: Tell Sell

Consult Join

Choosing an Appropriate Style

Low

ContentControl

High

Low HighAudience Involvement


Low

ContentControl

High



Low

ContentControl

High



Low

ContentControl

High



Low

ContentControl

High


Tell


Low

ContentControl

High


Tell

Sell


Low

ContentControl

High


Tell

Consult

Sell


Low

ContentControl

High


Tell

Consult

Join

Sell


The Tell / Sell Styles

Feature lower audience involvement and higher content control.

Use the tell style to inform and the sell style to persuade.

In these situations: you have already sufficient information, you don’t need to hear other’s opinions or ideas, you need or want to control message content yourself.


The Consult / Join Styles

Feature higher audience involvement and lower content control

Use the consult style to gather information or learn from the audience. Use the join style to collaborate with members of the audience.

In these situations: you do not have sufficient information,

you need to hear other’s opinions, ideas, or input,

you want to involve your audience in content.


Communication Credibility

Five factors will generally affect your credibility:

• Rank

• Goodwill

• Expertise

• Image

• Shared Values

Begin by emphasizing your initial credibility and work to increase your acquired credibility with the audience.


Audience Strategy

Involves answering four sets of questions:

Who are they?

What do they know?

What do they feel?

How can you motivate them?


Who Are They?

Primary Audience: who will receive your written or spoken message directly?

Secondary Audience: consider any hidden audiences who will receive your message indirectly.

Gatekeepers: Is there someone you need to route your message through who might filter or block it?

Opinion Leaders: Who has significant influence over members of the audience?

Key Decision-Makers: Who has power to influence the outcome of the communication?


What Do They Know?

How much background information do they need?

How much new information do they need?

What are their expectations and preferences? Style Preferences (formal or informal, direct or

indirect)?

Channel Preferences (paper, e-mail, face-to-face, group or individual)?

Length and Format Preferences (how should this message appear to your audience)?


How Do They Feel?

What’s their level of interest in your message?

What’s their probable bias: positive, negative, or neutral?

How difficult is your desired outcome for them? Will this be relatively easy for them to buy into, or somewhat difficult?


How Can You Motivate Them?

Shared Values and Common Ground: Begin with views and values you hold in common, then move to areas where disagreement is more likely.

Goodwill and Reciprocity: This is a form of bargaining. You gain a concession by granting a favor.

Rank and Reward/Punishment: Though inappropriate for most audiences, the removal of privileges or threats to do so may motivate the response you want.

Message Structure: Arrangement of your message may help through inoculation techniques, segmented actions (“foot in the door”), or two-sided arguments.


Message Strategy

Consider emphasis and organization.

Using the direct approach.

“The committee recommends this policy for three reasons: it will be cheaper, faster, and longer lasting.”

Using the indirect approach.

“Because it will be cheaper, faster, and longer lasting, the committee recommends this policy.”


The Direct Approach

Advantages of the direct approach: Improves comprehension. It’s audience-centered. It saves time.

Why don’t more people use the direct approach? Habit Suspense Academic Training Effort Involved


The Direct Approach

When should you consider using a direct communication approach to your audience?

All non-sensitive messages with no emotional overtones.

Sensitive messages if the audience’s bias is positive.

Sensitive messages if the audience is results-oriented.

Sensitive messages if your credibility is particularly high.


The Indirect Approach

When should you consider using an indirect communication approach to your audience?

Because this approach takes longer and does not take advantage of an audience’s initial attentiveness at the beginning of a message, use it only when: Sensitive message with emotional overtones and

Your audience’s bias is negative and

Your audience is analysis-oriented and

Your credibility is low.


Channel Choice Strategy

Writing or Speaking?

Writing produces a permanent record, can be used to convey great detail, is often much more precise, and can be used for careful wording.

Speaking produces a richer context, including non-verbal cues, less rigidity, less permanence, no permanent record, and may be quicker.



Formal or Informal?

Formal channels may be needed for legal negotiations, tend to be precise, controlled, logical, focused, organized, conclusive, decisive, and action-oriented.

Informal channels may be better when you need to gather new ideas; tend to be fast, interactive, uninhibited, innovative, creative, open, candid, communal, and flexible.



Individual or Group?

Individual channels help build individual relationships, gain individual responses, may be more secure or private. Example: telephone, voice mail, personal memos, letters, fax, or e-mail.

Group channels help build group relationships or identity, gain group responses (including consensus), avoid excluding people, make sure all audience members receive the message at the same time. Example: group meetings, electronic bulletin boards, news groups, videoconferences, conference calls, memos, fax, or e-mail.


Cultural Strategy

Not all cultures react to senders, messages, or channels in the same way. It’s best to consider your audience’s probable reaction from a cultural point of view.

Time Power Distance Communication Style Non-verbal Mannerisms Language


Documents

Communication Strategy Chapter Two: Communication and Strategy J.S. O’Rourke, University of Notre Dame / USA