1. Lecture 1. Effective Business Communication: from theory to practice. Content © Alona Senishch-Chmilewsky Aalto University School of Economics, 2010

2. Communication: myth and reality?   The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.  Genesis 11:5-7 (Today's New International Version) The Tower of Babel by Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1563)

3. What is communication?  Communication is the process of understanding and sharing meaning.

4. Components of Business Communication Communicator Audience Message Channel Cultural Context

5. Effective communicator knows how  Establish credibility  Communicate his/her objectives  Choose the correct style and channel

6. Communicator: credibility i.e. your audience’s perception of you Credibility rankgoodwillexpertiseimage Common ground By French, Raven and Kotter

7. Communicator: objectives  Dear Mrs Senishch,  My name is Van Chong. I'm a student from China. Last quarter I took your Business Communication course. This summer I’m planning to go home where I found an internship at my hometown (GENERAL OBJECTIVE: WHY?). The company I am applying to asks for a recommendation letter from the school. That is why I wonder whether you could do me a huge favor and issue me a recommendation letter (COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVE: WHAT?). The letter should be signed, officially sealed and sent via e-mail to chang.po@jingrecruitment.com by May, the 1 st 2010. (SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: HOW?)chang.po@jingrecruitment.com  I truly look forward to hearing from you in the nearest future. Once again thank you for your time and effort.  Sincerely,  Van Chong

8. Choose your style Tell/Sell Style Informing explaining Persuading Consult/Join Style Collaborative More collaborative Communicator: styles

9. Channel : the way in which a message travels between communicator and audience. Face-to-face conversation, speech, telephone conversation, voice mail,radio, TV, Voip, video conference, etc. Speaking Letters, memorandums, orders, invoices, newspaper and magazine artricles, blogs, e-mail, text messages, tweets, etc Writing

10. Audience  Receives the message from the communicator and interprets it in ways both intended and unintended by the communicator

11. Audience: traits  Visible traits: age, ethnic origin, gender, education, occupation, socio- economic status, culture, language fluency.  Invisible traits: backgrounds, opinions, values, preferences (e.g. style, channel, format)

12. Audience: information needs  High  Mixed  Low needs information Provide sifficient data, statistics, evidence Use handouts, appendixes

13. Audience: expectations Expectations Interest in the topic high Get right to the point low Use consult/join style Bias/attitude positive Reinforce the existing attitude (e.g.benefits ) negative Start with the ”good news ”

14. Audience : Memory Curve Most  Audience Remembers Least beginningend message Direct Approach Indirect Approach

15. Message: direct/indirect approach Direct: stating your ideas in the beginning of the message Indirect: stating your ideas in the end of the message

16. Message: direct approach Direct approach Nature of the message positive Audience’s level of interest high Audience’s bias positive Your credibility high

17. Message: indirect approach Indirect approach Nature of the message Sensitive, negative Audience’s level of interest low Audience’s bias negative Your credibility low

18. Message: structure To capture the attention of your audience ”what’s in it for me” strategy Attention statement (optional) To state your general and communication objectives ”what and why” Opening/Introduction To explain action objective ”how and when ” Body To summorise the main points Conclusion To leave a positive impression after your communication Complimentary part

19. Message: structure (sample) Salutation Attention Statement Opening Body Complimen tary part Dear Mrs Senishch, This July, you’ll be spoilt for choice with special offers on two of the world’s leading hotel chains. Executive Club members can now earn double BA Miles when they stay at any Hilton Worldwide hotel between 6 July and 30 September 2010. If you’re planning a trip to, from or within the United States, you should be aware of their new Secure Flight programme, which requires you to supply us with some basic passenger details 72 hours before you travel. Thank you for being with British Airways. We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon. Sincerely, British Airways Executive Club

20. Culture – ”beliefs, attitudes, values and traditions shared by a group of people” CommunicatorAudience MessageChannel Culture