Selection of Channels to Reach Audience, Audience Expectations about Language and Form of Message - Essay Example

Adapting your Message to your Audience Name Course Instructor Date Adapting your Message to your Audience Introduction Communication is a process that parties aims to create understanding among themselves. Creating this understanding involves a message that comes from the sender to the receiver. Ensuring that the message suits the audience require adequate knowledge about the receiver. The author deliberates on various aspects required when adapting ones message to your audience. Audience Audience is the target of the message and this may include an individual, groups of individual or an organization (Guffey & Loewy, 2013). Every audience has different attributes or characteristics that the sender of the message must appreciate. In any communication process, the sender of the message needs to understand the audience. Audience Analysis The first step in any communication process is to carry out an audience analysis. This gives you the necessary tools that you need to shape the message. To communicate effectively with the audience it is important to know whom they are, group they belong to and values they hold (Guffey & Loewy, 2013). Many studies recommend that one should carry out a survey to understand their target audience. This is more important especially when the speaker or the sender of the message has no any idea of the values and attributes of the audience. In marketing, it is also very critical to research about the audience before adapting a message to them. Ways to Analyze Audience In audience analysis, common sense and empathy are the most important tools (Locker & Donna, 2010). Empathy ensures that sender of the message puts themselves in the situation of the receiver to share their feelings together. It is important for the sender to use the knowledge and experience they have about people and organizations to make predictions on the likely responses. It becomes easy to understand an audience you are familiar with when speaking or writing to them (Locker & Donna, 2010). Information about the audience is accessible by interacting with some of the members, talking to people that know them as well through observing their behaviors. For instance, through this survey, one may realize that the managers dislike phone calls hence be able to know the best and appropriate communication channels to use to reach such like people. Analyzing Personality Attributes One of the best schemas to analyze the personalities of the expected audiences is Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The tool has four pairs that help in differentiating or identifying how people vary from one to another. These four pairs include extraversion- introversion, sensing-intuition, thinking- feeling and judging- perceiving (Locker & Donna, 2010). People in category of extroverts have great energy and focus their attentions hence they like interacting with others as opposed to introverts who target their energy within themselves (Locker & Donna, 2010). Those in sensing category prefer reality and something tangible hence get information through senses while intuition people gather information by looking at the bigger picture. They delve much on how facts relate to each other. People in thinking category usually make decisions by thinking logically through the information. While on the other hand, make decision based on the reactions of people by refereeing to what is important to others (Locker & Donna, 2010). Lastly, people that fall in the category of judging are orderly they are also good at planning and they seek disclosure. While those in the perceiving category like flexible and spontaneous lives. They like enjoying themselves. Therefore, being able to understand the personality of the target audience makes it easily to adopt ones message. Some of them will take time to think which means that the best way to adapt message to such individuals is through writing. Those that prefer talking and quick decisions would prefer to receive a message through oral communication. It is also vital to consider the values, beliefs and norms that people hold when adapting the message to the target audience. People and organization clinch to certain values and going against the same my hinder communication. For instance, when adapting your message to an organization, analyzing the discourse of the organization community ensures that the message is well presented. Various questions act as a guideline in quest to understand the community. These questions relates to the formats, media and styles preferred in communication, most discussed topics and type and quantity of evidence required to convince them. This question provides an appropriate way of understanding the most suitable way to tailor or adapt your message to enhance understanding (Locker & Donna, 2010). For instance, understanding the topics that people like to talk about and those they do not will give you an opportunity to come up with a good-tailored message that will achieve the intended objectives. Selection of Channels to Reach Audience A message or any communication piece must be conveyed through a channel to reach to the receiver (Guffey & Loewy, 2013). This means that when adapting any message, the channel is critical as it impacts on the audience. Being able to choose the right communication channel contributes to the impact of the message on the audience. Communication channels vary in terms of accuracy of transmission, speed, number of messages carried, cost, efficiency, number of people reached and the ability to promote good will. Any channel is appropriate but it will depend on the purpose of the sender, the audience, and the situation at that particular moment (Locker & Donna, 2010). For instance, when a message is written, it enhances presentation of complex or extensive information, it also allows the sender to include various specific details and it has the potential to minimize undesirable emotions. The sender is able to structure and project the message in the right mood and tone hence may not stimulate negative emotional. Similarly, the sender has the capacity to use language and words that are emotive and able to trigger mixed emotional reactions (Locker & Donna, 2010). Therefore, the sender of the message has the power to decide which tone or what information to include and to avoid when conveying a message through writing. Written messages appear formal compared to other kinds of messages such as email and oral presentations. Using Audience Analysis to Adapt Ones Message Having a clear understanding of the characteristics and attributes of the audience and having the right message always guarantee success in the communication process. As the source of the message, it is important to consider various questions when adapting the message to the audience. The audience may be an individual, groups of individuals or an organization (Locker & Donna, 2010). Understanding how the audience will react to the message at the initial stage is critical. The audience may see the message as highly important or not important. Most of the times, the audience will react or read a message they feel that is important to their own interests and career. They will ignore the message they perceive not to be important to them. In case you perceive that the audience may view your message as not important, it is important to use some strategies to grab their attentions and to enable them change their perception. One of the strategies is to use subject line that indicates to the reader that the message is important to them. The actions in the message should be made to appear as easy as possible. Other strategy is to keep the message short and precise and propose a deadline for action. This will trigger attention from the audience and they will give their attention to the message. The relationship or experience of the sender of the message also affects the way the audience will react to you message or the words you use (Locker & Donna, 2010). The experience of the audience with the sender of the message, the subject of the message and the organization will affect the way they respond to a particular message. Therefore, it is true that any person that has positive perception about you or organization will be prepared to receive the message compared to someone that has no confident in you. Therefore, it is important to adhere to certain aspects when the audience has negative feelings about you it is important to avoid phrases that may appear to be arrogant, hostile, arrogant and uncaring. You need to use positive phrase and emphasis on positivity and ensure to develop benefits and logic to ensure that the audiences accept the message. Information on the Audience Needs You also need to have an understanding the amount of information that the audience already know about the topic or subject of discussion (Locker & Donna, 2010). It is not good to overestimate the knowledge of the audience as this may lead to poor message adaptation. Many people may not be aware about your level of skills and knowledge and therefore, in case some of the information is new, you are required to ensure clarity by using concepts, define terms, explaining them and using examples as you avoid acronyms (Locker & Donna, 2010). It is also good to try and link new information to the old information that the audience may be well acquainted in. To ensure easier digestion of information, use of paragraphs and headings is recommended. In some situation, it becomes important to test part of our information with a selected sample of the target audience to determine whether they have an ideas or whether they understand or not. Determining whether the knowledge of the audience require update provides a good guideline on adapting to the message (Locker & Donna, 2010). To change the understanding level of the audience it requires you to appreciate the understanding of the audience early in the message, to use statistics and examples and providing suggestions on the need to change attitudes and actions to fit in the changed circumstances. It is important also to determine the aspects of your messages that audience require to be aware of to be able to appreciate your points. This can be achieved through prefacing information with such phrases such as ‘as you may remember” among others. Obvious information should be placed as subordinate clauses and reminder information be placed in separate sections attached to a memo or a letter. It should be having a good and relevant heading. Overcoming Obstacles It is also critical to find out whether the audience is opposed to your message or not. There are some people that could have already made up their minds hence will be resistant to change and will therefore oppose whatever you say (Locker & Donna, 2010). In such scenario, you need to establish common grounds in your message to share with them. Another strategy is to avoid any negative statements that are likely to cause anger and fury among the target audience. The sender of the message should also demonstrate that the solution being offered is the best. Such strategies will work a long way to make or reduce the level of resistance. It may not be that easy to get the audience act the way the sender of the message wants. This arises when the message does not embrace or factor in the habits and attitudes of the audience. Furthermore, the request could be complicated, and time consuming. This obstacles can however be managed by simplifying the actions such as providing forms to fill, stamps, self addressed envelopes and such like strategies (Locker & Donna, 2010). The actions or complexities should be broken down to simplify the response. The questions should be asked in a consistent manner and demonstrate how the audience will benefit by receiving the message. These strategies will help the sender of the message to overcome these obstacles. Positive Aspects to Emphasize The benefits of the message from the audience point of view are critical in helping persuade audience that the idea is viable (Lehman & Dubrene, 2011). The message should not lack good points to enhance its adaption. You can begin good news first and use audience benefits that surpass the basic good news. The sender must as well contemplate or think about the interests, experiences, values, and goals they share with the audience. If the level these attributes rhymes is higher it triggers a sense of solidarity hence makes the audience to agree to what the speaker says or communicates. Therefore, in a situation that the audience and the speaker share these values, is better to use anecdote as a reminder of the audience of the things that they hate and as well/use salutation and close that can remind them of their relationship or membership to the informal or formal group. Audience expectations about the appropriate, organization, form of language and form of message In writing a message, you must put into consideration the kind of the audience. You must evaluate the kind of styles that the audience prefers to use the same in adapting your message (Locker & Donna, 2010). Different audiences prefer different styles and using this style will enhance adaptability of the message and vice versa. For instance, in business writing, it is important to be factual and objective as opposed to friendly letter. It is therefore essential to use that what you know about the readers to adopt a more friendly and flexible style to use to communicate the message. You can use the first name of the receiver of the information if you have a more personal relationship with the person. You also need to think about red flags that may cause misunderstanding /or may trigger negative response from the audience (Locker & Donna, 2010). Therefore, this problem is managed by avoiding emotional terms such as feminist, liberal and such. You can also borrow from your previous experience with your audience to substitute terms to avoid this negative response. Consideration on the amount of detail that the audience requires as well plays a key role when adapting a message to them (Lehman & Dubrene, 2011). Audience may require a detailed message with quality information or may require a short and precise message with enough information. To know their preferences, you can ask them to provide their views on the same. It is advisable to give them the details they want for them to act and understand the message. Chunks of information can be grouped under certain headings to enhance easy understanding of information. The preferences among the audiences about structure of organization or presentation are also important. The culture and personality background of an indivdiual determine the preference. Therefore, using the structure that the individual or the audience prefers will enhance adaptation of the message to that particular audience. Is also good to consider whether in deed the audience have certain expectations relating to formal elements such as the visuals, lengths and footnotes among many others in a message. A message that meets the expectations of the audience in terms of footnote, length and visuals formats will be received positively hence chances of succeeding are higher and vice versa (Locker & Donna, 2010). Use of the Document by the Audience The way the receiver or the audience uses the message or the document affects the way the message is composed and structure. The physical conditions such as quiet office calls, reading over the train and ladder determines the way the message is structured. For instance, when the document is expected to be used outdoor, some of the things that should be observed when coming up with it include the size of the document (it needs to be small to allow the reader to hold it in one hand). Furthermore, the white spaces used and the number of items on a page any materials or covers required to protect the material to avoid spoiling/destruction require consideration. Another consideration is whether the message will be used for general reference or not. This therefore will determine the level of detailed research input and the best pattern of organizing information. For instance, if the aim of the message is to be used by third party as a reference, it must be demonstrate in depth research (Ruppert & Green, 2012). Such documents will require you to use headings to enhance easy location of major points through skimming, use of subject lines to facilitate retrieval and filing, provide contacts to enhance easy communication and may require you to spell out details that may be easily forgotten by the reader. Furthermore, it is wise to ensure that steps are chronological in order, or are groups in sub-process and warnings are placed at the beginning. Conclusion Any message send must be able to reach the intended audience and trigger the intended reactions. Understanding strategies that are appropriate when adapting your message to your audience enhance communication between the sender and the receiver. In a communication process, the audience may be an individual, groups of individual or an organization. Putting into consideration the personality, cultures, values of these audiences enhances the way a message is adapted and ensure high success level. Audience analysis allows the sender of the message to have a deeper knowledge and understanding of the audience hence enhancing the adoption of the message. It is also important for the sender of the message to evaluate himself or herself as well as evaluate various attribute of the audience. For instance, the commonalities between the sender and the audience, what the audience know about your topic among many others plays major role in adapting a message to the audience. Understanding all these aspects foster the process of communication. The message is well designed to meet the interests and needs of the audience hence triggering understanding. References Guffey, M., & Loewy, D. (2013). Essentials of Business Communication, USA; South Western, Cengage Learning. Lehman, C., & Dubrene, D. (2011). Business Communication, 16ed., USA; South Western, Cengage Learning. Locker, K., & Donna, K. (2010). Business and Administrative Communication, 10th edition USA; McGraw-Mill Publishers. Ruppert, B., & Green, D. (2012). Practicing What We Teach: Credibility and Alignment in the Business Communication Classroom. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1):29-44. Read More