Any message needs to come out clearly from completeness
your communication rather than the recipient
having to assume things and coming back to
you for more information. This will only lead to
more time being wasted on emails.
Do not try to communicate too many things in
one message. This will dilute the attention of
the reader
You need to maintain the proper mechanism of concreteness
writing
Avoid repetition, remove irrelevant information clarity
A complete message will have all the consideration
information the reader needs to know to be
able to respond or take action. If you require
the reader to take some kind of action, ensure
that you have a ‘call-to-action’ in your email.
This is a quality which needs to come to the courtesy
fore especially during marketing or advertising
campaigns. There need to be details that
capture the attention of the audience, not bore
them.
You need to tone down otherwise blunt conciseness
expressions
Putting yourself in the position of the recipient correctness
Clear
Convey your message in an easy-to-understand manner. Use short simple sentences while
speaking or writing. The aim is to share your thoughts and ideas with utmost clarity. Clear
messages consist of exact and concrete words.
Bad Example
Hi Pete,
I would like to schedule a meeting with you in regards to yesterday’s conversation. The topics
you covered were great, and I’d like to speak about them in detail. Please let me know when you
would like to have this meet.
Regards,
Chris
In the above example, we do not know which conversation Chris is referring to. If Chris had met
Pete on multiple occasions that day then he wouldn’t know what Chris is actually talking about.
Good Example
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Concise
Concise means to be to the point without using a lot of words. Avoid using filler words like “you
see”, “at this point of time”, “a lot of sense”, “kind of”, “what I mean”, “sort of”. You need to ask
yourself if there are any unnecessary sentences and if you have written the same points multiple
times. Being concise saves the time of both you and your reader and adds value to your message.
Bad Example
Dear Roger,
I wanted to talk about the video editing ideas we sort of planned out the other day. Don’t you
think it would make a lot of sense to also add additional elements to the videos? I mean, I think
that would sort of improve the quality of the videos as well as have a stronger impact on the
client’s message.
For instance, we could add a dissolve transition to each movie, which would then give it a
seamless flow. This would then make the video cleaner and be more appealing in the minds of
the people. The impact would just be a lot greater. This makes a lot more sense according to me.
What do you think?
Regards
Aaron
There is a lot of repetition in this email and it is quite long. The email can be made shorter and to
the point.
Good Example
Concrete
Concrete messages are clear and supported with facts by creating word images. It gives a laser
focus touch to your messages without being vague. There are details in the message without it
being too long. A concrete message is solid and specific.
Bad Example
A public transit schedule App comes up with the following ad:
Save time with the Indicator Master Every Day
This kind of tagline does not give the user any details. There are no facts and it’s vague. People
might not download this application since it’s not concrete enough to entice the user.
Good Example
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Consideration
Consideration is simply keeping in mind the audiences requirements and views while
formulating your message. Follow the ‘You’ approach when dealing with your audience.
Consider their level of education, interests, mindsets, etc. Emphasize what is possible rather than
what’s not when dealing with them. This will result in positive outcomes during your
interactions.
Imagine that you are unable to pay a promised bonus. How do you communicate this?
We are not going to pay bonuses now. The business is awaiting payment from a major client.
Once this payment is received, we can consider paying contractual bonuses as soon as is
practicable.”
This could be better conveyed as follows:
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Complete
A complete message gives the user all the information and is clear and detailed. When your
message is complete, your audience knows exactly what needs to be done. Make sure all the
facts you want to convey in your message are accurate and there is a clear call to action present
in your message.
Bad Example
Hi Guys,
Please make sure to carry all the items tomorrow for the meeting.
Regards
Amar
The message is clearly incomplete. There are no details as to what items, which meeting, and at
what time.
Good Example
Hi Guys,
Courteous
Being courteous is the most important attribute of communication. Always be friendly and
honest. Respect the speaker while you communicate. Even if you have some feedback that needs
to be pointed out, it can be conveyed in a constructive manner. A courteous message will leave
the speaker in a positive mindset rather than negative one.
Bad Example
Suzan,
I have noticed that there are always delays in the orders. You need to focus on the orders
department as a priority. Please get all the orders cleared ASAP!
Regards
Greg
There is a very good chance that the reader will get angry if they receive a message like this. It
might result in creating a toxic environment rather than solving any issues. Here is another way
you can convey the same message:
Good Example
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