Business Communication Today, Chapter 7

Chapter 7; Crafting Messages for Electronic Media

In this chapter they go in depth about choosing an electronic media for brief messages such as social networks and user-generated context sites, e-mails, instant messaging (IM), text messaging, blogs, and podcasts. Each contains a useful way in communicating with others.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and user-generated context sites such as Flickr and YouTube provide a range of communication tools, together with user comments and personal profiles; that support brief messaging. Having one of these social networking sites help people interact by sharing personal stories, offering advice, and commenting on products and company news.

E-mail is another useful tool to use when getting messages across. A brief e-mail to a colleague is faster and more efficient then say writing by mail a letter. E-mail is faster and cheaper way to advocate your message. A way easy way to start a e-mail is by using a Three-Step Process which is Planning what it is you’re going to talk about in your e-mail, Writing the e-mail, and finally Completing the e-mail. When planning E-Mail Messages remember to practice email etiquette, send necessary messages, avoid unnecessary copies, and respect chain of command. When writing a E-Mail in the Workplace remember to observe the writing rules, aim for high-quality, enhance your career, and avoid legal problems. The general things to keep in mind when writing an E-Mail message is composing effective subject lines, and Keeping your emotions under control. Lastly when completing an E-Mail message make sure to revises it, look at production.  Always Proofread, you don’t want to look like a fool because of a simple misspelled word, personalize it, and make sure distribution is good.

Although E-mail is a good way of communication it also has some issues with security, spam and privacy problems. This could make your e-mail experience less appealing and un-virtual. The e-mail is slowly being replaced by instant message. Instant messaging is a faster easier alternative to e-mails. Instant messaging (IM) as well as Texting is quick back and forth response to questions and comments, however, Instant messaging you would need internet access un like texting where you don’t but you do need a phone plan that supports it. Most if not all cell phone companies support texting and offer a plan for it. The business IM benefits are that are a rapid response, reduced costs, has a conversational aspects, and it is wide availability. Some business IM concerns are security and privacy, user identification, message logging, and incompatible systems.

Blogs are a good way to express yourself and write short messages about you are interested in. blogs have the ability to update context quickly and easily makes blogs a natural medium when communicators need to get messages out in a hurry. Bloggers can also publish information to vast audiences with relatively little effort. Podcast is a online equivalent of recorded radio or video broadcasts (video podcasts are often called vidcasts or vodcasts). To have an effective business blogs, use a personal style and authentic format, deliver new information quickly, include interesting topics, and encourage audience participation. In using blogs for business make sure to include project management, team communication, company news, customer support, public relations, media relations, employee recruiting, policies and Issues, crisis communication, market research, brainstorming, viral marketing, e-mail replacement, and news syndication.


Here is a helpful Link :
http://real-timeupdates.com/it/portal/chapter/104/1/chapter-7-crafting-messages-for-electronic-media