• Unit 2: Know Your Audience and Communication Channel

    Now that you have a purpose, goal, or broad idea of what you want to accomplish, you must find an effective way to communicate your message. Your first step is to analyze your audience – you need to learn who your readers are, what they need, and what will engage them. Next, you must determine the best communication channel to reach them. Finally, you must consider privacy issues and your ethical responsibilities.

    As disparate as these topics seem, they all influence effective communications with each particular audience. They are essential ingredients for being a competent communicator. Let's begin.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 5 hours.

    • 2.1: Identify Your Audience

      When writing professionally, your job is to respect your audience and cultivate awareness. Before you begin writing, you need to determine who you are writing for and why. Do you know who you are writing for? Do they know you? Are they expecting to hear from you? You must clarify your meaning so your audience does not struggle to understand what you are saying.

      Readers in professional settings have limited time. They begin by scanning the title and first sentence or two of an article to determine whether the message is worth their time. If they do not see a compelling reason to continue reading, they will stop, set your document aside, and may never return. The best way to avoid this fate is to convince your reader that your message is compelling and give them relevant information.

      Who is your audience? Consider your audience's knowledge, attitude, and disposition toward the topic since different populations have different levels of knowledge and interest. Understanding how much context or background information your audience requires and what they want to know (or can absorb) is an important first step when choosing the language you should use in your writing. This is not easy, and you may need to conduct some research.

      As mentioned, knowing your audience is critical in technical writing. For example, let's say you are creating three medical presentations for three groups of people. It could be a pamphlet, letter, or business proposal in a written or oral format. Consider enlisting the help of a designer to add visual material to your appeal. Charts, graphs, and infographics are often invaluable tools for presenting complex information to every kind of audience in every kind of situation, but especially in more technical fields.

      1. When writing for the general public, use simple language that most people can understand (as opposed to medical jargon and complex scientific terminology). Limit your discussion to social behaviors acceptable to a broad spectrum of cultures. Many patients want to learn about steps to combat the disease or illness you are describing and how they can prevent it from spreading to their family members and others.
      2. Healthcare professionals and scientists can understand more complex medical and scientific terminology. They want to learn how to treat their patients and the additional scientific implications that surround the issues. Most will be bored (and maybe insulted) by a document written for a less sophisticated audience.
      3. Policymakers and legislators require background information (without jargon) about the public health issue. They want to learn how any medical concerns will affect their communities and what they can do to help stem a crisis or pandemic. They may question culpability and want to learn how to prevent future occurrences.
    • 2.2: Types of Professional Writing

      Your "channel" of communication refers to how you reach your audience, such as through an email, journal article, text message, or website. When writing, consider the kind of message you want to convey and the channel you will use. Are you writing an email? Posting to social media? Updating a webpage? Writing an article or a memo? Each communication channel requires different considerations to use effectively.

      Your audience has expectations about the communications channels you use. The media you choose conveys a message in itself. For example, consider your reaction to an email from your supervisor to everyone on staff about the dress code you mistakenly violated this morning. Would you feel differently if your boss asked you to visit their office for a face-to-face conversation? What if they posted your picture on Instagram?

      It is important to choose an appropriate channel because your communication method may alter the meaning of your message and evoke a different reaction.

    • 2.3: Writing for Social Media

      In this section, we explore how to incorporate rhetorical tools and writing conventions in the digital environment. Note that social media platforms change frequently and slip into, and out of, vogue without warning. We read, hear, watch, remix, and interact with online communication. How does the information you learn in this course apply to other social media channels you encounter?

    • 2.4: Writing in Other Online Contexts

      Blogs are essentially websites comprised of short entries where one or more writers post over time. Bloggers create their websites to establish an online presence, showcase their professional or personal expertise, or fill a gap in the community for discussions on certain topics of interest. Employers and business forums use blogs and discussion boards to keep customers informed about their products and generate interest, respond to frequently asked questions, and exchange information in public and closed settings.

    • 2.5: Ethical Considerations

      Professional communication, especially in public relations, marketing, and sales, can invite deception and unethical tactics because it is based on communication with a strong element of persuasion. Most successful sales professionals recognize the importance of developing a strong relationship with their clients based on honesty and trust. Your credibility and integrity determine your long-term success or failure, whether your position involves quick transactions or prolonged negotiations.

    • 2.6: Managing Your Online Identity

      How can you manage your reputation online? The words you write can remain online perpetually for everyone to see. Think about your ethos, credibility, and how you cultivate your digital footprint and social identity throughout your career.

      For example, expect potential employers to search the Web to find the online essay you wrote five years ago. Does your writing express clear thought and incorporate inclusive language, or is it replete with factual errors and inappropriate remarks? Similarly, do not include anything in an email you do not wish all of your work colleagues to see. You do not know how the recipient will share your emails. Your positive online reputation will resonate with others.