First Commandment of Business Writing: Know thine audience!

Modules 1 and 2 are introductory to the textbook and cover basic topics that will be used throughout the rest of the book. 

The first module asks questions such as “Will I really have to write?” and “What makes a message effective?” and proceeds to answer each question. The module reaches in-depth to explain why these questions are important and that the rest of the book will answer exactly that by covering the aspects of business communication. The three purposes of a message are to inform, persuade and create good will. As a business writer, one should always look to accomplish one of these goals when working on copy. To understand how to complete each of those tasks one needs to understand what makes a message effective and how that translates into accomplishing your goals.

The second module focuses on the audience, the most important aspect in business writing. The more you understand your audience, the more effective your message. A piece of writing directly tailored to an audience is a powerful ally. The topics covered are the 5 kinds of audiences (Primary, Secondary, Initial, Gatekeeper and Watchdog), your knowledge of the audience (demographics, psychographics and past behaviors), and three ways to adapt a message for the audience (strategy, organization and style). Using this approach will help your message reach its purpose to inform, persuade or establish good will.