Composing Business Messages

Why is audience analysis so important in choosing the direct or indirect pattern

of organization for a business message?

Any organization big or small that requires writing business messages needs to know its readers.

It is important to analyze the audience receiving the message. When preparing the message, one needs to anticipate the audience’s reaction to the ideas and frame of the message accordingly.

 There are two patterns of communicating the message, direct and indirect pattern.  In the direct pattern, the main idea or good news of the message come first; one expects the audience to be pleased and interested; on the other hand, if one expects the audience to be uninterested, displeased or perhaps hostile, it is preferable to use the indirect pattern, with the main idea or unpleasant news following an explanation and evidence.