Unit 21: Selecting Appropriate Channels
Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to distinguish between communication channels to determine which is most appropriate for particular situations.
Introduction
The medium or channel is the vehicle of transmission for a message. Generally, several communication channels could communicate a message, but choosing the most appropriate channel will depend on the audience, the message, and the purpose of communication. When communicating a message, choosing from traditional communication channels: memos, letters, face-to-face (F2F) meetings, and telephone calls; as well as digital media: emails, text messages, videoconferencing, blogs, and websites are all options. The business writer must have a clear understanding of the audience to ensure the channel of communication will effectively communicate the message.
Between traditional and rapid electronic media, we have more choice for communication channels than ever in human history. Each has its own unique advantages and disadvantages that make it appropriate or inappropriate for specific situations. Knowing those pros and cons, summarized in Table 21.1 below for a dozen of the most common verbal and written channels available, is necessary for being an effective communicator in the modern workplace. Choosing channels wisely can mean the difference between a message that is received and understood as intended (the goal of communication), and one that is lost in the noise or misunderstood in costly ways.
Selecting the Right Medium
Media can be categorized into four main types: oral, written, visual, and electronic.
Table 21.1: Types of Business Communication
There are other considerations when choosing the exact channel to send a message. When is a written memo preferable to an electronic one? When is a text message more appropriate than a telephone conversation? Understanding what situation, message, and receiver require which specific channel is the topic of our next section.
Message formality: The choice of channel is a non-verbal cue that affects style and tone. For example, a memo or letter is for formal in tone and format than is a text or IM message.
Media Limitation: Some channels are more appropriate for certain messages. For example, a report will convey a more complex message than a text message or discussing sensitive information is more appropriate in a face-to-face meeting rather than over a text message.
Urgency: Be mindful of people’s time. Messages that do not require immediate feedback can be communicated via email or voicemail rather than a f2f meeting or telephone conversation.
Cost: Some mediums are more costly than others. Cost is a non-verbal cue of importance. For example, communicating the importance of a change in company policy is more likely to be effective if shared in a f2f meeting than through a memo.
Choosing the wrong channel can result in a message that is less effective or even misunderstood.
Knowledge