As you read in your textbook, the first step in crafting an effective business communication is planning. As part of your planning, you’ll want to complete the AIM process: an analysis of the audience

As you read in your textbook, the first step in crafting an effective business communication is planning. As part of your planning, you’ll want to complete the AIM process: an analysis of the audience (A), careful attention to information gathering (I) are required to develop the message (M). (See page 146 in your textbook.)

Think back to some business or professional communication that did not look like you had planned or hoped. This could be an email that was misunderstood, a voicemail that wasn’t clear, or even a presentation that didn’t achieve what you had hoped. For the first part of the discussion, briefly describe the communication, what the results were, and how they differed from your desired results.

For the second part, looking at that same communication, apply the AIM process to the communication. Describe your audience analysis, share some information that you gathered then or are gathering now, and explain how you might develop the message differently. It is not necessary that you rewrite the communication; just describe how it might be different with the AIM process.

Finally, share whether or not you think applying the AIM process to your communication would have improved the results. Explain your response.