Communication

Communication is the process of putting messages across to a targeted audience. For effective communication to take place:

• the sender of the message must:

- be clear about the intended message

- use an appropriate medium for that particular message e.g. mail, TV advert, Internet, public address system

- present the message clearly and unambiguously.

• the intended recipient(s) must be:

- able to receive the message

- ready and willing to listen to it

- open to persuasion with regard to it.

These rules are crucial to successful communication.

People sending messages do not all have the same objective. They may be wanting to:

• inform e.g. 'Contains at least 33extra free'

• persuade e.g. 'This offer can never be repeated'

• reinforce a message or consumer pattern e.g. "Customers are reminded that...."