Truth 7. “Me”-focused messages fail

“Who’s the target?” That’s a question every professional writer working in a business environment asks before writing anything, right along with, “What’s my goal?” The target is the intended audience, the one person or many people you’re addressing. Does it make a difference?

You bet. So: Define your audience and analyze it as completely as you can.

Let’s assume that you’re writing to an individual, or to a few people. What can determine how they will receive your message—and therefore influence how you shape it?

It depends on the particular situation, but you may need to take factors such as the following into account:

• Age/generation

• Gender

• Educational level

• Role in the organization

• Your relationship ...

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