You are part of a consulting firm specializing in handling reengineering of computer software. You are about to send a sales letter to a systems analyst you met at a convention. She mentioned that her company is considering doing some reengineering but does not have the resources in-house to do it. At the convention, you were pretty open with this systems analyst over drinks, describing your firm's top dollar $200 per hour consulting figure and your negotiations to as low as $100 an hour. In this letter, you will describe your firm's capabilities. You will also include something about your fees.

It is very important that you identify all of the potential audiences for this letter. In the blank below, suggest some possible audiences. You don't have to know about reengineering or consulting. Just list the positions of some of the people who might read a letter like this.

Potential Readers: the systems analyst, the systems analyst's boss, the person charged with hiring consultants, the person who is charged with the potential reengineering project, and any others who might be involved in making the decision about doing the reengineering. The letter might get back to your immediate superior as well.

In the blank below, write the subject of correspondence you occasionally send. Explain the potential audiences for the correspondence. Also explain whether there is another person urging you to write the message who might be known by the readers. Usually there is no other person.

1. the writer (you)

2. the reader

3. the subject

We're going to revisit the case study used earlier. You are part of a consulting firm specializing in handling reengineering of computer software. You are about to send a sales letter to a systems analyst you met at a convention. She mentioned that her company is considering doing some reengineering but does not have the resources in-house to do it. In your letter, you will describe your firm's capabilities. You will also include something about your fees.

The potential client firm doesn't know much about reengineering software. They do develop software, so they understand programming. However, they have had consultants come in before and were not satisfied with the results. You learned from the systems analyst that her job is in jeopardy because of cutbacks. If consultants are brought in, some of the staff may be let go. You became very friendly with her and she confided in you, so you believe she will be open with you now.

In the blank below, write your analysis of this audience. Run through the questions in your mind. Remember that they refer to all the potential readers, and that the questions focus on the reader's knowledge and feelings, not the writer's.

As you ask the questions, if anything occurs to you that might have an impact on your letter, write it into the blank space below. Finish your analysis before checking your answer.

What the reader knows about the writer:

The systems analyst knows the writer, but other potential readers do not. She knows that the writer is open and willing to confide. There is nothing the systems analyst would misunderstand about the writer. The systems analyst would feel that the writer is trustworthy.

About the reader(s):

The systems analyst is fearful for her job. That may have an impact on how she views consultants coming in. The other potential readers may have the same viewpoint. Upper level management may see the consulting firm as a way to save money.

About the subject:

The systems analyst and others do not understand much about reengineering. However, they do programming, so they would understand some things about the process. They may also misunderstand the impact on the company--it may not result in job losses. They are probably neutral toward the subject, although they have feelings about the impact on jobs. On the other hand, they probably have some negative feelings about consultants coming into the company. That didn't work in the past.

 
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