Each involves a financial cost for both production and distribution. Are there ways of reducing these costs?

Certainly! eTechnology allows production of words, sound and visual elements to be seamlessly integrated in a dizzying number of ways to achieve different ends. Each element can then be 're-purposed' or re-used in a different way to try new marketing and content delivery approaches.

These are just some of potential new technology outputs that your marketing messages and end-user documents can be distributed through:

* cd-roms

* pdf documents (an electronic format for storing and sending documents which ensures that design integrity of your documents remain intact, irrespective of end-user's computer and printer configuration)

* website

* mobile phone technology such as sms and wap

* PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) devices such as a PalmPilot

* web-tv

The cool thing about many of these distribution mediums is that once cost of producing one item is paid for (such as creating original document), cost of making a thousand or a million copies is negligible.

Imagine saving if you could do away with 80% of printing and posting costs of your expensive Annual Report, allowing instead any interested party to download it from your website, or be sent it via email.

So why use assertive communication? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All of us use assertive behaviour at times... quite often when we feel vulnerable or unsure of ourselves we may resort to submissive, manipulative or aggressive behaviour.

Yet being trained in assertive communication actually increases appropriate use of this sort of behaviour. It enables us to swap old behaviour patterns for a more positive approach to life. I've found that changing my response to others (be they work colleagues, clients or even my own family) can be exciting and stimulating.

The advantages of assertive communication ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are many advantages of assertive communication, most notably these:

* It helps us feel good about ourselves and others * It leads to development of mutual respect with others * It increases our self-esteem * It helps us achieve our goals * It minimises hurting and alienating other people * It reduces anxiety * It protects us from being taken advantage of by others * It enables us to make decisions and free choices in life * It enables us to express, both verbally and non-verbally, a wide range of feelings and thoughts, both positive and negative

There are, of course, disadvantages...

Disadvantages of assertive communication ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Others may not approve of this style of communication, or may not approve of views you express. Also, having a healthy regard for another person's rights means that you won't always get what YOU want. You may also find out that you were wrong about a viewpoint that you held. But most importantly, as mentioned earlier, it involves risk that others may not understand and therefore not accept this style of communication.

What assertive communication is not... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Assertive communication is definately NOT a lifestyle! It's NOT a guarantee that you will get what you want. It's definately NOT an acceptable style of communication with everyone, but at least it's NOT being aggressive.

But it IS about choice

Four behavioural choices ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are, as I see it, four choices you can make about which style of communication you can employ. These types are:

direct aggression: bossy, arrogant, bulldozing, intolerant, opinionated, and overbearing

indirect aggression: sarcastic, deceiving, ambiguous, insinuating, manipulative, and guilt-inducing

submissive: wailing, moaning, helpless, passive, indecisive, and apologetic

assertive: direct, honest, accepting, responsible, and spontaneous

Characteristics of assertive communication ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are six main characteristics of assertive communication. These are:

1. eye contact: demonstrates interest, shows sincerity

2. body posture: congruent body language will improve significance of message

3. gestures: appropriate gestures help to add emphasis

4. voice: a level, well modulated tone is more convincing and acceptable, and is not intimidating

5. timing: use your judgement to maximise receptivity and impact

6. content: how, where and when you choose to comment is probably more important than WHAT you say