Business > Sales > Improve the Quality of Your Business Communications---And You’ll Improve Your Bottom Line
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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Clarice Kyd Dankers
All written communications convey a meta message; that is, they broadcast a message that is separate from the literal meaning of the words you use. If your writing is clear, well-organized and accurate, your readers will tend to assume you are competent, conscientious and reliable.
If your writing is badly organized, trite, and full of errors, however, your customers may unconsciously assume your products and services are below par or that you lack the skills to handle the job. At the very least, they will question your lack of attention to detail.
In other words, written communications affect your company’s bottom line
This is why it is well worth the time and effort to ensure that all of your business communications be as well-written as possible. How do you accomplish this? By understanding the four principles of effective business writing--before you place your fingers on the keyboard and begin to type!
The four principles of effective business writing
1. Know who your audience is.
Knowing who your audience is before you begin to write allows you to target your message to your readers. This means you can adjust your vocabulary, style and tone to fit the person, the message, and the circumstances.
For example, at times you will want to write formally by using more complicated sentence structures and technical vocabulary. In this style of writing, which occurs frequently in annual reports, technical articles, and formal proposals, the author refers to herself or himself in the third person. For example, instead of saying “I” or “we,” you would refer to yourself as “the author” or “one.” You would also use "he," "she," "it," and "they" and completely avoid addressing your readers directly as “you.”
In a more informal writing style, writers refer to themselves in first person using “I” and “we.” This happens frequently in business letters, magazine articles and academic journals. In this intermediate level, be very careful about addressing your readers directly using “you.” It may be appropriate to talk directly to your readers; on the other hand, it may be completely inappropriate. Think about how your readers will react before you do so and then use “you” judiciously.
The friendliest, most casual style of writing, such as that used in sales literature, messages between friends, and “how to” articles, definitely does address the reader directly using “you.”
2. Use clear, brief, innovative and accurate language.
When writing for business, be sure that your communications are clear, brief, innovative and accurate. They should convey a logical, unambiguous message using active verbs, normal (as opposed to Latinized or academic) vocabulary, and as few words as possible. For example, choose:
- “The board passed the resolution” instead of “The resolution was passed by the board”
- “I used Burke’s findings in my report” instead of “I utilized Burke’s findings in my report”
- “I changed my approach because he asked me to” instead of “I changed my approach due to the fact that he asked me to”
Also be sure to present your points in an original way rather than relying on jargon and clichés. For example, in recent years companies have used the phrase state-of-the-art so often that it has lost any meaning it once may have had. Avoid it and others of its kind.
Above all, verify that your communications are accurate. Check your facts, check your figures, and check your grammar!
3. Organize your points effectively.
Effective organization guides your readers through your message and helps them understand your purpose and major points. If your readers are confident that you know where you’re going, and you take them there step-by-step, they will be much more willing to absorb your message and draw the same conclusions from it that you do.
If your message is unclear and your ideas are out of order, it will confuse and aggravate your readers, which is not the response you wish to create!
Therefore, take the time to think through your message before you begin to write it down; if your document is particularly long or complicated, consider creating a brief outline first so you know where you want to go and how you’re going to get there.
4. Edit and revise for meaning and accuracy.
Writing is a process that can always be improved upon. Use the first draft of your document to put your ideas down on paper. But don’t stop there. Read through your document, asking yourself if there are better, simpler ways to express your points; if you have answered all of the questions you have raised in your readers’ minds; or if one of your ideas actually belongs in a different paragraph. Then revise your document.
Because business today is so international, your written messages are likely to reach an audience that speaks English with varying degrees of skill. This is why--even when you compose a brief email--it is a good idea to quickly proof it for basic accuracy, grammar and spelling. Always schedule enough time to revise and edit longer documents carefully. And don’t forget to spell check!
The bottom line?
Business communications are crucial tools that help to generate customer goodwill, loyalty and sales. It is well worth your time to do them right or to hire an expert who can.
Clarice Kyd Dankers, M.A., offers editing and coaching services to business and academic clients around the world. Her work incorporates eight years of experience in business communications with extensive experience in linguistics, publishing and university teaching. For more information about her services—or to sign up for her free monthly newsletter—go to PolishYourWriting.com
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