Effective business writing tips

Here are a few simple tips on how to communicate more effectively in writing:

1. Don’t bury the treasure

Make sure the main message stands out loud and clear in whatever you write.

Get to the main point straight off the bat rather than leading up to it with a long preamble.

Consider the reader’s attention is always highest when they first begin and then fades away accordingly.

Same goes for each sentence – top each sentence with the main focus.

2. Less is more

Following on from the previous point, the less words you write the greater the chance people will understand your key message.
The less you write, the more inclined people will be to read.

The less you say, the more they are likely to understand. The less you bog down you sentences with unnecessary words, the easier it is to read.

3. Clear and concise language

Not only is it important to use less words but also you must concentrate on using the right words. Words that inspire, motivate and persuade.

Using concise clear language is critical to compelling your reader to pursue your desired action. Keep it short and simple.

4. First engage then inform

Too often people are very heavy-handed in bombarding their audience with facts and figures but forget to make it interesting. Attract your reader’s attention by identifying the relevance to them before providing the information.

Simply put, if the reader fails to see any advantage for them, they are unlikely to care what you have to tell them.

5. Proof read

Avoid letting yourself down at the final hurdle by publishing documents riddled with typos or spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

If literacy is not your strong suit, ask someone else to review your work before you send it out. Nothing destroys professionalism easier than sloppy mistakes.

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