Clear and convincing writing is a sure-shot winner in business. Better content means better business. Possessing the skill of clear and convincing writing is the best way to show value and initiative in the workplace. And we know that with hard work and diligence comes success.
So, what are common forms of business writing. Let’s list those: memos, emails, formal letters, newsletters, and bulletins.
The first question you need to ask yourself before writing is who are you writing for. Are you writing to a co-worker? A client? Are you writing an article to be published for a wider audience? Knowing that is critical before you write the first word.
Understanding your audience will give you the framework to start developing your message. What does your audience expect from you? That will define the tone of your writing. If you are writing to your co-workers, you can take liberties, use business jargon they are familiar with because they will understand what you mean. But your client will not. Besides, the level of formality with which you write will vary significantly depending on who you are writing to.
If you have your audience figured out, you can structure your message so that it will be as effective as possible.
Business writing is not done for pleasure. There is always a certain result that you are seeking. Your must have a clear purpose.
Writing is often a problem because this step—of knowing the purpose and knowing the audience—is missing from the writer’s initial thinking process. And that results in writing that is unclear and beating around the bush. Understand that.
If you are not absolutely certain about your audience, spend time in doing some research. This finding out phase about your audience and purpose will properly help you aim your writing in the right direction.
As to how you approach the writing. If you are writing to inform, write it as a standard piece of information. On the other hand, you could writing to instruct. Like a user manual, which has a step-by-step process that the readers are expected to follow.
Or are you writing to persuade? If you are writing to a client, you will for sure have in mind points which could persuade the client to go along with your proposition. You need to write accordingly. That’s a persuasive style of writing.
However, here’s the thing: writing requires planning. When you fail to plan something, you are setting yourself up for failure. Research shows that 55 per cent of your writing time should go into planning, and the remaining 45 per cent in writing and editing.
Planning a piece of writing takes you right back to the basics. Think of your school days when you were taught the W and H questions: who, what, where, when, why and how. When you write an email keeping these questions in mind then people won’t be confused reading what you’ve written. So, business writing is about getting the basics right.
Good business writing is about a strong structure. For which we have the BLADE model. Which stands for: Bottom Line, Action, Details, and Ending. To illustrate the BLADE model, here’s an email:
Subject: Outstanding Payment Reminder
Dear Ms.Grahams,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to follow up on the outstanding payment for the invoice number 78167 that was due on 6th February, 2023.
I kindly request that you settle the outstanding balance as soon as possible to avoid any further inconvenience or late payment charges. If you have already made the payment, please ignore this reminder.
Please let me know if there are any issues with the payment or if you require any further information. I appreciate if you could update me regarding the release date of the payment by Monday, 20th February.
Looking forward to your response.
Best regards,
Ryan
The 4Cs of Writing
Clarity: You need to be specific. Use clear, simple, active words. Always resist the temptation to write long sentences and flashier
words. It is meaningless.
Coherent: Coherence in a piece of writing means that the reader can easily understand it. Coherence is about everything flowing
smoothly.
Concise: People have short attention span these days. If we write long work emails, they are more likely to be pushed away. No one
enjoys reading long work-related memos.
Correct: Business writing is as much about writing as editing. Edit obsessively. Cross out words that can be omitted. And pay attention
to grammar and syntax.