Business writing is a bit like doing laundry. You sort out through various ways of sending your message, try to pour the right tone all over it, and dry up the whole thing with as much professionalism as I can muster. You may wind up folding the whole thing away in hopes that it will be as effective as you wished.
For many, business writing is a hurdle to overcome with much effort, at times, much frustration. As women, it may be even more frustrating as we also face many challenges and biases in the workplace. I’ve certainly faced this frustration at times. However, thanks to my experience in the business world and as a writer, I have devised simple steps to help me write effectively, originally and faster (and even enjoy the process) as a working woman:
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Start with the why: Is it really necessary?
How many emails, business letters, or other business communication have you received that could have been the subject of a quick phone call or simply avoided? Throughout my career and in my business, one recurring theme I noted was unnecessary business communication.
We’re all submerged by floods of business communication we don’t need. This reduces our effectiveness as business communicators, especially as women. This is especially important as our voices as women already tend to be silenced. Start by asking yourself if what you are writing is necessary. If it can be subject to a quick phone call, or if you are delivering bad news, it may be best to do it in person.
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Know your audience
A crucial aspect of effective business writing is knowing who you’re writing to. One of the mistakes we often make is to tailor our writing to everyone. However, being familiar with your audience helps you adjust your writing accordingly.
An easy way to do this is to mentally picture your audience, and write accordingly.
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Define your objective
Before you even start crafting your message, ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. Whether you’re trying to share a concept, explain something, make a request, your objective must come through your writing. An easy way to do this is to reduce your message to a slogan. The simplest way you can explain your message, the better.
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Tell a story (Who, What, When and Where)
As a writer, I love stories. As a career woman who’s experienced numerous business environments, I realized that stories are not just reserved to literary pursuits. Besides, women are natural storytellers, which gives us a competitive advantage.
As you craft any piece of business communication, think of it as a story with these essential components:
- Who: Who are you?
- What: What is this about?
- When: When is the subject of your communication due?
- Where: Where are you located?
You’ll be surprised how many business people forget to include vital information in their business communications. This in turn fosters lack of clarity, confusion and monumental wastes of time.
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Use the KISS Principle
The KISS (Keep It Simple and Stupid) is one of the cardinal foundations of great business writing. We may think that using big words and overly complicated jargon may make us sound smarter and more effective. However, the opposite is true.
Here are a few tips to keep your business writing simple and effective:
- Use simple words instead and avoid buzzwords and jargon at all costs.
- Always start with the most important information
- Use short sentences and paragraphs instead of longer ones.
- Use clear subject lines
- Break up your messages
Don’t forget to proofread your piece of writing to ensure that the final product is reliable.
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Keep it Active
One of the biggest mistakes in business writing is the use of the passive voice. Instead of writing “The report will be delivered on Tuesday”, write instead “I will deliver the report on Tuesday”. Writing in the active voice is a powerful way to clarify and brighten your writing. This is especially important to assert our voices at work and in business.
Always present yourself or whoever is acting in the active voice in all your business communications.
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Watch your tone
Tone plays a critical role in business writing. It’s important to strike a balance between politeness and assertiveness in your business writing. As a working woman, I have struggled with establishing the appropriate balance in my own writing.
While it’s necessary to be polite, it’s also important for us as women to be assertive. I’ve learnt to inject more assertiveness in my writing by being clear, direct and to the point.
What are your tips for effective business writing?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sister
