Business Writing Tip: Putting Readers First

Writers in Business and Industry are not generally paid by the word, yet one might think otherwise considering the wordiness of many Business Communications.

Of course, most writers would agree that the most effective Letters, Memos, and Reports are those that are written clearly and succinctly. That said, one has to question why any writer would feel compelled to obscure a communication with a lot of unnecessary text. In other words, why write a book when a chapter will do?

Granted, communicators need to write expansively enough in order to properly cover a subject, but many times this is taken to the extreme. The reasons for this questionable practice are varied, but most would seem to fall under one or more of the following categories:

* Overwriting to make a communication "sound" more official
* Copying or aping another’s Writing Style
* Engaging in "Spin" tactics
* Masking commitment with ambiguity
* Showcasing one's writing talents

While each of these reasons are distinctly different, they all share the common pitfall of placing the writer's agenda ahead of the needs of their readers. Politics, for sure, plays a part in this, but when politics and gamesmanship infiltrates even routine written communications, is it any wonder why so many employees come to view company communiques with a jaundiced eye?

An effective way to combat this is to follow a writing process that builds in objectivity with each step. The following ten steps outlines such a process:

1. Highlight the subject of the communication in precise terms.
2. Use bullets to outline key points.
3. Expand on the key points without resorting to hype or innuendo.
4. Amend for brevity by eliminating "nuts and bolts" details.
5. Enhance clarity - resist overusing jargon, buzzwords, and acronyms.
6. Avoid over-complicated charts and tables
7. Make the text easy to read with indents and paragraphs.
8. Use vocabulary wisely by sticking with common Business English.
9. Proof, edit and condense before finalizing.
10. Reality-test the communication with others before publishing.

Obviously, these steps do not represent anything new to most experienced writers. But what they do represent is a reminder of how to compose Business Communications that are focused, readable, and informative. Can this be said of your communications?

Jack