Business writing in the modern-day demands immediacy, brevity, and clarity in a way that other genres do not. According to mydissertations.com, there are over twelve ways of improving your writing skills. If you practice these techniques every day for a month, you will see significant improvements to your communication skills.
1. Keep it Short and Sweet
Brevity is the soul of wit, as Shakespeare so aptly put it. In business, you are rarely being paid to be witty and long-winded. Clients are paying you to solve a problem, explain a process, or go into detail on a subject and provide them the necessary information they need to make an informed decision. In such instances, you want your writing to provide just enough information for them but no more. When in doubt, cut it from your article. You can always add it later if you feel it is necessary.
2. Replace Jargon and Buzzwords with Plain English
To make themselves sound more intelligent, many people fall into the trap of using big, complicated words that have no place in the business world. Stick to your target audience and use words they can understand and relate to. If you are writing a scientific paper or dealing with a very specialized industry, some technical terms may be unavoidable, but in everyday business writing, just be yourself. It’s the easiest thing in the world.
3. Keep Articles Short and Structured
This tip is similar to the first one in that it is as much about not over-complicating things as anything else. In business writing, you need to be precise with your language. Besides, be organized to make it easy for the reader to take in the presented information. The best way to do this is by structuring your piece into an article. It can be accomplished in many different ways, but the most common is having three main points or ‘headings’ and then following them up with a short paragraph that elaborates on the points you just made. Do this for every section of your article.
4. Keep Sentences Short
In the same vein, keep your sentences short, structured, and informative. Nothing is more difficult to read than a wall of text filled with long, ill-constructed sentences. It not only means you should avoid unnecessary words in your articles but that you should also break up long sentences into shorter ones. It will help keep everything clear and concise, and following along will be much easier for the reader.
5. Stick to a Purpose
In addition to keeping the reader informed, you also need to consider your purpose behind writing the piece. Are you selling something? Educating? Persuading someone? Determine this before starting the article and keep it in mind while constructing your piece. A clear and concise business article will not only answer the questions you are presenting to your reader, but it will do so in a way that shows them how what you are presenting will benefit them in some way. It may mean using “you” in place of “we,” “I,” or “they.”
6. Get Rid of Redundancies
When writing your pieces, you need to eliminate all forms of redundancy. It means removing unnecessary words, phrases, sentences, and points. You can express the same idea in different ways and if you find that you have two or more similar ideas within the same piece, then consider merging them into one or cutting one altogether. It also applies to your sentence structure. If you have a list of items that start with the same word, restructure it to eliminate redundancy.
7. Keep it Simple
Try to avoid using an overly complex writing style. It will not only confuse the reader but, in doing so, lose them and their attention. Stick to simple words and common language that everyone can understand. Use complex words sparingly, if at all. The simpler you make your article, the easier it will be for people to follow what you have written, and the more likely they are to comprehend what you are trying to get across.
8. Don’t be afraid to use visual aids
In certain instances, using graphs, charts, pictures, or other visual aids can help get your point across in a much more effective way than words alone. It doesn’t mean you should fall into the trap of using these simply for the sake of it; if your article can be conveyed effectively with just words, then there’s no reason to include anything but words, but if you find yourself struggling to make a point or explain something then consider adding in some more visual content.
9. Ask and Answer Questions
This tip can be applied to many different sections of a business article, but it’s most effective when used within the article’s body. Almost anyone can write non-stop about a single subject, but it takes real talent to ask questions within an article and answer them in such a way that shows your reader what you have done. Ask questions you want to answer and then address them in the next paragraph. This gives your piece some structure and helps make your ideas clearer to the reader.
10. Make it Interesting
Above all else, you need to remember that your article’s most important part is the reader. You want to keep them entertained and involved in your piece, so use all the tips above and make things interesting. Make it interesting for everyone, not just a certain audience, and use this as an opportunity to get across your point in a way that is both elegant and captivating. It will attract readers‘ attention and set yourself apart from other articles on similar topics.
11. Don’t Just Write Business Articles
These tips can also be applied to any type of article or paper, not just those for business. You can use them when writing your college papers, take-home test answers, or even an article for the local newspaper, but the most important thing is to read through each tip and apply it in a way that helps you create a professional document.
Conclusion
Your business writing should be as professional as you are. Use these tips to make sure that your business writing is not only clear, concise, and to the point but also interesting and captivating. It should be more than just words on a page; it should be a piece that entices readers to keep reading until they reach the end. Once you have mastered these tips, your writing will be seen in a whole new light by everyone who encounters it, and you will be able to demonstrate your skill as a communicator in any arena.
