It is essential to capture the audience’s full attention and have them grasp your overall message thoroughly. However, as much as we hate to admit it, we have all tried to convey a message and failed at some point in our lives. And that’s okay. Hence, if you’re good at public speaking but suck at writing or vice versa—that is definitely nothing to worry about!
If you’re here to hone your business writing skills, you’ve come to the right place. Good writing skills can take you to various places. Not only that it will impress your boss, but it also speaks credibility, professionalism, and trust for readers.
Having said that, if you’re writing for an essay, business letter, and other marketing documents, below are just 5 simple ways to improve your business writing skills:
1. Know the intention of the content first.
What’s to write about if you don’t know your core message? It is important to know why you’re writing in the first place. Understand the main message and focus on that idea to deliver clearly. Keep in mind that any irrelevant information that is added already leads to confusion.
After thinking of WHAT you want to write about, to WHOM do you want to convey your message to?
We’ve broken down questions to ask the gods:
- Who is my audience?
- What are the important aspects of my message that they would find valuable? In this case, you’ll have to narrow down ideas if you have a lot in mind.
- Why do I need to send this message?
- How should I best use this information?
Unlike social media, the professional world is not a fan of random and irrelevant emails and documentation. In fact, the person you’ll be sending a message to is occupied with emails every day. With this, make sure that the content you’re sending is truly necessary and respectful.
2. Be straightforward and use simple words.
No one likes people who ramble. Especially in the corporate world, there’s no room for fancy, alien words. In the perspective of readers, the first thing that goes in their mind when reading your content is getting to the point. And when pretentious words are being thrown around, they are better off reading something else that doesn’t require continuous use of the dictionary.
On the other hand, we’re not to use simple words in a way that we’ve decided to use jargon. Business writing still requires professionalism. As such, to put simplicity, straightforwardness, and formality in one short piece – speaks more volume than a thousand-word letter that is full of repetitive and unnecessary wording.
Your aim shouldn’t be in sounding smart, but to deliver a message in a way that is understood.
3. Proofread, a lot.
Spelling mistakes might give the wrong impression of laziness, and any grammatical errors would hurt the credibility and value of the content. With this, proofread after you finished writing. As they say, to notice errors when your mind is fresh and clear is more effective. And so, do proofread a few hours later or have a friend read it for you.
On the other hand, to look for high-ranking paper writing services is another great method to use if you’re rather having a hard time on the main topic itself. It is never troublesome to seek immediate assistance and there are various options online.
4. Create a professional and attention-grabbing subject line.
When browsing the internet, it’s easy to click on catchy headlines. Same goes with business writing emails! Whether the content you’re writing for is for an employer, colleague or prospect, you’ll need a subject line that brings curiosity.
For instance, which of the two subject lines below is more accommodating?
- Meeting (Tuesday)
- Attending Tuesday, Oct 5, 2 PM Surprise Team-building Group Activity (Bring Pen!)
The first one definitely leaves a lot of questions and may be left on archived. The second, however, would induce excitement for the team and make them look forward to the actual event.
5. Be confident.
As cliché as it sounds, being confident reflects on your message. As much as nervousness affects deliverance when public speaking, the same goes with business writing. Indeed, to write a message that is business related can be nerve-wracking. With this, take a moment to relax, clear your mind, and release stress if you must.
Do not pressure yourself. Read books, write inspirational stories, polish your writing in every way that you can and never quit creating. Eventually, you’ll be able to apply creative methods on your business writing skills. Make writing fun, sooner or later, you’ll be able to learn your craft and be confident.
This is one of the most important steps in improving your business writing skills.
You don’t have to jump over hills to improve yourself in the corporate world, in fact, the mentioned 5 simple ways to improve your business writing skills is only one of the many ways to get there!
