If you have difficulty writing effective business communications, writing at your reader’s level, or with spelling, grammar, or punctuation any aspect of the written communication process take a class to enhance your skills and/or enlist a good secretary or a trusted colleague to proof your communications before you send them.
Here are ten things you can do to improve the way you communicate in writing.
1. Write the way you speak
Take a look at your letters and memos. Do they sound like you or someone else? Effective business communications don’t need to be formal and stuffy to communicate effectively. In fact, most readers understand what you’re saying much more easily when you use a normal, conversational tone.
2. Take a positive approach
When readers are confronted by a negative message, they become blocked on an emotional level and often cannot fully absorb the entire message. So no matter what the message even if it isn’t what the reader was hoping to receive deliver the message using a positive tone and a positive approach.
3. Tell your readers what’s in it for them
If you really want to reach your readers, tell them how they will benefit from the message you’re communicating. Tell them what they stand to gain.
4. Write at the reader’s level
So what that you have masters in psychology. Big deal. Most of your readers won’t. And you won’t impress them with big words. You’ll only confuse them. A business communication is written to communicate. To do that effectively, your readers must understand the message you’re sending, so be sure to use words your readers will understand.
5. Never send a business communication when you're angry
It’s okay to be angry. But don't just get mad, get clear. Communications written when you are still angry tends to be accusatory or condemning in tone. Little things can slip into your writing that you wouldn’t normally allow, putting up walls between you and your reader or fostering ill will. In business, it’s never wise to totally burn your bridges. So wait until you calm down before you send off that message and then choose your words carefully.
6. Anticipate questions
As you are writing a communication, try to anticipate what questions, if any, your reader will have. Then answer them right away. Your reader will benefit from being informed up-front and you’ll save on additional correspondence or communications to answer those questions later.
7. Be careful with acronyms and technical language
Common acronyms, words, and phrases within your specific industry may seem like everyday language to you. But what about your readers? If you’re writing to a colleague in the same field, it may be acceptable to use industry jargon. But if you’re writing to someone and you’re not certain what their level of understanding is, spell it out in clear terms everyone can understand.
8. Remember that longer is not necessarily better.
If you can say what you want to say in three paragraphs, why write five? Extra words don't necessarily make it clear. Short and sweet is what you need. Sometimes it just buries it and bores the reader. Tighten up and make each word count.
9. Time can heal a word wound if you wait before sending/responding.
If you can wait an extra day before sending the communication, take advantage of that extra time. So stop, look and listen to what your words are saying
10. Print that email and then sleep on it.
Write the communication one day, get a good night’s sleep, and then proof it a final time in the morning when you are refreshed and ready to start a new day. Often, you will find small or subtle errors you might otherwise have missed when you were caught up in drafting your message. Maybe you'll see you don't need to send it afterall.
Writing effective business communications is a skill. It is a skill that can to some degree be learned and developed. Practice, practice, practice, and develop your written business communications skills today. Effective business writing is a transferable skill you can use in any and every profession.
Whether your training need is small and focused, or enterprise-wide, you can count on Intetentional Business to deliver. For more than 10 years we have been helping organizations achieve their business objectives with targeted training initiatives. sakira@drsakira.com
