The Do’s and Don’ts of Business Writing
The Art of Business Writing
Writing for business is a lot of different than writing a college essay. It requires a different type of approach and skill sets. That is precisely why writers are often classified as academic writers or business writers or advertising writers. Each of this requires different writing style and they excel in it.
Business writing needs to be approached very carefully. Good quality of business writing can give you more sales and improve a business’ reputation. However, bad business writing can cause irreparable damage. So, how do business writers at essay forever approach their writing assignments? What is it that they do that differentiates them from the others?
Business Writing Rules One Should Not Ignore
Ignoring target audience is a cardinal mistake that a business writer can make. A business writer has to always start with understanding the audience first. Each business content piece has to be prepared keeping in mind the profile of the audience. Are they the existing clients? Are they the prospects that the business wants to convert into clients? What is the profile of your intended reader?
Most successful business writers put themselves in the shoes of their readers and try to build their profile.Each business article has an objective to it. Some articles may be meant to convert prospects into business leads. Some articles may be meant to educate general public about the business. Some may just relay important information to the clients.
A business writer has to first understand what his or her writing assignment is expected to do. Only after the objective is clear the plan for the copy should be put in place.
In business you shouldn’t:
- use jargons
- be impolite
- talk too much out of the subjects
- discuss personal life
The core concept of any business is to address challenges faced by their customers and provide solutions to them. A business succeeds only if it helps solve a real-life problem and improves the quality of life. The same principle can be applied to business writing as well.
People like to read something only when it is relevant to them or they find value in it. A business writer tries to establish the much needed relevance by trying to understand the audience of the article. To add value to the article, a business writer often refers to the problem on hand or the challenge that the audience faces. If the article is expected to convert prospects into real business leads, then the article would also present a solution to these problems. However, the content is developed around the challenge of the reader.
Right Tone and Voice
When you are part of a larger industry, you come across terms and buzzwords that are specific to you. These jargons are often well understood by your industry peers and colleagues. But not by your clients or prospects!
Business writers should avoid using industry jargons or company buzzwords because they may mean absolutely nothing to your writers. In fact, they may cause your readers to lose interest in the article. The constant inability to understand something may cause them to just abandon your article and simply move on without giving it a second thought.
Business writing needs a certain attitude to be present. You can’t be overbearing because that can put off your readers. At the same time, you can’t be very subtle because then you may lose an opportunity to win some clients just because you couldn’t really sell your idea. A business writer has to tread the fine line between aggressive and subtle. Using conversational tone is advisable in business writing because it makes things personal and engaging for readers.
Similarly, it is important to use active voice. Passive voice will not make an impressionable impact on the readers. If you want to drive a positive behavior, then active voice is a must in writing style.
Facts with Reference Only!
Using imaginary numbers and data points will only make you look biased and partial. In addition to that, you may lose the trust of your readers. They may find it hard to believe anything you convey if the data that you are quoting does not have a reference.
Business writers should ideal use data only if it is backed by a reputation source. For example, your readers would hardly dispute facts that are presented by Gartner or Forrester Research. In fact, quoting these references and sources would give your business an opportunity to benefit from brand association.
People often think that business is hardly person. However, business is one thing that is extremely personal. Those brands that are able to view their customers as individuals driven by emotions are the most successful ones today.
Business writing should also do the same. A good business article should appeal to the emotions of the readers. It should make them feel something and just try to shove a concept down their throat. A piece of article that is felt and not just read will get your readers more engaged and give you more positive outcomes.
Write Once, Check Multiple Times
A lot of people get so lost in creating a hype around their product features that they often lose the interest of readers. What is really needed here is to adopt a perspective of the reader. They don’t want to know how great your product is. They want to know how it can help them with real life problems. Good business writers understand this and convert product features into benefits for readers.
Readability also matters. So rather than crafting long artistic sentences, keeping things simple is advisable. A sentence with word count of 10 is considered to be ideal by many. The easier it for your readers to read, the more engaged they will be.
Many writers often stew so much in writing an article that they do not have it in them to revisit it again before it is released. However, that is one mistake business writers cannot afford to make. Check as many times as possible before you release anything. Even a typo or an incorrect idea can damage the reputation of your business which can be irreparable.
Be Professional
It is very easy for writers to slip into their own personality when they are writing for a business. However, one has to understand that the business has its own brand and personality. A writer’s personal opinions should not overshadow.
Business writers should keep things professional when writing. They should steer away from personal comments, off color jokes, or even referring to someone with nickname. What is written by the writer can become a word of the business.
Conclusion
It can be a hard thing to excel at the art of business writing. However, it is not something that cannot be learnt or practiced. One has to be patient and ready to persevere to get that final copy ready of business article.