The Business Of Writing

If you work behind a desk (even if it's the dining room at home right now), you probably spend a significant portion of your day writing. Whether it's a basic email or a formal proposal, the written word can help you succeed in your career... or hold you back. I'm dedicating this week's blog to help you become a better business writer.

"Burger King - your Draconian shoe removal law in Kid's Club Playlands upsets me greatly!"

Circumstance

The ability to write an impactful statement in a work setting is immensely powerful. It can sway decisions your way, and even demonstrate your aptitude to excel in your current or future roles. But we can't write beautiful, poetic tomes at every turn. Instead, we need to pick our battles when writing - when to draft/read/revise, and when to punch it out and send away. Here are some considerations when deciding how much effort to sink in:

Format

A major factor in how much effort you should put into your writing is the medium. Quick communication platforms, like text or instant messaging, should be more direct and top-of-mind. You should not stress too much about wording as much in these situations; however, proper grammar and spelling still count! More formal and infrequent communication platforms (a research paper or business proposal, for example) should be carefully constructed and reviewed. Expectations tend to increase when someone is paying for a result or considering doing business with your company. Having a peer or leader review your writing may improve the final result. Regardless of method, tone must always be considered. Sarcasm in a text may be okay, but it's best to keep snark out of professional writing.

Message

The importance of your message is another key to striking a balance in your approach. Simple messages like letting someone know you're running late to a meeting, should require almost zero effort. More serious messages, say a press release announcing your company landed a new $3 million contract, are worth investing extra time and effort. An even broader consideration is if written communication is the best format for your message. While everyone is a little different, and meeting everyone's preferred communication mode is impossible, consider if an in-person (or video conference during COVID) would be more effective.

Anticipated Response

Before you communicate, you will typically have an idea of how your message will be received. If it's truly informational - where no real feedback is necessary or expected - you can be more direct and succinct. But, when what you're sharing may inspire discussion (or even resistance), you should dedicate some effort to persuading your recipients. Again, with the latter situation, consider an in-person meeting instead if appropriate.

Audience

This is probably obvious, but worth saying: who you're communicating with matters. A text between you and a co-worker is completely different than a 300-page position paper for the U.S. Paper Pulp Council on why Americans should consider bidets. Your relationship between you and your audience drives how casually or formally you address them. Politeness counts, so sprinkle in praise, thank-you's, and pleases when appropriate and without getting too cute. Generally speaking, the broader the audience, the more thoughtful you need to be.

Power of Persuasion

If you're writing in a business setting, most likely you're looking for the reader to receive a message or take an action. To increase the likelihood of your communication having the desired effect, expending some effort into composition can pay dividends. Below, I've compiled some pointers to help add a little pizazz to your writing:

Statistics

While statistics can be thrown around willy-nilly, a powerful statistic can help make your point. Starting your message off with a powerful statistic like, "Four of five children prefer the taste of Markey Moose cereal over the leading brand" helps get your point across quickly and sets the tone for the remainder. However, don't bury a reader in dozens of statistics, especially if they're complicated and lack context.

KISS

Keep it simple, stupid! As Dwight Schrute would say, "Great advice, hurts my feelings every time." Sometimes, we get in our own heads to add more information than we really need. In fact, this can work against us. If the reader gets bogged down in details, the message is lost, and we've put more effort in for a less optimal result. If you can cut out unnecessary information and filler, your reader retains the critical information more easily. Also, while I'm guilty of it in the paragraph header, avoid acronyms wherever possible if an audience does not know them well. As a rule, spell out your acronyms after the first use, then use the acronym only going forward. Finally, avoid blending topics in communications. I've seen this frequently in emails. I once was on an email where a fellow engineer asked our department for clarification on a new policy, recapped a meeting, and mentioned he was taking vacation. I wish I had saved this page-long manifesto! Since I was on good terms with him, I gently teased him about it. He said it was more efficient to send just one email. Perhaps... but is the likelihood our team retained all that information in that massive email... which brings me to my final tip...

The Five B's

Be brief, brother, be brief! One of my favorite public-speaking tips applies to writing as well. Frankly, no one has the time or interest to read a 500-word diatribe on cleaning the office kitchen fridge. As I'm sure is true with many of you, my days are booked with video conferences, and I'm scrambling to keep up with emails in my free moments (or even outside of normal working hours). The last thing we want to do is read a series of novels published in Microsoft Outlook by Deb in marketing. My advice would be keeping most emails to 3-5 sentences. Explain the situation, provide pertinent details, and make your recommendation or ask your question. If you think you're going to set off a 100-response email chain, consider organizing a brief meeting or making a phone call to discuss instead. It may save time and be more effective in the long run!

Well, I'm praying I followed my own advice in writing this week's blog. I certainly don't consider this work as I truly enjoy writing and hope I can share my experiences with you on more serious topics in a light-hearted manner. Enjoy your week! Read again next week when I discuss (insert your favorite personal finance or career advice topic as a cliffhanger here)!