Poor writing comes across as unprofessional and disorganized. It can also lead to misunderstandings and delays.
KNOW YOUR READERS AND YOUR PURPOSE
imilar to the packaging of a product, the way you write a message affects the way it will be received. It also communicates something about you.
Poor writing comes across as unprofessional and disorganized. It can also lead to misunderstandings and delays.
An example of a poorly written message is:
"The client will be here on landing on our doorstep Tuesday. It seems we need to try to meet with the client at some point. We may need to show our designs and then if we have questions I guess we could ask them."
Effective business writing, on the other hand, leads to better business. It facilitates fast, relevant responses and inspires confidence in the reader.
A more effective message is:
"We'll meet the client at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 16, to discuss progress to date. Please bring the designs you've created and a list of any queries you have."
This can be critical to the success of an organization.
Writing effectively has several advantages. It improves your business acumen, provides a track record of success, and increases productivity. It also boosts sales and, of course, improves communication.
To learn more about why writing effectively is important, here's some examples:
IMPROVES BUSINESS ACUMEN
Writing effective business documents often means having to do research, back up the points you make, and consider different perspectives. All of these activities can improve your understanding of the business you're in.
PROVIDES A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS
Memos, reports, proposals, and other documents you've written serve as records of the work you've done. They may be used as the basis for promotions or performance reviews.
INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY
Clear, well-structured written documents are easily understood and acted upon. This improves productivity.
BOOSTS SALES
The first step in making a sale is a well-written and persuasive sales pitch. That's why companies spend billions every year on marketing communications aimed at clients and consumers.
IMPROVES COMMUNICATION
It's no surprise that companies that value efficient, professional business writing tend to have better communication generally, among employees and with clients.
Two key factors to take into consideration before you start writing a business document are your audience and the purpose of the message.
To write effectively, you need to determine who your readers are and take their expectations and needs into account.
For example, you should write a memo about a new billing procedure differently depending on whether it's intended for managers, fellow team members, or clients.
Always put yourself in your readers' shoes. Consider their perspectives and make it clear how your messages are relevant for them.
Clarifying the purpose of a business message before you write it can help you determine several things:
Business writing typically focuses on one of three purposes – to inform, to respond, or to persuade. For each of these purposes, different approaches and formats are appropriate.
in the coming posts, you'll learn how to assess your readers so you can tailor your writing effectively.
You'll learn about the use of appropriate types of written messages in different situations.
And you'll learn how to adjust your tone in written messages based on the roles of the intended readers.
Ultimately, this will help you to write confidently and effectively for a range of audiences. This can add to your personal success and the success of your company.
I have been teaching and training agents, team leaders, supervisors, managers and admins of call centers and other businesses in BPO related fields. This series, comes as a result of that experience. I have more than 4,000 modules that I plan on sharing here. This is # 004-01
