Business Writing
Style
LECTURE NO. 3
Business Writing
Business writing is a type of writing that is used in a
professional setting.
It is a purposeful piece of writing that conveys relevant
information to the reader in a clear, concise, and
effective manner.
It includes client proposals, reports, memos, emails, and
notices.
Business Writing
Proficiency in business writing is a critical aspect of
effective communication in the workplace.
It can be categorized into four types: instructional,
informational, persuasive, and transactional.
Clarity of thought, conciseness, correct grammar and
sentence structure, and simple language characterize
effective business writing.
Instructional
The instructional business writing type is directional and
aims to guide the reader through the steps of completing
a task. A user manual falls properly under the
instructional category, as well as a memo (document)
issued to all employees outlining the method of
completing a certain task in the future.
Informational
Informational business writing relates to recording
business information accurately and consistently. It
comprises documents essential to the core functions of
the business for tracking growth, outlining plans, and
obeying with legal obligations. For example, the financial
statements of a company, minutes of the meeting, and
perhaps the most important, report writing.
Persuasive
The goal of persuasive writing is to impress the reader
and influence their decision. It conveys relevant
information to convince them that a specific product,
service, company, or relationship offers the best value.
Such a type of writing is generally associated with
marketing and sales. It includes proposals, bulk sales
emails, and press releases.
Transactional
Day-to-day communication at the workplace falls under
the transactional business writing category. The bulk of
such communication is by email, but also includes official
letters, forms, and invoices.
Principles of Good Business
Writing
Clarity of purpose
Before beginning a business document, memo, or email,
one should ponder two primary questions:
Who is the reader?
What do I want to convey to the reader through my
writing?
Clarity of purpose gives a direction to the writing and
develops its tone, structure, and flow.
Clarity of thought
Thinking while, rather than before writing, makes the
writing less structured, twisty, and repetitive. Business
writing requires the skill to reduce long, rambling
sentences into concise, clear ones. One needs to extract
what is significant to write clearly.
Convey accurate and relevant
information
The primary goal of business writing is to convey
valuable information. Inaccurate or irrelevant content
affects the purpose of the document. For effective
business writing, information must be value-additive and
complete.
Avoid jargon
A simple and organized writing style goes a long way in
communicating the message to the reader. Complex
writing full of industry-specific buzzwords and acronyms
(short form) should be avoided to the maximum possible
extent. Otherwise, the reader may be unable to
comprehend the document or lose interest in it.
Read and revise
Reading the passages out loud after completion can
reveal flaws and gaps in the arguments. It is
recommended that constructive feedback from
colleagues be welcomed and that the document be
revise for improvement.
Practice is the key
Proficiency in business writing can be attained through
regular practice. Paying attention to the vocabulary,
sentence structure, and style of writing while reading
can help to develop the same instinct while penning
one’s thoughts down.
Be direct
Presenting the crux of the passage in the first 150 words
is a good idea when it comes to business writing. It
saves the reader time and sharpens the argument.
Avoid verbosity
If the meaning can be conveyed in three words, it should
not be stretched to five. Verbosity works against making
the writing engaging to the reader. For example, instead
of writing “the article uses more words than are
needed,” write “the article is verbose.”
Correct grammar and sentence
structure
While a grammatical error may come across as unprofessional,
good grammar portrays both attention to detail and skill –
traits that are highly valued in business.
Business writing evolves with time, so does grammar and
conventions. For example, emoticons, when used carefully, are
gaining acceptance in business writing. A good writer needs to
stay updated with the conventions to improve their skill.
Easy to scan
Business executives value a document that can convey
its message in a cursory glance. Business documents can
be enhanced through the use of numbered or bulleted
lists, clear headings, concise paragraphs, and judicious
use of bold formatting to highlight the keywords.
