Effective business writing

You’ve slaved away for the past few weeks on a business report and feel elated that the project has turned out so well. When your boss gives you feedback on the report, it comes as a shocker. The focus of the brief is vague, he says, and lost in the muddle of improperly organised paragraphs.

The brief lacks flow, is long winded and drab. How could this happen? Fact is, business writing is a skill that needs to—and can be—cultivated. Whether you’re writing a memo, a sales proposal or a business plan, there are certain elementary rules to keep in mind if you want to keep an audience engaged all the way to the last page.

Clarifying the purpose of your document comes first. “Take a reader-centred approach and think, draft, organise and analyse from his point of view,” says restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee. “I always add a few personal lines in my business proposals and plans to acquaintances as I think it furthers my cause. But, when dealing with civil servants and the Finance Ministry, I’d rather not try those tricks. I keep it formal and concise,” he adds.

The sentiment is echoed by author Deborah Dumaine, who recommends writing down questions your readers might have about your topic. She also suggests the traditional outline method for people who can picture a logical document structure from the start. The method uses letters and Roman and Arabic numerals to indicate levels of information. For those of you who lack clarity, Dumaine recommends other free-form techniques like brainstorming and freewriting—the best antidotes for writer’s block—which are all about jotting down ideas as fast as they occur to you. Freewriting boosts your creativity and gives you a head start.

Logically, organising what’s written comes second. While it would help to use the chronological method (listing down events in order of occurrence) for detailed project development reports, and manuals, it is advisable to stick to the specific-togeneral method for work orders and customer service letters. The key message should be addressed at the top for familiar readers and in situations demanding urgent attention.

Once you’re done with the organisation, edit and structure the document for clarity. Paragraphs, the essential building blocks in any business document, are best limited to no more than 5-6 lines. It’s also advisable to limit the number of subjects in each paragraph as it may confuse readers.

Smooth transitional sentences beginning with “as a result”, “in addition” and “likewise” will help you structure them better. While reviewing the document, put your message on top. Try placing the message at the beginning of the document and highlight it for visual impact. Use adequate white space and headlines to emphasise important points. Also use bold and italic typefaces as well as bulleted and numbered lists to ramp up your writing.

WRITING A BUSINESS PROPOSAL

1. Make the customer the focus of your proposal.
2. Be specific, with concise and clear paragraphs.
3. Limit sentences to about 20 words and paragraphs to 5-6 lines.
4. Design your brief for visual impact.

WRITING A BUSINESS MEMO

1. Cover one topic per memo.
2. Write a specific subject line.
3. Use active voice wherever possible.
4. Use clear and specific headlines to highlight deadlines and action requests.
5. Keep it friendly and less formal if you have a familiar audience.