Tips for Efficient Business Writing
One of the most important skills you need to learn as a budding entrepreneur is efficient business writing. It's a special category of writing that deals with the creation of business letters and other official correspondence. You may be thinking of all the creative essays and poetry you've written in the past and confidently assume you won't have any problems with business writing. However, creative writing and business writing are two very different types of writing.
In fact, many creative writers are surprised to find that will all their literary skills, they still have a lot of difficulty when it comes to business writing. To perfect the art of writing official business documents, there are certain skills and strategies you have to learn. Following are a few tips to help you get started.
1. Keep it short and simple.
This is probably the most important rule you have to keep in mind when writing business letters. Time is very precious to most business people and if they see your letter is long and dragging, there's a good chance they will skip reading it altogether. Avoid beating around the bush when it comes to business correspondence. Go straight to the point and try to convey it in as few words as possible. A good rule of thumb is to keep your business letter to a single page.
2. Follow a standard format.
A typical business letter consists of an introductory paragraph, a bulleted list of details, and a conclusion that sums up the whole idea. If you stick to this standard format, you can't go wrong. Also, you should clearly indicate what it is you are asking for or recommending in order to avoid any confusion or misinterpretation.
3. Keep your focus on the reader's needs.
The easiest way to grab someone's attention is to immediately let him know what he can gain by doing business with you, as opposed to telling the other person what you need from him. Even if the purpose of your business letter is to ask for something, you should deliver it in a way that focuses on the reader's needs and interests, and not on yours.
4. Avoid using extremely big words.
Some people like using big words and technical jargon in an effort to impress the reader. Unfortunately, this approach rarely works. On the contrary, it only makes the writer appear arrogant. Instead, keep your words as simple as possible. However, make sure you don't oversimplify the language so as to insult the intelligence of the reader.
5. Separate your thoughts into clear paragraphs.
This is particularly important if you're writing a long letter. In addition to using concise sentences, make sure you group them into paragraphs properly. Avoid stringing sentence after sentence in a half-page paragraph. This will only make your letter very difficult to read and understand.
6. Proofread and edit your business documents.
No matter how perfect you think your letter may be while you are writing it, there's always a chance that spelling, grammar, and typographical errors may find their way into your sentences. For this reason, it is crucial that you proofread your work or ask someone to do it for you.
Perfecting the skill of business writing may take time and practice but if you keep these vital tips in mind, you'll be a master of the art in no time at all.