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In the realm of professional communication, the science of business writing revolves around the art of effectively conveying your message with clarity, conciseness, and precision. Mastery of this discipline is a fundamental requirement for seamless communication in the workplace and the broader business landscape. In this article, we will explore the four primary categories of business writing and the foundational writing skills and principles that underpin each.
Generally, business writing can be categorized into four main areas:
1.Writing to instruct your reader.
2.Writing to provide them with information.
3.Writing to persuade them.
4.Writing to communicate with colleagues in the workplace or within the business community.
Regardless of the specific type of business writing you have in mind for your immediate needs, proficiency in any of these categories requires a shared set of writing skills and principles. These foundational elements come into play even before you put pen to paper..
Before You Start Writing
To begin with, a proficient business writer must establish a clear goal, typically falling within one of the four aforementioned writing categories. Once this goal is defined, it is crucial for the writer to possess a thorough understanding of their intended audience.
For instance, crafting a memo about the latest workplace regulations for your employees necessitates an entirely different tone compared to composing a press release or advertisement targeted at customers. Furthermore, the manner in which you craft the latter will depend on the specific demographic your product or service caters to. An offering designed for industry professionals will necessitate a different advertising approach than one intended for children.
On a related note, a skilled business writer must also grasp the nuances of the relationship dynamics between themselves and their readers. Are you aiming to write content that appeals to loyal and familiar customers, or are you targeting prospective ones? The former permits a more familiar and friendly writing tone, while the latter demands a focus on establishing credibility.
Possessing these skills enables you to define your purpose and audience and provides a clear framework for both what and how you write.
Putting Pen to Paper
Now, we move on to the actual act of business writing, which comes with its own set of rules to adhere to. In any professional context, effective writing entails:
- Using an Active Voice: Employing active voice whenever possible.
- Eliminating Buzzwords and Jargon: Avoiding the use of unnecessary buzzwords and industry-specific jargon.
- Spelling Out Abbreviations: Writing out abbreviations to ensure clarity.
- Emphasizing Facts and Data Over Personal Opinions: Focusing on presenting facts and data rather than personal opinions.
Additionally, it’s crucial to make your writing easy to skim, especially for materials such as press releases and business proposals. No one wants to struggle through large blocks of text to find pertinent information. To achieve this, consider:
- Dividing Text into Subheadings: Separating your content into meaningful subheadings.
- Creating Bullet-Point Lists: Summarizing key information with bullet-point lists.
- Highlighting Key Details: Emphasizing important details by using bold text.
Lastly, irrespective of the type of business writing, it’s customary to conclude with a call to action. This guides your readers on what steps to take or who to contact for further information.
How Business Writing Can Transform Readers
Contrary to the perception of business writing as a purely clinical and efficient means of communication, it possesses the potential to emotionally uplift and stimulate readers, akin to the impact of great works of literature. As author Bill Birchard aptly stated, “Good writing triggers the release of dopamine in the reader’s brain, activating the reward circuit. Exceptional writing releases opioids, igniting pleasure centers. Similar to fine cuisine, a comforting bath, or an embracing hug, skillfully crafted prose generates pleasure, compelling readers to continue.”
As author Bill Birchard once put it, “Good writing gets the reader’s dopamine flowing in the area of the brain known as the reward circuit. Great writing releases opioids that turn on reward hot spots. Just like good food, a soothing bath, or an enveloping hug, well-executed prose makes us feel pleasure, which makes us want to keep reading.”
Ask any child of the 1980s and 1990s who grew up surrounded by brands and you’ll see how much
business writing has shaped who they are in life. Think, for example, of the countless youths whose
temperament have been influenced by Nike’s famous “Just Do It!” slogan. Just a single great line of
business writing shaped multiple generations.
Then there are also the advertisements that live on in pop culture, such as Old Spice’s “The Man Your
Man Could Smell Like” series of television commercials in the early 2010s that became viral. Such ads
couldn’t have had the impact that they had without good business writers writing the scripts for
these ads to sell you on their products.
Regardless of whether you’re just writing a simple internal memo or trying to write the next great
advertisement, you need to have good fundamentals in your business writing. Keeping all the
aforementioned pillars of writing in mind can help you greatly in your business journey. (ALV)
alveo.co.id 