Do you get irritated reading poorly written e-mails and documents sent by colleagues? I have experienced that, while most professionals are experts in subject matter when it comes to their fields, they rely on methods learnt at school when it comes to writing business messages.
As a result, they mistake verbosity for intellect, and quantity for quality. They also ignore the fact that customers and employees today simply do not have time to read poor documents. Here are some simple tips to inject life into your daily business communication:
Keep away from boring phrases
The language of business has changed. The focus now is on clarity and getting the message across quickly. Expressions like 'With reference to our conversation', 'Please be informed', 'Kindly be advised', 'I would like to bring to your attention' and 'I am writing to advise you' are considered old fashioned. You writing should reflect your personality.
Here are a few alternates you could consider:
~ Replace 'With reference to your email' with 'Thanks for writing to me'
~ Replace 'As discussed in our telecon' with 'Thanks for calling me today'
Don't use jargon
It can get in the way of comprehension. You may often come across messages that leave you confused. This happens when people use difficult words and phrases to impress, rather than to communicate. Keep your sentences short and simple. Make sure your average sentence length is approximately 15 words. You will keep your readers engaged by using simple words. Don't get absorbed in using flowery language. Instead, use language a reader will understand.
~ Replace 'Inspite of the fact that' with 'Despite'
~ Replace 'In view of the fact that' with 'because/since'
Focus on your tone
You can be firm, friendly or persuasive; it depends on the impression you wish to convey. It is important to get the tone right, because using the wrong tone could cause real offence to your reader. Tone in writing refers to the emotional context of your message, the degree of formality or informality you use in your writing, and your attitude towards the subject. Your tone typically conveys -- your position, relationship with the reader and content of your message. Here are a few examples:
Bad tone: This problem would not have occurred if you had connected the wires properly in the first place.
Good tone: This problem may be resolved by following the instructions over the phone.
Bad tone: You were late in informing us about the faults in the product and your guarantee has expired.
Good tone: Unfortunately, we received your complaint after the guarantee expired.
Understand your reader
Business writing is persuasive writing. You will be able to write most persuasively if you know your audience and its expectations, and if you organise your message to address its needs. Before you write, ask yourself these questions about your reader:
- How interested or involved in the subject is my reader?
- How knowledgeable is he or she on the subject?
- What is my reader's purpose for reading -- to make a decision, or to be better informed?
- Does my reader have special concerns or strong views about the subject?
- How does my reader regard me personally and professionally?
- What is my reader's style of doing business?
Choose fonts diligently
Although the choice of fonts is an issue of personal choice, fonts that look good in print don't always look as good on a computer. Reading information from a screen is easier if you use a font that has been specially designed for on-screen reading. Two such fonts deserve special mention: Georgia and Verdana. These are wider than most fonts and their lower-case letters are quite tall. This adds to their overall readability.
A well written message reflects your professionalism and attention to detail. So pay attention to these basics before you send out your next e-mail.
Part II: Structuring your business messages
-- Sunder Ramachandran is a Managing Partner at WCH (We Create Headstarts) Training Solutions and can be reached at sunder@wchsolutions.com
