Business Writing 101 — from the desk of a business writer.
Business writing might come off as an unnecessary differentiation but it is not. As a business writer for many years, I can tell you that there is a world of difference between other forms of writing and business writing. More so, I have found out that it takes a different mindset to do an excellent job at business writing. You can’t wing it with business writing.
For me, I can liken business writing to technical writing. They both take specific skillsets and subject-matter knowledge to do a good job.
Let’s get right into it.
What is Business Writing?
Business writing is defined as it reads — writing for business purposes or writing in a professional setting. Business writing is a purposeful type of writing and it is usually done to elicit a business response. It is hardly done without a set purpose.
Every writing within the business environment is a business writing including an internal office memo and your daily emails. And if you think about it, the way you’ll write a mail to your best friend is different from the way you will write a mail to your colleague at work. And in a case where your best friend is also your colleague, the mail to her in the capacity of your best friend will be different from your mail to her in the capacity of your colleague.
This difference in normal writing and business writing also applies to companies that are “casual and informal” in their communication. I have noticed that no matter how casual a company’s communication looks, I can still see the key principles of business writing in it.
What makes it different?
The distinction between business writing and other forms of writing such as academic writing is the purpose and as such different rules and principles apply. For me, business writing can only be effective when the writer has subject-matter knowledge. It is the only type of writing asides technical writing that requires deep subject-matter knowledge.
Long sentences are okay for academic writing, but it is a big no in business writing — and for me, there are no exceptions. You can use passive voices generously in academic writing but active voicing is encouraged in business writing. Content writing is similar to business writing but they are not the same. You can use content writing to entertain readers but business writing is rarely used for entertainment purposes.
Types & Examples of Business Writing
There are four broad types of business writing.
- Instructional: Instructional writing aims to give detailed information and guides on how to complete a task. Example: manual, memo, job adverts, standard operating procedure.
- Informational: It aims to record and provide business information accurately. Example: minutes, reports, financial statements.
- Persuasive: It aims to influence decisions and move the reader to take an action. Example: proposals, copies, sales letter.
- Transactional: It is the day to day communication at the workplace. Example emails, letters, forms, invoices.
The Most Important Principles in Business Writing
- Be clear
Make it easy for your reader to understand and interpret your sentences. Write what you mean with only the words you need. Clarity is easier when you know the purpose of what you are writing, the reader and the result you want to achieve.
- Keep it short and concise
Sticking to only what is relevant will help you to achieve brevity. If three words can convey the message, no need to write five. The error we make is that we are always trying to sound smart. Show your smartness in your work, not your writing. Write to communicate only.
- Make it easy to scan
This is the biggest problem I have observed in business writing. It shouldn’t be hard to find information in your writing. Use paragraphs and white spaces to make your document easy to scan. Use headers, bullets, bold and italicized fonts to highlight information.
- Confirm all facts and figures — Be accurate
Business writing requires accuracy — it is hardly about what you think, and even when you are writing recommendations, you must defend it. Everything must be accurate and fact-checked.
- Avoid jargons
Another big problem in business writing is the use of jargon and most people use it to sound smart. Except you are writing a highly technical business document, there is no need to use jargon in your documents. And when you HAVE to use jargons, define it. Don’t lose your audience in verbosity.
- It starts with research
Research is the hallmark of any good writing. The more research you do the better and more accurate your writing. Especially for persuasive and instructional writing. For instructional writing, you want to research the steps and ask experts so that you don’t miss a thing. For persuasive writing, you need to know your reader.
As with everything, the more you practice doing it right, the better you become. There are several free resources online that can help your business writing and I will share some of them in subsequent stories.
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