Writing Business Documents

Writing business documents is a unique form of communication that requires a specific set of basic skills. Here are a few principles that writers should keep in mind.

Know Your Audience

A good rule of thumb with any form of writing is to begin with your audience and then work backwards. Who is the target for your business document? What do they value? What do they consider unimportant? You can't afford to have people ignore your writing, so if you want to ensure people will read your work, tailor your documents to your audience's wants and needs.

Be Compelling

No matter who your audience is, you can probably assume one thing for certain: Business people are busy people. So your goal as a writer is to capture your readers' attention immediately and then compel them to keep reading until the end of your document. You need to think like a news reporter. Begin with a gripping headline. Then "put the news up front" in a compelling paragraph that summarizes the document's key information. From there, make sure each paragraph builds on the next until you tie everything up in a tidy conclusion.

Be Concise

Once you've grabbed your audience's attention with a compelling opening, don't bore them with the details. Less is more. Keep your business writing as short and succinct as possible. Get straight to the point. Don't waste time on flowery prose. Effective business writing is all about the facts. Tell them only as much as they need to know and then move on.

If you keep these basic writing principles in mind, your documents will improve-and so will your business.