HOW TO WRITE FOR GOOD RESULTS IN BUSINESS
Lots of people want to write for good results. A few things to learn are how to get started, turn panic into productivity and move your reader to action. Those who want to succeed in today’s competitive business world need to master the art of effective business writing. Each letter, memo or report you write should generate the intended results and create a favourable impression. The managerial skills you already have can be applied to this writing process. There are 7 strategies you can learn. You will find out how to put your thoughts into words that work, get organized fast, make your letters look inviting, move your reader to action and do it all in less time. Here they are.
1. TURN PANIC INTO PRODUCTIVITY
The hardest part of writing has always been getting started. The blank page causes panic for beginners as well as seasoned writers. Here are a few mental tricks you can use to turn that negative energy into creative flow.
=Make mental pictures and picture the result. Imagine what you’d like your reader to do as a result of reading your letter, memo or report. Use it to clarify your objective.
=Picture the reader. How much does he already know about what you are telling him? What approach will get you the best results from him?
=Picture the letter, memo or report. Most readers base the value of a communication on a five-second glance. They scan the first paragraph and look for key words that have meaning for them. They look at format and readability. They then decide to give the document more attention or put it aside indefinitely. It is therefore important to present your letter in a manner that is well organized and easy to read.
=Get something on paper. Make notes while they are fresh in your mind. Jot down a few key words or phrases as you think of them-between meetings, phone calls, in a cab etc. It takes just seconds and makes the next step more manageable.
2. FILL IN THE BLANKS
Often you get so involved in what you have to say that it’s hard to clearly convey your ideas to someone who is not yet aware of the situation. Here are some tips that can make your task easier.
=Don’t start at the beginning. It is very hard to write a letter word for word start to finish. Don’t even try it for now. Follow the following easy step by step method shown here.
=Study anatomy. Almost every letter you will write has 3 basic components, each with its own objective :
-The opening. Set the tone, establish your relationship with the reader and get to the point.
-The heart. Devote the bulk of the letter to explain your point and provide background. Do this clearly so that the information your reader cares about practically pops off the page.
-The closing. Restate your mutual interest in the subject at hand and clarify who does what next.
=Fill in the blanks. With the 3 major parts of a letter in mind, you can start shaping your article. You jotted down notes in strategy 1. Use them now to fill in the opening, heart and closing sections.
=Make a rough draft. Once you have made notes for each part of your letter, you have a working outline. If this is a long or particularly important letter, make a rough draft. This will be easy when you use your notes. If it is a simple letter, go right to the final version.
=Polish, edit, format. Edit, rewrite your final draft and type it out. When you see your letter in its final form, take a moment to judge its appearance. Is it simple? Have you made sensible use of bullets, underscores, capitalization? Have you organized and efficiently presented complex data? Make the necessary changes, then have the letter retyped in its final form.
Once you get into the habit of “filling in the blanks”, you will find your letter writing going faster and more smoothly.
3. GET TO THE POINT
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The fastest way to get results from your writing is to use simple and concise action language. Don’t beat around the bush. Be brief, not wordy. Edit your writing by focusing on the subject and don’t get sidetracked. Stick to the subject at hand. Use good, modern English. Don’t use stilted offenders like “as per your request”, “please be advised that”. Say instead “Here is the information you requested” or “The meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 1:00”.
Avoid pseudo-suffix words like : impactful…actionable…dollar-wise…product-wise…prioritize…finalize. However, you may say :”the statement carries impact”, “the cost will be”, or request someone to “take action”. You may “set priorities” or “reach an agreement”.
Be direct. Use active language to get action. Don’t be mistaken to believe that passive language is more formal or businesslike. The truth is that action words and simple short sentences get faster results.
Write the way you speak. Readers “see” the tone of your language even before they begin to read. A friendly and natural style is always advantageous. Using personal pronouns and direct language will give you an edge.
Choose your words strategically. Beware of hidden messages. Weigh each word before you use it. Your choice of words is a rich indication of who you are. They portray a picture of you that your reader responds to even if you have never met.
4. USE STOPPING POWER
The letters and reports that seem to rise right to the top of your inbox have a quality called “stopping power”. It doesn’t have anything to do with words like “urgent” or “flash” that some writers use to try to grab your attention. Powerful letters have these things in common :
-It’s clear that an action is needed.
-It’s clear what that action is.
-It’s clear that the action is easy.
Here are some ways you can give your memos, letters and reports “stopping power”:
=Capture your reader’s attention. Keep it short. Cut each letter in half, then cut it in half again until you are in the habit of making every word meaningful.
=Keep it simple to read. Use clear headings, bullets and short paragraphs to make your reader’s job easy. The visual techniques you use will carry the reader’s eye to the points you want to stress.
=Keep your reader in mind. Write in familiar language from the reader’s point of view. Address your reader directly.
=Make the action clear. Always include the “action step” in its logical spot – the end of the letter or report. Write it in clear and concise language.
5. INSIST ON WRITING EXCLELLENCE
There are few more embarrassing moments for an executive than discovering typos or other errors in a letter that went out under your name or your department’s name. Never console yourself with “Well, everyone makes mistakes”. The people at the top have learned to prevent writing errors. You can too.
=Proofread. Take a critical look at everything that goes out under your signature. Correct grammatical errors and typos. Have the document retyped.
=Enlist support. Train your staff members in the basics of proofreading. Make a practice of having them proof your writing on a regular basis. Praise them for catching your errors.
=Develop a reputation for caring about the fine points. Generate intolerance in your department for typos and grammatical errors. Motivate your people to care about the quality of their writing. You will soon find that perfect letter writing is contagious.
=Teach your staff these simple proofreading techniques :
-Most errors occur in regular patterns. In the most common words, like “your, you’re, yours, its, it’s”. In word endings, like “-ed,-es,-s,-ing,-ance,-ence”. With commas and the other most common punctuation marks.
-Use your finger to underscore each line as you read. It forces you to focus on every word.
-Scan for vowels in each word. Proofreaders often miss errors because they “read” the shape of the word (provided by the consonants). For example “capa-blity” instead of “capability”
-Keep a dictionary on your desk to check spelling, word breaks, synonyms and others. Use it frequently.
6. DICTATE
You can save valuable time by learning to dictate your letters, memos and reports. It takes practice and preparation, but it’s worth it. Here are some ways to get started.
=Get the support you need. Clearly this time-saving project is not going to succeed without your secretary’s support. The first step is to talk it over, point out the benefits and make sure you are both set up with the right equipment. If your secretary needs to attend a class to build confidence and skills, arrange it.
=Train yourself do dictate efficiently. Dictating is a skill. Don’t expect to be an automatic expert. Follow these steps and you will soon be successful :
-Start with your easiest letters. Get comfortable with the techniques before you tackle your toughest reports.
-Start while your ideas are fresh. You can practice with your Dictaphone on a plane or on the way back from a meeting.
-Picture the finished letter before you begin. Visualize the results, the reader and the letter that will get you the results you want.
-Jot down an outline. While you are learning to dictate, it will be helpful to make a short outline of the points you want to cover.
-Dictate from your outline. You may find it a bit awkward at first. Stick to it. Within a few dictations you will become skilled and confident.
-Introduce and conclude each letter on the tape with the vital information your secretary will need. “This is a letter to Jim Black at Northwater System Inc. Use my personal stationery. It will probably be only one page. Dear Jim……” “ Sign it – ‘Cordially’ and send copies to …”
-Proofread. Remember strategy 5, insist on excellence. Carefully proof any letter that has been typed from dictation. Expect more errors at first, but work out a system with your secretary to overcome them. You may want to punctuate and spell any unusual words as you dictate.
7. MANAGE YOUR TIME
Taking more time to write doesn’t necessarily lead to better writing. In fact, most executives find themselves writing faster as they learn to write better. You have already learned some of the most important principles for managing your writing time :
-Make mental pictures. Visualize the results, the reader and the letter.
-Make notes. Put your thoughts on paper while they are still fresh. It will be easier to turn these ramblings into a letter than start cold a day later.
-Dictate. Save an hour a day.
-Keep it short. It’s more likely to be read.
You will find you can cut your writing time even more by applying the following writing management tactics :
=Break your writing into manageable chunks. Tackle the parts – a paragraph or a subject – whenever you have a few spare moments.
=Find and use your prime writing time. Some executives write best in the morning, some in the evening. Take advantage of your natural momentum.
=Never waste a written letter. Develop a system for re-using letters and portions of letters.
=Put your best effort into your most important writing. Evaluate each piece of correspondence and weigh its importance. Spend your valuable time on the letters or reports that will put you a step ahead.
=Consider the alternatives. Do you have to write a complete letter? If it’s not top priority, how about a phone call…a handwritten note right on the incoming letter…delegating the letter…forgetting it.
=Finish. Don’t let the perfectionist in you take over and force you to keep rewriting. Stick to your deadline, get it down on paper and hand it over to your secretary.
Putting these 7 strategies to work will take practice. You will be writing better and faster in no time.
1. TURN PANIC INTO PRODUCTIVITY
The hardest part of writing has always been getting started. The blank page causes panic for beginners as well as seasoned writers. Here are a few mental tricks you can use to turn that negative energy into creative flow.
=Make mental pictures and picture the result. Imagine what you’d like your reader to do as a result of reading your letter, memo or report. Use it to clarify your objective.
=Picture the reader. How much does he already know about what you are telling him? What approach will get you the best results from him?
=Picture the letter, memo or report. Most readers base the value of a communication on a five-second glance. They scan the first paragraph and look for key words that have meaning for them. They look at format and readability. They then decide to give the document more attention or put it aside indefinitely. It is therefore important to present your letter in a manner that is well organized and easy to read.
=Get something on paper. Make notes while they are fresh in your mind. Jot down a few key words or phrases as you think of them-between meetings, phone calls, in a cab etc. It takes just seconds and makes the next step more manageable.
2. FILL IN THE BLANKS
Often you get so involved in what you have to say that it’s hard to clearly convey your ideas to someone who is not yet aware of the situation. Here are some tips that can make your task easier.
=Don’t start at the beginning. It is very hard to write a letter word for word start to finish. Don’t even try it for now. Follow the following easy step by step method shown here.
=Study anatomy. Almost every letter you will write has 3 basic components, each with its own objective :
-The opening. Set the tone, establish your relationship with the reader and get to the point.
-The heart. Devote the bulk of the letter to explain your point and provide background. Do this clearly so that the information your reader cares about practically pops off the page.
-The closing. Restate your mutual interest in the subject at hand and clarify who does what next.
=Fill in the blanks. With the 3 major parts of a letter in mind, you can start shaping your article. You jotted down notes in strategy 1. Use them now to fill in the opening, heart and closing sections.
=Make a rough draft. Once you have made notes for each part of your letter, you have a working outline. If this is a long or particularly important letter, make a rough draft. This will be easy when you use your notes. If it is a simple letter, go right to the final version.
=Polish, edit, format. Edit, rewrite your final draft and type it out. When you see your letter in its final form, take a moment to judge its appearance. Is it simple? Have you made sensible use of bullets, underscores, capitalization? Have you organized and efficiently presented complex data? Make the necessary changes, then have the letter retyped in its final form.
Once you get into the habit of “filling in the blanks”, you will find your letter writing going faster and more smoothly.
3. GET TO THE POINT
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The fastest way to get results from your writing is to use simple and concise action language. Don’t beat around the bush. Be brief, not wordy. Edit your writing by focusing on the subject and don’t get sidetracked. Stick to the subject at hand. Use good, modern English. Don’t use stilted offenders like “as per your request”, “please be advised that”. Say instead “Here is the information you requested” or “The meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 1:00”.
Avoid pseudo-suffix words like : impactful…actionable…dollar-wise…product-wise…prioritize…finalize. However, you may say :”the statement carries impact”, “the cost will be”, or request someone to “take action”. You may “set priorities” or “reach an agreement”.
Be direct. Use active language to get action. Don’t be mistaken to believe that passive language is more formal or businesslike. The truth is that action words and simple short sentences get faster results.
Write the way you speak. Readers “see” the tone of your language even before they begin to read. A friendly and natural style is always advantageous. Using personal pronouns and direct language will give you an edge.
Choose your words strategically. Beware of hidden messages. Weigh each word before you use it. Your choice of words is a rich indication of who you are. They portray a picture of you that your reader responds to even if you have never met.
4. USE STOPPING POWER
The letters and reports that seem to rise right to the top of your inbox have a quality called “stopping power”. It doesn’t have anything to do with words like “urgent” or “flash” that some writers use to try to grab your attention. Powerful letters have these things in common :
-It’s clear that an action is needed.
-It’s clear what that action is.
-It’s clear that the action is easy.
Here are some ways you can give your memos, letters and reports “stopping power”:
=Capture your reader’s attention. Keep it short. Cut each letter in half, then cut it in half again until you are in the habit of making every word meaningful.
=Keep it simple to read. Use clear headings, bullets and short paragraphs to make your reader’s job easy. The visual techniques you use will carry the reader’s eye to the points you want to stress.
=Keep your reader in mind. Write in familiar language from the reader’s point of view. Address your reader directly.
=Make the action clear. Always include the “action step” in its logical spot – the end of the letter or report. Write it in clear and concise language.
5. INSIST ON WRITING EXCLELLENCE
There are few more embarrassing moments for an executive than discovering typos or other errors in a letter that went out under your name or your department’s name. Never console yourself with “Well, everyone makes mistakes”. The people at the top have learned to prevent writing errors. You can too.
=Proofread. Take a critical look at everything that goes out under your signature. Correct grammatical errors and typos. Have the document retyped.
=Enlist support. Train your staff members in the basics of proofreading. Make a practice of having them proof your writing on a regular basis. Praise them for catching your errors.
=Develop a reputation for caring about the fine points. Generate intolerance in your department for typos and grammatical errors. Motivate your people to care about the quality of their writing. You will soon find that perfect letter writing is contagious.
=Teach your staff these simple proofreading techniques :
-Most errors occur in regular patterns. In the most common words, like “your, you’re, yours, its, it’s”. In word endings, like “-ed,-es,-s,-ing,-ance,-ence”. With commas and the other most common punctuation marks.
-Use your finger to underscore each line as you read. It forces you to focus on every word.
-Scan for vowels in each word. Proofreaders often miss errors because they “read” the shape of the word (provided by the consonants). For example “capa-blity” instead of “capability”
-Keep a dictionary on your desk to check spelling, word breaks, synonyms and others. Use it frequently.
6. DICTATE
You can save valuable time by learning to dictate your letters, memos and reports. It takes practice and preparation, but it’s worth it. Here are some ways to get started.
=Get the support you need. Clearly this time-saving project is not going to succeed without your secretary’s support. The first step is to talk it over, point out the benefits and make sure you are both set up with the right equipment. If your secretary needs to attend a class to build confidence and skills, arrange it.
=Train yourself do dictate efficiently. Dictating is a skill. Don’t expect to be an automatic expert. Follow these steps and you will soon be successful :
-Start with your easiest letters. Get comfortable with the techniques before you tackle your toughest reports.
-Start while your ideas are fresh. You can practice with your Dictaphone on a plane or on the way back from a meeting.
-Picture the finished letter before you begin. Visualize the results, the reader and the letter that will get you the results you want.
-Jot down an outline. While you are learning to dictate, it will be helpful to make a short outline of the points you want to cover.
-Dictate from your outline. You may find it a bit awkward at first. Stick to it. Within a few dictations you will become skilled and confident.
-Introduce and conclude each letter on the tape with the vital information your secretary will need. “This is a letter to Jim Black at Northwater System Inc. Use my personal stationery. It will probably be only one page. Dear Jim……” “ Sign it – ‘Cordially’ and send copies to …”
-Proofread. Remember strategy 5, insist on excellence. Carefully proof any letter that has been typed from dictation. Expect more errors at first, but work out a system with your secretary to overcome them. You may want to punctuate and spell any unusual words as you dictate.
7. MANAGE YOUR TIME
Taking more time to write doesn’t necessarily lead to better writing. In fact, most executives find themselves writing faster as they learn to write better. You have already learned some of the most important principles for managing your writing time :
-Make mental pictures. Visualize the results, the reader and the letter.
-Make notes. Put your thoughts on paper while they are still fresh. It will be easier to turn these ramblings into a letter than start cold a day later.
-Dictate. Save an hour a day.
-Keep it short. It’s more likely to be read.
You will find you can cut your writing time even more by applying the following writing management tactics :
=Break your writing into manageable chunks. Tackle the parts – a paragraph or a subject – whenever you have a few spare moments.
=Find and use your prime writing time. Some executives write best in the morning, some in the evening. Take advantage of your natural momentum.
=Never waste a written letter. Develop a system for re-using letters and portions of letters.
=Put your best effort into your most important writing. Evaluate each piece of correspondence and weigh its importance. Spend your valuable time on the letters or reports that will put you a step ahead.
=Consider the alternatives. Do you have to write a complete letter? If it’s not top priority, how about a phone call…a handwritten note right on the incoming letter…delegating the letter…forgetting it.
=Finish. Don’t let the perfectionist in you take over and force you to keep rewriting. Stick to your deadline, get it down on paper and hand it over to your secretary.
Putting these 7 strategies to work will take practice. You will be writing better and faster in no time.
posted by Robin at
10:01 AM
0 Comments
