{"id":71094,"date":"2022-06-30T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=71094"},"modified":"2022-07-13T15:57:15","modified_gmt":"2022-07-13T19:57:15","slug":"written-business-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/written-business-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"Written Business Communication: 3 Rules of Thumb"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you write a lot for business or work? What are some things you should keep in mind when writing any kind of business documentation or correspondence? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing is a necessary part of any professional field. When it comes to written business communication, you should write in a manner that’s concise, clear, and to-the-point. Nobody likes to waste their time reading long emails that beat around the bush. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some tips on how to write documents and emails that people will actually read. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Professional Communication 101<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to written business communication, the most important rule of thumb to keep in mind is to write with the reader in mind\u2014consider why<\/em> they\u2019re reading your message and what<\/em> you want them to do with it, and make it easy for them to understand what you\u2019re saying<\/strong>. He has the following specific tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip #1: Keep It Short<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sullivan says people are more likely to read a short document than a long one. As a general rule, keep each sentence shorter than 17 words long, but vary your lengths to keep the rhythm interesting. (Shortform note: Other experts recommend an average of 25 words per sentence<\/a> and add that if you can\u2019t accurately capture your idea within 25 words, don\u2019t be afraid of going longer\u2014clarity is more important than length.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also keep paragraphs short\u2014going beyond a quarter of a page for a paragraph can overwhelm your reader. Sullivan says you can trim the fat by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eliminating unnecessary words and shortening phrases.<\/strong> For example, replace \u201cthe reason for,\u201d with \u201cbecause\u201d and \u201cdespite the fact that\u201d with \u201calthough.\u201d (Shortform note: Other words that tend to lengthen text include redundant pairs such as \u201ceach and every\u201d; unnecessary qualifiers such as \u201cbasically,\u201d \u201cactually,\u201d and \u201cextremely\u201d; and ideas expressed in the negative such as \u201cnot accept\u201d instead of \u201creject\u201d and \u201cnot allow\u201d instead of \u201cdeny.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using strong verbs in place of weak nouns. <\/strong>Let your verbs do the heavy lifting; read each sentence to see if you\u2019ve clearly expressed the key action in each sentence. Edit out nouns that end in –tion<\/em>, -ment<\/em>, –ance<\/em>, and -ing<\/em>, and replace them with action words. For example, instead of saying, \u201cThis document will help you in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the new system,\u201d say, \u201cThis document will help you develop, implement, and evaluate the new system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Strong verbs are generally preferable to nouns because they sound more authoritative and convincing. However, Sullivan doesn\u2019t identify which verbs are considered strong and which ones are weak. Experts say that verbs like \u201cdid,\u201d \u201cwas,\u201d and \u201csaid\u201d don\u2019t make as much of an impact as more descriptive verbs<\/a> such as \u201cdevelop,\u201d \u201cassert,\u201d and \u201cdefine.\u201d)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip #2: Use the Proper Voice <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can make your message stronger or soften the blow of bad news with the right voice. Review every sentence to check that you\u2019ve used the appropriate voice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Active voice: <\/strong>In this case, the actor comes before the verb. (For example: Our department<\/em> will gather<\/em> all the data.) It\u2019s generally the preferable form because it\u2019s simpler, stronger, and clearly states accountability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Passive voice: <\/strong>In this case, the actor is relegated to the end of the sentence or isn\u2019t there at all. Sullivan writes that this voice is often vague and doesn\u2019t have as much of an impact. For example, when you write, \u201cUpdates will be emailed weekly,\u201d it\u2019s unclear who will be doing the updating. Sullivan recommends that you use this voice purposefully\u2014for example, when avoiding accountability<\/a> to soften a message (\u201cYour proposal was rejected\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Sullivan\u2019s note about preferring the strong active voice falls within the larger debate about the weakness of the passive voice and the advice to avoid it. Some writers argue that a passive sentence construction can still be strong; for example, Winston Churchill\u2014one of the greatest speakers in history\u2014frequently used passive verbs to great effect<\/a>. When it comes to communication, the real goal is to simply write clearly and \u201clet the verbs fall where they may.\u201d<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip #3: Follow a Format<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sullivan says that documents generally fall into one of two purposes: persuasive or informative. Each one follows a standard format, which saves you a lot of time and effort\u2014you don\u2019t have to reinvent the wheel every time you write a document. Instead, just use a tried-and-tested format, changing the details as needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Persuasive: <\/strong>This type of writing is meant to convince the reader to take an action or think a certain way. When writing persuasively, Sullivan recommends you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n