No Business Writing This
As a long-time business and finance writer and editor, I’ve been privy to all sorts of unique and fascinating ideas through the years. Unfortunately, I’ve frequently found that those who have something to say find it challenging to successfully put their thoughts down on paper. With that in mind, here are five strategies that can help you communicate more effectively using the written word:
1. The curse of knowledge
When you write, do you make assumptions — knowingly or otherwise — about your audience? Often, individuals who have in-depth knowledge about a subject don’t fully consider that others may not have a similar understanding. Using jargon or providing idiosyncratic insights without any context can leave readers confused or wondering what they missed.
In fact, whether it stems from a lack of awareness, difficulties seeing things from others’ perspectives, or concerns about being viewed as talking down to people, not being on the same wavelength as your audience can inhibit efforts to engage with them. Quite simply, your challenge as a writer — one faced by even the most erudite authorities — is to make sure readers comprehend just what you’re saying.
2. Prisoner of precision
People who have specialized business, finance, or technical knowledge sometimes find it hard to communicate clearly to those who are not familiar with their area of expertise. While the erroneous assumption that others know what you do is often to blame, another factor can also play a role: resistance to using verbiage outside the norm.
Individuals who work or operate in environments where using the “wrong” terminology might lead to unintended consequences or raise doubts about their level of competence may be hesitant to break ranks and employ a more empathetic style of writing. However, if you want to communicate to a broader audience, try recasting your ideas in a more comfortable, reader-oriented light.
3. Grammar matters
Focusing on what your audience needs rather than on being precise with your language can make it easier to get your point across, but the same might not hold true when it comes to grammar and word usage. Leaving out a comma — or putting one in — can change the meaning of a sentence. Capitalizing words can give them a different connotation than lowercase counterparts.
Careless writing habits can also muddle your message. Using shorthand such as “&” instead of “and,” “#” instead of “number,” or “/” instead of “and” or “or” can seem annoyingly out of place. Opting for single rather than double quotes can leave readers wondering what was left out. Writing “i.e.,” instead of “e.g.,” can create the mistaken impression there’s no other option. The risk in any case is that readers judge you based on your language, not your ideas.
4. Interested parties
Business writing represents a double-edged challenge. You don’t just aim to get your point across in a clear and convincing matter; you essentially want your audience to agree that you did. But to reach this point, you can’t just throw it all out there in stream-of-consciousness fashion. You must give it to readers in a way that is accessible and engaging.
The fact is, proper communication requires genuine empathy for your audience — and ruthless editing. Outside of those in academia or certain technical disciplines, few have the time or inclination to read long blocks of text, whether in paragraphs or sentences. Repeating words can be effective when making a point, but irritating otherwise. And while passive language is not inherently incorrect, too much of it can leave readers thinking you’re all talk and no action.
5. Help yourself
You don’t have to be an English major to communicate effectively. One technique that can help you separate the linguistic wheat from the chaff is to step back from the keyboard every once in a while and read aloud what you wrote to see how it sounds. Alternatively, why not have someone else take a look at it — a second set of eyes?
There are also plenty of resources, many free, that can help you do a better job of expressing yourself on paper. If you’re not sure about what word to use, try a thesaurus app or website. If you have doubts about how to punctuate a sentence, visit a grammar-oriented online forum. If you want to know how to structure a document, capitalize a title, format a bulleted list, or anything else having to do with writing right, take the easy route: Google it.
