If you've ever thought about starting your own business and being your own boss, one of the first things you'll need to do to make it happen is to master the art of business writing. Whether you're pitching an idea, asking someone to invest money in your business, communicating with clients, or just trying to get things done, being able to communicate your ideas effectively in writing is a key part of business success.
What Is Business Writing?
Business writing is all about clear, concise communication in a professional setting. It's not like writing an essay for school, where you might be required to write a certain number of pages of text; in business writing, you need to get your point across quickly and effectively. Good business writing can make the difference between sealing a deal and losing an opportunity. It includes emails, reports, proposals, and the documents you'll need to start your business.
Types of Business Writing
Business writing can be instructional, informational, persuasive, or transactional. Each type of writing has a different goal.
Instructional writing provides directions or explanations. Examples include user manuals for software, instructions for how to do different procedures, or memos explaining a new process or rule at work. The goal is to give clear, step-by-step instructions so the reader knows exactly what to do.
Informational writing shares knowledge and data. This type of writing includes reports, meeting minutes, and company newsletters. The goal of informational writing is to inform your audience without pushing them to take a specific action. You're just presenting the facts, like "our sales increased 20% last quarter."
Persuasive writing aims to convince the reader to take a certain action. You'll find persuasive writing in marketing materials and proposals. In persuasive writing, you need to make a compelling case for your product, service, or idea by highlighting the reasons why the reader should agree with you.
Transactional writing covers everyday forms of communication like emails, invoices, and receipts. This type of writing need to be clear and to the point. An example of this type of writing would be an email that says, "Attached please find the invoice for your June order. Payment is due by July 31st. If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to reach out."
Tips for Good Business Writing
In business writing, being clear and concise is essential. Get straight to the point, avoiding unnecessary jargon, and keep sentences short and simple. Your reader should understand your message quickly. Clear writing can include both the words themselves and the formatting: Breaking up large amounts of text with bullet points and headings can make your writing more readable and easier to scan.
Knowing your audience is also crucial. Use a more formal tone for business proposals and a more relaxed one for everyday emails to coworkers or employees. And avoid slang, emoticons/emojis, and overly casual language, which can make you sound unprofessional, leading others to not take you seriously.
Editing and proofreading are also crucial, as they can help you to avoid mistakes that can make you look unprofessional. Always review your writing for spelling and grammar errors. If you're bad at editing your own work, try reading it out loud, which can help you to catch mistakes you might miss when reading silently
Further Reading
- General Guidelines for Business Writing
- Business Writing Essentials
- The Science of Strong Business Writing
- Want to Be More Successful? Write Better
- Why Entrepreneurs Need Writing Skills
- Writing an Effective Business Plan
- How to Start Your Own Business
- Ten Tips for Effective Business Writing
- Why Writing Skills Are Crucial for Entrepreneurs
- Guide to Business Writing
Written By
Jonathan is admitted to practice law in Colorado and Wyoming. In this position, he helps business owners at nearly every level and in nearly every industry with asset protection, estate planning, and business formation. Beyond business owners, Jonathan also helps activists of all political persuasions to legally protect themselves.
