Hello and welcome to Effective Business Writing, which is a highly valuable, although not particularly recent, business skill. In fact, existing business letters dating from the 15th century follow a format similar to many business emails sent today. Whereas business letters are now rather rare, emails have become by far the most popular way of engaging with clients and colleagues. Reports, proposals, and business plans are other examples of methods of business communication used today to drive business success, which require this ability. However, the first question to consider when about to engage in business writing is this, "Is this actually the best way to meet my goal?" Emails have become a powerful habit that can be difficult to resist, and in terms of engaging with others whether exploring, negotiating, or just looking to build a professional relationship, face-to-face, telephone, and internet-based communication will always be the most efficient and effective strategy. So in a world flooded with written communication, how do you ensure your document rises to the top of the pile, stands out, gets read, and compels the reader to action? Well, you can follow this simple, powerful five step strategy. Step one, define your objective. First of all, consider and identify what it is you want the reader to know or do, and write it down. Step two, analyze your audience. Consider your reader. What is most important to them? What do they care about? What is their interest in the wider situation? What do you know about them that can help you understand how best to grab their attention and make your document a compelling read. Step three, choose the right format. Again, could this objective be achieved better via a face-to-face conversation or phone call? If not, then consider how best to make your message stand out. Will an email be your best choice? Or should you create and send a more formal document, such as a report or proposal? You may find that an email will be scanned quickly as the reader may have a hundred other emails to read that morning. But if you attach a more formal looking proposal or report, the reader will infer it to be more business critical. They will see it as a priority read and give it more time and attention.
Step four, make it persuasive. You can do that by using the following structure but do remember that a quick search online will reveal many templates and structures for a more formal document, such as a business proposal.
The persuasive structure for business writing.
The action required. Some people finish their emails with their request for action, but studies show it is more impactful to position the request upfront and then afterwards provide the information to compel the reader to action. So tell them clearly what it is you want them to do right at the start. The big idea. Now, summarize the situation, problem, or opportunity. And again, keep it brief. Remember, if they want more detail, they can always ask for it, but best not to force too much detail onto those who don't want it as they may stop reading.
What's at stake? Again, keep it concise, but outline the positive impact of moving forward with your request or idea or, and this tends to be more persuasive, outline the negative impact of not moving forward with the request. For example, "This strategy could lead to a departmental saving of 2 million pounds." That's persuasive, but not as persuasive as, "If we don't implement this strategy we will lose 2 million pounds in potential departmental savings." Here you are essentially saying the same thing, but as fear of loss is more powerful than thought of gain, this second version of the request may well prove to be more compelling.
Evidential data. The persuasiveness of your writing will increase if you evidence your points with objective data, facts, figures, and analysis by company or industry experts. So include the most compelling data, but again, don't overuse it and keep it headline orientated.
