Business Writing Tip Sheet

Principles and Practices for Written Communications

Trude Diamond
Trude Diamond, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Nov 13, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Plan and organize.
  1. Identify the objective of the communication - To give clear directions? To solicit feedback? To tell or to sell? To obtain information?
  2. Assemble all materials.
  3. Identify the readers and their characteristics, and the feeling you want them to have after reading your communication.
  4. Based on your objective and readers' characteristics determine:
    • How to structure the document
    • Key phrases to use
    • Level of complexity
    • Method/media for distribution
    • Method/media for obtaining feedback such as agreement, questions, completed form

Use a proven standard structure for the type of communication you are developing.
  1. Format and layout
  2. Regulations compliance
  3. Industry best practices
  4. Terminology and phrasing
  5. Size of fonts and fields

Ensure that your readers' response is the one you want.
  1. Monitor employee activity in following directions given.
  2. Solicit feedback from recipients in as "frictionless" a manner possible.
  3. Follow up by soliciting readers' responses at several points in time.

Now all you need is a writer or coach to:
  • Develop the models for communications you need.
  • Help you get started using those models creatively and effectively.
  • Give supportive and creative feedback to your communications.

Peruse DiamondWrite.com for more useful tip sheets.

Published by Trude Diamond

Trude Katherine Diamond has been around and never been square. Laughs through, and often at, most of it. Trude addresses the joys and irritants of societal issues, makes people think beyond their comfort zon...  View profile

1 Comments

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  • A.M. Morgan2/5/2008

    Thanks for the tips.

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