business Archives - Linguix Blog https://linguix.com/blog/tag/business/ Writing about using technology to create content and build effective communications. Fri, 02 Jun 2023 04:38:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 10 Tips for Better Business Writing https://linguix.com/blog/10-tips-for-better-business-writing/ Thu, 06 May 2021 11:02:23 +0000 https://linguix.com/blog/?p=2458 Writing in a business setting is an occupation with its own set of rules, challenges, and opportunities. There are several strategies you should follow when creating website content for your small business. Keep the following points in mind when you create contact with a corporation or agency. 1. Simplicity For a business writing to be successful, […]

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Writing in a business setting is an occupation with its own set of rules, challenges, and opportunities. There are several strategies you should follow when creating website content for your small business. Keep the following points in mind when you create contact with a corporation or agency.

1. Simplicity

For a business writing to be successful, you must sound very simple and clear. The first and foremost objective of any correspondence is simplicity, and the degree of openness of one’s message in business writing will decide whether one prospers or flops in a company. Proclaim the purpose of your document, include the required information, and request the specific answer you need or desire. The correct word choice helps to improve business writing. The more your writing is simple, the more it will be clear. For a business writing to be clear it needs to be precise. Ironically for a business writing, less is more. Another tip that is very important for business writing is proofreading. You should be very conscious about what you are writing. For this, the tip is to write once, read twice. When you follow this tip your business writing will be infallible. 

2. Use of Active syntax

The use of active voice is having a very profound impact on business writing. Using passive voice for your writing is not wrong, but it will make your text a bit confusing. It is always advisable to construct the sentence in order( subject-verb-object). If this sequence is not followed then you can not improve business writing. The active syntax is more dynamic and, in most cases, more pertinent. Consider saying The ball was hit by the boy. This sentence is grammatically correct but another way of saying this sentence is The boy hit the ball. This sentence is more precise and is conveying the message in a better way.  The use of active voice leads to declarative speech which is very easy for everyone to understand. The main agenda of business writing is clarity. The use of active voice ensures clarity.  

3. Simple Phrases

Choose simple, straightforward words and phrases over technical terminology, jargon, or catchwords. Take note not to confuse your language or stiffen your tone to be more professional or knowledgeable. Use correct language to improve comprehension and explain your experience and expertise, but think of how you can talk to your target audience and compose in a conversational tone. Simple and clear phrases will help be more understandable. It will hit your audience differently. Your audience will extract the real meanings of the text in no time. This tip is very important for better business writing because in today’s world everyone is in a hurry and does not have time to google tough vocabulary. Extraordinary fancy vocabulary has a bad impact on business writing. 

4. The Use of Direct Language

Make succinct, declarative remarks. Your objective is to provide or invite facts, as well as to convince or be persuaded. Your time is important to you, but the receiver or recipients of your correspondence are still constrained by time limits and deadlines, please take the time to express yourself concisely and directly. This tip not only helps to improve business writing but also has a very profound impact on the personality of a person. Time when you decide to be more declarative you can easily turn down any hurdle. Popular grammatical errors, such as subject-verb compromise, should be avoided. The number of the subject (whether singular or plural) dictates the number of the noun. Use a singular verb form after nobody, anyone, everyone, no, everyone, each, and either. Although verbiage is often inevitable – for example, in a company requirement manual or technical specification – consider using plain language instead. Jargon is always inefficient, sometimes with those in the same profession as you – the eye slips right by it without noticing the sense. There’s an explanation why jargon is so often used when a writer doesn’t want to say something.

5. Clear Phrases

Choose simple, straightforward, and clear words and phrases over technical terminology, jargon, or axioms. Take note not to confuse your language or stiffen your tone to be more professional or knowledgeable. Use correct language to improve comprehension and explain your experience and expertise, but think of how you can talk to your target audience and compose in a conversational tone. Clear words will lead to the improvement of business writing. Per sector has its own set of abbreviations and technical terminology. They’re useful as shorthand as any reader understands the jargon. However, if you’re writing for people outside your field—which also includes your customers—get rid of the inside slang or you’ll confuse them.

6. Tone

Strike a tone equilibrium that is appropriate for the communication’s meaning. Also inside classes (memos in print or email, or marketing content), the feel of the communication would be determined by a variety of variables. When deciding on the voice of a single post, consult with management and peers, research precedents, and keep the listener in mind. The use of correct tone is very significant for a healthy communication of a reader and a writer. If the tone of the reader synchronizes with the tone of the writer, then the reader takes more interest in reading. As the reader takes more interest in reading your aim is achieved. As a business writer, your first and foremost aim is to engage the reader. This tip helps greatly in business writing. Reduce your zeal. Regardless of how energized or polite you are, avoid using exclamation points excessively.

7. Function

Consider the role of a specific piece of communication. If you’re summarizing a paper, don’t go into so much detail that the report itself seems superfluous (unless you’re writing an executive review for a corporate owner who doesn’t have time to read it). If it’s part of a bigger undertaking, adapt the writing style to the general methodology of the content. You must keep in mind the role of writing. For business writing, it is very essential to create content that is easy for everyone to understand.  Simple sentences, paragraphs, and records have a greater chance of attracting readers’ interest. This is especially important with e-mails and other electronic documents because we read more slowly on screen than we do on paper. To keep the readers, cut the fluff. It is critical that you understand your aim. There will be moments where you are merely providing information, but more often than not, you will be attempting to convince and encourage the receiver to take some sort of action. Being as specific as possible with your target will encourage you to develop key messaging that will help you accomplish it.

8. Objective

Concentrate on the expected or hoped-for result. If you’re writing to a boss or a subordinate, a coworker, or someone outside your business or organization, be straightforward yet courteous about your intent. Your goal of writing should be very clear in your mind. As already mentioned, business writing should be precise yet very clear and flawless for everyone to understand. One key rule to keep in mind in this regard is the rule of 5w and one H. Your business writing should answer the questions What? Where? When? Who? Why? And How? When your business writing is clear with these questions it will be understandable for everyone.  Avoid understatements and common references; instead, call subjects directly. Diplomacy is the backbone of good commercial dealings, but it can be undermined if you are overly attentive or ambiguous about important issues. Be direct with your conversation. Candor should be avoided while doing business writing. The common descriptions of generic evidence should be evaded. One should be very vigilant on this point while business writing.  

9. Formality

 Standards for corporate communication have become more relaxed, but they must also retain a professional style while eliminating slang or text-speak, exclamation marks, and unnecessarily casual salutations and sign-offs. Business writing should use easy and understandable vocabulary but it should not include terms that have immoral meanings. One should be very cautious while writing business, as one should be very watchful and observant while using the correct choice of words. The used words should convey the meaning completely yet, they should be very simple. Casual words and slogans should be avoided while writing for a business purpose. 

10. Friendly vocabulary

While communicating with coworkers or colleagues you deem mates or confidants, be careful about allowing formality exceptions. Just because you swear or dish while you’re talking in person doesn’t mean you can do so in email messages or other electronic correspondence on a business network. Drop the formality and indentation, but don’t record your intervals in business writing. You can not talk to your seniors the way you talk to your friends. This difference should be kept in mind. 

Conclusion

If you keep these 10 tips in your writing while business writing you will never face any difficulty. Business writing is in demand nowadays and one can easily excel in it by following these simple rules. These 10 tips or tricks will help you greatly in all spheres of life. These tips are totally a game changer for your writing career. I hope this article will be helpful for you. 

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Typical Mistakes People Make When Writing For Business https://linguix.com/blog/typical-mistakes-people-make-when-writing-for-business/ Thu, 09 Jul 2020 17:44:24 +0000 https://linguix.com/blog/?p=2118 Nearly every job involves a little bit of writing. For example, a plumber will have to write out a quote or send a text message to confirm an appointment, for example. There’s probably a website with written text involved somewhere too. Of course, there are many types of jobs where there is quite a lot […]

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Nearly every job involves a little bit of writing. For example, a plumber will have to write out a quote or send a text message to confirm an appointment, for example. There’s probably a website with written text involved somewhere too.

Of course, there are many types of jobs where there is quite a lot of writing involved. These days many businesspeople will send emails or post content on social media platforms. Then there are blog posts for marketing, or reports, or countless other elements that may involve the written word.

With some exceptions, which we will cover later, these activities require a certain style of business language. And writing for business requires a certain approach that not everyone has mastered.

Here are the most typical mistakes people make when they write for business:

The formality is all wrong

Formality, which is known as register in professional circles, can be broken down into three distinct categories: formal, neutral and informal. Business literature – that is, anything you write for business purposes – should be neutral in its delivery, meaning that it avoids the formal language of a legal contract, for example, but doesn’t represent common speech either.  

The tone is all wrong

Tone can be described as the way that you sound when you communicate. For example, aggressive, or polite, or playful, or serious, and so on. Of course, you may adapt your tone to suit the occasion, but this requires management of the way you write, as well as understanding of the culture you are operating in.

For example, in a business email in English it would be considered common practice to write a very brief ice-breaking message before you get down to business. “I hope you are well” would be the most commonly used expression. Failing to do this could make your communication sound curt, or even rude.

Tone is not just about the language that you use, but the language that you don’t use.

The words are too informal (or too formal)

Be careful with the vocabulary you use. In English there are very often formal and informal partners for words, meaning that you can select the version that you require. We have already seen that a neutral formality is in fact the best to aim for in business writing, but it becomes a little more difficult to navigate the selection of the right word.

For example, the word ‘children’ is considered the more formal partner of the word ‘kids’, and therefore would be more acceptable in business writing. However, ‘transpire’ is the formal version of ‘happen’, but would sound a little forced and overly formal in a business email.

Finding the right balance in your vocabulary is important, and having access to synonyms can be an incredibly useful tool. Fortunately, well-regarded writing assistants such as Linguix provide this very function, as well as many more.

The expressions used are too colloquial

Avoid language that is only used in certain regions, and certainly avoid writing the way you would speak. In English, for example, there are many dialects and local examples of vocabulary that would be best avoided in business writing. Instead, stick to the tried-and-tested neutral, global, written English that is standard in business.

No text speak

Text language really isn’t acceptable in anything other than an informal text message between friends. Just don’t use it for anything else!

The sentences are too long, and so are the paragraphs

The last thing anyone wants to see is a long-winded email with huge paragraphs. Likewise, in a social media post or even a written report.

Paragraphs exist to separate ideas, so use plenty of them to make the reading experience all that much easier for your intended target. 

It’s over-complicated

The golden rule is keep it simple! Sometimes people mistake overcomplicating things for sounding smart. It’s not. It just confuses matters. The best business writing is succinct, to the point, and professional in nature.

There are spelling mistakes

Spelling mistakes are just a huge ‘no-no’ in terms of your business writing. At best you look careless, at worst you look unprofessionalism. And there is just no reason for it because there is so much help to avail of in terms of spellchecking software and writing assistants. 

And proofread. It’s incredible how many people don’t re-read what they have written before they send it, post it, or whatever it is they meant to do with it. Don’t make that mistake!

There are grammatical mistakes

Inevitably you will hear many people state “but I’m not a writer.” This protestation seems to be an attempt to absolve oneself from the mistakes that are included in their writing, especially those kinds of mistakes that can be labelled ‘grammatical’.

You may even be writing in a language that is not your mother tongues; after all, many people conduct business in English when they are in fact a non-native English speaker. This heightens the possibility of grammatical mistakes in their writing.

But help is at hand that should mean you need not make any grammatical mistakes at all. Indeed, a first-class writing assistant, such as Linguix, will ensure that you can avoid all of the mistakes highlighted in this list.

When business writing is not so formal

Previously we mentioned exceptions to the rule when writing for business purposes, and this comes in the case of both marketing and social media, which can sometimes be one and the same thing.

In both cases you are pitching to a defined target audience, so then your language must clearly suit who that audience is. Now you have more freedom to use colloquialisms, slang terms, and even be deliberately flexible with grammar rules and the such. But once again, Linguix can help as you select your pre-defined parameters in terms of what you are trying to achieve with your writing.

Whatever it is you need to write for business, there is a right way, and there is help available. 

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