How to avoid five common pitfalls of business writing
By Phillip Gravely
It happens in the business world all the time. Someone sets out to write a piece on behalf of the organization only to produce results that fall well short of the mark. But why?
In many cases, the reason for the ultimate shortcoming can be identified and alleviated from the start. Here are five of the most common reasons business writing fails:
1. Losing focus on the reader: It seems so obvious, but it’s so often overlooked. The success of a piece of writing boils down to how effectively it meets the readers’ needs. Too often, writers set out to say what the organization wants to say, not what the readers need to hear.
2. Writing by committee: We’ve all seen it happen, and we’ve all seen it fail. Writing by committee simply does not work. The mix of objectives, perspectives, tone, style, and more causes a muddy mess that bogs down the reader. Your goal—learn to cut through the bureaucracy.
3. Assuming a skill set: If you were asked to design a bridge, you probably would acknowledge that you aren’t qualified unless you happen to be a professional engineer. So why doesn’t the same principle apply to communicators?
4. Having too many objectives: In a world filled with communication “noise,” it is neither effective nor fair to expect readers to comprehend too many messages concurrently. Rather, success lies in isolating the key message and sending it with precision.
5. Repurposing content incorrectly: We’re all guilty of this one, too. The intro copy in your brochure is simply not appropriate for your web site home page, stakeholders’ letter, etc. Each type of writing has a unique purpose and must be treated correctly.
Learn more: Sign up for The Strategy of Business Writing, a three-evening course offered each fall and spring semester through the School of Continuing Studies. Or, take a look at our other writing classes.