We write so much more these days; we depend on our writing skills to influence, persuade, encourage, collaborate, and lead.

However, how often do you notice people talking about the importance of good writing in your day-to-day work? They don’t, right? Most people don’t really notice the quality of the writing they read – they simply react positively, negatively, or not at all.

If you have ever wondered if there’s a better way to write your messages so they get better results, there is!

Here Are Three Of The New Rules For Written Communication:

If You Can Say It, You Can Write It

We connect with the world today largely through e-mail, web sites, blogs, texting, and social media. With all these channels we have only bare facts, without tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, or pauses. As we regularly use these means instead of talking, it makes sense to use writing that’s as close as possible to spoken language. When you do this, you gain yourself a great advantage – you put your personality and individuality into your message. This will help you to stand out more and make a greater connection with your reader.

Write For Today, Not Yesterday

Yesterday:

Please be advised that a meeting of the Annual Convention Committee will be held on 24 February (Thursday) at 9.30 am. Approximately two hours will be required for the meeting, and you are required to attend to report on progress made since the last meeting. Kindly advise me of your availability at your soonest.

Today:

I’d like to hold another meeting of the Annual Convention Committee on Thursday 24 February from 9.30 to 11.30 am. I hope you can attend to report on the great ideas you brought up at the last meeting. Please confirm if you can join us.

Yesterday’s writing is passive and wordy, and it sounds really dull. It puts a distance between you and the reader. The way it is written also slows down understanding. Today’s writing sounds more conversational. It’s crisp, clear, transparent, and the personal context makes it more positive and interesting.

Make It Your Aim To Build Relationships

In writing, as readers can’t see or hear you, people will judge you based on what you write and how you write it. In today’s fast-paced, communication-crazy world, it’s essential to come across as a human being. If you insist on using old fashioned or redundant jargon (Please be reminded, Kindly be advised, Please find attached herewith, above-mentioned, reference and perusal, etc) you will obscure the real meaning and will not be adding any personality of your own. Make your writing positive, stimulating, and interesting; add some feeling and a personal touch. This will help people get to know the real person behind the message.

Poorly written messages reflect badly on you and your organisation. Poor writing will not clarify an organisation’s products, services, values, policies, and beliefs; it may even portray them negatively. As a result, business efficiency is lost, as are opportunities to connect and to build relationships with clients, colleagues, and collaborators.

Good writing is receiving increasing recognition as an essential business skill, and it will give you a huge advantage in today’s business world. Good writing can help you work more efficiently, build credibility, improve relationships, influence other people, win more clients, and achieve your goals.

So take another look around your workplace. Look objectively at the messages you receive, and at the messages you send. Are they full of yesterday’s jargon or today’s conversational expressions? Will they help to enhance your professional reputation or ruin it? Will they help to build relationships or break them?

Give yourself an edge in this very competitive world by getting to grips with effective writing now!

Visit the STTS Training page to find out more about Shirley Taylor’s work.

^{© 2016 Shirley Taylor. Shirley Taylor of STTS Training is a recognised leading authority on business writing and communication skills. For almost 30 years she has presented keynotes and training programmes that help people and organisations boost communication skills and develop great relationships both orally and in writing. Shirley is bestselling author of 12 books, including Model Business Letters, Emails and Other Business Documents, which has sold half a million copies worldwide and has been translated into many languages. If you would like Shirley to speak at your next event, visit www.shirleytaylor.com.
Edited by Michelle Sarthou
Image credit: Shutterstock
Reference: www.ShirleyTaylorVT.com}

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