Ten Business Writing Tools

Top Ten Tips for More Powerful Business Writing
Is good writing a lost art? Has our society turned the corner on caring about correct grammar, punctuation and syntax? In some areas, yes, and in others it’s still a concern; I hope you’re in the latter category. To do something well you need an incentive, whether it’s an inner desire or an outer reward; it could be both. When you practice good writing habits daily they become rote; you recognize the correct way to write. This Top Ten Tips for Exceptional Business Writing is a list of some of the top tools to help you gather, recognize and implement good writing techniques until they become habit.
1. Write for the reader. Before you start an e-mail, report, proposal, memo, ask yourself about the readers’ language, vocabulary and knowledge. Is it the same as yours? If not, then be more explicit about your information: leave out acronyms, euphuisms and internal slang. Give the reader concrete, complete and comprehensive information; you want them to know exactly what they need to do as a result of your communication.
2. Write in complete sentences. A sentence constitutes one to 21 or more words. An average sentence in business writing is 10-12 words; in technical writing it’s 16-21 or more. Most of us are used to shorter sentences; the shorter and more succinct, the better for the reader. Sentence fragments – a written thought that doesn’t have a subject, verb and object – only confuse and frustrate the reader.
3. Use active voice. Active voice is more powerful, shorter and more to the point than passive voice. In active voice the subject acts, in passive voice the subject is acted upon. E. g.: Active voice. Marlene wrote the memo. Passive voice: The memo was written by Marlene. Rid your sentences of “by” and use the noun, pronoun or proper name after it as the subject; start you sentence with the noun, pronoun or proper name. The files were tossed by the janitor? Active or passive? How would you make it active?
4. Correct grammar is imperative. Understand that the subject must agree in gender and number with the verb. Identify indefinite pronouns and use a singular verb with them. E.g.: Each, every, everyone, either, neither, someone, somebody are always singular. Everyone of the employees is getting new

© Copyright 2012 Dee Dukehart
Top Ten-business writing – page two
software . Each of the players is ready for the play-offs. Neither Jim nor Sarah is available for the meeting. These may sound awkward, and they are correct. Follow the rule. If you aren’t certain of what to write, then use “all” instead of each, every, everyone. All of the employees are…. All of the players are....
5. Correct punctuation shows you know the rules.
1) Periods and commas stay inside quotation marks – always.
2) Semi-colons and colons stay outside quotation marks – always.
3) Exclamation marks and question are fickle.
4) Singular possessives have an “apostrophe s”:
a. My car’s engine
b. The computer’s mouse
c. Our client’s report
5) Plural possessives have “s apostrophe.”
a. Our cousins’ vacation
b. The lawyers’ advice
c. The Joneses’ invitation
6) It’s and its. It’s is a contraction for it is. Its is the possessive.
a. It’s going to rain.
b. The box and its contents
6. Correct word usage speaks loudly.
The biggest victim I see: Your instead of you’re.
“Your” is the possessive pronoun: Your book, your car, your health, your job. “You’re” is a contraction for “you are.” I hope you’re going with me. They understand you’re going to be late. It’s never: I hope your going with me. They understand your going to be late.
7. Your verbs are the most powerful. Use your 50,000-word vocabulary to write with strong verbs. Re-read some of your reports to see how many auxiliary verbs - is, was, were, has, have, will, were, etc. you used and change them to a strong verb, or a verb that the reader can “see.”
8. Edit. Make your writings more pleasing to the eye.
• Use bullets – even in e-mails – to help the reader along.
• Write in paragraphs instead of one long missive.

© Copyright 2012 Dee Dukehart * Dee@DeeDukehart.com * www.DeeDukehart.com
Top Ten-business writing – page three

8 - edits – cont.
• Pare down longer sentences.
• Tell the reader exactly what you want him/her to do.
• When answering, cut/paste the sentence or question in an e-mail you refer to.
• Are your points clear?
• Did you give them all the information?
9. Proof:
• Spelling of small words as well as proper names
• Re-read both the subject line in an e-mail and the re: in a memo.
• Grammar and punctuation
• Dates and times
• Information in all written communication
10. Use concrete wording.
Ask yourself if you can “see” what you’re writing? If you can’t “see” it – put a picture of the information in your mind – then nor can the reader. Paint a picture for your readers. Use descriptive words, analogies, similes, and/or examples. The easier it is for the reader the better response for you.
Here’s to more powerful and exceptional writings.

Dee Dukehart runs Sandbox Communications, an international communications consulting business. She helps individuals, teams and companies improve their business strategies and bottom line with more powerful presentations, business writing and communication. To have her help your bottom line and you, contact: Dee@DeeDukehart.com * www.DeeDukehart.com * 303-753-1111