Communication is the key for many brands out there. It is a simple way to connect with the audience and keep everything running properly within a business. Those with excellent writing skills know how to deliver the message. That is extremely important in the world of digital marketing.
Let’s find out what business writing is and how you can improve it!
Types of business writing
There are four types of business writing. So before we dive deeper into the subject, you need to learn when to use each of them.
Instructional
Instructional business writing has one goal – to teach your readers or customers how to do something new. If you are an owner of a brand, your instructional pieces can focus on the products or services that you offer. Of course, you may write about general problems and how to fix them.
Valuable content has the power to improve a reputation of a brand and turn it into a reliable source of information. Instructional texts should be easy to understand. After all, your audience might not know a lot about the subject you want to cover.
This type of writing is perfect for customer support, so make sure you have how-to articles, as well as user manuals available to your readership.
Informational
Informational business writing is very similar to instructional writing. But instead of step-by-step instructions, these pieces are highly educational. The goal is to create articles that provide more information about topics closely related to your brand.
Always include facts in your informational pieces. Also, keep everything organized. Use informational business writing for various webinars and other educative content you want to offer to your customers and audience.
Conversational
Conversational business writing is often used for daily communication. Maintaining a friendly tone is recommended. This type of writing is useful when trying to solve a problem. Therefore, keep it short and get straight to the point. Your audience will appreciate that.
You can usually see this style among your employees, but you might also notice it in invoices, announcements, etc. It is common in internal communication, but some businesses use it when hiring freelancers too.
Persuasive
Like the name suggests, persuasive business writing aims to persuade a reader to perform a specific action. It could be to purchase something or subscribe to a service, depending on the type of business. You might think that persuasive writing is similar to informational and instructional, but it isn’t. It inspires the audience to stop thinking and start doing.
Persuasive business writing is quite common in various marketing materials, newsletters, and promotional emails. These texts should be encouraging, but you need to include as many resources as possible too. Each claim should be supported by some sort of proof.
How to improve your business writing
Now that you are familiar with the four types of business writing, it is time to learn how to improve your writing style. You can use these guidelines not only for business writing but also in any form of written communication.
Write clearly
Knowing the goal of your writing is the key to communicating it as clearly as possible. So before you sit down and start typing, you need to figure out what you want to achieve with your text. Then reveal the purpose of your piece in the first paragraph.
After you start your text with the main information, organize your ideas and points so that a reader can easily find what they are looking for. It is essential when communicating with your clients and customers.
Use facts
Facts are crucial in business writing. They can make any piece more trustworthy. Of course, always list your resources. Additionally, adding charts and infographics will take your text to a whole new level.
Personal opinions are not always welcome in business writing. However, it is good to add them sometimes. Just make sure you clearly state that it is your viewpoint.
Great formatting
Charts and infographics are just one piece of excellent formatting, so use them whenever you get a chance. Additionally, pay close attention to the fonts. Your texts should be easy to read and have structure.
Don’t use fluff language and write super long texts no one would read. It is a common misconception that business writing should be extensive. Instead of hitting the word goal, do your best to communicate directly and get your message across.
Don’t forget that some readers might only scan through an article. Therefore, add headings and subheadings. Bullet points are another nifty feature you could include in the text.
Know your writing style
Business writing comes in various forms, and you need to be ready to adapt. However, you should always sound confident, especially if you are marketing a product. It shows that you are well-versed in the matter as well as reliable.
If you are writing on different platforms, make sure you maintain your brand’s writing style. For instance, some businesses prefer a more informal type of communication. They apply a friendly tone to newsletters, social media posts, and customer support.
