Business Writing Basics for Professionals

Learn to write effective business correspondence and learn advanced techniques through interactive and interesting exercises.

You can be successful in business and in every area of life by learning to communicate correctly and powerfully. Most people in the business world write emails or letters on a daily basis. Some also write occasional reports, meeting summaries, minutes, and other business correspondence. This article discusses ways to create business documents that say what you mean and achieve the results you want. It not only covers the basics of improving your writing skills but also explores ways to achieve the right result from your written correspondence.

Learn how to: structure business documents effectively, avoid common grammatical mistakes, and write in a clear and concise style.

Academic Questions on business Writing

Write Business Letter

Read the case and answer questions, write a business letter to a potential client.

You are a salesperson for a company and your job is to get new clients. You find out several local businesses that have poorly designed website.  Write a draft business letter to one of the businesses and ask if they need help to redesign their website.

Explain how important a website is for a business, and tell them how your company can help them. Once you have drafted the email you must obtain approval from the sales manager before sending the email.  You must use your company style sheet for all written communication

Write Meeting agenda

Read the case and answer questions, write a meeting agenda using the company template.

You work as an administration assistant at company. Your manager wants you to organize a staff meeting for all staff, including inviting the staff by email and sending them the meeting agenda. (Assume all details about the meeting including date, time, location, attendees, speakers, and agenda items). Adhere to the company policy, procedure, and guidelines for communication.

More Tips to Improve Business Writing

Techniques to improve your writing:

• Keep in mind whom you’re writing to – and why.
• Make an outline to begin with that saves you hours in wasted time down the line.
• Identifying your own natural writing style to take advantage of your strengths

Resources to help you improve

– Pre-Writing Strategies That Work Every Time

* Resources that will help you sound like you know what you’re talking about (even when you don’t!)

– Secrets to Writing On-Target E-mails

* The 7 most common mistakes that people make when writing an e-mail … and how to avoid them

* How to double-check your e-mail for tone and clarity

* Tips for writing shorter e-mails that still get your full message across

* Everything you need to know about e-mail etiquette

* Smart tips for presenting complex information in your e-mails

* Should you e-mail? Situations where e-mailing is inappropriate

* Why you must always write a clear subject line

* How the 7 C’s of Effective Business Writing apply to e-mails

* 3 things all good e-mail messages have in common.

– Special Section on Grammar Basics That We Promise Will Be Short!

* Simple pain-free grammatical rules that everyone has to follow to write well

* The top 10 most common mistakes everyone else makes that you never will!

* Side-splitting real-world examples of business writing gone badly!

* Why you should never “write like ya talk”!

– Mastering the Writing Process and Utilizing Your Personal Style

* Finding your “voice” and nailing it down (professional vs. casual, serious vs. humorous)

* Proper word choice that compels your reader to read further

* Avoiding lazy language that puts your reader to sleep

* Creating flawless transitions in your work

* Tips to keep your sentences and paragraphs concise, focused, and flowing.

– Writing Powerfully and Persuasively for Any Situation

* Persuasion techniques that will strengthen every e-mail letter, memo, or proposal

* Presenting your ideas strategically in print

* Using a critical eye to make sure you’re presenting your ideas logically

* Selling products, services, and ideas while bolstering customer confidence

– Post-Writing Techniques to Clean Up Your Writing

* The “red pen test” for getting to the point

* Why you shouldn’t become too dependent on writing software and templates

* The real trick to writing is knowing when to stop: Eliminating wordiness

* Simple proofreading and editing tips for writing perfection

* Using the “Altitude Test” to determine your document’s level of readability

* Cutting the length of your memos – and doubling their impact on your readers!

– Troubleshooting Common Writing Problems

* Tactics you can use to clarify and organize your thoughts when you’re writing under a fast-approaching deadline

* How to “whip out” high-quality writing at a moment’s notice when your boss “wants it NOW!”

* Brainstorming tricks anyone can use when they’re stuck on what to say

* Overcoming writer’s block that makes the Great Wall of China look wimpy!