Use Business Writing To Advance Your Career

Defining Business Writing + How to Become a Better Business Writer

This is essay 4 of 7 for The Tech Progressive. Join the conversation in the build_ Discord.

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Business writing is writing used to effectively communicate in a professional setting.

When I think of business writing:

• I think of a VP writing an internal email to align her team before a tight deadline.

• I think of an early-stage founder writing a blog post to highlight a new product release.

• I think of a scrappy salesperson writing a cold email to land a new client.

• I think of a public company CEO writing a shareholder letter.

• I think of a college student creating a professional blog to network their way into their first job.

With work becoming more flexible and more remote, effective written communication is more important than ever.

As more of our professional identities move online, building an online presence through writing has asymmetric upside.

As a professional, effective written communication can help you win customers, meet a tight deadline, set the expectations of stakeholders, and land a new role.

Here’s how to become a better business writer:

1. Be concise

   1. Less is more

   2. Unlike school, you should never try to meet a word count

2. Get to the point

   1. Business writing is meant to convey information. It’s not meant to entertain

   2. Be careful not to meander or add fluff when it’s not necessary

3. But don’t be boring

   1. Being concise and getting to the point is important, but don’t lose your reader

   2. Keep the reader's attention through stories and examples

4. Know Your Customer

   1. Keep your audience in mind

   2. Know when to be more formal and when to be more casual

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Ultimately, the best way to learn how to become a better business writer is to practice. With these tips in mind, take the next step and start to publish.