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.
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:
Be concise
Less is more
Unlike school, you should never try to meet a word count
Get to the point
Business writing is meant to convey information. It’s not meant to entertain
Be careful not to meander or add fluff when it’s not necessary
But don’t be boring
Being concise and getting to the point is important, but don’t lose your reader
Keep the reader's attention through stories and examples
Know Your Customer
Keep your audience in mind
Know when to be more formal and when to be more casual
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.