Strong written communication skills are necessary to succeed in your line of work. So the question is – how to make written communication effective? You have to be precise and your message should be concise.
Here are 4 effective written communication tips to help you convey your message successfully, whether it’s in a memo, an email or a business letter.
Tip 1 – Choose the stationary correctly.
To be taken seriously, written communication in business is best conveyed using your business stationary. This means your business letter should be printed/written on the company’s letterhead. The same goes for memos and other forms of communication.
When using emailing, add your company’s logo to the message. Use your discretion to include other company information like office address, contact numbers, email address, etc. to your message.
Tip 2 – Use simple language.
Avoid complex words. Use simple words and short sentences to make your communication brief and to the point.
Use technical jargon only when necessary – like when you are discussing a system failure and asking the email’s recipient for technical support.
Uppercase letters on your message conveys you are SHOUTING at the recipient. So, just avoid CAPS LOCK.
Tip 3 – Well-structured message.
A well-structured message has an introduction, a body and then a conclusion, preferably one paragraph each.
You talk about the purpose of the communication in the introduction section.
You give the details in the body section, which is why it might be longer than one paragraph. But try to limit the entire communication to a single page.
And you wrap up with a summary and call-to-action in the conclusion. A call-to-action means you are asking the recipient to give you a call or email you a reply to your communication.
Tip 4 – Proofread.
Your written communication skills can improve significantly if you just remember to proofread before sending out your communication. Read carefully and use the spell check tool in your email or word processor to correct any mistakes.
Spelling and/or grammar mistakes make a bad impression on your professional image, especially when it’s written communication in business. If you are this careless to make mistakes in such simple matters, how can anyone trust you to be careful in the other aspects of your work?
With these 4 effective written communication tips, you can learn how to make written communication effective.
This concludes my series on Effective Communication Skills for Professionals, which included Business Presentation Tips, 4 Tips to Improve Body Language and finally this post, 4 Effective Written Communication Tips.
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