If you are in your office, take a casual look around. If you are working remotely, close your eyes and imagine everyone you work with.
You will see some of your colleagues who have rapidly risen through the ranks. While some on the other hand are slogging away without being noticed by their superiors.
Have you ever wondered why this happens? Closer examination reveals that professionals that rise through the ranks possess some skills that set them apart from their colleagues-
- They are better at business writing (PPTs, Emails, Proposals, Agreements, etc.)
- Have excellent communication skills and are great at articulating themselves
- Work long and hard (even post-work hours) to grow themselves and the business
- Keep doing Certification Courses and adding to their skill-sets at regular intervals
In this article, we are going to discuss in great detail, the first and most essential point- business writing skills.
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List of 7 Easy Steps that can help Improve your Business Writing Skills
Step 1- Note the purpose of your business writing
As a professional, you need to understand that different forms of writing require a different approach. The kind of tone you would be using in a PPT would be different from when you are sending a cold outreach email. Understand what tone, style, and purpose your business writing is intended to address. This means researching and segregating the different writing styles.
Step 2- Jot down the important pointers before you start writing
Business writing is all about maintaining a clear and consistent line of thought. When we start writing, we need to ensure that we have all the points ready so that our line of thinking does not get interrupted in between. This is a simple exercise that helps keep your business writing direct, comprehensive, and straight to the point. This helps in bringing the best ROIs.
Step 3- Enrol in a professional business writing program-
Learning so many things on your own through blogs or YouTube videos might be confusing. A better approach would be to get yourself enrolled in a business writing program that is being offered by a credible institution. A lot of good institutions offer online classes or weekend classes to working professionals to enable them to get the best learning experiences.
Step 4- Be as simplistic, direct, and clear in your business writing
A lot of people think that using big and complex words in business writing is the best approach. However, experts are of another opinion. The simpler the form of communication and thinking, the better will be the writing. This means using short, clear, and direct sentences that can be easily understood by someone reading your writing. This helps prevents doubts and issues.
Step 5- Work on your business speaking and communication skills-
Experts point out that working on both your speaking and writing simultaneously can help bring rich results to both. If you start becoming confident about your business writing, the same will start reflecting in the way you discuss issues around the business with your colleagues. Imagine writing a great presentation but not being able to articulate the same in front of people.
Step 6- Pay attention to the grammar and use software to help you
One of the core foundations of business writing is not making grammatical errors. No matter how good your proposition is, no one will be able to read beyond your grammatical mistakes. There are many grammars checking software available in the industry that can help you correct your mistakes. Writing is about building a habit, and using software will help you develop it.
Step 7- Keep practicing your business writing skills at all times
As we already mentioned, writing is all about developing a habit. The more you work and practice your business writing skills, the better you are going to become. This is why it is essential that you keep practicing it at all times. Concentrate on areas that you feel need improvement. You can also share the same with trusted colleagues who can offer feedback.
The Bottom Line
Business writing skills are an invaluable asset in the repertoire of any corporate professional. If you are good at it, you will be recognized and acknowledged for the same. If you have any other questions, you would like us to answer on business writing, let us know in the comments section below. We will be more than happy to help you