| Improve Your Business Writing. Clear, relevant writing keeps people coming back for more. Complicated, dull writing does the opposite: People tune out, switch off, and stay away. So whether you're drafting emails, reports, blog posts, tweets, or articles, make sure to write like a human, not a business. Start by writing in the first person whenever you can. It feels personal and inviting. For example, "We'll give you the clear, friendly home-buying advice you need," is much warmer than "Humbert & Herbert is a residential estate agent offering customers friendly, clear, and straightforward advice." Don't be afraid to start sentences with imperatives like "Get," "Download," or "Join." It makes for clearer, more engaging writing — and it's how we speak in real life. Visualize your reader and write specifically for them. Warren Buffett famously writes his company's annual letter with his sisters Doris and Bertie in mind. Finally, read your writing out loud to weed out "corporate-speak." If it sounds awkward to you, it'll probably sound the same to your readers. | | | | Today’s Tip | | Improve Your Business Writing | | Clear, relevant writing keeps people coming back for more. Complicated, dull writing does the opposite: People tune out, switch off, and stay away. So whether you're drafting emails, reports, blog posts, tweets, or articles, make sure to write like a human, not a business. Start by writing in the first person whenever you can. It feels personal and inviting. For example, "We'll give you the clear, friendly home-buying advice you need," is much warmer than "Humbert & Herbert is a residential estate agent offering customers friendly, clear, and straightforward advice." Don't be afraid to start sentences with imperatives like "Get," "Download," or "Join." It makes for clearer, more engaging writing — and it's how we speak in real life. Visualize your reader and write specifically for them. Warren Buffett famously writes his company's annual letter with his sisters Doris and Bertie in mind. Finally, read your writing out loud to weed out "corporate-speak." If it sounds awkward to you, it'll probably sound the same to your readers. | | This tip is adapted from “Writing About Business (Without Being a Bore),” by Mike Reed | | | | |  | | Newsletter | | Women at Work | | Stay informed on issues that women face in the workplace with HBR’s extensive coverage of gender and leadership research. | | | | | | | | | | | |
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