Sep 28, 2007
Top Ten Tips: Writing for the non-writer
Often my clients, or even friends in business, will ask me for tips that will allow them to easily adapt their writing styles for external communications with clients, boardmembers and other parties they conduct business with. While there are no hard and fast rules for the best way of communicating in all written formats, these are my top tips to improve (or hone) your message.
1. Know (and remember) your audience
What you want to tell your boardmembers about a new product should be presented vastly differently to what you want to tell your clients or customers. While boardmembers have a vested interest in your company, clients or customers need to be coaxed. What you can assume your boardmembers know in regards to the background of your company, the reasons for your latest expansion or even staff changes, you cannot assume of external stakeholders. Clients and customers may need more background; don’t assume that because it’s up on your website they suddenly know all about it when you email them a newsletter this month. Sometimes we forget somewhere in the middle of our communication with external stakeholders that they don’t have all the information, and by not giving it to them we can’t expect them to understand what’s really important: how this news impacts on them, what it means for their interest and why they should even be reading you communication with them. That doesn’t mean inundating them, often it simply means sending information in more concise packages more frequently, tailoring communication to them better, or offering information in a way which clearly signposts where they can access further information if they are interested.
2. Think about your own reading habits and likes/dislikes
While we all have our own pet hates when it comes to how we digest information, there are lots of things that are common to most of us. Think about the things that make you hit delete on an email newsletter, or throw a brochure in the recycle bin without even reading it. Hate it when you can’t read the message for the messy HTML code all over your screen? Remember to coordinate with your IT department (or resident geek) to check that your message is going to present itself exactly as you’re imagining. Sick of receiving generic emails from a company you do business with? Consider how to make your message more personal, or to acknowledge that while the email is meant to be received widely, it isn’t masquerading as a one-on-one email. My personal pet-peeve in this department is blatant sales hype sent in a flurry over a short period of time. I don’t want to read flashing text about your latest savings sent every day for a week to my inbox. How about trying a professional, informative approach that is targeted to appeal to me once on its merits?
3. Formalities and flexibility
I’m often asked how formal or informal communication in forms such as newsletters, annual reports, sales brochures or advertising should be. Obviously the answer depends, but there are usually a few questions to ask yourself that should make the answer clear. How formal is your business usually? A surf shop with young, local residents as its market can clearly afford to take a few liberties. Is this a new contact you are hoping to reach? If you haven’t had the chance to gauge your audience, it’s often safer to err on the side of caution and be more ‘formal’ than you usually would. That doesn’t necessarily mean changing your style drastically, just stepping it up a little is usually a good idea. Your communication is designed to impart a message, and how you go about imparting that message shouldn’t deviate too far from the manner in which you conduct your business as a general rule. There’s no point mis-representing what you are or how you operate.
4. Don’t underestimate your abilities
Why do you feel like you need advice on writing? Chances are as a busy professional you spend all day communicating in some form or another, and if you’re still in business you’re probably doing pretty well with it. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn, we can all hone some aspects of our skills set, but don’t forget that even if writing advertising materials, annual reports or website content isn’t the main component of your job, that doesn’t mean you don’t already have handy skills at the ready to apply to the job. This isn’t learning a new skill from scratch, it’s adapting the talents you already have.
5. Don’t sweat the words, what is it that you want?
Too often we focus on what we feel we have to say to our readers, when really what we should be thinking about is why we are trying to talk to them in the first place. Are you sending them a sales brochure for them just to look at? Probably not. Your aim is more likely to be to convert a lead into a sale. If that’s the case, your sales brochure needs to be designed to sell, rather than serve as a simple list of services. Consider each element and whether it achieves your aim. Will this page header help me sell this product? When compiling and writing an annual report, what is your purpose? To provide the neccessary information to stakeholders about your last reporting period? Focusing on clear, concise information that reaches these aims should be your goal, rather than diversions such as over-written paragraphs on company history.
6. It’s going to have an audience eventually, so why not try it to a friendly one first?
If you’re unsure about your writing, don’t think twice about seeking a second opinion. Asking for feedback will often bring you helpful advice that you are too close to your project to see. In your early attempts at a new form of communication I would consider it vital to run your work past a few people to see if your message is as clear in the reading as it was in the writing. Further to that, consider hiring a copywriter or subeditor to work with you on a second draft. Putting your own material together first, then taking it to a ‘professional’ for revision will allow you to see how they craft and change what you have given them. This is a great way to learn how you can approach the task next time, and will probably give you the confidence you need to tackle bigger and better tasks. Alternatively, if you can afford to hire a writer in the first place there is no shame in doing so. I don’t try to redesign my website and expect it to look as slick as Apple, and writers will often achieve better results in less time than it would take you, therefore saving yourself time and money.
7. Concise and consistent
The most fundamental rule for all communications, written or otherwise, is pretty straighforward. Keep it simple, stupid. After writing your first draft, put it down, turn your mind to another task and come back with a fresh mind later. On second reading, focus on what the writing can afford to lose. You’re not writing a novel, so there is no need for flowery prose. Even if you have a full page advertising spot lined up, doesn’t mean you should fill it. We’re all time poor, and if you can’t get your message accross fast with as few pointed words as possible chances are your audience will not give you the chance to meander around to your point. If you can’t hone in on what you are trying to convey to your readers, they are not going to be able to understand your message.
8. Get personal.
Just as your message should be tailored to reach a particular audience, the audience should also understand who is sending the message. Don’t hesitate to send a sales brochure with a section which has a message from your company director. A business doesn’t read your email newsletter, a person does, so why should a generic business email address and format send it to them. Your newsletter should come from a person within your company, who a potential client can connect to. They should have contact details for them, and feel as if the communication has been written by someone within your organisation, rather than a faceless company.
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