10 Tips for Better Business Writing

Business contacts moved from conversations over the phone to emails and messengers. New channels of communication appear daily and bring even more risks to spoil the relationships with potential clients, partners, employers, employees, and friends. People send you emails, remind you about it on Facebook and Linkedin, and then follow up with a phone call.  

According to EssayShark, communication skills are key to being a successful candidate and entrepreneur. Today, we are going to review for better business writing and communication. So, grab a pen and be ready to take notes. 

Call a person by a name but do not cross a line

No matter what channel of communication you choose, you must greet and introduce yourself. Connecting with people on social media seems easier due to its informal environment. However, don’t expect that a person will immediately go to your profile and analyze it. He or she doesn’t have time for this or doesn’t want to waste precious minutes on this. 

A brief introduction is a vital part of a dialogue. It sets the tone and creates the first impression. Imagine, you have received a message on Facebook from a stranger nicknamed Gan$ta Jack offering you a million-dollar deal. It looks tempting and ridiculous at the same time. On the other hand, a polite message with a quick introduction and the same offer of a business deal can be not only answered but even considered.  

Don’t forget about the personalization. Call a person by a name when you address him or her. Be extremely careful while writing the name. People can forgive you for misprinting any word except for their names. Stay away from pet forms! If the person’s profile states that he is William Adams, don’t call him Will. That is an easy way to cross a line a person has drawn. Be respectful and polite. 

Choose the right communication channel

Every communication is built on a distance. Everyone becomes irritated when a stranger invades their privacy. An email is the safest and public distance. Messengers on social media are a zone of more personal dialogue. Messengers that are assigned to a phone number are the most personal territory. When a stranger knows your number and texts you on your WhatsUp, Viber or any other app, you get really suspicious and annoyed. A telephone call is a real unpardonable intrusion. You can use it if something is on fire. According to HubSpot, email is the best channel for starting communication with a new person. 

Do not disturb people after business hours

The time of reaction depends on the channel you have chosen. An email typically offers the longest response time. You can wait for an answer until the end or the beginning of the week. It’s not a perfect variant when you have something urgent. Messengers mean that you can wait till the day ends but would like to get the information as soon as possible. A phone call demands prompt actions and responses.

Take the information above into account while sending your message. You can write an email anytime you want as the recipient will open it during business hours and answer when it’s convenient for him or her. A business call after 6 PM without a valid reason is a real claim for getting into the blacklist.

If you choose any messenger, make sure you send all the business-related matters during business hours. Even if a person simply reads your message and leaves it without a reply, you have already spoilt his evening. How? Instead of enjoying his time after work, he or she will be still thinking about the information you’ve sent. His brain will start processing the request-in.

Do not break the message

That is the main rule of messengers! Do not break your letter and start every new word or sentence from a new line. 

• Hello.
• I have an offer for you.
• Will you have time to discuss it with me?
• Hello?

Every new notification of a new message increases your chances to get into the blacklist. Always imagine that your cellphone is dying and you can write only one message. Try to put all the information into one notification of the messenger. 

Do not neglect to proofread

Put all the hurry aside and reread your message. Do not ignore the quality of the text. No one likes misprints. Moreover, they can be quite awkward. A person can’t see your facial expression, your clothes, gestures, or hear your voice. All the recipient sees is the text. Typos are like stains on clean clothes. It can be expensive, stylish, beautiful but dirty. So, try to find another minute to proofread your business writing. 

Try to be precise and emotionless

Slang words sound cheap. They might work in advertisements but not in business writing. Do not use emojis, stickers, and gifs in your first message. Be careful with exclamation marks and uppercase letters. Using Caps Lock and lots of exclamation marks looks like someone is SCREAMING!!! Uncontrollable emotions scare people in business, especially the first time they meet you.

Avoid audio and video messages

Who likes unnecessary inconveniences? Before recording an audio or video message, try to imagine the reaction of the recipient. How many extra efforts will it require? Maybe he is driving a car or does not have headphones. These types of messages are allowed when you both decide that it’s a faster and more convenient method of communication for both of you. But that’s definitely a no-go decision for the first contact. 

Group chats: more people and less unnecessary actions

When you communicate with your partners and colleagues in group chats, be even more attentive to not breaking the messages and sending them in business hours. Every useless message increases the level of irritation. If there are matters that you can solve in a mode of private correspondence, that’s the right decision. 

Group chats are created for sharing the information with all the participants. If it’s important for everyone but the message is addressed to only one person, make sure you mention his or her name.  

Introducing people to each other in group chats is another type of art. If you want to introduce two people to each inside a group dialogue, you must have their approvals first. And there are no exceptions to this. 

Think not only about your tasks but also about the recipient

Always ask your interlocutor about the preferred way of doing something. We created the language to help us come to agreements. If you know that you might need assistance after business hours, notify the person in advance. Clarity the preferred channel of communication in non-standard situations and ask if you could call in case of emergency.

Non-standard communication situations resemble negotiations with deliberate criminals. At first, you notify about your actions and only then take a step forward. 

Do not forget about common sense

The main goal of messengers is to provide a quicker response. If the correspondence is no longer efficient and leads to more questions and misunderstandings, consider arranging a phone call or a meeting. Your main goal is to find an optimal way to solve business matters with respect to everyone’s privacy and comfort zones.