Ten Tips to Simplify Your Business

Correspondence
--By Linda Elizabeth Alexander

You write to express, not to use every word in the
dictionary. Here are ten tips for using those words to
make your writing clearer.

1. Simplify language
Avoid using big or vague words. Use fewer words, but
make them count.

2. Shorten sentences
Business people don't have time to read 10-page letters.
Cut out run-on sentences. Eliminate extra words as long
as it doesn't change the meaning. You can also combine a
short and a longer sentence into one to remove extra
words.

3. Use active voice
Instead of, "A good time was had by all," say, "We had a
good time." This changes the subject from "good time" to
"we." It also puts emphasis on the verb, making the
statement stronger.

4. Use present tense
Stick to the present tense wherever you can. Also make
sure you don't switch tenses in the middle of a
sentence.

5. Use bullets where appropriate
Since people have little time to read, put important
points in a numbered or bulleted list. This makes it
easier to scan so your readers get the meaning without
reading every word.

6. Never use exclamation points in business writing!
Unless you're writing an advertisement or an excited
letter to a friend, skip the wow factor! It doesn't
belong in a memo, report, letter, or other serious-toned
business writing!

7. Eliminate jargon
Avoid it at all costs if your audience will not
understand it. It will be like a foreign language to
them, and your point is to make your writing clearer -
not more complicated.

8. Avoid fragments and one word sentences
A fragment. Is an incomplete sentence. No subject or no
verb. Really.
A complete sentence has both a subject and a verb and
contains at least two words. "She walked" is a sentence
because it meets all three criteria.

9. Proofread your writing
You know to use your spelling and grammar checkers. But
you should also go over your writing yourself -- the
spell checker cannot distinguish between "to" and "too"
or "their" and "there." It can't tell you if you said
"and" where you meant "an." If possible, get somebody
else to read it before handing it in. Two sets of
eyeballs are better than none.

10. Avoid repetition and redundancy!

Use these tips every time you write and you will avoid ten
common mistakes that cloud your writing.

***
Linda Alexander is a business writer and marketing consultant
Specializing in web and sales copy. Be heard and understood!
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