Can Anyone Understand You?


Can Anyone Understand You? The Top 10 Mistakes in Business Writing

November/December 2007  Print

Do your clients really know what your emails mean? Does your boss understand your draft proposal? With ever increasing pressure to communicate effectively and a sharp rise in the number of ways we communicate, it’s no wonder you might be lost. Learn the tricks behind effective business writing.

Heading: New Business Writing Course - Mightier than the Sword

The written word is a powerful way to communicate.

However, many professionals fail to develop effective business writing skills.

Being a learning institution, we understand that there are many forms to receive information, speech is one way we learn, however in today’s information-rich society, knowledge is the single most important resource and the written word is the way most people gain their knowledge. It can deliver your competitive edge.

The proliferation of the internet, email and blogs has driven our quest to gain knowledge further, yet with all of this clutter, how can you be heard?

Communication for your Business in the Digital Age
Good communication is the foundation of good relationships. The ability to write clearly and concisely is essential to get your message across.

DDLS in December will launch Business Writing Essentials, a course designed to provide professionals from any industry with the skills they need to communicate effectively in written form.

Top 10 Common Mistakes in Business Writing
To help get you started, here are 10 of the most common mistakes to look out for when writing and how to avoid making them.

  1. Inadequate planning. Identify what the objectives of the written communication are and relate this to your audience.

  2. Lack of audience awareness. The audience is always discerning and disrespecting them through your language will be the fastest way to get them off side.

  3. Poor understanding of subject matter. You need to understand what you’re writing about before you begin to write.

  4. Poor grammar. Common mistakes include “is” vs “are”, industry-specific jargon not appropriate to audience, redundant words and clichés.

  5. Verbosity. Why use 20 words to say something when you can say it in five? Write tight to keep your audience captivated.

  6. No evidence. Try to use evidence to back up your point; show, don’t tell.

  7. Generalisations. Say what you mean when making your point, don’t rely on the audience’s understanding of the issue.

  8. Passive voice. Write actively to use fewer words and encourage audience interest.

  9. Poor sentence structure. Maximise sentence flow with a logical flow of ideas.

  10. Incorrect tone. Show an understanding of your audience through appropriate writing, address your audience directly.

For more information on the Business Writing Essentials course, contact your Account Manager or the DDLS Customer Care Centre on 13 12 01.