What is Business Writing?

0:03What is business writing?

0:05In this video, we're going to dive into that and more.

0:07Hi there.

0:07My name's Josh.

0:08Over 10 years of experience in business writing and technical writing.

0:12I'm also a founder of Technical Writer hq.

0:14And before we dive this video, take a moment to subscribe to our

0:17channel, and that way you won't miss any of our future videos on how to

0:21become great at business writing.

0:24Now, let's go ahead and get started.

0:26So, business writing is a tool that businesses use to communicate ideas

0:30and concepts through the written word, and business writing serves

0:34multiple purposes, including informing, persuading, and promoting goodwill.

0:38Common examples of business writing, including email memos, letters, reports,

0:41and marketing material effective business writing is clear, compelling and error.

0:46And depending on the writing style and objective, you can categorize

0:50business writing into four categories.

0:52So we have instructional writing.

0:54Information writing, transactional writing, and persuasive writing.

0:59Now let's go ahead and take a look at these categories in more detail.

1:02Instructional writing provides a reader with information needed

1:05to complete a task, solve a problem, or achieve a certain goal.

1:09Documents with instructional content must break down a process into steps

1:13that a reader can understand and the language must take into account the

1:16reader's knowledge of the subject.

1:18In a scope of a task while integrating variations or potential problems.

1:23Now let's go ahead and take a look at some examples of instructional writing.

1:26We have user guides such as user manuals or troubleshooting manuals,

1:31which allow customers to use a product or solve common problems much easier

1:35by using that content in those manuals as a reference on how-to information.

1:40And here's an example of a user manual for industrial

1:43automation equipment from Bosch.

1:46Memos are short notifications of new information shared with a large group

1:51in an organization, and memos can include direct instruction or can be a

1:55reference on how to complete future tasks.

1:58Now, here's an example of a memo.

2:04Next training material includes content that helps employees and

2:07customers acquire knowledge and skill required to use a product or service.

2:11And here's an example of a training offered by Microsoft

2:15for its cloud platform, and informational writing pertains to

2:18recording business information.

2:21Accurately and consistently.

2:22This type of writing does not necessarily require action from the readers, but it's

2:26essential for keeping them up to date on the core functions of the business.

2:31In the bulk of informational writing is report writing, which is used to

2:34capture completed work record incidents.

2:38Finalize projects and act as an archive.

2:41Now, let's go ahead and take a look at some examples of informational writing.

2:44An annual report is a comprehensive report on company's activities

2:48during the proceeding year.

2:49It provides shareholders and other stakeholders with information

2:52about the company's activities and financial performance.

2:56And here's an example of an annual report from Cisco Systems.

3:02And then we have a press release, which is a formal announcement made by a business

3:05sharing newsworthy information relating to its latest business development.

3:09And the purpose of a press release is to generate media coverage.

3:13And here's an example of a press release from Rajan.

3:19And we have an employee handbook or an employee manual, which is a document

3:23given to employees by an employer.

3:25It contains employment and job related information, which employees need to know.

3:29And here's an example of one type of employee handbook from Splunk.

3:36And then we have transactional writing, which consists of day to

3:38day communication at the workplace.

3:41Now, the majority of transactional writing is done via email, but also

3:44includes official letters, forms, and invoices, and we have a dismissal notice.

3:49Which provides a necessary context and details for termination.

3:53And this is another example of this type of writing.

3:55Now let's go ahead and take a look at some more examples of transactional writing.

3:59Email is a dominant form of electronic communication used today.

4:03And here's a quick example of an email from Apple.

4:10Then we have a contract, which is a legally enforceable agreement between two

4:13or more parties that creates, defines and governs mutual rights and obligations.

4:19Here's an example of a contract between NASA and Space X.

4:26And we have an invoice, which is a legal document that at business sends

4:29a client stating the total amount of money due for work completed.

4:33It's how a business formally requests payment for a service,

4:36provides a financial record that a job was completed and can be used

4:40for tax or accounting purposes.

4:42Now, here's an example, invoice.

4:48Then we have persuasive writing, and the purpose of persuasive writing is

4:52to get the reader to take action, such as buy a product or renew a contract.

4:56Persuasive writing may be direct with a focus on a specific.

5:00Or indirect with a focus on developing the client relationship.

5:03The goal is twofold to convey information and to convince

5:07a reader that the presented information offers the best value.

5:10Now let's go ahead and take a look at some examples of persuasive writing.

5:13First, we have a grant proposal, which is a written document that aims secure

5:17financial support for a proposed project, and here's an example of a

5:21grant proposal addressed to the National Institutes of Health for research funding.

5:26And then we have a product brochure, which is a marketing instrument used

5:30from a product or service offering.

5:32And here's an example of a product brochure from bsf.

5:38And marketing copy refers to material used to educate customers

5:41about a product or service.

5:43And motivate them to buy it.

5:44And here's an example of marketing copy from TechSmith, and this is

5:47the same company that produces a video editing software that we're

5:50using to make this video in the benefits of good business writing

5:54that is clear, concise, and accurate are threefold for an organization.

5:58We have revenue growth, increased sales, so you can increase conversion

6:02rates by creating professional well-structured sales letters and

6:05proposals, grant proposals and tender responses, a well-written executive

6:10summary that conveys your key.

6:12Can't be a game changer.

6:14And clearance.

6:14Succinct, tender responses make it easy for your clients to understand your offer.

6:18While navigation aids and a logical structure make it easier for them to

6:23find the information that they need, and we also have faster time to market.

6:26The development process for new products can be complicated, lengthy, and can

6:30fail to deliver optimal outcomes.

6:33Documenting your existing process using reader focused process maps

6:37and content can highlight blockage.

6:39Unrealistic requirements and important dependencies, and these can provide

6:44a focus for a redesign process that better meets everyone's needs.

6:48Then we have detailed new product development project guides, which

6:52make it possible for everyone to use a consistent approach and assist new project

6:56managers to understand that tire scope.

6:58And one of the important things to know about scope is an

7:01efficient, controlled process.

7:03Guided by high quality documentation is essential for increasing the

7:06success rate of new product.

7:08And then we have customer retention.

7:10Big benefit here, you can improve customer attention through improved

7:13marketing communication that gets to the heart of what your customers

7:17actually need, and then cost reduction.

7:19And that comes with improved productivity.

7:21And we have SME subject matter expert.

7:24So subject matter expert productivity is increased when it takes them

7:27less time to create written.

7:29Freeing them up to do their main jobs.

7:32Engineers, scientists, IT experts, and other professionals love what

7:35they do and play a major role in the success of many different companies.

7:39Yet for many writing has often looked at as a chore that takes 'em away from

7:43their job improving SMEs writing skills.

7:46Can greatly reduce the time that they spend on writing, while better

7:50satisfying their reader's needs.

7:51And well writing content improves middle manager productivity as they

7:55have to spend less time reading, editing and reworking their teams

7:59documents, particularly reports.

8:01And improving employee writing skills can especially help them increase the success

8:05of emails, proposals, and requests.

8:07And then we have reduced customer support costs.

8:09High quality user documentation helps users solve problems on their own,

8:13which reduces the number of complaints and calls handled by customer support

8:17and high quality user documentation also helps to reduce time spent on each

8:21customer complaint as relevant, accurate, and searchable information is now

8:25available to customer facing teams, and then we have reduced employee turnover.

8:30High quality documentation.

8:31Written content can reduce employee turnover and the associated

8:34cost of recruitment, training, and learning of new hires.

8:38Now, poorly written communication is never a reason given for leaving.

8:41However, its effects and unintended effects can result in unhappy

8:46staff who are more likely to leave.

8:48So these include dealing with unhappy customers, blowouts and

8:52call times and numbers, high error rates, and a lack of accountability.

8:56Then we have risk.

8:57Which is leads to reduced accidents.

9:00Fewer accidents occur when work instructions are simple,

9:02up to day and easy to follow.

9:04And staff is more willing to read and follow procedures when it's easy to

9:07find information they're looking for.

9:09And clear procedures can reduce errors caused by ambiguous

9:12or conflicting content.

9:14And we also have reduced risk of lawsuits, well written content and documentation

9:18that contains relevant warnings, safety precautions, and accurate procedure.

9:22Helps to minimize product misuse, accidents and injuries.

9:26Therefore, good business writing mitigates the risk of lawsuits and other types of

9:30legal complications that can occur because of damages and injuries cause I inaccurate

9:36information and lack of relevant safety warnings and other benefit here.

9:40It's a prevention of loss of organizational knowledge.

9:44With high staff turnover, it is increasingly important to capture

9:48employees knowledge effectively and reduce the loss of organizational learning.

9:51The business world is highly competitive and high quality.

9:55Business Writing is a major factor that can help organizations grow and thrive,

10:00and here are 10 essential principles for effective business writing.

10:03We have clarity of.

10:05Every piece of content or business document must have a clear purpose.

10:09Whether you're writing an email or creating a marketing campaign, you

10:12need to know why you're writing it and knowing what you want to achieve with

10:15your writing makes it easier to write it down and having a clear purpose

10:19enables you to write accurately.

10:21It also makes it easier for the reader to understand your message.

10:24And the second one here is clarity of thought.

10:27Clarity of thought is essential for effective writing.

10:29You need to think about what you want to write before putting it down on paper.

10:33When your thinking is clear, it becomes easier to organize your

10:36thoughts and present them logically.

10:39And clarity of thought also helps you avoid mistakes in your writing.

10:42It also assists you in effectively structuring your document and disorganized

10:46thinking is reflected in writing.

10:48Make it difficult for the reader to understand what you're trying to convey.

10:52And therefore, before you start writing, take some time to really think

10:56about what you wanna write, and of course, identify your target audience.

10:59Every document that you write is aimed at a specific audience.

11:04It could be your supervisor, colleagues, customers, or business partners.

11:08And knowing your target audience makes it easier for you to underst.

11:12And write according to their needs.

11:14For instance, if you write a business report or a business memo,

11:18you need to use a formal tone.

11:20On the other hand, you can use a friendly and persuasive tone if

11:24you're writing a marketing email.

11:25By understanding the needs of your target audience, you can create

11:28documents that meet their expectations.

11:30You also want to use appropriate tone.

11:32The tone of your document influences a reader.

11:34You need to have an engaging tone to make your document readable.

11:37And the tone of your document also depends on the type of audience you're writing

11:40for, and you want to align the tone of your document with the purpose of writing.

11:44For instance, your tone should be persuasive and friendly.

11:46If you're writing a sales letter, on the other hand, your tone

11:49should be formal and object.

11:51If you're writing a report, that's why the use of an appropriate tone

11:54can make your documents effective and help you achieve your goals.

11:57And X is you want to use active voice because passive voice often

12:01creates unclear, less direct wordy sentences, whereas active voice creates

12:06a clear, more concise sentences.

12:09Therefore, it's vital to use an active voice in business writing, and you wanna

12:12share accurate and relevant inform.

12:15Accuracy and relevancy are crucial for written business documentation.

12:19Any false or irrelevant information can damage your credibility and reputation.

12:24Therefore, before sharing information, make sure to verify its accuracy.

12:28It's also essential to ensure that the information is relevant.

12:31Including I relevant information will only make your documents

12:34lengthy and more difficult to read.

12:36It will also distract your reader from the main message and you

12:40should work to avoid jargon.

12:42Jargon refers to special words or expressions used by a profession

12:45or group that are difficult for others to understand.

12:48Using acronyms and industry specific buzz words can make a business

12:51document complex and it can confuse a reader, and the reader might lose.

12:55Therefore, avoid jargon when writing a business document and instead use words

13:00and phrases that everyone can understand.

13:02You also wanna practice with passion.

13:04If you wanna stand among competent business writers, you need to

13:07have a passion for writing.

13:08You can improve your writing skills with regular practice, and the more you

13:12practice writing business documents.

13:14Well, the easier it will become for you to keep writing business documents

13:18that really drive their purpose home.

13:20And you wanna set aside time every day to improve your writing skills and write on

13:25different topics and in various formats.

13:27It'll help you understand the various elements of effective business writing

13:31and while practicing focus on grammar sentence structure and vocabulary.

13:35And as you keep practicing, you'll develop your own writing style and voice.

13:39You also want to use proper grammar and make your content easy to.

13:43And it's important to know proper grammar is essential for all types of business

13:46writing grammatical mistakes make your document look unprofessional and make it

13:50difficult for the reader to comprehend the message you are trying to convey.

13:54You also need to pay attention to the structure of the document and

13:57use appropriate headings bulletin list to break down the wall of text

14:01and to content that's easy to scan.

14:03And we have proofread.

14:04Proofread can help you identify errors in your writing content, and you need to

14:08proofread your content before sharing.

14:11Inside or outside your organization.

14:13And you can use tools built into word processors and content management

14:16systems to check and remove errors.

14:19You can also take help from online tools such as Grammarly to

14:23check your content for spelling, grammar, punctuation, clarity,

14:27engagement, and delivery mistakes.

14:30And there you have it.

14:31We just covered what his business writing, the types of business.

14:34The benefits of it and principles for effective business writing as well.

14:39And thank you for watching this video and sticking with me all the way to then.

14:42Again, my name is Josh.

14:43I'm the founder of Technical Writer hq.

14:45If you feel like you now have a better understanding of the topic, make sure to

14:48like this video, subscribe to our channel, and that way you'll get tons of content

14:52on how to become a better business writer.

14:54And I'll go ahead and see you in some of our following videos.

14:57Cheers.