Business has no time for long or fuzzy words. Effective business correspondence is built on tight writing which depends on few, but hard-hitting words. Every word must convey a precise meaning that is understood in the same way by writer and reader. Use your thesaurus to replace long words with shorter, crisper ones.

Whether you are writing a prospecting letter or a report, a follow-up letter or a proposal, use the shortest, simplest word you can find to convey the meaning you want. Whether you are writing up, out or down, choose appropriate replacements for the cold and pretentious business expressions of the past. Eliminate the junk like: attached herewith please find. Instead, say exactly what you mean: I am attaching this for you. Use ordinary, everyday English–I call it shirtsleeve English–for real results.

Simplicity makes reading easy–and professional writers know that business readers want a quick, easy read. In fact, most busy readers get lost in sentences of 21 words or more. Equally important, when you go for the bigger, more impressive word, the chances are your reader will find you less impressive–not more. According to Daniel Oppenheimer, researcher and contributor to the Journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology, “Anything that makes text hard to read and understand such as unnecessarily long words or complicated fonts, will lower readers’ evaluation of the text and its author.”

In twenty years of teaching business writing workshops and polishing proposals for my corporate clients, my experience tells me it’s the people with the least education who seem driven to use the biggest words–often with the silliest results. One writer, for example, searched for an alternative to “old” and found one he liked. In his letter, he actually referred to “senile” equipment. Another writer tried to impress a CEO with this: I value your needs and I wish to have the opportunity to assist you in achieving your envisions. You may laugh, but that is a direct quote–and it isn’t funny.

Now, I am not suggesting you would make the same foolish mistakes, but the principle of writing simply and cleanly is an important one–no matter how many degrees you have or how good you are with a dictionary. Professionals don’t complicate information–they simplify it. They don’t choose a ten dollar words when a fifty cent word works better. They don’t try to dazzle with multi-syllables when short, crisp words simplify reading and improve business results.

Don’t use “as per your request” when you could say, “as you asked.” Don’t write, “despite the fact that” when you could write, “although.” Don’t go for the heavy-duty, “in reference to” when “about” works better. I’m sure you get the idea.

When you write for business, it is not your job to teach your reader a new word. Nor is it to your advantage to show off, talk down, or confuse the reader. Clarity charms. Simplicity pays. Write to express, not to impress, and you’ll find your business writing actually means business.

A good first impression makes a difference; a document that looks unreadable will probably not get read.

Just as your business clothes make a clear statement about your professionalism, so the appearance of the material you write makes a statement too. If the page is sloppy or if it looks wrong, your expertise may be questioned. If content sounds arrogant, out of date, or impossible to read, you may have unwittingly set up a negative response.

Before you send your document, take a good look at it. Does it look inviting? Or is it off-putting? The white space you see is not merely an absence of print; it leads the reader’s eye to the nearest black. If there is too much black, it looks too tough to read and readers are reluctant to plunge in.  They may set it aside, skim here and there, or simply trash it immediately. Whatever they do, you have not impressed them.

So, if there is not enough white space in your document, add some. How? Split any paragraph that is more than two and a half inches long. Use lists. Maintain good margins. Or create one wide column for text and a more narrow column for “pull quotes.” By the way, pull quotes are an ideal technique to use in dense documents because they lighten the overall look while repeating an important phrase or sentence from the text–and drawing attention to it.

Conversely, if there is too much white space, the material looks disorganized and impossible to read. Of course, you may have a paragraph that is only one sentence long. But if all your paragraphs are single sentences, the document looks like the writer doesn’t really understand what a paragraph is. Fix it.

Here’s how to improve the appearance of all your documents.

• Think of the white space as an important component of the letter or document. The margins should frame the material, and the text must not appear too dense to wade through.
• Try to keep letters to one or two pages. If you must convey a lot of information, use a cover letter and attach the information to it.
• Avoid loose odds and ends–such as a single sentence on a second page.
• Use lists to efficiently move the reader’s eye through information and to add white space.
• Keep paragraphs to a maximum of four sentences. In a letter, remember to close with a separate paragraph “Call for Action”; do not write a one-paragraph letter.

What you say is important to the reader only if they bother to read. When you make your material look easy to read, it will actually get read. When your document looks accessible, it is.  The truth is, whether we like it or not, appearance counts.

What is an effective business organization? The answer to this is quite broad and diverse. But there is one aspect of business operations that is often neglected. This is business writing.

Effective business communication is important in the daily operation of a company. Moreover, it can dictate whether the company earns or loses money. In addition, it affects the business organization at different levels from the individual up to the corporate leaders.

1. To convey information

The essential role of business writing in an organization is to share information. Whether it is the latest sales statistics or sale projection, a business plan, a marketing proposal, proper communication of data is essential. The success of a business organization depends on the quality of information that passes through its people.

2. To justify an action

Another reason why people communicate is to justify or explain an action. One example to this is writing an incident report. The person explains what happened so that the company can understand an event better. Justifications and explanations require that the author put as much detail as possible to communicate his thought clearly.

3. To influence action

Business writing is often a way to influence other people. A good example of this is presenting a business proposal, a marketing plan or a project proposal. By detailing pertinent information, the author seeks to affect the decision. Influencing others is a hallmark of effective business communication.

4. To deliver good or bad news

The workplace is a dynamic place. It offers employees both good and bad news on a daily basis. Through proper business communication, the bad news is properly written to soften the blow. Likewise, good news is highlighted just to give emphasis. This can range from getting a pay raise to sharing the company’s achievements. On the other hand, this can offer grim realities like suspensions, or even layoffs.

5. To direct action

Lastly, effective business writing aims to direct the reader to the right actions. Many company documents like SOP manuals, employee handbooks, technical instruction manuals and the like offer explicit information. In order for a corporate correspondence to direct the action of the employee, it must be clear and concise. Unfortunately, many failures in communication result due to unclear and conflicting statements.

Having these 5 reasons of corporate correspondence in mind, an author can effectively write business communication. Furthermore, the proper writing style stems from a clear and effective business writing purpose.