Businesses can lose money due to poor writing that wastes time and alienates customers. To get our message across, we need to use clear and concise writing that makes it easier for people to take the action we want them to take or to understand the point we’re trying to make.

My colleague, Leslie Jones, and I teach a writing class at our state agency to help employees develop clear messages. We’ve created the following tips for clear and concise writing to improve emails, letters, and other types of business writing.

1. Avoid bureaucratic and overly formal language

We should write conversationally so our audience understands us. To reach a general audience, write to a 9^th grade level. We should also use layman’s terms, not professional jargon.

Some phrases to avoid include:

• As per your request                                                                                                       
• In accordance with                                                                         
• Regarding the matter of                                                              
• Please be advised
• Thank you in advance for your cooperation

2. Use simple words

You can replace many wordy phrases with a simpler word that means the same thing. For example:

Instead of:                                          Use:

with regard to                                   about

in many cases                                    often

due to the fact that                         because, due to

in order to                                           to

for the purpose of                           for

You can also simplify complex words. Fox example:

Instead of:                          Use:

sufficient                             enough

additional                            more

approximately                   about

demonstrate                     show

purchase                             buy

3. Trim unnecessary words

Repetition is another obstacle to keeping things simple. Sometimes writers find more than one way of saying the same thing in a sentence or phrase. For example:

Instead of: The month of December might possibly prove more productive than expected.

Use: December might prove more productive than expected.

You can eliminate “The month” and “possibly” because they are repetitious and add nothing to the sentence’s meaning.

Here’s another example:

Instead of: Please note that you must complete this form within a period of three weeks.

Use: Please complete this form by March 2.

4. Use active (vs. passive) voice

Voice refers to how a verb is used in a sentence. In a sentence written in the active voice, the subject performs the action. In the passive voice, the subject is acted upon. For example:

Passive voice: The report was written by Jerry.

Active voice: Jerry wrote the report.

The active voice is dynamic. It‘s clear, you know who performed the action, and it uses fewer words. The passive voice is wordy, indirect, and can muddle the meaning.

5. Clarify with formatting

Formatting can improve the readability of your text. Use:

1. ·Bolding for
2. ·Bullets for lists
3. ·Numbering for steps
4. ·Short paragraphs for easy reading
5. ·Headers to separate long sections

6. Proof your text

This last step is easy to overlook in the rush to finish a document. My agency once distributed a document with a typo in the phone number. When customers called the number, they reached an adult entertainment line. Set aside time to proof your text. This includes:

• Double-check figures, dates, phone numbers, Web URLs, correct spelling of names
• Use spell checker, a dictionary, and other resources like style guides
• Read out loud to hear errors
• Have a coworker or supervisor proof for you
  

Businesses can lose money due to poor writing that wastes time and alienates customers. To get our message across, we need to use clear and concise writing that makes it easier for people to take the action we want them to take or to understand the point we’re trying to make.

My colleague, Leslie Jones, and I teach a writing class at our state agency to help employees develop clear messages. We’ve created the following tips for clear and concise writing to improve emails, letters, and other types of business writing.

-Submitted by Renee Eymann, Public Information Specialist for the Idaho State Tax Comission