I recently attended a business workshop that felt more like a mad scientist’s laboratory. As a business writing coach, I’m always looking for ways to improve PowerPoint presentations for my seminars and webinars. And this presenter sure knew how to make PowerPoint come alive—his clips were amazing. What he didn’t know how to do was teach. He kept turning dials on his equipment and playing dazzling, though puzzling, examples of his work. When we asked for more details about how to do this ourselves, he asked if we wanted to see another clip!

He was oblivious to our needs. He fell into the trap where so many experts languish—failing to understand Beginner Mind.

While this was an extreme example, the issue of Beginner Mind pops up daily in our business writing. It’s so easy to write over the heads of our readers. In journalism, we are taught to assume “the reader knows nothing.” We are our readers’ pipeline to new information, and as we learn from our research and interviews., we must consciously work to remember Beginner Mind as we write.

The same is true in the business world. Over the years, we gain information and insights that eventually become second nature to us. We forget what it feels like to not know (what the Heath brothers call the “curse of knowledge” in Made to Stick). When we fail to consciously consider our readers’ level of understanding, we stop communicating—and start pontificating. And just like my mad scientist, we infuriate our audiences. (Normally well-mannered people shouted at him, begging him to talk to us, not at us.)

To achieve effective business writing, try to recall what it was like before you were introduced to the concepts you’re writing about. Now write to your readers from that perspective. If you’re writing to your support staff, make sure you know what they’re thinking, not what you want them to be thinking. If you’re writing to clients, get on their wave length. If you’re writing to potential customers, get back to Beginner Mind and write to them from that perspective (not your expert mind). This technique is at the heart of creative business writing because if you’re not connecting with your audience, it doesn’t matter how interesting your content is. You’ve lost them.

You may not realize how many people trash hard-to-read documents. I was shocked when scores of students freely confessed they simply hit “delete” if something looked too boring or too dense. (In the case of my mad scientist, people packed up and headed home long before his talk [to himself] was over.)

To write effective business writing, look out for the following signs of baffling business writing:

1. Using jargon. Ugh! This is so 20^th century. Cut that stuff and write in plain English.
2. Talking too much about what you know instead of what your readers need to learn.
3. Writing too many big words. Impress them with what you have to share—not your vocabulary.
4. Failing to effectively organize your content. Start methodically rather than jumping around like, well, a mad scientist.
5. Leaving acronyms unidentified. AMA, for example, could represent about a dozen different organizations.
6. Getting lousy results. Try again, only this time, write to your readers.

If you’re not getting the results you need from your business writing, let’s talk. I offer a 20-minute free consultation with absolutely no obligation—just tips and tools to help you navigate the business writing process.

1.  E-mail subject lines

Is your skills about to expired?

The fix
Boring subject lines (and sloppy ones like the one above) won’t get your e-mail opened—and they reflect poorly on you. When you write subject lines for your business e-mails, think like a newspaper headline writer. Borrow from the brilliance of journalists who’ve spent years perfecting the art of attracting attention. For more inspiration, head over to your favorite newsstand and check out the cover lines (the teasing headlines on magazine covers). Some tricks of the trade you’ll find include:

1.   How-to: How to write like a pro in six easy steps
2.   Why: Why CEOs fail
3.   Questions: Do you need a tuneup?
4.   Statements: Creative business writing can distinguish you in a crowded marketplace
5.   Numbers: Seven Ways to …; Eight Tips for …; 10 Steps to …
6.   Controversy: Is creative business writing dead—or just on life support?
7.   Alliteration: Businesses borrow to better their bottom line

2.  E-mail sales proposal
If you are looking for articles with 100% original content then you have come to the right place. Here at Article Alliance we have been running an article writing service for the past few months now. Already we have been inundated with orders.  Whatever you need your article wrote about you will get exactly what you want and need with the help of our team.   

The fix
1. Nothing sounds worse than the wrong verb tense or subject/verb disagreement.
2. If you’re going to brag, make it sound more convincing than “we have been running an article writing service for the past few months.” Wow! In business since 2012!
3. Punctuation:
- 100 percent (spell out unless working on a financial or scientific document).
- “article-writing service” is a compound adjective that needs a hyphen to help readers understand.
- Introductory phrases usually require a comma after them.
4. Concise: Lots of extra words in this paragraph.
5. Cliché: “you have come to the right place.”

Are you looking for articles with 100 percent original content? At Article Alliance, we help you enjoy the benefits of professionally written articles without having to write them! Our team works with you to deliver exactly what you need.

3.  Sales proposal
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  This is a very common remark from many who have the responsibility of maintaining a company’s reliance on wireless technology. With a primary focus on maintaining functionality while keeping costs down, many times the importance of new software technology is overlooked.

The fix
This starts with a cliché, but it works here because the writer is lamenting how often she hears this worn-out phrase. But the next sentence is passive and convoluted. And in the third sentence, the introductory phrase is left dangling without anyone or anything modifying it. The benefit of investing in new software needs to be clearly stated.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That familiar expression sums up the IT policy at many companies today. They think they’re keeping costs down, but are they? Too often, they overlook the importance of new software technology that can save them money in the long term.

Do you think it’s OK to use clichés? What about passive voice? When do you prefer passive to active?

Refresh your memory about hundreds of grammar and punctuation issues with The Writer’s Companion: Quick answers to common questions to help your writing—and career—soar. This easy-to-use e-book covers the most-common errors I see every day. It also includes tips and tools that help you write faster, stronger, better so you get the results you want.

I recently found myself high atop my soapbox. I was teaching a class in business writing, and we were deep into a discussion about whether friendly e-mails were professional or not. I said yes. Many in the class said no.

I was bereft. I actually felt a sharp pang in the center of my chest. How did we get to a place where friendly had no place in professional writing? What did it say about our business culture that these two attributes couldn’t coexist?

I tried to offer a nuance. Perhaps, I asked, they meant “too familiar” instead of “friendly.”  That made sense to me. Writing “How’re you doing?” to someone you don’t know or popping off a “Thanks, Joe!” to a client before he’s signed an e-mail with his first name—that might be too familiar even in our increasingly casual culture.

No, they said, that was different. They continued to try to convince me. “It was nice to see you yesterday,” “Have a great weekend,” or “It would be great if you could send that by this afternoon”—instead of “Please send by this afternoon”—were unprofessional.

Where does this come from? Some people have trouble expressing their feelings, so maybe they were in charge when our so-called professional standards were set. And, of course, some people abuse their power, which leads us to the same sorry state of affairs.

As I felt my voice rise and my face burn, I told myself to climb down from the soapbox. I’d made my case, and they would follow whatever path felt right for their business writing. But I hope they’ll think about this important issue in the future.

There’s a question floating around the media in the wake of our financial meltdown: What is the economy for? I’d like to add the question: What is business communication for? It’s not just to bark orders and demand action—it’s to communicate, which comes from the Latin for “to share.” And that sounds pretty friendly to me.

Where do you draw the line with friendly and professional business writing? Why can’t we be both?

Learn how to write attention-grabbing, traffic-building business communication of all kinds. We’ve got on-demand webinars and books about writing professional (and friendly!) blogs, articles, proposals, sales materials, books, to name a few.

Storytelling in business writing is a hot topic, in part because we now know how powerful stories are. MRI tests, for instance, have proven that our brains light up more creatively when we hear or read stories. And we’ve learned that stories make our messages stick because they tap into our emotions, where we buy and buy in.

Of course, journalists have known this for decades. It’s in our DNA that stories make information more interesting and memorable. So, I’m excited that stories are increasingly welcomed in the workplace. Goodness knows we need to make our business writing more creative. Now that we’re writing more than ever (so many texts, e-mails, tweets, blogs, articles!), we need to make our messages stand out.

Stories can do that.

One of the best ways to develop your storytelling skills is to read the New York Times. Last week, I read an essay by Dan Barry about growing up a Yankees fan when, hard as it is to imagine, they hovered around the cellar. Barry’s essay is a work of art that made me involuntarily clutch it to my heart when I finished reading. Check it out: The Damned Yankees.

When you’ve read it a few times (once just isn’t enough), explore why this piece is so powerful. Deconstruct it from every angle: how does he start, how does he finish, how does he keep his middle from sagging? You’ll learn a lot about storytelling simply by poring over his genius.

When you tell stories in your business writing, you’ll set yourself apart. Most business writers still overlook this easy and fun way to engage their readers. And when you tell more stories, your business writing becomes more effective. You’ll not only increase your results, respect, and revenues, you’ll make your business writing more creative. And for that, I salute you!

What stories do you tell at work? How do you incorporate them into your business writing? What results have you enjoyed?

This winter, sunny California has lived up to its name, which means spring fever arrived early. After a recent business-writing meeting, I couldn’t resist strolling Oakland’s College Avenue to check out the colorful shops. In one of my favorites, I got a good laugh from a pack of sticky notes featuring a woman holding up a file folder with the headline: “File under ‘Who cares?’”

On the way home, though, I wasn’t laughing when I thought about how fat that file would be today. About 80 percent of all business writing could be filed under that category.

What a waste of time, effort, and most of all, potential.

Time: Even 10 minutes spent on writing filed under “Who cares?” is a waste for the writer and the reader.

Effort: I’m sure that most of the people turning out “Who cares?” documents want their business writing to be more effective, but they honestly don’t know how. They’re already discouraged by their results, and their motivation takes another hit with every “Who cares?” reaction.

Potential: Here’s the real kicker—lost sales, missed opportunities, and flagging spirits. They all happen when our business writing doesn’t generate the interest it should.

OK, so what’s the antidote? What can you do to make your readers care? Try the one-two punch:

1. Write to them not at them.

-   Share stories, benefits, and results through your readers’ eyes. What do they care about? Use that as your focus rather than what you want to tell them. You’ll still get your points across—but they’ll be framed from your readers’ perspective.

-   Engage them. Use the word “you” often. It’s a proven magnet that keeps people reading.

2. Get [a little] creative.

I added that “little” qualifier because people freeze at the word “creative.” Don’t. There are so many easy ways to be more creative. And besides, since most people are slapping together their business writing, you can stand out with just a few creative touches. (Don’t worry about these in your early drafts. Add them in your editing phase.)

Here are four easy ways to be more creative:

-  Paint pictures with similes: Introduce new ideas in your business writing by comparing them to something familiar; use like and as to connect the new with the familiar. For example: Our services are like an a la carte menu—you get to choose exactly what you want.  Or: Lumping our software packages into one category is like saying pasta is just spaghetti. Your readers will be on your wavelength in a fraction of the time.

-  Add a lyrical lilt with alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables (“Paint pictures” and “lyrical lilt with alliteration”). The effect is engaging and memorable, which makes your message stand out.

-  Create mystery with foreshadowing: Mention a point early on but save the explanation until later. You’ll create drama and tension by withholding key information—which keeps your readers reading.

-  Incorporate dialogue: Introduce other voices into your article and have them talk to one another. Dialogue also makes the page look less dense—and more appealing to your readers’ eye.

When you give these creative techniques a try, your articles and blogs, reports and proposals will be filed under “Important Ideas!”

What creative techniques do you use to add interest to your business writing? What successes have you had that you can attribute to a well-crafted proposal, report, blog—even e-mail?

One of my favorite creative business writing techniques is to ask “What if?” First, those two words draw me in like Vegas to a gambler. I immediately want to know how this imaginary scene will play out. Second, “what if” sets up scenarios that enliven the delivery of ho-hum facts and technical information.

In your business writing, you can literally use the words “what if,” or you can simply imply them. That’s what Joanie Smith, the owner of my local bird-supply store, did in her story exploring the fantastic situation of “what if birds could talk?”

A few months back I was working outside in the hot sun. I was getting sweaty and tired, not paying much attention to anything other than getting the job done when I noticed a dark figure on the ground not further than 15 feet away.

Wondering why I didn’t notice it before, I moved a little closer. I was surprised to find that I was being watched by a turkey vulture. “Oh, hi,” I said nervously. “I don’t smell that bad, do I”  “Not yet,” he said matter-of-factly. “Things are kind of slow today, so I thought I’d glide down for a look-see.”

“So,” I said, trying to keep the conversation going. “How do you like being called a turkey vulture?”
“DON’T like it,” he replied. “We’re not related to turkeys. Not related to hawks or eagles either…”

Thanks to “what if?” Joanie successfully grabs my attention and holds it as I learn more about turkey vultures than I ever thought I wanted to know. In fact, I’m spellbound. She tells this story so masterfully that I find I actually do want to know about turkey vulture diets, their regurgitated pellets, and even their feces!

To close, she gives the turkey vulture a whiff of something irresistible.

“Whoa! Wait a second. I’m getting something here.” He waved his wing feathers in front of his beak… “Well, gotta go. It’s not every day you get a chance to gorge on a putrid cow carcass. See ya!” He and his offspring took off. Then, he quickly flew back around and called, “Hey, care to join us for lunch?”

“No thanks,” I said, “I think I’ll have a salad.”

Do you see how “what if?” allowed Joanie great freedom to create and inform? Give it a try in your business writing when you’re facing a litany of facts that need a spark or when you want to grab your readers’ attention. What if you do something? What if you don’t do something? What if pigs fly?

How can you use “what if?” to engage your readers?

P.S. If you’re lucky enough to live in San Francisco’s East Bay, stop by East Bay Nature at 1270A Newell Avenue, Walnut Creek. And sign up for Joanie Smith’s newsletters. They’re always this creative.

Lately, I’ve been teaching a lot of grammar, and goodness knows we need the help. I see lots of gaffes and typos every day. My two favorites from last week:

1. “I’m looking Howard your recording.”  Huh?  Who’s Howard? Oh, “forward.”  

2. “Our audience is composted of listeners who…”  Oh dear, composted audiences?  I think that presentation ran entirely too long! 

But I’m not going to rant about bad business writing. Enough people are doing that. I want to get beyond grammar and into creativity. Out of the weeds and into wide open spaces. 

Grammar is like a pile of bricks. Both are just building blocks. In the case of bricks, they lay the foundation for everything from a forbidding prison to a fabulous palace. Same with grammar. A dull blog and an exciting article can both be composed with perfect grammar. We can futz over this comma and that hyphen, but we also need to understand that without great ideas and creative ways of delivering them, no matter where we put that comma or hyphen, our writing will likely bore the socks off our readers! 

That’s where creative business writing comes in. Consider these three easy ways to write with more wow! 

1. Write to your readers, not at them. Offer benefits they’ll enjoy from your products/services instead of dumping a bunch of features on them. Be nice to your readers. Make their lives easier. Talk to them as though they’re your best friends. Use the word “you” a lot to engage them.  

2. Tell stories. I read recently where storytelling is now a “must-have competency for leaders.”  First, it probably always has been. Second, if those leaders tell stories with words like “must-have competency for leaders,” I bet their audiences start composting too. Tell real stories to engage people—and leave the corporate buzzwords behind.

3. Have fun! What? Fun with business writing? Yes, especially when you add creative touches such as dialogue, foreshadowing, similes, and alliteration. Your writing will stand out, which means you’ll get the respect you deserve. And your readers will read (and act on) your copy, which is why you wrote to them in the first place. 

What’s your experience with creative business writing? What do you like to do to make your writing stand out? 

P.S. Grammar is an essential element of good writing, and I encourage everyone to get one of these excellent books—Elements of Style; Eats, Shoots & Leaves; and The Well-Tempered Sentence—to bone up on basics.

Lately, I’ve talked to several people who told me that creative business writing isn’t really practical. Somehow the word “creative” makes them think creative business writing is silly or frilly or not really useful.

Boy, are they wrong!

Just because writing is creative or fun to write (and read!), that doesn’t diminish its practicality. In fact, creative business writing is far more effective than the usual pablum people send out every day.

Why?  Because:

• Creative business writing engages readers..
• People will read (i.e., finish reading) what you write.
• Readers who are both mentally and emotionally involved are more likely to respond the way you want.

Here are three tips from my business-writing e-book entitled Creativity @ Work: 89 ways to add verve to your verbiage—and zeroes to your paycheck to help kick-start your creative blogs, amazing articles, brilliant books–and even exciting e-mail:

1. Similes paint pictures.
Like the adage “A picture’s worth 1,000 words,” similes create images that save words and time. When you compare your product or service to something familiar, you help your readers quickly grasp complex ideas.

Similes compare two unlike things, usually introduced by like or as.

Lumping our software into one category is like saying pasta is just spaghetti.
Our services are like a personal trainer, building your company’s stamina while reducing overages and waste.

2. Alliteration adds appeal.
Webster’s defines alliteration as: “Repetition of an initial sound, usually of a consonant or cluster, in two or more words of a phrase.  Ex: ‘What a tale of terror now their turbulence tells!’” (with thanks to Edgar Allan Poe).

Why bother?  Alliteration is memorable. There’s a reason the Better Business Bureau chose that name—and that headline writers apply alliteration to attract attention. It’s also fun and sets you apart. Think of all the boring writing out there—and imagine someone’s reaction when she reads something special from you. You stand out!

3. Rhyme—and hit the big time.
When we read, we hear the words, so rhythm is important. Rhyming adds to that flow. And brain scientists have discovered that rhymes are easier to remember. (No wonder those commercial jingles drive us crazy!)  In the bestseller Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, author Robert B. Cialdini explains that rhyming offers greater “processing fluency.” In other words, our brains have an easier time processing rhyming phrases. Stuck for a rhyme? Go to www.rhymezone.com.

As I wrote this blog, the classic Woody Allen movie “Sleeper” popped into my mind. In particular, the scene where he wakes up years later to find that scientists were saying that cream pies were good for us. Well, I want to tell you (and scientists like Cialdini concur) that creative business writing is good for you and your business. So, wake up your writing and start enjoying sweet success today.

I recently talked to a potential client about the power of storytelling. I wanted her to know just how much stories can influence and persuade in the workplace. We’re wired for stories. Why else do we remember stories ’round the campfire from so long ago?

I was getting no traction. Then the obvious made itself heard above the din: Tell her a story.

So, I shared with her how I’m still amazed that New York Times bestselling author Thomas Moore reviewed my book, Words at Work. That came about because I told him a story.

When I wrote him to ask for the endorsement, I reminded him that we’d met in Seattle at a book signing for his then-latest book, A Life at Work. He’d written inside my book: Don’t give up on joy in your work. On the trip home from the signing, I mulled over his inscription. Was it that obvious that I was burned out? I’d been a writer for 25 years, and I wanted to spend more time coaching business writing.

I told him that he inspired me to do just that. And that I’d written a book about business writing, a book my students and clients asked me to write because they were inspired by my stories of how, through trial and error, I’d achieved a successful writing career. (I also mentioned that his book Care of the Soul would always be one of the most important books in my life.)

Months went by, but I didn’t hear. I quit thinking about it.Then I received his letter:

Hello, Lynda,

Two days ago I got your letter and book in the mail. The letter was terrific, so I read the book and then noticed the date on your letter. You must have sent it eight months ago. Sending mail to authors via publishers can make snail mail look like express delivery. I like what you say in your book, and I have a passion for writing, so I’m happy to write an endorsement.

Thomas

If I’d written a typical letter and asked for an endorsement, I doubt he would have responded. He’s just too busy. But when we share our humanity through stories, they activate our brains in ways far more creative than the words we’re reading. (MRI tests confirm this.) Stories activate memories, trigger emotions, and resonate in personal ways that make our messages stick.

“Do you see the power and joy stories can bring?” I asked the woman listening on the phone.

Apparently not.

She soon offered a polite goodbye and hung up to return to “the way we’ve always done it.”

How about you? Do you believe in stories? If so, take advantage of stories in your business writing. Make a list of personal stories that resonate with you and then use them in letters and e-mail, articles and proposals. Oh, and for sure in your Web copy and blogs. Keep in mind, too, that stories set you apart since most people overlook this compelling tool for engaging readers and getting the results they want.

Besides, it’s a lot of fun to tell stories. They make your business writing more enjoyable to write and—even more importantly—to read.

I used to think that people wanted to write better. I was wrong. They need to write better. The difference in those two statements is as wide as the chasm between techies and Luddites.

I’ve finally grasped the difference.

I understand that it doesn’t matter what I think my clients and students need. After all, I’m coming from a business writing coach‘s perspective. I love to write! What matters is what they want to achieve in their careers and lives. And in most cases, they don’t want to write better—they want the results that effective business writing can give them: the ability to increase sales, attract and retain more clients, and enjoy more respect and prestige. That’s what motivates them to learn how to write better because powerful business writing can deliver all of that.

That’s my audience. What about yours?  Other ways of asking this question are, “What’s keeping your clients, prospects, and readers up at night? What are they worrying about as they walk down the street?”

When you get clear on that, figure out how you can help them. Then write to them with powerful words that show them that you have the solution. When they see you as their key to achieving what they want in life, you’ll start enjoying more of what you want in life, too. Nice the way that works.

It seems so obvious to me now; I’m even a little embarrassed that it took me so long to grasp this. But that’s life. Like peeling an onion, we keep pulling back layers of deception, digging deeper toward the truth.

I hope this helps you get there faster.

What’s keeping you up at night? How can you show your clients and customers you have the answers they need?