Copywriting Tips for Good Business Communication

Anybody can put words on a page. But when it comes to business communications, you want your words to get results. When you're staring at a blank screen trying to come up with the right words for your business or organization, refer to this how-to to get you started.

• Speak to your audience.
• Speak clearly.
• Keep up the conversation

Speak to your audience.

Know what they care about. Think about your audience and what they care most about - is it price, quality, service, efficiency, relationships? Draw readers in by talking about things that they really want to know. And don't forget to answer the question all readers have in the back of their minds: what's in it for me?

Talk benefits, not features.Tell people how your product or service can make life easier or save time, but don't explain every little detail about your process or technology. Just tell people what time it is, not how to make a clock.

Make it real. Write as if you're having a conversation - with a "just between you and me" attitude. Strike a tone that will get the best response from your audience, whether it's serious, humorous, technical, friendly or fun. Just make sure it's real. Write sentences with "you" instead of "we" - that's what makes readers feel like you're talking to them, not at them.

Speak clearly.

No jargon. Keep in mind that your audience doesn't know as much about your business as you do - and they really don't want to know either. So tell your story with real words, not technical terms or corporate jargon. And by all means, remember DUA - don't use acronyms.

Get to the point. Resist the temptation to begin your story with a nice narrative about your company's history. Whether you're selling a service or introducing a new product, explain your point quickly and stick to it.

Keep it simple. People don't have time for complicated writing. Use simple words in clear sentences that anyone can understand, and everyone will understand.

Keep up the conversation.

Call to action. Every communications piece should end with some choices about what to do next. If you're writing a sales piece, a "hard offer" works best - to call/go online to order, or to schedule an appointment to find out more. If you're writing an informative piece, include a "soft offer" - to visit your web site or request a sample. It's also okay to have both types of offers in the same piece. Just be sure there's at least one way for readers to respond.

Follow-up. Whenever you're writing a communications piece, always think about what the next communication will be. If you're sending out a new product brochure, follow up with a reminder post card a few weeks later.