Business Writing Info Blog

Here is a client question received today, which I often hear in business writing courses:

This paragraph contains a business grammar error. Find and correct it!

A client questioned the proper use of contractions in business writing:

We have worked with many insurance clients over the years. By far, claims is the area most in need of business writing training. All areas of insurance can benefit from strong writing, but for claims, clear and correct writing is mission-critical.

Dorothy Park once said, "I hate writing. I love having written." You might feel the same way, but unfortunately, you can't get one without doing the other.

Business writing resembles a dance in many ways. The writer leads, and the reader follows and responds. There is both grace and logic. Every time you write, you initiate. You start a new dance with your partner, the reader. There needs to be a connection between the writer and reader for a document to work. You lead, but this dance needs both of you.

• The owner of the painting that has been stored in the company storage room for the past twenty years has decided to sell it.

Reports are critical business writing documents.  They typically convey your company's value to potential clients (proposals) or convey your product (consulting recommendations).

This was a mistake. When delivering bad news, there are a number of techniques one can use, but they all contain two key elements to succeed: truth and sincerity.

A client in a business writing course asked today if the abbreviations i.e. and e.g. were interchangeable. They are not. Each has a specific meaning, and therefore, use: