One of my students once asked during a weekend lecture:
“Prof, do you have any business writing tips?”
I smiled and said,
“Don’t do business writing.”
They laughed.
Then I explained.
Do not hide behind stiff formatting and lifeless jargon.
Do not drown your message in buzzwords that mean nothing.
No one talks like this in real life:
“Effective January 1, 2012, we are ceasing operations at this location due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologize for the inconvenience. For inquiries, please contact…”
You would never say that to a person’s face.
You would say:
“We’re closing this store. Sorry for the hassle. If you have questions, here’s how to reach us.”
See the difference?
One sounds like a memo.
The other sounds like a human being.
Write the second way.
Write like you speak.
The best business writing is clear, natural, and sincere.
It is not about sounding smart.
It is about being understood.
People do not respond to templates.
They respond to tone.
To honesty.
To intent.
So here is the rule:
If you would not say it that way in person,
do not write it that way on paper.
Simple.
Human.
Effective.