Simply put in a Twain-like way, poor writing equals wasted time, lower productivity and lost revenue. Since employees spend an estimated 20 percent of their time reading, you need to make sure what they read is clear, well-written and projecting the correct message. And as far as your audience goes, each one needs to feel as though you are speaking directly to him or her.
Here are some examples of how poor writing may be are probably hurting your business...unless you're okay with losing thousands (millions for some) each year on poor writing skills among your employees:
1. Unclear emails—Emails need to be direct, concise and respectful of the time spent by the reader. You also need to resist the urge to use “Reply All” every time. So much time is wasted on sending emails to people who don’t need to read them! Also try to avoid using clauses like “Sorry to bother you” and “I am writing to…” Don’t back into your messaging—go in head first! Your recipient will be happy you did and will likely be more inclined to respond.
2. Press releases that never make the news—Dull copy without the right targeting can simply fall into the internet’s black hole. It’s kind of like the old adage, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" Make sure your well-crafted press release reaches the audience you want.
3. Websites that fail to tell your story—There are so many ways to tell your story. Take advantage of all of them! Through blogging, the About Us section, press releases and more, your audience can learn more about you and your business. Give them an excuse to choose you over a competitor. But it is also important to make sure that your content is up to date. Outdated content is a clear indicator that you don’t care about your business, so why would a prospective client care?
Simply put again, less is definitely more. Superfluous words like very, or utilize instead of use are just that—superfluous. Good writing using simple, well-defined language that genuinely projects your message leads to an efficient business and happy employees and clients. If I can help you infuse creativity into technical content, and sharp technical skills into your creative content, please let me know. I’d be happy to help your business grow!