Feb 01

How to Write Winning Business Proposals

Business Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

In the current economic climate it is more important than ever that organisations increase their win-rate and sell more products and services to more clients. Often, one of the first steps towards making a new sale is writing an effective proposal. This is your opportunity to showcase not only your products and services but also the professionalism, credibility and effectiveness of your organisation and it warrants spending considerable time and effort making sure you ‘hit the spot’ and give your organisation the best chance of winning new business.

Business Meeting 12LajosRepasi i Copy How to Write Winning Business Proposals

© istockphoto.com/LajosRepasi

Follow our five step plan for writing winning business proposals and you should see an increase in the success rate of your bids and proposals.

1. Know your buyer: More important than anything else, make sure you have an in-depth understanding of your customer and before you even start writing be clear about what they require and what will be the winning factors for them. Hopefully you will have already had the opportunity to speak with them before getting started on your proposal but if not, ask for a few minutes on the phone or email a list of questions. And it goes without saying that you should do your own research on the client organisation; see if they have appeared in the news recently and familiarise yourself with their website so that you understand their brand ethos and values as well as practicalities such as locations, range of services and key personnel.

2. Focus on your solution: The majority of readers will be most interested in what you can do for them, how you propose to deliver your solution and how much it will cost so make sure this information is clearly defined and forms the core of your proposal. Show them that you understand their challenges and can offer a targeted solution. Make sure you explicitly highlight the benefits of your solution and if appropriate illustrate with samples or extracts.

3. Demonstrate your credibility: Potential customers will be more convinced of the value of your products and services if you can give concrete examples of how other similar organisations have benefitted from your services. If the competition has bought then they should be buying too!

4. Speak your buyer’s language: As a general rule of thumb, use every day language that is easy to understand yet persuasive. Your reader is more likely to be won over by clear and simple language rather than complex structure or impenetrable terminology. Unless of course you know that your proposal will be read by technical experts in which case your proposal should use the language they understand. This is with the proviso that many proposals are read by multiple readers who may not all share the same level of technical expertise.

5. Appeal to all their senses: We don’t all necessarily process information in the same way and successful proposals reflect this by displaying information and using language that appeals to different processing styles – or to all the senses. Make sure that your proposal is visually attractive using graphics, images and colour as appropriate. Include statistics and other data for the more analytical thinkers among your decision makers. And finally use a variety of language that will appear to auditory (harmonise, resonate, clearly express) and kinaesthetic (energise, solid foundations, concrete examples) styles as well as more logical approaches.

Effective Proposal Writing can be challenging but combine these steps with the core principles of good business writing such concise style or thorough proof-reading and you should see an improvement your win rate.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

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Dec 20

Proofreading Tips for Perfect Copy

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Legal Writing Skills, Report Writing Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

A lack of time is a very easy excuse for sloppy written work and poor attention to detail. Particularly when we are publishing online whether via blogs, online discussion groups or social media such as LinkedIn or Twitter, we need to be quick but we also need to be accurate as our writing is hopefully being read by hundreds or even thousands of visitors – some of who could be prospective customers.

 

Writing Dmitriy Shironosov i4 Proofreading Tips for Perfect Copy

© istockphoto.com/Dmitriy Shironosov

1. The first step is simple – if you know your writing is prone to errors then you need to spend more time proofreading and make sure that you are completely focused while you do your proofreading

2. Then, if you can, try and take some time out between reading and proofreading, even if it’s only ten minutes or so to make a phone call or have a cup of coffee

3. Don’t rely on the spell-checker. It will pick up some but not necessarily all of your mistakes. It definitely will not spot any mistakes with homophones, i.e. words that are pronounced the same but spelt differently. It is all too easy to type their instead of there or your instead of you’re

4. If you have written anything more than a short paragraph, print out your text. It is much easier to spot errors on the page than on the screen and far less tiring on your eyes as well

5. Read what you have written aloud. You will hear any obvious mistakes such as repeated or missing words but any clumsy expressions or overly long sentences will also stand out more

6. If you have a reliable colleague, friend or family member who is good at proofreading then make the most of them. When we are checking our own work it can be difficult to see the wood for the trees. It is amazing how a fresh pair of eyes can spot things that have passed you by

7. Finally, make sure you proofread your document several times and each time check for a different issue. For example, the first time you check, make sure your spelling is correct, then check for grammar and then for repetition

Investing time and effort in improving your editing and proofreading skills is time well spent and the repercussions of not proofreading can be both costly and embarrassing.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Nov 05

Replacing Jargon with Clear Writing

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Writing Skills No Comments »

In today’s increasingly busy business environment it is vital to produce audience–friendly documents written in clear and accessible language. However, all too frequently we see an over-use of specialist language or jargon making it challenging for many readers to understand. This is particularly prevalent in specific business sectors such as law, banking or engineering and can cause confusion and frustration to others not working in the same industry and can reduce the impact of our written communication.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i Copy Replacing Jargon with Clear Writing

© istockphoto.com/Viorika Prikhodko

The Plain English Campaign has recently named and shamed the UK government again as a major jargon culprit. In October 2013 the UK’s credit regulations are going to change. These complex changes are very important and need to be explained to the public clearly and simply. However, the Department for Work and Pensions writes like this: ‘Transitional Protection will be calculated by comparing the total household monthly benefit and tax credit receipt at the point of migration with the total first household Universal Credit entitlement’. This type of financial language can be confusing to those of us who are not experts in the field and is often the source of much confusion and frustration among the public. It can also waste time for the government officials who have written in this way as they will have to deal with enquiries from people who do not understand the new regulations or with those of us who misinterpret them.

Below are some tips for replacing jargon with clear writing:

  • If you are a specialist in a specific industry or sector you may not even be aware of how much jargon you use in your written communication
  • If you can, ask someone less specialist to review your writing and check for jargon and technical gobbledegook. Use short, simple language to convey your message – where there is a shorter equivalent use it, don’t utilise it!
  • Don’t use acronyms unless they are very well-known – otherwise they can appear like undecipherable code words
  • Where possible avoid using nouns ending in –ation, for example precipitation instead of rain, or utilisation instead of use
  • Avoid using business speak and clichés such as ‘leverage’ or ‘granularity’

When working in your own specialist field it can be difficult to distinguish between what you see as clear writing and others read as jargon. Jargon to others can be your everyday workplace language. It is essential to try to understand your audience and their level of knowledge and expertise in order to know how best to pitch your written communication. Remember effective written communication is not about impressing your reader with your technical knowledge but conveying effectively and clearly the information that needs to be understood. This could save you time, confusion and a lot of headaches. Many organisations now invest in the soft as well as technical skills of their expert teams and offer business writing courses that train staff to consider their audience and write in clear, reader-friendly language.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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May 09

A New Punctuation and Spelling Test for British Primary Children?

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills No Comments »

In response to current government thinking that standards in spelling, punctuation and grammar have fallen among British school leavers, the Department for Education plans to introduce an external SPAG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) test that children will take before they leave primary school, as reported by the BBC. Head teachers have responded negatively to this new test questioning its validity and expense and are threatening to boycott its introduction.

Answer Sheet Ryan Balderas i A New Punctuation and Spelling Test for British Primary Children?

© istockphoto.com/Ryan Balderas

There has been a huge backlash from teachers and educationalists to the seemingly constant testing that British children are subjected to from a young age. Teachers are now obliged to teach to a narrow interpretation of the national curriculum and the focus is more on passing the tests rather than encouraging broader learning or on developing a curiosity for knowledge and its application. Head teachers are adamant that they and their staff should be trusted to assess and develop children’s writing abilities without resorting to formal testing.

However valid head teachers’ arguments are and however flawed this new test may be, few employers would disagree with the premise that many school leavers and university graduates are joining organisations with a lack of basic writing skills and a very scant knowledge of key principles of grammar, punctuation and spelling. This in turn results either in a very sloppy standard of written communication being sent out or in a considerable financial investment being made in grammar and punctuation training programmes to ensure that new employees convey a professional image of themselves and their organisation. The current proposal from the Department for Education appears to be in stalemate but the discussion needs to continue to ensure that solutions are put in place to ensure higher standards of writing among young British adults – if they don’t have a mastery of these basic communication skills they risk being disadvantaged in the job market.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2012

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Jul 11

Why Organisations need a Corporate Style Guide

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills 1 Comment »

Among employees of many organisations there is often a perceived tension between the need for business writing to be personalised to the writer and reader and the need for a consistent professional style.

Many professionals are understandably cautious about producing bland, ‘vanilla’ documents full of corporate speak and meaningless buzzwords. However, maintaining a personal style adapted for your reader is not incompatible with following corporate guidelines that ensure written communication reflects the professionalism and values of the organisation.

Typing Dmitriy Shironosov i Why Organisations need a Corporate Style Guide

© istockphoto.com/ Dmitriy-Shironosov

Objectors may say that they do not need to be shown how to write as they are well educated and have been writing for business for many years. However, trends in business writing change. An obvious example is the more minimalist ‘open’ approach to punctuation used in business writing today. This would have looked sloppy and unprofessional 20 years ago but today is part of the cleaner, fresher ‘plain English’ approach to business writing. In addition, there are sometimes several ‘right’ ways of writing such as whether or not we hyphenate certain words. Co-operation or cooperation are both technically correct but it looks more professional if the same form is used consistently – not only within a specific document but in all written communication produced by the same organisation. A style guide includes useful lists of these technical nuances which can be time consuming for each individual to check.

Other detractors may claim that if they adopt a slightly different writing style their clients and/or superiors may not like it. Of course, any new communications initiative such as a corporate style guide needs to be embraced from the top down. As for clients, it is not uncommon for lawyers, as an example, to suggest that they will lose credibility if they take a more modern plain English approach and use simple language in shorter sentences. These very clients may actually prefer documents that are fresh and easy to read and that reflect the modern, forward thinking ethos of the company they have engaged.

There are many reasons why a style guide adds value to an organisation’s internal and external communication but here are a few.

Saves Time – A style guide saves time by providing quick answers to format, style and accuracy questions that occur when writing.
Saves Money – A style guide enables employees to spend fewer hours writing, reviewing, and correcting documents. It also reduces the expense of training and avoids potentially costly mistakes.
Ensures Consistency – A style guide promotes consistency throughout the company
Guarantees Professionalism – A style guide ensures that the company enhances its external image by developing and an appropriate style that consistently delivers quality documents and reflects the brand values of the organisation.

Writing a corporate style guide from scratch can be a daunting task and so many organisations work closely with expert consultants or follow business writing training programmes that highlight the key elements of a style guide.

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Jun 09

Do Grammar and Punctuation Matter in Business?

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Writing Skills 1 Comment »

London’s Evening Standard has recently been running a campaign to improve literacy in London. It has published a series of reports that highlight the capital’s poor literacy rates which affect the population from primary school children to disenfranchised school leavers through to recent graduates new to the corporate world. The paper suggests that the British education system is failing to equip our children with the fundamental basic skills to help them enter the job market. This can range from an inability to read basic instruction manuals through to poorly constructed emails to customers or more complex business reports or proposals.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i Do Grammar and Punctuation Matter in Business?

© istockphoto.com/Viorika Prikhodko

Recruiters are finding that many CVs and letters of application just aren’t up to scratch and four in ten job applications are rejected due to poor grammar and spelling. Even the best candidates often need help with their basic skills and the CBI has quoted that 17% of British firms are concerned by the low literacy skills of graduates.

It is strange that many British employees demonstrate a lack of concern regarding the accuracy of their written communication and are either unaware of or unconcerned by basic errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling. The ubiquitous use of email and instant messaging means that written communication is much quicker and more immediate than ever before. However, this should not mean that it is of a lower standard or lacking in professionalism. A misplaced apostrophe, the use of text abbreviations or poor grammar can all cause misunderstanding, frustration and leave a poor impression on the reader’s screen. Few of us would attend an important meeting or job interview with a stain on our jacket or unkempt hair and so why would we think it acceptable to send written communication that we have not checked for visible errors?

Many organisations tackle these issues early on and include basic business writing skills courses as part of their training offering to new recruits. Only when elementary errors of grammar and punctuation have been rectified can employees then go on to develop more sophisticated writing skills that will enable them to convince colleagues, persuade clients and win business for their organisations.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Apr 01

Keep it Plain

Business Writing Skills, Communication Skills, Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills 1 Comment »

Why is it that so many of us prefer to use four or five words when often a couple or even one will do? Are we communicating to impress or do we want to convey a clear and digestible message to our audience? Even during every day work place communication, in emails or during informal meetings it is commonplace to hear an indigestible mixture of cliché, business speak, foreignisms and long-winded expressions. Overuse of this kind of language can give the impression that you are pompous and self-important.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i1 Keep it Plain

© istockphoto.com/ Viorika Prikhodko

If you keep your language clean and simple, nobody is going to think that you are inarticulate. They are more likely to welcome your plain and natural approach to communication.

Below are just a few examples of expressions that can and should be replaced with much simpler equivalents.

At the current time – this may sound more important than ‘now’ but really now is all you are trying to say

Large in size – an office is large, a handbag is small. It is not necessary to explain that large and small are defining size. We know this.

Null and void – we can say that the contract is null or the contract is void but we don’t need to say both as they mean more or less the same thing.

Advance warning- can a warning ever be anything but advance?

The above mentioned – if you are referencing something you have already mentioned just use ‘this’. ‘This document’ is preferable to ‘the above mentioned document’.

Head up – is there any difference between heading a department and heading up a department? If you agree that there isn’t then one word is better than two.

Sui generis – try not to use Latin or other foreign language expressions as you may risk making your reader feel ignorant if they do not understand. If you want to say something is one of a kind then say so.

At the end of the day – we don’t really mean ‘at the end of the day’ but ‘in the end’ or’ eventually’. This expression is so ubiquitous that it has become clichéd.

Nobody is suggesting that we should always communicate in words of one syllable or that we should always aim for the lowest common denominator. However, many organisations have realised the benefits of a plain English approach to communication. After all time is money and time lost on misunderstandings, misinterpretations or following the wrong instructions costs organisations millions each year.

As a result, many organisations have developed their own internal communication and style guidelines or provide employees with regular communication skills training workshops to help them consider and adjust the language they use, whether in written or spoken communication. Programmes such as Effective Business Writingor Communicating with Impact enable employees to communicate more effectively in plain and simple language.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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Jan 24

Business Email Etiquette 6| Getting the Subject Line Right

Email Writing Skills, Writing Skills 1 Comment »

Think about what draws you to a book, news article or webpage. Very often it’s the title or headline that grabs our attention and entices us to read more. Similarly, with business emails if you use a subject line that indicates why you are writing and that engages your reader your email is far more likely to be read sooner and, if required, acted upon. A meaningful subject line helps your reader to identify your topic, prioritise your email and find it quickly again at a later stage. A subject line that engages your reader will make it stand out; the reader will be more likely to read your email sooner and remember what it was about.

woman typing Dmitriy Shironosov i Business Email Etiquette 6| Getting the Subject Line Right

© istockphoto.com/ Dmitriy Shironosov

Following the tips below should help you use your subject line to maximum effect:

  • Never leave the subject line blank
  • Make your subject line specific using company or product names if appropriate
  • Give particular consideration to the first word in your subject line as this will determine how easy your email is to search for at a later stage
  • Help your reader to prioritise your email: only use the word urgent if it really is but “Action required” or “FYI only” can be helpful indicators in the subject line
  • If you write regular emails about a similar subject to the same regular contacts try to use a consistent format in your subject line
  • If you change the topic of your email but continue with an existing thread then change the subject line accordingly
  • Make it concise – it’s ok in your subject line to miss out articles, prepositions, etc.
  • Avoid using all capitals as your subject line – it’s important to grab attention but not to shout at your reader!

It is often the little things that can make all the difference when we communicate and the three or four words we choose for our subject line can help our reader to navigate their inbox. You can find a myriad of online resources and reference books to help you appreciate the intricacies of email correspondence or you can attend an email writing course and learn practical tips to improve your email etiquette.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

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