I’m not going to start this post by asking you to make a resolution. Why? Because resolutions aren’t the most effective way to inspire you.
In fact, resolutions are made to be broken. Yes, you heard that right. Often when we make resolutions, we make them in a state of euphoria—a dream-like headspace that doesn’t actually account for our reality. Then when reality does come down and we realize that going to the gym twice a day isn’t a habit we can keep up, we give up, often cold turkey. We just stop doing the resolution and stuff it in the closet with the decorations only to fill our heads with the same idea next year.
But not this time. Nope, this year I’m going to challenge you to do things differently. You don’t have to make a resolution to enact positive growth in your business. You just need a reason, an intention, a goal.
I respond so much better to these words because they are something that we strive for, not something on which we judge our self-worth. Today, I’d like to show you how improving your business writing will help you reach your goals this year.
You’ll have stronger communication
A business needs effective communication to thrive. In fact, so much of your business relies on communication to accomplish tasks and reach goals. When you approach written communication in a clear, direct, and comprehensive fashion, you will improve both your internal and external correspondence.
Let’s start internally. Your emails, messages, presentations, and pitches to your colleagues matter. When they are done in a strong, logical and concise manner, your ideas will be translated with greater ease and function. Strong written communication leads to stronger teams and more effective collaboration, two areas many businesses struggle with.
Moving externally, your clients and future clients expect a level of professionalism when they hear from you and most often they hear from you through electronic methods: email, newsletters, blogs, website copy, etc. which is why these materials become so important to the dialogue you create with your audience. You want your writing to start a dialogue, spark an idea, and encourage active responses.
Your audience will notice and respond
When you place a greater emphasis on writing, you will notice that your audience will respond. People take note when something is done well and often that inspires them to take that information and move forward whether that be booking a phone call with you or messaging you about a particular question.
Great writing = more engagement.
You will find that when you prioritize your written messaging, your audience will take notice of that and be more actively engaged in the material you provide them.
Finding the right voice, tone, and style for approaching your audience will vary and may take some experimentation but when you get it right you will be able to reach your audience in a way that you haven’t been able to before. Why does this happen? When you find the right mode of communication you are working to build and establish a relationship with your clients.
You aren’t always able to meet with everyone in person or jump on a call as often as you would like. But by using the resources in front of you, increasing the touchpoints with your audience can have a similar effect. Your writing is often what is left to speak for you. It is the primary medium through which you communicate with your clients and therefore should emulate the tone and message of your business.
Your story will shine through
Business writing is often thought about in a dull, dry manner but content marking is working to shift the narrative. Business writing is storytelling and by approaching it from that angle, your business gets to do so much more than serve clients, it gets to tell a story and operates in a unique fashion that serves your clients in a way that no other business can.
Writing gives you the ability to make your business personal and that individuality will be the reason that your clients find and choose you. While business writing, of course, consists of memos, emails, presentations, and pitches it also includes your website, social presence, and blog. Each of these spaces requires you to write. Make it strong, make it clear, and most importantly, make it you.
