GUIDE TO BETTER BUSINESS WRITING:
The Best Memo You'll Ever Write
The article “The best memo you’ll ever write”, by Holly Weeks considers few advices about good business writing.
Business readers are:
• content driven,
• time pressed,
• decision focused.
Differences between business reader’s wishes and writer’s styles:
|Reader’s wishes |Writer’s mistakes |
| | |
|Clarity - clear, obvious writing; |Information should “sound good”. Style, presentation and level |
| |of details are very important; |
|Simple and direct presenting of information; | |
| |Author’s copy must be “stand out”; |
|Fast reading, essential information. | |
| |Background details. |
Introduction
Introduction is very important and must answer the reader’s question “Why am I reading this?”. It should establish the relevance and the utility of the document as a whole.
Effective introduction by Barbara Minto is built around four elements:
• the current business situation;
• the complication that unsettles the current situation;
• the question about problem;
• the answer to the question....