Anyone who works in business needs to be able to write well. Writing skills are crucial to communicate successfully and sell whatever ideas, products, or services you have to offer. Your writing has the power to attract your reader’s attention, whether it’s a short remark in an email or a sophisticated argument in a report.
According to Bill Richard, there are eight criteria that characterize great prose, which are summarized below here.
Simplicity
Simplicity improves the brain’s “processing fluency,” as scientists term it. Short sentences, well-known terms, and simple grammar ensure that the reader doesn’t have to work too hard to understand your message. To keep things simple, discard unnecessary words and use the active voice.
Specificity
Specificity stimulates a wide range of brain circuits. Using precise words triggers more neurons in the visual and motor-strip areas of the brain compared to general terms. For instance, CTA (call-to-action) has a stronger impact than the word “button” in a business context.
Surprise
Including a surprise element in your text can make your message stick, helping readers learn and retain information. So give your readers something new to look forward to, as creative wordplay is always appreciated.
Stirring language
Emotions are processed before logical meaning is grasped by humans. Consider incorporating words that combine feeling and thought into your next email to awake emotional neural circuits. Your enthusiasm for your message will shine through, and readers will sense your emotion if you express it.
Seduction
You can build up excitement when you structure your writing with seductive words that evoke anticipation and curiosity. Adding a question or positioning your offer as the perfect tool to solve a problem will pique people’s interest.
Smart thinking
Readers are pleased when they feel smart. Inserting some words that stimulate their brains to gather insights will give you some extra points.
Social content
Using colloquial phrases can help with the social content of an email. For example, you can create an informal dialogue and engage with readers by using the second person (“you”).
Storytelling
When you incorporate storytelling into your communications, big payoffs can result. Studies show that pitches with richer narratives reinforce credibility and business legitimacy.
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