Business Writing Workshop - Good Business Writing Starts With the End in Mind

To improve business writing:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Business-Writing-Workshop---Good-Business-Writing-Starts-With-the-End-in-Mind&id=1529482

Plan before you write

WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?

Describe your purpose -- what you hope to achieve as a result of writing your document. Generally, you want the reader to know something, be able to do something, or be persuaded to do something.

· Someone knows something after reading this document.
· Someone can do something after reading this document.
· Someone does something after reading this document.

In each case, the more you define the “someone,” the “something,” and the “document,” the easier it will be to decide what goes into the document and the proper order for the information.

What is the purpose for your document?

What does your reader want?

Putting yourself in the reader’s point of view gives you valuable information about what you need to say and how to say it. It helps you focus on your material on the end result -- being read.

1. Who is your reader?
· Team Members
· Management
· Public
· Students
· Customers
· Vendors
· Others:

2. Why does your reader need to know this information?

3. How much does your reader already know about the topic?
 Knows nothing  Knows something  Is an expert

4. How interested is the reader in the topic?
 Not interested  Somewhat interested  Very interested

5. How well does your reader understand topic jargon?
 Not at all  Somewhat  Is fluent

6. What are the reader’s priorities?

7. What is the reader’s level of education?

The reader wants something from having read your document. Always answer WIIFM -- what's in it for me? -- from the reader's perspective!