Have you ever noticed that a big part of business is getting other people to do things and take action? Think about it for a minute. Every week, you write emails, blog posts, sales pages, and proposals—all of which are meant to get a response from someone. And whether or not you’re successful relies heavily upon your ability to communicate through effective writing skills.
That’s why today we’re sharing five business writing tips that anyone can do to improve their marketing and communication skills.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
[01:01] The Power of Your Words
[04:36] Effective Writing Requires Practice
[05:27] 5 Business Writing Tips to Improve Your Marketing
[05:50] Identify a Goal
[07:56] Research the Competition and Related Data
[10:19] Read a Book Before Writing
[12:43] Do a Brain Dump Without Editing as Your First Draft
[15:22] Edit Twice
[19:37] Final Thoughts on Business Writing
[22:35] Bloopers
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
The Five Second Rule by Mel Robbins
Grammarly
Hemingway
The Power of Your Words
[Meghan] Hello Theresa! I’m going to start today by reading a quote by the famous author C.S. Lewis, who is probably most known for his book The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. He said that “You can make anything by writing.”
From a fiction standpoint, I think this means that you can use your writing to create any story, any character, and any world that you’d like. You can create any truth that you want to. The only limit is your imagination.
“You can make anything by writing.” – C.S. Lewis
And really, the same is true when you’re writing for business. You can create an entire business through writing. You can create partnerships, products, and movements through words. Think about bloggers and YouTubers who have formed businesses on the back of content.
Consider the books that introduced life-changing concepts to the world, like The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod or The Five Second Rule by Mel Robbins. The Mel Robbins book is one of your favorites, right Theresa?
[Theresa] It is. I was so inspired by Mel’s story and by stories of people highlighted in the book that I couldn’t not try that strategy for myself. The Five Second Rule helped me drastically reduce procrastination, among other things.
[Meghan] I haven’t read The Five Second Rule, but that illustrates my point. Your words propel your brand, create a following, and can even spark a business.
And that makes me think, when it comes to business and non-fiction, I may change Lewis’ quote a little. So, instead of “you can make anything by writing,” I think of it as “you can make anything happen by writing.”
Entrepreneurs have become influencers from their excellent content. Business owners have taken their businesses to new successes with well written ads and manifestos. We’ve even seen this in the media with news stories. Look at how the media affects public opinion and action.
Writing is powerful. Words are powerful and influential. I used to say that “my pen is my sword.” In other words, your writing is a strong and mighty tool that has the ability to make things happen in your business, in your life, and in your community.
[Theresa] Wow Meghan, that is profound. I agree. Words are how you communicate and interact with others, so they are really important. When you don’t value writing, you don’t do as good of a job communicating. That diminishes your impact, so it’s good that we’re talking about business writing tips today.
[Meghan] Yes! And, I love what you just said. Words ARE how you communicate and interact with others. So, you need to take them seriously and pay attention to your writing!
When you write something and put it out into the world, there’s a permanence about it. Your words can become your legacy. Think about famous speeches and social media posts. Your words represent you, your ideas, your personality, your beliefs, and your knowledge, which makes you more credible, authentic, trustworthy, and like-able.
Your writing is how you contribute to thought leadership, build authority, and either attract or repel your tribe.
Effective Writing Requires Practice
[Theresa] Okay, so now we’ve discussed the power of writing. Words are a big deal! But not everyone is good at writing.
[Meghan] That’s right. Not everyone is going to pursue a Master’s degree in writing like I did. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to! The key is practice. Like any skill, effective writing takes some expertise and a lot of practice. But it doesn’t require an advanced degree. In fact, some of the writing advice we are taught in school doesn’t work in the digital marketing space.
[Theresa] So, you’re saying that people aren’t naturally effective writers. Instead, good writing is a skill that is learned and takes practice. That’s actually a big relief since that means anyone can improve their writing.
Try These 5 Business Writing Tips to Improve Your Marketing
[Meghan] And I have more good news for you. These business writing tips I’m about to share are going to make your words more powerful and more wow-worthy. Adding these steps into your writing routine will massively improve your communications with customers, colleagues, and your community. And when you communicate better, your marketing improves too!
[Theresa] Well, I can’t wait to hear these!
Prefer the quick version? Jump to the infographic below.
1) Identify a Goal
[Meghan] My first tip is to identify a goal. Create a goal for whatever it is you’re writing. Always answer the question:
What do I want to achieve with this content?
Every piece of content you create needs a goal. Goals work for all content. I’m talking about emails, blog posts, video scripts, web pages, and even your social media posts. Nearly everything you write can benefit from having a goal.
For example, we have a goal for every podcast we create. Why? Because a goal reminds us:
- what we’re talking about
- why we’re talking about it, and
- what we hope to share with our listeners.
[Theresa] Oh yeah, I remember when we tried recording an episode without a detailed goal in mind. You said that episode was “meandering” since we were all over the place.
Obviously, we knew the topic and theme. But, it was too broad without a specific angle and objective. And, that made the content less focused and really disorganized.
Plus, it took us longer to get to the point. That wasn’t good for the audience since we didn’t want to lose their attention.
[Meghan] Exactly. There was nothing concise about that episode! We made that episode a bonus. But, that just proves my point about goal setting in your writing, right?
A goal keeps you focused on the end result, which improves your writing and improves the experience your audience has with your content. You’ll be more likely to achieve your goal since you’ve identified it and used it to organize your writing.
And, the more specific you get with your goal, the easier it will be to write and the better your writing will be, the better your marketing will be.
[Theresa] You know I love that you started with goal planning! Setting goals is critical in so many areas of business. It makes perfect sense that writing would start there too.
2) Research
[Meghan] Okay, my next business writing tip is to research. Research makes your writing much stronger and more powerful.
[Theresa] Well, that’s no surprise! You’re a huge believer in research. It’s one of the most important lessons I’ve been learning from you.
[Meghan] I know, it’s really not a surprise. There’s a missing piece in so much content out there. And that’s research. Research provides insight and information that makes your writing more impactful and targeted. In turn, that will boost the effectiveness of your communication with your audience. And that means better results from whatever it is that you’re writing.
“A word after a word after a word is power.” – Margaret Atwood
Add just two research steps into your writing routine.
#1 Research the competition.
What are others saying? Search on Google to see what’s out there. These are the people who compete with you in search and in business. You want to know what they’re saying and what content they’re producing.
Then use this insight to position your content in a more original and unique way. This helps you stand out.
#2 Research the data.
Do another Google search for data, facts, leader quotes, and statistics related to whatever you’re writing about. Include one or two of these facts or opinions in your writing.
Doing this positions you as an authority and expert. People will pay more attention to what you’re saying when it’s backed by data, science, or people that they already trust and respect.
These two small things will improve your writing and your impact. I can tell when people don’t research because they’re writing lacks meatiness, proof, and thought leadership.
[Theresa] Ok, wow! That’s totally doable and I can see how those two aspects of research improve your business writing.
I’m happy that you limited your research to two areas. You know what I’m thinking, right?
Research can take you down the rabbit hole of distractions. Three hours later you look up from your computer and you’ve used up too much time. So, set a timer. If you can’t find what you need, come back to it later.
3) Spend 10 Minutes Reading a Book Before You Type Anything
[Meghan] Okay, I’ve heard people say that good writers are avid readers. And this third business writing tip is along those lines, but I’ve never heard anyone suggest reading immediately before writing.
My tip is to read from a book for about 10-15 minutes, maybe even longer, before writing anything. There are some rules here. The author of what you’re reading needs to be a really good writer and appeal to you. And I suggest reading from a book rather than a blog or article since books go through lots of editing and are more polished. The exception is articles from good or professional writers since their articles are usually well written.
I’ve never run across anyone else who does this. However, it’s something that works really well for me so I wanted to share it.
[Theresa] Ok, that’s a completely new one for me Meghan! I’ve never heard that before.
[Meghan] So, quick story. My husband has a bit of a southern accent. You don’t really notice it, though, until he talks to his dad on the phone. His dad has a much more noticeable southern accent. After my husband is around anyone with a southern drawl, his accent comes out in full force. It’s an example of transference.
And that’s what happens for me when I read and consume content from great authors. It’s like the author’s greatness transfers to me for a short time. Their content puts me in an optimal frame of mind and mindset plus it opens up my creativity. I write so much better after reading for a few minutes.
But beware! The opposite is true too though. If I consume TikTok videos or read a poorly written blog post, it negatively affects my writing ability. This may sound like a crazy idea, but there’s actually a fictional movie about the contagious and viral nature of words. So, if you’re into that kind of stuff, check out the movie Pontypool.
[Theresa] Ok, I totally get the transference thing. When I hang out with my Brooklyn relatives that definitely happens to me. So, it makes sense that reading content from great authors can positively influence your writing.
I’ve never tried that before, but I’m going to!
4) Do a Brain Dump as Your First Draft
[Meghan] Writing tip number four is to write your first draft with reckless abandon. That’s right! Do a total brain dump of everything in your mind and get it out of your head. Don’t allow yourself to edit on the way from your brain to the page.
I call this the “ugly writing” technique because what you produce is super raw and messy. Remember what we said about messy moments in episode #1? Well, this is another instance when embracing the messiness leads to better things.
I’ll warn you. Writing without correcting yourself is challenging. It takes practice to allow yourself to ugly write. But you can write much faster and get more ideas out of your head when you’re not editing as you write.
[Theresa] What if you’re someone who is much more comfortable with speaking rather than writing?
[Meghan] Sure. If speaking is your preference, feel free to do the same thing with voice dictation. Speak your thoughts out loud and record them to capture a first draft.
The concept is the same whether you’re writing or speaking. You want to release the information from your brain to get all of the ideas out and captured before you forget them.
Practice ugly writing every day or every other day for 15-20 minutes until you train your brain to stop editing as you write. Believe me, it takes practice.
[Theresa] Meghan introduced ugly writing to me while we were working on the content for the podcast. While it does take practice, it’s also quite liberating.
I think I’m a good writer, but I never really enjoyed writing. There’s some impatience on my part, to be honest. I also put pressure on myself to get it done quickly and perfectly on my first go. And, I’ve always had anxiety around writing because I’m constantly worried I’ll forget to mention something.
When I ugly write, that pressure and anxiety simply doesn’t exist. I give myself permission to be messy and imperfect. Plus, I’m not burning through energy the way I used to.
[Meghan] There’s something magical that happens when you give your brain permission to disobey rules and structure in the pursuit of creativity and ideation. But it does take practice, so plan it into your schedule.
And, your first draft is private, so don’t stress about the quality of your writing in your first draft. That’s the point after all. It’s about freedom and unleashing your mind.
Once you’re done, you’ll use this ugly first draft to create an outline and structure to your content. And that leads me to the last tip.
5) Edit Twice
I’ve saved the most important business writing tip for last. Edit your writing—not once but at least twice. Editing is the most important, best way to improve your writing.
I consume a lot of content. I read a lot. And I can tell when writers skipped the editing step. Sloppy, unstructured, meandering content is ineffective. It’s difficult to consume. So people don’t consume it, which makes it a waste of your time.
[Theresa] Editing is a task that I didn’t value as much as I do now thanks to you. I’ve tried the writing advice you’ve given to me. And, I can see a huge improvement in my writing since working with you and being around you more.
You’ve been reading my writing, have you noticed an improvement?
By far, editing has taken my writing from mediocre to more concise and tighter. I’m able to get my point across better when I edit. I’ve also noticed that the editing process itself has gotten easier.
“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” – Lee Iacocca
[Meghan] In my opinion, writers who don’t edit are lazy. I’m not talking about a typo here or there. I’m talking about the lack of flow, the absence of structure, and the mistake of very long sentences or thoughts that are hard to follow.
These boo boos make you look like an amateur rather than an experienced professional. Poor writing translates to clicks away from your content and the inability to communicate your message. And that hurts your bottom line.
Here’s my advice for editing:
- Never write and edit on the same day. Edit the next day or after. Edit a second time the next day or after. You’ll be amazed at how much editing improves your writing.
- Always read your content out loud to check for flow and ease of understanding. If you can’t easily say it, then your audience won’t be able to follow it either.
- Make long sentences shorter. Don’t take 25 words to say something you can say in 10 words or you’ll lose your audience’s attention.
- If you tend to make a lot of typos or grammar errors, I have two suggestions. 1) Read your content backwards. This allows you to check for typing mistakes versus contextual errors. Or, 2) use an app like Hemingway or Grammarly to check your writing.
[Theresa] Those are two of my favorite apps for editing actually. I especially love using Hemingway. I learn not only what needs to be edited, but why it needs to be edited. It’s helping with my overall writing, I feel.
Just a quick tip. If you’re like me with a short attention span, I don’t force yourself to sit for long periods of time when you edit. I like to use the Pomodoro method, which is 25 minutes of work and then a five minute break. That break allows me to come back with fresh eyes and a clear brain.
[Meghan] Do what you need to do for editing. Incorporate it into your process, make time for it. Sloppy writing forces your audience to struggle for meaning and understanding. For me, if I have to edit the content in my head while I’m trying to consume it, I lose focus on the meaning of what I’m reading. So edit at least twice to improve your communication and marketing.
Final Thoughts About These Business Writing Tips
[Theresa] We’ve come to the end of the episode, I’m sad to say. You’ve given people super helpful tips here that people haven’t heard elsewhere. They’re unique. And, even if listeners use only one business writing tip from the episode, they’ll improve how they communicate with others, especially in their marketing.
[Meghan] Yay, that’s what I was hoping for Theresa! I could blab about writing even more, but I think these tips are the best place to start if you want to be a more effective writer and marketer.
We’ve talked about writing and copywriting being must-have marketing skills because when it comes down to it, your business hinges on whether you can convince people to take action. And a huge part of that influence is in your writing and content.
[Theresa] I just want to make this last point. When it comes to incorporating this writing advice into your business, start small. If you have a writing process, you can begin to improve it by adding one of these steps into the mix.
Don’t try to add everything at once or you’ll overwhelm yourself. When you’re overwhelmed you’re less likely to stick to it.
To make something truly a part of your process, it takes practice and consistency. That’s how you make it sustainable. That’s how you make it a good habit.
[Meghan] For me, the rewards of writing effectively have been extensive. Plenty of business opportunities have been the result of my writing and content. And I want this for you too. But there’s no shortcut when it comes to effective writing. It takes some practice and a bit of extra time.
Like with any skill, you get better and faster over time. So stick with it. Effective writing can change your life and your business, so don’t underestimate its power and influence!
Remember what Lee Iacocca said, “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.”
