Ten tips to help boost your business writing

Writing isn’t for everyone. I mean, yes, almost all of us can write. Just as most of us can read. We were taught to read and write at school. Right? But writing comms for your business is hard. It’s also the last thing on your list when you’re juggling that business with military life and all its madness.

Every piece of marketing you compose needs to tick a lot of boxes.

• Grab the attention of people who are short on attention

• Stand out from the competition in a competitive market

• Reflect your brand and values with warmth and personality

• Persuade busy/savvy people to think/do certain things

Here are ten tips to help you get your message out there in a way that’s appealing, engaging and easy to read.

1. Relax. Sure, you’re writing for business, but you’re still writing for people. It doesn’t need to be as formal as you think, and you certainly don’t want to sound like a big, stuffy corporate. It’s perfectly fine to use a more conversational tone of voice. It makes your business sound warm and friendly, helpful and approachable – precisely the pitch you want.

2. Shorten words. One way to achieve this is by contracting words – just as you would in spoken conversation. For example, it’s better to say ‘I’d be happy to help’ rather than ‘I would be happy to help’. It sounds so much more natural.

3. Shorten sentences. It’s also good to keep sentences short. In fact, a smattering of very short sentences can be a nice way to mix things up. To make things punchy. Upbeat. And never mind what your teacher said about not using conjunctions at the beginning of a sentence. It’s okay to lead with the occasional ‘And’ or ‘But’.

4. Keep it simple. Don’t be tempted to use long, fancy words when a more everyday one will do. For example, don’t say ‘require’ when you can say ‘need’; don’t say ‘purchase’ when you can say ‘buy’. Again, think to yourself, what word would I use in normal conversation? Use that.

5. Embrace space. The more concise your writing, the clearer your message. Fewer words mean more white space on the page; more room for your message to breathe and stand out. An uncluttered page is visually appealing to even the most cerebral audience. It makes them more likely to want to read your copy at the outset. And, when they do, it’s easier to follow.

6. Break it up.  

   · Bullet points are a great way to present information – not necessarily lists – in straightforward, scan-friendly form

   · Subheads are helpful in signposting readers through longer content – they can be as functional or playful as you like

7. Make it personal. Always write in the first and second person (‘We can help you with all your sewing projects’) as if talking directly to your audience. This is much more likely to resonate than the third person (‘Sew Good can help customers with all their sewing projects’). No one relates to ‘they’.

8. Turn features into benefits. This is not about you; it’s about your customers and what they can get from you. Focus less on the facts of your business (‘I have a fabulous design studio in Kent’), and more on the emotions, experiences or results your customers will gain from it (‘Your website will be beautifully designed to attract more clicks’).

9. Writer’s block? If you get stuck, step away and come back later. A fresh pair of eyes can work wonders for words (and typos). Go for a walk, play with the dog, water your basil plant, do some lunges. Another idea is to flip your copy into different fonts and see if it triggers any inspiration!

10. Beware the bot. Be mindful that AI-generated copy is often riddled with mistakes. It’s also jolly boring. It’s generic, bland, samey, beige. None of the things you want for your brand. If you must use AI – say, to help structure a complex piece of writing or to trim an overwhelmingly large amount of content – then let it do the heavy lifting. But always go back and tweak like crazy. You want to inject all the personal spark and nuance that make your business yours.

For more writing tips, as well as hands-on help and guidance, please ping me a line and I’ll be happy to chat. Say hi@stripytie.com.

Jacqueline Cohen is an experienced copywriter, and less experienced veteran, who loves helping small businesses find their voice