Page 113 - How to write effective business English your guide to excellent professional communication by Fiona Talbot

102 How to Write Effective Business English

● ● As with e-mail, don’t let speed trap you into inferior writing.
Abbreviated spelling may be acceptable but each message has to
be both organized and understood.

● ● Observe etiquette: just because you are free for those seconds,
you might be interrupting someone else’s meeting, etc, even if
their status setting indicates they are available. Ask when they
can reply if you don’t hear by return.
● ● Etiquette also involves the right tone – and understanding
recipients’ preferred style.

● ● As with e-mail, let readers know where the message is leading
and what response you need.

● ● It may be better to deal with one message at a time because of
the ‘on the go’ nature of the medium. Use line breaks to avoid
run-on sentences that are difficult to decipher.

● ● Check whether texting or messaging mode is migrating into
your other business communication and what guidelines you
may need to have in place to uphold quality and values.

Activity: Discuss the best use of texting and instant messaging
with colleagues and how this may impact on your other corporate
communication. Collaborate on the code you will use to avoid
misunderstandings, even offence. It’s also helpful to decide on the
salutations/endings you will use (as required). You might be
surprised how important this is in workplaces to avoid irritated
readers’ faces!

Your checklist for action

Before you press send, ask yourself:

● ● Is e-mail or instant messaging the right communication medium? Is
your English fit for purpose? E-writing is corporate communicat-
ion and your English has to be professional.