How To Write Business Communication

Published: 2024-03-06
Views: 561
Author: Contributor
Published in: Business

Business communication is the process of sharing information between people within the workplace and outside a company.

Effective business communication is how employees and management interact to reach organizational goals. Its purpose is to improve organizational practices and reduce errors. It’s important to work on both your communication skills and communication processes to achieve effective business communication.

Types of Business Communication

There are two type of business communication

1. Internal business communication can be:

• Upward communication: any communication that comes from a subordinate to a manager. Or from another person up the organizational hierarchy.
• Downward communication/Managerial communication: anything that comes from a superior to a subordinate.
• Lateral communication/Technical communication: internal or cross-departmental communication between coworkers

2. External Business Communication

External business communication is any messaging that leaves your office and internal staff. It involves dealing with customers, vendors, or anything that impacts your brand.

Business writing is any written communication used in a professional setting, including emails, memos, and reports. It’s direct, clear, and designed to be read quickly. With time and practice, you too can become an effective business writer.

How to Write an Effective Business Email

1. The basics of a business email

All business emails should be direct, clear, and easy to read. The tone of a business email, however, can vary from informal to formal. The formality can depend on your company, the intended audience, subject matter, and several other factors.

If you’re unsure how formal your email should be, review our lesson on how formal an email should be.

Regardless of the formality, remember to stay professional because you lose control of the email once you click Send. Emails can be copied and forwarded to others indefinitely, and if you’re inappropriate or unprofessional, your poor choice of words could follow you.

2. Writing a business email

As with any email, a business email should include a brief but descriptive subject line, one or more recipients, and an attachment if needed. If you are including multiple recipients, consider using the CC (carbon copy) field to keep the extra recipients in the loop without requiring them to respond.

To learn more about the basic parts of an email, take a look at our lesson on common email features.

When you start writing the main content of the email, there's a simple and effective structure you can follow:

• Greeting: Make it brief and friendly, and address the recipient by name if you know it. For instance, “Hi Jonathan” or “Greetings Ms. Childress” are both reliable introductions. The first name is preferable if you're more familiar with the recipient, while you should use their last name if you want to be more formal.
• Body: Start with your main point so no one has to hunt for it, and keep your writing concise and focused on the concerns of your audience. If you need a response from the recipient, make sure to include a call to action so they know how and why to respond. Also, if you've attached a file, be sure to mention it here.
• Ending: Offer a quick farewell, such as “Thanks” or “Sincerely”, then give your name and contact information in case they have questions.

3. Business Communication Report Writing

A business report is a formal documentation consisting of theoretical and quantitative information about a business. It is highly research-based and backed up with data, facts, and analysis.

It is to be noted that every business communication report serves a purpose for business. It should help the organization to make sound decisions based on data and accurate information.

A formal business report is drafted in an orderly manner starting with:

• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• Recommendation
• References

The Objective of Business Communication Report Writing

The objective of a business report should be clear and purpose-driven. There are more chances of getting wrong interpretations if the objective of the report is not set.

To set the objective the managers need to identify gaps and assess improvements the report will initiate. The overall aim of any report should be to help the organization to take corrective action and maintain the efficiency of a business.

Moreover, while drafting the report, it is also important to make sure that the report is not biased as there is no room for subjectivity.

How to Draft a Report

After understanding the types and the objective of the report now it’s time to put it in place. This phase involves planning the structure of the report and including the relevant information. A proper format for your business report should be followed for its acceptance.

Key points to address while structuring the report

1. The Type of the Report:

As discussed above there are many types of reports a business can create. So it is important to select the right report according to the objective set.

2. The Mission for the Report:

Understanding the purpose of the team needing the report is crucial. It will help you to look for questions, queries, or doubts the report can solve. After all, every report will serve as a decision-making tool for top management. Thus keeping in mind the purpose of creation, will help you move forward.