#23157
For all writers the most important people are their readers. If you keep your readers in mind when you write, it will help you use the right tone, appropriate language and include the right amount of detail.
Business Letter Writing. Articles>Writing>Business Communication>Rhetoric
#20498
Resources for Writing Business Plans
A business plan is a document used to start a new business or get funding for a business that is changing in some significant way. Business plans are important documents for business partners who need to agree upon and document their plans, government officials who may need to approve aspects of the plan, and of course potential investors such as banks or private individuals who may decide to fund the business or its expansion.
McMurrey, David A. Illuminati Online (2001). Articles>Business Communication>Planning>Writing
#28842
Should Writers Be Held Accountable for Web Page Performance?
Ask print direct response copywriters if they are held accountable, and they'll say yes. That was my own life for 15 years. I wrote direct mail packages and was judged not on my past reputation, but on the performance of each piece I wrote, one mailing at a time.
Usborne, Nick. Excess Voice (2006). Articles>Business Communication>Marketing>Writing
#14430
Business documents are read in an irregular manner. Techniques have been developed to aid the reader of paper documents in navigating through those documents.
Bricklin, Dan. Good Documents (1998). Articles>Writing>Business Communication
#21211
"Stepping Lively": Reformatting the Gap Between Student Writing and Professional Writing 
Teachers of technical writing are urged to use computers not only for influencing the process of writing but also for designing and formatting the product of writing. Engineering students at a Midwestern university now submit final drafts of senior projects in commercial-style formats, thus increasing their range of skills in the act of preparing final written products and adopting some conventions of communicating in the workplace. Reformatting student writing to mimic commercial-quality writing not only increases the scope and responsibility of writing instruction, but also better prepares students to adapt to communication situations in the workplace.
Kumpf, Eric P. and Joseph T. Emanuel. Technical Communication Online (1996). Articles>Education>Writing>Business Communication
#27773
Steve Slaunwhite, Author and Copywriting Pro
In this interview, Steve shares his insight and tips on successful copywriting and freelancing.
Hartsock, Nettie. WhitePaperSource (2006). Articles>Writing>Business Communication
#23574
Technical Writers as Marketing Communicators 
Although there are important differences between technical and marketing writing, technical writers have some prerequisites that support a transition to marketing writing: in-depth product knowledge, research experience, and strong oral and written communication skills. To develop data sheets, brochures, and other materials technical writers must first understand the goals of marketing communications. By focusing on audience needs and product benefits, by using writing techniques that engage the reader, and by providing appropriate supporting visuals, technical writers can develop persuasive marketing messages.
Bednarz, Martha C. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Writing>Marketing>Business Communication
#31284
They'll Thank You for Sharing: Make Those Reports, Memos and White Papers Clear and Readable
Words, words, words. It seems as if we're being asked to write something every minute for every need and occasion. Your boss wants a report; your colleagues need a memo explaining a procedure; your clients send e-mails that need to be considered and answered; your company's products or services should be described in a descriptive white paper, and on and on. How can you deal with all that? Are there any general writing rules that apply to business writing of all sorts?
Canavor, Natalie and Claire Meirowitz. Communication World Bulletin (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Rhetoric>Technical Writing
#14034
Using the Enthymeme as a Heuristic in Professional Writing Courses
In the following pages, I will offer a methodology for letter and memoranda writing which exchanges an emphasis on forms for one on rhetorical analysis. Ultimately, training in rhetorical analysis helps students exercise and refine the analytical and analogical thinking needed for any discipline; that is, a professional writing course can serve, as Carolyn Miller says, to 'present mechanical rules and skills against a broad understanding of why and how to adjust or violate the rules, of the social implications of the roles a writer casts for himself or herself, and for the reader, and of the ethical repercussions of one’s words—effects which emphasize the fundamental nature of the humanities' (617). But before addressing how a professional writing course advances a liberal education, or even why to adopt a new methodology, it would be instructive to look at the causes for a letter such as the one which opens this article. Certainly, cost is a consideration, it being cheaper to mail form letters than have secretaries research and write personalized letters; for a mail order business, though, especially one whose clientele pay substantial prices, this strategy may be penny-wise and pound-foolish. However, the two causes I want to discuss pertain more to the concerns of a writing class: the writer’s reliance on forms, and the lack of analysis of context and audience.
Jacobi, Martin. JAC (1987). Articles>Rhetoric>Writing>Business Communication
#31450
What Is a White Paper and How Is It Used?
White papers have grown from just another piece of collateral to a super-powered marketing tool. Everywhere you look in marketing, you will see something labeled a "white paper."
Stelzner, Michael A. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Business Communication>Writing>White Papers
#31286
When I review internal publications, company or product endorsements, case studies demonstrating customer successes and other print and online communications that purport to convey stories, I find they're often missing crucial story characteristics. They tend to be descriptive of situations instead of relaying actual stories about what occurred. So, what is a story, what is its basic structure and what considerations go into crafting it?
Silverman, Lori L. Communication World Bulletin (2006). Articles>Business Communication>Writing
#28835
Where to Find Content for your E-Newsletters, and How to Use It
I am amazed by the number of places you can find content for your newsletter. Some of it takes the form of free articles. Some of it you pay for, and can request any kind of content you like. One way or another, whatever your industry and the focus of your e-newsletter, there are plenty of places to get good content for every issue you send.
Usborne, Nick. Excess Voice (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Writing>Newsletters
#27770
WhitePaperSource is a rich information source for white paper enthusiasts. It contains news about the industry and a forum for discussing everything and anything about writing and marketing white papers.
WhitePaperSource. Articles>Writing>Technical Illustration>Business Communication
#26875
Wikis, Blogs and Other Community Tools in the Enterprise
Wikis and Web logs (blogs) make a big impact on the Web, but they can also be useful in an enterprise. A community is a group of people with common interests, goals, or responsibilities, such as a project team or an interest group. Combine wikis and blogs with existing collaborative tools to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of enterprise teams.
Farrell, Joel A. IBM (2006). Articles>Writing>Business Communication>Blogging
#23162
Writing a Strong Opening to Your Business Letter 
Your first job in writing any letter is to gain your reader's attention. It's an important principle of effective writing to put the most important information first. Your opening paragraph is both the headline and the lead for the message that follows in the rest of the letter.
Business Letter Writing. Articles>Writing>Correspondence>Business Communication
#29728
Writing for Technical and Business Decision-Maker Audiences
The impact of any technical writing depends on the ability of the writer to understand and address the readers' concern, and to deliver highly usable documents that are relevant to the audience. Especially when readers make business decisions about technology, based on technical communication, writers need to develop best practices for conducting their own audience analysis and writing with audience needs in mind. This paper introduces several likely audiences a technical writer is likely to encounter and makes a few practical recommendations for communicating to them with the intended impact.
Lemoine, Chris. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Business Communication>Writing>Technical Writing
#24234
Writing in the Business Environment
Organisational writing is specialised. To be an effective writer in the business environment, you need to have excellent general writing skills and to understand the complex communication choices involved. Knowing how writing is structured in an organisation and what is acceptable helps you to shape your writing so that it communicates successfully.
Petelin, Roslyn and Marsha Durham. Allen and Unwin (1992). Articles>Writing>Business Communication
#31776
Writing in the Corporate Workplace: How to Keep Your Writing Healthy at Work
Make sure you know what you're talking about. This means understanding the big picture as well as sweating the small stuff. When interviewing subject matter experts, don't accept high-level answers to questions. Drill down to the details.
Harper, Judith. Between the Lines (2007). Articles>Business Communication>Writing>Technical Writing
#30599
The Writing of Marketing Materials as Technical Communication
Writers of marketing materials seem to be stepchildren at best in the family of technical communication. Yet one cannot engage in writing effective marketing materials about technical products or services without being a technical communicator. And the more "typical" technical writer--such as an author of documentation--will perform better when she understand-s the marketing component of her work. We will serve the marketing communicator and his technical writer counterpart well by breaking down the barrier that seems to exist between the disciplines.
Baker, Dina. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Business Communication>Marketing>Writing
#23161
Writing Powerful Headings for Your Business Letters
Can you imagine reading a newspaper or magazine without any headlines or headings? Headlines and headings help us find our way around, decide what to read, signal what's coming next and highlight key points.
Business Letter Writing. Articles>Writing>Correspondence>Business Communication
#22039
A press release is a (candidate) news story written by a firm for distribution to the media. The purpose of a press release varies from announcing new products, services, and business activities, to introducing the hiring of a new employee. It is not advertising in the classic sense, i.e., there is no hard sell involved although there is a more subtle intent to reach the prospective buyers.
Tech-Writer. Articles>Business Communication>Writing>Press Releases
#15235
Writing Technical Press Releases
Explains how technical communicators with no public relations experience can take charge of their companies' media plans and press releases.
Greiling, Dunrie A. Intercom (2001). Articles>Business Communication>Writing>Press Releases
#27771
Writing When You Are NOT the Expert
Have you ever been asked to write a white paper about a topic that is completely foreign to you? If not, you most certainly will. This article will help you set your foot down the right path.
Stelzner, Michael A. WhitePaperSource (2006). Articles>Writing>Business Communication>White Papers
#23160
Writing your Business Plan in Plain English
Plain English is clear English. It is simple and direct but not simplistic or patronising. Using plain English doesn’t mean everyone's writing must sound the same. There is no one ‘right’ way to express an idea. There's plenty of room for your own style—but it will only blossom once you have got rid of the poor writing habits that are typical of most business writing.
Business Letter Writing. Articles>Writing>Correspondence>Business Communication
#20811
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Technical Writing World. (Japanese) Articles>Business Communication>Education>Writing
