TOP TIPS: Five ways to produce engaging writing in tough times
There has never been a more important time to ensure your corporate messages are being read, and more importantly understood, by employees. Here, Megan Sheerin offers her top 5 tips for creating powerful messages to help keep employees engaged and motivated.
With the global credit crisis biting hard, engaged, productive and high-performing people are more important than ever to organizations looking to survive these tough times – and remain successful. Equally in demand are internal communicators who can secure employees' support and encourage their discretionary effort. Powerful internal communications – underpinned by clear, concise and compelling copy – can help.
Strong writers stand out. There are few of them, so the great ones are sought-after.
The ability to write well is fundamental not only to business success – but to that of your career also, especially if you’re now taking on different responsibilities or a new job altogether. Strong writers stand out. There are few of them (thanks to the general global decline of education standards), so the great ones are sought-after.
If you're keen to better yourself and your business, here are five pointers for producing writing that works in times of change:
1. Beware of business buzz words
Now more than ever, employees crave to understand what you really mean. Lose the "strategizing", "socializing" and "deep-diving" and stick to simple, down-to-earth and straightforward language. Your readers will reward you by reading on.
2. Stay positive, honest and open
Tone is particularly important in the current business climate, so keep your communications as optimistic as possible, but don't ever "spin" your message. Employees need both honesty and compassion. The way you write will shape the way they'll respond.
3. Keep it tight and targeted
People today are busier than ever. They have less time for long, poorly constructed communications that wander around the point, or miss it altogether. Know why you're writing – is it to inform, inspire or recognize employees? Then get in and out quickly, using as few words as possible to communicate meaning. This will give your copy more impact.
4. Write only when appropriate
Print should never be used to share sensitive decisions such as restructuring or redundancies. These are best communicated face-to-face by a leader your employees respect and trust. Consider written information a supporting tool only in such situations and use it to explain complex ideas and material in more detail.
5. Make it an experience
Employees are bombarded with information from all angles, every day. To get their attention – and respect – write from their viewpoint (not the company’s), emphasize benefits over features and most of all, use words to create an engaging experience for them, rather than a mere message.
Megan Sheerin is Melcrum's Writing and Editing trainer in Australia. The Writing and Editing course is one of the new Internal Communication Black Belt Masterclasses and is designed to improve your writing skills in two days of intensive training.
Have your say
How do you ensure your communications are on-message and effective? Do you feel standards in writing are falling? In your opinion is good writing one of the most critical skills for an internal communicator? As ever, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
Recommended resources:
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What recruiters want from comms candidates
How to grab your reader's attention – and keep it
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