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Six Effective Writing RulesVietnamese learners of English may find it difficult to understand what a Western person is expecting to see in a business email because of cultural differences. Writing effectively means:
It is important to be an effective writer because it can greatly influence your career. The answer is we have to learn to write effectively. Effective emailsCompare these two promotional emails written by stationary supply company to their clients: Why is one email written more effectively?
Use these rules every time you writeRule #1 – engage the reader in the first sentence.Learning to effectively engage the reader in the first paragraph is a key element to writing effectively. Unless you get the reader’s attention with a first glance at your document it will metaphorically go straight into the rubbish bin. It will not be read further and definitely not actioned.
Think about what is wrong with the first promotional email. Why is this not an effective email? It is written by an office supply company and the first thing it communicates to its readers, who are very busy with their own company, is ‘We continue to be one of the world’s leading business-to-business suppliers of office products and services, and our motto continues to be: ‘Our job is to make your job easier’.
A better solution is to talk about the customer immediately and include a benefit. This is called the WIFM – ‘What is In It For Me’. Write to your client and say ‘we have made your life easier in two ways’. You see the same technique used in the Marketing Industry. Why? It works. Another example: Dear Mrs Brown I have pleasure in enclosing ten copies of our new brochure, detailing the Strategic Leadership and Advanced Management Programmes available here at the Institute for Management, for entry in September. What is wrong with this introduction?
A better solution would include talking about the reader and a hint at how you might help with your product. Dear Mrs Brown You may spend some of your time within your HR role addressing leadership issues. Help yourself to the enclosed brochure full of ideas to help you. What makes this introduction more effective?
An effective writer engages the reader in the first sentence, makes it easy for the reader to read and then tells the reader what to do. Rule #2 – keep your sentences short.Make it easy for the reader to read. State your point in a short simple manner. Additionally the longer your sentences are the more likely you are to make a Grammar error. Rule #3 – make it easy to read, leaving lines between your Introduction, Body & Conclusion.No person enjoys reading text that is crammed up and difficult to read. Make it easy for the reader to read.
Rule #4 – tell the user what to do in the last sentence.The function of the email closure is vital. We are all busy with numerous emails to work through and we are subconsciously grateful when we do not have to spend time trying to figure out what the next step is.
Rule #5 – do not start sentences with conjunction words such as – because, and, or, so …Conjunction words join phrases and clauses together to complete a sentence. Using them incorrectly is poor Grammar.
Rule #6 – take the time to check your work for errors.Take the time to check your work for errors and build quality in. Frequently we are tied, rushing to finish and press ‘send email’. Leaving silly grammar errors in your text can say a lot about you. Keep it simpleVietnamese learners of English are drilled in techniques covering the use of unique and interesting English phrases, collocations and sentence structures to engage the reader. Often what is forgotten is a simple approach. An effective writer engages the reader in the first sentence, makes it easy for the reader to read and then tells the reader what to do. Unless you get the reader’s attention with a quick first glance of a document it will metaphorically go straight into the rubbish bin. It will not be read further and definitely not be actioned. These six simple writing rules will help you to write effectively. You may further understand viewing these tutorials Your Business English teacherTutorialsBusiness English CoursesTestimonialsBusiness English Tuitionfor Vietnamese career professionals © Copyright 2018-2022 VietnamEnglish.vn |