Some things I’ve learned about writing for business and sales

(6-10)

6. “Don’t tell me: show me.”

People are sceptical: unlikely to believe anything you say about yourself. Rather than make claims,

provide proof: testimonials or case studies that demonstrate that you are as good as you say, and

do deliver what you promise.

7. “A proposal is not an isolated event,

but a critical part of a larger process.” David G Pugh and Terry R Bacon

If you have no existing relationship with the prospect—unless they already know you and have shown interest in buying from you—you are more than likely wasting your time putting in a bid. A proposal doesn’t begin the process of gaining a

new client, it concludes it.

8. “I would not give a fig for the

simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity

on the other side of complexity.” Oliver Wendall Holmes

Everything is complicated and people don’t read. And so, the creative task—always—is to make

things simple. Oliver Wendall Holmes challenges us to do so without dumbing it down.

9. “Art edits down complexity and helps

us to focus on the most meaningful aspects.”

Alain de Botton and John Armstrong

Art shows us the way. Artists make choices about what to leave in and what to leave out, about which details must be

shown and which are unnecessary. They make a distinction between ‘being honest’ and ‘being correct’. They focus on the authenticity of the

work as a whole: how effectively it communicates.

10. “The human species thinks in metaphors

and learns through stories.” Catherine Bateson

Business writing may be a dialect—a version of the language used in a particular context—but it

remains a human interaction. The less formal it is—the more personable is it—the greater chance it will have of making a connection with the reader.