Business Correspondence: Clarity, Precision, Action

The Written Word in a Business Context

The manager of a large company receives on average 120 business emails per day. Most of them are poorly written: unclear thesis, unnecessary introductory words, passive voice, lack of a specific request. A well-written letter is a competitive advantage.

Business correspondence is not literature. The criteria: clarity (the reader understands the first time), conciseness (no longer than necessary), effectiveness (it is clear what needs to be done). Elegance of style is a pleasant bonus, but not the goal.

The "Main Point First" Principle

Most people write in chronological or associative order: first context, then the main idea. The reader of a business text is busy and impatient. He wants to know first: what is being asked of him, and then — why.

The technique of the "inverted pyramid" (from journalism): the main information — the first paragraph; details and context — after. If the reader stops after the first paragraph — he knows the main thing.

Applied to email: first paragraph — thesis or request. Second and third — justification. The conclusion — a concrete next step with a deadline.

10 Rules of Clear Business Correspondence

(1) Use active voice: "We approved the budget" instead of "The budget was approved by us." Active voice is more specific, shorter, livelier.

(2) Concrete words instead of abstract: "increase revenue by 15% by Q3" instead of "improve financial performance." Abstractions are a signal of vague thinking.

(3) Short sentences: an average length of 15–20 words is optimal. Long sentences with several subordinate clauses create cognitive load.

(4) One paragraph — one idea: mixing several ideas in a paragraph disorients the reader.

(5) Remove filler words: "from the point of view of the fact that" → "because"; "in connection with the above" → delete; "obviously" → delete.

(6) Avoid nominalizations: "conduct a review" → "review"; "provide assistance" → "help". The action should be in the verb, not the noun.

(7) Numbers give specificity: "the majority" → "73%"; "many years" → "12 years".

(8) Headings and bullet points: for documents longer than one page — they help navigation and highlight key points.

(9) Explicit call to action: every email requiring a response should end with a specific request with a timeframe.

(10) Read aloud: if you stumble — rephrase.

Types of Business Documents

Executive summary: a one- or two-page overview of a major document for executives. Structure: problem → key findings → recommendations → next steps. The executive should be able to make a decision without reading the full document.

Memorandum (memo): an internal document formalizing a decision, request, or information. Required elements: To, From, Date, Subject (concise and specific), Thesis in the first sentence.

Business case: justification for an investment or project. Structure: context → problem/opportunity → proposed solution → financial analysis (NPV, IRR, payback period) → risks → recommendation.

Question for reflection: Find an email you sent last week. Applying the 10 rules: what needs to be changed? How many words could have been removed without loss of meaning? Was the call to action specific?