Rod Waddell (center) with some of the participants in the Superior Business Writing workshop conducted at the Chamber of Commerce
The primary objective in business writing is getting the point across to the reader whether they are a client, vendor, colleague or employee.
Local consultant, Rod Waddell, who teaches Superior Writing at the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, stated that regardless of the explicit content in the correspondence, the writer wants the reader to react in a certain way.
He said letters that begin on a negative note create a negative image of the writer and are frequently left unread and there is an effective technique to overcome that weakness.
"If you have something negative to say, begin with a neutral statement at the beginning, then the facts supporting your decision before you bring up the bad news," said Mr Waddell.
"Then end with a statement of good will."
He explained that participants enjoy writing refusal letters that remain positive and thoughtful in the reader's mind. The more you write about a particular topic the more it is emphasized in the reader's mind.
Beginning a letter with 'I am sorry to inform you...' then continuing with long detailed explanations only adds insult to injury.
"Structure creates punch in your writing. Short, succinct sentences leap into the readers mind. And finally, mechanical devices, such as charts, drawings or cartoons make it easy to emphasize important points. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words," stated Mr Waddell.
He added that workshop participants perk up when they learn how to control the reader's reaction by using four techniques of emphasis. The simple techniques of position, space, structure and mechanical devices are used to influence the readers' thoughts and feelings. Positioning is another important element in effective business writing, especially if it is at the first or end part of the correspondence.
He also reviews how to make the writing clear by eliminating cluttered phrases and surplus words, such as, 'more to the point' or 'free gift' increases the readers comfort and comprehension. In addition, using the same word to refer to a specific idea or action throughout your correspondence adds continuity and minimizes confusion in the reader's mind.
Mr Waddell has been teaching executive team building to corporations in the USA with such as American Express and Chevron, as well as business in the Cayman Islands businesses for more than 20 years.
He has conducted seminars and workshops for the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce for 12 years and moved to Grand Cayman three years ago.
