To rip off the old song, you could say about business writing that the good stuff is hard to find…you almost always get the other kind. In fact most business writing is so bad–from Web site copy to marketing literature to everyday e-mails–that people might assume:
1. Nobody notices or cares if it’s clichéd, lifeless, and full of meaningless empty rhetoric.
2. It’s OK to sound exactly like all our competitors.
3. There’s no reason for either companies or individuals to take the trouble to stand above the crowd.
But we suspect there’s more frustration out there than was evident…or maybe even the tide is turning. On May 1, new Inc. online columnist Jason Fried wrote an article called “Why Is Business Writing So Awful?” http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100501/why-is-business-writing-so-awful.html#comment-49403712
Here’s his lead:
What’s bad, boring, and barely read all over? Business writing. If you could taste words, most corporate websites, brochures, and sales materials would remind you of stale, soggy rice cakes: nearly calorie free, devoid of nutrition, and completely unsatisfying.”
Fried goes on to cite words and phrases he especially hates (e.g., turnkey, full service solutions provider) and some copy he loves, all from Web sites
(Woot.com, Saddleback Leather, Polyface farm). His comment: “These are businesses that care about what they say and how they say it. They don’t write to fill up space on a page. They write to fill up your head.”
Granted, Fried chose three consciously idiosyncratic businesses able to represent themselves in writing with individuality. It’s a lot harder to write about software, for example … or is it? Here’s a paragraph from the home page of Fried’s own business, a Web applications provider called 37 Signals:
“WHO USES OUR PRODUCTS?
Our products are built for small businesses and individuals (we call this group the Fortune 5,000,000), but companies of all sizes use them every day. From 1 person to teams of 3-5 people to companies of 5000. Everyone loves simple tools that help get the job done.”
Not earth-shattering, but straightforward, tight, snappy with a bit of fun to it.
But here’s the really interesting thing: since Fried’s column ran on May 1, more than 100 comments have so far been posted and they still continue. Most are in the “Thank heavens someone said this” category, each elaborating from different vantage points (many comments are from writers who complain that the client makes them do it).
Who knew that calling attention to the poor quality of business writing would hit such a nerve? We hope Fried’s Fortune 5,000,000 will sit up and take notice.
In this era of depending on business writing to open doors, make connections, and sell ourselves and our products, nothing offers a bigger potential edge than doing it well. Those who write, those who hire writers and those who read what they produce should all clamor for better writing. Future issues of this blog will contribute to this effort with practical tips and ideas. –Natalie Canavor
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Good business writing is a skill that can be learned.
If you want to raise the bar on writing in your organization, call us. We create custom workshops that focus on your organization’s chief writing challenges and can be designed for key personnel, new hires, and other specific groups whose writing is important to your organization’s success.
The workshops are taught by Natalie Canavor and Claire Meirowitz, co-authors of The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing (Financial Times Press, 2010).
Contact them at natalie@C-Mbizwriting.com or claire@C-Mbizwriting.com
Check our Web sites: www.businesswriting2win.com
