Professional Tone in Business Writing [A Guide for 2020]
Merriam-Webster defines tone as the style or manner of expression in writing. Tone conveys the attitude associated with the content. Just as a person speaking can modify the meaning of words through inflection and nonverbal cues, writing can convey different meanings based on the way words are chosen and combined.
Business writing must have the proper tone to ensure it is effective. If the tone leaves the content unclear, confusing or, worst case, offensive, the reader won’t be able to properly absorb or react to the text. As business advances more and more into the digital world, writing in the form of email and instant messaging is taking over from in-person meetings and phone calls. The increase in text communication highlights the importance of proper knowledge and use of tone. The following concepts are taught in more depth in all of our online business writing courses.
In order to employ the proper tone in a document, you need to assess a few defining factors. Here are some of elements that define the type of tone your writing takes.
The audience is always the most important aspect of business writing. The writer needs to have a clear understanding of who will be reading the document in order to write it to their tastes. The text has to be tailored to their knowledge, needs, and preferences. For example, a proposal written with a light-hearted, familiar tone may be suitable for a long-term, domestic client but inappropriate for another new, international client.
The tone must match the document’s goal. Each document is built to serve a specific purpose and language choice supports this purpose. A user manual is meant to instruct and takes on a direct, neutral tone. A proposal is meant to win business and uses persuasive language to convince the reader. In order to apply the right tone, you need to have a clear concept of the purpose.
Tone varies with the document format. An email uses a different tone than a financial report or an office memo. The way the document will be sent, prepared, or consumed modifies the language used. In an era of short attention spans and long internet record-keeping, words must be phrased in ways that suit their medium.
Finally, each company has their own style. Your brand may be hip and fun or serious and steady. Writing should match the overall quality, while still conceding to the previously mentioned factors.
For consistency, brand or marketing managers may provide a style guide for use in preparing business documents.
There are some general principles that apply across business writing. These standards will be modified based on the four defining factors. However, every business writer can benefit from understanding these style choices and the logic behind them. Each trait is matched with a linguistic tool that you can use to achieve the right tone.
Confidence is appealing. Firms want to do deals with people who are confident in their business, their product, and themselves.
Tool: Use the active voice. The passive voice is more difficult for readers to understand and less persuasive.
Example:
Passive: Quick and efficient delivery will be carried out by our trained drivers.
Active: Our trained drivers will carry out quick and efficient delivery.
Tool: Avoid long sentences with the phrase “, and.” A comma followed by the word “and” is rated in readability studies as pleading rather than confident.
Example:
Unconfident: Write with more confidence and learn to project executive tone and find all errors.
Confident: Write with more confidence. Learn to project executive tone. Find all errors.
To build a sense of trustworthiness, business writing should be sincere. As it can be difficult to convey through text alone, it can be proven with evidence of past success.
Tool: Use numbers. Numbers provide clear and specific statements that are compelling to the reader. It is difficult to debate numbers so readers receive genuine information. The text reads as sincere.
Example:
No numbers: We have helped many customers reach their social media goals.
With numbers: We have helped 55 customers reach over 22,000 new customers through social media.
Positive tone is appealing to the reader. People are often motivated and attracted to a positive take. Positive output or benefits are appealing to the reader.
Tool: Phrase text in a positive way. Include phrases that are encouraging and enticing. Negative phrasing should be avoided.
Example:
Negative: Please accept the contract by Thursday at midnight. If not, we will be too busy to process your order and it may not be completed.
Positive: To guarantee delivery and top quality service, please accept the contract by Thursday at midnight.