There are many ways to write to be understood. The simplest way is to use few words, standard words, and short sentences.
In the March issue of Customer Communicator, the training and motivation newsletter for frontline reps, authors and service experts Jeff and Val Gee explain how to keep written language simple.
- Choose the most familiar words. If you shouted, “Quick, there’s a conflagration!” many people would not know what to do. Instead, shout “Fire!” The same is true in writing.
- Eliminate jargon. Remove any words that a customer might struggle to understand.
- Trim your sentences. A long sentence is like nonstop talk. Cut sentences to just 15 – 18 words. The shorter, the better. (Did you see what we did there? We used just four words.)
Practical tips like this appear regularly in Customer Communicator newsletter.