Written communication

Structure
● Introduction
● When to use written communication
● When not to use written
communication
● Requirements of Effective Written
communication
Introduction to effective written communication
● It is considered the strongest medium for conveying information, expressing
thoughts and ideas.
● It is used most often to communicate decisions, orders, and instructions.
● It is considered the strongest medium for conveying information, expressing thoughts
and ideas.
● It can reach to the larger audiences, especially those who are at a distance.
When to use written communication:

● Make records: Records needs to be clear, concise, accurate, and written communication
provides a way to ensure that all parties have a record of the agreement.
● Communicate with a large audience: It can be distributed to a large audience easily
without the need for individual meetings or phone calls.
● Make the messages brief and accurate: It an be edited or revised. This is done
because irrelevant contents can be removed, new changes can be done according to
requirements.
● To elaborate complex messages:To present complex messages in a clear and organized
way by elaborating it.
When not to use written communication:
● In a crisis-Written communication can come across as cold and impersonal, making it
difficult to convey emotional support.
● When a personal discussion is good enough- Emotions can be difficult to convey in
writing, and it may be easier to understand and resolve issues when you can see and
hear the other person’s reaction.
● For conflict resolution- Written communication can often escalate conflicts or
misunderstandings. When resolving conflicts, it’s important to have a face-to-face
conversation .
● When the message is urgent- If a message needs to be delivered quickly, written
communication may not be the most efficient method.
Importance of written communication:
● It helps in securing a job- It can provide a lot of job opportunities to people who can
write effectively like cv, resume, etc.
● It helps in achieving a high position- If a person is good at writing, he may quickly
achieve higher positions in the hierarchy.
● It is critical for some Professions- Some professions such as journalism, paralegal or
public relations, writing, editing, etc. require effective writing skills mandatorily.
● It promotes effective communication-In today’s world, written communication is
mostly done through e-mails, notes, letters, SMSs, and tweets.
Qualities of effective written communication
● Comprehensive: Includes all the relevant details
● Accurate: All details are correct
● Appropriate: Has the right tone and level of formality
● Composition: Has correct spelling and grammar
● Clear: Is understandable
Requirements of effective writing:

1. Subject Lines
2. Put the Main Point First
3. Know Your Audience
4. Organization of the Message
5. Edit and revise
6. Practice, practice, practice
1. Subject lines/ headlines
● It attracts the reader’s attention and provides information about the message.
● Guidelines for writing subject lines:
● Keep it brief- Subject lines should be no more than 50 characters to avoid getting cut
off.
● Use action-oriented language- Use verbs and action words to create a sense of
importance and encourage the reader to take action.
● Use a consistent tone- Make sure your subject line matches the tone of your content
to avoid confusion or disappointment.
● Be specific- Use clear and descriptive language to let your readers know exactly what
the writing is about.
2. Put The Main Point First
● One should know the essential information about exactly what is to be written, why it is being written,
and to whom it is addressed.
● The attention of the reader can be grabbed towards the main topic, request, or instruction by
mentioning the vital information at the top.
● Benefits of putting main points first:
● Save reader’s time- It can save a reader's time by providing a concise and organized overview of the
information being presented.
● Sets a proper frame of mind- It helps to establish a proper frame of mind by providing structure,
focus, and clarity to your thinking process.
● Prevents frustration- It can help prevent frustration by providing structure and clarity to your thoughts
or communication.
● Focus and Conciseness: It encourages you, as a writer, to distill your ideas into concise and focused
statements.
3. Know your Audience:
● Consider who your audience is and what they need to know.
● Help you adjust the message to the audience and ensure that it is easily understood.
● Steps to help you gain insight into your audience:
● Define your target audience
● Conduct market research
● Analyze existing data
● Create identity
● Listen and engage
● Use language and tone appropriately
● Address their pain points and goals
● Test and go through again
Define your target audience Conduct market research
● Clearly define the demographic and ● Gather information about your
psychographic characteristics of target audience.
your target audience. ● Surveys, interviews, focus on
● Consider factors such as age, groups, and social media listening
gender, education level, occupation, can provide valuable insights into
interests, values, and goals. their preferences,challenges, and
expectations.
Analyze existing data Create identity
● Analyze your website analytics, ● Develop fictional identities and give
social media metrics, or any other each person a name, age,
available data to understand your occupation, goals, and preferences.
audience's behavior, engagement ● It helps you empathize with your
levels, and preferences. audience and write from their
● Data can reveal valuable perspective.
information about their
demographics, interests, and the
type of content they find most
engaging.
Use language and tone appropriately Listen and engage

● Adapt your vocabulary, sentence structure, ● Engage with your audience through social
and overall writing approach to resonate with media, forums, comment sections, and email
them. communication.
● Consider whether your audience is specialized ● Engaging in conversations allows you to
or general, formal or informal, and technical better understand their needs and refine your
or non-technical writing accordingly
Address their main points and goals Test and go through again

● Identify the challenges, questions, or problems ● Monitor the response and engagement metrics
your audience may have and address them in for your content.
your writing. ● Pay attention to comments, shares, likes, and
● your content can provide solutions, insights, any other form of feedback.
or valuable information that aligns with their ● Make adjustments based on that feedback.
interests and goals.
Organize your message:
● Use headings, bullet points, and other formatting tools to make your message easy to read and understand.
● Start with an introduction that sets the stage for the rest of your message.

Points that must be kept in mind while organizing the message:

● Determine your purpose

● Start with an outline
● Use a clear structure
● Use headings and subheadings
● Use bullet points or numbered list
● Maintain clarity and conciseness
● Use formatting and visual elements
● Proofread and revise
● Determine your purpose
● Clearly identify the purpose of your message. Are you providing information, making a request,
seeking clarification, or persuading someone?

● Know your audience

● Consider who will be reading your message. Understand their level of knowledge, their expectations, and
any specific information they may require

● Start with an outline

● Help you stay focused and organized throughout your message. Arrange your ideas in a logical
sequence to ensure smooth flow and coherence.

● Use headings and subheadings

● Help readers quickly identify the main topics and navigate through the message.
● Use bullet points or numbered lists
● When presenting a series of items or steps, consider using bullet points or numbered lists.
These formats make information more digestible and help readers grasp key points quickly.

● Maintain clarity and conciseness

● Use clear and straightforward language to convey your message. Avoid unnecessary jargon, acronyms, or technical
terms.
Be concise and avoid wordiness to keep your message focused and engaging.

● Use formatting and visual elements

● Utilize formatting options such as bold, italics, underlining, or highlighting to draw attention to key information.
Include visual elements like charts, graphs, or images when appropriate, as they can enhance understanding and
engagement.

● Proofread and revise

● Check for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors, and ensure that your message flows smoothly and logically.
Reading your message aloud can help you catch any awkward phrasing or inconsistencies.
Edit & Revise:
● Once finished with first draft, take the time to edit and revise your work.
● Tighten up your writing, eliminate unnecessary words, and improve clarity.

Guidelines to help you in the process:

● Take a break
● Read it aloud
● Structure and organization
● Cut unnecessary information
● Check grammar, punctuation, and spelling
● Use active voice
● Improve clarity
● Check for consistency
● Seek feedback
● Proofread again
6. Practice, practice, practice
● Writing is a skill that takes time and practice to develop.
● Practicing writing skills involves engaging in activities and exercises that help improve your ability to express
ideas, thoughts, and information effectively through writing.
● Encompasses various aspects of writing, such as grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, organization,
coherence, and style.

Ways to practice and enhance your writing skills:

● Freewriting
● Reading
● Writing prompts
● Grammar and vocabulary exercises
● Peer feedback
● Editing and revising
 Free writing Reading

● Write continuously without worrying about ● Read extensively across a variety of genres
grammar or structure. and styles to expose yourself to different
● This exercise helps you generate ideas and writing techniques, vocabulary, and sentence
develop a flow of writing. structures.
● Pay attention to the author's style and how
they convey their ideas.
Writing prompts Editing and revising Grammar and vocabulary
exercises:
● Review and revise your own
● A sentence, pictures or writing to improve clarity, ● Practice specific aspects of
paragraphs that provides coherence, and style. Pay grammar, such as verb tenses,
inspiration and guidance attention to grammar, sentence structure, and
for writing. sentence structure, and punctuation.
overall organization. Edit for ● Expand your vocabulary by
clarity, conciseness, and
coherence. learning new words and using
them in your writing.
Summary
● Learnt when to use and when not to use written communication.
● Studied requirements of effective written communication in order to give clear,
concise, correct, coherent message.
● It simplifies complex concepts and ideas.
Thank you