Having the opportunity and flexibility to work in a remote environment has many benefits. However, it also comes with the challenges of sharing space with others who are working, distance learning, or playing loudly in the background. The challenges of remote work have caused us to rely heavily on written communication for collaboration with our work teams.

If your team members are struggling as a result, it may be time to provide some support. There are several constructive ways to improve your teams’ business writing skills, including training programs, workshops, and continual feedback. But if you lack the resources (dedicated time, money, materials, etc.) to implement these options, there are versatile tools available that may help you meet your business writing goals in a fraction of the time and cost.  

Here are some of the foundational steps that address how to improve business writing skills, as well as where a digital communications assistant can come into play as a valuable component in achieving these goals. 

How to improve business writing skills with a few quick tips

Many factors can affect how readers interpret your written communications. Word choice, tone, and organization all contribute to readability and influence how others receive your message. When exploring ways to improve your business writing skills, consider these fundamental tips: 

1  Consider your audience

Who are you writing to? Is it a customer-facing message? A quick memo to colleagues? A proposal to your supervisors or stakeholders? 

Each of these situations requires a different approach in messaging, which will help guide your word choice and overall tone. For example, a customer-facing message would typically embody an upbeat, positive tone with words that evoke a friendly tenor; a proposal to supervisors and stakeholders, on the other hand, would require a more professional tone with concise language that conveys the message in a more formal structure.  

THE QUICK SOLUTION: An artificial intelligence (AI)-based communications assistant tool with a tone detector can quickly decipher the tone of your message and make suggestions for improvement in real-time, creating a better-aligned message. 

2  Be clear and concise 

What exactly do you want your message to convey? If it isn’t clear and concise, it could be misinterpreted, poorly received, or difficult to comprehend. For example, if you’re writing a message to your team in regards to the company’s performance from the previous year, don’t cloud the message with ambiguous and/or unnecessary information. 

INSTEAD OF: “Although we experienced lower-than-expected profits and our supply chain division suffered from significant production issues this past year, at this point in time, I am happy to report that both production and profits are up.” 

TRY: “Both profits and production are up compared to last year, signifying a job well done by our dedicated team members.” 

Ensuring your message contains the right words and phrases, and is written in a way the recipient can understand, helps avoid mistakes that can damage business and customer relationships, and even lead to financial losses. 

THE QUICK SOLUTION: Utilizing a writing tool that allows you to build a custom style guide helps writers quickly identify jargon that shouldn’t be used and recommends other content options to make your message more clear—teaching your team about best writing practices in the process. 

3  Proofread your work

How does your message look? Is it free of spelling errors, grammar missteps, and punctuation mistakes? 

A written piece with simple mistakes is a surefire way to make a negative impression on the recipient and can even lead to your message completely falling flat. Unfortunately, a writing refresher course takes time and may require feedback to monitor implementation.

THE QUICK SOLUTION: Modern AI-based digital communications assistant tools have built-in proofreaders and grammar checkers that can analyze a piece in real-time, catching mistakes that the human eye can easily overlook. 

There are valuable trainings, workshops, and online program options that can expand on these principles or provide customized learning for your team. If the cost or time commitment exceeds what you have allocated, an AI-based digital communications assistant gives you the all-in-one solution you can use to improve your team’s business writing skills in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

Using a digital communications assistant to improve business writing

A digital communications assistant powered by AI provides the education, resources, and feedback your team needs in one easy-to-use tool. The best tools have built-in, real-time editor/proofreaders that improve workflow efficiency, catching mistakes as they arise and providing actionable solutions. 

When choosing a digital communications assistant tool, look for the following qualities and capabilities:

• Scalability. The ability to leverage one tool across various communications channels and devices, and for every team member with minimal oversight, allows you to bring up your team’s skills together in one, concerted effort.
• Intuitive user interface. Look for a tool that can be used across all the digital platforms your team uses, including Gmail, Workday, Salesforce, and Zendesk. This ensures all critical business communications benefit from improved writing.
• Ability to craft a custom style guide. The benefit of real-time proofreading and editing functionality skyrockets when the suggestions account for terms and phrases that are unique to your brand.
• Centralized dashboard for team leaders. The ability to monitor your team members’ performance and usage of the tool enables you to gauge improvement and measure ROI.
• Detailed individual reports. Documenting personal writing statistics enables individuals to track their own progress and learn from their mistakes.

While some of these features are common across various digital writing tools, Grammarly Business provides a writing assistant that registers all of these capabilities. 

A timely investment in your team’s success

Grammarly Business is easy to implement and provides both immediate and long-term benefits. In real-time, each writer experiences seamless editing and proofreading assistance and receives actionable suggestions that include word choice and tone. With continued use, team members learn from the process, gaining skills to inform future writing endeavors. 

A writing assistant tool supports both individuals and the entire team, amplifying your company’s collaborative potential. It is an enterprising investment in your team’s writing skills that will not only improve their communication capabilities with each other, but also with your valued customers.

Interested in learning more about how to improve business writing skills for you and your team with Grammarly Business? Visit our website or upgrade today!