Shorter Is Better

I’ve spent plenty of time writing articles and sales letters for business, and I’ve learned…

Shorter is better.

Poor business writing costs billions of dollars. These issues create lawsuits like O’Connor v. Oakhurst Dairy. In this famous case, a comma cost the dairy company $5,000,000. Customer service phones ring off the hook when product information is confusing. These calls cost millions in staff time and brand loyalty.

Complex grammar and long sentences don’t help the business process—they make it worse. In my writing, I look to use shorter words, shorter sentences, and shorter paragraphs.

I use shorter words.

We use enormous vocabularies, but business letters are not the place to show off. If you are speaking to someone in person, you can re-explain your points, but that’s not true with writing. In written communication, you only have one shot at it.

Shorter words save time, and customers continue reading because it’s effortless. Multi-syllabic words may be fun, but they slow the reading process, and your prospect will toss the letter aside and never return to it. This is true for smart people, too. Difficult reading will cause a college professor to pitch your letter.

There is no point in using confusing jargon and long words—they slow the reader down. If my readers must stop and think about the message, I’ve lost. As a writer, I want them to move forward—not stop. I want them to understand my letter in one pass, and if they must re-read the letter, I’ve lost their attention and lost the sale.

Remove adverbs—words ending in ly. Adverbs are unnecessary and add to the length of the message, giving no value. Consider the words “that” and “just.” If you can write the sentence without them, do so.

I use shorter sentences.

The logic is the same. Shorter sentences register with readers and longer sentences do not. I resist tedious punctuation—too many commas, for example. I never use semicolons, and I never understood why they exist. Sentences must flow like a song that gets stuck in your head. Keep sentences short and simple. Grammar teachers insisted we know compound-complex sentences. I'll never know why.

I use shorter paragraphs.

Stop using enormous blocks of text. I don’t like it and your readers don’t either. Breaking text into several paragraphs is a blessing to readers. It is fine to use one-sentence paragraphs.

One-sentence paragraphs can add impact.

Use white space. If you went to design school or took an art class, you learned about white space or blank space. The space between words and paragraphs is easy on the eyes, and a crafted letter appears elegant.

Conclusion

Technology has changed how we write and how our message appears on paper or the screen. Spell check corrects ten-dollar words we never used years ago, so many of our emails and letters have a difficult vocabulary. If you don’t know how to spell the word, use a simpler one. Human nature hasn’t changed. If your writing is intimidating, it won’t get read.

Think about it this way…

Your reader has better things to do. Keep that warning in mind, and you’ll improve the spirit of your writing. You’ll get to the point with fewer words and have a stronger impact.

Think about it this way...

"Notes actually?do?mean something. They have power. I think of notes as being expensive." David Howell Evans AKA The Edge. Imagine every word and sentence you write costs money.

We spend hundreds of hours fussing over re-branding logos but spend no time thinking about how poor writing changes the image we give to customers. This is an easy fix. Start by using simple writing and Plain English, and you will enjoy the benefits, and customers will too. They may even buy something.??