Keep Your Audience in Mind

Consider all your workplace writing from your audience’s point of view. If you don’t know the person to whom you are writing, make educated guesses based on what you know about the position or company. Your purpose is not to express your ideas but to have readers act on them, even if the action is simply to notice your grasp of the situation. To motivate, focus on how “you, the reader” will benefit instead of what “I, the writer” would like.

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DISCOVERY CHECKLIST

  • What do your readers already know about the subject? Are they experts in the field? Have they been kept up to date on the situation?
  • What do your readers need to know? What information do they expect you to provide? What do they need before they can take action?
  • What can you assume about your readers’ priorities and expectations? Will they expect a clear, efficient overview or detailed background?
  • What is most likely to motivate readers to take the action you want?