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Motivations Matter in Business Writing

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5107683276_b2e3ee04bf_z“We want you to buy our product or use our service.”

That’s the primary motivation of most business writing, right? It’s an easy assumption to make, but what if we’re wrong? What if the motivation isn’t quite so mercenary? What if the motivation of a business writer leans more towards helping people instead of prompting them to hit the “Buy Now” button? Then the question becomes why don’t readers see the real motivation more clearly? What’s happening that the reader’s assumption defaults to the mercenary instead of the helpful?

I believe it’s something simple: We never bothered to figured out what motivates our writing in the first place.

When we’re unclear about what motivates our writing (other than the obvious of checking something off the list) it’s easy for readers to misinterpret our intent. If given no guidance from the writer, then of course they’ll default to, “You want to sell me something.” Clearly some projects will be motivated by selling, but what about when it’s not? What if you’re trying to strike that balance between being helpful and being mercenary?

From books to ads, writing absorbs and reflects the world around us. George Orwell rightly noted that a writer will be influenced “by the age he lives in…he will have acquired an emotional attitude from which he will never completely escape.” Take a look around and you’ll see how our age has influenced what today’s writers produce. With short attention spans and evermore information available, it becomes that much more important for business writers to get really clear about their motivations for readers.

We (the general public) don’t trust companies. While some companies warrant this suspicion, others obviously don’t. So if you’re a writer facing these obstacles—time, information overload, trust—how can you counter these biases to accomplish something more than putting words on page?

1. Play the long game.

It’s rare that one or two attempts will be enough to communicate the true motivation of why you’re reaching out to people. The initial assumption is that you want something. It will take time to build trust and familiarize people with the difference between when you’re trying to sell them something and when you’re trying to share something useful.

2. If you don’t care about what you write, it’s difficult for the reader to care.

Ever had your business writing described as dry, boring or politically correct? You’re not alone. It’s easy to default to traditional business speak, but it’s possible to avoid if you take the time to find the most relevant entry point to connect the reader and the business. If you’re writing crap because you don’t care about what you’re writing, please explain to me why you think anyone will read past the first sentence. It sounds trite, but figure out a reason to care.

3. Write about why you’re writing.

Humans excel at making assumptions. So it’s no surprise that the humans in business assume that people just know why they’re doing what they’re doing. While it doesn’t have to be anything dramatic, like a manifesto shouted from the rooftops, put into words why you’re writing. It can become a reference point for writer, business, and reader alike. It provides an invaluable baseline to help you accomplish both #1 and #2 and provides a way to measure if you’re meeting reader expectations.

For decades, we’ve defaulted to the notion that business writing was motivated by making more money. It’s still a valid motivation, but it’s not the only one. Business writers and the businesses themselves must highlight the other motivations that exist and make the case that not all business writing is about sales, but also about being incredibly helpful sources of information.

Photo credit: tamahaji

Writing is a Job—Treat It With Respect

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3050378171_f944bc8c4a_zI love writing, but I make no pretense about why I do it: It pays the bills. Time doesn’t allow for me to be anything other than practical, even when it involves this thing I love. It’s a reality that I see many writers struggle with, particularly if they got into writing with the idea that some day they would write The Great American Novel.

I get excited about my clients’ projects and ideas, usually because I’m challenged to think of a better, smarter way to capture what’s amazing about their work. However, I don’t look for ways to romanticize how I write about their latest product or market strategy. Writing is my job, and I do my best to treat it with the respect both it and my clients deserve. Yes, I do get writer’s block, but project deadlines often require that I pull out the metaphorical jack hammer.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but forcing the issue provides the necessary perspective to get the job done and usually done well. I completely understand the need to take a break or look for inspiration elsewhere. However, what separates the professional from the amateur comes down to pushing through, to not letting yourself off the hook.

This isn’t about process, because different writers work successfully in different ways. It is about intent.

What do I mean by intent? This post was originally inspired during a re-read of William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. Early on in the book he shares a story from when he participated on a writing panel. He offered up these words of advice to the audience of aspiring writers:

“If your job is to write everyday, you learn to do it like any other job.”

When you sit down to write, do you give it your full attention? Do you give it the respect of a job or do you treat it as a hobby? It matters little to me if it’s a blog post or a book. If you’re serious about writing, you need to understand your intent and what you’re willing to commit. If you aren’t willing to take what you do seriously how can you expect anyone to take the results of your work seriously?

Writing asks something of the writer, and in return, the act of putting words on a page, can give us something back—the perfect sentence, the clear paragraph, even the thought-provoking page. It’s why I bristle when someone offhandedly says, “Maybe I’ll try writing someday.”

“Trying” when it comes to writing isn’t enough. It’s not enough for the writer and it certainly isn’t enough for the client. If you’ve embraced writing as something more than a hobby, understand that we don’t have the luxury of taking a day off from it because we aren’t in the mood. We must find a way to get words on the page, to treat writing, as Zinsser notes, like any other job. That’s what makes you a writer.

Photo credit: ed_needs_a_bicycle