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4 Words that Expose Bad Business Writing

22/2/2017

 
Write better business emails by eliminating 4 commonly misused words
A common business email - FAIL!
Do you mean?
In this enclosure (enclosed), please make an effort to locate (find) our proposal. Read it thoroughly and carefully (peruse) or else you know the consequences (!). We expect you (kindly) to get back (revert?) to us by next week.
You may think that some words sound professional, but they're not. At all.

In fact, they're dead giveaways that you've copied from somewhere - you didn't learn them in school. 

So, do not misuse the following words in your writing:
  1. Find (redundant)
  2. Perusal (legalistic)
  3. Kindly (old-fashioned)
  4. Revert (does not mean reply)

Note: Revert means to return to a former habit, practice, belief, condition, state, topic, etc.

​How about the word "enclose" vs "attach"? Strictly speaking, an email does not have "enclosure(s)" (unlike a letter, parcel, or package). Instead, an email can come with "attachment(s)". Therefore, "attach" is a better choice, but "enclose" is acceptable.

​Here's an amended version of the above email:
Write better business emails by eliminating 4 commonly misused words
Better still, why not just keep it simple (and use "I" instead of "we/us")?
I attach our proposal for your review and look forward to hearing from you by next week.
Interestingly, which of these five words do you see in QuickBooks?
  • Attach
  • Find
  • Peruse
  • Kindly
  • Revert

​Take a moment to test yourself before continuing...

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How to start and end any presentation that will leave a lasting impression

16/5/2012

 
I'd like to start out by saying 'thank you' [pause] to all the brothers and sisters that have come here today representing this cause. I have been asked by Mr Itaka and the Tribal Council to speak to you and the members of the press about the injustice that's been brought against us by some government officials' big business.

How many of you out there have heard of alternative engines? Engines that can run on anything from alcohol to garbage or water? Or carburetors that can get hundreds of miles to the gallon? Or electric or magnetic engines that can practically run for ever?



[3:15]
And finally, as long as there's profit to be made from the polluting of our earth, companies and individuals will continue to do what they want. We have to force these companies to operate safely and responsibly, and with all our best interests in mind, so that when they don't, we can take back our resources and our hearts and our minds to do what's right.

[3:40] End of speech.

The above is a speech given by Steven Seagal in the closing scene of his 1994 movie "On Deadly Ground".

Everybody needs to make a presentation at some point in time. When you need to do one, remember this basic presentation rule:

First impression lasts
Last impression stays
Whatever in between, people forget

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    Writer

    Kenny Goh
    Accountant and trainer

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