Business plan writing is based on 5 major principals:
- High standards of writing
- Straightforward, business-like language
- Graphics that reinforce the text
- Bright colours to add visual interest
- Short plans that come to the point immediately
Adhere to high standards of writing
First, we adhere to the standards that educated English speaking authors have adopted. Our writing style is business colloquial and lively. It avoids slang, jargon and clichés. Our writing style is simple and easy to follow. The final documents observe best practices in spelling, word usage, syntax, punctuation, and sentence length.
Keep it simple and straightforward
Second, we believe writing should be straightforward and easy to follow. It should lead readers from point to point in a natural conversational style. We want our readers to understand our messages the first time they read them. Our documents have none of the stuffiness normally found in academic or legal documents. We avoid long words when short ones will do. We never use technical language unless it’s absolutely required. We should expect our readers to be busy and impatient so we need to come to the point immediately.
Use graphics liberally
Third, we allocate at least a quarter of the report space to graphics: logos, diagrams, charts, photographs … anything that will help get our messages across. Words appeal to only one hemisphere of our brains; graphics appeal to the other. Our written materials appeal to the entire brain. We take advantage of the way our brains work to create highly compelling messages readers will not forget.
Use bright colours to get your message across
Fourth, we use colour and page design with deliberate thought. Each page should be as close to a work of art as possible. A page should never assault a reader’s eyes with a full page of black ink on white paper. We use white space liberally and to good effect.
Keep the document short
Fifth, we keep the business documents short. The shorter the better. Busy executives are quite likely to toss short documents into their briefcases to read on a plane; they’ll rarely pick up heavy tomes to study. If lengthy detail is required, we prefer to package it in appendices bound separately.