All day, you’re immersed in your business and its lingo. Maybe you forget that most people aren’t familiar with the software you use daily. Maybe the monikers and acronyms you’ve devised for your processes and products have become part of your everyday lexicon. Maybe you’re in a highly technical field, and jargon feels like your native tongue. And then, just maybe, when you try talking about your company with an outsider, you find them scratching their heads and asking, “Huh?”
When you’re used to writing internal communications for your coworkers, it can become difficult to write about your work for the general public. If your external communications tend to confuse the very people you want to reach, here are a few strategies that may help.
Eliminate the jargon
Print out your writing, grab a permanent marker, and strike through every industry-specific word. What makes those words confusing? What simpler terms could you use instead? If you must keep certain technical terms, can you include their definitions to make them clearer?
Explain it like you would to Grandma
Unless your grandma works in the same industry as you, she probably won’t understand the nuances of your work. What concepts might be difficult for her to grasp? How would you break things down in simple terms? What additional context would make your explanation easier to understand?
Trim the fat
Sometimes we’re so immersed in the details that we forget the general public is only interested in a fraction of what we do. Start by sketching out the simplest version of your idea. What is absolutely essential to communicate? What can be left out? Removing unnecessary information will make your main points more impactful.
External communications work best when you remember who you’re writing for: a general audience. When you write, keep in mind that your audience doesn’t know everything you know and may not be interested in the minutiae. Clear, concise communication is critical for connecting with your company’s clients and colleagues.
L.J. McAllister is a program and registrar associate with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, a nonprofit educational center offering seasonal writing, publishing, and language classes, among other community programming. For more information, visit CarnegieCenterLex.org.