Effective communication need not be a difficult task. Proof read your memoranda, letters and reports carefully; there is no need to be overly formal to communicate effectively, so adjust your tone according to your target audience. Writing with an appropriate tone, and pace, will be more interesting to read, and more readily understood, by the recipient.

Be positive in your approach; too many negative statements may build up a level of emotional resistance in your reader(s), and the full meaning of your message may be diluted, or lost completely.

Ensure that your reader quickly becomes aware of how he, or she, will benefit, from your message, and of any actions that he, or she, needs to perform, as a consequence.

Use words and phrases that your reader can easily understand. Do not use too many technical terms, or ?flowery? vocabulary, that could confuse or mislead your reader. Your aim is to help your reader to understand the message that you are trying to convey, so try to use plain, simple English, wherever possible.

Be careful when writing the body of your text, because using too many sentences, or paragraphs, will not always magnify your message, but can cover up your meaning. Be clear and concise with your writing. Every sentence should convey something consequential.

If you have had previous communication with your recipient(s) you may be to anticipate any questions, and answer them, such that your correspondence is informative, interesting, and functional, from your point of view, at the same time.

Be particularly careful with technical jargon, and acronyms, especially if you are writing for recipients in another area of business, or expertise. Terminology, and abbreviations, that you use on an everyday basis may appear to be complete gobbledegook to readers from other sectors. Make sure that you explain, fully, any concepts that you introduce, in simple terms, so that everyone can understand.

When writing, it is essential to check the factual accuracy of your work, as well as spelling, punctuation and grammar. The use of word processing software to generate your correspondence allows you to use a spell check facility, but this may not, necessarily, highlight grammatical errors. Focus on what you originally intended to convey, and be critical with your work, to ensure that your message comes across as both accurate and interesting.

Professional writing effectively is a skill, which, like any other, can be practised, and developed, over a period of time. The benefits of developing a professional writing style, in terms of presenting a polished, prestigious image of an individual, or company, are plain to see, and, once you have grasped the basis principles, that writing style can be adapted to suit any profession, business environment, or target audience.