I was interviewed by Peter Day, the presenter of Radio 4′s In Business for his latest programme about business writing. The 30 minute show includes contributions from author Philip Pullman, QI author and founder John Mitchinson and John Allart, head of brand at McClaren. I was talking about a topic close to my heart – the power of good language in business. Just because it’s business writing, doesn’t mean it has to be dull and lifeless.
Alex Batchelor, the former chairman of The Marketing Society (one of my clients), tells a great story about speaking to a room full of accountants. He was trying to explain the power of brands to them. He asked them to put their hands up if they bought their car in terms of a complicated calculation regarding fuel efficiency. Just two accountants raised their hands. The rest admitted that they chose their cars for very different reasons. ‘Now that, is branding,’ said Alex. So, even a roomful of accountants make decisions based on their emotions.
And it’s the same with business writing. Just because it’s about business doesn’t mean the words can’t be interesting, creative. Everyone is a reader, and the better your writing, the more likely it will make a good impression.