OK. There ARE Some Acronyms I Like.
May 16, 2016
I’ve never been a big fan of acronyms. At times they seem like a secret language, one known only to those in the inner circle of a given industry. They can be dangerous – seemingly commonplace to you, completely meaningless to others.
For example, in looking for some marketing tips the other day, I searched a few sites and came up stumped by a number of acronyms that were all Greek to me. Tip – if you’re using your website to showcase your services, don’t use a bunch of acronyms to describe the services you provide. You’re talking over your potential customers’ heads and losing their interest in a hurry.
So when are acronyms useful? Even I’ll admit they come in handy in our busy, fast-paced world. In business emails, if they’re frequently used enough, and understood by your colleagues and clients, even I’ll admit – they are time saving.
Here’s a list of 10 that I like. You might like them, too.
- EOD – End of day
- EOW – End of week
- LMK – Let me know
- IMO – In my opinion
- BTW – By the way
- FYI – For your information
- IDK – I don’t know
- TYT – Take your time
- PRB – Please reply by
- NRN – No reply necessary (Perfect for when you’re trying to stop that train!)
Preambles
September 24, 2015
I’d like to take this opportunity to write a little bit about preambles. While it’s important to add that they do nothing more than pad one’s writing with excess wording, it’s equally important to note that they’re completely unnecessary. In addition …
Enough preambles for you? Me too.
Preambles came up during a Clear Writing seminar I was facilitating last week. We listed some of the most common ones:
- I would like to take this opportunity …
- It’s important to add that …
- It is interesting to note that …
A preamble, when used well, is an introductory statement that outlines a document’s purpose. It’s a way to set the stage for what’s to come. But when used poorly, it’s a meaningless phrase attached to the “meat and potatoes” of a sentence. It does nothing but add excess and fluff to your writing.
For example, instead of writing, “I would like to take this opportunity to extend to you a hearty congratulations”, you could simply write, “Congratulations!” In just one word, you could convey exactly the same message as you might with 14 words.
In school, we’re taught to pad our essays with transitional phrases. My children have even come home with lists of the phrases they should try to include at every opportunity. Unfortunately, they’re nothing more than preambles.
In the business world, we can live without them. If you have an important message, just write it – simply, concisely, and without excess wording. Save yourself time; save your reader time.
English 101
January 8, 2015
I had just finished presenting a Clear Writing seminar to a group of colleagues from a procurement company. One of the participants told me that she loved the Clear Writing approach to business communication. She wished everyone would write with simplicity and clarity in mind, but said it’s the youngest employees who seem to have the most difficulty with the concept.
I’d heard this before. There’s a simple reason for it, too.
In English class, we’re taught to write a proper essay. A standard approach and format is suggested. And typically, we’re required to write a minimum of 250 words. Or 500 words. Or maybe even 1000 words.
So what happens when we’re writing that 500-word essay and run out of things to say at the 380-word mark? We fill the essay with fluff, padding it with extra wording, duplication and excess. After all, if we don’t reach the 500-word minimum, marks will be deducted.
As a high school student and then a university English major, I remember this situation well. When I entered the business world, I still believed that quantity equalled quality. I still believed that I needed to use large words to sound professional. And I still believed I had to write more to impress.
Wouldn’t it be great to turn English 101 on its head? Instead of writing a minimum of 500 words, students would be challenged to prove their point in 500 words or less. 250 words or less. Or, for the greatest challenge of all – 50 words or less!
And as a teacher, if a student could convince me in 5 words or less … there’d be an A+ on that paper.