Working On Audience

When writing in the workplace knowing the purpose of the writing and the audience audiences that you’re writing for can help you determine the genre you will be writing in. Are you writing a sales pitch, submitting a project progress report, or requesting material costs? All of these things could relate to the same project at work but in each case you’re addressing different people with different intentions. Not understanding your audience and the purpose for your writing could not only cause confusion in your audience but, in some cases, could have negative consequences.

If you were to use overly technical industry terminology while addressing a customer you might intimidate them and potentially drive them away. Or you might insult them if they feel that you are purposefully talking over their heads. On the other hand, speaking in a less technical way might cause your peers to question your understanding of what it is you’re working on. Confusing your audiences could lead to issues in another way. If you were to confuse a customer with a supplier, you might reveal some information that you didn’t want your customer to know like your own purchase prices.

Always knowing your audience and the purpose of your writing is going to keep your message clear and on point. This will lead to clearer communication and less confusion on the part of your audience.