In the age of text messaging and Twitter, will good writing skills soon become extinct? RU kidding???

In business, communication is essential; in marketing, content is king. Like it or not, good writing is a measuring stick for the professionalism of your work.  Some people choose not to do business with companies that send out sloppily-written emails, or whose websites are filled with slang and jargon.

You may want to give the appearance of being friendly and approachable, but remember that you are also trying to convince people that they value your product more than they do their money. Do they trust someone who reminds them of their buddy who can send 500 text messages without using a single vowel?

Just as grooming is important for making a good first impression, never doubt that your writing also makes an impression on readers. How you present yourself on paper (or in an email) will influence their opinion of you.

Also be mindful that in today’s borderless economy, your readers may be people for whom English is a second language. That reinforces the need for clear, concise writing. If you use poor grammar or punctuation, on intentionally misspell words (wanna, gotta) you risk ambiguity and misinterpretation. Good writers steer clear of gobbledygook. They leave little room for confusion.

You can still inject your personality into your writing while adhering to the rules. Mark Twain was a genius at bringing humor and satire to the page. While no one is suggesting that you polish every email so that it is of Twain’s caliber, you should leave no doubt in your readers’ minds that you cared enough to write something that was worth their taking their valuable time to read.