Every business or organisation that communicates with customers, prospects or members in print or electronically needs to adhere to its own ‘editorial style’.
This amounts to guidelines on the presentation of messages – especially components such as times, dates, numbers, spellings, direct speech and headings.
In the newspaper world, editorial style complements design and content to make great publications consistently great. In business, editorial style parallels corporate identity and becomes part of the overall brand image.
Style does not cramp creativity – it simply builds a stronger bridge between writer and reader, enhancing information transfer.
In all the years that I have been writing professionally, I have never felt constrained by style. If anything, it has helped me focus on the need to present information in ways that will appeal to readers.
Whether in newsletter, press release, website, social media post, brochure, email or old-fashioned letter, a consistent style helps build trust and loyalty – things that all organisations should be striving for.
- For a more detailed comment on editorial style – including some useful ‘how to’ tips – see the blog In Praise of Style.