Style guides – for better business communication

Are you satisfied that your customer communications are clear and written in a consistent style and tone of voice? If not, a style guide (or writing manual) is the solution.

Why use a customised style guide?
When your customers receive letters that are over-formal or full of complex terms and gobbledegook, they can feel confused and alienated. Or when they receive emails that are over-friendly or colloquial – and contain errors of grammar or punctuation – they might feel you're unprofessional.

A style guide solves these problems. It's like a personal dictionary for your organisation and ensures that everyone who writes to customers uses a consistent tone, style and syntax.

• • Helps you to differentiate your organisation from competitors
  • Increases customer satisfaction and improves your corporate image, as plain English is viewed as more transparent, honest and direct
  • Reinforces your organisation’s voice – and supports your brand identity
  • Helps you to comply with the Financial Regulator’s guidelines on clear writing
  • Empowers employees to write clearly, concisely and professionally
  • Reduces the number of consumer complaints and referrals to regulators
  • Helps new staff to understand best practice within your organisation

What goes into a style guide?
It depends on what you need. We take a look at your existing customer communications and then make recommendations.

Together, we decide what your in-house guide should include, for maximum benefit to staff and customers. Do you need one for the whole organisation, for one project or for one type of templated letters? Take a look at some examples.

What does a style guide look like?
It can look any way you want; you can turn it into a book, a folder or a searchable online database.

Can you design a training programme to show staff how to use plain English and the guide?
Yes. It's a good idea to launch the project with a seminar or training course to build buy-in and understanding.

How much does it cost?
It depends on what type of guide you need and how much work is involved. After you talk to us about your objectives etc, we can can give you a quote.

Can you update an existing style guide or writing manual?
Yes. In fact, it's a good idea to re-evaluate your guide every five years or so, to ensure it continues to reflect your brand values and your evolving customer relationships.