In today’s digital environment, more than ever, business professionals must be able to write effectively. Sales proposals are won and lost over small writing errors and an unclear scope of work. Below, check out 19 actionable business writing tips, which should help you avoid costly mistakes. The tips and tricks contained in this infographic are courtesy of the folks at Instructional Solutions.

In their research of B2B companies, Instructional Solutions found that one of the most common mistakes among business writers is HOW they tend to allocate their time. The majority sit down for the long haul, and immediately start drafting. Often, this leads to a poorly structured document.

As a writer, it is ideal to spend approximately 50% of your time first researching and planning. This applies to all large writing formats, including: sales proposals, blog posts, and internal reports. By spending more time planning, you will not only produce a more well-organized document, but, you will be able to write and edit faster. In reality, only 20% of your total time to completion should be spent on drafting the document. Finally, the remaining 30% should be allocated for editing.

Check out the infographic below for more business writing tips and best practices…