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This guest post is by Cathy, on behalf of communicaid.com.

Business reports analyse and suggest potential resolutions for practical situations. Demonstrating analytical skill and considered opinion, an effectively written business report should clearly and concisely identify issues, evaluate them, and recommend action in an audience-focused manner.

To create an effective business report, consider this plan.

1. Collect your ideas

• Begin by researching and evaluating the situation. Collate your information and note everything you wish to include. Keep all your ideas at this point; they can be edited out later.
• Be clear on why you have chosen to write a report. Is it the best plan of action over a presentation or meeting?
• Determine your best approach. Are you aiming to inform, or do you need to influence or persuade?
• Consider audience agenda. Throughout your report, communicate audience benefits, and indicate the necessary actions to achieve them.
• Form a comprehensive opinion of each issue you wish to improve. You must be certain of your own views before presenting them to an audience.

2. Create your first draft

• Create an easy-to-follow, logical outline and structure. This will appeal to readers and simplify the writing process.
• When presenting problems, outline issues, state the benefits to be gained through resolution, and then indicate suggested improvements.
• Keep language and structure clear and concise. Use paragraphs, subheadings, bullet points and tables to present your information. This will maintain reader interest and enhance the persuasive flow of communication.
• Tailor style and tone to avoid alienation, and think about audience expertise. You do not want to be too technical or vague. It is important to address the level of detail your audience requires; if they only need an overview, do not provide an in-depth analysis.
• Adopt a confident written approach to display credibility and authority. Business reports are usually formal, favouring plainly written language. Complexity will just confuse and bore your reader.
• Be sure to include a precise concluding summary which clearly recommends a plan of action.

3. Redraft, proofread, edit and publish

• Re-read and redraft your report to condense it. The more streamlined it is, the more professional it will appear.
• Proofread multiple times to correct spelling, punctuation and grammar. If these are incorrect in the final draft, they will shake your credibility and make you appear unprofessional.
• Send drafts to colleagues for evaluation and proofing. This will identify any gaps in the report and correct any remaining copy errors.
• Print and read your report for extra certainty. It’s easy to miss typos on a screen.
• Don’t be afraid to make multiple revisions. It is better to do that than to publish a poor-quality report.
• Space redrafts over a number of weeks. This allows more time to review with fresh eyes, remember forgotten points, and consult others for proofing help.
• Present your report in a clear and appealing manner, with images, charts and other visuals that support your points.

Lastly, when forming your content remember there is no single “correct” answer or approach. Business reports should identify and evaluate a range of factors for individual situations and case studies, and as such, contain numerous solutions to be considered uniquely.

Cathy is a communication skills professional working for a consultancy in the UK which provides business writing courses to organisations and individuals.