The HBR Guides Collection (8 Books) (HBR Guide Series)

Introduction

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important information and cause readers to overlook vi-

tal facts. A heavy, uninviting proposal will get put aside

and forgotten. A badly drafted pitch to a key client will

only consume the time of higher-ups who must rewrite

it at the eleventh hour to make it passable—lowering its

chances of success because of the hectic circumstances

surrounding its preparation.

That’s a lot of wasted time—and a drag on profi ts. But

you can prevent these problems with clear, concise writ-

ing. It’s not some mysterious art, secret and remote. It’s

an indispensable business tool. Learn how to use it, and

achieve the results you’re after.

One prefatory note: Asterisks are used in the text

throughout this book to mark examples of incorrect En-

glish ...