tips for writing business reports

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The Science of Strong Business Writing

• Bill Birchard

Lessons from neurobiology

Brain scans are showing us in new detail exactly what entices readers. Scientists can see a group of midbrain neurons—the “reward circuit”—light up as people respond to everything from a simple metaphor to an unexpected story twist. The big takeaway? Whether you’re crafting an email to a colleague or an important report for the board, you can write in a way that delights readers on a primal level, releasing pleasure chemicals in their brains.

Bill Birchard is an author and writing coach who’s worked with many successful businesspeople. He’s drawn on that experience and his review of the scientific literature to identify eight features of satisfying writing: simplicity, specificity, surprise, stirring language, seductiveness, smart ideas, social content, and storytelling. In this article, he shares tips for using those eight S’s to captivate readers and help your message stick.

Strong writing skills are essential for anyone in business. You need them to effectively communicate with colleagues, employees, and bosses and to sell any ideas, products, or services you’re offering.

• Bill Birchard is a business author and book-writing coach. His Writing for Impact: 8 Secrets from Science That Will Fire Up Your Reader’s Brain will be published by HarperCollins Leadership in April 2023. His previous books include Merchants of Virtue, Stairway to Earth, Nature’s Keepers, Counting What Counts, and others. For more writing tactics, see his website .  

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How to Write a Business Report: A Step By Step Guide with Examples

Table of contents

With so much experience under your belt, you already know a lot about business reporting.

So, we don’t want to waste your time pointing out the obvious because we know what you need.

Secrets. Tricks. Best practices.

The answer to how to write a mind-blowing business report that you don’t need to spend hours and days writing.

A business report that will immediately allow you to identify your strengths and weaknesses.

A report that’ll help you learn more about your business and do more accurate forecasting and planning for the future.

We believe we have just that right here.

With this comprehensive guide, you’ll create effective sales, analytical, and informative business reports (and business dashboards ) that will help you improve your strategies, achieve your goals, and grow your business.

So, let’s dive in.

What Is a Business Report?

Importance of creating business reports, types of business reports, what should be included in a business report, how to write a business report: an 11-step guide.

• Business Report Examples

Although there’s a variety of business reports that differ in many aspects, in short, a business report definition would be the following:

A business report is an informative document that contains important data such as facts, analyses, research findings, and statistics about a business with the goal to make this information accessible to people within a company.

Their main purpose is to facilitate the decision-making process related to the future of the business, as well as to maintain effective communication between people who create the reports and those they report to.

A good business report is concise and well-organized, looks professional, and displays the relevant data you can act on. The point is to reflect upon what you’ve achieved so far (typically, over the past month, quarter or year) and to use the data to create a new strategy or adjust the current one to reach even more business goals.

Business reports should be objective and based on the data. When stating the facts, people rely on numbers rather than giving descriptions. For instance, instead of saying “our conversion rate skyrocketed”, you would display the exact percentages that back up that claim.

Business reporting matters for several reasons, among which the most important ones are:

Recognizing Opportunities to Grow

Detecting issues and solving them quickly, evaluating a potential partner, having a paper trail, keeping things transparent for the stakeholders, setting new company goals.

In fact, over half of the companies that contributed to Databox’s state of business reporting research confirmed that regular monitoring and reporting brought them significant concrete benefits.

If you never look back at what you’ve achieved, you can’t figure out what you’ve done well and what you can leverage in the future for even better results.

When you analyze a specific aspect of your business over a specific time period and present the data you gathered in a report, you can detect an opportunity to grow more easily because you have all the information in one place and organized neatly.

Is it time to introduce new products or services? Is there a way to enhance your marketing strategy? Prepare a report. Can you optimize your finances? Write a financial business report . Whatever decision you need to make, it’s easier when you base it on a report.

Reports are essential for crisis management because they can introduce a sense of calmness into your team. Putting everything on paper makes it easier to encompass all the relevant information and when you know all the facts, you can make a more accurate and effective decision about what to do next.

Writing business reports regularly will also help you identify potential issues or risks and act timely to prevent damage and stop it from escalating. That’s why monthly reporting is better than doing it only once a year.

Having an insight into your finances , operations and other business aspects more regularly allows you to have better control over them and mitigate potential risks more effectively.

Different types of business reports may be accessible to the general public. And if they’re not, specific situations may require a company to send them over to the person requesting them. That may happen if you’re considering a partnership with another company. Before making the final decision, you should learn about their financial health as every partnership poses a certain risk for your finances and/or reputation. Will this decision be profitable?

Having an insight into a company’s business report helps you establish vital business relationships. And it goes the other way around – any potential partner can request that you pull a business report for them to see, so writing business reports can help you prove you’re a suitable business partner.

In business, and especially in large companies, it’s easy to misplace information when it’s communicated verbally. Having a written report about any aspect of your business doesn’t only prevent you from losing important data, but it also helps you keep records so you can return to them at any given moment and use them in the future.

That’s why it’s always good to have a paper trail of anything important you want to share with colleagues, managers, clients, or investors. Nowadays, of course, it doesn’t have to literally be a paper trail, since we keep the data in electronic form.

Writing business reports helps you keep things transparent for the stakeholders, which is the foundation of efficient communication between these two sides.

You typically need to report to different people – sometimes they’re your managers, sometimes they’re a client. But your company’s stakeholders will also require an insight into the performance of your business, and relying on reports will help you maintain favorable business relationships. A business report shows you clearly how your company is performing and there isn’t room for manipulation.

Once you set business goals and the KPIs that help you track your progress towards them, you should remember they’re not set in stone. From time to time, you’ll need to revisit your goals and critical metrics and determine whether they’re still relevant.

When you write a business report and go through it with your team members or managers, you have a chance to do just that and determine if you’re efficient in reaching your goals. Sometimes, new insights will come up while writing these reports and help you identify new objectives that may have emerged.

Depending on your goals and needs, you’ll be writing different types of business reports. Here are five basic types of business reports .

Informational Report

Analytical report, research report, explanatory report, progress report.

Informational reports provide you with strictly objective data without getting into the details, such as explaining why something happened or what the result may be – just pure facts.

An example of this type of business report is a statement where you describe a department within your company: the report contains the list of people working in this department, what their titles are, and what they’re responsible for.

Another example related to a company’s website could look like this Google Analytics website traffic engagement report . As we explained above, this report shows objective data without getting too much into the details, so in this case, just the most important website engagement metrics such as average session duration, bounce rate, sessions, sessions by channel, and so on. Overall, you can use this report to monitor your website traffic, see which keywords are most successful, or how many returning users you have, but without further, in-depth analysis.

Analytical reports help you understand the data you’ve collected and plan for the future based on these insights. You can’t make business decisions based on facts only, so analytical reports are crucial for the decision-making process.

This type of business report is commonly used for sales forecasting. For instance, if you write a report where you identify a drop or an increase in sales, you’ll want to find out why it happened. This HubSpot’s sales analytics report is a good example of what metrics should be included in such a report, like average revenue per new client or average time to close the deal. You can find more web analytics dashboard examples here.

From these business reports, you can find out if you will reach your goals by implementing your current strategy or if you need to make adjustments.

Research is critical when you’re about to introduce a change to your business. Whether it’s a new strategy or a new partner, you need an extensive report to have an overview of all important details. These reports usually analyze new target markets and competition, and contain a lot of statistical data.

While not the same, here is an example of an ecommerce dashboard that could help track each part of a campaign in detail, no matter whether you are launching a new product, testing a new strategy, and similar. Similar to a research report, it contains key data on your audience (target market), shows your top-selling products, conversion rate and more. If you are an online store owner who is using paid ads, you can rely on this report to monitor key online sales stats in line with Facebook Ads and Google Analytics. See more ecommerce dashboards here.

As you might guess from its name, you write the explanatory report when it’s necessary for you to explain a specific situation or a project you’ve done to your team members. It’s important to write this report in a way that everyone will be able to understand.

Explanatory reports include elements like research results, reasons and goals of the research, facts, methodology, and more. While not exactly an explanatory report, this example of a HubSpot marketing drilldown report is the closest thing to it, as it helps marketers drill into an individual landing page performance, and identify how good their best landing pages are at converting, or which ones have the best performance.

A progress report is actually an update for your manager or client – it informs them about where you stand at the moment and how things are going. It’s like a checkpoint on your way towards your goal.

These reports may be the least demanding to write since you don’t need to do comprehensive research before submitting them. You just need to sum up your progress up to the point when the report was requested. This business report may include your current results, the strategy you’re implementing, the obstacles you’ve come across, etc. If this is a marketing progress report you can use marketing report templates to provide a more comprehensive overview.

In many companies, progress reports are done on a weekly or even daily basis. Here is an example of a daily sales report from Databox. HubSpot users can rely on this sales rep drilldown business report to see how individual each sales rep is performing and measure performance against goals. Browse through all our KPI dashboards here.

What does a great business report look like? If you’re not sure what sections your report should have, you’ll learn what to include in the following lines.

Business Report Formatting

Different types of reports require different lengths and structures, so your business report format may depend on what elements your report needs to have. For example, progress reports are typically pretty simple, while analytical or explanatory reports are a different story.

However, most reports will start with a title and a table of contents, so the person reading the report knows what to expect. Then, add a summary and move on to the introduction. After you’ve written the body and the conclusion, don’t forget to include suggestions based on your findings that will help your team create an actionable plan as you move forward.

After that, list the references you used while creating the report, and attach any additional documents or images that can help the person reading the report understand it better.

This outline may vary depending on what kind of report you’re writing. Short business reports may not need a table of contents, and informative reports won’t contain any analyses. Also, less formal reports don’t need to follow a strict structure in every situation.

Business Report Contents

When it comes to the contents of your report, keep in mind the person who’s going to read it and try to balance between including all the relevant information, but not overwhelming the reader with too many details.

• The introduction to the report should state the reason why you’re writing it, and what its main goal is. Also, mention what methodology and reporting software you’ve used, if applicable.
• The body of the report is where you’ll expose all your key findings, explain your methodology, share the important data and statistics, and present your results and conclusion.
• The conclusion , similarly to the summary you’ll add at the beginning of the report, briefly singles out the most important points and findings of the report.

If you decide to include more sections like recommendations, this is where you’ll suggest the next steps your team or the company may want to take to improve the results or take advantage of them if they’re favorable.

PRO TIP: Are You Tracking the Right Metrics for Your SaaS Company?

As a SaaS business leader, there’s no shortage of metrics you could be monitoring, but the real question is, which metrics should you be paying most attention to? To monitor the health of your SaaS business, you want to identify any obstacles to growth and determine which elements of your growth strategy require improvements. To do that, you can track the following key metrics in a convenient dashboard with data from Profitwell:

• Recurring Revenue. See the portion of your company’s revenue that is expected to grow month-over-month.
• MRR overview. View the different contributions to and losses from MRR from different kinds of customer engagements.
• Customer overview . View the total number of clients your company has at any given point in time and the gains and losses from different customer transactions.
• Growth Overview . Summarize all of the different kinds of customer transactions and their impact on revenue growth.
• Churn overview. Measure the number and percentage of customers or subscribers you lost during a given time period.

If you want to track these in ProfitWell, you can do it easily by building a plug-and-play dashboard that takes your customer data from ProfitWell and automatically visualizes the right metrics to allow you to monitor your SaaS revenue performance at a glance.

You can easily set it up in just a few clicks – no coding required.

To set up the dashboard, follow these 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Get the template 

Step 2: Connect your Profitwell account with Databox. 

Step 3: Watch your dashboard populate in seconds.

Note : Other than text, make sure you include images, graphs, charts, and tables. These elements will make your report more readable and illustrate your points.

Whether you’re writing a specific type of business report for the first time or you simply want to improve the quality of your reports, make sure you follow this comprehensive guide to writing an effective business report.

• Do Your Research
• Create an Outline
• Determine Formatting Guidelines
• Think of an Engaging Title
• Write the Introduction
• Divide the Body of the Report into Sections
• Choose Illustrations
• Conclude Effectively
• Gather Additional Documentation
• Add a Summary
• Proofread Your Work

Step 1: Do Your Research

A well-planned report is a job half done. That means you need to do research before you start writing: you need to know who you’re writing for and how much they know about the topic of your report. You need to explore the best business dashboard software and templates you can use for your report.

Also, if you believe you will need additional resources and documents to add in the appendix, you should do it during this phase of report writing.

Step 2: Create an Outline

Once you’ve gathered the resources, it’s time to plan the report. Before you start writing, create an outline that will help you stick to the right structure. A business report is complex writing in which you can get lost very easily if you don’t have a clear plan.

Moreover, the report shouldn’t be complicated to read, so sticking to a plan will allow you to keep it concise and clear, without straying from the topic.

Step 3: Determine Formatting Guidelines

Most companies have their in-house formatting that every official document has to follow. If you’re not sure if such rules exist in your company, it’s time you checked with your managers.

If there arent’ any guidelines regarding formatting, make sure you set your own rules to make the report look professional. Choose a simple and readable format and make sure it supports all the symbols you may need to use in the report. Set up proper headings, spacing, and all the other elements you may need in Word or Google Docs.

Pro tip: Google Docs may be easier to share with people who are supposed to read your business report.

Step 4: Think of an Engaging Title

Even if you’re writing a formal business report, the title should be clear and engaging. Reports are typically considered dull as they’re a part of official business documentation, but there’s no reason why you can’t make them interesting to read. Your title should suit the report topic and be in different font size so the reader can recognize it’s a title. Underneath the title, you should add the name of the author of the report.

Step 5: Write the Introduction

A good introductory paragraph for a business report should explain to the reader why you’ve written the report. Use the introduction to provide a bit of background on the report’s topic and mention the past results if there’s been a significant improvement since your last report.

Step 6: Divide the Body of the Report into Sections

As this will be the most comprehensive part of your report, make sure you separate the data into logical sections. Your report is supposed to tell a story about your business, and these sections (such as methodology, hypothesis, survey, findings, and more) will help the data look well-organized and easy to read.

Step 7: Choose Illustrations

Of course, each of these sections should be followed with charts, graphs, tables, or other illustrations that help you make a point. Survey results are typically best displayed in pie charts and graphs, and these enable the reader to visualize the data better. From the formatting point of view, breaking the long text sections with illustrations makes the report more readable.

Pro tip: Using centralized dashboard solutions like Databox can bring your reporting game to the next level. Sign up for a forever-free trial now to see how you can use Databox to track and visualize performance easier than ever before .

Step 8: Conclude Effectively

Finish your report with a to-the-point conclusion that will highlight all the main data from the report. Make sure it’s not too long, as it’s supposed to be a summary of the body of the report. In case you don’t want to add a specific section for recommendations, this is where you can include them, along with your assessments.

Step 9: Gather Additional Documentation

If you’ve determined what additional documents, images, surveys, or other attachments you may need for your report, now is the time to collect them. Request access to those you may not be able to get on time, so you have everything you need by the deadline. Copy the documents you can use in the original form, and scan the documents you need in electronic format.

Step 10: Add a Summary

The summary is usually at the top of the report, but it’s actually something you should write after your report is completed. Only then will you know exactly what your most relevant information and findings are, so you can include them in this brief paragraph that summarizes your report’s main points.

The summary should tell the reader about the objective of the report, the methodology used, and even mention some of the key findings and conclusions.

Step 11: Proofread Your Work

It may seem like common sense, but this final step of the process is often overlooked. Proofreading your work is how you make sure your report will look professional because errors can ruin the overall impression the reader will form about your work, no matter how great the report is.

Look for any spelling or grammatical mistakes you can fix, and if you’re not sure about specific expressions or terminology, use Google to double-check it. Make sure your writing is to-the-point and clear, especially if you’re writing for people who may not know the industry so well. Also, double-check the facts and numbers you’ve included in the report before you send it out or start your reporting meeting.

Business Report Examples (with Ready-to-Use Templates)

Here, we’re sharing a few business reporting examples that you can copy, along with ready-to-use and free-to-download templates. If you don’t know where to start and what to include in different types of business reports, these business report examples are a great way to get started or at least get some inspiration to create yours.

Activity Report Example

Annual report example, project status report example, financial report example, sales report example, marketing report example.

Note : Each of the business report templates shared below can be customized to fit your individual needs with our DIY Dashboard Designer . No coding or design skills are necessary.

For reporting on sales activity, HubSpot users can rely this streamlined sales activity report that includes key sales metrics, such as calls, meetings, or emails logged by owner. This way, you can easily track the number of calls, meetings, and emails for each sales rep and identify potential leaks in your sales funnel. Check all our sales team activity dashboards here. Or if you are looking for dashboards that track general sales performance, browse through all Databox sales dashboards here.

If you’re preparing for annual reporting, you will benefit from choosing this HubSpot annual performance report . It contains all the relevant metrics, such as email and landing page performance, new contacts, top blog posts by page views, and more. See all our performance dashboard templates here.

Project status reports can be very similar to progress reports. If you’re in need of one of those, here’s an example of a Project overview dashboard from Harvest that shows that can help you create simple, but well-organized report based on metrics that matter: hours tracked, billable hours, billable amount split by team members., and more. Check out more project management dashboard templates we offer here.

Are you creating a financial report? You will find this QuickBooks + HubSpot integration a great choice for a financial performance dashboard that makes creating a report simple. This dashboard focuses on the essential financial report

ting metrics and answers all your revenue-related questions. See all Databox financial dashboards here.

If you’re tracking your sales team’s monthly performance, this sales report template will help you prepare an outstanding report. Check out all the vital productivity KPIs, track your progress towards your goals, and understand well how your current sales pipeline is performing. See all sales performance dashboards we have available here.

Marketing reports can be easily prepared by using this monthly marketing report template . With HubSpot’s reporting, you can determine where your website traffic is coming from, how your landing pages and specific blog posts are performing, and how successful your email campaigns are. Browse all Databox marketing dashboards or marketing report examples here.

Create a Professional Business Report in No Time with Databox

Does creating a business report still sound like a daunting task? It doesn’t have to be with Databox.

In times when we’re all trying to save our time and energy for things that matter rather than scattering valuable resources on tedious, repetitive tasks, it’s critical to optimize your business process. And we want to help you do just that.

Using a business reporting dashboard enables you to track data from all the different tools you’re using – but in one place. With Databox, you can monitor and report on performance in a single dashboard that is optimized for all your favorite devices and you can create streamlined and beautiful dashboards even if you are not that tech-savvy. (no coding or design skills are required).

Automating business reporting has never been easier. And with Databox, you can do exactly that in just a few clicks. Sign up now and get your first 3 business dashboards for free.

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Master The Art: How to Write a Business Report – 6 Great Tips

September 01, 2023

How do you write brilliant business reports? Could you be more impressive writing business reports?

In the world of business, effective communication is key. Whether you’re an executive presenting a quarterly performance review, a manager sharing project updates, or an analyst summarising market research, you need to write clear and concise reports.

A well-crafted business report might convey information, influence decision-making and drive action. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of how to write a business report that stands out and makes an impact on your professional audience.

These days, we write more than ever. That means it’s harder than ever to grab attention with business reports.  Your readers have more and more to get through – so you need to make it easy for them to read what you write.  This is especially true in report writing.

Writing high quality business reports is a key business skill. And it is a skill you can learn. We’ve coached hundreds of people to improve their report writing skills. I f you want help, then get in touch. We’d be delighted to discuss how we could help you.

Read these top tips on how to write a business report from our expert coaches:

How to Write Business Reports – Top Tips

1. be clear on your purpose.

Before diving into writing your powerful business report, it’s crucial to define your report’s purpose and identify your target audience. Ask yourself:

• Why am I writing this business report?
• What information does my audience need?
• How will this report be used (e.g., for decision-making, information sharing, or strategic planning)?

When you have a clear purpose and you understand your audience’s expectations, you’ll find it easier to structure and create the right content when you write a business report.

But how do you write reports so they are easier to read? These six tips are some of the many ideas we apply in our business report writing training programme . Try them out today and you’ll find it easier than ever to communicate clearly.

2. Get to the point, quickly in your business reports

If your memo asks for authorisation for new expenditure, say it in the first line . If your report tells the board there is nothing to worry about in the new regulation, say so in the first paragraph. If your memo seeks approval for a new consumer test, say exactly that in the headline . Make it easy for the reader to know what you want them to do.

Contact us for a free consultation on your coaching needs

3. Keep your business reports short and simple

Great writing is easy to read. It uses simple structures and short phrases .  Just by breaking long written sentences into shorter thought units , you can make your writing more accessible.

How to write a business report better:

• make sure words that relate to each other are close together
• get rid of jargon
• cut unnecessary detail and
• break down complex sentences into constituent parts .

For example: BEFORE:  In reviewing the strategic impact of the Corporate ESG Assessment Report, the board considered many factors including environmental damage and pollution control, including the impact this had on our operations in south east Asia, South America and Africa and concluded that the current situation was satisfactory. AFTER:  After reviewing the Corporate ESG Assessment Report, the board concluded that our current ESG situation was satisfactory.

Great managers have been encouraging their staff to write better for a long time. Here’s a classic memo written in 1944. (National Archives and Records Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

4. Use the right verb when you write a business report

Your verbs power your sentences. They drive your thinking forward and direct the reader. When you select the right verb, you find the heart of your sentence and get to the heart of your meaning.  Pick out strong verbs to hammer home what you want to say.

BEFORE:  The new office has grown turnover quickly. AFTER:  We doubled turnover in the new office in the last 6 months.

5. Edit your reports, ruthlessly

A large part of writing is re-writing .  You should never be happy with your first draft.  Editing when you write a business report is the one thing that distinguishes a mediocre writer from a clear business writer.  You can edit it yourself.  You can ask someone else to read your business report for you.  Always imagine yourself as someone who is short of time, distracted and has just a few second to look at your report.  Have you made it easy for them to read?  If not, then look out for the following:   

Redundant words Needless repetition Ideas not explained clearly enough. Check the order of your writing. Is your start and your end strong enough?

Have you really made it easy for the reader?  Keep editing until your writing is as good as it can be.

6. How to write a brilliant business report – Read it out loud

My penultimate tip when you write a business report is always read your writing out loud . 

When you read your writing, you’ll spot logical errors, complex sentences and boring bits. And when you read out loud, you are more likely to uncover the beauty and rhythm in your words that make them easier to read.

7. BONUS TIP Business report writing – Read more journalism

Journalists are professional writers while most of us are amateurs. Journalists get paid to capture attention, to explain what’s going on and to get you back the next day for more of the same. When you read a newspaper, note how the writer structures sentences, produces paragraphs and shapes their articles. 

Copy their ideas and try their style.  Find out which of their expert tools works best for you. The more you read, the better you will be when you write a business report.

If you are interested in improving how you write, start by applying these six tips.  But if you want to take it further, why not consider a BBA business writing skills training programme in your company. They are short, intensive and highly effective. We organise intensive training that helps you look at your own writing in a different way.  We help you pull apart bad writing and build it up again using best practice techniques.

You’ll come away from a BBA training course very clear on what bad writing looks like – and how to create great writing.  By the end, you’ll be producing confident powerful written reports that are  read and acted on.

Interested to hear more? Click here or contact Louise Angus at +44 (0)207 018 0922. Or you can email her at [email protected] .

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“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.” Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice of leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East to improve presentation skills and presentations through coaching, training and expert advice.

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level with Benjamin Ball Associates.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email [email protected] to find out more and discuss transforming your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Frequently asked questions, how will training on business writing improve my business and career.

The most successful businesses are those which communicate well.

Clear written content has never been more important at a time when both on- and offline platforms are crowded with a cacophony of competing voices.

Cutting through the noise with concise, sharp and intelligent written communication is essential for any ambitious 21st century organisation seeking to secure competitive advantage.

We’ll show you how to craft compelling, engaging and persuasive content which sets you apart from the crowd. Reports that deliver clear outcomes for your business. Proposals that win new customers or attract new investment. Presentations that persuade, entertain and drive change. Emails and online content that crisply capture everything you need to say as succinctly and pithily as possible.

It’s no coincidence that the world’s best companies also boast some of the world’s best business writers.

Who needs to improve their business report writing skills?

Most of us aren’t born writers (unless our name’s Hemingway or Austen). It’s a life skill we must learn, just like any other. In fact, it’s an essential business skill if you’re serious about your career, because very few people make it to the top of their profession unless they’re effective communicators.

You may be a business leader who wants to fine-tune your writing skills at a time when high-stakes communication is becoming increasingly important to your organisation. Or you may just want to be a better presenter or public speaker.

You may be a People Manager looking to enhance your learning and development programmes with some tailored writing training for your graduates or for colleagues in the early stages of their careers.

We’ve worked with professionals at all levels and at all stages of their careers – and helped to transform their written communication.

What business writing courses are on offer from Benjamin Ball Associates?

We tailor our courses to your specific needs, whether it’s for your sales team looking to develop punchier pitches; your investor relations team looking to sharpen up their investor pitch books; or your younger colleagues in need of some basic writing skills.

We offer one-to-one coaching or group courses, physically or virtually. Our standard Business Writing for Professionals course runs across two half-days for up to eight people, but we’re happy to adapt course content and length to meet your organisation’s particular needs – or to accommodate the specific requirements of your company’s learning and development programme.

We also run a half-day course on Storytelling: The Secret to Compelling Presentation, which develops that aspect of our course content in more detail.

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• Writing Tips

How to Structure a Business Report

• 5-minute read
• 14th March 2019

The content of a business report will depend on what you are writing about. Even the writing style may depend on who you are writing for (although clear, concise and formal is usually best). However, there is a general structure that most business reports follow. In this post, then, we’ll look at how to structure a business report for maximum clarity and professionalism.

1. Title Page

Every business report should feature a title page . The title itself should clearly set out what the report is about. Typically, you should also include your name and the date of the report.

Most business reports begin with a summary of its key points. Try to include:

• A brief description of what the report is about
• How the report was completed (e.g., data collection methods)
• The main findings from the research
• Key conclusions and recommendations

A paragraph or two should suffice for this in shorter business reports. However, for longer or more complex reports, you may want to include a full executive summary .

3. Table of Contents

Short business reports may not need a table of contents, especially if they include a summary. But longer reports should set out the title of each section and the structure of the report. Make sure the headings here match those used in the main text. You may also want to number the sections.

4. Introduction

The introduction is the first part of the report proper. Use it to set out the brief you received when you were asked to compile the report. This will frame the rest of the report by providing:

• Background information (e.g., business history or market information)
• The purpose of the report (i.e., what you set out to achieve)
• Its scope (i.e., what the report will cover and what it will ignore)

These are known as the “terms of reference” for the business report.

5. Methods and Findings

If you are conducting original research, include a section about your methods. This may be as simple as setting out the sources you are using and why you chose them. But it could also include how you have collected and analyzed the data used to draw your conclusions.

After this, you will need to explain your findings. This section will present the results of your research clearly and concisely, making sure to cover all the main points set out in the brief.

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One tip here is to break the findings down into subsections, using headings to guide the reader through your data. Using charts and illustrations , meanwhile, can help get information across visually, but make sure to label them clearly so the reader knows how they relate to the text.

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

The last main section of your report will cover conclusions and recommendations. The conclusion section should summarize what you have learned from the report. If you have been asked to do so, you should also recommend potential courses of action based on your conclusions.

If you are not sure what to suggest here, think back to the objectives set out in your brief.

7. References

If you have used any third-party sources while writing your report, list them in a bibliography after the main report. This could include other business documents, academic articles, or even news reports. The key is to show what you have based your findings and conclusions upon.

8. Appendices (If Applicable)

Finally, you may have gathered extra documentation during your research, such as interview transcripts, marketing material, or financial data. Including this in the main report would make it too long and unfocused, but you can add it to an appendix (or multiple appendices) at the end of the document. It will then be available should your reader need it.

Summary: How to Structure a Business Report

If you are writing a business report, aim to structure it as follows:

• Title Page – Include a clear, informative title, your name, and the date.
• Summary – A brief summary of what the report is about, the data collection methods used, the findings of the report, and any recommendations you want to make.
• Table of Contents – For longer reports, include a table of contents.
• Introduction –Set out the brief you were given for the report.
• Methods and Findings – A description of any methods of data collection and analysis used while composing the report, as well as your findings.
• Conclusions and Recommendations – Any conclusions reached while writing the report, plus recommendations for what to do next (if required).
• References – Sources used in your report listed in a bibliography.
• Appendices – If you have supporting material (e.g., interview transcripts, raw data), add it to an appendix at the end of the document.

Don’t forget, too, that a business report should be clear, concise, and formal. And if you would like help making sure that your business writing is easy to read and error free, just let us know .

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[Updated 2023] 10 Tips to Write an Effective Business Report [Templates Included]

Malvika Varma

Effective collaboration and efficient information sharing are vital for achieving collective success. Business reports are instrumental in this endeavor, as they serve as concise, clear, and goal-oriented sources of valuable information.

Business reports are crucial in communicating essential details and findings to stakeholders within and outside the organization. They encapsulate critical data, analysis, and recommendations, contributing to informed decision-making and propelling organizational progress. Whether financial performance, market research, project updates, or performance evaluations, business reports provide a structured format for presenting information that facilitates comprehension and fosters effective collaboration.

To increase the efficiency of operations and identify areas for improvement, use this link to download top-tier operational reports .

The right business report template offers these advantages:

• It provides a consistent structure that guides the flow of information, enabling you to present data and insights logically. This ensures readers can easily navigate the report, grasp the main points, and draw conclusions.
• A well-designed template saves time and effort by providing predefined sections and headings, eliminating the need to start from scratch for each report. It also helps standardize the format, ensuring that reports from individuals or departments maintain a cohesive appearance.
• Many report templates offer customization options, allowing you to tailor the design and sections to suit specific requirements. This flexibility ensures that the template can be adapted to business reports.

While writing a business report may not be overly complex, selecting an appropriate template can enhance its impact.

At SlideTeam, we have curated templates that empower you to create reports that exude professionalism and polish, capturing the attention of your superiors and surpassing their expectations. 

With our 100% editable and customizable templates, you can streamline the report creation process, saving valuable time and effort while ensuring that your final document is impressive and meets the required guidelines and standards. Elevate the quality of your business reports and make a lasting impression with our premium templates.

The content-ready nature provides you a starting point and the structure you were looking for; the editability feature ensures you can tailor the presentation to audience profile. 

Let's take a fascinating tour of these captivating templates, which will take your presentations to new heights.

Template 1: Business Report PowerPoint PPT Template Bundles

Use this structured report PPT Template to streamline effective communication of complex ideas and data. The template provides a framework where you can input relevant information, allowing you to focus more on the analysis and content of the report. With its capacity to accommodate extensive statistical information simultaneously, this versatile template is suitable for multiple department heads within the organization. It is ideal for presenting a comprehensive discussion on Excel-linked Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), allowing for countless updates and modifications.

Download Now

Template 2: Business Reporting PowerPoint PPT Template Bundles

This business report slide covering income and spending section focuses on the company's income sources, expenditures, and expenses. It also facilitates a dashboard on company assets, enabling stakeholders to monitor and assess the value, performance, and use of company-owned and managed assets. It also assists you in breaking down into categories. Using this template, you can also provide insights into the company's cash generation, investments, and funding sources.

Template 3: Monthly Business Report PowerPoint PPT Template Bundles

Use this PowerPoint Template to analyze regular insights and data for business decisions. With it, you can monitor the progress of goals and objectives set for your department. By monitoring key metrics monthly, businesses can timely identify issues and opportunities. Early detection allows prompt intervention, problem-solving, and capitalization on emerging opportunities before these escalate and chances lose value. Grab this template now to get transparent and updated information on your company's financial performance, operational activities, and strategic initiatives.

Template 4: Monthly business report actual budget marketing performance goods manufactured

This slide allows you to monitor and analyze your business expenses monthly. You can plan and control your business finances with estimated and actual budget figures. Using this presentation template, you can allocate resources and make informed decisions based on your budget expectations. The centerpiece of the slide is marketing performance report PPT Template that allows you to aggregate data from multiple sources and obtain marketing information from a single point of access, eliminating manual work, and mitigating the risk of human error in your marketing reporting process. Grab it now. 

Template 5: Project Health Status Business Report

Use this PPT Template to provide stakeholders with a clear and concise overview of the project's current status. It helps maintain interest and involvement, allowing for effective collaboration and support throughout the project lifecycle. The report establishes accountability among project team members and stakeholders. It provides a clear snapshot of the project's health and progress.

Template 6: Monthly Project Accomplishment Business Report

It provides an overview of tasks completed, milestones achieved, and project advancement. This tracking helps stakeholders understand the project's timeline and ensures it is on schedule. Using this presentation template, stakeholders can compare the current status with previous months or similar projects. It helps identify trends, patterns, and areas where the project can see improvement. This benchmarking facilitates continuous improvement in project management practices.

Template 7: Business Reporting Dashboard on Financial Performance

This PowerPoint Slide Template showcases an interactive visual representation of key financial metrics and indicators. It incorporates charts, graphs, and tables that enable stakeholders to grasp and interpret financial performance of businesses. Users can also drill down into specific metrics or categories for a more detailed analysis. This capability allows stakeholders to investigate underlying factors contributing to financial performance and identify areas that require attention.

Template 8: Business Reporting of Financial Data

Use this PPT slide to present your stakeholder's insights into your business's financial performance. The data is sourced from sources such as accounting software, financial statements, invoices, receipts, and other relevant records. It allows you to Identify and select the most relevant financial metrics and KPIs that align with the business's goals and industry benchmark. You can track operating profit margin, net profit margin, earnings before interest and taxes, and so much more using this PPT Template. 

Template 9: Business Reporting for Sales Management

Use this PPT Template to evaluate your business sales performance across territories, regions, or teams. Compare individual sales rep performance, identify top performers, and uncover areas where additional training or support may be needed. Grab it now to establish a regular reporting style that suits the needs of sales management and stakeholders.

Template 10: Business Reporting Operation Expenditure Dashboard Slide for Interest Rate Risk PowerPoint Template

This PPT Template illustrates a business reporting dashboard for operational expenditure with visual representation of crucial expense metrics and indicators. It allows stakeholders to monitor and analyze operational costs clearly and concisely. Use this presentation template to provide stakeholders with real-time operational expense monitoring, facilitating informed decision-making. Using this template, you can also identify potential cost overruns or other areas where expenses can be optimized.

Say Goodbye to Boring Tables of Data and Generic Presentations

Don't let your business reports be forgotten or overlooked. Grab the opportunity to impress your stakeholders, gain their trust, and drive meaningful action. Elevate your business reporting game today and witness its lasting impact on your success. Our templates are here to empower you, so take the leap and experience the amazing difference they make to efficiency and task updation.

If you want reports that pack a punch on the good work you do, Download these professional report templates to shed more light on your way of working that adds value to clients, and all stakeholders.  

PS We have a wide range of downloadable and ready-to-edit templates for you if you want to make a compelling annual business report . 

FAQs on Effective Business Report

What is a business report and examples.

A business report is a comprehensive document that provides relevant information, analysis, and recommendations on a specific business topic. It follows a structured format for clarity and easy comprehension. The report aims to present factual data and insights from thorough research. Business reports come in many forms depending on their purpose, audience, and content. 

Some examples are: 

• Financial Reports: Provide a summary of a company's financial performance, including income and balance sheets and cash flow statements. 
• Market Research Reports: Analyze market trends, customer preferences, and competition to provide insights and strategies for market entry or expansion.
• Annual Reports: Summarize an organization's activities, achievements, and financial performance over a specific period, providing stakeholders with an overview. 
• Performance Reports: Evaluate individual, team, or organizational performance against predefined goals and identify areas for improvement. 
• Project Reports: Document the progress, outcomes, and lessons learned from specific projects, including objectives, achievements, and recommendations. 
• Sales Reports: Provide an overview of sales performance, revenue, customer trends, and product analysis to track targets and identify growth opportunities.

How to write a business report?

Crafting an effective business report involves these steps:

• Define the Purpose: Clearly articulate the report's intention, whether it's informational, analytical, or persuasive. Set specific objectives to guide your writing.
• Understand the Audience: Identify the intended readers and their knowledge levels, expectations, and information requirements. Customize the content and tone.
• Conduct Thorough Research: Collect reliable data and information from trustworthy sources such as market research, financial statements, surveys, interviews, and internal records. 
• Structure the Report: Plan the report's organization before writing. It includes an introduction, main body, and conclusion. 
• Craft an Engaging Introduction: Begin with a concise introduction that outlines the report's purpose, scope, and methodology. 
• Present Findings: In the main body, present your findings, analysis, and insights. Organize the information into sections or subsections based on aspects or themes.
• Convincing Evidence: Strengthen your analysis and findings using data, facts, charts, graphs, and visual aids. Clearly label and explain any visuals. 
• Draw Well-founded Conclusions and Recommendations: Summarize the key findings in conclusion and derive logical conclusions. 
• Proofread and Edit: Review the report meticulously for clarity, coherence, grammar, and spelling errors. 
• Format and Present Professionally: Apply a consistent layout, font, and style throughout the report.

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How to write a report (with tips and examples)

Delve into our practical guide designed to improve your report writing skills. Explore example reports and discover useful tips for writing clear and effective reports.

1. Understand Your Purpose: Always start with a clear understanding of your report's objective. This clarity guides your research, the writing process, and the way you present your findings.

2. Emphasize Clarity and Precision: Your report should be written in clear, simple language. Prioritize precision and avoid unnecessary jargon. Use visuals to represent complex data effectively.

3. Refine Through Revision: Never underestimate the power of editing and proofreading. These steps are critical in enhancing the quality of your report. Additionally, seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors can provide valuable insights.

What is a Report?

Imagine having to comprehend the intricate details of a six-month-long project in a single meeting, or having to make an informed decision based on a sea of raw data. Overwhelming, isn't it? This is where the power of a report comes into play.

A report is a strategic tool that communicates the results of an investigation, a project, or any complex analysis in a clear and concise way. It is the torchlight that cuts through the dense forest of data and information, guiding us toward understanding and action.

At its heart, a report is about simplicity and clarity. It takes the core findings from a more complex investigation and distills them into a simpler, easier-to-follow narrative.

Take, for example, a Financial Analysis Report in a business setting. Such a report takes a mountain of financial data – from revenue to expenses, assets to liabilities – and transforms it into a clear analysis that highlights the company's financial health, trends, and areas that need attention. By distilling complex financial data into a digestible format, the report empowers decision-makers to understand the company's financial state and make informed strategic decisions.

Types of Report

Reports come in all shapes and sizes, each designed to communicate specific types of information to particular audiences. Here are five common types of reports used in a professional setting:

Project Status Report

As its name suggests, a Project Status Report provides an update on a specific project's progress. It typically includes information about completed tasks, ongoing work, any challenges encountered, and next steps. This report is crucial in keeping stakeholders informed and facilitating timely decision-making. For example, a project manager in an IT company might prepare a weekly Project Status Report to update the leadership team about the progress of a new software development project.

Financial Report

A Financial Report is an essential document in the business world. It provides a comprehensive overview of a company's financial health, including details about revenue, expenses, profits, losses, assets, and liabilities. These reports, often prepared quarterly or annually, help stakeholders, investors, and decision-makers understand the company's financial performance and make better-informed strategic decisions.

Research Report

Research Reports are commonly used in both academia and various industries. These reports present the findings from a research study, detailing the research methods, data collected, analysis, and conclusions drawn. For instance, a market research report might reveal consumer behavior trends, helping a company shape its marketing strategy.

Audit Report

An Audit Report is a formal document outlining an auditor's unbiased examination of a company's financial statements. It gives stakeholders confidence in the company's financial integrity and compliance with regulatory standards.

Progress Report

A Progress Report is often used to monitor the advancement of ongoing work or projects. These reports can be on an individual, team, or organizational level. For example, a sales team might produce a monthly progress report showing sales volumes, trends, and areas for improvement.

Each type of report serves its unique purpose and shares a common goal: to transform complex information into an accessible format that drives understanding, decision-making, and progress.

How to Format a Report

Every report requires a structured format for clear communication. The actual format of a report might vary depending on its purpose and formality, but here are the key components of an effective report:

1. Title Page: The Title Page should include the report's title, your name, the date, and often the name of your organization or institution.

2. Executive Summary: A succinct overview of the report's key points, findings, and implications. This section gives the reader a clear idea of what to expect from the report. Sometimes it's easier to compose this section last, once the rest of the report has been completed.

3. Table of Contents: A systematic list of the report's sections and subsections, acting as a navigational tool for your reader.

4. Introduction: The foundational part of the report. It introduces the topic, outlines the report's purpose, and defines its scope, preparing the reader for what's to come.

5. Methodology: An explanation of the methods and tools used for gathering and analyzing data. This section establishes the credibility of your findings and helps the reader comprehend your investigative process. This is perhaps more common in an academic setting: a project status report, for example, is less likely to need a section dedicated to methodology.

6. Findings/Results: The section where you detail your data and the results of your analysis. This is the core of your report, presenting the results of your investigation or research. As well as written data, you should include graphs, images and tables to present your findings, where appropriate.

7. Conclusion: The summary and interpretation of your findings. It reaffirms the insights your report offers and solidifies the report's overall message.

8. Recommendations: Based on the findings, this section proposes future actions or improvements, steering the course for next steps.

The final two sections are perhaps more common in an academic report, but both are worth mentioning here too:

9. Appendices: A place for any supplementary information or data that supports your report but isn't part of the main flow. It serves as a resource for readers interested in delving deeper into the topic.

10. References/Bibliography: A list of all the sources you've cited in your report. This section gives due credit to the referenced works and showcases the depth of your research.

How to Write a Report

Writing a compelling report is a skill crucial to various professional roles, no matter what position or industry you’re in. While the subject of each report might differ, there are key steps to creating an impactful document:

1. Understand the Purpose

Before you start writing, make sure you fully understand the purpose of your report. Why is it needed? What questions should it answer? Who will be reading it? Understanding these factors will guide your research, writing style, and the overall structure of your report.

2. Conduct Thorough Research

A strong report is based on accurate and comprehensive data. In a business setting, this research is usually based on your own data, whereas in an academic setting you'll often rely on external data sources. Take the time to research your topic thoroughly, using reliable and relevant sources. Keep track of all the sources you consult—you’ll need them for your bibliography.

3. Plan Your Report

Start with an outline. This step ensures your report has a logical flow and covers all necessary points. Just like a blueprint, an outline helps you structure your thoughts, organize your data, and divide your content into meaningful sections.

4. Write Clearly and Concisely

Your goal is to communicate, not to confuse. Keep your language simple and your sentences short. Make your points clearly, and support them with facts. Avoid jargon unless it's necessary and you're certain your audience understands it.

5. Use Visuals When Helpful

Charts, graphs, tables, and other visual aids can enhance your report by illustrating complex data in a digestible way. Ensure all visuals are relevant, appropriately labelled, and referenced in the text.

6. Draft and Revise

Your first draft won't be perfect, and that's okay. The key is to start writing. Once you have your thoughts on paper, you can refine and reorganize the content. Revising is a critical part of the writing process —never underestimate its power.

7. Proofread

Review your report for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Also, ensure all data and facts are accurate, and all sources are correctly cited (where applicable). An error-free report enhances your credibility and reflects your attention to detail.

8. Get Feedback

If possible, have a colleague or mentor review your report before finalizing it. They can provide fresh perspectives, point out any gaps, and suggest improvements.

9. Distribute the Report

Once your report is finalized, it's time to share your work. Distribute it to the appropriate audience, which may include your team, supervisor, or client. If the report will be discussed in a meeting or presentation , it might be helpful to distribute it in advance to give everyone a chance to review it.

Remember, writing a strong report is a blend of strategic thinking, thorough research, clear communication, and attention to detail.

Tips for Writing Successful Reports

While the structure and purpose of reports may vary, certain principles apply universally to create successful documents. Here are five tips to elevate your report writing:

1. Maintain Objectivity

Your report should present data and facts as objectively as possible. Avoid letting personal biases influence the way you present information. Even when you're interpreting results or making recommendations, ensure that your conclusions are driven by the evidence at hand.

2. Stay Focused

Each report should have a single, clear purpose. Avoid going off on tangents or including irrelevant information. While it's important to provide context and background, don't lose sight of your report's main objective.

3. Think About Your Audience

Tailor your language, tone, and level of detail to the needs and understanding of your audience. A report written for experts in your field may use different language than one written for non-specialists. Always explain technical terms or industry jargon that your readers may not be familiar with.

4. Validate Your Points

Support every assertion you make with evidence or data. This adds credibility to your report and allows readers to understand the basis of your conclusions. Wherever possible, use graphics or visuals to illustrate your points—it’s a powerful way to represent data and ideas.

5. Format consistently

Consistency lends your report a professional look and helps readability. Stick to a consistent format in terms of font, spacing, heading styles, and captioning. Ensure your visuals are in sync with the rest of the document in terms of style and color scheme.

Reports are powerful communication tools, vital in various professional settings. The ability to write an effective report is a skill that can significantly enhance your impact in the workplace. From understanding what a report is, knowing the different types of reports, through to formatting and writing your report, the goal of this guide was to provide a comprehensive overview to help you excel in this critical skill.

By keeping the report’s purpose in mind, conducting thorough research, using a clear and concise writing style, and meticulously revising and proofreading your document, you can ensure your report not only communicates its intended information but does so in an engaging, digestible manner. Employing these strategies, combined with the tips offered, will help you create high-quality, impactful reports.

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More on reports

10 Tips for Perfect Report Writing

Report writing is an essential skill for many jobs and educational courses. This page shows you correct report writing formats, and gives you 10 top tips to help you write a report.

Report Writing – An Introduction

You might have to write a report at university (an academic report) or as part of your job (a business or technical report).

There are also different reasons for report writing: to present information (such as a lab report or financial report); to present research findings; or to analyse a problem and then recommend a particular action or strategy.

A report can be long or short, formal or informal. The style and vocabulary choice will depend on who is going to read your report, and their level of understanding or expertise.

Reports should be clear and concise, with the information presented logically in sections, with headings and (if necessary) sub-headings.

Report Writing Formats

Reports don’t always follow the same formats or include all the possible, different sections. If you’re unsure about the correct report writing format to use, check with your tutor (at university) or find out the preferred layout that your company uses.

Research report

In it you’ll address a particular situation (saying why it’s worthy of research and referencing other studies on the subject); describe your research methods and evaluate the results of your research; then finally make conclusions or recommendations.

What are the report sections?

Title page – the title of your report, your name, the date, academic information (your course and tutor’s name).

Acknowledgements – if you’ve received help (ie from experts, academics, libraries).

Terms of reference (optional) This gives the scope and limitations of your report – your objective in writing and who it’s for.

Summary / Abstract – in brief, the most important points of your report: your objectives (if you don’t include a terms of reference section), main findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Table of Contents All the sections and sub-sections of your report with page references, plus a list of diagrams or illustrations and appendices.

Introduction Why you’re researching the topic, the background and goals of your research, your research methods, plus your conclusion in brief.

Methods / Methodology / Procedure (optional – if not included in the introduction) How you carried out your research, techniques, equipment or procedures you used.

Main body / Discussion (the longest part of your report) Contains an analysis and interpretation of your findings (often linked to current theory or previous research) divided into headings and sub-headings for clarity. You can also include visual information, such as diagrams, illustrations, charts, etc.

Results (can also go before the main body of the report) The findings of your research (also presented in tables, etc) but without any discussion or interpretation of them.

Conclusion What you can say about the results – your deductions, and the most important findings from your research.

Recommendations (can also be part of the conclusion section) Number these if you have more than one.

Appendices Extra information which is too long for the main body of your report, such as tables, questionnaires, etc.

References All the sources you refer to in your report.

Bibliography (optional) Books, journals, etc which you read or used during your research.

Glossary (optional) Technical or jargon words which your reader might not understand.

Business report

Or you might just need to write a shorter, information-type report.

Title page The report title, your name, the date, the name of the person commissioning the report, the objective of the report.

Management / Executive Summary You can give this to people instead of the whole report. It’s often less than one page and contains the main information – the summary, conclusions and recommendations.

Table of Contents For longer reports, including sections and page references.

Introduction The background of the report, what is included, methods and procedures for getting the information, acknowledgements of help.

Main Body / Discussion This is the longest part of your report, including all the details organised into headings and sub-headings. For example, a description of the current situation / problems.

Summary and Conclusions (can also go before the main body) Summarise the reason for your report, and your conclusions, such as the potential solutions to a problem.

Recommendations (can also go before the main body) Identify your preferred course of action. Number your recommendations if you have more than one.

Appendices Any extra information, such as illustrations, questionnaires used in preparing the report, or a bibliography.

References (optional)

For shorter reports, or information-type reports (such as financial reports or sales reports) the report sections may be:

Title Introduction Main Body / Discussion Recommendations (optional)

10 Report Writing Tips

These report writing tips will save you time and make sure that what you write is relevant. There are five writing tips followed by five language tips.

1. Write your executive summary and table of contents at the end

This means that the section headings and page numbers will be consistent. The executive summary is much easier to write if you have already written the rest.

2. Focus on the objective

Make sure you understand the purpose of your report and who you’re writing it for. If you’re writing a report as part of your university course, read the brief carefully and refer back to it so that everything you write and include is relevant.

If you’re writing a business report, write an objective statement first. This helps you decide what’s going to be relevant and important for the reader. You can use the objective as the title of the report, or put it in the introduction. For example:

[su_quote]To identify new market segments and analyse the competition[/su_quote] [su_quote]To evaluate current HR policies and present new recruitment methods[/su_quote] [su_quote]To examine our R&D strategy and suggest new product development ideas[/su_quote]

3. Plan before you start writing

Gather all your research and relevant information. You might need to interview people, do some background reading or carry out experiments.

Decide on a structure for your report. How are you going to organise the information you have into sections? How can you divide these sections into headings and sub-headings?

Plan your structure by writing all your points on a piece of paper, then grouping these ideas into sections and headings. Alternatively, try a “mind map”. Write a subject word in a box, and then write ideas around this subject word, drawing lines to connect them to the subject word. Doing this can help you see where information is related and where it can be grouped.

Make sure you keep a note of all your references so you can write the references section afterwards. As you plan out the structure of your report, think about how it’s linked to the objective of your report. What conclusions or recommendations can you make? Is there anything unusual that you might need to explain?

4. Use a clear layout

Make your report look more readable and inviting. Here are some ways to help you do this:

Use headings and sub-headings to break up the text. Remember to number these consistently. Here are two alternatives:

Section 1 Sub-section 1(a), 1(b) Sub-sub-section 1 (a) (i), 1 (a) (ii); 1 (b) (i), 1 (b), (ii) Or: Section 1 Sub-section 1.1, 1.2 Sub-sub-section 1.1.1, 1.1.2; 1.2.1, 1.2.2

Include adequate spacing and margins to make the text look less dense

Write well-structured paragraphs. Paragraphs shouldn’t be more than five sentences long. For example, your first sentence is the topic sentence – the main idea of the paragraph. The second to fourth sentences expand on this idea, giving supporting or additional information, commenting on the points raised, or referring to other data. The final sentence concludes the ideas presented, or leads on to the following paragraph.

5. Edit and proof read!

Here’s a check list of what you should ask yourself before submitting your report:

– Is it free of grammatical mistakes, concise and easy to read? – Do the sections follow on logically from each other? – Is each point supported with evidence or data? – Are the conclusions and recommendations persuasive? – Are all the sources correctly referenced?

And finally – have you kept to the report objective or brief?

Report Writing – Language Tips

Aim to write clearly and concisely. Here are five ways to help you do this:

6. Keep sentences short and simple

Include only one main idea in each sentence, with extra information in following sentences, introduced by a appropriate linking word (see below). Avoid writing long sentences with lots of sub-clauses which will make it difficult for your reader to follow you. Aim for sentences which are no longer than 15-20 words.

7. Use linking words

Words and phrases like “Therefore”, “However”, “For this reason”, etc help your reader follow your ideas. For a complete list of linking words (and examples of their use) check out our page on linking words .

8. Use everyday English

Explain jargon or technical language (if you’re writing for a non-technical audience) and include these terms in a glossary.

9. Avoid passive forms where possible

Scientific and technical reports often include passive forms instead of subject pronouns like “I” and “you”, but for business reports you can write more simply and directly.

To make your business report sound more objective, you can use the “third person”. For example, “This report outlines the advantages and disadvantages of company pension schemes.” Other verbs you can use in the “third person” are:

analyze (analyse BrE) “This section analyzes the differences between the two markets.”

describe “This report describes the procedures commonly used in assessing insurance claims.”

discuss “This report discusses the implications of the new building regulations.”

examine “This report examines the impact of natural disasters on our production facilities.”

explain “This section explains the decisions to suspend investment in Europe.”

identify “This report identifies the advantages and disadvantages of relocating our head office.”

illustrate “This report illustrates the main difficulties in opening new branches in Asia.”

outline “This section outlines our R&D priorities.”

review “This report reviews our franchising operations.”

summarize (summarise BrE) “This report summarizes the main points raised at the Shareholders Meeting.”

10. Keep an eye on punctuation

Correct punctuation helps your reader move more easily through your report. If you’re not sure on when to use commas or semi-colons (for example), check out our punctuation guide .

For more help with writing skills, take a look at Business Writing Essentials: How to Write Letters, Reports and Emails .

More From Forbes

25 writing tips for business owners and content marketers: part 1.

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These easy-to-read tips will help you improve your marketing content, step by step, word by word, ... [+] bit by bit.

Imagine your most promising sales lead opens your latest email newsletter... and immediately deletes it. They might have been ready to schedule a call or request a demo, but your content didn't justify investing any more of their precious time.

How often do you find yourself doing the same—dismissing content because it fails to capture or hold your interest? If you're like most people, your interactions with marketing content is more necessity than choice. You dive in and accept content indignities when facing purchase decisions, sizing up competitors, seeking inspiration, and understanding your audience. Otherwise, you’re outta there!

But let's be honest: It's hard to create content that consistently stands out and captivates busy readers—which is why much of the content out there misses the mark. It's either as bland and uninspiring as a turkey sandwich without the fixings or so jargon-laden that it feels like a meal too dense to digest. Because of this, today's ocean of content has become a sea of sameness, where buzzwords and clichés often drown out originality and kill engagement.

Is your marketing content getting lost in the sea of sameness? Put these writing tips into effect to ... [+] start to make it to shore.

Yet, there's hope. The Content Marketing Institute reports that content marketing generates three times more leads than paid search advertising. But, paradoxically, only about 22% of marketers are truly satisfied with their conversion rates. This chasm between potential and satisfaction highlights a monumental opportunity for us to refine our content and elevate the quality of our engagements.

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What if the secret to bridging this gap lay in the minutiae—the seemingly small but mighty elements that determine the quality, resonance, and effectiveness of your marketing content? That’s exactly what we’re exploring in this five-part series on writing tips for marketers.

From the foundation of varied sentence lengths for rhythm and readability to the persuasive power of active voice, each tip is a step toward captivating content that draws readers and leaves a lasting, positive impression. Each tip comes with explanations and examples to help you quickly get the ah-has you need to improve your content—and your readers’ experiences.

Let’s dig in.

1. Vary sentence length for readability and rhythm

Vary your sentence lengths to improve readability.

While long, monotonous sentences lull readers to sleep, constant short bursts make them feel like they’re in choppy waters. Mix sentence lengths to create a reading experience that mirrors natural speech. This will subtly persuade readers to stay invested in your message.

In his book 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing : Proven Professional Techniques for Writing with Style and Power , Gary Provost shares two great examples of varied sentence length.

First, he writes in short, staccato bursts.

“ This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. ”

Next, Provost varies the length of his sentences from short to medium to long.

“ Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage them with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals—sounds that say listen to this, it is important. ”

Bottom line: Readers have short attention spans and a low tolerance for boredom. Constant short sentences? Snooze-fest. Relentlessly long blocks of text? Eyes glaze over. Mix it up to keep readers engaged. Your content (and your audience) will thank you.

2. Use active voice for authority and impact

Use active voice to add movement and momentum to your content.

You’ve heard of active voice? Active voice makes your writing more direct and lively, giving your words an authoritative ring. It’s your ally when you want to emphasize action and drive a point home.

• Before : A complete list of features can be found on our website.
• Question: Who can find the list? (Answer: You can.)
• After : Explore the list of features on our website.

The first example focuses on the list rather than the reader's actions. It also raises the question: Who can find the list of features? The second example uses the active verb explore because the reader is doing the action — exploring. It implies a discovery, making the content more engaging.

Here’s another example:

• The last few cookies were eaten last night.
• Question: Who ate the cookies?!
• Grandpa ate the last few cookies last night.

Watch for phrases with the following constructions, which often signal passive voice:

• can be verbed
• has been verbed
• were verbed

Before weeding out passive voice became second nature, I’d use my writing app’s Find function to search for phrases like can be , was , and has been . Do the same, and you’ll quickly learn to spot passive voice like a pro.

Bottom line: Using active voice isn't just about grammar. It's about infusing your marketing content with action and ownership, so ditch those pesky passives and give your words power.

3. Use vivid verbs instead of weak adverbs for precision

Use vivid verbs instead of weak verbs plus adverbs to power up your writing. And avoid weak ... [+] modifiers, which you can (often!) eliminate.

Weak adverbs clutter sentences and dilute your message. Instead, choose powerful verbs that stand alone, carry emotion, and paint a clear picture, making your writing more memorable and persuasive.

• Before : The CMO was very happy to see how the new content editor totally revamped her go-to-market content.
• After : The CMO was elated to see how the new content editor overhauled her go-to-market content.

Other substitutions that might come in handy:

• explained clearly -> clarified
• understood completely -> grasped
• increased rapidly -> surged
• decreased significantly -> plummeted
• worked together closely -> collaborated
• investigated thoroughly -> scrutinized
• improved greatly -> enhanced
• changed completely -> transformed
• planned carefully -> strategized

Also, beware of the following weak modifiers, which you can likely eliminate without hurting your content:

A final note on the adverb very : Mark Twain is thought to have said:

“ Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it, and the writing will be just as it should be .”

Damned good advice!

Bottom Line: Don't rely on adverbs to prop up weak verbs. Instead, choose powerful verbs that paint a clear picture, making your writing more concise, memorable, and engaging.

4. Use the rule of three to create memorable messages

Use the rule of three to make your content easier to remember.

Tap into the power of patterns to make your message stick. People tend to remember information better when presented in groups of three. This tip is particularly useful for creating marketing slogans and taglines. For example:

• I’m Lovin’ It
• Impossible Is Nothing

You can also use the rule of three to emphasize key points. Group your points in threes to make them more powerful and easier for readers to remember.

• Our new skincare line is natural, nourishing, nurturing.
• We’re committed to innovation, integrity, and impact.
• Join us on a journey to a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life.

Bottom line : The power of three is simple and undeniable when it comes to crafting sticky messages. Use it for slogans, taglines, and when highlighting key benefits to create marketing content that lingers in the minds of readers.

5. Be specific and avoid generalities to increase credibility

Have you heard the saying, "Specific sell; generalities repel"?

Have you heard the saying, Specifics sell; generalities repel ?

Writing in generalities opens the door for readers to object and ask questions. It may even drive readers away, towards Closed Lost .

Writing with specificity answers reader questions and overcomes objections—in advance.

Concrete details build trust and draw readers into your world, whereas vague statements undermine your message. Specific details paint vivid pictures, making your content authentic and persuasive.

• Before : A lot of people like our product.
• After : More than 5,000 customers rated our product five stars, praising its ease of use and transformative results.

Here, the switch from the vague, a lot, to the specific, 5,000+ reviews, opens the door to instant trust. The added detail about what's liked makes the text even more persuasive and implies that the reader will have a similar, positive experience.

Bottom line : Specificity builds trust and overcomes objections before they even arise. Swap out vague phrases for precise details and numbers to make your content infinitely more persuasive.

Try it yourself—and stay tuned for Part 2

Inspired to give these tips a try? Share a sentence you've revised using these tips in the comments below.

And for even more guidance in crafting captivating content, sign up to receive the rest of the tips in this series.

In the next article, I’ll share five more writing tips to help you improve readability and add clarity and authority. Stay tuned!

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