Business Writing

Business Writing Skill

"Not instructions to follow - behavioral strata that make good writing inevitable."

Purpose

Transform business communication into Sid's voice: simple, direct, human. Apply Grand Slam Offer strategy without being salesy. Make writing brief and effective.

Phase 0: Context Detection (MANDATORY FIRST)

What type of email am I writing?

Detect context:

• Follow-up (after demo/call)
• Offer (pricing, proposal)
• Check-in (deal progress)
• Objection (addressing concerns)
• Professional (non-sales business)

Output: "Phase 0 complete. Context: [type]. Loading resources..."

Phase 1: Load Resources

Always load these resources:

# Core frameworks
cat ~/.claude/skills/business-writing/references/clear-writing.md    # 6 questions
cat ~/.claude/skills/business-writing/references/grand-slam.md       # 4 value drivers (if B2B sales)
cat ~/.claude/skills/business-writing/references/b2b-emails.md       # Real examples

# Voice guides
cat ~/.claude/skills/business-writing/assets/voice-guide.md          # Sid's patterns

Progressive loading: Load what's needed for context. Check-in emails don't need full Grand Slam framework.

Output: "Phase 1 complete. Resources loaded."

Phase 2: Apply Clarity Framework (6 Questions)

ANSWER THESE BEFORE WRITING:

From references/clear-writing.md:

1. What am I really trying to say?
2. Why should they care?
3. What is the most important point?
4. What is the easiest way to understand it?
5. How do I want them to feel?
6. What should they do next?

Key principle: "Every writing project must be reduced before you start"

Output: "Phase 2 complete. Clarity achieved: [one sentence summary]"

Phase 3: Apply Strategy (B2B Sales Only)

If B2B sales context, apply 4 Value Drivers:

From references/grand-slam.md:

1. Dream Outcome (↑ INCREASE) - Status gain language

   • Not "save time" → "Be the innovation leader everyone copies"

2. Perceived Likelihood (↑ INCREASE) - Proof without being salesy

   • Show 10,000th customer, not first
   • Case studies, validation

3. Time Delay (↓ DECREASE) - Fast wins close deals

   • "Same day" not "immediately"
   • "iPad ready for next visit" not "quick onboarding"

4. Effort & Sacrifice (↓ DECREASE) - Done-for-you beats DIY

   • "I'll handle X" not "we make it easy"
   • Remove friction from their side

Check: Does offer feel stupid to say no to?

Output: "Phase 3 complete. Strategy applied: [brief summary]"

Phase 4: Write in Sid's Voice

Behavioral strata from assets/voice-guide.md:

Length

• 2-5 sentences ideal
• 10 sentences maximum
• One clear point per email

Structure

• Tool 1: Begin with subject-verb

  • ✅ "You good to start?"
  • ❌ "I wanted to reach out..."

• Tool 3: Active voice always

  • ✅ "Let me know if anything's blocking you"
  • ❌ "If there are any impediments..."

• Tool 11: Simple over technical

  • ✅ "blocking you"
  • ❌ "impediments to progress"

Tone

• Questions > statements
• Human > robotic
• Helpful > pushy
• Direct > diplomatic

Examples from references/b2b-emails.md

• Gun follow-up: "You good to start this week? Let me know if anything's blocking you."
• Partnership angle: "Looking forward to making Belgium our European launch story."
• P.S. pattern: "P.S. - Steve, you'll have full access to the team account."

Output: First draft written.

Phase 5: Anti-Pattern Check

From assets/anti-patterns.md, remove:

• ❌ "I saw you opened the email" (creepy tracking)
• ❌ Over-explaining value props
• ❌ Sales voice ("excited to share", "thrilled to announce")
• ❌ Long paragraphs (break into 2-3 sentences)
• ❌ Complex words where simple works
• ❌ Asking permission ("Would you be open to...")

Test:

• Would you text this to a colleague?
• Is every word necessary?
• Does it sound like Sid?

Output: "Phase 5 complete. Anti-patterns removed."

Phase N: Show Versions

Present 2-3 variations:

**Version 1**: [Most direct/brief]
**Version 2**: [Slightly warmer/more context]
**Version 3**: [Alternative angle if relevant]

Explain differences:

• Why each version works
• When to use which
• Trade-offs between them

Ask: "Which version resonates? Want refinement?"

Key Principles

From Writing/Craft

1. Reduce before writing - Answer 6 questions first
2. Subject-verb structure - Who does what?
3. Active voice emerges - Not passive construction
4. Simple over technical - Short words at complexity

From Grand Slam Offer

1. Make offers irresistible - So good they feel stupid saying no
2. Status gain language - Frame benefits as elevation
3. Fast wins close deals - Emotional win close to purchase
4. Remove all friction - Done-for-you beats DIY

From Sid's Voice

1. Brief beats long - 2-5 sentences ideal
2. Questions beat statements - "You good?" not "I hope you're doing well"
3. Human beats robotic - "Blocking you" not "impediments"
4. Helpful beats pushy - Offer value, don't chase

Execution Time

• Phase 0: 5s (context detection)
• Phase 1: 10s (load resources)
• Phase 2: 30s (answer 6 questions)
• Phase 3: 20s (apply strategy if needed)
• Phase 4: 60s (write first draft)
• Phase 5: 20s (anti-pattern check)
• Phase N: 30s (show versions)

Total: ~3 minutes methodical > 20 minutes rewriting

Success Metrics

• ✅ Email is 2-5 sentences (rarely more)
• ✅ Sounds like Sid (simple, direct, human)
• ✅ One clear point/action
• ✅ No sales fluff detected
• ✅ Strategy applied (if B2B sales)
• ✅ Reader knows exactly what to do next

When NOT to Use This Skill

Skip this for:

• Internal team messages (use natural voice)
• Personal emails to friends/family
• Creative writing or social media
• Technical documentation

Use /context-writing instead for:

• LinkedIn posts
• Twitter content
• Articles/blog posts
• Personal essays

"Make it so simple they can't say no. Make it so brief they actually read it."