Business document preparation

This article is about how to write about a product or service using a simple template consisting of six important aspects.

These aspects are important things to consider when writing about your product or service in order to make it easy to pass the message about what you offer, and to engage with the stakeholders you are communicating with.

Business document preparation: describe the product or service in lay terms

Use simple language that anyone can understand to describe the uniqueness of your product or service.

As an entrepreneur you can establish the uniqueness of the product and/or service being offered by describing your product or service using terms or words that someone not specialised in your specific area can understand.

Present this in an easy to understand manner without any jargon, by emphasizing aspects of your product/service such as:

• Special niche your product of service occupies
• The product quality (zero defects, fit for purpose, conformance to specification)
• Features and function: innovative design appearance, durability, product packaging, sizes, variety, colours
• Warranties and product guarantees
• Extras that can be purchased separately
• Service quality: physical appearance of facilities, equipment, personnel, the ability to provide the same level of good quality repeatedly, the speed with which service is delivered.
• Customer after-service.

Business document preparation: provide information about product mix

Many businesses will initially be focusing on one product or service. However, if you have more than one product or service, you’ll need to write about the variety you offer.

Include the number of different product lines your business offers. Also, include the range of products (if any) within each product line.

Finally, provide information about how closely related the various products are in terms of end use, production and distribution requirements, target markets, or segment appeal.

Business document preparation: describe how customers would use and buy the product or service

Who are your target customers and what are their characteristics? Describe how the product or service responds to customers’ tastes, needs and demands, both in terms of the short-term and long-term sales.

Why should these people buy your product or service? Mention the benefits of your product or service. Are there owner manuals, guides or tutorials, etc., to help the customers?

Finally, be specific about distribution avenues and the cost to deliver the product or service.

Business document preparation: information about marketing and positioning plans

How is your business uniquely placed in the market? Give enough detail to help the reader judge the effectiveness of your marketing and positioning plans.

Show how your product or service is placed in the consumer’s mind in relation to your competitors’ products, based on product traits and benefits that are relevant to the consumer.

Business document preparation: key components or raw materials

Another important aspect to include in your business document e.g. your operations manual is information about how your business is able to offer exceptional service because of the skill levels of the staff and implementation abilities of management.

Describe key components or raw materials that will be used in the product, how the company will source these and how available they are.

Business document preparation: testing the product or service

Write about how service quality is checked and maintained in your business.

Write about your production and any form of product testing for safety that you carry out.

Describe how you test, or plan to test, the product to ensure it works as planned and is sufficiently durable and secure, etc.