We and you

Try to use the word “we” as much as possible. You are usually speaking on behalf of someone – whether a person or organisation. If it is an organisation, you should feel you are speaking on behalf of everyone who works there, so there is no problem with saying, for example, “Acme Co supports the proposed mousetrap legislation because we believe that everyone should have a right to…” This sounds better, more modern and human, than referring to Acme as “it” or “they”. Remember that Acme is a collection of people, and you are one of them: “we” is best.

One of the features that makes corporate writing difficult to understand is its abstract and impersonal nature. Writing is easiest to understand as a conversation, so referring to Acme as “we” rather than “it” or “they” shows the writer’s true relation to the Acme, which helps the reader to understand your point of view. Don’t worry about this undermining your objectivity – your readers decide how much to believe you largely on the basis of your willingness to deal straight with them, so writing as “we” (or sometimes “I” if your name is on the document) will actually help you.

It is also best to address your readers as “you” as much as possible: it shows that you know whom you are writing for, and again it makes your writing more straightforward. Another very useful effect of using “we” and “you” is that it saves you from endless clumsy repetition of “Acme” and “rodent-control operatives” or whichever company and audience you are writing about.