Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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Strong professional writing is an essential skill for anyone who wants to get ahead. One of the best ways to improve your writing is to focus on what the reader needs to know, rather than on what you want to say.

o Make it easier for them by placing the most important information first.

o Respect their time by keeping your communications brief. Are your sentences four lines long? Cut them down.

o Always write for an intelligent novice — a smart reader, who isn’t necessarily an expert on whatever topic you’re writing about.

o To do that, avoid acronyms and jargon: You don’t want your reader to lose focus by having to step away to look something up. They might not come back.

Putting yourself in your reader’s shoes will ensure that they better understand — and maybe even look forward to — your writing.

This tip is adapted from “4 Quick Tips to Improve Your Business Writing,” by Lauren Brodsky.