You have probably heard of the 90/90 rule: the rule that states when we meet people for the first time we make up 90 per cent of our opinion of the other person in the first 90 seconds of the meeting. A bit far-fetched? Well, while it's true to say that emotional bonds take more than 90 seconds to form, first impressions do count. And this is just as important when it comes to enticing a reader to look at written communications.

George Orwell, one of the most effective writers in the English language, referred to the dull, long-winded way that formal documents are usually written as "anaesthetic writing". And, although it's true that there sometimes just isn't a concise way to explain something that's complicated, it's also true that the majority of writing today is dull enough to lull you into a stupor before you have read nine per cent of the text - never mind 90 per cent. Why do we feel that we need to bombard our readers with verbosity and jargon? Everyday language is not like this. Think of the way you talk. Think about how you would talk to the most senior person in your organisation and then think about how you would write to them.

If your writing needs a wakeup call, then take these four steps to clarity: 1. Think about your audience; 2. Identity unnecessary jargon; 3. Ask yourself if your audience will understand what you are writing. 4. Do something about it!

Your audience is the key to how you write your article. It's important to consider who is going to read the piece of communication and also who needs to read it. It's a good idea to write down a list of who your audience is and refer to this while you are writing. The golden rule is that your reader should never need to reread something you have written because it's not clear. Will everyone understand what you are writing?

If you find yourself in the tricky situation that you have to write to a mixed group - for example you need to create a leaflet that will be distributed to everyone in your workforce and you are not sure how to pitch the language - then a good tip is to imagine that you are writing it for someone you respect and know (eg your grandmother). What does your grandmother know about the office waste management system? If she is an employee, why does she need to read this leaflet? This enables you to write sincerely and personally and with the right tone of voice.

Remember to avoid nuances and meanings in different languages if your audience is made up of people whose native language is not English. Think about the phrase "bricking it", for example. I'm not suggesting that you might use this phrase on a regular basis, but consider how difficult this phrase is to translate or explain to someone whose first language is not English. Similarly there is an argument not to use Latin phrases. The majority of native English speakers would probably throw their arms up in anguish at abandoning our Classics, but the majority of us are no longer taught Latin in school. So there may be an argument to abandon ad hoc, per se, eg and ie if they need further explanation.

Stop and think before you start to write and make a note of the points you need to get across in a logical order. Long words do not impress, so go for short. Use everyday English - that is the type of English you use when you are talking with people. Avoid jargon and legalistic words - unless they are completely necessary; and then explain any technical terms you have to use. Again think of your audience - will they be comfortable with certain words and abbreviations and know what they mean? Be confident that your readers will understand any words or phrases in your document. If not then explain them.

For example, spell out any acronyms, or simply avoid using words that need further explanation. However remember not to be condescending in your writing (eg if you are explaining lots of terms and phrases in brackets). Consider whether you need to use the term at all - perhaps you could simply change the word. If you do need to use jargon, it must be clear and accurate for the intended audience.

Don't use cotton wool words such as robust or support. Keep business clichés and jargon to a minimum. Avoid the most obvious clichés such as interface, leverage, key drivers, mission-critical, and try not to use words that have multiple meanings such as capacity, resources, support, engage.

Keep sentence length down. Try to stick to one main idea in a sentence. Have a spot check on your sentence length. Word will do this for you with a quick tool to count characters or word length.

Be concise. Use active verbs and much as possible and avoid passive verbs which make text clumsy and long-winded. Once you have written your text in straightforward prose, you might need to help your reader negotiate their way through your document. The prose may have been written clearly and concisely, using everyday language and short sentences, but there could be a lot of information in your document. The use of titles and headings will help to explain what your document is about.

Imagine your document is a list among dozens of others, the title should help anyone scanning the document to see what it's about. For example, avoid "assessment", and use "How we assess people's confidence"; or change "application" to "Who this standard applies to"; and instead of "procedure", try "How this procedure works".

Think about adding summaries. You could also use a summary at the beginning of your document so that people can find who needs to read it, and also why they need to read it.

Finally, remember the 'Triangle of Information' - don't start at the top of the triangle. Imagine a triangle standing on its apex. Use the base as the start of your document so that most of the information is contained at the beginning of your text. You do not want to spring an important announcement in the last sentence. You need to let the reader now immediately why they should read your letter or leaflet and what important information you are going to give them.

It's not just a case of replacing difficult words with easy words; but it will make you think again when you are writing for a wide section of the community. Some writers might feel that using everyday words and phrases is not professional and that it's too simplistic. But remember that you are usually writing to inform, not to impress, baffle or bore. Nobody stops reading something because it's too straightforward.