Letters, reports, meeting notes, proposals and forms are everyday assistant work. A clean, consistent document makes your client look professional to their own customers and partners. A messy one, with mixed fonts and random spacing, does the opposite.
Formatting that looks professional
- Use built in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2) instead of making text bold and big by hand. Headings create an outline you can navigate and make the document easier to read on any screen.
- Keep one or two fonts and a consistent size for body text.
- Use lists and tables for steps, options and comparisons instead of long paragraphs.
- Leave white space. Short paragraphs are easier to read, especially on phones.
- Add page numbers and a date to anything longer than two pages.
Templates save time
If you write the same kind of document often, such as invoices, meeting minutes or a weekly report, make a template once. Copy it each time and fill in the new details. Google Docs and Word include ready made templates, and you can save your own. Templates also keep your work consistent, which clients notice.
PDFs
Send a PDF when the reader should not edit the document, such as a final letter, invoice or report. In Google Docs, use File, then Download, then PDF. Name the file clearly before sending.