Communications Workshops
Mastering Your Business Writing Skills
2 Day Workshop
Being able to write well is a real career boost. This two day course is designed for those who must do business writing as part of their job. Participants learn how to enhance their organizational profile and capture their thoughts on paper so they are strong and persuasive, but at the same time clear, concise, complete and correct.
What participants will learn:
- To learn the value of good written communications
- To make writing clear, concise, complete and correct
- To learn how to proofread your work so you can feel confident it is clear, concise, complete and correct
- To provide an opportunity to apply these skills in real work applications.
Advantages of written communication
- Why do we fear writing?
- What are the reasons we must write?
The 4 C's of Written Communications:
- Clear
- Concise
- Complete
- Correct
Clear
- Will my writing be clear to the reader?
- Choosing the right words
- When to add, delete or substitute words
- Eliminate words that could offend
Concise
- Ways to eliminate wordiness
- Active instead of passive voice
- Using words more economically
- Acronyms - using them to to save space/increase readibility
Complete
- What, Where, When, Why and How
- Checklists make that easier
- Empathy with the reader
Correct
- Obeying the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation
- Common punctuation problems
- Common spelling errors
- Using the apostrophe to show possession
- Subject-verb agreement
- Errors in pronoun usage
- Using jargon
Proofreading
- Three proofreading techniques to try
- Spellcheck isn't perfect
- Points to review before a document leaves your desk
Putting it all together
- Writing trends
- Format for today's letters
ADVANCED WRITING CONCEPTS
Business letter format
- Style
- Personal style
- Persona
Sentence and paragraph construction
- Point sentences
- Developing paragraphs
- Simple to complex
- Improve coherence
Types of business letters
- How to Write a "Yes" Letter
- How to Write a "No" Letter
- How to Write a "Please Do Something" Letter
- Business letter jargon