PRINCIPLES THAT ENSURE EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WRITING

• Planning and establishing purpose 
• Meeting the reader’s needs and expectations
• How to use techniques for overcoming writer’s block

THE THREE C’S – ALL WRITING SHOULD BE CLEAR, CONCISE AND CORRECT 

• Techniques for achieving clarity and precision in everyday business writing
• The role of word choice 
• How to construct sentences that are clear, concise and direct

ADVANCED TECHNIQUES FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING 

• Defining effective writing
• Characteristics of effective writers 
• Understanding the hallmarks of effective communicators 
• Elements of written communication
• Writing in a business context
• Understanding your audience 
• Setting a purpose for your writing 
• Understanding sources of miscommunication
• Tips for business writing

WRITING PURPOSEFUL PARAGRAPHS 

• What a paragraph should contain and how to order paragraphs 
• How to use linking words and phrases in sentences and paragraphs
• Active and passive voice and parallelism 
• How to employ various patterns of organizing information 
• Participants will also take a close look at the proper length of paragraphs

GRAMMAR AND WRITING MECHANICS 

• Seven easy ways to help participants simplify their writing and ensure their grammar is correct

DETERMINING READABILITY 

• How and when to use the readability test (also called the Gunning Fog Index) 
• Applying readability test to their own work

WRITING LETTERS 

• Learn the essential guidelines for writing effective memos and letters
• Understanding the twelve important parts to a business letter choosing the best of several different styles 
• The importance of opening sentences 
• How and when to use persuasive, positive and negative words 
• How to use appropriate tone

PARTNER WITH YOUR READERS 

• Use a cordial tone
• Write a buffer before negative information 
• Use a tone and level of formality appropriate for the reader
• Focus on what's in it for the reader
• Write so you build partnerships and teams

PREPARE READERS TO UNDERSTAND, REMEMBER AND ACT

• Use a meaningful, informative subject line
• Open with the context 
• Write a clear statement of the contents 
• In the introduction, state actions to be performed and critical information 
• Write a conclusion if it will help you achieve your objectives 
• Include feedback loops to ensure that your message is successful

DEALING WITH SPECIFIC REQUESTS – LEARN HOW TO WRITE SPECIAL DOCUMENTS EXPLICITLY

• Write clear descriptions of problems and issues 
• Write direct, unambiguous requests
• Write clear procedures

E-MAIL ETIQUETTE 

• Email, a universal method of communication, but what about email etiquette, tone and more…?.
• Identifying common email dilemmas – recommended solution 
• The guidelines for writing effective e-mail
• The importance of subject lines

BUSINESS DOCUMENTS

• How to write a: o business case o request for proposal o formal report 
• Where would you start? 
• Apply guidelines and checklists that keep the writing on track

EDITING AND PROOFREADING THE FINAL VERSION 

• How to recognize common proofreading errors 
• Techniques for effective editing and proofreading 
• Methods for revising the first draft 
• How to avoid sexist or offensive language
• Often confused words