Effective Business Writing Course

Availability: In-Company and open course

Why attend?

Staff at all levels need to be able to write high quality letters, emails, memos, reports, proposals and minutes. Producing clear, effective and professional communications is one of the ways that differentiates the best organisations from the rest. It is all too easy to ruin your reputation with poor written communication. Starting from first principles this practical and interactive course will give participants a thorough grounding in writing for business, and the skills required to produce documents to the highest standard. Every participant will receive feedback on examples of their writing and go away with a step-by-step guide to effective business writing which they can refer to whenever they need to.

Who is it for?

People who want to write high quality, clear, succinct and persuasive emails, letters and proposals, and avoid costly and time-consuming misunderstandings, problems and complaints.

What you will learn

Different types of business communications

• Selecting the right medium for your message – face-to-face vs telephone vs written communication
• Which form of written communication to use and why such as letters, emails, memos, reports and faxes

Problems with written communications

• What gets in the way of effective communication
• Highlighting common problems

Using an appropriate format

• Conventions and rules for each type of communication
• Good practice in format and layout

Business Writer from Hell

• Common faults such as using long sentences with no punctuation, waffle,  jargon, imprecise language, clichés, inappropriate style, pompous or pretentious language
• Secrets of effective writing – expressing yourself clearly, accurately and concisely

Elements of grammar and punctuation

• Simple rules that make it easy to avoid common mistakes
• Key points to remember such as using commas to add clarity, avoiding over-use of exclamation marks, using apostrophes correctly, keeping the tense the same and avoiding split infinitives
• Common grammatical and punctuation errors

Email 'Netiquette'  

• Specific rules and advice for writing emails and distributing documents electronically
• Considering the reader and getting the tone right
• Thinking before you send and checking spelling/grammar

Planning and Structuring Effectively  

• Why structure and flow are important
• The value of using signposting to organise your thoughts and making things easy for the reader

Creating Impact and Maintaining Interest  

• Ensuring you capture the reader's attention and hold it
• Making sure you get your message across
• Bringing writing to life with examples

Editing, Proof Reading and Spell Checking

• Carrying out a thorough final check before sending the communication

Benefits to you and your organisation 

• Choose the most appropriate method of communication
• Produce clear, concise documents that get your message across
• Write with impact and capture your reader's attention
• Save time on unnecessary re-work
• Use the principles of good written communication
• Increase your confidence in your ability to write well