Business Writing Made Simple

Overview

Your writing says a lot about you. Weak writing can be a sign that you lack professionalism and credibility. Strong writing conveys that you are skilled and trustworthy.

This practical 1-day course comes packed with in-class exercises and offers immediate feedback to help you quickly develop this crucial skill. Learn a simple process for crafting a clear and concise message and get hands-on practice writing for the results you want—in the correct tone—and with complete clarity and precision. You’ll also review correct grammar, punctuation and spelling, and learn to avoid common problems in business communications.

How You Will Benefit

• Write clear, concise, and effective documents that get real results

• Get through writer’s block and finish a draft quickly

• Choose the right words to set the right tone

• Persuade resistant readers to act on your recommendations

• Deliver difficult messages in tactful ways

• Avoid common grammar, punctuation, and writing errors

What You Will Cover

• Understanding the basics of effective business writing

• Pinpointing your purpose and desired results

• Writing well at the document, paragraph, sentence, and word levels

• Creating drafts that project the right tone

• Getting through writer’s block by harnessing the P-O-W-E-R writing process

• Writing a persuasive business case

• Delivering bad news and unpopular messages

• Developing an action plan to keep you growing as a writer

Outline

Learning Objectives

• Write Simply in Ways That Get Real Results

• Get Through Writer’s Block and Finish a Draft Quickly

• Choose the Right Words to Set the Right Tone

• Persuade Resistant Readers to Act on Your Recommendations

• Deliver Bad News and Unpopular Messages in Tactful Ways

• Avoid Common Grammar, Punctuation, and Writing Errors

An Approach for Writing Simply

• Describe Three Measures of Effective Business Writing

• Describe Seven Rules for Writing Simply

• Use the SMART Model for Writing Simple Messages

• Avoid Common Business Writing Problems

Seven Rules for Writing Simply

• Understand and Apply Rules for Writing Simply—at the Document, Paragraph, Sentence and Word Levels

• Understand and Avoid Common Errors in Grammar and Punctuation—Overwriting, Faulty Parallelism, Missing Commas, and Comma Splices

Writing Simply in Difficult Situations

• Follow the P-O-W-E-R Writing Process to Get Through Writer’s Block

• Apply Tips for Simplifying Complex Information

• Use the Indirect Approach for Delivering Bad News

• Write a Persuasive Business Case