How to Sharpen Your Business Writing Skills

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Detailed Overview/Outline

Get the business writing skills to compose powerful, professional documents that get attention and prompt action.

To attract the attention of today’s busy readers, you must respond to their need for clarity and conciseness in written communication. In this four-day workshop, you’ll get the business writing skills you need, overcome “writer’s block,” learn to recognize and avoid common mistakes and receive a tool kit of proven techniques for delivering information powerfully, persuasively and professionally. Bring a current project and get one-on-one feedback on your business writing skills.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

All business professionals who are required to present ideas in writing and wish to sharpen their business writing skills.

Recommended: Bring a sample written piece for self-evaluation.

Note: This course focuses on business writing skills. Participants interested in improving grammar should register for the Grammar Course Seminar #2236.

Extras from AMA

Practical exercises to help you master every type of business writing, from the routine to the challenging

Individualized coaching…confidential critiques

The option to have your own writing samples evaluated (bring a sample of your writing with you)

HOW YOU WILL BENEFIT:

• Update and improve your business writing skills for more effective and persuasive e-mails, memos, letters and reports
• Organize your documents with your readers’ needs in mind
• Create reader-friendly layouts to highlight important information
• Craft sentences that get and hold your readers’ attention
• Edit your writing for clarity and ease of reading
• Avoid archaic expressions and common grammar, punctuation and usage errors

WHAT YOU WILL COVER:

Seven General Concepts

• Stating your purpose quickly
• Separating details from actions
• Writing conversationally to engage your readers
• Updating your writing style for today’s business environment
• Being specific and concrete
• Being personal and positive
• Avoiding overworked words and phrases

Organizing Information

• How to start writing quickly
• Organize information to help your readers
• "Data dumping” and mind mapping as organizational tools

Being Concise and Clear

• Measure your writing efficiency
• Recognize and eliminate unnecessary words, phrases and repetition
• Techniques for writing concretely
• Substitute heavy, confusing phrases with simple language

Using Strong Verbs

• How strong verbs improve writing
• Identify and avoid masked and passive verbs

Writing Letters

• Salutations and openings that get attention
• Effective transitional sentences and closings
• Personalize your letters to create interest and establish credibility
• How to be positive and convey sincerity
• Write refusal letters with clarity and tact

Reviewing Mechanics

• Correct grammar, punctuation and word usage
• Parallel construction
• Proofreading techniques

Showing Emphasis

• Structure your sentences for greater impact
• Reduce unnecessary story details
• Design your page effectively

Writing E-Mails, Memos and Reports

• Write simple, to-the-point e-mails
• Create attention-getting subject lines
• How to write a strong lead sentence
• Use a reader-friendly layout to emphasize main ideas
• Best practices of e-mail etiquette
• Organize your findings into a concise, effective format
• Design strong paragraphs to state your case powerfully
• Add graphic elements to organize and support your ideas
• Use an effective format for proposals

Extended Description

Learning Objectives

• Organize Writing to Be Clear and Persuasive
• Create Layouts That Are Reader-Friendly
• Craft Sentences That Get the Reader’s Attention
• Edit Documents for Clarity and Ease of Reading
• Write Effective Documents, Including E-mails, Memos, Letters and Reports
• Follow Rules of Grammar and Punctuation

Seven General Concepts

• Identify Seven General Principles That Help Achieve Writing Success

Organizing Information

• Learn How to Start Writing Quickly
• Learn How Organizing Information Helps Our Readers
• Practice Data Dumping and mind Mapping as Tools for Organization

Being Concise

• Identify and Eliminate Sentence Cloggers
• Avoid Unnecessary Documentation

Using Strong Verbs

• Recognize How Using Strong Verbs Improves Writing
• Identify and Practice Avoiding Masked Verbs
• Identify and Practice Avoiding Passive Verbs

Being Clear

• Understand What Motivates People to Read
• Substitute Simple Language for Heavy, Confusing Phrases
• Be Concrete and Specific
• Use Transitions Effectively

Writing Letters

• Improve Your Tone
• Sound Sincere and Personal
• Be Positive in Your Approach

Reviewing Mechanics

• Review Grammar, Punctuation, and Word Usage
• Practice Using Parallel Construction
• Learn Proofreading Techniques

Showing Emphasis

• Put More Impact into Your Sentence Structure
• Reduce Unnecessary Story Details
• Design Your Page Effectively

Writing E-Mails and Memos

• Get Action with E-Mail
• – Command Attention with Subject Lines
• – Create Layouts That Are Easy to Read
• – Manage E-Mail Etiquette with Commonsense Courtesy
• Structure Memos to Persuade, Solve Problems, and Inform
• – Organize Your Thoughts with a Choice of Plans
• – Put Key Ideas Up Front
• – Write Clear and Concise Procedures

Writing Reports

• Organize Ideas into an Effective Format
• Design Strong Paragraphs
• Use Graphic Elements Effectively
• Use an Effective Format for Proposals

Days: 4

CEUs: 2.4

Sponsor Background:
The American Management Association was founded in 1923. They have built a content control check into every one of their professional seminars. Plus a series of checks and balances to ensure that the content of every AMA seminar is precisely targeted to:

• provide comprehensive, hands-on training that is of practical use when you return to the job
• focus on need-to-know specifics, relevant to the demands of global business today
• offer the expertise and personalized attention of top-ranking instructors
• facilitate your career development and business savvy

Whether you're looking for a solid foundation of business fundamentals or strategies to help you seize growth opportunities for your company, AMA offers expert instruction to help you:

• manage your priorities effectively
• cultivate more productive working relationships
• increase your on-the-job value
• align your skills with marketplace demands
• bring out the best in people, processes and yourself

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you cannot attend a seminar you may contact AMA in advance to transfer to a future session, or can send someone to take your place. If you need to cancel your attendance, AMA will give you a complete refund if you cancel more than three weeks before your seminar begins. To cancel, simply call. If you cancel with less than three weeks' notice, you will be liable for the entire seminar fee, however you may request a courtesy transfer to use at any future AMA seminar of equal or lesser value. The courtesy transfer must be used within one year of the date of your originally scheduled seminar. In fairness to all attendees, if you do not attend a seminar session for which you are confirmed, and do not cancel with a minimum of three weeks’ notice as described above, you will be charged the entire seminar fee.

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