Business Writing Basics for Professionals

Complete Seminar Details

In this seminar you'll learn...

• The 3 rules of business writing you simply can´t afford to break
• A 3-step approach for getting an immediate response to any written communication
• How to overcome writer´s block once and for all!
• How to unclutter your messages by eliminating unnecessary words and redundant expressions
• And much more!

Find out just how easy it is to get started, organize your thoughts and present your messages in ways that achieve the positive results you want. Learn how to meet the challenge of "putting it in writing"—whether you´re writing letters, memos, proposals or other documents.

Program hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

What to know before you write

• Testing your business writing savvy—a self-assessment for pinpointing your strengths and weaknesses
• The 4 major functions of business writing
• The 3 rules of business writing you simply can´t afford to break
• Know your subject: Using the library and other resources to become an expert on your topic
• Know your readers: 6 questions you must ask yourself about the people who read your memos
• How to get an immediate response to all your business writing by applying a 3-step approach professional advertising people use to sell products

Putting your words on paper

• Overcoming writer´s block: An easy way to get your ideas down quickly
• How to use freewriting to create a powerful and lively first draft
• How "thinking small" can help you organize your writing for maximum impact
• How to write openings that get to the point and keep your reader´s attention
• How to develop your paragraphs to get your ideas across most effectively
• Words and phrases that ease the transition between paragraphs—and keep your audience reading from start to finish
• End with a bang! How to write closings that inspire your readers to take action

Say it with style

• How to take into account your reader´s perspective—and why it´s vitally important
• The 2 sentence characteristics that determine whether your reader will comprehend your message
• The Telephone Test: Why it´s essential to apply it to every piece of writing that leaves your desk
• How to adapt your tone to match the personality of your readers
• The 15 worst business writing sins and how to avoid them
• How to use personal pronouns to create an instant rapport with your audience
• Fresh alternatives to the 10 deadliest business writing clichés
• The only time it´s appropriate to use jargon in a written communication
• Bullets, underlining, lists and other formatting techniques that make your writing easier to read
• Unclutter your messages—how to eliminate unnecessary words and redundant expressions from your writing
• When it´s okay to break grammar rules
• Techniques for spotlighting your key points
• How to free your writing from unintentional bias that can alienate your readers
• Putting the power of persuasion to work for you—10 simple rules for getting your readers to "see it your way"

Professional editing and proofreading techniques

• The Golden Rule of business writing and editing
• Editing techniques professionals use to turn out powerful and effective final drafts
• Why it´s important to read to the end of a document before making any changes or corrections
• Save hours of rewriting—7 questions for pinpointing the strengths and weaknesses of your first draft
• Never-fail techniques for proofreading technical and financial data
• How to accurately proofread foreign words
• A checklist of key points to review before any document leaves your desk
• Why knowing your natural visual span can keep you from overlooking typos and other credibility-robbing errors

Writing that means business

• The one important ingredient you must not overlook when writing a business proposal
• A 4-step process for writing effective business reports
• The 6 main parts of every winning business proposal
• 9 tips for writing memos that get your point across without wasting your reader´s time
• Report-writing do´s and don´ts that every businessperson must know
• A 3-part letter design guaranteed to grab your reader´s attention, deliver your message and inspire action
• How to structure your e-mail messages for maximum impact
• Why it´s important for your letters to do more than just convey information
• The 6 essential elements that are common to every report and proposal
• Proven tactics for writing a persuasive sales letter
• 6 guidelines for writing document titles that are accurate and informative
• How to write PR letters and news releases that create a favorable image for your company

Writing for special situations

• When the message is tough: How to convey bad news tactfully
• Style and usage considerations that every person writing international correspondence must know
• How to say "No" without damaging relationships
• How to recognize and take advantage of each person´s expertise when you´re involved in a collaborative writing project

Sponsor Background:

SKILLPATH GUARANTEES RESULTS If you're not happy, SkillPath is not happy. Go back to work and apply the new techniques you learned in any of SkillPath's seminars. If you're not absolutely delighted with the results you achieve, write to them right away. They will issue you a refund or arrange for you to attend another SkillPath seminar without paying another penny. That's the SkillPath Guarantee!

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received up to five business days before the workshop are refundable, minus a registration service charge, which you may apply toward any future workshop. After that, cancellations are subject to the entire workshop fee, which you may also apply toward a future workshop. Please note that if you don’t cancel and don’t attend, you are still responsible for payment. Substitutions may be made at any time.

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