Business Writing & Grammar Skills

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Detailed Overview/Outline

What You’ll Learn

• Make readers sit up and take notice with attention-grabbing words and phrases
• Present even the most complex material in easy-to-understand language
• Overcome writer's block - and never waste another minute staring at a blank screen or sheet of paper
• Communicate clearly and powerfully every time you put words on paper
• Eliminate embarrassing grammar errors from your work
• Keep your readers from snoozing by slashing wordiness and ditching dull, repetitive language
• Sell your ideas, products or services effortlessly, using amazingly easy techniques
• Cut your writing time by 30 to 40 percent with shortcuts and time-savers
• Write with confidence, assured your letters and memos are on-target and error-free
• Eliminate tired, out-of-date words and jargon - and boost your effectiveness immediately
• Say goodbye to common errors like misplaced clauses, subject/verb agreement and misused words
• Avoid negative words and phrases that can push your readers' hot buttons
• Steer clear of language that might offend by using non-sexist alternatives
• Organize your thoughts and information quickly with a systematic method
• Capitalize on your personal style to make your writing more interesting - and more effective
• Write complaint letters that get immediate action
• Proofread like a pro to keep embarrassing errors from slipping into finished documents
• Make written requests that get favorable replies
• Build instant rapport with readers by adopting a casual, contemporary tone
• Drive your message home with power and style - and get the results you need!

Workshop Agenda
Where to begin? Tips for Getting Started Writing-Quickly

• Simple ways to plan what you write
• The secret to cutting your writing time by 30-40%
• Key questions to answer before you begin writing
• A systematic way to organize your thoughts and information
• Surefire tips for overcoming writing anxiety

Basics of Solid Business Writing

• Why a casual tone is key to today's business communication
• How to present details and explanations clearly and simply
• Strategies for avoiding wordiness and eliminating stiff, formal language
• Why being concise is imperative to getting results in today's workplace

Writing Letters, Memos and Reports that Get Results!

• How-and why-the pros get chummy with their readers in memos and letters
• Capitalize on your personal style to make your writing more interesting-and more effective
• Tips for eliminating monotony in long reports and complex proposals
• A proven way to guarantee your memos get read-even if you're not the boss
• Avoiding the most commonly made errors in letters and memos

Smart Tips for Sparking Your Readers' Interest

• Reader friendliness: how to keep the focus on "you"
• Proven techniques used by professional writers to stimulate reader interest
• "Grab 'Em" openers that are sure to get noticed
• Tips for creating sharp images that linger in the reader's mind
• Why using tired cliches could brand you as "out of touch"

How to Influence, Persuade and Sell Your Bright Ideas!

• Mastering the 7 Cs of convincing business writing
• How to be more persuasive when you expect resistance from your readers
• Smart tips that will add punch to every paragraph
• Success strategies for selling anything-products, ideas, services, even yourself!
• Communicate with passion and enthusiasm: how to rev things up with active verbs

Keys to Conveying Credibility and Professionalism

• How to align your writing with the image your organization wants to project
• The pros and cons of using computerized spelling and grammar checkers
• Are you clinging to "old" business writing ideas?
• Understanding the "look" and "sound" of professional business writing

Mastering the Rewriting Process: Your Key to Exceptional Business Writing

• Why your first draft should never be your last draft
• A simple technique that will make your writing more readable
• How to trim the fat from all your business documents
• Editing "musts" for concise, clear writing
• Wake up your readers by slashing adjectives and stamping out unnecessary adverbs
• How to "hear" what you write

Practical Solutions to Real-World Writing Challenges

• How to write "no" letters with a "yes" sound
• Writing complaint letters that get immediate action
• Kid-glove techniques for responding to complaints with relationship-rebuilding success
• How to make written requests that get favorable replies
• Writing for special situations

Gender, Age and Culture Sensitivity: Using Care in Business Writing

• We've come a long way since "Dear Gentlemen"
• Non-sexist alternatives guaranteed to help you steer clear of offensive language
• Solutions to gender-based pronoun problems
• What to do about courtesy titles

Using Correct Grammar for Powerful Writing

• How misplaced modifiers can wreak havoc with your meaning
• A simple way to make sure subjects and verbs agree
• "Is it HE at the door?" Or, "Is it HIM at the door?" Secrets to choosing the right pronoun
• The most misused words in business and the words that don't exist
• The "10 Commandments of Capitalization" every business writer must know
• How to spot look-alike words
• FREE! Take-home handy desktop reference that you'll use again and again

Easy Punctuation Guidelines

• Avoid "comma-itis" by knowing when a comma is essential
• Apostrophe: using the minimark that keeps your meaning clear
• A rule for using punctuation with quotation marks

Proofread Like a Pro to Keep Errors from Slipping Through

• Are you proofreading or editing? Why it's important to know the difference
• Expert editors' tricks for spotting their own mistakes
• The words most often misused in business communication
• Proven shortcuts that will ensure your documents are error-free

Sponsor Background:
National Seminars Group, a division of Rockhurst University Continuing Education Center, Inc., is one of the nation's leading providers of continuing education. Each year, we provide more than 6,000 seminars in the United States and Canada, and in our 14-year history, more that 5 million professionals have participated in these programs.

Besides offering a full range of training skills to all professional levels through our one-day and two-day seminars and conferences, we also offer highly-acclaimed books, audiocassette, videocassette and CD-ROM training products for individuals, teams, departments or corporate reference libraries.

Since 1991, our affiliation with Rockhurst University, a highly acclaimed four-year university, ensures our commitment to providing lifelong continuous-learning opportunities. We're certain the combination of continuing education with academic excellence gives you the best and most innovative approach to fulfill your continuing education needs.

Cancellation Policy:

If you cannot attend a workshop for which you are registered, you may send a substitute or receive a credit memo toward a future workshop. If you cancel your registration up to five business days before the workshop, your registration fee will be refunded less a $10 enrollment charge.

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