Business Writing Skills

For the first time in history, writing has become the most common form of communication in the workplace. Unfortunately, the growing volume of written communication has resulted in an increased error rate, the need to prepare multiple pieces of writing when one would suffice, and readers who are offended and frustrated by the tone of the writing. This class will help participants understand the keys to successful written communication and put those skills to the test. The principles on which effective written communication are built will be explored along with techniques to enhance conciseness and clarity.

Business Writing Skills is a required seminar for the Certificate in Business Communications.

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Program Content

Elements of Effective Writing

• The seven principles of effective communication
• Writing concretely and relevantly
• Involving the reader in your writing
• Organizing ideas and information
• Determining your purpose
• Analyzing your audience
• Identifying key themes
• Relying on facts, not fluff

Writing Clearly

• Avoiding jargon and inflated language
• Trashing trite expressions
• Having a conversation with your reader

Writing Exercises

• Individual in-class exercise
• Group in-class exercises

Email Info

• What is acceptable email writing?
• How has email changed? What are the trends?

 

 What You Will Learn

• The four-step process for writing messages targeted to the reader
• How to examine your writing with a critical eye – see the forest and the trees
• How to revise for clarity and conciseness

Who Should Attend?

You will benefit from this seminar if you:

• write letters, emails, or other business material as part of your job
• prepare correspondence or documents for your employer or your work team
• manage employees who regularly write to internal or external audiences
• want to re-examine and refresh how you communicate in writing
• want to keep on top of changes and trends in business communication