Better Business Writing

This training course is for staff at all levels who want to produce clearer and more powerful written communication and to save time while they are doing it. It's also a great refresher for anyone whose grammar and punctuation are a little rusty.
• Understand the basics of English grammar and punctuation
• Be a better speller
• Express yourself using plain English
• Get the 'tone' right
• Plan documents that say what you mean
• Produce your first draft quickly
• Write emails and letters that get results

Course content

Introduction and icebreaker

• What we are going to cover today

Prioritising the course objectives

• What writing are you doing now?
• What would you like to achieve today?

The basics of grammar for business

• Reviewing the principles
• Understanding these 'building blocks' of language
• Tips for better spelling
• Punctuation and how to use it properly, including the apostrophe

Using plain English

• Using plain English to acquire a more direct writing style
• The techniques to make a document more 'readable'
• Active vs passive - when to use which one and why
• Producing letters, emails and memos that are simple but not simplistic

Getting the 'tone' right

• Keeping it direct but avoiding becoming too abrupt
• How to avoid using condescending language
• Using empathy effectively and at the right time in your writing

How to plan the document

• Emails and letters
• Using the correct layout
• Structuring and sequencing the document effectively

Producing the first draft ... FAST

• Making sure the document says what you mean it to say
• How to revise and produce a final draft
• Final check - making sure the document is right

Conclusion and recap