Key Steps to Professional Business Writing Skills
Are you one of the thousands of people who shudder at the thought of having to compose a report, letter or email? You are not alone. English is the dominant language in business, yet many people are not fluent or sufficiently empowered to create flawless business documents. Sadly, a badly written business document risks losing the reader and not meeting its objectives.
Effective writing is one of the best ways to influence and persuade.
This two-day programme will show you how to compose documents that are clear, concise and grammatically correct. We will assist you in developing the skills to create reports that actually get read. Our combination of practical exercises, tools and continuous feedback create maximum benefit for you.
You will also be introduced to ways to stretch your imagination and write more creatively. We are privileged to support you to write like the professional you are.
Lesson outline (Two-day practical workshop)
Use clear simple language for good communication
-Understand the principles of professional business writing
-Learn how to chunk information and improve your skills in the first 10 minutes!
-Avoid buzzwords in favour of plain English
-Compare "old-fashioned" and "modern" business writing trends
-Use constructive language, words and phrases
-Dispel writing myths
Use English optimally:
-Practice clear and simple language
-Keep tenses consistent
-Choose effective words
-Structure sentences correctly
-Write informative and persuasive paragraphs
-Get your punctuation and grammar right
-Ensure your business tone is consistent and appropriate
-Apply the seven C's of professional business writing
Apply creative thinking and mind mapping
-Learn how to brainstorm and mind map effectively and quickly
-Understand and adapt mind mapping to suit your needs
-Explore left brain and right brain thinking and use both hemispheres of your brain
Master the writing plan, layout and format
-Use techniques to avoid re-starting documents over and over
-Avoid getting stuck in the middle of sentence
-Confidently write a document on behalf of a colleague or manager
-Professionally layout and format a document
Compile professional and comprehensive business reports
-Distinguish between different types of reports
-Understand business report types and uses
-Use a step-by-step approach in order to write reports correctly
-Provide all information in an orderly sequence
-Expand ideas in proportion to their importance to the reader
-Provide headings to help the reader
-Learn the essential requirements and considerations of effective reports
Compile Professional and Effective Electronic Mail
-Structure and compile electronic communication
-Understand the advantages and disadvantages of electronic communication
-Gain insight into modern email etiquette principles
-Increase the chance your mails are opened, read and actioned
Edit and proofread written documents like a professional
-Apply strategies for editing and proofreading
-Gain tips for revising and editing on computers
-Polish your documents for ultimate professionalism
Time: 09:00 - 16:30
Venue: ERPM Golf Club, Johannesburg
Cost: R 2,950 per person/per day (excl VAT)