Power Tools for Business Writing

Intended For

This course is intended for people seeking to develop or improve business writing skills at the intermediate level.
 

Prerequisites

Participants are expected to be experienced in baasic spelling, punctuation, and grammar skills as well as to have basic writing skills, including sentence and paragraph development.
 

Description

Participants will learn concrete business writing techniques that are easy to apply.  These tools can be used immediately to write e-mail messages, letters, and reports that get results and project professional competence.
 

Participants will learn how to make their documents:

· Clear       · Concise       · Persuasive       · Professional

Learning Objectives

1. Knock out writer’s block and organize messages quickly.
2. Use the most effective and appropriate message order to achieve desired results .
3. Improve professional image through correct use of grammar and punctuation.
4. Improve content clarity.
5. Decrease the time it takes to write high-quality documents.
6. Write persuasively through effective word choice, use of a positive tone, and emphasis of benefits.
7. Use correct formats for business documents:
   • letters
   • memos
   • e-mail messages
8. Enhance professional quality of written communications through editing and proofreading.
    

Nationally-Published Book Provided

The nationally-published book, Power Tools for Business Writing, by Julie Levitt with Jeff Craig, is provided for each course participant.  This comprehensive book features easy tools to boost business writing effectiveness quickly.  The book serves as both a learning tool and an efficient, user-friendly reference for future use.  It also reflects current business trends and standards.
 

Contents for Text-Workbook
Power Tools for Business Writing

Chapter 1: Quick Starting Tools

• Writers Block and Clustering to Generate Ideas
• Techniques for Maintaining Momentum
• Efficient First Draft

Chapter 2:  Grammar Foundations

• Important Grammar Elements (Key parts of speech, clause, phrase, sentence)
• Common Subject and Verb Agreement Errors

Chapter 3:  Power Tools for Emphasis and Conciseness

• Active and Passive Voice
• Dummy Subjects
• Camouflaged and Weak Verbs

Chapter 4:  Punctuation Essentials

• Use of the Comma
• Use of the Colon
• Use of the Semicolon

Chapter 5:  Power Tools for Balance and Clarity

• Use Parallel Structure
• Place Modifiers Correctly
• Use Clear Pronoun References
• Avoid “Stacks of Nouns”

Chapter 6:  Custom Tools to Persuade Readers

• Needs of the Reader
• Positive Tone—A Key Factor

Chapter 7:  Framing Tools

• Effective Sentences, Clearly Focused Paragraphs, Transitions
• Template for Letters, Memos, and E-mail Messages (introduction, body, conclusion)

Chapter 8:  Sound Blueprints

• Planning and Organizational Patterns
• Effective Introductions and Closings
• Direct Pattern for Result-Oriented Messages and Indirect Pattern for Bad News
• Persuasive Messages

Chapter 9: Formatting and Fine-Tuning Tools

• Document Formats (letter, e-mail, memo)
• Writing Results-Oriented E-mail Messages
• Eliminating Outdated Terms, Redundancies, Abstract Terms
• Using Specific, Measurable Terms

Chapter 10: Professional Finishing Tools

• Proofreading and Editing of Final Content
• Assessing Your Writing:  Does It Meet Business Standards?