Business writing

This course provides the learner with the core skills in writing Letters and Memos, Emails and Texts, Business Reports and Briefings, and Technical Reports.

Level

  • Any employee who wishes to improve their business writing skills.
  • Prerequisite all learners must have individual access to email and word software

Objectives

  • Use and apply the principles of writing using plain English. 
  • Use a consistent and structured approach to write Letters and Memos, Emails and Texts, Business Reports and Briefings, and Technical Reports.
  • Identify which communication approach and medium is the most appropriate to their needs.
  • Apply business writing etiquette.

Process

  • Virtual Instructor – Led Training
  • Completed exercises will be sent electronically to the trainer for marking and returned to learner with feedback, additional work etc.
  • Exercises will be mostly on the learners own, work related documentation and assessed to standards/layouts pre determined with the Client.

Pre-course activity:

  • To prepare for the workshop the trainer will request examples of letters, faxes and e-mails sent from the company together with samples of incoming communications which are being responded to.  From this information the course exercises will be designed to incorporate real work place examples.
  • Delegates will be asked to have available a recent letter, (plus fax and e-mail where relevant) they have sent.
  • Review of delegates’ recent letters (faxes and e-mails)
  • Back to basics – grammar refresher
  • Presenting effective written communication (I-mapping)
  • Common errors – can we spot them exercise
  • Exercise: correcting a letter following the back to basics guidelines
  • Keep it simple: interactive exercise using simple language
  • Trainer input re. structuring a letter/report, rules of email
  • Revisit delegates’ letters etc and make corrections
  • Composing new letters etc

Options 

  • Review of delegates own work can take place pre-course
  • Delegates can choose to work on letters, email, fax, reports as relevant
  • If using Video conferencing can do all exercises and feedback as trainer led Group discussions.
  • The course can be extended to cover more applications as required: i.e. to develop report writing skills after business letter mastered (this can be arranged on a one-to-one virtual coaching basis)