Producing Professional Written Communication

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The course is designed for anyone who must regularly produce written documents as a part of their work. It gives a solid grounding in the skills of producing effective professional documents and, will also serve as a refresher for those who have been writing professionally for some time.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

By the end of the course delegates will:

• Recognise and avoid the most commonly occurring mistakes in: grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, word usage and layout;
• Understand the different uses of a letter and use the correct style and tone for each purpose;
• Structure written information logically, using an attractive layout in keeping with any preferred organisational style;
• Be aware of and use correct conventions for each type of business document;
• Use and construct standard paragraphs and letters correctly;
• Plan and present complex information clearly;
• Produce written business documents quickly, efficiently and effectively;
• Understand and use Customer Care techniques in business communications.

COURSE CONTENT

• The basics of professional business writing: word usage, grammar, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation and paragraphing.
• Commonly occurring mistakes and how to avoid them.
• The business letter: its purposes, conventions and structure.
• Sales letters, replies to complaints, 'chasing' letters, informative letters: choosing appropriate style and tone.
• Structuring complex information in an easily understood form.
• The conventions of memoranda, faxes and Emails.
• Word processing packages: use and abuse.
• The importance of proof reading.
• Standard letters: their use and abuse.
• The need for Customer Care in written documents.

TUITION METHODS

The course is highly participative. Practical exercises accompany most topics and, delegates are encouraged to bring along examples of their work for individual discussion with the tutor. A booklet containing full notes and examples of document layouts and texts accompanies the course. Believe it or not, the day is also entertaining - if it isn't fun, it's forgotten!