Business Writing 10 weeks

Our writing for business course focuses on communication skills that are vital in any industry - sourcing information, interviewing and writing documents to relay key messages to various audiences are some of the key skills that can be developed through the course. The two-day course is taught by the leading journalist, Marianne Gray, who has extensive experience both as a journalist and as a trainer.

The course should appeal to newcomers to business writing, as well as to those wanting to improve upon their existing skills. The course is suitable for who wish to write in-house newsletters and corporate publications as well as for people who want to learn how to write effective press releases. The training will also focus on how to develop good relationships with the media and interviewing techniques, as well as working on specialist press releases that deal with crisis and risk within corporate environments.

"Marianne is an interesting and knowledgeable tutor. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who has to write in their profession."

- Carolyn McKenzie, Executive Secretary to CEO, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre

Course Content

Week 1: Getting the background

• Discussion of what subjects/aims the group has in mind
• Analysis of different types of business writing, from highly technical to lighter profiles, press releases to mission statements, reviews, diary pieces and news and current interest reports
• Building confidence, assessing your skills, writing under pressure
• How to get overall angles and ideas and spot timelines
• Importance of being accurate, succinct and creative
• TASK: WRITE SELF-PROFILE in THIRD PERSON.

Week 2: Understanding the market and the reader

• A study of a cross section of corporate publications
• Reader profiles of various titles - WHY would they want to read it?
• Different styles of writing
• Who/what is the media/audience delivering to?
• How to find out who they are
• TASK: ANALYSIS OF READERS

Week 3: Getting down to research

• Where to get more information/source facts/timelines
• Do we rely too much on the Internet?
• Finding the central idea and building on it
• Useful tools: synopsis/summary from longer documents
• Writing the first draft - planning the text
• TASK: WRITE A SUMMARY

Week 4: Interviewing and archiving

• Making sure you are clear what you want from an interviewee
• Angling your questions and understanding the answers
• How to encourage better quotes and dealing with difficult people.
• Transcribing, organising notes, building an archive, info storage
• Reworking existing material. Acquiring new angles: listening (radio), watching (TV)
• TASK: INTERVIEW IN CLASS AND WRITE PROFILE

Week 5: Finding the 'direction' in Press Releases/Publicity/Marketing Text

Mission statements/ USPs/in-house newsletter/CEOs newsletter

• Is it newsworthy? Recognising the story? Timely? A hook?
• Have you enough substance to issue a new text?
• Is it useful and relevant info about your organisation?
• Brand awareness
• TASK: WRITE A PRESS RELEASE

Week 6: Writing the document

• Project managing a document
• Structure and layout (building blocks)
• Clarity and precise words - style and tone
• Avoiding goobledeegook, fluff or fancy words
• Boxes and sidebars, good quotes, strong headline/intro
• TASK: WRITE A REVIEW ON A PRODUCT OR SERVICE

Week 7: Delivering press releases/publicity/marketing documents

• Correct style - why would they want to read it? Main faults.
• Relating to the journalist, making it easy for them
• Delivery style and getting it placed, following up
• Repurposing a document
• How to adapt the tone and style of a text to suit another outlet
• TASK: TALK THROUGH A FOLLOW-UP PHONECALL/EMAIL

Week 8: Going Digital

• Brevity, different style, writing for the web
• Twitter/blogs/facebook - making them work for you
• How to tighten up the first draft
• Adding elements to widen the scope of your text
• Importance of social media
• TASK: CLASS DISCUSSION FOLLOWED BY WRITTEN EXERCISE

Week 9: Finalities

• How to write a speech/presentation
• Copyright, plagiarism, editing and proofreading
• Dealing with journalists, pitching/negotiating
• Business letters/emails, beginnings, endings, vocabulary
• Risk management/complaint strategy, helpful words
• TASK: EDIT CEO'S QUARTERLY LETTER TO STAFF

Week 10: Presenting yourself in a business-like manner

• Writing a CV/resume/bio
• Media training
• How to do radio/tv interviews on your product/service
• How to get people interested in your ideas, cold calling
• Networking for future work
• Places to find help with brand vision and business advice
• TASK: MAKING A SHORT SPEECH/PRESENTATION

Resources

Training notes and exercises are provided

Award

Certificate in Writing for Business. The award is based on successfully producing and delivering a 1,000/1,500 corporate report. The report must be submitted two weeks from completion of the course

Tutor's comment:

The course is essentially very realistic and contemporary. It is a relaxed class that covers a lot of ground and is designed to make your business corporate writing stand out in a crowd. It guides delegates on how to find and write vital information in the best style and deliver it to the correct reader. In class we write documents such as mission statements, press releases, USPs and corporate documents for external, in-house, web and blog use. We also discuss, do interviews and test examples of writing styles among delegates.

*Please note: A marking fee of £50 is to be paid directly to the tutor at the end of the course, for the marking of the project.

DISCOUNTS:

• GROUP BOOKING - 20% off group booking for 3 or more people* from the same organisation.

Code: Group20%

• ALUMNI LOYALTY SCHEME - 20% off any course fee*.

Code: Alumni20%

• 2 FOR 1 - bring a colleague, friend or family member for free* on the same course

Code: 2for1

• FREELANCERS AND CHARITIES - 15% off any course fee*.

Code: FCH15%

* Offers are subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Digital publishing courses are excluded.Terms and conditions apply.