Writing Seminars

Putting words to work

Are there people at your company who struggle with their writing?

Let’s face it, it’s a loaded question. The answer is, “Of course.” Writing is a skill that’s in short supply. Experience has taught me that business professionals – regardless of their intelligence – struggle terribly with the written word.

Here’s why. Most of us were never taught how to write, we were taught a bunch of rules that turned writing into an arduous and intimidating task, one we try to avoid by procrastinating.

The result is that most business documents are loaded down with jargon, clichés and common phrases that make our communication monotonous, bloated, difficult to understand and without any marks of distinction.

Foolishly, writing is a skill too many business people consider non-essential. This is catastrophic in an era when writing has become the preferred method of communication between business professionals. The advent of email alone has dictated that effective written communication is more important than ever.

The high cost to business

If you cannot write with clarity and impact you have lost the power to persuade. Over time, the mounting costs to your company in lost business can be enormous. This is how the Harvard Business Review summed it up:

Persuasion is the centerpiece of business activity. Customers must be convinced to buy your company’s products or services, employees and colleagues to go along with a new strategic plan or reorganization, investors to buy (or not to sell) your stock, and partners to sign the next deal. But despite the critical importance of persuasion, most executives struggle to communicate, let along inspire.

-- Harvard Business Review

The fact is, writing drives all business activities, and all critical business initiatives and processes are documented in writing. If it’s done well, the odds of success tilt in your favor. If done poorly, misunderstanding and failure are the likely result.

We have also witnessed how managers and executives with the best communication skills are those who cut a sharp and rapid path to the top. Good communicators advance in their careers because their ideas are quickly understood and embraced. By contrast, the most brilliant technical and organizational ideas never win followers or gain traction when poorly communicated.

Career advancement and business success depend a on person’s ability to communicate with clarity and impact. To speak and write with power is to put oneself in a position to shine during (or even dominate) negotiations, discussions, sales meetings, and so on.

The prescription for poor writing

I’ve spent my career tackling poor writing as a reporter, editor and media executive.

Now, as a writing coach, I present business writing seminars at companies looking to boost their profitability, enhance their people’s skills and offer them career development opportunities. I also offer intensive one-on-one coaching services.

We start with your document’s visual impact – including font selection and size, and the layout and design. Then we discuss how to amplify the impact of your message’s key points. The building blocks of writing will come next – words, sentences, paragraphs and their relationship to one another. Structure, storytelling and persuasion are other topics we’ll dive into. Finally, we’ll rethink the actual writing process by using various techniques that will make your writing faster, livelier, more distinctive and less intimidating.

The final result is better and more effective:

Let’s get started with a complimentary assessment of your team’s writing skills. Just call me at 925-449-1040, or write to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).