Writing for Business Success
FormatsVirtual Classroom Live · Classroom LiveTopicsLeadership And Management
What you’ll learn
- Apply Best Practices for Business Writing
- Business style: practical, not “pretty” (simple words, short sentences, thin paragraphs, effective use of bullets/graphics
- Why business writing matters (time, clarity, accountability, impact of confusion
- Core best practices:
- Assess audience and purpose
- Plan by outlining
- Begin with the main point
- Keep the message clear and simple
- Be direct (“say what you mean”)
- Format for clarity; keep it short; get names/titles right
- Proofread, revise, proofread
- The “6 Cs” quality check (introduced and revisited later)
- Practice rewriting for clarity and brevity (guided example)
- Exercise: Apply best practices and the 6 Cs to a peer review scenario
- Assess the Audience
- Define purpose using an objective lens (action, benefits, achievable, measurable)
- Audience types and what to consider about them
- Stakeholders: pressures, performance measures, details vs. high-level needs, comfort with language
- Identifying stakeholder needs (and how unrelated needs still affect reception)
- Executive audiences: how they’re similar/different (scope, volume, time constraints)
- Exercise: Assess the audience (stakeholder scenario + audience analysis worksheet activity)
- Plan the Content
- The writing process (planning and structure before drafting
- Organizing information in a logical order
- Structuring a message to highlight purpose, link ideas, and clarify action
- Business case email structure: IOCBLAA
- State the problem/current state
- Present the solution
- Identify qualifications
- List benefits (tangible then qualitative)
- Address logistics (cost, timing, risks/mitigations, ownership)
- Determine next steps
- Add details via appendices; avoid info overload
- Correct Language Convention Problems
- Language conventions overview: grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling
- Grammar essentials:
- Subject–verb agreement
- Parallel structure
- Modifiers and misplaced modifier fixes
- Punctuation: key professional writing reminders
- Spelling: professionalism, spell-check strategy, homophones
- Capitalization rules (names, places, titles, publications, sentence starts)
- Practice corrections (sample sentences + solutions)
- Exercise: Correct language convention problems (worksheet-based activity)
- Build Effective Sentences and Paragraphs
- Fix fragments and run-on sentences
- Improve readability by placing verbs close to subjects
- Transitions: connecting sentences and paragraphs with purpose
- Word choice:
- Usage rules (that/which, myself/me, who’s/whose, less/fewer)
- Meaning & connotation and how words land with readers
- Avoiding jargon/buzzwords/acronyms when audience context is uncertain
- Active vs. passive voice (when each helps)
- Bullets vs. numbering (when order matters)
- Trim your writing (remove fluff; function first)
- Exercise: Edit/rewrite a scenario to strengthen sentences, paragraphs, and organization
- Write a Persuasive Business Case Email
- Persuasion framework: KUBA (Know, Understand, Believe, Act)
- Exercise: Write a short persuasive workplace email (2 paragraphs max) using KUBA
- Formatting for persuasion:
- Headings, inline emphasis, consistency patterns
- Select Appropriate Tone & Level of Formality
- Formal vs. informal writing as a spectrum:
- Word choice, conventions, sentence structure
- Tone levers:
- Punctuation, sentence length, positioning (positive vs. negative), asking vs. telling
- Tone limitations in text vs. speech (context matters)
- Delivering bad news:
- Audience impact, questions, structure bad news up front, appropriate tone
- Examples contrasting executive vs. team messaging
- Exercise: Rewrite emails to match audience, tone, and formality expectations
- Formal vs. informal writing as a spectrum:
- Summary & Action Plan
- Recap of key concepts (including the 6 Cs revisit)
- Exercise: Revisit and rewrite the baseline email using course tools
- Final Action Planning: How to apply learning on the job; how to continue developing writing skills
Upcoming training
Dates and availability are confirmed by Bolt when we follow up. All times are shown in the provider’s stated time zone.
2026-10-16 — 2026-10-169:00 AM - 5:00 PM EDT
Virtual Classroom LiveONLINE · English
2026-11-23 — 2026-11-239:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST
Virtual Classroom LiveONLINE · English
2026-12-14 — 2026-12-14December 14, 2026
Virtual Classroom LiveONLINE · English