Business Writing ( )

1. Objectives
2. what is good business writing
3. who are our readers
4. Using structure effectively
5. Grammar and style
6. Using language effectively

I. Overview
a. Module objectives
II. What is good business writing
a. Attributes
b. Importance
i. One of our key activities and outputs
ii. We are more productive if we write efficiently
iii. When our writing focuses on our reader’s needs, we strengthen our brand and
reputation
iv. Clear writing reflects on you personally
III. Who are our readers
a. Documents you might write
i. Reports for clients
ii. Emails and letters
1. Internal
2. External
iii. Internal status reports
iv. Descriptions of process flows
v. Management letters
vi. Analytics
vii. Findings
viii. Recommendations
ix. Manuals
b. Your role in writing these documents might include
i. Requesting, gathering and organizing information
ii. Preparing arguments
iii. Drafting section of reports
iv. Summarizing information
v. Interpreting
vi. Formatting
vii. Indexing
viii. Cross-referencing
ix. Proofreading
c. Think before you write. Ask yourself:
i. Why am I writing
 ii. Who is my reader
iii. What do I want my reader to know, feel and do?
d. Different types of readers
i. Executives – high level C-Suites
ii. Managers -
iii. “Doers” -
e. Needs of different readers
i. Include to d.
IV. Using structure effectively
a. How effective writing
b. Achieving potential principles (follow this)
i. Engage proactively
ii. Make the complex clear
iii. Integrate diverse perspectives
iv. Always ask “what’s next?”
c. Six elements of clear writing
i. Purpose
ii. Elements (follow this)
1. Structure
2. Content
3. Language
4. Presentation
5. Navigation
6. process
iii. reader