CLARITY IN WRITTEN COMMMUNICATIONS

The course offers communications practitioners who write corporate relations notes, internal communications and investor relations announcements ways to create clear, concise and accurate copy that delivers interesting messages. It commits participants to using techniques that improve delivery, for example by mirroring the way journalists use attractive initial paragraphs to grasp reader attention.

Course Objectives 

After completing the course, participants can expect to be able to:

1. •Approach communication with the needs of the reader in mind
   

2. •Write clear, concise copy of appropriate length
   

3. •Explain th importance of accuracy
   

4. •Break away from formulaic writing
   

5. •How to eradicate jargon and unnecessary acronyms
   

6. •Create good headlines
   

7. •Use keywords and golden quotes to hook readers quickly
   

8. •Enliven lead  paragraphs to sell the message early
   

9. •Lace legal language thoughtful explanatory writing
   

10. •Use context to explain the significance of a communication
    

11. •Explain and use story structures and writing pyramids to maintain reader interest
    

12. •Tighten messages by stripping away tautology, clauses, adjectives, adverbs and some participles
    

13. •Identify and remove clichés and idiomatic language
    

14. •Inject a sense of personality into writing by asking good questions and using quotes (optional)
    

Course Outline

The course begins with a review of existing performance, a session enhanced if training deliverers have pre-course access to written communications within the participants’ organisations. It is biased towards active learning, asking participants to write their way through an evolving case study* based on marketing a product launch. The needs of reflection, theory and pragmatic learners will be addressed. During the simulation participants encounter internal communications messages, news releases for public consumption and problems to communicate. As they write their way through the scenario, editors copy-coach the work. Learning reviews (at least 4) require participants in facilitated discussions to extract learning points from the output of all writers, including trainer versions, to build checklists for better writing for use after the course. Particular emphasis will be placed on website writing requirements. [Case studies can be re-worked to focus on any particular client requirement.

Pre-course work

Before attending this course participants will be asked to obtain and review two publications:

- The Pyramid Principle, By Barbara Minto. [Financial Times. Hardcover: ISBN 0-273-65903-0. Third Edition.]

- Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers, By Harold Evans. [Pimlico. Paperback: ISBN 0-7126-6447-5.]