Promotion for Cool Rules services including business writing workshops

Face-To-Face Workshops

HALF-DAY AND FULL-DAY BUSINESS WRITING WORKSHOPS AT YOUR VENUE

Customised business writing workshops at your venue – wherever you are in Australia – on most aspects and types of business writing. 

FAST CLASSES: 90 MINUTES AT YOUR VENUE

When budgets are tight and people are busy…Fast Classes. We come to you. Ninety-minute sessions. Suitable for small and large groups, experienced and inexperienced writers, executive and clerical staff. Excellent takeaway materials. Guaranteed to inform and inspire. You provide the space, a projector and a wall, and we’ll do the rest.

THE WRITE STUFF

A one-day workshop on the principles of effective business writing. Suitable for anybody writing at work, including experienced writers wanting a ‘refresher’. Participants will:

  • Understand the principles of effective business writing.
  • Have a clear and simple method for tackling any writing task, in any format or media.
  • Know how to organise, structure and edit their writing for maximum impact.
  • Know when and how to adjust their writing style.
  • Know how to use punctuation effectively.
  • Be a step ahead of the Grammar Police.
  • Develop a plan to further improve their writing.

THE WRITE STUFF (EXPRESS)

A half-day workshop on the principles of effective business writing. Suitable for anybody writing at work, including experienced writers wanting a ‘refresher’. Participants will:

  • Understand the principles of effective business writing.
  • Have a clear and simple method for tackling any writing task, in any format or media.
  • Know how to organise, structure and edit their writing for maximum impact.
  • Know when and how to adjust their writing style.
  • Know how to use punctuation effectively.
  • Be a step ahead of the Grammar Police.
  • Develop a plan to further improve their writing.

WRITING BUSINESS CASES

A half-day workshop on writing effective business cases. Suitable for experienced and reasonably confident writers who want to improve their ability to present a written business case. Participants will:

  • Know how to research a business case.
  • Know how to structure a business case for maximum impact.
  • Know what to include, and what to leave out.
  • Know how to build a persuasive argument, in writing.
  • Understand the importance of succinct, professional, readable writing.

REPORT WRITING

A half-day workshop on writing clear, concise, well structured business reports. Suitable for experienced and reasonably confident writers wanting to improve the content, structure and readability of their written reports. Participants will:

  • Understand the importance of clear, accurate, succinct, readable reports.
  • Understand the importance of a good process – research, write, improve.
  • Know how to structure business reports.
  • Know what information to include in business reports.
  • Know how to create logic and flow in business reports.
  • Know how to argue a position persuasively, in writing.
  • Understand the importance of succinct, professional, readable writing.

MINUTES MATTER

A half-day workshop on the role of the minutes secretary, and how to prepare effective meeting reports. Suitable for anybody required to write meeting reports. Participants will:

  • Understand the importance of clear and accurate meeting reports.
  • Understand the role of the minutes secretary – before, during and after a meeting.
  • Know how to work effectively with a Chair.
  • Understand the different styles of meeting report – action list, notes, basic minutes, formal minutes.
  • Know how to take notes in meetings.
  • Understand useful forms of expression in minutes.
  • Have a range of practical strategies and techniques for writing effective minutes.

SPEECH WRITING

A half-day workshop on researching, drafting and redrafting speeches. Suitable for experienced and reasonably confident writers new to speech writing.

  • Understand the role and responsibilities of a speech writer.
  • Know how to work effectively with a reader.
  • Have a range of practical strategies and techniques to draft effective and memorable speeches.
  • Know how to emphasise a central idea.
  • Know how to create strong beginnings and strong finishes.
  • Discuss ways to inform, influence and entertain in a speech.

EDITING AND PROOFREADING

A half-day workshop on techniques for improving structure, content and accuracy in business writing. Suitable for anybody writing at work, including experienced writers wanting a ‘refresher’. Participants will:

  • Explore three levels of editing ­– structural editing, copy editing and proofreading.
  • Know how to ensure their writing is clear, accessible, and fit for purpose.
  • Know how to improve the internal structure and logic of their writing.
  • Know how to proofread effectively.

Fast Class 01: Principles of effective business writing

New to business writing, or need a refresher? This 90 minute session examines the basics of good business writing: organising your thoughts; understanding your audience; writing for a response; writing clearly, simply and succinctly.

Fast Class 02: Punctuation

Punctuation is important, and it’s easy. This 90 minute session looks at trends in punctuation, some key rules, and a few myths. You’ll leave with all of the information you need to ensure your punctuation improves the quality of your writing.

Fast Class 03: Grammar

What is grammar? Why is it important? What are clauses, phrases, sentences? What are parts of speech? What is syntax? Who are the Grammar Police, and what can you do to stay clear of them? Back to basics for 90 minutes.

Fast Class 04: Sentences and paragraphs

Know the difference between simple, compound and complex sentences? Know how to construct a readable paragraph around a topic sentence? This back-to-basics 90 minute session examines the art and craft of building a readable document, sentence by sentence, and paragraph by paragraph.

Fast Class 05: Writing well – clarity, brevity, simplicity, humanity

Effective writers choose the right words, organise them into readable sentences, and organise those sentences into paragraphs that move the reader forward. So what are the right words? What does a good sentence look like? What does a good paragraph do? What techniques can you apply to be confident your writing will engage your reader?

Fast Class 06: Proofreading and editing

Good writers don’t write – they rewrite. This 90 minute session examines three levels of editing – proofreading, copy editing and structural editing. You’ll leave with a good understanding of what you can do to ensure your final draft satisfies the needs and expectations of your readers.

Fast Class 07: Making meetings work

Fed up with unproductive meetings? This session – for chairs, minute takers and members – looks at how you can stop the frustration and the waste. Roles, productive behaviours and practices, agendas and meeting reports. And all in 90 minutes.

Fast Class 08: Minutes of meetings

Not sure how to take notes in a meeting? Need advice on turning your notes into effective minutes? Unsure about forms of expression to use in minutes? This 90 minute session will help you write accurate and readable minutes, confidently and quickly.

Fast Class 09: Report writing

Want to improve the content, structure and readability of your written reports? This session examines the characteristics of effective management reports. It looks at techniques for writing clearly, concisely, persuasively, and with your audience in mind.

Fast Class 10: Marketing and sales writing

What response do you want from your readers, and how do you get it? What can you do to attract your readers’ attention, maintain their interest, create desire, and close the sale? This 90 minute session looks at the basics of how to write to persuade.

Fast Class 11: Writing for the web

Your website is your shop window. You use it to generate enquiries, strengthen your relationships, build your brand. This 90 minute session examines the basics of writing for the web: what works, what doesn’t, and why.

Fast Class 12: Writing for social media

Why would you use social media in a professional context? How do you want your readers to respond? What can you do to get the response/s you want? What works, what doesn’t, and why?

Fast Class 13: Business cases

What makes a persuasive business case? How do you start, how do you build an argument, how do you make it suitable for its audience, and how do you know when to stop?

Fast Class 14: Speech writing

An introduction to speech writing. The session looks at how to inform, influence and entertain in a speech. Strategies for starting strong, finishing strong, and emphasising a central idea.

Fast Class 15: Procrastinate? Me?

Do you sometimes risk undermining your professional reputation, ambitions or goals by putting off tasks you know you shouldn’t? This session looks at recent research into procrastination, and will help you identify personal triggers for this behaviour. Better yet, it will help you develop some effective responses.

Fast Class 16: Mind mapping

What is mind mapping? Who uses it and why? This session examines how mind mapping techniques can help you generate ideas, organise information, scope projects, manage complex writing tasks, take notes, and more.

Fast Class 17: Email

Most business communication is by email. This session looks at how to be efficient, professional, considerate and clear. Email Etiquette 101.