1. Business Writing Basics

1.1 Business Writing: Know Your Readers and Your Purpose

Overview/Description
    To write effective and appropriate business messages, you need to know your readers. Are you addressing multiple readers or a single reader? How much knowledge do your readers have of your subject, and what issues concern them most? These are just some of the questions to consider before you start writing your message. Closely tied with knowing your readers is knowing your purpose for writing. Do you need to inform customers about a new policy, or do you need to persuade employees to adopt a new business practice? Knowing your purpose will focus your message, making it clear to readers why it is important to them. In addition, identifying who your audience is and what your purpose is will guide you in selecting an appropriate tone for your business message. Tone is a significant element in writing – one that affects how the reader will respond to your message. Tone refers to the writer's attitude toward the reader and subject matter as expressed in the way the message is written. Have you ever received a memo that annoyed you by its tone? For example, it might have been patronizing or too familiar. The key to controlling the tone of your writing is to put yourself in the place of your reader. And you need to carefully choose the words that will create the right tone for your message. When you know who your readers are and what your purpose is, you can tailor your tone to suit them. This will help you create more effective business messages. This course addresses ways to identify your readers and to create messages that convey the appropriate tone for different reader roles. It also outlines how to write effectively for the three most common reasons for writing a business document – to inform, respond, or persuade. 

      Target Audience
    Individuals, at any level in an organization, who want to refresh or refine their basic business writing skills

1.2 Business Writing: How to Write Clearly and Concisely

Overview/Description
    People who have no problem communicating clearly when they speak sometimes struggle to make themselves understood when they write. That's because the ability to write clearly and concisely is a skill that requires effort to master. Acquiring this skill gives you the tools to create effective business documents for readers who lack the time or the patience to search for essential information buried in long, rambling e-mails or reports. Writing clearly also entails organizing content logically and appropriately for the subject and reader. Clear and concise sentences get you part of the way. But you need to organize these into coherent paragraphs that convey the relevant information in the most effective way. This course describes ways to make your writing more clear. Specifically, it covers the importance of using short, familiar words, appropriate connotations, concrete and specific language, and transitional words and phrases. The course also discusses ways to be more concise and explains some best practices for organizing content logically and appropriately.  

      Target Audience
    Individuals, at any level in an organization, who want to refresh or refine their basic business writing skills

      Lesson Objectives

Business Writing: How to Write Clearly and Concisely

·  recognize sentences that reflect the techniques of clear writing

·  recognize how to apply the techniques of concise writing to a given sample of business writing

·  identify ways to organize content to increase reader understanding

1.3 Business Writing: Editing and Proofreading

Overview/Description
    When it comes to business writing, most individuals don't really appreciate the importance of editing and proofreading a document before sending it. But have you ever distributed a document or message only to find later that you forgot to include a key point or correct an embarrassing spelling error? Reviewing is a crucial stage in the writing process. It entails editing for clarity, tone, accuracy, and completeness, and also proofreading for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Carelessness reflects badly on you, your work, and your organization. Taking the time to edit and proofread your writing will help you produce more focused, polished, and effective business documents. This course highlights the importance of editing and proofreading your business documents. It describes some key areas to consider when editing – like tone, structure, clarity, and accuracy. You will also explore ways to proofread effectively. In particular, you will find out about some of the most common grammatical, punctuation, and spelling mistakes that people make.

      Target Audience
    Individuals at any level in an organization who want to refresh or refine their basic business writing skills

      Lesson Objectives

Business Writing: Editing and Proofreading

·  distinguish between editing and proofreading

·  identify general techniques that help you edit and proofread effectively

·  recognize the types of errors made in a given business document

·  recognize mechanical errors in a given business document

2. How to Write an Effective Internal Business Case

2.1 Preparing a Business Case

Overview/Description
    Why put time and effort into preparing, writing, and presenting a business case for new projects? Why not just talk to the manager and get his approval for the project? The answers to these questions lie in the fact that organizational budgets for new projects are typically very tight and, as such, your project will be competing against other projects for funding. Without a written business case, your chances of persuading decision makers within your organization to implement your new project idea, instead of a competing project, stand little chance. This course prepares learners interested in the development of effective business cases. You will learn what a business case is and when one is used, what research you need to do before you start to write a business case, and what information should be included in your business case. Finally, you will learn how to plan and position your business case to maximize its effectiveness. 

      Target Audience
    Managers and experienced business professionals

      Lesson Objectives

Preparing a Business Case

·  identify the benefits of writing a good business case

·  identify the purposes of developing a business case

·  identify the features of a business case and its development that are influenced by corporate culture

·  recognize why it is important to research your business case

·  determine the scope of a business case in a given scenario

·  identify the benefits of defining the scope of the business case

·  distinguish between the potential benefit types of a proposed project in a given scenario

·  effectively manage stakeholders in a given scenario

·  identify the benefits of correctly identifying the decision makers

·  identify the methods you should use to convince decision makers

·  identify the advantages of dividing a business case into clearly identifiable sections

·  recognize examples of appropriate project titles

·  recognize the information that should be included in the executive summary

·  identify examples of mission statements that contain all the recommended elements

·  identify appropriate objectives to be included in the business case for a given scenario

·  identify the information that should be included in the main body of the formal proposal

2.2 Writing a Business Case

Overview/Description
    Which would you rather do: prepare a business case for your latest project or go to the dentist? Given the choice, many of us would tend to choose the latter. Whether you want to invest in product development or reinvent your business processes with new marketing channels, it is now more important than ever to have a business case that is carefully planned, written, and presented, especially when you consider that corporate investments are being subjected to increased scrutiny. Writing a good business case will help you justify resource allocation to key decision makers and secure funding for your project. Otherwise, you may be eaten alive by the competition! In this course, you will learn how to plan, write, and present a business case to persuade key decision makers in your organization that your proposal is a winning initiative. This course will show you the principles for preparing an effective business case, and it will guide you through the writing process, from defining your business need and gathering relevant information, right through to assessing the financial impact of your solution. The course will conclude with practical advice on how to concisely present your business case to connect with your audience and key decision makers.

      Target Audience
    Managers and experienced business professionals

      Lesson Objectives

Writing a Business Case

·  identify the benefits of writing a good business case

·  recognize the functions of a business case

·  recognize the elements of a business case

·  recognize the marketing components that should be included in a business case

·  identify the processes that will help to make a business case effective

·  recognize the importance of researching your project and aligning it with business processes

·  apply the methods used to research background information for a given business case

·  recognize what needs to be researched before writing a business case

·  determine whether a proposed project aligns with corporate strategy in a given scenario

·  identify the steps used to determine the best angle for a business case

·  address the concerns of decision makers for a business case, in a given scenario

·  recognize the importance of good writing and design

·  recognize who should be involved in writing a business case

·  analyze a business case using document-design principles

2.3 Presenting Your Case

Overview/Description
    Have you ever attended a presentation that failed because the presenter was ill prepared or ineffective in his approach? A successful presenter must possess the proper skills to plan and deliver an effective business case presentation and employ strategies to establish and maintain the audience's attention. This course examines the careful planning and delivery of a business case presentation. It focuses on the use of visual aids and handouts in a presentation, the structure and development of a presentation in light of audience needs, and the elements involved in successfully delivering the presentation to that audience.

      Target Audience
    Managers and experienced business professionals

      Lesson Objectives

Presenting Your Case

·  recognize the benefits of a well-prepared business case presentation

·  analyze an audience prior to giving a presentation in a given scenario

·  identify questions to ask about your audience prior to the presentation 

·  identify specific elements of a well-planned presentation 

·  apply a structured approach to the preparation of a business case in a given scenario

·  match methods of generating ideas with their corresponding descriptions 

·  match specific presentation aids with their appropriate use 

·  recognize the benefits of knowing how to deliver an effective business case presentation 

·  identify methods of reducing stress before giving a presentation 

·  identify ways to practice and rehearse before delivering a presentation

·  apply methods of optimizing the environment prior to giving a presentation

·  maintain a rapport with the audience in a given presentation scenario

·  identify ways a presenter can establish and maintain good audience rapport in a given scenario

·  identify methods of managing questions and answers after a business case presentation 

·  effectively close a presentation in a given scenario

3. The Effective Business Meeting

3.1 Planning an Effective Business Meeting

Overview/Description
If you are in a business that has meetings, you know how much time is spent in them. A recent survey of 2000 business leaders indicated that managers spend over fifty percent of their time in meetings. That same study indicated that managers felt that about one third of those meetings were unproductive. This course will present you with information that will help you improve the quality of your meetings. It will help you develop strategies necessary for preparing effective business meetings, by carefully considering the importance of all the components of the meeting, including people, place, purpose, time, agenda, and atmosphere.

     Target Audience
    Business professionals who want to develop effective facilitation skills, members of boards or committees, meeting participants, executive assistants, and individuals who want to prepare themselves for a business environment.

     Lesson Objectives

Planning an Effective Business Meeting

·  identify the benefits of being thorough when planning a business meeting. 

·  identify whether a meeting is needed, in a given example.

·  recognize the appropriate type of meeting, in a given scenario.

·  choose who should attend a meeting based on the meeting type, in a given scenario.

·  identify the most effective time to have a meeting, in a given scenario.

·  choose an ideal location for a business meeting, in a given scenario.

·  identify the benefits of preparing an effective agenda.

·  identify the effective objective, in a given scenario.

·  choose the best agenda for a meeting, given a scenario. 

·  identify the benefits of preparing the meeting's site, participants, and follow-up.

·  recognize three ways to prepare participants.

·  choose the ideal meeting environment in a given scenario.

·  identify the items that should be prepared in advance to aid in the follow-up.

3.2 Leading an Effective Business Meeting

Overview/Description
Since there are more than 11 million meetings held every day in the United States, there is a good chance that your life is full of meetings. There is a general agreement among business professionals that most meetings are not well run. They often waste your time, drain your energy, seem to have no purpose, and bear few positive results. Are you tired of attending meetings like this? Are you tired of your meetings ending up like this? This course will teach you how to make your meetings more successful by providing the tools and information that are necessary to lead an effective meeting.

     Target Audience
    Business professionals who want to develop effective facilitation skills, members of boards or committees, meeting participants, executive assistants, and individuals who want to prepare themselves for a business environment.

     Lesson Objectives

Leading an Effective Business Meeting

·  recognize the benefits of understanding how to use time effectively during business meetings.

·  identify techniques for finishing a meeting on time.

·  identify examples of what a leader should say during the phases of a meeting.

·  ask appropriate questions to encourage participation during a given meeting.

·  match types of questions that encourage participation during a meeting to examples of when they should be used.

·  recognize the tips for avoiding groupthink.

·  recognize the benefits of understanding how to use tools for leading a meeting.

·  identify reasons for using icebreakers during a meeting.

·  recognize the importance of rules of order.

·  match types of audiovisual equipment to the circumstances under which they should be used.

·  recognize the benefits of knowing how to lead various types of meetings.

·  identify guidelines for leading a virtual meeting.

·  determine the appropriate decision-making technique to use in a given scenario.

·  match decision-making techniques to examples of circumstances under which they should be used.

·  apply the steps for guiding a group through a problem-solving meeting, given a scenario.

·  identify the steps for guiding a group through a problem-solving meeting.

3.3 Participating Effectively in a Business Meeting

Overview/Description
A meeting is a gathering of people to present or exchange information, plan joint activities, make decisions, or carry out actions already agreed upon. Almost every group activity or project requires a meeting, or meetings, of some sort. Knowing how to hold efficient and effective meetings can help make projects successful. In a good meeting, participants' ideas are heard, decisions are made through group discussion and with reasonable speed, and activities are focused on desired results. Good meetings help generate enthusiasm for a project, build skills for future projects, and provide participants with techniques that may benefit them in their future careers. As a chairperson, a secretary, or a group member, it is crucial to your meeting's success to know what your role is during a meeting. By knowing your duties, you can effectively assume one of these roles and help to attain success during your meetings.

     Target Audience
    Business professionals who want to develop effective facilitation skills, members of boards or committees, meeting participants, executive assistants, and individuals who want to prepare themselves for a business environment.

     Lesson Objectives

Participating Effectively in a Business Meeting

·  recognize the importance of understanding the role of the chair.

·  manage the discussion of issues, in a business meeting example.

·  recognize the techniques for managing the discussion of issues.

·  use the strategies to manage participants in a simulated business meeting.

·  match the strategies for managing people to examples.

·  effectively manage time in a simulated business meeting.

·  recognize the steps for managing time.

·  recognize the benefits of understanding the responsibilities of the secretary.

·  identify the activities that the secretary can perform prior to a meeting.

·  effectively apply the principles for taking minutes for a simulated business meeting.

·  match the principles for taking minutes to their characteristics.

·  identify the elements required to effectively prepare the minutes of a business meeting for distribution.

·  recognize the importance of understanding the role of the members.

·  identify strategies to fulfill the members' role to help keep a meeting on track.

·  identify how members should prepare for a business meeting.

·  apply effective participation guidelines during a simulated meeting.