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Business writing courses
<h2 class="course-tagline"><strong>Business writing courses.</strong> Communicate with clarity and impact.</h2>
<div class="full-width-media"><h2 class="full-width-media__title">Communicate with clarity and impact_</h2><div class="full-width-media__content"><a data-fancybox="true" class="full-width-media__background full-width-media__background--video" href="https://youtu.be/hcPUySkufTo"><video muted="muted" loop="loop" playsinline="playsinline" autoplay="autoplay" class="full-width-media__media"><source src="https://cce.sydney.edu.au/s/videos/snapshot-business-writing-stephanie-oley.mp4" type="video/mp4"></video></a></div></div>
Clear and persuasive business communication is critical in achieving professional effectiveness. It helps convey your ideas clearly and persuasively, fostering better relationships and outcomes. Our business writing courses are designed for professionals seeking to refine their writing skills and enhance their business communication, ensuring they are precise, impactful, and tailored to their audience.
What you will learn:
- Grasp the essentials of grammar, style, and punctuation tailored to business contexts.
- Learn how to structure your writing for clarity and impact to ensure your message is understood exactly as intended.
- Acquire the skills to articulate and present business cases that influence decision-making and drive organisational success.
- Learn how to structure and write impactful business reports that communicate high-level messages succinctly and persuasively across various professional settings.
- Understand the strategic elements of crafting grant applications that stand out.
- Explore how AI writing tools can support your business communication.
- Navigate the tender process with confidence, mastering the techniques for writing and submitting successful tenders.
Why enrol in business writing training at CCE?
Our courses are designed to provide practical, real-world applications of business writing techniques, making your writing not only clear but also compelling and appropriate for your professional environment. Whether managing projects, seeking funding, or starting a new venture, our training prepares you to write with confidence and persuasion.
Participants who complete a course will receive a University of Sydney statement of completion.
Our training is accessible to everyone, with no prerequisites required, and is available in both face-to-face and real-time online formats.
Ready to enhance your writing skills?
Explore our selection of business writing courses and enrol today.
All courses
Artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools are transforming the way we write in the workplace. But how can professionals harness its power, while writing business emails, reports and other documents that reflect their own voice and expertise?
In this foundational business writing workshop, we explore efficiency-boosting ways to use AI to brainstorm, probe and research your angle or audience. We pair this with timeless techniques to plan your writing, meet audience needs and develop a clear structure, keeping you in control of the final message. We also uncover the logic behind good writing craft, such as correct sentence grammar and plain English, then use AI selectively to finesse the writing for specific outcomes.
Fast-paced and fun, the course reinforces that clear thinking and social awareness are the keys to business writing success, not big words or jargon-heavy flourishes. The workshop includes multiple hands-on exercises, lively discussion and in-class feedback on the work you write.
The course is a useful lead-in to the more in-depth persuasive writing techniques covered in the Business Writing Masterclass: From Core Skills to AI Tools, and the specialist report-writing skills covered in the Effective Business Report Writing Course. It can be taken on its own or in conjunction with either course.
This course aims to provide you with the tools to write clearly and concisely in any setting, using AI selectively to enhance your original thinking. It also covers the latest conventions in grammar, style, formatting and other systems that govern good writing.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- understand the benefits of AI writing tools, as well as ethical, security and creative limitations
- cross-check that your writing addresses the purpose and audience correctly
- choose the right structure for the task at hand
- write clear and concise, jargon-free communications
- choose the right level of formality for that context
- edit your text for the four essential elements of good writing style.
This course is organised in the sequence of steps typically use to plan, structure, write and review any piece of business communications.
AI writing overview
Establishing the limitations and benefits of AI, particularly in areas such as ethics, originality, accuracy and completeness.
Planning
Considering audience needs, reaffirming your objectives, and choosing the right level of formality before starting to write.
Introduction to reporting
An overview of the three structures (narrative, hierarchy and topic) to use in business documents such as short reports and memos. (You may wish to consider our full-day Business Report Writing Course, if report-writing is your priority).
Tool #1: Short summaries
The report structures introduced earlier can help professionals to summarise from several sources. In this section, participants will complete several exercises summarising content using the given structures.
Refining expression
How to edit your writing in four fundamental areas: clear links, correct grammar, minimal jargon, and correct punctuation. This section includes several pair exercises and facilitator feedback that embed the learnings.
Tool #2: Emails
This unit introduces several frameworks to establish correct etiquette, suitable structure, appropriate level of tact, action-oriented subject lines and more. The real-life examples in the workbook are drawn from scenarios including stakeholder negotiation, conflict management and structured announcements.
This workshop is aimed at early or mid-career professionals who need to learn or improve their core skills in business writing. These include technical staff moving into managerial roles, people returning to the workforce after extended leave, or office managers wanting to adopt current best practice in their workplace.
This course assumes basic proficiency in written business English.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
You will learn through a variety of methods including open discussions, group exercises and individual written responses to a range of prompts.
Materials
A course workbook containing essential reference material along with space to write your responses to each exercise, is provided electronically.
Additional information
You will have the opportunity to develop a piece of writing from your organisation. Please bring along some simple notes or an outline of this work. If you do not have any work in progress, you may work on our fictional classroom scenario instead.
Please bring your laptop, with logins ready to access your preferred AI platform (we suggest Copilot, ChatGPT or Claude.ai). You may use a phone or tablet if you do not have a laptop.
You will be working on at least two scenarios from your own workplace, and we suggest you arrive with a draft of these scenarios ready to use.
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View Business Writing Essentials Course: From Core Skills to AI Tools detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listWriting grant applications is an essential competency for many individuals, businesses and community organisations in Australia today.
This course will help you and your organisation to become ‘grant ready’, giving you the tools you need to confidently plan, prepare, write and submit a compelling grant application or funding proposal.
The first part of the course will focus on strategic preparation. We will put theory into practice, exploring the essential building blocks of grant writing and applying them to your project. This stage will provide invaluable guidance on identifying funding opportunities, and planning and preparing your submission.
Excellence in execution drives the second part of the course. We will delve into the aims and objectives of funding bodies, to ensure your project is in alignment and can be considered a viable investment. You will learn how to respond to evaluation criteria effectively and present your application in a professional way.
The course is ideal for beginner grant writers and more seasoned professionals looking to improve their grant writing skills. It will suit sole traders and entrepreneurs seeking to grow their business, small organisations looking to scale, and non-profits who want to ensure sustainable operations.
This course aims to:
- equip you/your organisation with the knowledge, skills and tools to get ‘grant ready’
- help you/your organisation understand what drives funding body decisions
- provide you/your organisation with a robust strategy to plan, prepare and write a compelling grant application
- empower you to feel confident writing high-quality grant applications and place you in the best position for success.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- describe and understand the essential elements of the grant writing process
- discuss philanthropic and funding principles in the public and private sectors
- understand the aims, objectives and priorities of different funding bodies
- discern the different tiers of government grants including local, state and federal
- understand how different types of grants apply to individuals, organisations or projects.
- understand the competitive nature of grants
- understand how to apply for government, philanthropic, trust and foundation grants
- explain how and where to search for grants and find suitable funding opportunities.
This course will empower participants using the following framework:
Strategic preparation + excellence in execution = a compelling grant proposal
The course has two vital components:
Session 1: Strategic preparation
At the outset, it’s important to remember that grants are not a financial handout. Rather, they are an investment opportunity for both grant recipient and funding body. Therefore, it’s essential to demonstrate value for money, return on investment (ROI), or other beneficial outcomes – for you/your organisation, your community, and the funding body. We will cover the following topics:
- introduction to the grant writing process
- get ‘grant ready’ by ensuring you have the right organisational structures and processes in place
- develop an ‘investment mindset’, and identify which projects offer an ROI or other specific beneficial outcomes
- identify where to find grant opportunities, and how to assess you/your organisation’s eligibility
- plan a timeline with achievable milestones
- address and respond to evaluation criteria with appropriate supporting information.
Session 2: Excellence in execution
Here, we focus on the finer details of writing a compelling funding proposal. We consider strategies to concisely address the evaluation criteria, and ensure you have everything you need to submit a successful grant application. We’ll cover:
- aims and objectives of funding bodies, the priorities of program funding grants, and what they mean for you/your organisation
- avoiding jargon, using keywords and incorporating ‘buzz words’ to boost your application’s success
- how to write compelling responses to the evaluation criteria
- how to develop and complete an application check list
- how to ensure your application is submitted on time.
This is a practical, hands-on course which will appeal to individuals preparing to write their first grant or more experienced grant writers looking to enhance their skillset. The course is designed for a wide range of participants including sole traders, entrepreneurs, university researchers, novice grant writers, fundraising and development managers and CEOs, working in non-profit, education, charity and community sectors. The content will encompass a range of sectors including arts, education, health, science and technology, sports and social services.
None
This grant writing course is an interactive workshop which includes presenter training, in-class exercises, class discussion and Q&A session.
Delivery mode
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
All course materials are provided electronically (via Dropbox). Please print course notes in advance and bring them to class. Please bring laptop or iPad, and pen and paper.
View Grant Writing Course: Writing Successful Grant Applications detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis minute taking course is aimed at providing relevant and useful information to assist with the skill of minute taking. Everyday business functionality is geared around what happens in meetings. Whether in a large or small organisation, today’s administrative staff, executive or personal assistant need to be precise, factual and prompt in delivering the minutes from meetings.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- develop a proactive mindset to taking minutes
- organise and prioritise your diary to successfully record/write up minutes
- utilise various methodologies in 'minute taking'
- develop the confidence to manage interactions in a meeting
- review and note 'action' items
- distribute minutes in a timely fashion.
- Organisational culture and expectations around minute taking
- Common difficulties associated with minute taking
- The skill of active listening
- Being aware of and referring to outcomes required from each meeting
- Assessing the dynamics of room set-up and positioning of attendees
- Review of various methodologies to record minutes from meetings
- Noting ‘action items’ accurately
- Ensuring accuracy and timeliness of minute taking
Suitable for administrative staff, executive assistants and personal assistants of all levels who are looking to develop their minute taking skills. Also suitable for anyone who has completed the Executive Assistant's Course and wants to continue their professional development and hone their skills in minute taking.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop using your own device
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Interactive workshop which includes discussions, group exercises, case studies and supportive learning.
Materials
Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox. Please bring a laptop or tablet.
Before the course
If possible, please bring along a copy of an agenda and meeting minutes you have completed and/or have access to.
View Effective Minute Taking Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis web writing course is suitable for business owners, web content writers, marketers, administration staff and anyone else who needs to write high quality web and digital content for business. It provides you with the skills and proven techniques in writing for the web to attract your target audience, engage them with your words and prompt them to take the action you desire.
You will also learn how to:
- write Search Engine Optimised (SEO) copy
- optimise content for AI models and AI-search engines such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Perplexity – known as Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), Artificial Intelligence Optimisation (AIO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
- use AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini, to research, plan and create SEO and AEO/AIO/GEO-friendly content.
The day includes lots of practical workshop exercises, real world examples and a healthy dose of discussion about your needs and objectives.
This course aims to equip you with essential web writing skills that combine SEO and AI optimisation strategies. You'll learn how to craft engaging digital content that resonates with your target audience, ranks higher on search engines and better positions your content to be referenced by AI search tools. This course will help you become a more strategic, effective and confident digital content creator capable of using AI tools to enhance your research, planning and writing process.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- write web copy that grabs the attention and engages busy readers from start to end
- construct web content that’s easy for web audiences to absorb
- speak to your web audiences in the most effective ways
- persuade your audiences to take action, eg contact, download, buy, etc
- structure logical content navigation paths
- make best use of headlines, subheads, bullets and hyperlinks
- understand how to rank higher on search engines
- write search engine friendly (SEO) content to help it rank higher on Google
- write AI search engine friendly (AEO/AIO/GEO) content so it might be referenced in AI results
- produce quality social, blog and EDM content
- make ChatGPT/AI part of your SEO/AEO/AIO/GEO researching and writing process
- use your skills for a wide variety of web writing needs.
How people read on the web today
- Latest testing, research and statistics
How to engage your online audience
- Understand your audience – who they are
- Creating detailed personas with AI
Writing clearly, concisely and in the right tone
- Plain language vs buzzwords, clichés and jargon.
- Readability and editing tools – including AI
- Sentence and paragraph length (and how to develop cadence, rhythm and tone)
- Finding, developing and writing in the right tone of voice (with the 3Ws)
- Analysing and mirroring tone with AI
SEO: How to get Google to love your web content
- Learn what influences Google and AI search rankings today
- Keyword research made easy
- The simple, effective way to develop an SEO content strategy
- Developing ideas and web content that attracts your audience and SEO
- How to write SEO-friendly content your audience will love too
AEO/AIO: How to get ChatGPT and other LLMs to love your web content
- Learn what AI search engines look for when choosing source content
- How content differs from traditional SEO content
- How to write AEO/AIO/GEO-friendly content your audience will love too
- Advanced prompts for keyword research, content planning and writing
Features, benefits and problem-solver writing
- How to connect with and captivate readers using features and benefits.
- 3 powerful copywriting techniques using features, problems and benefits.
- Applying these techniques to various digital copy – web content, social, emails
Structuring and writing effective web content
- Writing headlines, subheads, body copy, bullet points and hyperlinks – and where to use them in copy and other content
- Pro copywriting tips – opening sentences that hook the reader, power words and more
- Stories, statistics and other effective ways to convey your message
- Techniques to help drive action e.g. enquiries, sales, downloads, sign ups
- Writing website, social posts and email marketing copy
- Using AI to help brainstorm and create your content
- Images and infographics – best practices, when to use them
- Handy tools for web writers
This course is suitable for:
- Business professionals and admin staff
- Copywriters and content writers
- Small business owners
- anyone who needs to write web and digital content for business purposes.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop using your own device
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
The course is a blend of lecture with practical learning including hands-on group activities, individual exercises and plenty of real-world examples from a range of industries. This way, you learn key concepts and their immediate application in your workspace.
Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.
Additional information
Please bring a laptop to class in order to access course learning materials.
To test the techniques for using AI to improve SEO, AI search optimisation, brainstorming and writing, you will need to sign up for ChatGPT and Google Gemini (free or paid versions).
View Web Writing Course with SEO and AI (AEO and AIO) for Search and Content detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listThis editing and proofreading course will help you sharpen your written communications and improve your ability to sell, lead or inform. Those who write, or oversee the writing of others, need to ensure that the final product is polished, targeted and error-free.
This course teaches the structural editing, copy editing and proofreading techniques needed to turn early drafts into perfect finished products. You will learn to start with the big picture, move down to sentence level and finally use proofreading to ensure the slipperiest of errors are eliminated. This editing and proofreading course also gives you the tools to avoid common grammar pitfalls and punctuate with flair and subtlety.
This course aims to give you a thorough grounding in the three-part editing process. It will equip you with the skills you need to turn rough copy into powerful and effective writing.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- use structural editing to maximise the effect of any document
- employ the principles of copy editing to produce clear and compelling sentences
- set the right tone for your audience
- use headings and sub-headings to guide the reader through the structure
- correct common grammar, punctuation and spelling errors
- check that appropriate wording has been used at all times
- cut out deadwood, removing unnecessary verbiage
- edit for style, cutting out pompous language and cliches
- edit for consistency, using house styles and style guides
- use proofreading techniques to finalise copy for publication.
Structural or substantive editing
- Focussing on the big picture and your key messages
- Avoiding waffle and getting to the point
- Assessing the content to make sure it flows logically
- Cutting out irrelevant material and filling content gaps
- Ensuring the tone is right for your audience
- Using transitional words and phrases to link paragraphs
- Using headings and sub-heads for maximum effect
Copy editing
- Making sure all sentences have maximum readability and impact
- Correcting grammar, punctuation and spelling
- Picking the right words to do the job
- Cutting out clichés and pompous, overly formal wording
- Getting rid of redundant words and phrases
- Avoiding business buzzwords
Proofreading
- Eradicating stubborn errors and inconsistencies
- Mastering proofreading techniques
- Adapting your reading style for effective proofreading
- Checking all wording against a relevant style guide
Suitable for anyone who wants to edit or proofread their own work or that of others. It is suitable for all who edit content, online or in print.
None
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Delivered as a one-day, interactive workshop consisting of an instructor-led lecture, group and individual activities. This training approach allows you to work through concepts introduced by the instructor in an application-focussed teaching environment.
Course workbooks are distributed electronically using Dropbox. Please print the course workbooks and bring them to class. You will not be able to actively participate throughout the day without a printed version of them.
Additional information
Please have a notebook and pen available during class.
View A Course in Editing and Proofreading detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listWriting policies and procedures are responsibilities delegated to many individuals in government departments, not-for-profit organisations, and businesses in Australia today.
Policies and procedures are operational documents that communicate, support, and justify an organisation’s decisions and actions. They can help staff, clients, and the public to understand an organisation’s work and how the work relates to them.
Writing effective policies and procedures requires attention to purpose, context, and audience. Using plain and inclusive language can inform and meet the needs of audiences.
If you are responsible for writing, reviewing, or updating policies and procedures, this course is for you. It offers practical skills and advice to guide you through the process.
This course aims to increase your confidence and skills in:
- initiating and writing new policies and procedures
- discerning strategies for revising existing policies and procedures
- describing the approach to policies and procedures used in your organisation
- identifying delegations and approval processes required for policy development and review.
We want you to leave feeling empowered to participate actively in policy development and review in your workplace.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- identify the rationale, purpose, audience, and context (including legislation) of specific policies and procedures within your organisation
- identify your policy network, recognising the participants, approvers, and their delegations involved in the development of policies and procedures
- initiate and facilitate approval processes for new and revised policies and procedures
- apply text features such as layout and style to maximise the impact to your organisation’s overall policy messages
- use plain and inclusive language to write policies and procedures that are clear, appropriately sequenced and readable
- use jargon effectively to communicate information relevant to your organisation
- identify any additional information required to support the enactment of policies and procedures within your organisation.
This course will be offered over two half-day sessions.
Day 1
We will begin by examining definitions of policy and procedure, and common usage of the compound term: policies and procedures. We’ll consider policies and procedures through your engagement as a writer, relationships with your networks and knowledge of your audience. Additionally, we will identify and define specific components of policies and procedures, and how they are apparent in the written word. Exploring a sample of publicly available policies and procedures, we will discuss the messages they reveal about the organisations.
We will then focus on the language of policies and procedures, including an introduction to the notions of plain language and inclusive language.
Towards the end of the first half-day, we will focus on your work context. You’ll be guided to describe your organisation’s approach to policy development and review, including approval processes and your place and role within them. You’ll also be invited to share a challenge to pursue between sessions.
Day 2
In the second half-day session, we will engage in discussions and share suggestions for effectively addressing policy challenges within your workplace.
We will explore the notions of plain English and inclusive language in more depth, through individual and group exercises related specifically to policies and procedures. We will also discuss the potential use (or misuse) of jargon.
Finally, we will examine a rating scale for assessing policies and procedures for clarity, coherence and potential impact. There will be time in this session for you to work on your draft policy or procedure, applying strategies gained in the course and receiving facilitator and peer feedback.
Throughout both sessions we will consider how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used, or potentially misused, in writing effective policies and procedures.
This course is focused on the presentation and language of policies and procedures to maximise their impact. It is suited to team members tasked with writing or rewriting operational policies and procedures.
None
Delivery mode
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training using your own device
- Online training via the platform Zoom
The course will be conducted over two half-days. This course structure will enable you to apply learning from the first session and gather information to inform the second session. You are encouraged to bring along an example of a draft policy or procedure that you are currently working on, to both sessions.
All course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.
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View Writing Effective Policies and Procedures Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listWriting and presenting a persuasive business case is a crucial skill for project managers, entrepreneurs, consultants and executives.
At its core, a business case is a tool for identifying and comparing multiple alternatives for pursuing an opportunity, and then making a justification or recommendation for a single course of action that will create value.
Knowing how to write and present a persuasive business case will enable you to seize opportunities and convince decision-makers to take a particular course of action, that benefits your team or entity.
Supporting your case with strong evidence, and aligning it with stakeholder priorities and objectives, will help your leaders and stakeholders make informed decisions and ultimately give your project the green light.
This one-day course will provide you with a detailed understanding of the essential components of developing a persuasive proposal for your project. You will also learn how to align your case with stakeholder objectives, by understanding stakeholders’ perspectives, and supporting your case with research, data and insights.
You’ll gain an understanding of various stakeholder interests in corporate, government and non-government contexts. You’ll also cover the various types of models that underpin your business case, and the tools and mechanics used to write and evaluate them.
You’ll learn how to clarify the need or opportunity, define scope and impact, and apply good structure to your business case. You’ll explore the importance of testing feasibility, providing alternatives, and developing a strong value proposition. Additionally, you’ll learn storytelling techniques to engage your audience, be persuasive and make a lasting impression. Using a sample business case, you will learn how to present, seek feedback and improve your pitch so you can be confident to achieve the coveted ‘Yes!’.
This course aims to empower you to:
- plan and prepare a strong business case from concept to delivery
- present a sample business case to your peers
- provide and receive constructive feedback, and act on it
- present your own robust business case to relevant stakeholders.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- identify the need for a business case, including defining the opportunity, scope and impact
- collect the data and evidence that supports your claims, including primary and secondary market research
- evaluate the case feasibility and acknowledge the benefits versus the risks
- develop, plan and write a business case
- use structure and storytelling techniques to enhance your pitch
- present a sample business case to your peers, so you have the confidence to present to final decision makers
- manage stakeholders’ expectations and enquiries.
This course will empower participants using the following framework:
Critical planning + a customised value proposition + effective presentation = a persuasive business case
This course will equip you with the tools and knowledge to prepare an effective business case. The first part of the course will focus on critical planning to:
- identify the problem and the strategic need
- identify the relevant stakeholders, champions and decision makers associated with your business case
- define impact and scope, and the required investments and resources
- conduct market research, in order to collect credible fit-for-purpose evidence to support your business case claims and analyse alternative options
- evaluate the business case from strategic, operational and stakeholder perspectives
- use creative structure and storytelling methods to enhance the impact of your business case
- identify pathways for fast tracking the approval process including making use of key project sponsors or champions.
The second part of the course will focus on developing your customised value proposition to:
- assess the business case feasibility, including technological, organisational and financial viability
- manage stakeholders' expectations by developing stakeholder analysis and engagement plans
- develop and customise the business case components based on research findings or special interest groups (eg, check-ins/governance/financial reporting requirements)
- recommend one option and assess its risks.
The third part will help enhance your effective presentation to:
- use the art of persuasion and influencing tactics to craft a persuasive business case that is high-impact and memorable
- practice presentation skills among peers and learn how to provide and receive constructive feedback
- pitch your case to relevant stakeholders, share the roadmap and highlights, and tips to address their enquiries and expectations
- learn how to receive stakeholders' feedback, refine your case, and move towards next steps.
Intended audience
This course is suitable for:
- Entrepreneurs
- Project/Program Managers & Portfolio Managers
- Business owners & business sponsors
- Solution Designers & Solution Architects
- Business Analysts
- anyone who wants to develop business case writing, evaluation, and presentation skills.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
- Online workshop via the platform Zoom
Delivery style
Delivered as a one-day workshop using various techniques including lectures, visual thinking and simulated practical exercises.
Course materials are distributed electronically using Dropbox.
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View Write and Present a Persuasive Business Case Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listAn immersive writing course for content marketers, covering all the persuasive copywriting skills you’ll need to capture more leads and inspire more actions.
Using a sequence of tools and techniques, we start by planning your messages from scratch. We then apply your messaging blueprint to a range of short, everyday formats such as eDMs, social media headlines, email marketing headlines and newsletters.
Throughout the day, you’ll learn the essentials of using brand tone, weaving in persuasive elements and crafting for flair. Through exercises, examples and open discussion, you will gain a solid overview of promotional writing in your business.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- use the strategies that creative agencies take to develop a campaign, from formalising the tone of voice to writing the first banner ads
- generate more emotive angles for your marketing copy
- gain practice writing for different audiences within one brand, including dialling formality up and down, and adapting the content for different formats
- incorporate the best persuasive arguments possible for each piece of writing, choosing from a list of 10 possibilities
- review your own and others’ writing for simplicity and effectiveness, focusing on five essential indicators.
Campaign launch
No project should start without thoroughly workshopping the brief. Here, you’ll define the product’s tangible and emotional benefits, and the multiple different creative directions you could develop from this. In this section, we also formalise the ideal tone of voice and set a timeline of deliverables and outcomes.
Designing the user journey
Learn to craft your campaign around headings, memes, names and other short units that encapsulate the essence of what you’re trying to say. In this section, we cover different tips and techniques for writing these, and place them into loose templates that suggest the split-second impact of your messages.
The 10 elements of persuasion
Good persuasive writing employs a number of powerful psychological triggers, and we look at ten important ones in this section. Examples include telling your reader ‘why’, showing you understand your prospect, and giving them something for free.
Drumming up hype
We look at the essential formats you’ll need to master in the early campaign stages: eDMs, digital banners, registration forms, invitations and more. This section also talks about how to extend the core tone of voice to reach different audience segments effectively.
Add stylistic flair
Learning to review for effectiveness: ensuring that SEO is cleverly used (but not overused), verbs and adjectives are strong and evocative, and you’ve added plenty of rhythm using devices such as alliteration and parallel grammar.
Aimed at mid-career marketers who can explain their business features and benefits clearly enough, but want some tips on how to make their messages more memorable, on-brand and inspiring.
If your business style doesn’t allow for much storytelling or free association, consider our Business Writing Course: Essentials instead. Here, you’ll learn to write internal comms (letters, memos and so on) and short summaries in a clear, factual style that may well fill your business marketing needs.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
Learning methods include open discussion, group exercises, pair work and individual response to mini tests throughout the day. Most of the exercises can be adapted to a marketing piece you are currently working on, or you can practice using the fictional examples.
Materials
Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox
View Persuasive Writing Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listIf you want your words to leap off the page, The Secrets of Eloquence is the course for you. Language can be immensely powerful – but only if you know how to use it to maximum effect. This course teaches you time-honoured ways to supercharge your words, to move beyond the pedestrian level of most writing to reach true eloquence. We show you how to harness the explosive power of rhetoric, make vivid word choices, tap into the hypnotic music of words, enchant with anecdotes, convince with quotations and even use the seductive power of humour to drive home a point. This is a high-level course for people who write well – and want to be excellent. If you work in the world of business or dream of being a creative fiction or non-fiction writer, if you want to write a blog, a novel, a memoir or an exceptional piece of journalism, The Secrets of Eloquence will help you to reach your full writing potential.
The aim of this course is to teach you the writing methods used by the most powerful writers throughout history to persuade and inspire others. We want you to leave this course confident that you can wield words with greater skill. We want to give you the blessing of eloquence. The Secrets of Eloquence is for anyone who writes well but seeks to write with a new intensity and authority.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- write with clarity and economy
- harness the extraordinary power of rhetoric
- make your writing sing with the lyrical devices that turn your words into music
- burst out of the mundane with figurative language
- break free of cliches and stale word choices
- convey information in ways that creates aha moments of understanding for your audience
- use the spellbinding power of narrative to draw the reader in
- give your writing greater depth through the skilful use of quotations
- engage and convince your readers with the seductive power of humour.
Summary
- Make yourself clear
- Rhetoric unleashed
- Words that sing
- Beyond the literal
- Get fresh
- Telling detail
- Entrancing narratives
- Well said!
- Seducing with humour
Topic 1: Make yourself clear
You can get as fancy as you want with writing, but if the reader can’t understand you, you’re wasting time. In this course we look at crafting elegant, powerful sentences that slip effortlessly into the minds of readers.
Topic 2: Rhetoric unleashed
Rhetoric is the art of persuasion. Over thousands of years, students of rhetoric have come up with numerous ways to make your writing more striking simply by phrasing what you say in special ways. This course teaches you some of the best of these time-honoured rhetorical devices.
Topic 3: Words that sing
Words are full of meaning and emotion, but they are also sounds. And those sounds exist in our minds whether we hear the words spoken aloud or not. This course shows you how to use the sounds, rhyme and rhythm of language to hold your readers spellbound.
Topic 4: Beyond the literal
If you want to tell someone how to hammer home a nail, you need to use literal language or they’re liable to hit their thumb. But if someone says to you “you’ve hit the nail on the head”, they’re saying something quite different. The creative leap is into figurative language, the world of simile and metaphor and hyperbole, where the mundane becomes transformed into the rich and exciting.
Topic 5: Get fresh
One of the most important qualities of great writing is choosing words that are fresh and surprising. The Secrets of Eloquence will show you examples of brilliant word usage to inspire you to new verbal heights.
Topic 6: Telling detail
Nobody likes to be buried knee deep in facts and figures. This course will show you how to select telling details from the mass of information, and present it in ways the reader can easily grasp.
Topic 7: Entrancing narratives
Storytelling is in our blood, because long before we could write we told stories. We will show you how to use the magic of narrative, whether in anecdotes or by presenting your material with a strong narrative thread.
Topic 8: Well said!
We will learn from the masters how to make points eloquently, and examine how you can add depth and authority to your writing by using great quotes.
Topic 9: Seducing with humour
Many writers are afraid to be funny, but they are missing out on a highly versatile tool. It can do so many things to enhance eloquence that Matt Abrahams, a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, calls it the Swiss army knife of communications. The Secrets of Eloquence will show you how to use humour to build trust with your readers and drive your points home; think for instance of the power of satire to cut through foolish behaviour and ideas.
This course is for anyone who writes well and wants to write even better.
None
The Secrets of Eloquence is a highly interactive workshop that includes lectures, exercises and discussions.
Delivery modes
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
All course materials are provided electronically (via Dropbox).
Blog
Read the article Make your words leap off the page by Tony Spencer-Smith.
View The Secrets of Eloquence Course detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting listMinute-taking is an essential way of documenting the decisions made during business meetings. Given that minutes are legal documents, they require a careful balance of stakeholder consensus, subject-matter expertise, and clarity on what each decision means for your organisation.
In this half-day foundational workshop, participants will gain an introduction to managing their minutes across the three distinct stages of minute-taking: planning, drafting and editing.
The content includes discussion of best practices in minute-taking, case studies, and participants’ experiences, along with several hands-on exercises. These are designed to hone participants’ skills in key areas such as active listening, and editing for clarity and conciseness.
The workshop also addresses various issues that can impact the clarity and consistency of minutes, often within the same organisation. These include:
- ideal length – minutes are not transcripts, so keep them short at 2 to 3 pages
- instructional templates – ensure consistency by embedding instructions into your templates
- difficult discussions – learn how to manage meeting attendee behaviour with confidence.
The training uses examples drawn from various sectors and different disciplines, including HR, operations and business development.
If your organisation’s work affects large stakeholder groups, budgets, and services, fostering a culture of keeping correct, concise minutes is essential. This workshop will set you and your team on that path.
This course provides you with an overview of the three main stages of minute-taking. It also shares practical tips, techniques, and frameworks to use in each stage.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- know what best practice minutes look like
- plan the questions to ask and topics to clarify ahead of any meeting
- match each meeting discussion item to the meeting agenda
- practice people management techniques that will help keep discussions on track
- refresh your understanding of plain English techniques to use in minutes.
1. Planning ahead
- Legal considerations of minutes
- What best practice looks like
- Different templates to consider
- The 3 stages of minute-taking
2. Drafting the minutes
- Typing vs. handwriting – the pros and cons of both
- Managing digressions and disagreements
- Techniques for active listening to help distil the key points
- Minute-taking practice for a 6-minute mock meeting
3. Editing for structure and style
- Sentence grammar refresh
- Tips for writing in plain English
- Effective list formatting
- Best practice punctuation and formatting
This foundational minute-taking course is aimed at all professionals in any sector who need a practical, clear introduction to minute-taking.
The course can be taken in conjunction with the Effective Minute Taking Course, or as a standalone course.
None. However, if you have some prior minute-taking experience, you can be more certain that you’ll finish the workshop with your major questions answered.
Delivery mode
- Face-to-face, presenter-taught training
- Online training via the platform Zoom
Interactive half-day workshop featuring a combination of pair, group and solo work. The facilitator will share best practice techniques in the areas of planning, listening, writing and editing, with various practical exercises where attendees can improve their skills. Participants will receive real time feedback on their work, both for the face-to-face and the online workshops.
All course materials are provided electronically (via Dropbox).
<a href="https://ish-oncourse-cce-main.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/c776f68f-d34b-4387-98d0-7f71e6d33fdd" class="js-course-brochure u-display-none">Course Brochure</a>
View Effective Minute Taking Course: Writing and Editing detailsWaitlistJoin the waiting list to be notified when a new class becomes available.Join the waiting list
