Is your business writing holding you back?

I keep meeting smart people whose writing is holding them back. They’re convinced they know how to write because they’re earned degrees. They’re recognized experts.

Yet, they’re not living up to their potential because few people trudge all the way through their long, foggy, boring content, from routine emails to complex proposals. Nobody shares their excitement.  Some think they’re unprofessional because of grammar mistakes.

They don’t know that concise, clear, compelling and correct business writing can separate the bit players from the rising stars.

The 4 Cs

Concise emails get to the point immediately and are read through and remembered.

Clear proposals inform, persuade and inspire.

Compelling plans attract support.

Correct grammar and spelling make you look professional. In fact, a study of LinkedIn profiles, discussed in a Harvard Business Review blog, found that professionals with fewer grammar errors earned more promotions and achieved higher positions.

Many people, especially well-educated professionals, assume they learned to write well in school. But in our online world, the game has changed dramatically. What’s more, your expertise can create a wall between you and the people you want to connect with.

So how can you update and upgrade your business writing skills? How can you encourage people to pay attention, understand, engage and act the way you want?

Let me help. I’m Barb Sawyers, MA, with more than 30 years’ experience as a business writer for everyone from Apple to businesses so small you’ve never heard of them.

At Sticky Communication, I urge people to combine the ease and sociability of talking with the thinking of writing. That’s why I call my course and book Write Like You Talk Only Better. This unique approach works especially well for people who are less comfortable writing than they are talking, almost everyone’s first and favorite way to communicate.

Choose the approach that works best for you:

Course

With Write Like You Talk Only Better uLearn, you’ll learn when you want, how you want, for the results you need. You’ll go through six modules with audio and text. You’ll practice, with your own work, and keep track of your progress in your e-workbook. This way, the lessons will stick. Special versions for small business owners and business communicators, including people in communication, marketing, IT and others who need to connect and collaborate. With measurement and assessments, uLearn is ideal for corporate teams.

Book

Available in paperback or ebook, Write Like You Talk Only Better is a fun tour through the steps involved in effective business writing: 1. think about who want to connect with, the personality you want to convey and your main point 2. how to write like you talk, compose an irresistible opening and a conclusion that prompts action and 3. how to make it better through tightening, memory tricks, goof proofing and Hollywood techniques.

Coaching

After assessing your individual needs, we’ll have a series of telephone coaching sessions that will transform you into a more valuable business player. A typical 10-week package would take you from the basics of email or other medium you favor to developing an action plan that will keep on building writing muscle. Works well with high-potential employees or professionals who want to broaden or deepen their skills.

Free advice

I write regularly about writing and communication issues.

Blog Sticky and links to guest posts at high-profile sites

Worksheets to complement my book

Mostly monthly newsletter featuring advice and recent links to my posts here and around the world. Here are the latest: the smart demographic, how to motivate and writing means business.

I love to talk almost as much as I love to write. If you’re in the Greater Toronto Area, I’d love to speak to your group.

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I share what inspires and informs me, have fun and connect on social media. Please join me

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