Plain English Training:
For Writing that Gets Results
Our Plain English workshops focus on how to get the right message across - and how to avoid sending out the wrong messages. We show participants that even the simplest communication sends out a complex set of signals that go far beyond the text itself. We look at how to identify what you really want to say, and show people how to use plain English to get the right results.
We tailor each plain English course for the organisation involved, and use relevant material for activities and discussions.
What will Participants Learn?
- To write in a way that presents a professional image of their organisation and themselves.
- To plan and write reader-focused documents that engage with their audience.
- To understand the features and value of plain English.
- To recognise and avoid common communication pitfalls.
- To save time by being able to get their message across first time.
- To be motivated to put their new skills into practice.
Who is the Workshop for?
Anyone who has to communicate in writing with the public, with colleagues, or both. Our experience is that people at all levels in an organisation can benefit from the skills learnt - and that results are best if managers take part too.
Benefits to your Organisation
It's been estimated that British businesses lose £6 billion every year though poorly written business letters. Fortunately, many organisations are realising that clear and effective communication is not a luxury if they want to gain and retain customers and/or engage fully with a target audience.
Using plain English to communicate clearly will:
- Show respect for your readers and win their confidence.
- Reduce queries and complaints and so save time and money.
- Give a good image of your organisation and the writer.
- Encourage staff to think clearly about what they are doing in order that they can write clearly.
If you're not writing in plain English, your competitors may well be.
Course Content
- Effective communication: What it is, why it matters, and how easy it is to get it wrong.
- The difference between functional business writing and creative writing.
- Plain English - the concept: Definitions, and why it is key to effective communication.
- The audience: Understanding their perspective, writing in an appropriate style, and answering all their questions - before they ask them.
- Objectives: understanding what each piece of writing should achieve.
- The writing process: How planning, drafting, editing and proofreading make a piece of writing better.
- Structuring a document to help the reader: Ordering information, using sections, headers and paragraphs.
- Words: Choosing the best words for the message and the reader; avoiding redundant words; recognising commonly-confused words.
- Sentences: How to make them clear and direct.
- Readability: The concept of readability, and how to measure it for your own writing.
- Punctuation: Refresher session, covering common mistakes.
- Proofreading: Why accuracy matters; tips for getting it right.
All our workshops are very interactive, with a mixture of group discussions, breakout activities and games.
Plain English Workshop Prices
Tpical one-day workshop prices:
£350 per workshop plus £40 per person.
Reduced price for charities:
£350 per workshop plus £10 per person.
**Includes free post-course query-response support for 12 months**
We can also provide half-day workshops, in-depth two-day training, and modular programmes. Please contact us if you would like an idea of costs for these.
For training based around very specific writing objectives, such as a particular set of documents, we'll discuss in detail exactly what you want to achieve. We'll then give you a quote that includes the time it will take to prepare and deliver a workshop or programme that will really meet your needs.
We keep expenses to a minimum, and will include these in our proposal to you so that you have no nasty suprises after the training.
Post Course Follow-Up
To develop the learning further, we’re happy to arrange post-course e-mail one-to-one tuition. We’ll then guide participants through documents they are writing at work, and suggest amendments and corrections.