Business Writing – Reports & Proposals

Writing reports and proposals are integral to most jobs. Yet, writing technical findings and statistical results in a way that everyone can understand, vital to all reports, is a challenge for many. Just as challenging is the ability to use the language of persuasion required in proposals that are designed to get decision-makers to agree to projects.

Learn how to make your reports clear, comprehensible yet concise; and how to make your proposals bring home their points and sway opinions.

After the workshop, you will be able to:
- appreciate the 3 components of writing to better identify personal writing challenges
- sort through research to include only the relevant material
- structure writing for clarity
- understand what is required of the different components of a report
- adapt your writing to suit the purposes and audience
- differentiate between reports and proposals
- present events and facts objectively and clearly
- shape arguments with paragraphs and transition words
- understand the language of reports
- use the language of persuasion for proposals
- employ visuals aids to enhance clarity
- have proofreading and reviewing skills

What you will learn
Understand the Writing Process
- Invent
- Compose
- Revise

Planning Your Content
- The art of research
- The importance of recording accurate information
- Checking information
- Pre-writing checklist
- Organising your content

Structuring Your Writing
- 2 types of clarity
- Headers & Lists for visual clarity
- Key components in a report

Types of Reports
- Types of reports and their purposes & audience
- Reports vs Proposals – What’s the Difference?

7 properties of a good sentence
- Short
- Simple
- Concise
- Precise
- Plain
- Write as You Talk
- Cut Down on Jargon and Acronyms

7 strategies for writing good sentences
- Cut out information
- Cut up information
- Cut out the Deadwood
- Drop Redundancies
- Order your Sentence
- Use First Person
- Choice of Voice

The Language of Reports
- Presenting technical terms for the layman
- Presenting numbers and statistics that can be easily understood

The Language of Persuasion for Proposals

Grammar & Vocabulary
- Grammar pitfalls – tenses and subject-verb agreement
- Prepositions
- Dos and don’ts of choosing words
- The power of paragraphs
- Linking words

Using Visual Aids
- Types of visuals aids
- When and how to use them

Proofreading & Review Techniques
- Proofreading techniques
- Reviewing techniques
- Checklist for reviewing

Who Should Attend?
Manager and supervisors who have to submit and vet reports and proposals.

Methodology
Participants are guided through the strategies with practical steps and a combination of theory as well as both group and individual practice sessions, and personalised coaching from the trainer.