Seminar agenda
1.
 Lead with the future. Inform and persuade from the start by leading with what will, may or ought to happen. Relegate background to the background -- if you need it at all after your strong lead. Master crisis communication. Overcome writer's block by leading with what matters -- and reader's block by making it matter to your reader.

Lead with the future -- rather than with background. Imagine it's a few days after Hurricane Katrina and you want to fly to or from New Orleans. Which of the following 2 models do you prefer?

New Orleans Times-Picayune, 8/31/05 (emergency Web edition):

Baton Rouge airport ramping up to fill void in New Orleans

.

Traditional business writing:

Announcement
Status of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

Hurricane Katrina has grounded all commercial flights at this airport since Aug. 28. However, airlines are adding many flights at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.

Notice that the news article leads with the future and immediately tells you what you need to know. By contrast, the example I devised of traditional business writing leads with background and immediately tells you merely that there's an "announcement" about some "status."

2.
 Add power to your voice. Emphasize key words; speed through the rest. Finish each sentence -- even an order, question or request -- on a vocal pitch that's both strong and engaging. Volunteer for supportive video-playback speech training, or learn by just watching.
3.
 Speak your audience's language. Know whom to tell "You'll have 512 megabytes" -- and whom to tell "I'll double your computer's memory." Strengthen your supervisory style. Create a "plain-language workplace."
4.

Be positive. Clear up and cheer up. For "wimp words" like "I think," substitute "probably," "usually" and 4 other responsible alternatives. Correct errors the correct way. Break bad news the good way.
5.
 Lay out logically. Plant your message even before your first word is read. Exploit columns (v. rows) in charts. Boost readability with 3 word-processor settings. "Power punctuate" to promote the important and to demote the mundane.
6.
 Be consistent. Circuit-check your document for coherence. Stick with the best word rather than scrounge for synonyms. Practice "equal writes": write around generic "he."
7.
 Be precise. Distinguish restrictive "that" from descriptive "which." Link modifiers to what they should modify. Quote. Be math savvy.
8.
 Be brief. Distill one-screen emails from multi-screeners, one-minute briefings from "long-ings." Nip 6 kinds of wordiness.
9.

Choose strong verbs. Distill them from weak nouns. Activate most passive verbs. Impart immediacy with present tense -- often even to express past or future.


 Choose Write & Speak Like the News especially if:
 
1.
You want a practical alternative to bureaucratese. Capitalize on journalism's proven responses to communication challenges.

 2.
 You are a critical thinker and want reasons, not just rules.
 3.
 You like case method. We'll critique striking examples from newspapers, live TV news, emails, letters and reports. You'll reinforce your new skills with supportive editing, writing and video-playback speaking exercises, many just 30 seconds long and all voluntary. Your writing and speaking will do justice to your expertise.
4.
 You're busy. In the first minute of training, most clients remark on the new power in their writing or speaking.