Dear Colleague:

When it comes to business writing, you’re on your own.

There’s no dictating to a secretary who knows the proper style to use and all the rules of grammar to follow, who types up your memo or letter or report, and all you have to do is sign it. Those days are long gone.

Now you’re the writer. From the dozens of emails you send every day, to in house reports that are scrutinized by your bosses and peers, to proposals that must make the right impression on potential clients, your written communications need to be appropriate, clear and error-free. And it’s up to you to make them that way.


Why do we call it a toolkit? Because it contains not one but three sets of tools designed to be used every day, just like your word-processing software:

1. Creating Polished Business Documents. From key concepts such as adjusting your style to your reader, to basic sentence structure, to troublesome hot spots to avoid.


2. Developing a Style Guide, Proofreading to Perfection. Every organization needs a style guide, and creating one is easier than you think. As for proofreading, our easy-to-follow tips cover everything from spelling to punctuation to protocol.


3. Grammar and Word Usage Errors: 21 Red Flags. From misused words (among/between, hopefully, imply/infer) to dangling and misplaced modifiers. A quick scan for these red flags can prevent misunderstanding on your reader’s part and embarrassment on yours.

When your business documents appear polished, so do you. Let the Business Communication Toolkit help you put your best word forward.

Has business writing become more conversational and less stilted than in the past? Absolutely, and for the better. But you can’t just follow the conventional advice to “write like you talk.” There are still rules to follow.

Part I of the toolkit, Creating Polished Business Documents, will help you become a better all-around writer – not for its own sake, but so you can communicate better. Topics include:

• The four steps of the writing process. A sure path to achieve success and avoid disaster.

• Formal vs. informal writing. When it’s okay to be more casual, and when you should respect tradition.

• Basic sentence structure. Complete sentences, run-ons, fragments and transitions. (You just read a fragment, which is fine in a sales letter like this one. As the burger commercial said, sometimes you gotta break the rules – like using “gotta.”)

• Troublesome hot spots. How to avoid intensifiers (such as “very”) which paradoxically weaken your writing … redundancies and needless repetitions (like the example you just read) … and smothered verbs (“give recognition to” instead of the simpler “recognize”).

• Pet peeves. What is “pre-sliced” ham? Sliced or not yet sliced? On the other hand, most people would say an oven is “preheated,” meaning hot, not cold. The toolkit helps you navigate such issues.

There’s much more: how to avoid clichés (“when the dust settles”), business gibberish (“as per your request”), jargon (unless everybody uses it, like “apps”), threatening language (“you’d better …”) and perkiness (“awesome!!!”). Plus …

• “Stuff our teacher told us.” Some of what you learned in school you can feel free to unlearn, such as avoiding split infinitives and never ending sentences with prepositions.

• Skills practice exercises. Don’t worry: You won’t be graded. Just take these two quick quizzes to reinforce your mastery.

Part II of the Business Communication Toolkit helps you create a style guide and proofread your writing. Because when your writing is consistent, and you get the little things right, your reader can focus on the big picture: what you’re saying.

Does your organization have a style guide? It should. That way, instead of using some combination of “old school” grammar, “new” grammar and everyone’s individual grammar, your people will be on the same page. Not only for internal communications, but also so your organization can present one face to the outside world.

Whether you create the guide yourself or assign the task to someone else, Part II of the toolkit, Developing a Style Guide, makes it easy, from where to start (ask colleagues about frequent problems) … to what elements to cover (such as departures from established style) … to how to subdivide your guide (abbreviations, capitalization, etc.).

Once you’ve nailed down your style, you’ll want to begin Proofreading With Perfection, also included in Part II. You’ll learn:

• tricks of the trade (e.g., print in a larger font for proofing)

• the right tools to use (grammar guide, a current dictionary)

• foreign phrases and what they mean (using them correctly is de rigueur, so we created a quiz to help you)

• when to use dashes, parentheses and commas

• an important distinction between backslash and slash

• when to put something in “quotes” and when not to (we shouldn’t have done so just then)

• tips on email protocol (no need to clutter mailboxes with “you’re welcome” messages)

• how to zoom in on document trouble spots (fancy fonts are difficult to read)

There’s even a chart of standard proofreading marks. You can share it with others so everyone is on the same page when marking up pages.

The Business Communication Toolkit has yet another powerful tool for you: a special section with 21 red flags to help you avoid some of the most common errors in communications.

Spell-check won’t catch them, and they’re often missed in proofreading. They’re the Grammar and Word Usage Errors you’ll find in Part III of the Business Communication Toolkit. These all-too-common red flags include:


Many people have been using such words erroneously since grade school. They can derail the meaning of your message, not to mention your professionalism. But there’s no need to feel bad about it. Simply use the Business Communication Toolkit to stop writing badly.


Remember, the Business Communication Toolkit: Vol. 1 is really three powerful sets of tools, all for one low price – as you’ll discover when you click to order. Remember, too, you have absolutely no risk. Our 100% money-back guarantee is unconditional, with no questions asked.

I urge you take advantage of this opportunity now. Your next written communication will be the better for it.


Sincerely,



Phillip A. Ash
Publisher

P.S. Want your speaking to be as powerful as your writing? Get the Business Communication Toolkit: Vol. 2, Verbal Communication – Guide to Improving Your Presentations to Groups Large and Small. It will help you ace all your presentations, from briefings to staff meetings to formal speeches. Order now.