Communications Writing

Members: $295

Non-Members: $395

CPD CREDITS Earn 1.2 CPD

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Overview

Everyone is in the communications business. You can’t develop a plan, or gain consensus, or highlight new experiences or tell brand stories or inspire, motivate or persuade people inside or outside your organization without strong writing skills. That’s why the latest Workopolis survey of Canadian employers ranked Communications and Writing as the #1 and #2 most valuable workplace skills.

Yet not everyone charged with a communications responsibility is a “writer”. Many people are thrown into this role without the training required to write effectively in a style that is both direct and engaging. That’s the value of this seminar. It helps participants write with more purpose. It helps participants find a natural, yet compelling writing voice. In the end, you will be more mindful of the writing process and will learn a series of methods, tips and tools that will help you raise your writing – and your career – to the next level.

A lot of people find writing painful – or at a minimum awkward or uncomfortable. Yet we are all natural talkers and storytellers. So why do many of us freeze up when sitting in front of our keyboards? Because we don’t view writing as innate as we do with speech. We feel we have to be more formal and authoritative, writing in a more distant and disembodied voice. Today, writing also shows the ill effects of our texting and social media shorthand habits as this style creeps into our communications. These approaches create an obstacle to forming a connection with your readers. Writing is about more than the transfer of information, it’s about nurturing relationships with a colleague, prospect, customer, vendor, partner or boss.

This seminar is for anyone who generates newsletters, organizational emails, reports, presentations, proposals or social media posts who’s looking for ways to make their writing stand out and be more effective.

*If you have previously attended the Communications Writing seminar please do not register for this session as the content is similar.

How to focus your thinking into with a strong statement of purpose
How to structure a piece for impact and clarity
How to adjust your writing voice to suit the audience and situation
How to use emotion to show you care about your subject
How to make your writing “stickier” – so your descriptions and phrasing are remembered and become the reference point on a specific issue
How to make your writing flow smoothly, without awkward transitions – always moving in a clear direction to an overriding conclusion.

You will Benefit from:

Hands-on writing exercises that force you shed old habits and take a fresh approach
Exposure to examples, styles, techniques and practical tips to help your writing break through
Sharing of work and writing problems that help develop a more critical “ear” for your own writing
Giving your writing the same personal imprint you have developed for oral communications
Recognizing writing as a professional asset – not a liability

Anyone who has communications responsibilities that rely on their writing abilities
Anyone who generates newsletters, organizational emails, reports, presentations, proposals or social media posts who’s looking for ways to make their writing stand out and be more effective
Anyone who feels their writing is letting them down and acting as a barrier to career advancement

Joel Sears
President, WriteUp

Joel Sears has more than 25 years of experience writing advertising and marketing communications. He has written for a range of clients, from blue-chip multinationals to small professional services firms – in large agency settings and as an individual strategist/writer. After writing literally thousands of ads, brochures, websites, Point-of-Purchase materials and social media postings, Joel has developed a precise methodology that captures the creative process. The tools and techniques that he shares have the power to transform everyday writing into communications that deliver much stronger results. After participating in a Writeup workshop, you will be able to channel a more purposeful and galvanizing form of writing. Better yet, by following the process that Joel shares, you will be able to rely on your writing as a core career asset that advances your performance and that of your company or organization. You’ll discover that copywriting isn’t some dark art, but instead is a skill that can be learned and applied directly to your work.

Joel began his career as a journalist writing for consumer and business publications. He then spent close to a decade inside large advertising agencies working on both automotive and packaged goods accounts. His freelance career has been even more varied, writing everything from ads, websites, collateral materials and social media postings to speeches, videos, letters and white papers.

Cancellation or transfer of registration must be received by e-mail to learning@thecma.ca no later than ten (10) business days prior to the date of the training to receive a full refund. No refunds will be given for cancellations made less than ten (10) business days prior to the training date. If you registered for a training but are unable to attend, substitutions* are welcome any time prior to the original registration training date at no extra cost.

*Substitutions refer to the transfer of a registration from one individual to a colleague