Online Writing and Presentation Classes
It’s time.
Actually, it’s past time.
We have to stop thinking about communications as a communication-department problem. Communications is electricity: it’s how ideas move from CEO to front line staff, from manager to employee, from employee to customer. Communications is also constant: Even when you think you’re not communicating, you are.
Everyone in your organization is constantly communicating. Maybe well, maybe poorly, maybe positively, maybe negatively, but constantly. To improve their skills, we’ve designed a few classes to help your team get better at talking about your organization and their work in general. We can also work with your internal communication teams so the training advances your specific organizational needs.
We know staff development budgets are tight, and these classes are designed to be short, practical and affordable for small groups of employees. We can also provide individual coaching.
Whether you want to utilize our standard courses or you need a more personalized approach to a more complex problem, reach out. We can talk through the problem together and develop a solution that works.
Simplify:
Untangled Writing for Subject Matter Experts
We can have the best ideas and plans in the world, but if no one else understands us, we work alone and in vain. Whether you work in healthcare, government or the environment, the content is complex– but our sentences don’t have to be.
All information needs to be understood by others. This hourlong class is an adrenaline shot for subject matter experts who have a point to make.
We’ll help you reframe your writing goals so you can start the writing process with clarity and intent. Then we’ll give you some practical tools to simplify your writing so you can inspire champions of your ideas.
Document Structure:
Take People To New Places
There is nothing more intimidating than a blank piece of paper- even to the experienced writer.
Subject matter experts have the knowledge, but the reader is the one in charge — if your main point is buried at the end of the seventh paragraph, you’ve lost. It’s not enough to put the information on paper. It’s our job to guide the reader through it, so they can learn what they need to know.
This class builds on the basic writing principles introduced in “Simplify.” In it, we’ll discuss how people read documents so we can better engage the reader in our content. This discussion includes consideration of paragraph and document structure, prioritizing content and managing detail.
Individual Coaching:
Don’t Go It Alone
Whether you are part of a large communication team or the solo communicator in your organization, individual coaching will help you build your strengths and develop new skills. It’s also helpful to have someone to consult with on new challenges.
Are internal dynamics just as tricky as the outside world? With years of experience nagivating government and nonprofits, we can help you be successful.
Presentations that Move Audiences
Whether you’re giving a formal presentation at a large meeting or just presenting an update at a regular team meeting, you want to be effective. You want people to remember what you said, why you said it and how you said it.
This one-hour class will cover the development of both content and visual aids. For those with less presentation experience, we recommend breaking this course into two hour-long sessions. Individual coaching and feedback sessions can also be added.
Media Training
We have a huge heart for subject matter experts! They save the world. Unfortunately, their deep knowledge sometimes makes it difficult to talk to more general public audiences, including media.
We do a hands-on, intensive media training that is designed to keep your SMEs from freaking out completely if they have to talk to a print or broadcast reporter.