The ready access to information and demand for data-driven results has created the need for clear, accurate and interesting copy. Regardless of whether you are selling a product or sharing technical information, you need to grab attention fast and then hold it.

Good communication gets people to change their behaviors or attitudes in ways that favor your business or industry. In other words, good communication gets them to act by buying your product or allowing your business to grow unfettered by unnecessary regulations or community opposition.

I help you define goals, develop materials and share information that persuade people to choose your product over competitors, and that help employees and business associates adapt to an ever-changing world.

Writing

I create easy-to-read and accurate documents on any non-fiction topic for a variety of oral, print and online formats. My services include:

  • Editing of works created by others
  • Writing marketing materials
    • Integrated copy for websites, blogs and social media
    • News releases, and articles for newspapers and journals
    • Brochures, posters and trade show materials
    • Product and instructional videos
  • Writing business documents
    • Reports, proposals, and white papers
    • Grants
    • Product documentation, usage instructions, and procedures
    • Speeches and presentation materials
    • Talking points for interviews, discussions with legislators
  • Developing educational and training materials (print and online)

I work with world-class graphic designers on marketing pieces that need striking visuals to make your product or service stand out.

Training

Basic Media Training: a 4-hour course for up to 15 individuals that includes an introduction to interview tactics. Participants will learn how to focus attention on a business’ strengths and deflect attention away from vulnerabilities. Participants will practice skills by developing talking points geared toward influencing perspectives, followed by a class review of representative talking points developed by participants. Ideal for executives, business owners, and public relations staff.

Advanced Media Training: an intensive 1-day workshop for up to four individuals. Participants will learn how to focus attention on a business’ strengths and deflect attention away from vulnerabilities. Training includes an introduction to media communication basics, development of talking points geared toward influencing perspectives, and practice interviews. Practice interviews will be videotaped and reviewed to reinforce concepts, and to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Ideal for executives, business owners, and public relations staff.

Crisis Communication Training, basic or advanced: courses are similar to media training, with an emphasis on addressing negative events. Participants learn when to ignore negative attention and when to respond. Other topics covered include expressing empathy, and when and how to apologize. Ideal for executives, business owners, and public relations staff.

Leadership Communication Training: a 4-hour course geared to supervisory and executive level participants. Concepts covered prepare participants for a variety of situations including speeches, product launches, product pitches to internal and external stakeholders, and delivering negative news. Skills taught include communication frequency, methods, relationship building, and messaging. Ideal for supervisory, training, sales and public relations staff as well as executives and business owners.

Technical writing training: a 4-hour course tailored to help technical experts produce readable writing that is clear and concise. Students learn about the importance of organization and word order, how to put numerical data in context, ethics in writing and how to avoid trouble with the unintended audience. Also covered are common writing problems and how to fix them.

Strategic Planning

Good business communication comes only with having a solid strategy in place and then developing the tactics to support your strategy. I can help your organization:

  • Crisis communication plans
    • Develop a crisis communication plan
    • Organize drills to practice the plan
  • Marketing plans
    • Develop marketing strategies and tactical campaigns
    • Implement the plan by developing and placing marketing pieces
  • Public relations plans
    • Develop a public relations plan
    • Assist with implementing the plan