Business Communication Workshops

Beyond PowerPoint: Using Presentations to Inform and Inspire

Participants will learn how to engage and motivate audiences through interactive presentation skills. Key Session Topics include: Introduction to the presentation skills needed to engage listeners, Understanding the power of images and storytelling, Structuring information for training, persuasive, and motivational topics, Fielding audience questions and eliciting responses. Basic knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint is required.

Return to Top

Effective Business Writing

Learn to:

• Organize written documents for maximum effect
• Write clear and concise memos, report, and letters
• Identify and correct the most common writing errors
• Write emails that get answers
• Convey appropriate tone in your written words

The rules for business writing have changed. Much of our correspondence is global and electronic, so it is more important than ever to write effectively, efficiently and professionally. This workshop will enable you to:

• Write clearly and concisely
• Be understood exactly as intended
• Write with confidence

TOPICS INCLUDE:

1. How Writing has Changed
2. Email
3. Getting Started
4. Organize Your Message
5. Use the Right Tone
6. Be Clear and Concise
7. Review and Revise
8. Get It Right: The Basics of Grammar and Spelling

For more information, see the Business Writing brochure.

Return to Top

Internet Marketing and Social Media

There are a wide range of social media tools available at little to no cost that organizations can use to increase interaction, communicate, promote brands, products and services, or exchange information with customers.

Register for this two-day workshop on utilizing social media in the workplace to gain the insight you need to remain competitive in a digital age.

The training lays the groundwork for understanding internet marketing and social media as a business strategy; identifying social medial tools available, and understanding organizational and customer benefits and limitations.

Sessions include topics such as:

• Internet Marketing Tools & Resources
  Introduces tools and provides step-by-step instruction, user guides, and resources.
• Social Media Basics
  Instructs participants on how to create a program image, make connections, and measure their impact.
• Managing Your Online Network
  Provides information on designing a thorough social media communication plan to ensure a consistent message that engages audiences effectively.
• Social Media Policy
  Addresses institutional concerns such as: firewalls, staff time, moderation, customer interactions, and feedback.

For more information, see the Internet Marketing and Social Media brochure.

Return to Top

Professional English Program

Master the nuances of the English language and improve communication with co-workers, customers and business partners. Gain the necessary skills to succeed in an American work environment. The Professional English Program at U of I BIS is designed for non-native English speaking executives and professionals who are living and working in the United States. BIS helps participants improve a full range of communication skills in order to work more effectively in the areas of:

• Technical and Business Writing
• Oral Communication
• Professional Etiquette & Business Culture
• Presentation Skills
• Accent Reduction
• American Business Jargon

The Professional English Program course content is fully-tailored to address participants' everyday English language needs based on job-specific vocabulary and communication channels. The benefits of this program include improved productivity and work quality through:

• Improved internal and external customer relations and communication
• Reduced amount of time re-writing documents
• Fewer costly errors caused by miscommunication
• Improved opportunities for career advancement

Return to Top

Public Speaking Skills: Deliver Presentations with Skill and Confidence

Learn to develop and deliver presentations that your audience will enjoy and remember.  Create dynamic, well-organized presentations and deliver them using highly-effective speaking techniques.

Learn to:

• Overcome speaker’s anxiety
• Develop a purposeful, organized, interesting and memorable presentation
• Tell stories that enhance your presentation
• Develop your own natural and engaging speaking style

Each participant will demonstrate their newly learned skills by giving a short 
presentation to fellow class members. 

Key Topics:

• Engaging listeners using effective organization and delivery skills
• Redirecting anxiety so that it enhances your presentation
• Reinforcing your topic using icebreakers, stories, and illustrations
• Structuring information for training, persuasive, and motivational topics
• Making the most of your personal style
• Fielding audience questions and eliciting responses

Who Should Attend: Anyone who makes presentations will benefit from this training - Executives, Managers, Supervisors, Engineers, Technicians, Lead People, etc. Basic knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint is required.

For more information, see the Public Speaking workshop brochure.

Return to Top

Technical Writing

The ability to write clear and effective instructions, procedures, and other technical documents is essential for businesses today. This course covers the communication of technical information in written documents, and online mediums. Emphasis is placed on identifying and addressing the needs of different audiences, clarity, subject development, and creating multi-part documents using MS Word. Topics include:

• Preparation
• Purpose
• Audience
• Scope
• Research
• Identifying logical linkages
• Methods of development
• Organization, Outlining and Design, and Layout

For more information, see the Technical Writing brochure.

Return to Top

Writing in Spanish with Microsoft Word

This workshop teaches you how to use Spanish symbols, spell check, grammar check, and translation features in Microsoft Word. Key session topics include: Introduction to Microsoft Word language features, Inserting, tildes, accents, and punctuation marks, Using two languages in a single document, Learning when to translate ideas vs. individual words. Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word is required.

Return to Top

 

 

Get Acrobat Reader