COMPETITIVE WRITING FOR MARKETING AND POSITIONING (G074)

Complete List > Competitive Writing

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

The greatest downside of the information age is information overload. It stops your readers:

• Understanding;
• Remembering; and
• Acting upon

the words you write, however transmitted – web site, email, print, blog – and in whatever form – announcement, article, release, memo, letter, etc.

It’s estimated that the average person is targeted by over 3,000 messages per day and this barrage may affect concentration, sleep and immune systems (David Shenk, Data Fog; David Lewis, Director of Research, Mindlab International).

Information overload not only presents challenges for readers, but also for communicators – indeed anyone who must cut through the maze of data and deliver important, succinct messages that are understood. In fact, overload is so prevalent that the credibility and authority of "government" as a source of content is no longer sufficient to garner audience attention.

Government content then is in direct competition with other governments and a tidal wave of private sector sources, some of which are credible and many that are not, growing by the day. Regardless of your audience (media, general public, specific stakeholders) or the type of writing you do (promotional, journalistic, administrative or technical, program, policy), effective communication is a major factor in the survival, growth and success of your program, policy, department, agency or project.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

The Competitive Writing Workshop reveals fascinating new research on what makes people pay attention in the information age. It explains how to lever this knowledge to ensure your messages are efficiently communicated, understood and, where applicable, acted upon.

You will discover:

• The true horrors of information overload only now being fully understood by scientists and researchers and why you need to know this in order to effectively plan and execute your communications.
• What actual readers of government publications have to say about the writing and presentation of most government newsletters and publications.
• The true scope of communications competition today and what we're really up against!
• Tricks used by aggressive private sector competitors and how to both copy and combat them.
• The power of effective headlining and how to create headlines that reach out and grab your reader.
• How to write body copy for information-overloaded and time-starved readers.
• How to inject importance, urgency and relevance into your writing.
• How to plan your communications using an easy-to-follow matrix that saves time and ensures impact.
• How to match reading levels with your target audiences.
• Ways to measure the success of your competitive writing.
• How to effectively promote your program, agency or project.

You are invited to bring a USB stick or CD of something you have recently written or was created by your team. The presenter will display the text onto the projector screen for a critique designed to help improve your communications.

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE AWAY?

• Workbook
• Communications Matrix
• Exercise handouts

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COMPETENCY

• Thinking Things Through: Innovating through analysis and ideas
• http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tal/kcl/ekl-eng.asp

Agenda
8:45 - 9:15	Introductions and Workshop Overview
9:15 - 10:15	Information Overload - Ramifications and Pertinent Issues What your readers are really up against Understanding reader fatigue Why information overload must be taken into account Where does government communication fit in? Opinions of one or two government publication subscribers (multi-media or live interactive session)
10:15 - 10:30	Break
10:30 - 12:00	Your Competitive Edge Powerful headline writing Headline exercise Powerful body copy writing Body copy exercise Building credibility and authority
12:00 - 13:15	Lunch
13:15 - 14:15	Combating the Competition Critique of writing as submitted (group participation) Competitive tricks and tips to entice your reader (reading times and more) The art of writing promos to keep them coming back Promo exercise The Gunning Fog Index and writing for your audience Importance, urgency and relevance
14:15 - 14:45	Competitive Planning A matrix of planning steps to ensure your writing is competitive and has the desired impact will be presented and examined.
14:45 - 15:00	Break
15:00 - 15:30	General Writing Tips Active versus Passive Exercise to change passive to active How to get to the point as quickly as possible Other tips
15:30 - 16:00	Writing Review A look at private sector writing Public sector examples Additional critique time Measurement
16:00 - 16:30	Conclusions, Wrap-up Discussion and Workshop Evaluation Participants will complete a short evaluation