Introduction
Business writing is one of the most important skills needed to be successful in the business world. It involves developing a writing process that is used by business professionals in a corporate setting.
Depending on the position you hold in your organization, successful communication between you and your coworkers very much depends on how effectively you can communicate.
The key is to be able to write with the purpose and making use of your thought provoking words to express your feelings effectively and convey your message to the readers.
Business reports, memos, official notices, reference letters, emails, proposals by the clients or any other document that communicates something about your business will be considered as business writing.
Being proficient in business writing is crucial to establish productive communication with the stakeholders that definitely leads you to gain huge success in your career.
Related reading: 25 Free Online Entrepreneurship Courses
1. Business Writing – Coursera
Offering a good combination of practical skills to help improve your writing skills, as well as teaching you how to structure your writing and revise it until you’re happy with it, this is a four-week course that ultimately leads to you being able to deliver what is known as ‘effective communication’.
Using a mix of online quizzes and instructional videos, the training is given by the hugely popular Dr. Quentin McAndrew together with Dave Underwood, graphic design tutor and Professor William Kuskin, who teaches about successful presentation.
Thanks to the accessibility of the course, you should be able to apply what you’ve learned into your working environment fairly quickly.
What to expect from this course
- At the end enrollees receive a completion certification from the University of Colorado
- You are able to get access to the course permanently so you can revisit the material time and time again and means you can learn in your own time
What this course will teach you
- 10 principles of effective business writing
- Use of practical tools to quickly improve your business writing
- Best ways to organize, structure and revise your work
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Dr. Quentin McAndrew
Level: Beginner
Class Project: Capstone Project
Video Lectures: 52
User Review: 4.8/5 (1002 reviews)
Price: Free
2. Better Business Writing Skills – Udemy
Divided into three parts, this course is taught by Mark Morris, who is worth mentioning in his own right, because he is an award-winning speechwriter who has experience of writing for senior politicians both in the UK (two ex-Prime Ministers no less!) and globally.
The three sections of the course are:
- How to plan your business writing
- The writing process itself
- How to edit your writing effectively
Don’t expect a technical course full of complicated grammatical pointers. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of classic principles necessary to produce writing that is concise and engaging.
What to expect from this course
- Certificate of completion which is verified and can be shared
- Complimentary book including practical exercises
What this course will teach you
- How to write persuasively to reach your goals
- Clever ideas to keep your writing flowing
- The right approach and structure to take before writing anything
- How important effective business writing is for your job or company
- The power of accurate editing
- How to maximize the effectiveness of your writing
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Mark Morris
Level: All levels
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 64
User Review: 4.6/5 (8314 reviews)
Price: $138
3. Enhance your business writing skills – edX
Offering a rounded and in-depth approach, this Business Writing Professional certificate is a comprehensive course, ideal for seasoned professionals looking to add to their existing skillset.
From collecting information and how to structure your writing to the final editing process, it is all covered here and also allows for different types of business correspondence, ensuring students leave with an all-encompassing set of skills.
The course is delivered by Tim Peter and Margaret Steen from the University of California, Berkeley (BerkeleyX).
What to expect from this course
- Both assignments and exams
- Professional certificate that is verified and can be shared
- A relevant set of professional writing skills
What this course teaches you
- How to organize content and ideas in the most effective way
- How to write all manner of correspondence for maximum effect
- How to resolve practical matters of grammar and punctuation
- How to get the right style for your writing
COURSE DETAILS:
Level: All levels
Class Project: Yes
Video Lectures: N/A
User Review: N/A
Price: $537.30/ Free (Audit)
4. Business Writing for Busy People – Udemy
If you are looking for training that is quick and easy, but that will equip you with the necessary skills to be able to write more effectively, then the aptly-named Business Writing for Busy People is the course for you.
Designed to be completed in less than two hours, the main aim of the training is to enable business professionals to write crisp, clear copy which is easily accessible to the reader.
The course is given by Dr. Clare Lynch who runs the highly successful consultancy Doris and Bertie in London, UK. Her business offers people the opportunity to learn how to write for their profession, so she is ideally placed to deliver this training.
What to expect from this course
- Certificate of completion which can be downloaded and which is verified
- Interactive tasks
- Useful online links for further learning
- Access to a good-sized e-book with key summaries, tasks, assignments and exercises written by Dr. Clare Lynch herself
What will this course teach you
- How to quickly plan what you are trying to say
- How to organize and structure your writing clearly and accurately
- How to write engaging copy to keep the attention of the reader
- The key to striking the right business tone
- Techniques to make your writing more effective
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Clare Lynch
Level: All levels
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 38
User Review: 4.4/5 (1337 reviews)
Price: $11.99
5. Business Communication – Fundamentals of Business Writing – Alison
Get ready to learn the fundamentals of business writing with your experienced instructor. First of all, you will be taught to get prepared by learning the prerequisites of business writing to craft a successful business letter.
You will be taught how to get into the shoes of your business audience while applying the principles of business communication to communicate your thoughts clearly and efficiently. Expect yourself to be able to write a business letter that must look professional and distinctive.
What you may expect from this course
- You will learn the rules that govern the business writing
- You will be able to collect the essential elements to incorporate in business document while planning the writing process
- You will learn to present your knowledge and information effectively while adopting particular writing style
- Also you will be taught the legal implications of business writing
- You will be taught to produce three different layouts of business letter
What this course will teach you
- Module 1 of this online free course will give you a detailed introduction of the business writing
- Module 2 will equip you with the flawless business communication and writing skills
- Comprehensive training will be given to the enrollees to craft business reports in third module of this course
- Final assessment will be conducted in the last and fourth module of this course
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Alison
Level: Beginner
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: N/A
User Review: 5/5
Price: Free
6. Business Writing Strategies – LinkedIn Learning
If you intend to learn how to write for a specific business purpose then this is the right course for you. Do you want to learn how to present information effectively? Do you intend to deliver good or bad news to the stakeholders? Do you want to gain some support for your business idea? Or you’re producing a business document for a combination of purposes?
This course offers you the techniques, tools as well as templates you need to answer all the above questions while crafting a document for your specific business strategy.
Judy Steiner-Williams is a senior lecturer at Kelley Business School and she will be your instructor for this course which means if you have enrolled for this course then you are in the safe hands already.
What you may expect from this course
- You may access all the lectures free of cost for month during the trial period
- Enrollees can access the resources for lifetime
- You will receive verified certificate that will be shareable
What this course will teach you
- You will be taught how to draft an outline and strategy to produce the business document
- You will learn the ways to emphasize while conveying good news
- You will be provided with plenty of examples and samples of variety of purposes for business writing
- You will learn how to create an inspiring intro and summary of the business document
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Judy Steiner-Williams
Level: All
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 30
User Review: 4.5/5
Price: Free on LinkedIn Premium
7. Business Writing Simplified – SkillShare
If you want to grab the due attention towards your emails and business reports that you are unable to attract so far, then get enrolled in this course right away.
You really want your business documents to be concise and to the point but mostly you end up creating piles of pages. With this course, get ready to learn the effective business writing skill with your instructor Chris Heath.
What you may expect from this course
Expect yourself to learn the reality of different myths related to business writing and get to know how to make the business documents and written correspondences simpler.
What this course will teach you
- This is the best course for all levels of writers (from beginners to the advanced level) to incorporate business writing principles in a variety of business documents such as manuals, business reports, memos, emails, etc.
- This is an incredible resource for the lawyers to learn the business writing principles as well as fundamental principles of English language applicable to business writing
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Chris Heath
Level: All levels
Class Project: 2
Video Lectures: 7
User Review: (40 reviews)
Price: Free on the 7-day free-trial/ $8.25 per month annual membership
8. The Business Writing Course – Skillshare
It is a proven fact that your success in the business always depends on how effectively you communicate. In case you are unable to write clearly, it will be hard for you to land a job opportunity that can pay you well and even if you are hired, it will be very difficult to get promoted.
Alan Sharpe, as being your instructor for this course will teach you how to write concisely, clearly and convincingly.
Since 1987, Alan has been serving the world’s renowned organizations to produce their flawless business documents and since then has trained countless number of professionals to do the same. He has served the biggest brands and Fortune 500 companies such as IBM and Apple.
What you may expect from this course
- You can learn amazing business copywriting skills with just 7 hours of effort
- If you are not good at editing the business documents then enroll in this business writing course to strengthen your proofreading and editing skills.
- This online course is designed to work in the style of “learn, practice and repeat”.
- This is a pretty much different course in comparison to the conventional classroom style so get ready to be amazed while you enroll in this course.
- Get ready to learn through practice and keep repeating any particular module unless you have nailed it.
What will this course teach you?
This entire course is divided into seven comprehensive modules:
- You will be introduced with the business writing techniques in the first module
- Module two will teach you to organize your thoughts while you start the business writing process
- Third module will teach you to craft your first draft
- In the fourth module you will be taught to proofread and edit your first draft
- Rest of the modules will bring your business writing skills to the next level.
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Alan Sharpe
Level: All levels
Class Project: Yes
Video Lectures: 30
User Review: 4.6/5 (9 reviews)
Price: Free Trial
9. High-Impact Business Writing – Coursera
This course will teach you the art to be better understood by your readers by articulating your thoughts in a precise and very concise manner. Here you learn how to manipulate language and adjust your writing style in accordance with your audience.
Your instructor is Sue Robin who is equipped with 25 years of experience in teaching, training and facilitating business writing projects for a variety of organizations.
What you may expect from this course
- You will receive a verifiable certificate from the University of California, Irvine Extension and Coursera
- You will have lifetime access to the online writing course that allows you the flexibility you need to learn at your own pace if you sign up for a premium package.
What this course will teach you
Upon completion of this online course, you’ll be able to:
- Create content for the presentations, business docs, press release, emails, business reports and memos.
- Proofread and edit the business documents
- Spot the errors, correct them and avoid the most common writing pitfalls
COURSE DETAILS:
Instructor: Sue Robin, M.S. Ed
Level: Beginner
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 22
User Review: 4.5/5 (571 reviews)
Price: Free
Are online business writing courses worth it?
There is a vast array of writing courses available and so it is vital to do your research to make sure you find a course that is useful and relevant to you.
With the right amount of support, training and practice, you can learn powerful writing skills and successfully utilize these in your professional life.
This guide brings you Top 9 online business writing courses to choose from so you may select the one which you think best suits your requirements:
Best practices for business writing
In order to acquire effective business writing skills, you must adopt best practice methods in writing style, English grammar, sentence structures, and business writing strategies. Using a combination of simple tools, communication skills and persuasive writing are the key factors to successful business writing.
Put the important points first
Try keeping it simple and straightforward to make it clear why you are producing any business document. If you are writing an email to the business stakeholders and discussing some agenda that has a connection with some previous meeting that has been held already, then keep in mind points raised by the participants while you write this email.
Make sure, you must address the conflicts raised by the participants in a very artistic manner while making use of a bit of diplomatic language.
So it is always recommended to make a list of all the aspects that you intend to address in the email you are writing.
Make use of simple words
Try not to alienate the intended recipient by using convoluted or flowery language, and keep the tone gentle and persuasive rather than cold and calculating. This is how your words will grab the attention of your readers as they will be able to relate themselves to what you have written in your write-up.
Knowing your audience is the key to success in business writing
Try avoiding the technical jargons unless you are producing some industry-specific document. However, if it is necessary for you to add some technical terms, then you may attach a list of these terms separately for your readers’ convenience.
Here you have to learn how to adjust your writing style as well as the tone to better address your audience. For example, the tone and style of the reference letter will be different in comparison to the complaint letter.
Why must you use active verbs, not passive verbs?
Active verbs correspond to the human brain naturally that helps the readers understand the business writings quickly.
For instance: “The action has been taken to increase the production”. This sentence is open for the readers to comprehend in their own way and they may interpret it in multiple ways without knowing who took that action. Whereas “The management took the action to increase the production” offers very clear meaning for the readers.
Say exactly what you mean
While looking at the example given above, one can say that choosing the phrase “took the action” rather than “action has been taken” makes the reading straightforward and easier for the readers.
These are just the basics of effective business writing. In order to become truly proficient, it may be beneficial to undertake an online business writing course. Mastering this skill can greatly improve your professional skillset but with so many business writing classes and courses to choose from, it can be hard to know where to begin.
Conclusion
Making sure you find the right course for you will really help you to gain a better understanding of professional writing skills. Whether you are looking for an accolade from a prestigious educational establishment or some simple practical skills, the end goal is the same – to learn how to write professionally.
Before you pick any of the courses, you should write down your goals and objectives that you want to achieve by taking any course online. Pick a course that covers both the appropriate level of expertise and the preferred length of time needed to complete it.
A business person with less than a year of experience would need to take a basic course, whereas someone with a few years’ experience under their belt might find an intermediate course more useful.
Advanced level online courses are for professionals who are well versed in business and need to polish their skills for ‘C-suite’ or executive level career paths.
Lastly, as a busy professional, it is important to pick a course that allows you the flexibility to learn at your own pace and according to your schedule.
Before you make the final decision, it is highly recommended to visit the particular online learning platform where that course is being offered. Learn more about the course and the instructor with the help of reviews of the enrollees.
If you find everything in accordance with what you expect from that course, then go ahead and sign up for trial business writing classes to ensure that you have selected the right course. And there you go!
Happy learning!
