You’ve finally decided to improve your company’s communication and hire a writing trainer — that’s great! Your efforts will soon be rewarded with clearer emails, fewer confusing memos and lots and lots of happy employees who better understand what they’re supposed to be doing.
While there’s never a bad reason to hire a writing trainer, there may very well be less-than-stellar writing trainers that you might be tempted to hire. Before you make your final selection, make sure you ask your short list of writing trainers these three vital questions:
What is your writing background? It may seem obvious that a writing trainer should be a writer, but often he or she is not. Avoid professional speakers and salespeople who are simply looking to cash in by taking the time to examine their background. Ask for writing samples to ensure they are well-versed in the type of writing your company needs help improving. Even within the professional writing community, there are a number of specialties, so be sure you’re getting the right help before you hire.
How can you help our particular communication issues? The last thing you need is a writing program out of a box — something that’s supposed to be designed for everybody in every situation. There is no such thing as a single way to write, nor is there a single solution to communication issues. Ask your writing trainer if she will be designing a customized program around your company’s needs, and how she intends to address your major issues. If the trainer tries to pitch a one-size-fits-all solution, walk away.
Will you be available for feedback once we’re ready to implement your lessons? Sure, they all give a good presentation and your employees might even learn a great deal from simply listening to your writing trainer, but the day will come that you have to implement the program and you may have questions. Many people do best when learning by doing — and if your writing trainer won’t be there after the presentation to help mold those employees with feedback and edits, they’re not doing much actual training. Make sure to work with someone who makes herself available long after the actual program has ended. Someone who cares about how you implement the training is the person you want on your side!
Hiring a writing trainer is an excellent move for your business, if you choose someone who is responsive to your needs, both adapting their program to your business and hanging around later to help with implementation. Your business writing workshops will teach your employees valuable communications skills that make business run more smoothly — all with the right writing coach leading the way.