Christy Woods

Corporate Trainer, Writer, Editor

Available Courses

  • Business Grammar
  • Better Business Writing (also available as an online/email course)
  • Successful Email Writing
  • Business Editing and Proofreading
  • Projecting a Powerful, Positive Professional Image
  • Voice and Diction
  • Excellence in Communication Skills
  • Powerful Presentation Skills
  • Management Skills for Administrative Professionals
  • How to be an Outstanding Receptionist
  • Stress Management in a Stress-Filled World

Business Grammar

Good business writing begins with good grammar and structure in the same way a strong building begins with a sturdy foundation and frame. This comprehensive business grammar course will set your foundation for powerful business writing. In this grammar course we practice the fundamentals of grammar and explore new rules and current trends.

What This Course Will Cover

  • Parts of speech
  • Sentence structure
  • Subject and verb agreement
  • Run-on sentences
  • Sentence fragments
  • Punctuation
  • Pronoun agreement in number and gender
  • Pronoun choice (e.g., when to use "I" versus "me")
  • Modifier problems (including misplaced, ambiguous, and dangling modifiers)
  • Parallel structure
  • Confusing couples (affect/effect, ensure/insure, farther/further, which/that, fewer/less, et cetera)
  • Common business writing errors
  • Much more

Better Business Writing

Good business writing is a powerful communications skill that becomes even more important as you promote and advance in your career. Better Business Writing is a comprehensive workshop that offers solid tools and hands-on practice to help you write with increased clarity and greater influence. You'll learn techniques for getting your thoughts organized quickly and expressed in a way that gets the attention of your readers. Your documents will be clearer and sharper and will help you get the recognition you deserve. Business Grammar is recommended prior to attending Better Business Writing but is not required.

What This Course Will Cover

  • Overcome writer's block and get started quickly and easily
  • Learn to write with confidence
  • Understand your reader and build rapport
  • Write in clearly organized information blocks
  • Overcome common business writing errors such as misplaced clauses, lack of subject and verb agreement, and misused words
  • Learn to be clear, concise, and complete
  • Practice powerful, positive language that motivates your reader to action
  • Proofread like a pro
  • Discover Microsoft Office shortcuts and timesavers
  • Much more

Projecting a Powerful, Positive Professional Image

Everything about you is a message--from the clothes you wear, your posture, your facial expressions...to the words you use, and not only your choice of words but the way you pronounce those words. What kinds of messages are you sending? What kinds of messages do you want to send?

Bosses, clients, and coworkers form judgments about you and respond to you based on the messages you send through your behavior, attitude, speech, and appearance. The messages you send to others—positive or negative, deliberate or involuntary—help you get ahead professionally or limit your success. In this one-day workshop you will learn how to project a confident, highly professional image that gains the respect and cooperation of everyone you work with.

What This Course Will Cover

  • Define professional image and understand its importance
  • Assess self-image and self-esteem
  • Practice visual, vocal, and verbal communication skills to create personal influence
  • Discover the power of attitude
  • Learn how to choose words that are positive and powerful
  • Learn how to boost your credibility—and promotability—in the eyes of upper management
  • Review and practice business etiquette to project competence and confidence