Services

My mission

Whether it’s a keynote address, six-hour or two hour workshop, my goal is always to inspire business professionals to use their words wisely and write error-free emails that achieve the exact outcome they desire.

Here’s what I do

Did you know that 294 billion emails each day are sent around the globe; 2.8 million emails are sent every second, and 90 trillion emails are sent each year!  How many emails are sent each day by  you and your staff?

Knowing all of this, imagine  —  your entire staff consistently writing compelling emails that are understood the first time and receive the desired response and outcome.  No more sending the reader on a search party hunting for the main idea.  No recovery or clean up necessary because your staff will say it right, avoiding misinterpretation or confusion.  Phone conversations re-explaining a message will become a thing of the past.

Scope of Services

Specifically, I address these primary issues:

• I show audiences how to structure emails so that they’re clear, concise, and free of anything inappropriate that could get employees into trouble.  I focus on thinking strategies, word choice, and proprietary formats that help re-frame even the most difficult and challenging messages into tactful and resourceful documents.

• I help people customize their emails to specific audiences so the writing receives timely responses.

• I share tips, secrets, and strategies for catching proofreading errors and correcting grammatical problems that might cause embarrassment or humiliation.

• I help employees understand how to create appropriate social media messages that avoid liability issues and lawsuits.

Write So They Read It: Business Writing for the 21^st Century

1. Pre-Event Agenda:
   • I speak with key personnel (i.e. training director, HR manager) to uncover the problems that need to be addressed and brainstorm suggestions that should be included in the day’s training.
   • In some situations, I might interview key staff members for feedback prior to the presentation.
   • I often request examples of actual emails and work scenarios so I can address very specific challenges during the keynote or workshop.
2. An Interactive Experience that Sticks:
   • My events are always designed to be “sticky” – that is, memory-driven so the material is delivered in an interactive, experiential and engaging format.
   • My goal is to make it stick so that your staff will implement ideas immediately, and in some cases, during the workshop experience.
   • Whether it’s a breakout session, a two or all day event, participants write in class.  Occasionally, we look at samples of their writing – via Power Point- and brainstorm suggestions for improvement.
   • Participants practice what I teach, which creates many “ah hah” moments that increase retention.
   • I provide all materials, including workbooks and Power Point.  In class exercises, role-playing, and writing assignments can be customized to specific challenges facing your staff everyday.
3. The Post-Experience Debriefing:
   • In addition to pre-workshop interviews and questionnaires, clients are encouraged to talk afterward regarding retention of material and evaluations results from the audience.
   • Post-workshops can include post-testing, feedback on specific written assignments, regular email contact with participants, and periodic follow-ups to assess levels of improvement.

Why Hire Gary?

• I am one of the few trainers with an extensive background both in academia (Ph. D. in English) and twenty years in the corporate world (ran a successful California Closet franchise.)
• I have worked for public seminar companies since 1999, so I have an unusually wide range of experiences working with every type of business from Fortune 500 to small/mid size companies in most large and small cities in all 50 states.

• I am a working writer with an extensive background in advertising, sales, and marketing.  I understand the importance of visual imagery in writing documents, and I spent decades writing taglines and headlines to capture the attention of people.

• My passion to identify and provide what my clients want and need distinguishes me from other corporate trainers.  I customize my workshops to specific audiences by inventorying their challenges and needs either prior to or at the beginning of a workshop.

• I love my work, so I stay current with all the latest research and trends.  Using this knowledge, I teach my clients how to approach multi-generational audiences and high conflict personalities.  I show business professionals how to be persuasive with even the most difficult employees or customers.

• As the author of The Mouth Trap: Strategies, Tips and Secrets to Keep Your Foot Out of Your Mouth (Career Press, 2008), I emphasize the importance of conscious thought and brainstorming before one writes any document.

• I work hard to create a memorable learning experience that is engaging, energetic, and interactive for my audiences.

My Corporate Clients Include the Following:

• Top government agencies and departments, city governments including The Department of Energy, Atomic Laboratories, and Homeland Security.
• Large, mid-sized and small companies including hospitals, law offices, insurance companies, advertising agencies, and non profit organizations.
• Human resource professionals, managers, CEOs, teachers, administrative staff, and customer service representatives.  (See testimonials for a specific list.)