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Replies To The Public: How To Get Your Points Across Effectively

In the course of our work, all of us receive letters from the public. Normally, these are requests for clarification, information and yes, even complaints! Often, it is a challenge to write an effective reply that is crisp, clear and empathetic. The task becomes even more challenging if the public's letter is an appeal against the enforcement of a regulation, or perceived lack of transparency on an agency's part.

It is always difficult to say "no"; but sometimes this has to be done. Is it possible in such cases to persuade the appelant to see reason and understand the reasoning for doing so? Is it possible to be firm and empathetic, without sounding defensive in your replies?

Rest assured that this is possible, and Dr Sommerville will show you how to do this, using his specially developed systematic steps to effective reply writing.

Fully hands-on, this workshop will build the skills necessary to design and develop effective replies in systematic steps. Through interactive coaching you will learn how to:

• Develop skills in writing consistently high quality replies to the public;
• Develop a response matrix;
• Tactfully deliver "bad news" and persuade the writer;
• Inject empathy and tact in your letters/replies.

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