1. First things first: Corporate communications, How to use this book, The cost of poor communication, The history of plain language, How plain language helps; 2. Write plain language Plain in two ways: Documents that should be in plain language, Main features of plain language, Everyday communication, Make the most of email, Writing emails and other letters, Structuring a message, Letters to international clients, Best of both worlds: writing the easy way, Writing faxes, Writing memos, Writing media releases; 4. Reports: Inform, interpret, advise, Think first!, Process of report writing, Usual sections of a report, Make each section do its duty, Structure reports for the reader's convenience, The all-important executive summary, Use graphics for facts and figures, Choose your report format: traditional or modern?; 5. Proposals: persuasion in action: Proposals are not reports, Persuasive structure, How to persuade your reader, Your covering letter; 6. Policy, procedures and instructions: Company policy, procedures and instructions, Public sector policy writing, How to write policy, Writing staff manuals, Documentation requirements for ISO 9000; 7. Modern page design: The impact of the PC, Easy-to-read design features: 8. Oral communication: Discussions with clients and customers, Informal meetings, Using the phone, Formal meetings, Making speeches and presentations, Electronic presentations, Team presentations, Interviewer and interviewee, Death by PowerPoint or any other brand; 9. Getting it right: At last we get to grammar, Ten serious grammar mistakes, Some minor grammar points, Punctuation, Editing and proofreading, Tips for writing faster; 10. Corporate responsibilities: Role of the corporate communications team, Taking the broad view, Developing communications policy and procedures, Corporate style guide, Team writing, Train your writers and monitor the results, Documentation and quality management; 11. Examples of documents; 12. Checklists; Index