From time to time I produce content for a client that gets feedback along the lines of, “You’re a natural!” Or, “Wow! You’re so talented!” There’s always a faint air of suprise at my ability to express what they want to say in exactly the right words, or admiration at my “gift”. This is like […]
READ MOREBad Business Writing And Your Bottom Line
What’s the first thing that tells you you’ve just received email from a spammer? Well, maybe you haven’t entered the British lottery, or you bank with a different institution. But there are also all kinds of clues in the writing. Often tehre are errors and poor language use. Web credibility research out of Stanford University […]
READ MOREWhy lack of transformation is negatively affecting your company’s publicity
Companies who are hoping to position themselves as market leaders would do well to look at the diversity of their companies, and ensure their spokespeople are representative of South Africa’s people. Twenty-four years after apartheid fell, as a journalist I still struggle to find sources – particularly in big corporations – who are people of colour. […]
READ MOREHow Feedback Helps Your Remote Worker
The gig economy is the future, we’re told. I’ve been an active part of this economy for just over two decades, and there are two major skills required to make this work. The first is being able to give a clear brief, and the second is the ability to give feedback. Part of the reason many […]
READ MOREBefore you decide to do a newsletter…
So, you’ve decided your company needs a newsletter. You’d like to connect with your clients and customers, keep them updated about innovations or changes at your firm, and you think a newsletter would tick several of those boxes. I’ve worked with several companies on their newsletters, and we always run up against the same obstacles. […]
READ MOREWhy I Deleted Your Press Release Today
Dear Pee Arr I hope this letter finds you well. Actually, I don’t really – I haven’t even met you – but since you always start off that way, I thought I’d do it too. So look, I love you, really I do. Some of my best friends are Pee Arrs. But we need to […]
READ MOREWriting Short
“I’m sorry this letter is so long; I didn’t have time to write a short one,” is a quote variously attributed to Cicero, Blaise Pascal and Mark Twain. Whoever said it hit the nail on the head – writing something short that has both impact and depth of content is much more difficult than banging […]
READ MORE5 Tips For Working With A Remote Worker
Nothing makes me want to flee like a request to come and work in a client’s office. I love working remotely, and being on my own, neutral territory gives me both the flexibility to work the (sometimes unorthodox) hours that work for me, and the freedom to prioritise the jobs on my slate. But it’s […]
READ MOREWhy it’s not ‘just’ proofreading
“That seems a bit pricey for just a proofread.” That’s the comment I received after sending out a quote this week. What the client really wanted was not a proofread, but an edit – not many people know the difference; many underestimate the role that each has to play, and the painstaking work involved […]
READ MOREHow To Brief – And Work With – A Content Writer
I recently posted the information below as a thread on Twitter, and it got a great response – from writers and clients alike. So I’m reproducing it here in case you missed it. Your brief to a writer is crucial – it will help them to deliver exactly what you need, without excessive to- […]
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