How to stop writing ‘like a girl’ in the workplace
I am a staunch feminist. Proudly vocal about gender equality. Career driven. Financially independent. And acutely aware of the subtle (and not-so-subtle) sexism that continues to plague modern society – in the workplace, the media and family life.
CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS: Is your business screwing it up?
Whether you’re an Uber driver or eBay seller, a copywriter or consultant, establishing credibility is critical to your marketing success. Purchasers want evidence to show that you or your business can be trusted.
The dos & don’ts of creating a winning corporate brochure
I established Refresh Marketing 12 years ago. That’s 12 years of presenting to prospects, meeting clients and attending industry and networking events.
Without a corporate brochure.
Now, not all businesses need a corporate brochure. But for a communications consultancy that writes and designs brochures for other businesses day in, day out?
5 steps to choosing a 5-STAR copywriter
You’re reading this post because you know that the quality of your company’s written content is critical to its image and marketing efforts.
And you’ve also come to the (very sensible) conclusion that copywriting is a rare and valuable skill that’s worth paying for.
So you’re ready to engage a copywriter. High five to that. Now all you have to do is find one. Easy right?
How to offend your customers – the easy way
Poorly written emails. We receive them every day, don’t we? It seems that too many of us just can’t shake those annoying email habits.
But poorly written emails can be more than just annoying. They can also be damaging. Damaging to your personal brand – and damaging to the business you represent as an employee.
If you don’t know the answer to this question, you shouldn’t be in business
Whenever I start working with a new client, my first priority is always the same. I become obsessively focused on uncovering their ‘point of difference’.
What is the one thing about this fashion label, accountant, educational institution, law firm, retail outlet or real estate agency that makes it compelling, different or special?
Is sloppy writing tarnishing your image? Is it killing your brand?
It seems that almost everywhere I look these days sloppy writing smacks me in the face. BAM! There it is again. Rearing its ugly head.
No, I’m not just talking about informal emails, personal status updates and text messages. I’m talking about mass communications – often from some of Australia’s leading brands. Myer, Coles and Monash University – just to name a few! (But we’ll get to those in a moment.)
A major grammar conundrum sorted. You’re welcome.
When you write, do you sometimes separate or combine two words with trepidation? Do you hesitate when adding or removing a hyphen?
If you’re like most people, you have a million emails and reports on the go at once. So you have little time to fuss over this kind of stuff, right? I get it. I really do.
Introducing the ‘Puffspeak’ Translator
Do you try to impress your audience with fancy words because you think it makes you seem intelligent? Do you use the same pompous phrases your boss and clients use – simply because you believe they expect you to?
Sadly, many useless and inflated words have pummelled their way into our everyday business language. I call it ‘puffspeak’.
11 tips to make your marketing materials sizzle
Do you produce your marketing materials in-house? If so, chances are you’re getting into some poor writing habits. And I suspect you’re repeatedly rehashing old content – expecting your efforts to be good enough.
Here are 11 hot tips to help give your sales brochures, flyers and advertisements a much-needed face-lift.