Apologies, I was delayed writing this post on account of my online Flugelhorn workshop. Learning online has gone through the roof. Can’t think why. Google fo...

The first sentence of anything is every writer’s nightmare. Whether it’s a novel, an ad, a report, or a web page, the first line is always the hardest. You’r...

Readability is all the rage these days. Internet tools abound that check how easy it is to read your copy. There's even one built into Microsoft Word. They'r...

You can breathe a sigh of relief – crisis comms are (mostly) out of the way. Hopefully your audience responded well and you’ve dodged being our new “how not ...

The short answer: remember you're talking to people. There’s a lot of talk about the march of the robots. AI and machine learning making people’s jobs redund...

These are unprecedented times for any business. There’s no rulebook about how to communicate when you’re cancelling events or closing down temporarily. Shoul...

“I need another email!” The New Business director is screaming down the phone. The company sales pipeline has all the flow of a London sewer choking on a fat...

Brand tone of voice. Everyone’s at it. It’s a boom industry for writing agencies creating more and more guidelines for brand voice. Even organisations that p...

Apparently, slime is a thing. It can be scented, coloured, themed. It has its own conference where people buy, trade, and perform tricks with it. Slimers hav...

Design vs copy. You know you need both. But which is going to make most difference to your brand? Which one is more likely to grab attention? Which one will ...

Four formulae to get you through to Friday. How was Blue Monday for you? Was it thoroughly depressing? Did it make you book a summer holiday? Because that’s w...

Writing a winning submission for awards ceremonies Whether you’re vying for a BISHTA (British Pool and Hot Tub Award) or Pedigree Breeder of the Year in the ...

Why you should ignore anyone who tells you to ‘add some more SEO’ Looking for running trainers? We have the largest selection of men’s and women’s gym sneake...

I met Alexa’s dad last week. Ok, I met the bloke behind the technology that powers Amazon’s smart speaker, William Tunstall-Pedoe. He was speaking at CogX19,...

We wondered whether GDPR might kill off the e-newsletter. But, looking at the current state of my inbox, apparently not. I’m bombarded with them every single...

As you know, customer service teams are on the front lines. They see all the emotional extremes, from unbridled love to raw hatred. They deal with every conc...

Last week, Mark Zuckerberg posted what was described as a ‘manifesto for privacy’ on Facebook. Headlines and comment duly followed. But how many people actua...

Easy ways to increase the reach of your content Accessibility. It’s not political correctness. Or dumbing down. It’s not an add-on to your website. Or a set ...

I’d just inhaled a sharing bag of Maltesers when I read it – ‘everybody likes a nice bottom’. I smirked then chucked the packaging in the bin. I know it’s n...

It’s part of every Christmas. Predictable from certain individuals. Often extremely tacky. It’s the unwanted gift. At least one will land in your lap or be...