Elaine Swift

Ten tips for a successful e-newsletter

elaineswift — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:24:45 +0000

Newsletters are an excellent way to build your brand. They let you keep in touch with your clients and attract new business. Here are some ideas to help you produce your own newsletter.

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Commonly misused words

elaineswift — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:53:57 +0000

Quite often in English, words develop a different meaning through constant misuse. Here’s list of words that are frequently used in the wrong context; often in business letters and documents. Test your knowledge and make sure you are using them correctly. (more…)

Plainly Speaking

admin — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:40:54 +0000

“People think I can teach them style. What stuff it is. Have something to say and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style.”
Matthew Arnold - 1822-1888. English poet and cultural critic.

A lot of business communications - letters, press releases, brochures and even websites, read like the written equivalent of the ‘telephone voice’. You know, when we put on an accent and use words we wouldn’t normally in every day conversation. (more…)

Apostrophes

admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:29:48 +0000

The apostrophe – it’s a lot more than a little black mark

Seeing a misused apostrophe gives me the same feeling as scraping my finger nails down a blackboard. It’s particularly annoying when the mistake appears on an in-your-face sign outside of a shop, restaurant, office or is stuck on the side of a building.

It’s an easy thing to do when we are busy and rushing to get copy out. But if you know apostrophes are a problem area for you, get your copy checked by someone else before you send it. (more…)

Fewer or Less

admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:24:08 +0000

When less is more

Fewer and less are constantly used incorrectly. One of the posher supermarkets used to have the sign ‘five items or less’ over its checkouts. Someone must have complained (it wasn’t me, honest) because they changed it to the correct ‘five items or fewer’.

So how do you know which is right? (more…)

Using Capitals

admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:17:01 +0000

Random capitals drive me mad. Some documents look as though the capitals goblin has sprinkled a sack full of them liberally but randomly all over the copy. The effect is copy that makes your eyes dance all over the page which means it’s going to be difficult to read. So, let’s catch that goblin and put a stop to his evil doings!

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