Getting a handle on cycle-rail travel
Writing about COPD: when experience helps
Professional writers can write with authority about subjects they know little about. But if you’re asked to write about issues with a personal connection they can really get the story-telling juices flowing.
I knew about respiratory disorders before I started writing about COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in press releases and brochures for GCE Healthcare last […]
Apostrophe misuse can hurt your business
Don’t abuse the apostrophe if you want customers to respect your brand, stay loyal and continue buying your goods and services. Apostrophe misuse can hurt your business.
Take a look – if you can bear it – at these signs from a new car valeting service at my local garden centre. I wish to report an […]
Borderline serious about exporting? Don’t be
Maybe you’re a business-owner thinking about exporting. Perhaps you’ve never considered it, don’t know where to start or are daunted by the prospect.
Since fear didn’t stop you from setting up a business in the first place, why should it prevent you from tapping into a potential market of seven billion people on the planet? That’s […]
Interviewing Jeremy Corbyn
When Jeremy Corbyn won the Labour Party leadership yesterday and was serenaded by Billy Bragg, how many others were transported back, like me, to the rebellious mid 1980s?
I studied for a media studies degree at the Polytechnic of Central London (PCL) from 1983 to 1986. The Conservatives were in power and Mrs Thatcher was prime […]
Crowdfunding on the rise
As an alternative way of financing projects, crowdfunding is on the rise. In 2014 the market grew 167% according to a 2015 report by Massolution; which collected data from 1,250 crowdfunding platforms (CFPs).
It’s just one interesting fact I discovered while writing this article called ‘What is crowdfunding?’ for crowdfundingwebsites.co.uk – a new website for anyone […]
Small firms need to shake off budget blues
How have independent professionals, freelancers and contractors reacted to the summer budget? They have the budget blues, if the reaction of several trade organisations and associations is anything to go by.
“Three blows below the belt” for small businesses is how Chris Bryce, CEO of IPSE (The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed), summarised […]
What is brand journalism?
Brand journalism and branded content are two buzzword phrases that marketing people often use. But others are left scratching their heads. What do the phrases mean?
A brand journalist combines journalism techniques and principles with clever marketing to write copy for brands, businesses and organisations that is better at connecting with people than blatant selling.
Branded content […]
Tips on refreshing your website
Refreshing your website can take a long time. I knew mine was in dire need of modernisation but I spent 18 months on it before it went live today.
In retrospect, that sounds ridiculous. But when you write for a living – and are as pernickety as I am about spelling, punctuation and grammar – the […]