With a seasonal nod to the 2018 John Lewis ad Here’s a challenge for you. Try and guess which one song got three 12-year-old girls and one 51-year-old woman belting it out together in joyful harmony? Which artist managed to bridge our generational and cultural chasm? Ed Sheeran seems obvious? Perhaps Little Mix? Or maybe…
How to make your words leave a lasting impression
When a single email can make it hard for your customers to say goodbye How often does this happen to you? You’re at the end of a contract and the price goes up. So, to avoid being fleeced, you have to shop around to find a better deal. I’ve had to do this (again) recently…
How to nail tone of voice (2)
And help people feel better When she was younger my daughter had a serious health scare. Although it was a false alarm, so physically she was fine, it left her with an extreme fear of doctors and hospitals. We’re having to face this fear now as my lovely girl was diagnosed with scoliosis (curvature…
How to write a list post or blog
And make sure people read it This is a short post with one small but oh so important tip for when you write your next list post. If your headline is along the lines of ‘25 ways you can…”, please keep your promise. Because when you write ‘25 ways…’ your reader expects to see exactly…
How to nail tone of voice (1)
And get people through your door This is the door for Blackbarn Flooring, a shop in the town near to where I live. The shop stands out on the street because of its lovely tone of voice. That ‘Hello’ is immediately friendly and welcoming, just like Hannah and Dan, who own the…
How to write like a human (so people do what you ask)
Warning! If direct reference to periods and tampons offends you, look away now. I saw this sign in a loo on Friday. It’s a perfect example of how to make sure people don’t do what you’re asking them to. So I thought I’d translate for you it into language that is clear, direct…
Three easy ways you can make your writing more compelling
Earlier today I read a blog that suggested it would help me create compelling content. Whoever wrote it used the following words and phrases: leverage (more than once), passionate (more than once), customer lifecycle, keeping a pulse on their CEO, top-of-funnel content, roadmap (at least seven times!) informational, gather input (?), customer journey, customer…
When Sainsbury’s spoke to me like a human being
How more human language can change minds Please wait a moment. Sainsbury’s (yes, the supermarket) said this to me and it had a big effect. Years ago, I had a bit of a to do with Sainsbury’s. It was over a rude delivery driver who, to be fair, was just trying to do his job.…
When John Lewis couldn’t be bothered to write a decent subject line
If you want to sell via email, whoever you’re selling to and whether or not they’ve bought from you in the past, the first thing you should do is make the effort to write a compelling subject line. John Lewis shocked me today. Yes, the darling of the British middle classes sent something to…
Don’t panic! The right words will help you get what you want
I used to be a governor at my daughter’s school. One of the best things about it (apart from front row seats at the school play) was the chance to visit other schools and learn from them. However, one school we went to rang alarm bells with me when I saw this sign on…