Promoting your business – 3 things you can do TODAY

1. Make better use of testimonials
   - Ask happy customers for a quick sentence on why they use your company.
   - Confirm they are happy for you to use it in promotional materials.
   - Use it! Add it to your website, leaflets and adverts.
2. Cross-sell to your existing customers
   - Tell your customers what else you do (by phone, letter or email).
   - Give them a ‘valued-customer’ incentive to try something new
   - Thank them for their customer and give them a sample to try of a product or service they are not currently buying from you.
3. Tell your stories
   - Talk to your customers: how are your products helping them?
   - Speak with your employees: what’s happening? Can your company help them in a fundraising endeavour?
   - Add stories to your website as examples or news. Make friends with your local reporters and let them know what’s happening too.

Want some help or advice? Give me a call.

Hannah Sookias - 01283 808460

www.copywritingandpr.com

How important is correct English?

A few years ago, I received the following text in an email:

Aoccdrnig to a rscheeachr at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht
oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and
lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey
lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

Whilst this research is probably correct, I still feel that glaring spelling mistakes and incorrect grammar in brochures and on websites may change a reader’s perception of the company. One small misspelling in a 20 page website probably won’t hurt, but if the home page is littered with them, then the professionalism of the company will probably be questioned.

Spell check is a great invention, but it isn’t a ‘what I meant to write checker’ and it doesn’t help on those tricky situations when you need to choose between ‘their, there and they’re’ or ‘practise and practice’.

Top Tips

• I try to leave a couple of days between writing and proofreading so I read what is there, rather than what I meant to say. If in doubt, use a colleague, friend or us to read through important documents
  
• Remember to proofread leaflets, brochures and sales letters before you print them, even when they have been professionally designed... It is not always possible for graphics designers to copy and paste your words and they often break up text to try out different formats to ensure you receive the best design possible.