Top tips on PR and writing

Top Tip:

• Always check the spelling AND the contact numbers when ordering your business cards, before you sign them off with the printer. I saw one this week with a spelling error and another with the wrong mobile phone number (two figures were transposed).

More Tips

• Have you ever had a great idea for a blog or your website copy then forgotten what it was an hour later because you were in the middle of something else when you had your brainwave? Have a pad and pen with you at all times, and jot it down. 

• Don't rely on the spell checker, otherwise you may end up with a correct spelling but in the wrong context. For example, "there birthday", "to cold" or - spotted on the notice on a broken down supermarket check-out - "bare with us"!

• Not sure about its or it's? "Its" is possessive (for example, the puppy belonged to its mother) and "it's" is short for it is (for example, it's a nice day). Say it aloud with an "it is" and see what makes sense.

• When you’ve written something down, read it aloud to ensure it makes sense. If it’s hard to get your mouth around then, the chances are, it will be just as tricky for the reader. 
   
• Vary the length of your sentences. Some short. Then some which are longer and carry more information in them, so the reader maintains interest. If your sentences are always long, particularly if they are badly punctuated, you will lose the sense and the reader’s attention.