Written and posted 21 Aug 2018

New research has found that people who receive appreciative emails feel much more grateful than is generally realized – they love getting such “thank-you” notes. Researchers quoted in the New York Times said people under-estimate the positive feelings such responses bring. They also over-estimate the extent to which such notes might appear insincere or might […]

Written and posted 21 Aug 2018

As communicators, we focus on convincing reporters of the merits of the news angle we are pitching in our press release. But we lose sight of the fact that those reporters then need to sell the story to their own editors and chiefs of staff, who in turn have to get support for our story […]

Written and posted 18 Aug 2018

Headlines are the most important part of any written content. Advertising legend David Ogilvy pointed this out decades ago, and his words are still quoted. Ogilvy said in his classic book Confessions of an Advertising Man in 1963: On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy.” But […]

Written and posted 16 Jul 2018

Fake news! Many press releases over-excitedly announce information that has no real news value – it is in effect fake news. No wonder journalists delete most releases. PR staff are often under pressure to energize ordinary announcements and other information by hyping up the text to gain executive or client approval. However, those staffers usually […]

Written and posted 15 Jul 2018

If you are keen to progress your career in professional communication, you now have the opportunity to review your skills and experience and what you offer your employer in your current role. Then you can assess the skills you can further develop to become even more effective. In 2018 the Global Alliance released the Global […]

Written and posted 15 Jul 2018

One of the toughest tasks for communicators is to clearly show how we add direct, tangible value to a business. Communication professionals internationally believe proving our value is one of the most important issues confronting practitioners. Responding to this need, a practical Communication Value Circle framework has been developed, which helps communicators to explain the […]

Written and posted 12 Jun 2018

Skill with numbers is essential for a strong communication role 1. Understanding and communicating about financial numbers This is much more important than many people realize. Good understanding of figures is central to successful handling of key tasks such as gaining initial approval, in managing and monitoring activities, and in reporting outcomes. Also, you need […]

Written and posted 7 Jun 2018

“…this very expensive Witch Hunt…” Twitter, 3 June 2018. Donald Trump has been using these words famously to frame the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and related matters. He could have used many terms to describe his own government’s official investigation into his activities, but […]

Written and posted 18 Apr 2018

One of the eternal questions in doing creative work is whether your creativity is improved by working to tight deadlines or not. Many people feel their creativity improves when their adrenaline kicks in as they face a tight deadline. But others feel this type of pressure doesn’t lead to their best results. What is the […]

Written and posted 17 Apr 2018

Should you use “I” or “We” when you deal directly with customers or clients on behalf of your organization? This is important because a company’s choice of pronouns can affect a customer’s experience and whether it will lead to a purchase. The latest research used word analysis of interactions with customers to evaluate if organizations […]