Content Guide

Please browse this content guide by selecting an article below. The first article is given below....

Why do words matter?

I thought I'd introduce this online style guide by asking the big question up front.

In these days of texting, tweeting, blogging and social media, why bother investing in professional communications?

Well, good writing adds to the overall credibility of our offerings.

Put another way: how you say something is as important as what you're saying. It displays clarity of thought. If you can’t explain your idea clearly and concisely, why should anyone believe that what you’ve got to say is worth listening to?

Rightly or wrongly, muddled writing can be interpreted as a sign of muddled thinking. The clarity of your argument and the message you are trying to communicate are immediately compromised. It also detracts from the impact of the writing, making the readers work harder to decipher meaning.

Typos and spelling are important. Reading decieves instead of deceives doesn't just annoy pedants; what it really says to our audience is “nobody has bothered to check this”.