BUG BITS - Splendid Days

When Union Jack and I got married, our reception was held in a cosy, sparkly, ever-so-slightly-sloping marquee in my big sister's garden. I love nature far more than formality, and I had too many overseas guests staying in my house to start sweating the small stuff - so to me it was perfect.

Ever since that warm February evening six and a half years ago, I have had a soft spot for marquee weddings. The atmosphere in a marquee has an intangible quality that I simply love. So what a truly splendid time I have had recently, when I was lucky enough to work with Grainne Bartholemew, co-founder of the most beautiful luxury marquee hire company ever to come my way - Splendid Days.

There were a number of elements to this project, including proof-reading and editing web copy, writing a press release, editing a sales brochure and writing a promotional email for prospective venue suppliers.

Here is a snip snip of the promotional email:

For more information about the stylish and sophisticated Splendid Days, click here.

How much time do you spend on drafting important emails? Do you spend hours producing a first class press release only to shoot it out to the press with a rushed email message?

Stop!

First impressions count! When communicating with clients (existing or potential), give yourself every chance of success by allowing time to consider your email messages in the same way as you would the documents attached.

Read what you have written OUT LOUD before you hit the 'Send' button. You'll be amazed how many errors you can pick up this way.

Jen x

BUG BITS - Little Bird Photography

The loveliest little bird came my way a few months back - Pru Trundle from Little Bird Photography. Yes, I know - I am desperately behind on my BUG BITS posts. Suddenly I am referring to months ago when it should really be weeks, or even days between BUG BITS. What can I say? My client's projects always come before mine, and my to-do list has been pretty impressive of late!

Aaaanyway, along with Prue from Gigi and Lulu, we updated and refreshed the Little Bird Photography Session Guide.

With a client as delicate and gentle as she is cheeky and full of fun, the copy needed to strike just right balance. I love working with clients that have a very clear sense of who they are, and this was most definitely one of those projects.

Here's a snip:

Providing information and/or giving instructions really doesn't have to be dull and unappetising. With some imagination it is possible to bring light to a subject - a sense of fun amongst the facts, humour and even playfulness!

For more information about the photography I MOST aspire to because it is simply impossible to tear your eyes from it, click here.


I cannot visit this website without the music and images turning me into a smiley happy Letterbug. Go and take a peek!


Jen x

Finding an angle for your promotion

For as far as I can remember, Old Spice was a stinky old man's aftershave. That was until I stumbled across their latest series of advertisements earlier this year. Here is the latest instalment.

I don't know about you, but I'm not thinking about stinky old men's aftershave after watching that!

It just goes to show the impact that finding a new angle for your product can have on its success. Be creative. Think beyond the obvious. Accept no limitations!!

The people at Old Spice clearly did. Hee hee!

Jen x

A very special friend of mine has a new baby. No, not the kind that kind of baby! This baby is a bright shiny new business that she has been working hard to create over recent months.

And it is awesome!

P for Printables is a website that sells beautiful, printable pictures that you can download, stick into a frame and hang on your wall.

Or you could use the picture for a birthday invitation.
Or wrapping paper.
Or to make a card.
Or you could laminate it and use it as a kid's placemat. (My Hatchlings just luuurve their personalised placemats. And when they get a bit 'tired' we just make new placemats with a different theme!)

The possibilities are endless for these gorgeous printables, and I just know that P for Printables is destined for big things.

Congratulations Prue!

Jen x

Grammar by request!

Hello dears! I can't stay today as I am on my way to the over 70's kite-surfing workshop, but I stopped by to make you an offer.

Do you have a grammar question? Do you regularly find yourself in a tangle with a particular word, phrase or puncuation mark? Let Grammar sort it out for you next time she's on the porch here at The Letterbug.


Post a comment (including your question for Grammar) at the end of this post and I will most certainly answer it. You could even win a world famous Letterbug bookmark for your trouble!

I must dash now. Just one jam fancy and I'll be on my way...

Post your question for Grammar on the Porch now!

Are you a Mumpreneur?

I wrote the following post back in August 2009, and given my recent nomination for the 2010 Ausmumpreneur Awards (Best Blog category) I thought it was worth reposting - just in case you missed it the first time. If you are a fan of The Letterbug maybe you'd like to vote for me too! I mean, if you're not busy or anything - you know, it might be cool. I never won that many prizes as a wee thing... Now is my chance to make up for that. It's no big deal. Really. Okay? But just vote so I can pretend not to care for a bit longer!! UPDATE: No need to vote!! An encouraging message is always welcome by way of a blog comment though (hint hint).

I love working with mumpreneurs - love it! Why? Because I get it, I know where mumpreneurs are at. I am right there with them, juggling two pre-school boys, a husband, job, laundry pile and so on.

I cannot overstate the importance of connecting with the people we choose to work with in business. As a copywriter, this connection enables me to truly collaborate with my clients on their copy projects. Our connection means I can't help but keep working until we are both deliriously happy with the final product.

Being a mum of two little people it seems that the connection with other mums in business is almost automatic, instinctive perhaps.

It takes effort, stamina, commitment and vision to be a mumpreneur, and if that is you right now I salute you. You go girl!

Now please excuse me while I go and extract the lego blocks I just watched Hatchling No.2 post into our sub-woofer speaker!

Jen x

Grammar on the Porch #8

Is it just me or do high school English classes slide further and further away with every year? Thank goodness we have "Grammar on the Porch". Good old Grammar loves to visit The Letterbug from time to time for a nice cup of tea and a natter about the English language. She knows you know - really she does. But just in case...

Image kindly supplied by Toni Grote - visit http://www.artisttonigrote.blogspot.com/ to see more of her beautiful artwork.

Good afternoon dears! Forgive any stuttering and stumbling over my words this afternoon, good gracious it is COLD here on the porch today! Grammar was even forced to pop on her thermal underwear, ha ha ha...

Now then, Grammar has just a wee bit more to add from her last visit, when we talked about 'Me' vs. 'I'. If you haven't read Grammar on the Porch #7, it might be worth skipping off to read it now. Just be sure you skip straight back here and continue on once you're done!

'Myself' and 'Yourself'

It may be tempting to avoid the whole puzzle of when to use 'I' and when to use 'me' by simply using 'myself' instead.

E.G. "Please send a menu of your finest cakes and pastries to Grandpa and myself."

Be strong - don't give in to this particular temptation! Grammar's advice is to save your "giving-in-to-temptations" for chocolate, fine wine and custard creams. The sentence written above is grammatically incorrect and can be as bad (if not worse) than getting your 'I's and 'Me's mixed up.

Incorrect: I'll send a menu of our finest cakes and pastries to Grammar and yourself.

Correct: I'll send a menu of our finest cakes and pastries to you and Grammar.

You can use 'myself' and 'yourself' correctly in only two situations:

1. To create emphasis or contrast.

"Grandpa likes lardy cakes for afternoon tea, but I myself prefer a cream bun."

2. When you are doing something to yourself

"I ask myself, why stop at one cream bun when you can eat three?"

"You're making it hard for yourself by using that wobbly old cup and saucer."

So there you have it, another piece in the never-ending puzzle that is "Grammar on the Porch". And it is so brisk out here this afternoon that I think I'll have a piece of warm apple strudel with my cup of tea - mmmmmm.

See you next time!