Insights

To emoji or not to emoji?

In 1999, the Japanese telecommunications company NTT DOCOMO released a set of 176 pictures for use in pager and mobile phone messages. Designed by Shigetaka Kurita, these pixelated smiley faces, hearts and common symbols for things like food and weather were dubbed “emojis”, a combination of the Japanese words for “picture” (e), “write” (mo) and […]

Why you should ditch the corporate buzzwords to communicate more effectively

You’ve probably rolled your eyes at a self-proclaimed “disruptor”, or felt your heart sink on hearing “finding synergy” for the third time in a meeting. Corporate jargon is everywhere, and if we’re being honest, we all hate it. The internet is awash with memes and opinion pieces that poke fun at “the worst corporate buzzwords”. […]

5 things you need to do before launching your freelance copywriting business

A career in copywriting can be both lucrative and fulfilling. You get to stretch your creative muscles every day, you’re constantly learning about different products, services and industries, and meeting all kinds of people. And since every business needs to communicate effectively, talented copywriters are always in demand.  Going freelance can be even more rewarding. […]

Nine prompts to help you craft a strong brand voice for your small business

When you’re working on the branding for your business, do not overlook brand voice. It’s easy to be distracted by the bright lights and shiny colours of brand visuals, spending endless hours refining the colour palette, picking fonts and tweaking the logo.  But that’s a big mistake. The message is the core of all your […]

Anatomy of the perfect business email

Even with all the collaboration platforms out there and the rise of Whatsapp for work, email is still the primary business communication tool. In fact, email accounts for around 80% of workplace communication. So it’s important to get it right. To help you nail this, let’s take a look at the structure and key elements […]

Subject lines that get your email opened, read and acted on

Be honest – how many unread emails are currently sitting in your inbox? And how many of those emails will you delete without even opening them? Even with the growing number of team messaging platforms, email is still the primary workplace communication method. (Did you know phone calls account for just 2% of workplace communication?!) […]

How to write in plain English and get better results from your messages

Do you panic every time your printer malfunctions and you have to consult the ten-page manual? How about when the terms and conditions pop up after you update your smartphone’s operating system? If the very thought of reading technical terms and fine print makes you shudder, you’re not alone. The fact is that most people […]

Stop using these redundant words and phrases right now

If you want to be a powerful communicator, the single most effective skill you can develop is being concise. Cut the waffle and get straight to the point.  Why? Because nowadays you have seconds to get your message across. In fact, a recent study by Microsoft found that the human attention span has dropped to […]

10 most common english language errors made by chinese speakers

10 Most Common English Language Errors Made by Chinese Speakers Many of our students speak English as a second or even third language, and feel there are some gaps in their grammar and usage. They worry language errors make them sound unprofessional so they spend a lot of time checking and re-checking communications. In fact, […]

5 ways to improve your business writing skills right now

Whatever your career ambitions are, better writing skills will help get you there.  If you’re serious about improving your writing skills, we recommend you take a course and dedicate some time to it. It’s an investment in yourself that will pay big dividends. But for those who are keen to get started right away, here […]