Why did this happen?

One reason is that they failed to win their customers' confidence.

Doing business on the web is tricky - you can't look the shopkeeper in the eye and make a judgement about his or her trustworthiness. You have to rely on the impressions you get from the website.

A website that is error free, in terms of spelling, punctuation and grammar, tells your customers that you're a person who pays attention to details, someone who cares about presenting a professional image and is someone they can trust with their business.

Don't risk the embarrassment of poor writing.

You'll be spending hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars on designing your website or you'll be spending hundreds of hours of your own time creating it. You must present a professional image. Don't throw that money (or effort) away by having something like this on your site:

"This is you're last chance to get a widget at this low price!"

How many other businesses are competing for your customers - on and off line? You need to make sure that when people click onto your site, they become customers. You need to make sure that when people read your flyers, your advertisements or your press releases, they become your customers.

The way to do this is to ensure that what they see is a reflection of the way you do business. Your product or service is top class, your follow up service is top class, don't spoil the package with poor writing. Don't send your customers to your competitors because you've forgotten all the grammar you learnt at school.

The Internet has levelled the business playing field for all time. This is perhaps the greatest opportunity small business has ever had to tap into not just the local market, not just the national market, but world-wide markets!

Potential customers don't know whether your site is coming from a skyscraper, has a staff of hundreds and is backed by a multi-national company, or if it's coming from your spare room home office with you as the only operator. You can present as professional a business front as all the Movers and Shakers - all it takes is care.

There are a number of excellent programs that allow you to design your site to match anything the big companies pay thousands of dollars to create.

You can add any number of interactive tools to your site, you can give away valuable prizes of your own product, you can build an opt-in email list and so on.

But all this creativity is wasted, if the foundations of your site are faulty. What are the foundations?

Words.

You build your site with words - everything else is painting and decorating!

"Oh yes," I hear you say, "I already know how to use words. I speak every day, don't I?"

True, but speaking and writing are very different processes. When we speak we use voice tone, pitch and pace; gesture; facial expression and body language to communicate with those we meet face-to-face. If our audience doesn't understand something we've said, we can tell by the puzzled expression and so we can reword the idea, add a few different gestures, do a bit of a mime, use a funny voice to indicate the different emotions and so on.

When writing, we don't have the luxury of the instant feed-back or the instant replay!

What you send out in written form (or on the Internet) becomes a record of your thoughts and ideas. The way your audience reacts is shaped in part by their feelings, thoughts and mood at the time they read your words.

Scary, isn't it?

You have to be so-o-o careful that the message you want to send, is the message your audience receives. This means that you have to be very competent in your use of the language - it's so easy to get crossed wires!

Consider the baker who advertised, TRY OUR HOT PIES. YOU'LL NEVER GET BETTER!

How much business do you think that little gem generated?

It’s a fact that writing has become more important over the past decade than it has been for many years. In the 60s, telephones started to dominate our personal and business communication. Instead of sitting down to pen a letter or even send a telegram, it was much easier to pick up the phone and call someone. And call people we did – to the tune of billions of dollars in phone calls every year!

How often do you send out emails?

How often do you have to write letters to customers or to suppliers?

How often do you need to send written confirmation of orders, contracts or agreements?

What happens if you can't express yourself clearly?   

Are you losing business and missing opportunities because of your writing skills?

If you’re in business, an email sent off with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and fuzzy thinking reflects poorly not just on the writer, but also on the business. 

In your personal life, you’ll no doubt be sending emails to friends and family every week, if not every day.

What happens if you’re not sure about how to use words, if you don’t know the difference between words that sound similar but have totally different meanings?

If you have a moment to spare, have a quick look at these pairs of words and see if you know how to use each …

1. Lavinia blushed when she recalled the (gaff/gaffe) she’d made in curtseying to the waiter when she mistook him for the prince.

2. The (gorilla/guerilla) forces halted the enemy's advances.

3. (Vocation/vacation) time had arrived at last.

4. She was afraid she was going to (loose/lose) her purse.

5. Buy your (stationary/stationery) supplies before the price goes up.

There are many words like these that are commonly confused (you’ll find the answers at the end of this letter).

OK. Now try these. Do you know what’s wrong with these sentences?

1. There's lots of animals at the zoo.

2. He's been laying on the beach all day.

3. She managed to buy the three last tickets for the concert.

4. You’ll get bargains everyday at this store!

Answers at the end of this letter.

So, how did you go?

If you missed any of the exercises above, you’re at risk of presenting a poor impression, and you need to brush up your writing skills. Order your four-part writing course now.

The information and techniques in these writing tutorials are the result of more than twenty years I spent in the classroom teaching High School English and History.

Throughout my career, I taught senior students and successfully prepared them for university entrance. As head of the History department, I was responsible for devising and implementing teaching programs and supervising staff and students in my department, so I know what works and what doesn't!

After leaving the education system, I established my website to market the tutorial series. As so often happens, my site's original purpose changed and expanded and before too long I had started to write for business people who approached me to help with their sales material, sites and corporate communications. I now have clients from around the globe, so I understand what people need to do to improve their writing.

For the past six years, I've written and produced a weekly online newsletter that has over 10,000 subscribers from every continent (except Antarctica!) The newsletter receives a constant flow of testimonials from appreciative subscribers and I was recently awarded second place in the 2003 Preditors and Editors Readers' Poll for zine-editor.

When you've mastered the skill of writing well, you'll have renewed confidence in yourself. We all know how the ability to succeed in one area spills over into other aspects of our lives - the good sportsperson is also the good sale rep, the good musician is also the good leader and so it goes.

You'll be amazed at the opportunities that are available to you when you know how to write well.

Back in 1988, a US report found that 79% of surveyed executives cited writing as one of the most neglected skills in the business world, yet one of the most important to productivity. 

A survey of 402 companies reported by the Associated Press noted that executives identified writing as the most valued skill but said 80% of their employees at all levels need to improve. The number of workers needing improvement in writing skills was up 20 percent from results of the same survey in 1991. 

Results of a 1993 study by Olsten Corp., a placement agency, were almost identical: 80% of 443 employers surveyed said their workers needed training in writing skills.

Current surveys give similar results - the message is, if you want to succeed, you have to be able to write well. 

Employers want workers who can communicate effectively with other workers, customers, suppliers and contractors. These days, 90% of business transactions involve written communication. Don't get left behind because of poor writing skills. Order your course now.

"The most important skills for young people entering the workforce are:

(Corporate Council on Education - part of the Conference Board of Canada)

"According to a NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) study of employers, individuals who possess good communication skills who can clearly and effectively communicate, verbally, non-verbally and in writing are valued candidates for employment." (Arizona State University)

Good communication skills are important in every career!

You're ready to do something about improving your writing, but there aren't enough hours in the day as it is to do everything you have to do!

What you want - what you need - is a course that covers all the basics of language, so you can start to write well ... now.

With this course, you're in control of your learning; it's up to you how often you work and when you work. Some people achieve their best results working in the early morning; others are night people and need time to unwind from the day's stress so they can enjoy working on their course without interruption. 

You don't have to rush to be at your class by a certain time; you don't have to worry about baby-sitters letting you down and missing your lesson; you don't need to go out when you feel a cold coming on.

You choose the time, the place and the pace. 

Sadly, enrolling in night courses is not an option for many people - there are too many risks involved in being out alone at night. 

Cars can break down, taxis can disappear when you need them and you can miss buses and trains.

If you can't go out to study, what's the answer?

Learn at home!

What could be easier than studying in the comfort and safety of your own home?

These tutorials are easy to follow and show you, step by step, how to use language correctly. 

You'll find:

You can start right now - just click to order your tutorials and have them delivered by email. No need to wait for snail mail - you can have the writing skills you need to get what you want from life. Click here.

You WILL find that the whole course is set out to lead you carefully through each aspect of writing, so you have the skills to write well, whatever the occasion. 

The tutorials are based on methods developed in the classroom during a twenty-year teaching career. They've been used successfully with students of all ages, of all abilities and from all backgrounds. They work!

Regardless of your present situation and needs, you'll soon be able to present a professional image with your writing.

If you're unsure about how to use punctuation, then relax; you'll find easy to follow tips that will help you escape the 'when in doubt leave it out' method.

Once you're confident about the basics, you can move on to the Fourth Tutorial, which shows you how to put it all together, so that you can write well - whatever the occasion. You'll be shown how to plan and organise your ideas and how to overcome the most difficult part of any writing - getting started. (How often have you felt that you were just going around in circles and getting nowhere?) You'll discover how to use persuasive writing to get your ideas and opinions heard, how to research and document and how to tackle some of those longer writing projects we're often asked to undertake.

So often today, you hear people bemoan the fact that they're bored with their life or disillusioned because they’re in a rut or trapped in the unemployment cycle. These are the people who have allowed themselves to become convinced that there's nothing they can do to change their circumstances.

But there is one simple step anyone can take to regain control - and that's to ensure that first impressions are good impressions. Good writing tells the reader that you're a person who thinks clearly, is organised and articulate - the sort of person who has something important to contribute to life!

Only you can make improvements to your life, so act now. Click here and you'll be on your way.

As well as the Core Course, there are two additional specialist tutorials:

The Business Writing Tutorial is designed to assist those who need to write for business and covers writing different types of business letters, formal reports and simple business proposals.

As with so many things in life, it's often the little things that let you down, like knowing what's wrong with these terms: alot, return back, neither rain or shine ... when to use "who" and when to use "whom," when to put the apostrophe in "it's" and  when to use "its." 

In business on the Internet, your reputation can rise or fall on the way you write - would you trust your hard-earned money to someone who doesn't know (or doesn't care) how to write well?

Obviously not, and neither would your customers.

Every word you write is a reflection of your professionalism. You need to present the right image, so take the necessary steps to improve your writing now.

Find out:

· How to express your ideas clearly and concisely

· How to avoid alienating your staff with memos and faxes

· How to set out your business letters

· How to respond to those letters of complaint every business can sometimes receive

Bonus 1: A website check-list to help you design a site that will keep visitors coming back

Bonus 2: The three most common writing mistakes and how to avoid them in your writing

Bonus 3: The four recognised steps in the communication process, what can go wrong at each of them and a communications model to use so you can make any necessary changes before you invest your time or money

Bonus 4: How to adopt the right tone in your writing so you can suit your message to your audience

As well as these specific business topics, the writing course covers all the basics you'll need to write well - whatever the occasion. Click here to get started.

The Student Writing Tutorial is for secondary and tertiary students and covers the essential skills of note-taking and research; writing about literature; formal essay-writing and documentation.

As a student you know that 80% of your exams depend on your written work - regardless of the subject. If you're not required to write a full essay, you're asked to write paragraphs, short responses, label diagrams and so on.

More than 95% of your exams require you to read and interpret the written word in the questions and instructions.

The more competent you are at transferring your knowledge from your brain to the paper, the better your results will be. And, let's be honest here, don't you know people who have less knowledge than you have, who consistently get better results than you do simply because they know how to write their answers?

Wouldn't you like to be rewarded with the marks that you deserve?

You will be - once you have improved your writing. What's more, this is something that will help you for the rest of your life. Writing improves the more you practise it.

Have you ever wanted to learn the secrets for writing essays and term papers that get the results you deserve? Now you can:

Bonus 1: 50 Study Tips to help every student succeed

Bonus 2: A detailed Study Guide with tips on motivation, organisation, the work area that is most conducive to effective study and why you'll never be able to complain about having a "poor memory" again!

You know how everyone says you should offer special bonuses to help people make up their minds to buy? Well, even though I know that the Write101 course is exactly what you need to help you improve your writing, I also have two terrific bonuses - one of which is sure to appeal to you.

This book was written by Lynne Suzanne, who has won two cars, world-wide holidays and a wealth of prizes - so when she decides to reveal her secrets of success, we'd be silly not to listen.

By carefully studying these winners - you'll be on your way to creating your own. All these proven messages are yours to copy, model or mix-and-match when you order the Write101 writing course.

Kind regards,

Jennifer Stewart

P.S. If you have a student who's near and dear to your heart, why not order the student tutorial when you get the writing course and business tutorial for yourself? Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Don't let your writing let you down. Take that first step now to improve your writing skills. 

And remember, because you're buying this to improve your business, it's a business expense you can claim on your tax! I’m confident that you’ll not only benefit from this course, you’ll also enjoy it. Click now to order yours!

BOOKMARK this page now so you can return often!

As well as knowing how to write well, you also have to be able to use the right word in the right place. That's why you need this little book, modestly called, A Word for Everything!  

It's a compilation of 102 quizzes containing 1076 words and their detailed definitions, so you can always be sure of writing exactly what you mean to write!

PLUS there's a bonus chapter of quizzes with words that contain X or Z. Just in time for the holiday Scrabble (TM) playing season! See a sample here or click on the book cover to order your copy!

1. Lavinia blushed when she recalled the gaffe she’d made in curtseying to the waiter when she mistook him for the prince. (A gaffe is a social blunder; a gaff is a hook used to lift fish out of the water etc)

2. The guerilla forces halted the enemy's advances. (Guerilla refers to an irregular armed force that fights a stronger force by sabotage and harassment; a gorilla is a member of the ape family … the best known is the fictional King Kong!)

3. Vacation time had arrived at last. (Vacation is a holiday; vocation refers to a calling usually to religious service.)

4. She was afraid she was going to lose her purse. (Lose means to misplace something; loose means not tight fitting or not bound or fastened together.)

5. Buy your stationery supplies before the price goes up. (Stationery refers to paper, envelopes and also now pens, pencils and other writing and printing supplies; stationary means standing still.)

Return whence you came!

Animals is a plural noun - there are two or more animals under discussion here, so the VERB in the sentence must (absolutely MUST) agree with the subject.

There's is a contraction of two words - there and is.

Is is the singular form of the verb, are is the plural; so the sentence should read:

Actually, it would be much better to choose another word for lots, since this is a pretty boring word (a bit like nice). Many would be a better choice.

That looks better.

Well, for a start, he's going to get sunburned and run the risk of skin cancer, but if he's so keen on getting a tan, who are we to interfere?

Secondly, he's one weird puppy ... laying is what chooks (hens) do, they lay eggs; people can lie on the beach, but laying ... hmmm. So this sentence should read:

Lucky girl - she's done the impossible because there can only ever be ONE last anything; she may well have bought the last three tickets, but not the three last tickets. So this sentence should read:

You may well get bargains every day you go to the store, and they may be on everyday items, but you won’t get bargains everyday.

Every refers to each and all members of a group without exception; everyday means ordinary or commonplace.

Return whence you came!