Thoughts, musings and the occasional rant

February 28, 2025

The BEST email ever

We all need to calm down a bit

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May 8, 2020

We’ve reached peak unprecedented

Standing out a mile is hard enough in normal circumstances. Standing out in unprecedented times is even harder. Especially when everyone is also mentioning how unprecedented these times really, truly, honestly are.

May 1, 2020

It’s not right, but it’s ok

On a wet and windy Tuesday evening in February 2020, excited ticket holders gathered in City Hall Sheffield for an evening with Whitney Houston. She sang, she danced, she responded to the audience...

April 24, 2020

May be it’s becauuuuuse I’m a Londonder

Well when I last went to London, I called in on old Coal Drops because I’d read about it being the groovy new retail space for hip and happening young cats.

April 10, 2020

Pat Butcher’s earrings

It’s funny how we expect authenticity from soaps, even though we know they’re not real.

April 2, 2020

What to say when there’s nowt to say

There are many moving tributes to the NHS out there, but I was really struck by a snippet I heard on the BBC from a little old man who’d recovered from the Coronavirus, who described the excellent treatment he'd received.

March 20, 2020

No thanks, Trevor from Hallmark Hotel, Hull 

Inbox full of emails about COVID-19? Mine too. Lots from companies I'd forgotten I’d used. This is one reason they’re so annoying. The other is the content.

March 13, 2020

Not another coronavirus email

I've just launched an email newsletter and as we know each other through through our network, I've added you to the list. I'll be sending these once a month, and will be including helpful marketing hints and tips. However, please feel free to unsubscribe if you've rather not receive these.

June 27, 2019

3 marketing tips from Faith, age 7

The road to business success hasn’t always been smooth for me. The 80s were a particularly rocky period. “But that would make you 100!” I hear you say.

February 19, 2019

Why is no one visiting your website?

I’ll tell you why. It’s not because your website is the equivalent of the 6pm slot at Live Aid and you just don’t have Freddie Mercury as your front man.

July 29, 2018

Lessons in storytelling from 3 retro pop tunes

We’ve heard all about the power of storytelling when it comes to making an emotional connection with clients. But how are you supposed to tell a powerful story when you’re just a regular person?

June 7, 2018

Tips for writing impactful case studies

Case studies are your secret sauce.Your website copy may be sparkling, your imagery on point, your video slick, but it’s only half the story.

May 9, 2018

How to make your privacy policy sound friendly

If you’re anything like me, the past couple of weeks will have seen your inbox battered and bruised by a slew of emails from providers telling you they’ve updated their privacy policies

April 18, 2018

Why shared values are the key to business success

Without values, it’s hard to gauge whether you’re on the same wavelength with people, and if you’re not, then it’s not going to work.

April 11, 2018

GDPR – 20 questions every marketer is asking

You’ve read the articles, done the training, joined the webinars, but, flip! GDPR is like a wild animal that refuses to be tamed – you still have questions and not enough answers.

April 9, 2018

Is branded merchandise as dead as Diana?

The question on everyone’s lips right now has to be – what form will the commemorative merchandise to celebrate the nuptials of Prince Harry and the lady from Suits take in this digital age?

March 20, 2018

Are you in sync with your clients’ expectations?

It’s the note on the mat that everyone dreads – the ‘sorry you were out’ card. Because you just know the admin around this is going to be COLOSSAL.