Tom Fuszard

B2B copywriter/content marketing writer dedicated to helping you and your business succeed. Click on the "Writing Samples" tab for a selection of my samples. Need help with your content marketing? Feel free to call or email me.

Use gender-specific pronoun when appropriate

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Many writers and speakers engage in semantic gymnastics to avoid any hint (in their minds) of bias. One consequence is that the person often violates a basic rule of grammar. A perfect example involves the pronoun their. You might see (or hear) a sentence like this: “A friend of mine needs new tires on their … Read more

Tom Hopkins’ How To Sell Anything program is still powerful

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A recent addition to my professional development is both old and new. Tom Hopkins’ “How To Master The Art of Selling Anything” is proving to be a very valuable training program. Although first recorded in 1979, his principles and strategies are timeless. Its 24 sessions offer a comprehensive review of the selling process. Topics include … Read more

Accessibility, prompt response heighten customer satisfaction

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Tis the season to shop, as retailers are noticing. An improving economy and a proliferation of smartphones are encouraging people to open their wallets. According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, more than 151 million people in the US stated they shopped in-store and/or online over the Thanksgiving weekend. If you were in a store or shopping mall at the time, you can probably attest to that. Another estimate put this year’s Cyber Monday (Nov. 30) sales at $3 billion, up 12% from 2014.

Like you, I have been shopping recently. And like many, I recently placed an order online, though through a retailer’s website. The incident offers some lessons that online retailers might learn from.

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Effective communication hinges on knowing your audience

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Communicating effectively involves several important factors. According to Mike Thompson, these include taking ownership of the situation, staying focused, and knowing your recipient’s personality style.

Mike TThompson, a business coach with ActionCOACH in New Berlin, Wis., discussed these nuances during a recent meeting of the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce. He offers a different perspective on the art of effective communication: “True communication is the response you get.” Meaning, did he or she do or say what you hoped for?

One problem in business communications, Thompson says, is that workers don’t always take ownership of an issue. It can languish, with no action by the recipient.

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Writing well for social media is a must

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writing for social media, writing and punctuation for social mediaPeople seem to forget–or just disregard–the importance of writing well for social media, even their personal accounts. Keep in mind that what you put out on social media becomes identified with you: It’s all part of your brand. And what you put on the Web stays on the Web.

PRNews Online offers six reasons why the rules of grammar still apply. Although the column is aimed at PR professionals, the reasons apply to everyone. Social media addicts should review that list, paying particular attention to Rules 2 and 3 (Professionalism and Respect). Do you want to be taken seriously? If so (and you should) adhere to the rules of grammar and punctuation while writing for social media.

Grammar and punctuation errors on social media (and forums, for that matter) are as varied as the writers themselves. But I’ve seen several types of mistakes time and again. Let’s review these. If any apply, make an effort to improve. (Of course, if your copy suffers other ailments, work on those as well.)

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