Language changes over time and so must we. Millions of e-mails travel through cyberspace every minute. In order to help our readers understand our messages, we must stay in shape by stretching, bending and toning the “old school” grammar rules. In IWCC’s effective business writing workshops, we encourage our participants to apply a little Yoga to tone up the “old school” grammar rules. Today’s effective business writers have learned to bend and stretch to let go of the old rules and move on with new business writing techniques.

IWCC supports Yoga for grammar rules – even though a few academics might disagree. Here are three examples of how you can bend and stretch three “old school” grammar rules.

1.  You can end a sentence with a preposition.

Everyone is doing it! Not only is it accepted in today’s business writing, you make your sentences easier to read and understand. Which version below do you find easier to read?

You will need safety tools to work with.
You will need safety tools with which to work.

Can you bend this rule right out of shape? Of course you can! Just like overstretching your muscles before a work out, you do not want to overstretch this rule by ending a sentence with an unnecessary preposition. For example, you wouldn’t say: “Where are the safety tools at?” You would simply say:  “Where are the safety tools?”

2.  Feel free to start a sentence with and, but or because.

Old grammar rules forbid us to start sentences with and, but or because. Why? We think the answer is simply “because”. IWCC discovered that this rule has been passed through the ages – that’s as grammatical as it gets. Our advice for business writers…"Let go and start stretching!"

3.  You can use contractions and still sound professional.

When used in moderation, contractions can make you sound friendly and approachable in your business writing. IWCC’s advice…feel free to bend a little…use the occasional contraction such as, “I’m looking forward to meeting you.”, or “We’ve provided you with a new software program.” Just remember not to over bend this old grammar rule.  If contractions take over, your writing will sound ridiculous.

Did you interact with anyone in anyway today? Did you choose to avoid anyone today? Did you:
•    Cut someone off on the highway this morning?
•    Not bother to hold the elevator for a stranger because you were in a rush?
•    Ignore the people around you on whatever public transit you took to work today?
•    Forget to change your voice mail this morning?
•    Smile at anyone today?

All these situations are touchpoints that you encounter every day and you can choose to ignore them, bungle them or take advantage of them. It’s all up to you.

What is a Touchpoint?
Here is a textbook definition of a touchpoint:
“the point of contact, especially when products or services come into contact with a customer”

At IWCC, we think a touchpoint is every opportunity you have to interact with – touch - another human being through thoughts, words and deeds.  Examples include phone calls, video conference calls, voice mail messages, feedback to a colleague, how you behave in a meeting, how you conduct yourself during a training workshop/webinar, e-mails, passing a stranger in the hall at work, volunteering (or not) to help.

In our communication skills training workshops, we help people make the most of every possible opportunity to strengthen their personal brand through their interactions with others every day.

The textbook definition above sounds cold and impersonal. IWCC believes that touchpoints are anything but impersonal. When you think about touchpoints in relation to your own personal brand…the Brand called YOU…you need to dig a little deeper into the human psyche to understand why touchpoints are so overwhelmingly important and PERSONAL. 

Just how powerful are “touchpoints” in establishing or strengthening your personal brand? Every interaction or lack of interaction you have creates an emotional reaction in other people. These emotional reactions can be positive or negative and they are seared into our memory. For example, have you ever disliked someone just because they had a bad habit that reminded you of someone you’re not fond of?

Touchpoints are so powerful that they happen whether you want them to or not…whether you are aware of them or not…whether you choose to ignore them or take advantage of them. Through touchpoints, you leave an imprint of who you are every time you communicate, or choose not to communicate with others. Remember that short, curt, angry e-mail you wrote…touchpoint! This BLOG is a “touchpoint” for IWCC with you.

Again we ask you: “How many opportunities have you ignored already today that could have established or strengthened the Brand called  YOU?"

Time to stop ignoring! Here is an exercise out of one of IWCC’s Communication Skills workshops that can help you start capitalizing on the “touchpoints” in your world.

Identifying Your Branding Touchpoints
Your Individual Task — Identify as many communication “touchpoints” as possible where you have the opportunity to establish or strengthen your desired brand.

The Brand called YOU is up to YOU! You can choose it or ignore it, but you are always building it. As Tom Peters says:
 “Everything you do — and everything you choose NOT to do — communicates the value and character of the Brand called You!”