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Susan B. Kline ~ Business Communications

Susan B. KlineSending professional messages that are clear, concise and correct

You may have a unique product and great service, and you’re likely passionate about what you do. To be taken seriously in today’s market, however, you also need to deliver a consistent, direct and focused message to your target audience. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Do a self-assessment of your company's written and oral communications.
  • Distribute Survival Guides to your front-line staff. There's one for 'writers' and one for 'presenters'.
  • Sponsor a series of workshops as part of your organization's professional development efforts.
  • Take advantage of the Grammar Hotline.
  • Consider the advantages of Individual Coaching.
  • Get an objective analysis of your communication efforts.
  • Learn more about how to enhance your effectiveness with varied audiences from Susan B. Kline.
  • Review Recent Tips articles and Frequently Asked Questions from other motivated individuals.
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    Question of the Day

    Susan Kline
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    Q: I am a court reporter and in need of information regarding the plural possessive of Lowe's. Is it Lowe's' responsibilities?  I couldn't find an answer in The Gregg Reference Manual.  I went to Lowe's' website, and they do not delineate beyond just Lowe's training, et cetera.
    Lowe's was also used in the context of the Joneses or Lowe'ses of the world.  This seems pretty cumbersome.  Are these forms correct or are the rules suspended because it's a proper name?
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    A: Plurals and possessives often lead to sticky issues, so let’s clarify. To make it easy, start with Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, and, no, the rules are not suspended for proper nouns:

    Singular:    Lowe - as in Mr. Lowe invites us to dinner.
    Singular possessive:    Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. Lowe's responsibility or Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse's responsibility,

    Plural:     Lowes - as in The Lowes invited us to dinner.
    Plural possessive:  The Lowes' philanthropy is admirable.

    Now what if the name actually ended in “s”: Lowes?
    Singular:    Mr. Lowes invited us to dinner.
    Then you’d have to write the following::
    Singular possessive:    Lowes's Home Improvement Warehouse.
    Plural: The Loweses invited us to dinner.
    Plural possessive: The Loweses' philanthropy is admirable.

    Last Updated on Sunday, 05 February 2012 09:29
     

    Clients of Ms. Kline

    Below are a few of Ms. Kline's notable clients.  Contact us for specific references, additional client names and testimonials.

     

    Grammar Hotline

     

     

     

    No more need to wonder about using a semicolon or comma, who or whom, affect or effect, or the many other problems that plague writers of business documents.   Simply click on Contact Us; submit your question about punctuation, grammar, word choice, or general English usage; and receive a prompt, clear, helpful response.

    This is a complimentary service of Susan Kline Business Communications. It's just ONE of the many 'extras' that makes Susan Kline a valuable resource.

     

    Testimonials

    Workshop evaluation question on Perfect Presentations: How will you apply the information at work?
    Answer: WOW!  In SO many ways.  The information on writing and presenting was priceless for the number of workshops I need to put together and deliver.
    P.W. Smith College Alumnae Relations

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    Sue, we asked our standard question about whether participants in your June class have suggestions to improve the class, and among other glowing statements, we got this:

    "No, not really. I thought the class was wonderful and it built on some skills I already had and strengthened many that I lacked. I wish there was a higher rating than "strongly agree" and "very satisfied." Susan gets top marks from me!"

    "No suggestions about improving the class. I would suggest; however, that this class be mandatory for everyone. The material was extremely relevant because we all communicate in a written fashion on a daily basis. This is by far the best and most relevant development class I have taken at JH."

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    Unless otherwise attributed, all material is written and edited by Susan B. Kline. Copyright © Susan B. Kline 2011. All rights reserved. I invite you to reprint material from this website for educational purposes, provided this copyright notice ("Written and edited by Susan B. Kline, copyright Susan B. Kline, [year]. All rights reserved.") and a link to http://www.sbkline.com is included in the credits.