If ever there were a place where punctuation is overdone it is direct mail.   Exclamation marks are the great offenders, but we should also consider over-capitalisation and the use of the TM trade mark symbol all over the place.

Starting with the exclamation mark, if you take a look at virtually any piece of direct mail you will find that it has !!! all over it.  NEW!   Buy now!!!   Prices held!!!

The fact is that the exclamation mark adds nothing to understanding, gets in the way of free reading, and is used so much that no one takes any notice any more.  In fact NOT using !s all over the place actually attracts attention more readily because it looks different and is easier to read.

The same problem arises with TM.   Some people love TM and stick it all over the place.  But is it really worth while?

TM means that you think that this is a word or phrase that belongs to you - but you have no legal right to claim that word or phrase

Here's an example.  I invent a product called TrogBlog.  For some reason I don't try and get it registered as a trademark, or maybe my application is turned down.   So I write TrogBlogTM

That use of TM doesn't actually mean anything except perhaps that I am saying I might get a bit uppity if someone else tries to use TrogBlog.  But really I don't have any more rights in law with TrogBlog by putting TM after it than I have in terms of Passing-Off legislation and other aspects of Company Law.

All of this would be irrelevant if it weren't for the fact that putting TM after your name all the way through a brochure is very off-putting.  It disrupts the flow of reading, and basically turns people away.   

It is a perfect case in which there is no benefit, and a very clear negative.  Personally I would avoid it like the plague.

What I would do however is try to include the correct punctuation when using contractions like don't, can't, it's etc (where the apostrophe is needed) and in other grammatical cases - such as "Jennie's book"

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This article is written by Tony Attwood, Chairman of Hamilton House Mailings Ltd.  If you would like to discuss the writing or design of your mailing campaign, or indeed a single mailshot, with Tony, without cost or obligation, just call 01536 399 000, or email Creative@hamilton-house.com   You can also send Tony a copy of your latest advert and he will call you back with his thoughts on how your response rate could be raised - again without cost or obligation.