As I research this product and method, it often amazes me how so many people take the time to blog and write articles, and yet the prospect of proofreading seems totally alien to them. You know who they are…they misspell words, they use words wrong, and they generally ignore the wavy red lines under some of the words. Nothing turns me off faster than a poorly edited post. It makes me think that the writer is not very bright, although I know that is probably not true.
Now please understand… I am fully aware that some people just have a little trouble spelling, and I sympathize. However, if you know there may be errors in your work, be sure to read it carefully and then read it again. Much. One trick I use to make sure my posts are free of errors is to read the copy multiple times. Read it as a draft. Then read the preview, so you can see how it will look to the reader on your website. Then print it out and read the printout. Sometimes errors will be hidden on the screen and then appear on paper. Then, after you’ve published it, navigate to it on your site and look at it again. Then do it the next day. You’d be surprised how often I have to open my blog and fix a problem I missed 15 or 20 times.
Another thing to watch out for is misuse of words or inappropriate homonyms: “That’s the car from ‘there’ (wrong) next to ‘his’ (correct) house.” “‘Air’ is human (wrong) but learning not to ‘err’ (right) is divine.” Points are never, ever “silent”…they are “debatable”. If you’re not sure, google it. And if that doesn’t work, rewrite the sentence using a different word. Just make sure you do it right. These errors are hard to spot because they pass spell checkers: none of those words were misspelled. Worst of all, improper homonyms are even meaner than misspelled words. Misspelled words just make one look a little lazy. The wrong word, spelled correctly, makes one look, well, dumb.
Finally, double check for “correctly spelled typos”. Most people make the same mistakes over and over again. I always write “coat” when I meant to write “cost”. “Please” sometimes becomes “rent.” Again, spell check won’t help here. You just have to look at it in the eye! And it’s also a good idea to let someone else see it. We all tend to overlook our own mistakes. Oh, and if you have someone else look at it, and they immediately find a couple of bugs you didn’t miss, don’t snap at them and mutter “smart-a%$” under your breath. That’s not as productive as it sounds. Trust me on that!
Why am I picky about this? Because this is a business. Companies spend a lot of time and money making sure everything is okay. None of these tips will cost you a hundred, but losing any of them could cost you a client. Spend a little more time making sure your offer, whatever it is, looks as professional as possible.
