A few months ago, my wife and I got a postcard reminder in the mail from a local business about scheduling a yearly checkup. We all get these from time to time, but when I looked at the mailer, it didn't take long for my editor's eyes to zero in on a spelling mistake.
"Yearly checkuops." Oops. Ouch!
You may think that's not the worst thing in the world, but it's not good, either. Any spelling or grammar error in business writing – brochures, advertisements, your website, blogs, press releases, newsletters, a postcard, etc. – wreak havoc on your company's image.
Studies consistently show that when choosing between two companies, most customers prefer the one with clear and error-free written communication.
Here are five reasons why error-riddled copy hurts your business:
Creating a rough first impression
Starting off on the right foot is the name of the game. You may do your job better than anyone else and bend over backward with unrivaled customer service, but if the first thing customers see is written communication riddled with misspellings or inconsistent punctuation, their confidence in doing business with you will be diminished.
Poor attention to detail
To piggyback off the first item, a business that has errors in its correspondence or marketing materials sends the message that quality and attention to detail might not be the most important thing. If that's the case, a customer might think that attitude will translate to the company's products and services.
Confusing messages
Mistakes come in all forms, whether it's writing your instead of you're in a sentence or some other flub. These mistakes alter the meaning of your message – leading to confusion and misunderstanding between you and your client base.
Distractions, distractions, distractions
I don't know about you, but when I find an error, it's distracting. Often, customers focus so much on what you messed up on that they lose focus or completely stop reading.
Lawsuits and disagreements
Check out this article. It's about a lawsuit over a missing Oxford comma that resulted in a $5 million settlement. If this doesn't convince you that unclear writing can get your business in trouble, then I don't know what else will. Misleading information can get your business in a ton of hot water.
Error-free and clear written content ensures your business is perceived positively by customers. Take the right steps by using writing and editing program tools like Grammarly, manually double-checking (triple-check if you have to) your work, and having multiple sets of eyes look everything over before sending it out to the masses. Even tactics such as reading your copy out loud and taking a 30-minute break before returning for more edits can significantly cut down on unnecessary errors.
And when in doubt, hire a local writer and editor.
Call Edit This® today!!!!
Edit This is the local writing and editing service every business owner needs. We not only write copy from scratch, but we can work with the content you have created to ensure it's clear and error-free. We save you a ton of headaches and get your message out quickly.
Thanks for reading!
*STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This, LLC, a writing and editing services company located in Denton, TX. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.