This past weekend, I found myself on a hike at the beautiful Cuyamaca Rancho State Park in Southern California. With the brisk air biting at my face and the strong winds turning my hair into a Medusa-like mess, I sought refuge in the tiny Miner’s Cabin near Stonewall Mine.
Like the Flying Dutchman, I have a curse. The Dutchman’s curse may be more dramatic, but mine is just as devastating.
My curse is to be forever proofreading and editing in my head while reading signs.
As it turns out, the Miner’s Cabin is an adorable little museum about the history of the Stonewall Mine…and while I enjoyed the history lesson, I also found it a good lesson in why you should always proofread your work—or pay someone to proofread for you!
Why Should You Always Proofread?
Maybe it’s just my brain, but when there’s a proofreading mistake—especially on something as permanent as a sign in a museum exhibit—little alarm bells start going off in my head. Who was in charge of this? Who signed off on it? Why wasn’t it proofread more carefully?
In the case of the Miner’s Cabin, several small errors led up to a general unhappiness with the signs.
They were just little things, like saying that fights “were a common place event” instead of a “commonplace” event.
Or saying “one-half it’s assessed value” instead of “one-half its assessed value.” (As you can see in the above picture, a grammar vigilante actually got to this one and scratched out the black ink of the apostrophe to make it correct!)
Of course, we all make mistakes from time to time. We’re human. But when there’s a pattern of errors, it becomes clear that there is an issue that goes beyond just an honest mistake.
But why should you care about this in your own work? Why does proofreading matter? Here are three reasons why proofreading is important and should be high on your priority list!
1. It’s Your Name on the Line
Who wants their name to be tied to an error? Not me! And certainly not you, especially when it’s your brand name in question too.
Errors in something editable like a blog post are one thing, but errors in something more permanent (like your marketing materials, business cards, and website copy) are entirely another!
First impressions are important. So it is especially vital for you to carefully proofread materials that may be your prospective clients’ first impression of you.
2. It’s Your Credibility in Question
Are you a credible authority? Should I trust you? These are questions I always ask myself when working with or learning from a new source. And, consciously or unconsciously, all prospective clients are also evaluating your materials to see whether they can trust you to be an expert and help them solve their problems.
Unfortunately, whether valid or not, the way you use language is a determining factor in whether a new client chooses to work with you. Having errors strewn throughout your copy is one way to guarantee a sense of unease that may cost you clients or readers.
After all, if you make mistakes with something as basic as writing, how can I trust that you are truly an expert in the areas you claim to be an expert in? How can I trust that you are a professional when your materials and language use don’t point to this fact?
Taking the extra step to proofread carefully is a way to provide assurance to your readers and prospective customers that you take your work seriously and are truly the expert you claim to be.
3. It’s Your Message
Do you care about your message? Do you care if your message says what you want it to say?
While the issues at the Miner’s Cabin are benign and don’t really obscure the meaning of the sentences, sometimes skipping the proofreading step means that you might say something you didn’t intend. (Oops!)
Do you want to be like Vizzini from The Princess Bride, accidentally using the wrong word over and over again and becoming a laughingstock?
Or do you want your message to shine through exactly as you intend it to?
After all, it’s your message—is it important enough to take a few extra moments to proofread and make sure it actually says what you think it says? Hopefully so, as it’s your name, credibility, and message on the line!
Need help with proofreading or editing? Send me a note or check out my writing services. I’m always happy to assist to make sure your website copy or other projects are absolutely perfect…so your brand image and credibility shine!
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