Proofreading Separates the Wheat From the Chaff – 5 Reasons Why You Need a Professional Proofreader

One service I offer that few people know about is proofreading.

Proofreading is one of those vital tasks every business owner should pay attention to, but many don’t.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling is important.

We all make mistakes and when we read back our own work, our brains see what it expects to be there rather than what is actually there. That’s why you can read your writing multiple times and believe it is error free only for other people to catch multiple mistakes.

Although there are proofreading apps out there like Grammarly and ProWritingAid – they won’t catch every mistake.

Hiring a professional proofreader can prevent the embarrassment of mistakes in your writing and keep your business looking sharp where it matters most.

1. Mistakes can cost you customers

Your prospective clients are looking for you to be at the top of your game. Any mistakes with spelling, grammar or punctuation can put a dent in an otherwise savvy marketing spiel and sales funnel.

It matters what your customers think, so it pays to get it right first time by hiring a proofreader to catch any mistakes before they’re published.

One or two typos might go unnoticed by your target audience, or understood as honest mistakes, but anything more than that is likely to create the wrong impression.

2. Mistakes can make your marketing distracting

We’ve all seen those memes with a message that’s close to our hearts, but we hesitate to share because of that obvious spelling mistake (and we wonder how on earth they didn’t spot it!)

The problem with spelling errors and grammar mistakes, is that once they’re seen it’s incredibly difficult to “un-see” them. In fact, you’ve probably noticed that you’re scanning the page for any more obvious mistakes once you have spotted one.

As soon as your target audience do this, they’re no longer focused on the message you’re trying to deliver to them. It doesn’t matter how good your offer is, or how persuasive the copy is – mistakes are a costly distraction.

3. A proofreader can offer more than just catching mistakes

It’s not just the technical aspects of writing that we look at when proofing copy, but tone and context too. Using the wrong words for your target audience can make your copy come across as jarring and unable to hit the right note with prospective customers.

Sometimes, accidentally switching between tenses; first, second and third person; being a little too wordy with your copy and other contextual mistakes can make an otherwise error free piece of writing difficult to read.

An experienced proofreader can add value to your writing by suggesting improvements you probably haven’t even thought about.

4. Asking a friend or colleague isn’t always helpful

Yes, they might have a BA Hons in English, but proofreading is an acquired skill that takes a lot of training to get right. As our brains love to play tricks on us, without that additional skill and knowledge your friend is just as likely to gloss over the mistakes as you are.

Do they understand what you’re trying to sell to your target audience?

Do they have a strong enough grasp of copywriting and marketing tactics to be able to suggest improvements that will enhance your writing?

Don’t get me wrong, a second pair of eyes can be helpful but you’re getting much more than that with an experienced proofreader, think of us as a critical friend as focussed on getting your writing right as you are.

5. Can you afford not to hire a proofreader?

You might think that it costs a small fortune to hire a proofreader, so you might be surprised to hear that rates are usually reasonable (my personal rate is just £25 per hour).

Considering the boost to your credibility, distraction free marketing copy and added value to your efforts, hiring a proofreader is an investment rather than an expense that can help your promotional materials work harder than ever before.

To find out more about proofreading and how it can help you shine, get in touch with me today for a friendly chat.