First Impressions

I love this blurb from an American Management Association promotional email. It highlights the reasons why using a proofreading and copy editing service is so important:

Troubleshoot Writing Errors That Make You Look Bad

Every time you send an email or submit a report, you are being judged on your writing skills. Business writing errors (even simple grammatical mistakes) can complicate your message, confuse your readers, cost you money, diminish your professional image, and hold you back in your career.

There are many instances when the writer's message attempts to convey the level of expertise they have to offer. Were it not for the grammatical and spelling errors in their written message (the ones that the reader is willing to overlook because the logic is very sound), the advances the author could be realizing could dramatically increase. It's a heartbreaking situation.

For example, it may be possible that the author of this content wasn't able to afford the time for an additional copy edit before publishing it. Or maybe they were simply so motivated to get the content published, were pressed for time, and had a lot of confidence in what existed that they felt there was no need for an additional read-through.

Cash – obviously if you can make a sale that’s revenue for your company. One example of this would be a facility that sells monthly memberships.

Attention and Trust – now they’re lots of businesses that need this. For example: I’m going to watch channel 6 news tonight. Well, I’m not paying them cash. I’m giving them attention and trust, in which they can figure out how to make money through advertising.

Referral – Does your service or product work better when your friends use it too? Krispy Kreme uses the revenue of referral. Everytime they open up a new location, employees start giving away thousands of donuts. The people most likely show up for a free hot donut are those who have heard the legend of Krispy Kreme and are delighted that the company is finally in town. These people spread the word. They tell their friends and even bring them into a store.

Imagine the fan's disappointment when they read this excerpt and sincerely want to recommend the author to colleagues:

"The problem with this approach is if you think everyone that breaths is your ideal customer chances are you’ll spend money in the wrong media channels and time at the wrong events or on the wrong platforms, wasting your greatest resources of time and money."

or here when they find the stupendous advice that's laced with a few problems with the use of articles, such as:

"The typical bland response for many is to say . . . “I’m in the cleaning business, I’m an consultant, I’m a plumbing contractor or I’m a account specialist.”"

Then there are the writers who allow their spell checker to dominate their proofreading. Unfortunately, the spell checker is simply an automated system that doesn't really pay attention to context. So the printed version of the speech may sound right but it talks about the person who "lead" the throngs or the one who "new" all of the facts. And there's the classic where the reporter wrote about their interview with a South African artist who shared with comfort she derives from going back to the "crawl" to escape from the rigors of touring and being in the entertainment industry.

A grammatical issue makes the speaker seem to be in charge but the copy editor is wincing when they read this sentence: "Let's look at it another way. Do you care to listen to people whom you dislike?"

It's a good idea to use at least a proofreader for a quick review of the copy before it's published. Yes, the pressures of being first to speak are there. Yes, there are other issues happening that are demanding your attention and attempting to tear you away from that precious item to be pushed out to the world (literally).

Perhaps life would be better if instead of a one-time, gig-style service, a retained copy editor (or just a proofreading service) would be the answer. No doubt a reduced, continuous service rate could be worked out that would provide a more satisfactory result for all involved. After all, the real goal of the writing is reaching a destination that represents success for the writer / speaker. So it just makes sense to have the end result be an enduring positive first impression.

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Recovering from the Shock

Things came to an abrupt stop on September 11, 2001. The news was difficult to fathom. The accounts were too incredible. The images conjured up from the radio account of what was happening were in fact accurate. The remaining events of the day were grist for proving one's mettle and abilities. Priorities needed to be reordered while progress on what was scheduled to occur was maintained as best as possible.

Still, one shock after another kept unfolding.

The news kept unfolding. The Pentagon was hit. Cognizance of the fact that there were people populating these buildings, going about their usual routines for opening a business were present in at least my mind. Innocent people who had absolutely nothing to do with the warfare going on in some remote part of the world far, far away from the United States. Then a report was given that a plane that supposedly was headed for the White House was diverted to a field in Pennsylvania.

Priorities kept being reordered. On the news that there was no transportation to Los Angeles' downtown area, it was time to simply stop and do the alternative activities. I returned to my SOHO and wrote When All Are Losing Their Heads. There was nothing else to do in order to dispell the acidic events. Then diffuse the situations by writing about them. And focus on what's needed in order to be a leader in times of distress, disorder, mayhem, and disaster.

The next shock was the fact that there was an aborted attempt at destroying the White House, one of the symbols of America and its freedoms. My projects were waiting for me and my responsibilities were making their demands. For me, it was a matter of sublimating the news in deference to getting things accomplished.

It must be that all of us became numb that day. I think all of us simply put ourselves on a mental autopilot so that functioning and accomplishing and progress toward Tomorrow could happen. A year later, an editor solicited responses from her readers as to whether they would be doing anything to recognize the events of a year earlier. Many responded in similar fashion. They were all in business either for their own selves or for a company. There was no time to physically stop. But there were moments when waiting for a conveyance or other precipitating event forced the waters of time and cognition to part and allow the stirrings of the mind to capture the feelings, to give them a higher position. But essentiall, everything was all in the course of a day.

It's significant to note that these emotions we Americans felt were the same as those who live in battle zones around the world. The shock, the numbness, the coping as best as one can have become routine patterns. You have to ask yourself how people can possibly live in that type of atmosphere, in that type of constant agitation, and keep their stability. A woman who lives in one of those areas was interviewed on an old Oprah show. She said drugs, especially Valium, are sold at pharmacies throughout her city as though they are aspirin. The drugs help to dull the senses and bear the toll that the bombings and straffing take on one's soul, mind, and body. The drugs help keep the psyche glued together.

It's been eleven years since the attack. We have healed. The World Trade Center is rebuilt.

The Pentagon has been restored and stands majestically on its original base.

The September 11 Memorial is a wonderful symbol of the past and pool of our coming together. It looks more like a peace pond than a monument. Let us look forward to that type of reality for our mental state and our global future.

Sponsored link: Leadership in Dangerous Situations: A Handbook for the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and First Responders