Election Day is almost here! For several months, candidates for public office have engaged in high-profile campaigns, speaking at colleges, chambers of commerce, town hall meetings and fundraisers, telling people the reasons to vote for them. Their words and actions have been scrutinized, dissected and analyzed. Having a solid platform may not be enough to win votes – candidates must consider their public image and the way they present themselves as well. How would it look if a candidate came to give a speech or engage in a debate with his tie askew, a mustard stain on his shirt, and mismatched socks? No one would take him seriously, to say the least. He might have spent hours preparing his remarks and studying the issues at hand, but his appearance may distract his audience and detract from the importance of his message.
In a similar way, any final product you send into the world must also be carefully reviewed and polished. If you’re in business, how you market yourself impacts your relationship with customers, potential customers and partners. In short, you want to do your best to look your best.
A marketing agency can help you craft your message and your image. Copywriters help you say what you mean in an engaging way. Designers give you a look and feel that reinforces your brand message. Creative directors make sure that all the work is on target to meet your business objectives as well as help you stand out from the competition. Last, but not least, proofreaders are your quality assurance experts. They make sure every t is crossed and every i is dotted so that your message is communicated effectively.
A proofreader is not only skilled in grammar and spelling. She also checks for the coherency of ideas and consistency of facts. Her arsenal of tools includes The Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, the dictionary and Wikipedia, to name a few.
She works with graphic designers to make sure the copy and design are well-integrated. It’s best to bring in the proofreader at every stage of the revision process, so that by the time you are ready to go to press, everything is nearly perfect. The last thing anyone wants is to make major changes right before an approved project is going to print or going to go live.
The proofreader is not there to be critical, although she must look at things critically. It’s her job to make sure the agency and/or client presents the best work possible. She ties up all loose ends. She polishes and tidies up. She makes sure that the first impression, and the lasting impression, is a good one. She is, in other words, the champion of the work.
Don’t be afraid to ask her questions. Trust in her vast knowledge and experience. Maybe you got all A’s in English, but it may have been a while since you had to determine whether to use “which” or “that”. These things you may not notice, but she does. And she bets that someone, somewhere out there, may notice, too. An error-free presentation may be a pivotal point of doing business.
Details matter, whether you’re on the campaign trail or presenting to potential investors or customers. That’s why having a proofreader in your corner is indispensable. Once a creative agency puts together all the components of your marketing strategy and materials, the proofreader comes in to make it all shine. Just make sure to get your suit pressed and you’ll be ready to go!
