Tip 262) Use the right word in the right context!

Today's guest post is from proofreader Sarah Barter, reminding us of the importance of checking our business writing!

When you’re trying to sell your products or services, your words matter – what you say and how you say it could be the difference between making that sale or losing your prospective client.

So much of our advertising is written - copy on websites, social media posts and graphics, business cards, printed flyers, etc. - so it’s important that we get it right.

There’s a word for that …
An essential element of good copy is to make sure you use the write word in the write context - see what I did there?! Words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings are called homophones. Many people find them confusing, but using the wrong word makes your business look unprofessional and will put people off your message.

Common homophones to look out for are:

• your / you’re
• there / their / they’re
• its / it’s
• here / hear
• bare / bear
• right / write 😊

There are many, many more – just Google ‘homophones’ to see lots of lists of examples.
 
Proofread, proofread, proofread!
This is just one way you can slip up with your writing, so be sure to carefully proofread your work when writing for your business. Unfortunately, these types of errors won’t be picked up by Grammarly or other spellcheckers as they don’t check for context. So, if spelling and grammar aren’t among your strong points, it's worth investing in a professional to do it for you! Your business will thank you for it.

Happy writing!
Sarah
 
About Sarah: A qualified proofreader, Sarah works with a variety of different businesses—from sole traders and small businesses to freelancers and creatives—helping them to get the most out of their online presence and printed marketing materials. As well as spelling, grammar and punctuation checking, she can also assist with editing and formatting your copy. The end result will be professional-looking marketing that will help you advertise your business successfully.

Head to www.sarahbarterproofreading.com for more information.