Why You Need a Proofreader for Your Small Business

As you read this phrase, keep your eyes peeled for the error: Year Round Sports Club. Did you spot the mistake? The adjective “year round” needs a hyphen to make it grammatically correct: year-round. ​

What's the Purpose of a Proofreader?

Today, while I drove my kids to school, I passed a particular sign advertising a year-round sports club for kids. The good news is that this one particular phrase isn’t that big of a deal. Anyone who’s interested in the sport will understand the meaning, even if you have to read it more than once.

But what if you’re a small business who’s about to shell out money on new marketing material? You may not have the luxury of re-printing direct mailers or brochures containing typos. That’s why you should hire a proofreader (not your mom or best friend offering their friendly expertise) prior to sending your material to the printer. Because let’s face it, friends are wonderful and encouraging, but they may not have the necessary skill and eye you need. 

What Does a Proofreader Do?

There are proofreaders for different types of projects, such as for a manuscript or for business material. For today's blog, I'm focusing on the latter.

Some proofreaders are hired to edit memos, press releases and other documents prior to publication. ​But what if you’ve hired a graphic designer? Wouldn’t they proofread your material? Not necessarily. Graphic designers (I recommend one at the end of this post!) are fabulous at what they do, but they aren’t editors. And typically, the designer will ask you for the copy prior to creating your project, which means you already need to have the copy written and thoroughly proofread for errors.

In Conclusion

So, who will edit your projects before sending it to the printer? There are many editing services out there, and you can find editors on Upwork, Fiverr or Reedsy. But if you need to hire a professional proofreader or editor, hire Yaupon Berry Press. I'm passionate about understanding my client's needs and providing a polished product. 

Proofreading doesn’t take long and consultations are free, so don’t hesitate to contact me if you have a project in mind: [email protected].

Extra: If you're in need of a graphic designer, Kimberly McCombs is wonderful to work with! You can discover more about her and view previous projects on her website. Also, check out Ment Marketing and Creative Services, they are amazing at designing graphics and websites. 

If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it with someone you think would enjoy it too. Have you seen a misspelled sign? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

Author

Dawn Husted progressed into offering her editing services to clients in 2016, eventually opening Yaupon Berry Press LLC.  She's constantly learning new ways of helping clients stay relevant in today’s market, whether by using an SEO strategy targeting high-trafficked keywords or simply fine-tuning their content. ​Dawn lives in central Texas with her husband, two energetic kids and an adorable golden retriever.

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