Benefits Of Using a Proofreader and Editor for Your Business
June 9, 2022
March 9, 2023
Accurate and professional communication is vital for any business. However, while many UK operations deliver great products and services, their communication efforts often let them down. Back in 2017, a landmark study found 42% of UK consumers rated communications from businesses as fair, poor or terrible – and there’s no evidence anything has changed! So, all companies should look at how they’re sharing information with their customers. This is particularly important for written communication – after all – it’s a permanent record of what you’ve said! But how can using a proofreader or editor help? Let’s take a look at the benefits they can provide to your business.
What’s the Difference?
Before we delve into the benefits, what’s the difference between a proofreader and an editor?
Although they both seem like similar professions, there is a clear difference between the two. Proofreading is mainly concerned with reading through a written piece and making changes based on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. What’s more, proofreaders also look for inconsistent terminology, bad formatting and incorrect referencing. This is very important. Using wrong grammar or punctuation could create an altogether different message from what you actually want to convey. This can cause big problems in communication.
Editing is where the overall document is changed. This process ensures that the piece flows and is very much about ‘feel’ and ‘perception’. Editors work with the specific audience in mind. It requires much more creativity than proofreading. Elements like tone, passive/active voice and sentences are edited to improve the work. By its nature, editing is more intensive and requires bigger changes to be made to the text.
Error Elimination
When writing a business document, errors must be eradicated so everyone can clearly understand the content and context. This is a major benefit of using proofreaders and editors. They usually go through at least two rounds of revisions. All mistakes are identified and eliminated before sending it back to you. This ensures that every document they return to their clients is of the utmost quality.
Saving Time and Money
Double, if not triple-checking your work can take a considerable amount of time to do. A professional proofreader and editor will save you many hours of work by doing it for you. You can get on with growing your business while safe in the knowledge that your written communication meets the necessary standards of grammar, punctuation and more.
This is particularly useful in your advertising. Correcting mistakes in adverts can be a time-consuming, costly and even embarrassing process, especially if they involve the printed word. You can’t turn the clock back on them, and reprinted and distributed advertising can cost a lot of money. Proofreaders and editors will stop these problems at source, massively reducing the chances of costly reprints and similar issues.
Peace of Mind
There is nothing more important than peace of mind when it comes to written communication. By using proofreaders and editors you can be sure that content is up to the required standard. When it’s sent to your customers, stakeholders or employees, you won’t need to worry.
Creating Professional, Brilliantly Formatted Documents
Professionalism is always important. Errors, no matter how minor, increase the chance of your business being seen as unprofessional. By using a proofreader and an editor, you can ensure every document is word-perfect. Communication will showcase the highest quality. Your business will be seen in a respectable and trustworthy light.
Positive Feedback
Another major benefit is the feedback you receive on your own writing efforts! When the proofreader and editor return your document, they will mark the changes they’ve made and why they’ve made them. This will help you improve your own punctuation, grammar, flow, structure and overall communication. With time, it’s possible that soon you won’t even need a proofreader and editor. You’ll be writing documents quicker and with fewer mistakes than ever before.
Objectivity
Objectivity is always important. When you write a document on your own, self-editing can be very difficult. Certainly, it isn’t easy to critique your own work. But when a proofreader or editor looks at your work, they will be unbiased and objective. All changes they make will positively impact the content.
What Documents Can Professionals Proofread and Edit?
Proofreaders and editors can look at and amend a vast range of different types of documents. From blogs, social media posts, website content and newsletters to in-depth case studies, legal documents and CVs. No job is too big, no job too small! For best results, UK businesses should only use members of the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading).
Improve Your Written Communication
Using a proofreader and editor is the smart way to upgrade your content and ensure your written communication is always pinpoint accurate and professional. Your customers, stakeholders and employees will appreciate it. With better business communication, your organisation will reap the benefits – less confusion and frustration, more satisfaction and trust.
Need help?
We are a marketing agency in Kent. If you have any inquiries about marketing and communications, please do not hesitate to contact us. Call us or send us an email, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We can also arrange a 30-minute free consultation call or a Zoom meeting to discuss your needs and how we can help.
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How using a proofreader and editor is the smart way to make sure your written communication always delivers the right message.
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42% of UK consumers rate communications from businesses as fair, poor or terrible.
BENEFITS OF USING A PROOFREADER AND EDITOR FOR YOUR BUSINESS
08/06/2022
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