But one thing that some overlook is the importance of proofreading and copy editing. This can take your writing from good to great, making it much easier to strengthen your brand, increase revenue and grow your business.

If your business has errors on your website, social media, email blasts, or advertisements, your consumers may be less likely to find you favorable. 

Here are four reasons marketing departments need an experienced proofreader or copy editor.

1. Mistakes Are Expensive

A single mistake in an advertisement can be an expensive lesson in humility. Here is one:

• Alitalia Airlines accidentally listed business class flights along an international route for $39 instead of $3,900. The airline reluctantly honored the budget tickets for 2,000 travelers who had purchased them at a loss of more than $7 million to the company.

2. Careless Writing Damages Your Public Image

Wise businesses are not only focused on making sales in the short term. They take a long-term perspective—they know that their brand and image are very important. Here is an example of careless writing:

A travel agency posted an ad in the Yellow Pages for “exotic travel,” but what appeared in print was “erotic travel”. The agency’s reputation was destroyed, losing 80% of its existing customers and gaining next to no new business.

3. It’s Hard to Proofread your own Writing 

When you or someone on your team writes something, it can be difficult to find all the mistakes. You are too close to the task at hand. You already understand the target market and industry lingo, as well as the product or service that’s being marketed.

Skilled proofreaders will spot many mistakes that you’ve missed, and they will make sure everything is consistent. Meanwhile, at an earlier stage, a copy editor can also offer feedback to help make the writing stronger overall. All of this can make your marketing much more effective.

4. Hiring a Proofreader Saves Time

Let’s face it—you are busy enough as it is. You have tight deadlines and often you are working on multiple projects simultaneously.

By working with a copy editor, you can spend more time on the tasks at which you excel, such as brainstorming ideas, implementing campaigns, and testing the results. The end result is a better return on investment for your marketing budget.