Tips for proofreading your own writing:

• Proofread the document at least twice
• Take breaks between proofreading sessions to spot fresh errors
• Read the document out loud to catch awkward phrasing or mistakes

Recommended reading  — Tackling common writing issues: a guide to self-editing your work

A proofreading checklist for your business documents and marketing materials

General structure

A well-structured document is easier to read and digest. It helps readers quickly find the content they need, saving them time. And it ensures key points are communicated without any confusion.

Make sure your document is clear, concise and well-organised. It should follow a logical flow with a beginning, middle and end. Sections should be properly labelled with clear headings and subheadings.

Spelling and grammar

Correct spelling and grammar ensure that your message is clear, easy to understand and taken seriously. It is essential if you want to effectively communicate with clients, partners and stakeholders.

To identify any typos, start by using spell check and addressing errors that come up (but don’t rely on it solely!). You need to know what is wrong to know what to accept and what to ignore. Ensure that all words are spelled correctly, especially brand names and industry jargon that spell check can sometimes miss. Finally, check for common grammar mistakes like proper tense usage and correct pronoun usage.

Punctuation

Punctuation has the power to completely alter the meaning of a sentence. It can be harmless, or the result can undermine your message entirely. It’s not something you want to get wrong!

A few things I would recommend paying attention to are making sure commas, fullstops and quotation marks are used correctly. Avoiding overuse of exclamation marks (a common quirk for those who like to soften their writing.) Lastly, checking that you have used apostrophes correctly i.e. possessive vs. plural.

Consistency

Consistency in your business documents creates a polished, professional appearance. Inconsistent elements, like font choices, tone and formatting, can make your documents seem poorly prepared and reflect negatively on your business.

To maintain consistency in your documents, check that fonts, font sizes, and formatting (i.e. bold or italics) are the same throughout. The tone and voice used in your writing should be constant as well. If you have used abbreviations or acronyms, they should be spelled out the first time they are mentioned for clarity. And if you have any bullet points or numbered lists, they should be formatted uniformly.

Capitalisation

Correct use of capitalisation ensures clarity, professionalism and the correct interpretation of the content. When used correctly, proper capitalisation highlights key elements, such as names, titles and important terms, making the document easier to read and understand.

Check that proper nouns like company names and product names are capitalised correctly. It is a good idea to follow industry standards for capitalising any terms specific to your business.

Numbers and dates

It is crucial that numbers, especially in financial statements, are accurate and correctly formatted. A typo here can be incredibly problematic! Numbers also need to be formatted correctly when referring to currencies, percentages or measurements.

When it comes to writing dates, they should all be written in the same format throughout your document, (e.g. 24th September 2024 or September 24, 2024).

Clarity and readability

The goal with whatever you are writing, is for people to read and understand what you have written. Which is why your document needs to flow logically and make sense.

To improve the clarity and readability of your document it should be written in simple, clear language that your audience can understand. This may require eliminating unnecessary jargon, wordiness, or repetition. If you have words breaking over two lines check where the word is split as this can cause confusion. It can also help to keep sentences and paragraphs short so they are easier to read. 

Call to action (CTA)

The purpose of your document should be clear from the start. What are you trying to communicate and achieve?

If there is a desired action you want the reader to take, you need to make it easy to find. Your document should clearly direct the reader on what to do next, maybe that’s contacting you, visiting your website or booking a call. 

Contact information

If your document includes your contact information, check that it is correct and easy to find. You may want to double-check that any URLs are working and sending people to the right place.

Formatting and layout

A document that is well-structured helps guide the reader through the content, making it easier for them to absorb the key information. Whereas, a poorly formatted document can leave them confused, detracting from the message.

Consistent formatting includes things like margins, spacing and text alignment. But you will also want to make sure that logos, images and graphics are high quality and correctly placed. If someone were to print or export your document as a PDF, you want to make sure it will still look professional. 

Get a second pair of eyes on your business documents

Let’s face it – you are busy enough as it is. You have tight deadlines and you might even be working on multiple projects simultaneously.

By working with a proofreader, you can spend more time on the tasks at which you excel, such as brainstorming ideas, implementing campaigns and testing the results.

And having someone else review your documents and marketing materials, with fresh eyes, can often spot mistakes you might miss.

Professional proofreading ensures your copy is clear, professional and error-free.

The end result is a better return on investment for your marketing budget and maintaining credibility with clients.

Talk to me about how I can help.