Grammar and spelling matter in business!
Have you ever wondered why some entrepreneurs with grammar and spelling issues still build successful businesses?
That's easy! Business isn't about grammar. The only people you'll turn away with challenged grammar and spelling are editors and writers (and some others). So if these people aren't your ideal clients, then you shouldn't have to worry…right?
I Don't Need No Help, Thank You
Dan Kennedy is fond of saying that we're all in the business of attraction. So are grammar and spelling important in attracting customers?
I think they are important. Here's why. For someone with a good handle on all the mechanics of writing, common grammar and spelling errors are glaring. They distract from your message. An ideal client with great writing skills might get turned away by multiple errors in your copy. He or she may lose respect for your business.
It's Easier to Click Away Than to Walk Away
Imagine you want to buy a sewing machine and you want to ask questions before deciding which to purchase. You walk into a store to see the sales person fussing over a machine. It's obvious to you she doesn't know the first thing about sewing machines. You will probably look elsewhere for advice!
You will probably walk out of the store.
Some online entrepreneurs have nailed a style that helps their personalities shine despite the seemingly minor mistakes. If that's you, you're bound to hold some customers who are grammar savvy.
But some are bound to click away too.
If you really want to polish your writing, get those little details fixed! You can either do it yourself or hire an editor.
Tips on "Its," "It's" and "It is."
This is one of the easiest to remember!
It's is always a contraction and never indicates possession.
It's = it is
It's = it has
Here are examples:
"It is"
It's a great day for gardening. (It is a great day for gardening.)
"It has"
It's been so hot lately I feel like a puddle of wax! (It has been so hot lately I feel like a puddle of wax!)
Strangely, its indicates possession.
This is one exception to the rule about adding an apostrophe to show possession.
Take off your creative hat!
I previously talked about taking off your editor's hat to allow the creative flow. When you're done writing, put on your editor's hat. That includes a lot more than just grammar and spelling — so be sure to visit the post if you want more details on the writing process.
The best way to approach this one is to ask yourself if the sentence makes sense when you change it's to it is or it has.
If it doesn't make sense, then take out the apostrophe.
An example:
After the storm we drove around assessing the damage. The strangest thing we saw was a neighborhood with only one damaged house. It's roof was mangled and twisted.
If we take this sentence and change it's to both it is and it has, we discover whether or not it is correct:
It is roof was mangled and twisted.
It has roof was mangled and twisted.
Obviously, the sentence highlighted in yellow is incorrect.
Correct:
Its roof was mangled and twisted.
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Christiane
Thanks, Christiane for sharing such great tips. I will definitely be sharing this 🙂
Christiane this one I did know! Believe it! 🙂 I LOVE LOVE learning from you!!! I want information on captivating titles. I can write fine (I think…) but my titles are awful and don't attract the readers I would like. Can you message me with prices please?
Great simple tips. It's so annoying to see websites with improper grammar and spelling. It's like don't you see the squiggly red line under all the words? Take a minute to spell check your work and correct it.
Thanks Christiane, I am originally from The Netherlands and I need all the help I can get; my daughter edits all my posts, I need it. Building that feeling on the inside that tells me something is wrong with the sentence is what I need 🙂
what a GREAT reminder of something I THOUGHT I knew but clearly I needed a refresher! Keep those hints and tips coming!
thank you for your great grammar tips!
I never understood the technical breakdown of this, but it always inherently made sense to me when I'm writing things out. Growing up in the U.S, I tend to rely more on what "sounds/looks/feels right" vs. what is "correct technically" speaking. If English was my 2nd language, it would probably be a much different case.
Great tips Christiane. It's really fun learning from you. Thank you for sharing this.
I love this post and it was so helpful to learn the difference an apostrophe makes in a sentence structure and meaning. Thank you…and yes, it bothers me when reading a post and the grammar and spelling are incorrect…I click away.
Excellent tips! Personally I have a difficult time feeling confident in someone's professional ability if they are willing to share work that has obviously not been checked!
Wonderful post Christiane! Excellent tips on writing! Thanks so much for sharing.
Great tips…as a prolific writer it truly drives me bonkers when I come across grammatical errors or misspelled words 🙂
I don't mean to be a stickler about it, but it really irks me! If I see one mistake I don't really think about it — but more than one makes me take notice. If they don't pay attention to what they write, how can I trust them to pay the attention needed to administer something for me? It's all in the details 🙂
Christiane, I definitely appreciate reading articles with good grammar; I'm frustrated at times when I re-read some of my posts that have been out there and find a grammatical error that I have missed… but give myself grace as I'm sure it happens to everyone! I love what you say about writing creatively and THEN putting on your editors' hat. Makes a lot of sense and that way you don't lose all those great ideas that need to hit the paper while they're HOT!!! Thanks so much for a great post!! You're awesome at what you do!! I never realized how much I loved writing until I started blogging the last couple of years!
Loved this post. I am one of those people who find the little spelling errors completely annoying. The misuse of it's and its…their, their and their….to and too. However, the biggest pet peeve of all time is A LOT. When I was in the 10th grade, I had an English teacher who spent an entire 42 minute period lecturing us on the proper use of a lot. It obviously was a real annoyance to her. That stuck with me my whole life….so I never make that mistake. Thanks for the reminder and great examples.
Great article! I always love how you present grammar in such a fun, effective manner. I was an English major. I loved it and excelled. And I love to write! With the dawn of the computer age, however, I encountered a challenge that I was not prepared for and still struggle with daily. I call it typelexia. It is not that I don't know or understand grammar, it is that my fingers and brain are going in different directions and speeds. I can't stand it! Yet, it is me and maybe, just maybe, it is part of my charm! 🙂 LOL