“Students will also find cookies on the counter.” If all you’re doing is trying to convey meaning in this sentence, nothing’s wrong with it. However, if you are working hard to cook up a professional image for your company, correcting the mistake could be as critical as never saying “ain’t”.
Readers don’t always know why writing sounds unprofessional, but they get a sense of it. When a person reads a clunky Web intro, for example, they’ll sense that the company is new and the owners are unsavvy. (Go on…admit it…you’ve made judgments about Web sites, haven’t you?)
Most people can tell the difference subconsciously between good and bad language, because–believe it or not–we are exposed to proper language every day in first-rate television commercials, magazine ads and Web material. When we read a piece that isn’t written correctly, our subconscious minds twitch a bit–and tell us subtly that something’s not right about the company, so we are less likely to buy.
When we see pieces from mega-corporations that spend time fine tuning language, we instantly gain a sense of confidence about them. The language in a brochure, direct mail piece or Web site is often the first or only information a prospective customer sees about your company. Make sure it’s baked as perfectly as possible!
Make sure your marketing language is well-baked.
(Correct cookie sentence: “Students also will find cookies on the counter.” The words “will find” make up a verb phrase or compound verb. If you split the phrase with the word “also”, you water down the meaning of the phrase as it enters the brain, which decreases the reader’s ability to absorb it. Most importantly, a reader’s brain could subconsciously register the incorrect usage as proof of lacking professionalism!)
