Why does a business need its material edited?

If a business, company or corporation is to be taken seriously by its clients or customers, it needs to present a professional standard in all aspects of its enterprises. Today, businesses produce a myriad of material, both digital and printed. This is the company’s ‘shop window’ through which readers will judge its quality and efficiency.

Business people at all levels often work under pressure, particularly time pressure, and it is very easy to skip the process of proofreading services in the expectation (or maybe only in the hope) that the material produced for their clients and customers will be of a high standard and impress existing and potential customers. However, even if the document has been checked by the writer for mistakes and appears correct, it is always wise to engage an experienced editor or proofreader to look through it before it is published.

When you have completed your document, whatever it may be: a business report, an advertisement, a presentation of your company or a document to be read by the general public, the next step is to get it copy-edited. The editor will go through the document checking it for spelling, grammar, flow of language and readability. It is very likely that the editor will find errors that you have missed, since when you read your own work, what you actually see is what is in your mind and not what is printed on the paper. There are several levels of editing, ranging from light to intense, according to the wishes of the client.

Then, a good editor will read through a document a final time to ensure it is perfect before publication. This process is proofreading. In fact, the same person often does the editing and proofreading. To use a sports analogy, submitting a professional document for print without engaging a proofreader is rather like a football team playing a game without a goalkeeper, which would be unwise, however good the full backs may be.

Tourism-Related Literature

Tourism is growing all over the world and many countries now depend on tourism to support their economy. The tourism industry produces many pamphlets and flyers which are distributed free, in large numbers, in an attempt to persuade people to visit tourist attractions.  All too often, those who produce such literature do not get them proofread, probably because they think that since they are small and sometimes just to advertise a ‘one-off’ event, this is not necessary. However, it is a good idea to get all text proofread, whether it is a 1000-plus page book or an A5 leaflet advertising a local tourist attraction. People who look at a leaflet advertising a tourist attraction will judge the quality of the attraction by the quality of the leaflet. It has to look professional.