Grammar Matters – Especially in Business Communications

Grammar Matters – Especially in Business Communications

by Jane B. Fraser

In this time of text messaging and what I call ‘textspeak’ (shortened forms of communication such as ‘ware u at?’ and ‘tryn 2 reech u’), correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar are more important than ever. Why? Too many times the writer assumes too much, and the reader is left in the dark (or at least in the twilight). I’ve worked for people who gave me instructions that would have baffled an archaeologist. One of my favorites was this gem:

“Jane you need revise the follow copy add direct specs see eng head for the write info. And when I need his spredsheet that show numbers times dates.”

So--can you figure out what this person wanted? Neither could I, which meant wasting valuable time to track him down to decipher his message. (By the way, the author of that last message was stunned that I couldn’t understand what he wanted!)

The message that comes through loud and clear when you don’t bother to use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar is that you don’t care enough about your audience to make your message clear.  If you don’t care enough about that, then it’s a relatively short jump to assume that you probably don’t care much about your business either.

If you think that taking the time to use words correctly does NOT count, think again. Unless you have that truly one-of-a-kind service or product that absolutely everyone must have, then you are among hundreds of thousands of people and companies vying for the public dollar. It’s easier than ever now to research products and services, so potential customers and readers will just pass you by if your message is not crystal clear and crafted professionally.

Here’s a case in point: restaurant menus. The following are some examples I’ve seen printed in actual menus over the years:

• cramberry sauce (translation: cranberry sauce)
• super juice (translation: soup or juice)
• paste with all oil (translation: pasta with aioli [garlic-flavored mayonnaise])
• chocolate buzzard (translation: chocolate blizzard [ice cream concoction])
• mice pie (translation: mince pie)

I used to correct things like this and pass them in to the owners, but most owners weren’t all that appreciative. Maybe it’s just me, but I have to wonder: if the menu is looks this bad, what’s going on in the kitchen?

Although it’s fairly easy to spot spelling and even grammatical errors (especially if you have someone as picky as I am reviewing it), punctuation is often a tricky minefield. If you do not present your text punctuated in a way that makes it absolutely clear, you can miss the point entirely, and in fact can completely misrepresent yourself.

Please do not assume that Spell/Grammar Check is going to unilaterally bail you out, either. It is a help, but it’s like anything else—you can’t rely on it to do your thinking for you. You still need to know how to spell. Just as a calculator can help you with math, you should still know the basics yourself.

Of course, sloppy spelling, poor punctuation, and ghastly grammar do not always mean inferior merchandise, service, etc. But sadly, over the years I’ve come to realize that this is often exactly what it means. There’s an old saying: “the devil is in the details,” meaning that whatever you do should be done thoroughly. Details are important. Whether it’s a cake, a software product, a custom-built motorcycle, or a document, the details should reflect your own commitment to excellence and professionalism. Remember that there are plenty of potential readers/customers out there who have vast resources from which to choose. Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors can easily take dollars out of your pockets. Be vigilant, and never turn down another pair of eyes to review your work. It is so much easier to take the time to do things right the FIRST time instead of having to work through a massive do-over.