Getting the greatest return on your marketing dollars takes a commitment from your marketing firm and from you. The adage, “garbage in, garbage out” applies to marketing, too. It’s vital that you proofread all advertising pieces to ensure the message being broadcast on behalf of your company is accurate and articulates the desired message. When it comes to your printed advertising, your customers will judge your company solely by what is on the page, either electronic or hardcopy. Your final approval should never be given without a careful review of the completed product. If a less than ideal advertising piece gets published, the marketer and the company bear equal responsibility.
When a draft copy is sent for your review, if you cannot read through it immediately, at a minimum, you should stop to provide a reminder to revisit the item when you finish your current task. This is important so you don’t inadvertently set yourself up to miss a turnaround deadline; thereby, causing cost overruns for your business. If you determine the item does not require immediate attention, set an appointment to review it later, and keep it. These personal reminders are necessary to prevent the item from getting buried on your desk or in your email.
Since the HVAC industry is technical, it is imperative that the proper attention be given to the content. Duffy Marketing wants to only transmit data that is useful, but accurate. We are researching topics to have the most up-to-date information possible, but review from others’ eyes is always beneficial. To proofread successfully, here are some simple tips:
- Verify phone number, web address and offer expiration dates are correct.
- Read out loud. This helps to catch mistakes your mind will fill in.
- Read through the document forward, then backwards.
- Check for misspellings. Spellcheck isn’t always reliable.
- Review copy for technical accuracy.
- Proof/review a minimum of 3 times before forwarding to other team members.
To get the most from our time with you, proofing items while on our weekly update calls is not best practice. They should be proofed using the recommendations listed above prior to getting on the phone. Our intent is to keep drafts to a minimum to fully maximize your marketing budget. Each time there are changes for the designers additional charges are accrued to your account.
Feel free to post your comments or thoughts. This blog is a secure site where only the family of Duffy Marketing friends/companies/resources can access. We hope you use it as a great resource and learn from each other. We appreciate your future participation and feedback, and as always, please let us know how we can make our support better. You may contact us directly at support@duffymarketing.com.
