Most people have a visceral history with proofing. Some people dread the red pen, some people bristle at “It’s good, but…”, and some are just slow to heal from hearing “No, this is just not right.” It can be painful when you take critical feedback personally. Flip the script and get joyful about proofing.
When you seek excellence in your work, being proofed is your most valuable tool. Good proofing refines your work, taking it to higher levels. You always proof yourself (I hope) as a first line of defense, but the efficacy of self-proofing is limited. There’s a tension that begins to mount as you try to take your work from 90% to 100%; whether repetitive viewing is blinding you to errors or “overworking” the product is creating new errors, you’ve reached the point of diminishing returns. It’s time for a fresh set of eyes.
In proofing, not all eyes are not created equal. Basic traditional proofing is for spelling and grammar, and is absolutely necessary. But when you’re putting out marketing materials to build your brand and reputation, there’s more to consider. Design proofing looks at crucial design elements like white space, alignment, and consistency of color and logo for brand recognition and a professional impression. Marketing proofing looks at target audience, messaging, calls to action, and how this piece fits into a larger suite of materials. For larger pieces or campaigns, you might even want the review of an informal focus group of decision makers, influencers, and friendly honest members of your target audience.
As marketing materials become more do-it-yourself, getting a solid proofing plan in place is crucial. It’s easier than you think to be that guy who didn’t put his restaurant’s address on his website. For small businesses, finding the time to focus on marketing tasks is hard, and spotting the mistakes weeks or months after publication is sickening.
We’ve assembled a team to proof content, design, and marketing… Treat yourself and your company to the quality you deserve: GET PROOFED!