I spend a great deal of time on the internet, and have come across some glaring spelling and punctuation errors on more than one business website. Business owners are typically intelligent, creative people and very good at what they do, but like many of us, they may not be good at catching their own typos and grammar errors.

It can be very difficult to proofread your own work. When you write something, you know what you are trying to say because you wrote it! Because of this, when you proofread your own work, your brain may fill in any missing words, skip over a punctuation error, and even perceive a misspelled word as correct.

Computer spell-check programs are helpful, but they cannot distinguish between certain words that are spelled correctly but have different meanings. The words "your" and "you're" for example, are both spelled correctly, but are used differently and would not be highlighted as incorrect in a spell-check program.

Tips on Proofreading Your Own Work

Whether you are writing website content, an email, or a hard-copy business document, these tips will help you to read what you actually wrote, rather than what you think you wrote.

1. After writing your document, give yourself at least an hour before proofreading it. Overnight is even better. Your eyes will be fresher, and you will be more likely to notice errors.

2. It is easier to spot errors on a printed page than on a computer screen, so if possible, save scrap paper to print out drafts of your work and proofread the hard copies.

3. On a hard-copy document, place a ruler or piece of paper under the line you are reading—it helps you to focus on one line at a time.

4. If you are reading from a computer screen, move your finger across each line on the screen, or highlight each line as you read.

5. Read out loud. This forces you to read more slowly, and you will be able to catch more errors. It also helps you to hear whether your thoughts flow smoothly.

6. Reading each line backward will help you spot errors more easily.

7. Read through your document twice. The first time, read each line backward to catch spelling, punctuation, and typographical errors. The second time, read it normally to check for content and whether each sentence flows naturally into the next, and each paragraph flows into the next.

8. The best way to avoid errors in your business writing is to have someone else proofread it for you. Another set of eyes can objectively spot errors that the writer tends to miss.

Why is Proofreading So Critical to Your Business?

Successful business owners know the importance of projecting a professional image. Research shows that customers are more likely to trust a business that projects a professional image, and are therefore more likely to purchase goods and services from that business.

A potential customer's initial contact with a business is often a website, or some type of marketing material. Professional, polished, error-free websites and business documents can inspire the confidence and trust that lead to a sale. No matter how interesting and compelling the copy may be, spelling, grammar and punctuation errors detract from your message and could cost you potential customers.

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