We’ve all done it.
You type a text message too quickly, hit send, and only then notice that your phone has transformed “there” into “their” or decided that “duck” wasn’t the word you intended. It happens. Most people laugh it off and move on. Another writer friend and I joke that we don’t need perfect grammar, spelling, etc., in private messages.
A business, however, doesn’t get the same luxury.
The other day I came across a Facebook post from a company promoting its services. In just two short sentences, I counted multiple spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization mistakes. The message itself was perfectly reasonable. The execution was not. The Facebook post is below:
“Were ontarios largest marine recyclers and are zoned for it, we dont do it out of a backyard near farmers fields. If you have a boat you need to dispose of, do it properly by bringing it to the proffessionals!”
Ugh. It made me wonder: did nobody read this before it went online?
“Were” → “We’re” (missing apostrophe; contraction for “we are”) “ontarios” → “Ontario’s” (needs a capital “O” and an apostrophe to show possession) “dont” → “don’t” (missing apostrophe) “farmers fields” → “farmers’ fields” (plural possessive, assuming multiple farmers) “proffessionals” → “professionals” (misspelled) Comma splice/run-on sentence after “it” (“…zoned for it, we don’t…”). It should be separated with a period, semicolon, or conjunction.
Every business spends time worrying about its image. They invest in logos, websites, signage, advertising and social media. Yet one poorly written Facebook post can undermine all of that. Fair or not, customers notice these things. If a company appears careless with its own marketing, some people naturally wonder where else that lack of attention to detail shows up.
This isn’t about expecting perfection. Everyone makes mistakes. Even professional writers occasionally miss one despite proofreading several times. That’s why newspapers, magazines, and publishing houses have editors. A second set of eyes catches what the first one misses.
The bigger problem is when nobody seems to have looked at it at all.
Spell-check and grammar checkers are everywhere. Better yet, ask someone else in the office to read it before you publish. Do it in Microsoft Word or Google Docs first (it will catch things) before you post it on Facebook. It takes a couple of minutes and can save you from looking unprofessional in front of thousands of potential customers.
If writing isn’t your strength, that’s perfectly okay. Running a marina, repairing engines, selling furniture, or baking bread doesn’t require a degree in journalism. But if you’re using words to represent your business, those words matter.
Hire a freelance writer if you post regularly. Ask an employee who enjoys writing to look things over. Use AI as a proofreading tool. There are plenty of options that cost little – or nothing at all.
The goal isn’t literary greatness. It’s credibility.
When I see obvious mistakes in a business post, I spend more time noticing the errors than the message. That’s the opposite of what good communication should do. Your audience should remember what you offer, not wonder whether “we’re” needs an apostrophe.
Before you hit “Post,” do yourself one favor. Read it. Then read it again. If possible, let someone else read it too. Those extra three minutes may be the cheapest investment you’ll ever make in your company’s reputation.
johnberkovich.com 