Referral

I recently got a call from a guy I did some proofreading for a couple months back. I caught a couple semi-critical things that the half dozen staffers missed. He knows I am reading it.

He mentioned the upcoming work and told me he'd referred me to one of his advertisers.

She had just released a brochure with a major typo.

She'll be getting touch with me next time.

Thank you.

Perhaps sometime he might release an actual name of a person, firm, timeframe, something.

I like it best when I hear something before "Oops. Crap."

What's missing?

He handed me one of these flyers. He invited me. He knows what I do. 

I gave him a complimentary consultation. 

I held my palm out. "Give me a dollar." 

He gave me a slap and a grin instead. 

He meant well. I hope he filled his chairs.

Re-Me-Ber Your Spirit

Re-MEM-ber to check with your proofreader.

It could keep you out of the Emergency Room.

 I can help.

Call David White 

YourMessageDoctor.com 

YourMessageDoctor@gmail.com 

800-642-9050

aPPPointment

It happens to the best of us. John is meticulous with his cabinet making and his word crafting.

And stuff happens. It's good to get proofed before you publish. Call me.

When writing a short message ...

... try not to call attention to the fact that it is a short message. The reader already knows that and it distracts from your noble intention.

In this case she might simply have written:

We appreciate your business. Happy Holidays - or whatever.



You do NOT have to fill up the white space just because it's there.

Dumping Text

Dumping text into a webform allows spaces to disappear sometimes.

Proofreading still required.

Message from Katie's Candy Shop

We are in traffic as you can tell from the picture.

Katie's Candy Shop might generate a little more business if they'd include contact info. Phone. Web. Something.

And, we could all read it better they filled in the letters with a big, black marker. And we'd also not notice that they had a little stenciling error with the spelling of SHHOP.

Well, we are where we are, doing what we can. I am helping all I can with words and images. Go, Katie, go!

This morning Pat was looking something up in the dictionary and the page header she was on read: Stupendously - Subjective. I think it's a great headline inviting us to the party called Life in the Universe.

A Little Change Goes a .....

A little extra proofreading goes a long way, too.
Thanks to eagle-eyed Jenny for sending this in.

A penny saved is still a penny erned ...... ERNED?
Click the pic for an eagle-eyed view.

Wisconsin in Illinois?

August 20, 2010

Dear PTA,

When I type Franklin in the City box and select Wisconsin I get results for Illinois. That's not as helpful as I would like.

How many others are not bothering to follow up with you and your service offerings?

http://pta.org/jp_find_your_pta.html

Please contact me when you think you need some outside eyes on your site.

David L. White - YourMessageDoctor @ gmail.com
800-642-9050 - 414-282-7185

Milwaukee in Indiana?

The Cinderella Ball will be held at Clare Oasis in Milwaukee, WISCONSIN on October 9th, 2010, not in Milwaukee, Indiana as listed.

Four typos - front page

We did not feel like going out Sunday morning to listen to Celtic harp in the rain.

We changed our minds and went anyway. The sky cleared. Our reward was the wonderful lilting harp in the early August breeze.

Before we left I looked for the performer online and found her website - and the four typos mentioned in the headline.

Near the end of the session we wondered if we might buy a couple of her CD's and then I got the brilliant idea to offer a trade: proofreading for prerecorded music.

Well, she said no thanks. Her nephew did the site. She knows it's a mess. She's having a Mexican redesign it (or something about a new site and a Mexican) and, finally, she didn't think anyone reads the fine print on sites anyway.

Really? She doesn't think anyone reads it? Why put it there?
(note: it seems more like a bio than fine print, but that's just me).

Perhaps I might revise my barter approach, but to ... I just don't know what else to say.

In the shock of the moment we caved and bought a CD anyway.
I don't know whether to give her a pro bono checkup from the Message Doctor or not. At least I got another case to report from the Emergency Room.

Don't let this happen to you. Get your message checked.

Here they are - four typos on the front page -as promised. 



___________________________________________________


Kim Robertson's is a renowed performer and recording artist who combines an improvisational spirit with a passionate sense of tradition, bringing a contemporary touch to a centuries’ old instument.

Kim Robertson
renowned
centuries-old 
instrument

Four typos on the front page. 
Actually a little verb tense editing could be popped in there, too.
... artist who combines ....., >and> BRINGS a contemporary blah blah blah...
combines and brings

U P D A T E - Monday 8/9/10 @ 4 p.m. - The website has already been updated. Good for her!

Check your message

We've all done it. We've shot our message out there and have not gone back to look at it.

Our credibility is at stake. What's that worth?


It's hard to quantify people that come to our door and do not ring the bell. Will they return?

You might be surprised how valuable a small investment can be. Let's set a time for a free evaluation. Call David at 414-282-7185 or email: davidwhite@YourMessageDoctor.com

Before and After is not the whole story

While a picture might be worth a thousand words they actually have to be written, arranged and edited down to a reasonable and readable number.

Are you telling your own story or letting potential clients talk themselves out of calling you?

Try this prescription when 'your' means 'you are'.

You can have a program customized to your needs.

I can help with big little things like this.

When your means you are - try this - you're.

Your Message Doctor makes house/phone calls.

David L. White - 414-282-7185
YourMessageDoctor.com

or email yourmessagedoctor@gmail.com

e-media guy

I met an e-media guy today that had two domains on his biz card.

They were:
email@ [here is the domain] my-website.com
and www. [here is the domain] mywebsite.com

I hate to have to be so explicit but not everyone knows that construction.

Anyway, I went to
http://www.my-website.com
and
http://www.mywebsite.com
(the difference being a hyphen, or dash, or not)
and neither of them worked.
Neither of them worked.

One was for sale and one said the site was unavailable.

This from a new media guy.

I took a couple screen shots and emailed them to him and ............
.........
.....
...
..
.

Okay.

What. Ever.

I hurried right back here to tell YOU about it.

That's about all I can do.

Get a check up. Doctor Dave - at your service.



David White
414-282-7185
yourmessagedoctor@gmail.com

Presentation - Plain Words - Layout and Design

For the purpose of this exercise we will look not at the content, or the meaning of the words, but at how they are presented to the reader. There are two styles below.

The idea is to make it easier for the reader to engage in our message. The greatest message in the world might be lost before it is delivered.

Communications

I called Linda on this. She was glad for the extra eyes.
I think we all need help.
That's why we have someone to change our oil, cut our hair
and sometimes cook our food.
I can look over your work.

Name removed

Client - with an n.

Just showing what I might be able to help you with.

ER - valauble information

I know this person. She can spell. Really.
She got most of the words right. Right? Is that enough?
Details count when we're trying to be of value to new and existing clients.

How can I help you maintain a credible presence?

It's beyond affordable. It's profitable.

Need proof?

ER - Is this a question?

So, is this a question?