The Devil is in the Details


Mistakes happen – appointments get missed, deadlines slide by, and that phone call doesn’t get returned. These things happen to everyone sooner or later. Sometimes these are things that can be avoided next time, sometimes they’re unavoidable, and sometimes they’re just plain old stupid mistakes.

I get so stuck on details sometimes. I know that’s because I make snap judgments and any kind of mistake distracts me. This isn’t the case for everyone though. I value flawless execution… sometimes at the expense of showing up at all. Many of my friends would say that showing up is most important, even if imperfectly.

In my world, imperfect might mean a subject line with a spelling error, a hyperlink that doesn’t work, or a bunch of weird html code showing up in a newsletter. These are all little nitpicky details that can have an immediate and negative impact.

Here are some tips to help you make sure those little details are right:
  • Haste makes waste. Slow down and concentrate.
  • Avoid distractions. Multi-tasking doesn’t work. Shut down your email.
  • Use the tools available. Spell checker, grammar checker, SPAM checker…
  • Double-check, especially details like dates and addresses.
  • Print to proof. Your eyes will see things in print that they miss on a screen.
  • Get another set of eyes. If it’s important, always ask someone else to proof for you.
  • Check links. We use links everywhere - social media, blogs, websites, newsletters, online advertising. Make sure yours work.

Originally published in Work Better, Not Harder on December 6, 2012

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can't Write? Try Research

Image
I've heard a lot of small business owners say they can’t publish a blog or newsletter because they can’t write . I think you don’t know till you try, but let’s say that’s a valid reason. There are still ways to create content on a regular basis without writing articles. One of those is researching and compiling information that’s valuable to your target market. Valuable compilations need not be lengthy or onerous to assemble. BUT they should be two things: interesting and useful . Plus funny - funny is good, but humour in email can be tricky. Use it with care. These compilations can be factual, but don’t need to be. Instead they can represent your opinion. Here are some examples, in this case for a target market of small business owners in Nova Scotia. You can use these ideas as a jumping off point for creating your own lists of valuable content for your target market. Top 10 Coffee Shops for Business Meetings in Halifax 15 Most Useful Apps for Small Business Owners Net...
Keep reading »

What Happens Once You're Found?

Image
"We’ve mistakenly made being found the number one goal of our marketing."  ~ Bernadette Jiwa This line from a recent article really caught my attention. Over the past few years I've heard many people talk about SEO (search engine optimization) as something desirable without really knowing why. SEO is something done to your website so it'll be found in Google searches . So, what happens when someone gets there? There's no value in investing in SEO if your website can't make something more happen when a potential customer arrives. Imagine having a store with no employees. First, make sure your website can work for you. It should contribute to reaching your business goals and the here's-what-we-do-feel-free-to-call approach won't do much for you. It's one thing to get found and quite another to make the sale. Click to Tweet this Article
Keep reading »

eMail Productivity: Automate Course Certificates

Image
If you're a teacher or trainer, you've likely struggled with the process of providing Certificates of Completion (or Certificates of Attendance and such) to your workshop attendees. Using a Word template, your process might be something like this: prepare your spreadsheet for a mail merge, complete the merge, convert each .doc to .pdf, print, fold, mail merge the envelope addresses, print labels, affix to envelopes, stuff envelopes, lick stamps, run to the post office. Even if you're paying someone to do this for you, it's pretty labour intensive and prone to error. Add the cost of printing and postage, and providing certificates isn't cheap. Consider using your bulk email application , such as iContact , to automate this process. There is a little set up involved but, once it's done, it's quick and easy to use. How to set-up your certificates: First design a certificate template in your email application. You can do this in much the same way as you...
Keep reading »

Get a Blogging Buddy

Image
It might sound a little corny but having a blogging buddy is a great strategy, especially if you can find one that serves the same target market as you. Why? You can plan and generate ideas together. You can write series of articles that intertwine, linking back and forth to each others blogs. You can edit, proof, check each other's work. You can be accountable to each other, especially if you have an agreed upon schedule. You can motivate each other when you're stuck. photo by mailliw / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article
Keep reading »

Actively Share your Newsletter Issues on Social Media

Image
You may already be autoposting your newsletter onto your social media feeds when you send it out. It makes sense to share it more than once , especially if it's the only content you have (i.e. if you're not also blogging). Re-sharing your newsletter issues using the read online link on your social media feeds multiple times will extend your readership beyond your current subscribers... and hopefully encourage new ones. Facebook Page, Google+ and LinkedIn If not autoposted, post a link to the online version of your newsletter as soon as it goes out. Use the sharing buttons within your newsletter to make it easy. For a monthly newsletter, you might consider sharing it again a couple of times before your next issue goes out. Twitter Tweet a link to the online version of your newsletter a couple of times a week until your next issue goes out. Use the tweet button in your newsletter but change up the tweet text each time. Add an image to the tweet for added oomph. If yo...
Keep reading »

eNewsletters and Charities in Canada

Image
If you Google " CASL and charities " (in Canada), you'll find lots of reading on the subject. I'm not going to repeat all that here but rather give a quick snapshot of how CASL (Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation) impacts charities. CASL applies to 'commercial electronic messages'. This means that most (but not all) communications sent from charities are completely exempt from the requirements as they wouldn't be considered 'commercial'. Soliciting donations is okey dokey, as long as the charitable donation # is included. Things to be careful about ( may void the exemption): paid advertisements (funders/sponsors might be a grey area) promoting programs/courses "offering services to individuals who may benefit, where there is a cost-recovery element (for materials, for example)" internal job advertisements (because there's a commercial aspect, this may also be a grey area) Even if a message is not exempt, it ...
Keep reading »

17 Reasons to eMail Your Contacts Before Your Next Newsletter Goes Out

Image
NOTE! Don't jump directly to the list below. There's a caveat and it's an important one. While these are your reasons for emailing your list, you need to create value or point it out to readers. Frame all your messaging around the thought, "What's in it for my readers?" If you make it valuable to them, you'll feel the love in return. Here are 17 reasons to email your list, independent of your regular newsletter schedule: A new or improved product or service - highlight the benefits, not the features A demonstration of one way to use your product... and the fantastic results! A new article, video or audio file published online A customer success story - and how subscribers can enjoy the same success A customer question and your answer - useful information A cool tool you just tried  - how your contacts can benefit Comment on a common myth about your industry - why your subscribers need to know Announce a contest Request information (feed...
Keep reading »

Your Brand is more than Your Logo

Image
I’m a visual person yet I find it hard to describe our own branding concisely: lots of white space, clean, bright spots of colour, fun but professional. If you came to me and said that, how would I design a newsletter (or website or blog) for you? Being able to describe your visual branding is important when you’re working with professionals such as designers and other consultants. How can they help you best if they don’t ‘get’ your brand? How do you describe your own visual branding? Write it out right now and be concise. Use lots of descriptive words - make up words if you have to. Can you get what’s in your head onto paper? Looking at examples is very helpful. Look at others’ websites and newsletters. Identify what you like and don’t like and put it into words on paper. Do you like curves or straight lines? Bold or subtle? Professional or whimsical? White space or lots of colour? Simple or busy? Keep going... don't stop here. It’s not easy to do bu...
Keep reading »

e-mail or email?

Image
How do you spell it? During a recent workshop with Twirp Communications , I was updating the keywords on my LinkedIn profile . After proudly doing the update quickly, Anita searched on one of my keywords. Immediately she spotted a disconnect. I had spelled 'email', but she had spelled 'e-mail' when she searched. Now I have to admit, I'm prejudiced against hyphens. I don't know why, but I try to avoid them unless they're necessary. We had an 'internal communication' here at Daley Progress (Danielle and I talked) about it just a couple of days before the workshop and we had decided to standardize all our usage to the un-hyphenated versions of 'email' and 'enewsletters'. How foolish of us to think that prospects and colleagues will use the search terms we want them to use! Now we will have to re-visit all of our online content, with a view to making it more 'search friendly' - rather than about what we like. Who knew ...
Keep reading »