A beautifully decorated cake. Muffins that look divine. All the beauty of the world, all of the decorating technique and fondant available cannot save it from it’s inevitable fate: the first bite.
It’s amazing how just one bite can ruin all of that hard work. As they say, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
You may have worked hard to put together a presentation, but have you proofread it?
Did you assemble a fantastic proposal with the best materials Staples could offer? I bet it looks phenomenal. What will happen when the client opens it? Are the pages in order? Do the labels match the titles?
Office Manager Tip: Just like you stick a fork in a cake to see if it's done, review scanned documents for legibility before sending. #OMTip
— Riggins Construction (@RigginsConst) July 8, 2011
Did you scan a document then email it away without checking it first? Was it even the right attachment?
Did you even open it to check?
That’s the thing folks, in all the hustle and bustle, with all of the rush and pressure of your day and tasks on hand, you still have to “proof” your work.
I’ve pressed “SEND” enough times to know this: there is such a thing as working too fast.
For Thought:
- Do you agree or disagree with the premise?
- What are your tips?
- More Office Manager Tips
I agree, working too fast can get you into a mess!
Especially, if you are trying to make that first impression.
You have got to slow down and make sure you are doing everything to the best of your abilities!
Good post, Bridget!
Thank you Roxanne. And thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I appreciate that.
Editing my own work is my biggest downfall – and as a member of a very small marketing team I often have to put things out without running as many editorial reviews as I’d like. A little tip from UniTherm – start with the last word in your document (or blog post or website content) and work your way backwards. You’ll force yourself to pay attention to every detail and find many more errors.
We also play by the rule that if you don’t make a mistake every great now and then, you’re probably not executing quickly enough for our pace. While we don’t encourage or condone silly little errors, we also don’t have a melt down when they happen. Because they WILL happen from time to time. We simply take a moment to breath, reflect, and learn from the mistake.
This is very true. Fear of mistakes can’t be a paralyzing force either.
I like the tip about reading backwards; it is very difficult to proofread your own work if it’s a long project. Copyblogger recommends the 24 hour rule on blog posts. I’ve been working on implementing that procedure since I am the writer, editor, and proofreader. It, a times, gets “too close to home.”
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Heather. I appreciate it.