In my previous blog post, I walked through research I did on what people think of mistakes on a business’ website, sign, menu or other advertisements. I found that spelling, typographical and grammatical errors cost businesses money. It definitely changed the way most potential customers view a company.

Many people have strong beliefs about what errors tell them about whether a business is trustworthy or values its customers. At the very least, it looks lazy or sloppy.

Mistakes disappointed consumers, made them question the quality of the company’s product or service, and in some cases, raised the question of whether a business is legitimate.

Spelling, Grammatical Errors Cost Businesses Money

None of that’s good, but does it affect the bottom line? Yes! About 60% of respondents said they’re less likely to buy products or services from the offending business. There were some exceptions and caveats, like if the business owner isn’t a native English speaker.

“If I had biased feelings toward the offending organization, any type of error mentioned above would extend my bias toward it,” said one person in a Facebook group I asked. “I would be even less likely to purchase its products or services.”

Another reiterated it reflects poorly on the company’s reputation.

“Mistakes drive me nuts! I definitely feel differently as a customer,” they said. “I lose respect for their business and wonder why they couldn’t take the time and effort to catch those errors.”

A couple of people actually said, “I think they’re beneath me and I don’t go back” or “I look down on the business.”

Ouch.

Several respondents caught themselves and noted they’re trying to be less judgmental. Nonetheless, mistakes make them think twice about patronizing a business.

One said, “I really try not to judge. I remind myself that everyone has different skillsets and spelling isn’t everyone’s thing, so it doesn’t necessarily reflect their competency at their core business. Ultimately though, it grates on me, and if I had to choose between two substitutes, I’d always choose the one without the boo-boo.”

Verdict: You’re Being Judged

Typos & Mistakes Are Distracting

Sometimes you lose a customer because you’re taken their attention off the product or service you’re trying to sell.

“Spelling and grammar count across the board, but I’m more lenient with businesses that make these mistakes on social media than I am with businesses that make these mistakes on signs, printed menus, etc.,” one respondent said. “The errors distract me from the message they’re trying to convey, and I’m sure that’s not what they want.”

One person has a more visceral reaction: “It’s like fingernails scratching a blackboard for me. It completely takes my focus off what is being said.”

When a business only has a few seconds to make a positive impression, that’s a problem.

There are countless cringe-worthy examples of mistakes like grammatical errors that cost businesses money.

Verdict: Don’t Confuse Your Customer

So, What Do You Do About It?

Most people said they just notice the errors and keep these thoughts as internal dialogue. A small minority — about 13% — said they point it out to the business. However, it depends on how egregious the error was, the type of business and the error.

“As an English professor, first I roll my eyes,” one person said. “Then, I take the offender to class and use it as a teachable moment.”

Others said they had a different response if they knew the owner.

“I’m friends with the owners of my favorite Italian restaurant,” one respondent said. “My job is to proofread all their menus, as I have found many errors — all in Italian. As for English-speaking restaurants, I email them and let them know.”

Some people said they’ve offered to proofread for a business, and were either turned down or brushed off, being told: “no one else complained.” Maybe not told, but lots of people notice and it changes their opinion.

And again, several people feel it’s a fixable problem, so a business should care enough to fix it.

My favorite response: “I’ve been known to send a publisher a correction to a book I was reading.”

Verdict: Rarely Do We Say Something

Mistakes May Be No Big Deal

It’s worth noting that 40% of people said seeing any of these kinds of errors never change their behavior. If the food, product or service is good enough, I’ve been in that boat myself and continue to patronize a good business.

“If it’s a cafe, I’m not too bothered as it’s not likely to affect the service or quality of the food,” one respondent said. “If it’s a service such as a lawyer or an accountant, then I would think twice about using them.”

A handful of people wrote in that if the mistake is funny, they’ll point it out to their friends or others they’re with at the time. of course, some said they might take a picture and share it with their network because it’s funny. That’s not the kind of social sharing most companies want.

Verdict: It Doesn’t Matter to Everyone

When Hiring, Spelling Counts

We’ve mostly been talking about formal advertising, social media posts and emails. But another place spelling and grammar tend to be more scrutinized is when you’re trying to hire top talent.

“I’ve not applied for jobs based on the mistakes on their website,” one person said. “It makes them look less trustworthy.”

“It’s like reading a resume with a mistake,” another respondent said. “Your first impression of this person is that they make mistakes and lack attention to detail.”

Even the job search site itself needs to be error-free.

“The other day, I visited a new job search website, looked at their ‘about’ page and saw a typo and a grammar error. I will not be utilizing this site for job search purposes,” said a self-proclaimed picky person who works in communications.

Verdict: No One Wants to Work Somewhere That Makes Mistakes

So, there you have it. The unfiltered honesty some people shared surprised even me. Some have strong feelings when they see spelling, grammatical and typographical mistakes from a business! It’s not pretty. And it’s completely avoidable.

As many respondents pointed out, there’s a pretty simple solution: just have someone else read it! Throughout my career, I’ve done that. Tools like spellcheck and Grammarly can catch a lot – though not everything. If paying attention to this kind of detail isn’t how you want to spend your time, outsource it to an experienced writer and editor (yes, like myself … or at least a friend with a good eye). It’s worth it to keep your customers’ trust, respect and dollars.

Want to weigh in yourself? Go here to take the survey.

Sign up below so you don’t miss more tips and ideas to help your business. Or contact me if you want to avoid these problems and make the best possible impression on your audience.

[mc4wp_form id=”137″]