Things that make you look like an idiot!
I’m the kind of egomaniac who reads over his post archive to laugh at his own jokes.
In fact, it was this very act that prompted me to come and talk to you.
I’d been reading a fantastic article I’d written earlier in the week about the limiting beliefs we have about marketing.
Gosh, I thought to myself. Isn’t this a wonderfully informative, enjoyable and light-hearted read? This guy is just like me. It’s great to feel so understood.
And then I read this: (emphasis added for the benefit of our little conversation here)
You know that the thing that your selling rocks. So go tell people about it. Spread the love. Spread the happy. Change lives. Change the bloody world!
This guy’s an idiot, I thought.
Now I despise grammatical elitism as much as the next person with something more important to worry about. But some things just make you look dumb.
So yes, I am fickle. Yes, I am judgmental.
And this would be fine if I were the only judgmental asshole in the world.
Unfortunately, I’m not.
Most people who understand that your and you’re mean two different things will think less of you if it appears that you don’t. Not in a moral kind of way, of course, but certainly in an is-this-person-clever-enough-to-teach-me-stuff kind of way…
And that’s not ideal when you’re in the business of dispensing wisdom.
Have you heard of the term hygiene factor? It was coined by a dude named Frederick Herzberg, a psychologist who made his name in business management. He was interested in what motivates an employee.
He came up with the idea of a hygiene factor – something that causes dissatisfaction when missing, but does not increase satisfaction when present. Just as washing your hands stops you from getting horribly ill, but does not necessarily fill you with youthful vitality and joy!
In your company communication, the quality of your spelling and grammar is a hygiene factor.
You’re not going to win anyone over with your perfectly concise sentence construction.
No-one is going to fall in love with you because you use big fancy words or know where to put a semicolon.
But they might think you’re a bit dumb if you get its and it’s all muddled up.
We all make mistakes. I generally write late at night and I write very quickly. I don’t rework much of my writing and I don’t proofread as thoroughly as I might. The seductive call of my bed is generally more attractive to me than the idea of reading through something I’ve already read, however fantastic and hilarious it might be.
But I will be proofreading more carefully in future.
Whether you like it not, people will judge. So have a little think your business. What things are damaging your customers’ perception of you or your brand?
Do you, for example, have a blank About Me page?
Why?!
Why, oh why?
Do you realize how bad that looks?
Clean it up! Sort it out!
See you tomorrow.
JJ Jalopy.
P.S. Please kick my butt if I haven’t sorted that About Me page out soon!
Comment by "Coach Anne" Robertson
18 June 2009
Hi JJ!
This was really enjoyable. Thank you.
I don’t like grammar elitism, but I don’t like bad grammar either! I think you’re right about it being a hygeine factor. Bad spelling, grammar or design can be very off-putting.
I’m always impressed with how you can make a boring topic come to life. Your website is really cool!
Comment by Darryl Pace
18 June 2009
Dude,
Great post. It hit home with me. I going to accelerate the sprucing up of my site (a major overhaul is nearing completion) and pay attention to my spelling and grammar.
I look forward to more of your hilariously delivered wisdom tomorrow!
Health, Fitness — Darryl Pace
Fitness Product Review
Darryl Pace´s last blog ..Glycemic Index and You
Comment by Duane Cunningham
19 June 2009
HI Dude,
You know I liked the post, however there are these strange differences between American and ‘real’ English spellings so what do you do?..lol
Your right nobody will give a toss about you if your prissy perfect with no personality!
And i do have an excuse for my spelling…. geniuses can’t spell! :-p
Duane
Discover Secret Persuading Skills that Work Like Magic by Tapping Into the Psychology of the Mind with The Worlds Leading Persuasion Expert Duane Cunningham!
“Amazing Secrets Discovered Using Cutting Edge Research! Guaranteed To Put Money In Your Pockets, Melt Away Sales Resistance…And Slash Buyers Remorse Almost Overnight!”
Comment by Pam Schulz
19 June 2009
Great insights and advice.
Pam
Invest in Your Future
Pam Schulz´s last blog ..The Strength of Markets
Comment by John Ho
19 June 2009
JJ,
You make me double check where’s my flicking About Me page!
Good funny way to drive your points home, as usual!
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion (WordPress Blog)
Numerology Expert Birthday Numeroscope (Vox Blog)
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion (Money Page)
John Ho´s last blog ..“Numerology Expert Puts Copyright into Whatever He Writes From Now On”
Comment by Avery
19 June 2009
Your so right JJ! Bad grammer and spelling in blog post’s looks really bad.
Now go back and correct yours!
Comment by JJ Jalopy
19 June 2009
@Coach Anne – Thanks very much. I try.
Great to have you in my comments section. You look good there. The pink suits you!
@Darryl – Awesome! I’m sprucing up my website too. Hope it’s going well. Mine is going *slowly*!!
@Duane – Haha…
@Pam – Thanks for your comments. Hope all is happy and well with Family Schulz!
@John – Yup… still not there. Maybe tomorrow! Thanks dude
@Avery – Yo dude! How terribly amusing…. I’m enjoying the irony of a badly written article about bad grammar! Hope things are well in SF!
Comment by Anthony Lemme
21 June 2009
Jeenyuses kant spell! Thatz mi eggskuse! Glad you liked Huevos Ghandi!
Anthony
http://www.anthonylemme.com
Anthony Lemme´s last blog ..When to Let the Voices in Your Head Speak
Comment by Lynn Lane
21 June 2009
JJ,
You are simply right. That is an area I do need to work on.
Thank you much!
Lynn Lane
Success Strategies For Life
Lynn Lane´s last blog ..A Quitter Never Wins
Comment by Newport Beach, Widow Support, Bereavement Counseling, Divorce Recovery, Grief Support, Orange County, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Irvine
22 June 2009
Hi JJ,
actually your selling is also correct.
I don’t have my grammar packets from 7th and 8th grade to quote the grammatical rules phraseology. However, you may describe selling as either a participle verb, “You’re selling….” or as a (I’m channeling for the word here, could be wrong…) Gerund noun with a possessive, “Your Selling….”
You’re going to throw a beer in my face (please make sure it’s well chilled, thank you, b/c that’s more refreshing… ) when we meet next year in Las Vegas now! lol!
On the other note, frankly, with the internet and blogging, I just don’t care about typos, grammar, and spelling. I care about communicating. I’ll often see one of my typos later and leave it so I leave my “I’m human, too” footprint for others to read and let them identify better with me. b/c hey, I ain’t perfect.
You’re a doll. I love when you get alpha butch strident!
Does Mrs. Jalopy enjoy that, too?
Best regards,
April Braswell
Single Boomer Dating Expert, Relationship Success Coach
Widow Support and Bereavement Counseling Outreach Workshop Orange County, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, CA
Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Orange County, Website Marketing, Web Design, SEO, Social Media Marketing
Comment by JJ Jalopy
22 June 2009
@April – Sorry. I didn’t recognize half the words in that comment. Did you have something to say?
Comment by JJ Jalopy
22 June 2009
@Lynn – We all do Lynn. We all do!
Comment by JJ Jalopy
22 June 2009
@Anthony – Huevos Ghandi totally rock, dude!
Comment by Lisa McLellan
28 June 2009
I don’t know if I have a blank “About Me” page, I’ll have to check that out. I am always terribly embarrassed when I use its but meant “it’s” or your instead of you’re. I certainly know the difference, but like you, I’m often blogging and commenting late at night and so I trade proofreading for sleep.
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services – Babysitters and Nannies
Comment by Steve Chambers
2 July 2009
Bad grammer is a turn off and makes you look uneducated and unprofessional. Sure, small errors are okay, but a post filled with spelling errors and major grammerical mistakes reflects badly on you.
On the internet, we can only judge others by the words they use and how they use them.
Steve Chambers, The Sales Expert
The Sales Eagle Solution – 6 months to dominate your market
Comment by JJ Jalopy
4 July 2009
@Steve – Haha… I was always going to have bad jokes in the comments of this one, wasn’t I?!