Is That Really What You Meant?

A few weeks ago, I heard an ad on the radio that concerned me. The dentist office happily listed all the services they provided, then proudly announced at the end, "Our doctors can do all this under sedation."

My first thought was, "I am not going to that dentist."

Unfortunately, this is not an unusual occurrence. I see things in printed ads and hear them, both on the radio and on television, and I have to ask, "Where was the proofreader? How did they miss that?"

How you say something, word order, is so important. You cannot assume that people will understand your intent. In the example above, the statement clearly says the dentists at that office performing while sedated. I know that was not their intention, and I don't believe the dentists are medicated, but the statement says otherwise.

What is your content telling people? Are you choosing the correct words and putting them in the correct order? Or does something in the content make people scratch their head and think "Hmmm, I wonder . . ." That is probably not the reaction you're looking for.

It is situations like this that my company wants to help you avoid. As an editor and communication coach, I can analyze your existing documents, and I can train your staff to write more effectively. I can help with presentation skills. If your company communicates, I can help you communicate more effectively.

Contact me today and let's make your message more powerful.