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Today I’m going to switch gears and talk about why writing well matters. Technology has made the actual “work” of writing much easier, but it’s also given birth to shortcuts that are often out of place in the work world.
LMKs and LOLs are great when we’re emailing friends or posting on Facebook, but they’re often inappropriate in a professional setting.
Little things matter! Run-on sentences peppered with commas drag readers along breathlessly until they reach the period. I’ve noticed more and more of these sentences – they slow readers down, forcing them to re-read until the meaning becomes clear.
Proper grammar can be part of the technological revolution – it’s the backbone of solid writing, especially when it comes to marketing your products and creating a professional image.
Think of it this way – you’re on a first date with an interesting, intelligent person, enjoying dinner as you get to know each other. Halfway through the meal, you notice broccoli stuck between your date’s front teeth. This isn’t about whether or not you politely point out your companion’s new dental concern; rather, it’s about a polished image that’s altered, ever so slightly, by this one detail.
That’s what solid grammar does for you – polishes each piece of your marketing campaign and enhances your brand. And emails and interoffice communication are included here. If you’re creating an image you want your customers to embrace, every bit of communication deserves your utmost.
Get rid of the broccoli and get going on creating a polished, professional image!
Peter D. Mallett said:
I couldn’t agree more. It would also help if people read the email that you took all that time to write properly. Instead, some people only read the first couple sentences and shoot back a confusing, badly written answer that also shows they did not read what you wrote.
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dmswriter said:
Peter, could this be a reflection of the hectic pace we’ve allowed to dominate our lives? It seems that so many things are suffering (including grammar!) as we try to get through our days as quickly as we can.
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thisismyyear said:
Absolutely! There’s a time and a place for slang and short hand, but not in the professional environment. I hope they are teaching this in high school, before kids get it into the real world, so the next generation doesn’t completely lose all proper grammar.
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dmswriter said:
I hope high school kids are getting instruction in this, too. My friend’s husband is a professor at a nearby college, and he’s actually received term papers that use terms like LOL! That’s not a good trend at all…
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Karen Hendricks said:
I agree 100%! I think grammar has become a lost art…
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dmswriter said:
What can we do revive interest in this lost art, Karen? Because grammar and language really are art forms, and should be treasured as such!
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