The oft-used email subject line ‘Sorry, use this version instead’ can have a myriad of stories behind it, but most often it’s to email an updated version of a document that was emailed only a short time ago.
The reason? Usually, because many people are involved in contributing to the document’s content, which results in a myriad of changes. Even with version control, it’s extremely easy for a document’s quality to diminish during the writing and editing process.
Annual reports, tenders, proposals, PDSs, RAPs and suchlike are a mighty collaborative effort. But typically, by the time everyone’s put in their two penn’orth, the content can be unrecognisable from the first draft. And consequently, errors in the content go unnoticed until, of course, the document has been released to its readers, whether online or in print.
Too frequently, what gets ignored in the last-minute rush to the deadline is proofreading of the final version. It may add another stage to the process, but proofreading is an invaluable one. Getting an independent proofread from a skilled proofreader who’s not been involved in your document writing or editing is a lifesaver.
An experienced proofreader will find typos, grammatical errors and inconsistencies that no one else has spotted, saving you the embarrassment of ‘Sorry, use this version instead’.
After all the stress of getting your document ready, that’s got to be a good outcome.
For help with copywriting, proofreading or editing any of your business documents, contact Proof Communications on 02 8036 5532 or 0411 123 216 or head to the contact page.