How sloppy copy can diminish your audio project
Whether you’re producing a commercial, video narration, or messages on hold, it all starts with a good script. Grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, awkward sentences, and misusing words can harm your project’s success. Plus, sloppy copy will make your project, and your brand, seem and sound unprofessional.
How bad copy can harm your project and your brand:
Makes it difficult for voiceover talent and producers
If you pay for professional voiceover and audio recordings, you want to ensure your script is spot-on. Poor copy makes it difficult for a voice talent to voice it properly. And because the script acts as instructions for the producer, a bad one can make their job exceptionally difficult. As a result, correcting your copy and needing multiple takes in the studio can increase your production costs. Either way, a bad script might not produce the perfectly polished audio recording you hoped for.
Diminish professionalism and trust
A strong brand is built on credibility, professionalism, and trust. If your copy is riddled with spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and typos, it can have a negative impact on your brand. It shows a lack of care and attention to detail. Your target audience will assume this unprofessionalism and poor attention to detail extends to your products and services.
Highlights poor communication skills
Customers want to work with companies that are transparent and easy to communicate with. Your communications copy can highlight those skills or quickly show they are lacking. Mistakes, poor language, awkward phrases, and misuse of words show poor communication skills. That quickly translates to perceived incompetence across the entire company.
Damages your brand reputation
Coming across as a trusted industry expert is difficult when your communication seems amateur. Mistakes in your copy, visual or audible, can damage your brand’s credibility and make customers question the quality of your services or products. It can also show that you don’t care enough to ensure how you communicate with your customers is consistent with how you do business.
Ways to improve:
Hire a professional writer or agency
If you’re not an expert writer, that’s fine! There are services, like On Air’s scripting service, that can help. We work with a team of experienced, professional writers that can ensure your script and ad copy is consistent with your brand voice, professional, and error-free. Professional and experienced copywriters can write engaging and effective copy for all mediums of business communications.
Take time to review your work (use spell check!)
If hiring a professional writer or agency isn’t in the budget, other tools can help. For starters, use the spelling and grammar check on your word processor. Do not use a built-in spell check as your only proofing tool, but it’s a good place to start. Then, you should carefully read and reread your copy to catch mistakes the spellcheck might miss.
Ask someone to proofread the final draft
Then, have a second set of eyes proofread your script or ad copy. Sometimes you can miss errors after staring at the same document for too long. Having a co-worker or colleague review the copy can help catch those skipped-over typos, grammar and spelling mistakes. They can even help catch awkward sentences and make suggestions for strengthening the copy.
Contact On Air for help with scripting for your next project.