Clicks 'n Conversions Blog

As I read the January 25, 2010 issue of TIME Magazine this past Saturday, I came across an interesting side note in James Poniewozik’s column.

The opinion piece was about the Leno-O’Brien debacle, but in passing he mentioned that one of his neighbors was canceling her daily subscription to the New York Times because it contained typographical errors.

Fast forward a few hours later, and I couldn’t help but notice the number of errors in a web marketing book I was reading. Before you ask, no this wasn’t a self-published book. It was published by a company that’s been in business for the last 23 years. And no, the errors I found weren’t obscure errors that only another writer would notice. This book had numerous, obvious errors — like missing periods at the end of sentences. As I continued to read and encounter errors, I couldn’t help but question the merits of what I was reading.

Of course nobody’s perfect (especially me ), but I’ve always been a stickler for error-free writing because I know I have a tendency to judge people by how well they write.

At the same time, I secretly wonder if text messaging and twittering is turning us into a bunch of illiterates that no longer care.

Yet here on this Saturday, I had two concrete examples where writing errors definitely affected business.

Is it possible that on the surface we say grammar doesn’t matter, when the truth is we subconsciously judge others by their writing?

And if the answer is “yes,” can writing errors hurt or kill business?

To answer these questions, I need your help.

Follow this link to take an informal survey that will take less than 2 minutes to complete. I’ll ask you 5 quick questions, and at the end of the survey you’ll have the option to remain completely anonymous or submit your e-mail to receive survey results.

The survey will remain open until February 28th, and I’ll share my findings in this blog during the March/April timeframe.

To start the survey, click this link or paste this URL into your browser:
http://bit.ly/6yXttb

Thanks in advance for taking the survey and for sharing the survey link with your friends and colleagues.

- Sue Anderson-Lenz
Marketing Lure, Inc.