Timothy Crawford | The Marketing Mash Up

Classified ads are cheap. We tend to take cheap for granted. It’s only human. If something’s cheap, we know it’s easy to replace. And if something’s free? Look out baby! People will be about as careful as a bull in a china shop.

Just take a look at this classified ad I snagged from Craigslist.

Did you notice the word “Proofreading” was misspelled?

Instead of “Proofreading” they spelled, “Proffreading”.

Normally I wouldn’t pay any attention. It’s a simple mistake. And usually I wouldn’t put the folks on a blog….

BUT,

Since the name of the company is the “English Edge Language Services Ltd”
….which to me sounds like a bunch of stuck up folks who drink with their pinky sticking out…

And

Since they

“specialize in editing and writing services to academics, business people, medical professionals, novelists and non-fiction authors in North America and abroad”,

(their words not mine)

I figured, I had a right to say something.

Look, if you miss out on possible business,

that’s throwing away money.

If you come off as a snob with an incredibly overly long name that gives people the impression you’re a bunch of elitist pinky drinkers,

that’s throwing away money.

and if you make the “Business D’oh Moments” because you misspelling the word proofreading when you’re a proofreading company, well….

that’s throwing away money too!

Then again, maybe they misspelled proofreading on purpose knowing some crazy guy would blog about it and send them even more business.

What do I know?

See you next week!