Guest Author - Pamela Blackmon

Whew. You made your deadline. Your newsletter is finished and ready to be sent. Or is it? Sure, all of the articles have been added and the pictures sized and positioned properly. Check out the following 6 things before you hit the "Send" button.


1. Spelling. As an ezine or e-newsletter editor, you already know how important it is to check spelling after you’ve written your copy. Just remember that spell check doesn’t know the context of your copy so it recognizes both “read” and “red” as correctly spelled words. So, in addition to doing an electronic spell check, you’ll also need to one the old-fashioned way: eyeballing it.


2. Style. Did you use the same font throughout? What about the font size? Are all of the headings in bold? Whatever your style is as determined either by your style guide or your personal preference, make sure it’s consistent.


3. Dates and times. Although mistakes do happen, you really don’t want to have to send a corrected version of your newsletter to your subscribers because you inserted the wrong date for an event or function. Pull out a calendar. Check your source material. Be sure to include the right date(matched with the correct day) and time of whatever you’re publicizing.


4. Numbers. Did your department raise $5 or $5000 for the local United Way? Is your president celebrating his 21st anniversary with your company or his 12th? Numbers can easily be transposed so you’ll want to confirm their accuracy before you hit the “send” button.


5. The spelling and/or usage of unusual names or terms. No one likes to see their name misspelled. Is Cassidy spelled with a “C” or a “K?” Does your interviewee prefer to use his formal name, John C. Doe, or his nickname, Johnny Doe? Ask people how their name is spelled and how they want it written. One person instructed me specifically to use her first name, middle initial and last name in keeping with the way she brands herself as a consultant.


6. The Way Your Copy Flows. Read it out loud. How do your sentences flow together? If you trip on a word, your reader will too. Rewrite sentences with awkward wording.


Finally, try to let at least one other person(preferably two) with good grammatical skills read your copy. If that’s not possible, try to take a break between readings to help you catch any errors you may have missed before.