Expert tips on proofreading your business email

A sloppily written email can be interpreted as a lack of respect for the recipient and a sign of laziness by the sender. But it only takes a few minutes to ensure your messages are polished and error-free before hitting the SEND button.

“Write drunk, edit sober.”

This saying has been mistakenly attributed to many famous writers, from Charles Bukowski to Ernest Hemingway. Although its true origin is unknown, there is a bit of truth to the saying—at least the second half.

While the former can arguably lower inhibitions and free your creative mind to write unrestrained, it's hardly a long-term strategy. The latter, however, is crucial because it requires the analytical, detail-oriented part of your mind to be unclouded.

Here are five simple tips to help you proofread your email:

Use a writing assistant tool

Technology-based proofreading has come a long way from the humble spellchecker.

Writing assistants, such as Grammarly, Sapling, and ProWritingAid, offer tools that can help you throughout the entire writing process: correcting grammar mistakes, improving sentence structure, and enhancing readability.

Most writing assistants are available in various forms, including standalone desktop software, websites, browser add-ons/extensions, and mobile apps. So you can proofread your email wherever you are.

Use a read-aloud tool

One of the problems with visual proofreading alone is that your mind can often interpret what you intended to write instead of what's actually written on the screen or page. But listening to your email being read aloud can help reduce this tendency to mentally correct errors instead of actually correcting the text.

Read-aloud features may be included as an accessibility tool in operating systems and word processors, available as extensions or add-ons, or downloadable as standalone apps. These tools can be a valuable addition to silent reading.

Ask someone to help

Repetition breeds familiarity, so the more you read and reread a piece of copy, the more likely you are to mask errors by mentally correcting them.

After you finish your initial round of proofreading, ask someone else—preferably someone unconnected with what you're writing—to have a go at it. An extra set of eyes can provide a fresh perspective and help catch mistakes you didn't notice.

Avoid proofreading when you're tired

Although this is sometimes beyond your control, try not to proofread at the end of the day when you're physically or mentally tired.

Proofreading requires focus and attention to the smallest details, so try to plan ahead and do it when your mind is fresh, sharp, and focused. This is especially important when emails are being sent to large mailing lists, such as with newsletters, promotions, or product launches.

It can also help to take a short break and change gears. Do something completely unrelated and then come back to your document. One of my favorite ways to clear my mind and reenergize is to take a short walk before I start proofreading.

Understand your usual writing mistakes

People often commit the same mistakes, over and over. Understanding your writing habits and tendencies can help you pay extra attention to these areas.

For example:

• Punctuation mistakes
• Mixing up homophones (words that have a similar sound but different meanings and spellings), such as their/there/they're, you're/your, two/to/too
• Subjects and verbs not matching in number (singular or plural)
• Using more words than necessary
• Repetition and redundancy

Check out my article, “Simple email writing tips for clear communication", to learn more.

Closing thoughts…

Proofreading isn't only about fixing typos and grammar mistakes—it's a vital step in the writing process.

A polished email that's free of errors enhances the clarity of your message; saves a ton of time from having to write unnecessary follow-up messages; and establishes credibility for you, your company, and your brand.