The devil is in the details and so is your professional reputation
We all have pet peeves—minor annoyances that consistently irritate us, even though others are unfazed. Many of my pet peeves involve writing, and high on my list is the incorrect use of the word “insure.” Unless your message refers to “compensation if a person dies or property is damaged” (www.oxforddictionaries.com), the word you should use is ensure. Two easy tricks will help you eliminate this particular grammatical faux pas:
1. Think “I” for INSURE for issues related to insurance.
2. If the phrase “make sure” would fit just as well, use ENSURE.
Who cares about such a small detail?
Before your readers consider your message, they first consider you. In our rapid-fire business world, your readers will assess your credibility through your writing—even in casual e-mails—before deciding whether or not they’re going to take the action you propose.
You write for a reason. You have crafted your message to support the outcome you want—to influence your reader to do something (meet, buy, believe). Don’t let “small” details like incorrect word choice, typos, or grammatical errors be a roadblock to your success.
ENSURE your key message shines through
Your readers may not share my intolerance for confusing insure and ensure, but you can bet that those small mistakes will cost you. Make sure your message isn’t ignored because you haven’t shown respect for your reader by paying attention to the details. When you question a rule or writing convention, check it out. There are ample websites to help you, like this one for commonly confused words:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/page/easilyconfused
Use every tool to set yourself up for success—from strategic organization down to the details. It’s worth the effort.
Guest author Navi Vernon contributed this post
Better Communications empowers companies to make written communications a competitive asset – clear writing for a complex world!
