How a Proofreader Quietly Saves Your Business Money (and Protects Your Reputation)
By Michael Smith, Open Book Editing
Most businesses think of proofreading as “nice to have”—something you call in at the end, if there’s time. In reality, having a proofreader is one of the simplest ways to prevent costly mistakes, protect your brand, and keep communication clear across your teams and customers.
Typos don’t just look bad—they create doubt
When a prospect reads your website, your proposal, or your onboarding documents, they’re asking a quiet question: “Can I trust this company?” Typos, missing words, and small errors make your business look rushed, distracted, or disorganized.
Even if your operations are excellent, sloppy writing can make customers feel uneasy. A proofreader helps your communication reflect the level of care you already put into your work.
Unclear instructions cost time on the floor
In logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing, unclear SOPs and emails turn into real delays, rework, and safety risks. If a sentence can be read in two different ways, someone will eventually choose the wrong one.
A proofreader looks for more than spelling. They look for sentences that can be misread, steps that feel out of order, and terms that aren’t consistent from one document to another.
Proposal and contract errors hit your bottom line
It only takes one wrong number, date, or condition in a proposal or contract to create a painful situation. Maybe the client expects a different price. Maybe the delivery date in the document doesn’t match what sales promised verbally.
A proofreader checks those critical details before they go out. That reduces “we need to fix this” emails, and helps you avoid giving discounts or concessions because of written mistakes.
Your brand lives inside your words
Your brand isn’t just your logo. It’s the way your business sounds in email, on your website, in internal memos, and in your LinkedIn posts.
When those messages are consistent, clear, and confident, people feel like they’re dealing with a professional, reliable operation. When they’re full of mixed terminology, half-finished thoughts, and inconsistent formatting, it sends the opposite message.
What it looks like to work with a proofreader
At Open Book Editing, I help businesses:
- Polish websites, emails, and proposals before they go live
- Review SOPs and training docs so they’re easier to follow
- Clean up recurring templates—like quotes, job postings, and reports
You don’t need to hire a full-time editor. You just need a second set of eyes that understands both language and operations.