You're or Your? Lion or loin? We've all seen the hilarious memes online of restaurant or menu fails. Funny as they are, they can be avoided! We know that not everyone is a writer. When it comes to the spelling and grammar on your marketing and promotional materials, you could lose customers if your work is not on point.
Imagine you create a promotional flyer, and due to a spelling or grammar error, you end up giving customers more than you intend to sell? Or, say, you're printing off copies of your new menu and miss a typo? You'd lose money on the printing costs if you only notice the error after the fact. In an industry where margins are already slim to begin with, this would be a nightmare.
From online communications to printed promotional materials and menus, you rely on all the words and written material to help sustain your business. So, to help you avoid making mistakes that could cost you, we've put together a list of 5 spelling and grammar tips to use when writing. These tips will be sure to attract customers and help give your brand the perfect public impression.
1. Your computer's spell check isn't all that it's cracked up to be. While it's a great tool, it can't pick up on
tone and sometimes chooses the wrong word for you to use. Double check your spelling agains a reputable source. Try Googling the word, or try an online dictionary
2. Short and sweet! Keep it simple when writing. Use as few words as possible to get your idea and menu items across - it'll keep you from confusing your guests.
3. Read it over. Does it make sense when you read it to yourself? Imagine you're going to a restaurant; are
the menu items clearly laid out? Do you share all necessary information (from dietary info to descriptions)? Reading it out loud to yourself can help you edit and check if everything makes sense. Take 5 minutes during your editing process to do this, or ask someone you know and trust to take a look for you.
4. Read, read, read! Reading will help you understand different styles of writing. Pick up a book, or even just take notice of how other restaurants lay out promotional materials and communications, and learn from them. If you admire a company's branding, take a look at how they convey their message.
5. Look over your work! Editing isn't the most fun process, but it can help you catch those little mistakes that you may have missed. Take some time to give your brain and eyes an opportunity to catch those apostrophes and spelling errors that they may have overlooked. A great technique is to take a 10 - 15 minute break after writing, and coming back refreshed. Remember to also check sentence structure (this includes noticing how a sentence flows, or if the sentence is a fragment or not).
If you're looking for tips on how to use specific grammar styles in your writing, try out Grammarist or Grammar Girl (a personal favourite) - these will give you an understanding of simple English punctuation, including the mystifying apostrophe. Check out this great info graphic on grammar and word usage =>Remember, don't worry if you don't get it right away - writing is a life long practice that takes time and effort.
Good luck and keep checking back on our blog to get more helpful tidbits and tools for running your restaurant business.
