5 Ways to Get Fact-Checking Right
Do people trust your marketing content?
By Elise Anthony
Editorial Director, D Custom
You want to talk up your business. Maybe talk it up to a whole other level. Although it’s wise to lead with your best foot forward, you don’t want to end up with your foot in your mouth. From sharing your success stories to providing key statistics, the facts have to be right or it’s all wrong.
Smart fact-checking requires that you set up a process, and follow it each time. No exceptions. These five tips will help your brand build trust with proven fact-checking techniques that work for all content associated with your brand, whether it’s a tweet, Facebook post, blog entry or brochure.
- Designate a fact-checker. You know that person who is annoyingly aggressive about getting it right? That’s exactly the person your brand needs to double-check everything.What kind of previews are possible?
- Develop a process. Figure out the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved, and stick to it so that anything in the public eye has been vetted for accuracy.
- Proofread everything that goes public. A minimum of two people should check for typos, mistakes and other problems every single time a revision is made to content. Will this new design complement or distract from your brand message?
- Create a checklist. Use this document each time you fact-check so that your brand guidelines are followed from tone to design, right down to trademark symbols and brand capitalization.
- Don’t assume anything. Call those phone numbers. Check those websites. Make sure the facts you mention are actually true.
Now that you know the basics, here are a few scenarios that can foil even the most diligent fact-checker, followed by a few solutions. (You’re welcome.)
The Case Study
Every executive wants to show how the bottom line improved, especially on his or her watch. But you had better watch it. Make sure those case studies have been verified, down to the small details. If a claim isn’t really true, everyone looks bad.
The Stat
Nine out of 10 dentists agree that the first five words of this sentence sold a lot of toothpaste. But you know what would ruin the credibility of those ads? If it turned out that the survey only asked 10 dentists total. Make sure surveys are done properly, and are extensive. Saving a few employee hours by not pounding the pavement could have you pounding your head against the wall after you’re found out.
No matter what your design needs are, explore your options. Don’t hold back because of budgets; creative designers can offer possibilities at various price points. We might just be able to work some miracles—I mean, we are artists, aren’t we?
The Lone Star
Don’t just ask yourself if it’s right but if it appears credible. If you’ve had one client improve his business by 150 percent and no one else has profited at all, you either need to ditch this claim or provide absolute proof.
The Inevitable Error
Even when you do everything you can to get it right, mistakes still happen. People understand it’s possible, especially if it’s a rare occurrence. Just own up to it, explain the reason why (explain, don’t excuse!) and analyze why the mistake was made in the first place.
Elise Anthony is the editorial director of D Custom. To find out if your fact-checking process is working, email her at elise.anthony@dcustom.com.