Here are a few examples of mistakes that found their way into the final product:

• Next, remove cartilage from the laser printer. [Technology text]
• No job to small. [Painted on the side of a trailer]
• Enjoy solar energy free from the sun. [Advertising brochure]
• This Subjecversity is one of the leaders in... [University handbook]
• ..an understanding of how to approach e-commerce...promotes the benefits that eCommerce can bring... [Business brochure]

What's wrong with these?

• The laser printer has a cartridge, not a cartilage.
• Simple grammatical errors are easy to make, the signwriter should have painted "No job too small".
• The phrase "free from the sun" can also mean "without the sun", in which case solar energy definitely won't work. "Free energy from the sun" would be a better claim.
• Word processors have a very useful global search-and-replace option. In this case the word "Unit" was replaced with "Subject" by replacing "Uni" with "Subjec" just before publication. Unfortunately the unexpected side-effect wasn't noticed until too late.
• Consistency is difficult to achieve. Is the term "e-commerce"or "eCommerce"?

Does it really matter? Yes! Some of these small mistakes can:

• detract from your professional image and credibility
• distract your readers
• confuse or mislead consumers
• generate unwanted publicity
• make the difference between being accepted or rejected