Before you dismiss what follows as a bad memory of your high-school English courses, wait. Consider momentarily that the Internet has presented you with both an opportunity and a responsibility. As a Realtor, you've probably either launched a personal Web site, or you're planning one. If you're trying to cut costs and can't hire someone to do the writing for you, you're probably writing your site content yourself.

That's an extremely important project. You're representing yourself and your business, creating the first impression that will either give Web-browsing consumers reason to pause and perhaps send you an e-mail inquiry or pick up the phone -- or give them reason to keep moving. Believe it or not, a single misspelled word or other simple grammatical blunder instantly negates, in many Web users' minds, the hard work that went into producing your site. Those faux pas send your prospective clients the resounding message that while you may be a walking encyclopedia on the region in which you sell homes, you're in dire need of another kind of encyclopedia. The bottom line is that you didn't do your homework. You may be knowledgeable, but you're going to have a hard time convincing people of that with all of those grammatical sins standing in your way.

Granted, editors are particularly sensitive to these mistakes in writing because our jobs depend on catching them. This isn't meant to lecture Realtors, of course. But it is meant to pass along a few tried-and-true rules of grammar that will convey your message clearly and suggest to prospective clients that you've put a lot of thought into your presentation. The truth is that many people may not catch your errors, or if they do, they won't even realize the negative connotation it forms in their minds; they won't make the connection. But just as you wouldn't misrepresent yourself on your Web page, or place an unflattering photo of yourself there, why wouldn't you take a few simple steps to ensure that the language you use to market yourself is correct?

Here a few guidelines, both technical and stylistic, to consider when preparing your Web site editorial or marketing materials for your farming area:

• Don't use capital letters. While they certainly emphasize the point you're trying to make, they're also a turn-off for readers. Capital letters scream at your clients; would you? Of course not. You're aiming for a gingerly approach -- confident yet genteel, while stressing your knowledge of the market.

• Avoid exclamation points. Unless you're highlighting a point so out of the ordinary that you can't fathom not using one, stay away from exclamation points. Again, they tend to assault readers and drive them away from your presentation. Much like capital letters, they scream for emphasis. In fact, their appearance alone blares your message excessively. Some writers not only use exclamation points; they use them in every other sentence. Is everything these writers have to say of such elevated importance that all of these "!"s are necessary? You might have some fantastic home listings to show off to your prospective clients, but providing plenty of detailed descriptions and a catchy, user-friendly Web site or brochure will get that across. Exclamation points won't.

• The Golden Rule of Quotation Marks: comma, then quotation marks. For example, "Joe Smith is the best Realtor in Chicago," says John Q. Public, new home owner. Same with periods. "Joe Smith is the best Realtor in Chicago."

• With the exception of the term "Realtor," titles, when used after individuals' names, are not capitalized. For example: "Jennifer Jones, executive vice president of Bank of Chicago, has been promoted to president and chief executive officer of the company." Versus "Executive Vice President Jennifer Jones has been promoted to the position of president and chief executive officer of Bank of Chicago." This is a rule that, if broken, most of your readers won't notice. Nevertheless, it's a good rule to remember.

• If you start a sentence with a number, spell it out. For example:
  • NO: "96 percent of my clients said they would recommend me to their friends who are selling their homes."
  • YES: "Ninety-six percent of my clients said they would recommend me to their friends who are selling their homes."
  You've got to admit, spelling it out simply looks better. The one exception to this rule occurs when you're starting a sentence with a year. "1998 is going to be a great year." No need to spell it out.

• Need we repeat the old "your" versus "you're" distinction; or "it's" versus "its"? When in doubt, spell out those contractions in "you're" and "it's" to determine if your sentence is clear. For example, "You're going to be a top producer this year" is the equivalent of "You are going to become a top producer this year." That makes sense. "It's interior contains five bedrooms and two fireplaces," however, translates to "It is interior contains five bedrooms and two fireplaces." That, obviously, doesn't make sense. This little test should help you make the distinction easily.

• When dealing with dollars, remember to use the sign, not the word: "$1 billion," not "$1 billion dollars," which is repetitive.

• If you're using singular tense, remain consistent, and if you're using plural tense (which you probably are, considering that Realtors usually direct their marketing efforts to large numbers of people), stay plural. How many times have you seen the following back-and-forth style?
  • "If a client wants to sell a home, they'd better get a Realtor first."
  • Who's "they"? Weren't we talking about just one client here?

• Finally, avoid connecting two complete sentences with a comma. This practice is so common that you might be tempted to believe it's correct. It's not.
  • NO: "Five of New York City's top producers work in this office, all of them worked very hard to gain that distinction."
  • YES: "Five of New York City's top producers work in this office. All of them worked very hard to gain that distinction."
  • OR: "Five of New York City's top producers work in this office, and all of them worked very hard to gain that distinction."

The list of online grammatical faux pas we've spotted could fill a book, and I'd be pleased to write it. But making a mental note to practice the above-mentioned rules is a good start toward representing yourself to the best of your ability. After all, you've done the hard work it takes to be successful in real estate. Why not put your best foot forward when stating your achievements and capabilities? Good grammar is an easy insurance policy for obtaining and keeping the recognition you've earned in your profession.

Published: May 1, 1998

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