How do I point out to my client that their glitzy, super-duper website is RIDDLED with spelling mistakes, tactfully?

[clumsymum]

I'm working with a new client, trying to help sort out their appalling bookkeeping routines, and get their computerized accounts up-to-date.

As I often do, I checked out their website before our first meeting. It looks very up-to-the-minute, lots of graphics, great stuff, but the spelling and grammar is DIRE. Even the word 'freight' is misspelled in a few places, and freight-handling is their main area of business.

Now it's nothing to do with me at all, but if it was mine, I'd want to know. Do I tell or not, and if so, how?

I would definately tell...

Just point out after your first meeting that you looked at their website and noticed rather a lot of errors, hope they don't mind you mentioning it but thought it best you said something so they can ammend it.

I would be happy with that, as you say would much rather know.

Of course the person you tell might not give a damn and do nothing about it anyway...

I think you should mention it.
I think the short lived embarassment of you pointing it out is a lot easier to cope with than an outsider not using them them due to sloppy spelling IYSWIM

Hmm, should I have said "spelling and grammar ARE dire"?

Anyway .....

send an email
not one they know is yours and let them know

Say you visited the site in preparation for working together (will make you look thorough). I'd then praise the website, but say the designer should have taken more care with actual content. So praise the website design, but blame the designer who didn't proofread (presumably site designer works outside the company, and is therefore not your client).

ask them if they'd like you to check it over for them, just in case..

Message withdrawn

Yes, I'd say so, in a very factual manner.

Don't feel you need to pussy foot - just say that you looked at their website, noticed that there were a lot of spelling mistakes and were they aware of that? If they yes, ask them when the spelling is likely to be fixed, if they weren't aware, ask them whether they have the internal capability to fix it or whether they need to take on a freelancer and whether you should allow for that in their accounts?