Definitely the Wrong Font

          Most people enjoy the zillions of font options out there, customizing their emails and websites with everything from

                                           Old English
                                    

                               to  Showcard Gothic . 

          On the other hand, many of us sigh when we constantly have to switch from Microsoft’s Calibri to Arial, every time we open Word.

          But if you have a business, can I recommend you choose a basic, simple font?  If you try to get too cute, here’s what can happen. I recently called for tech assistance, when an online order wouldn’t go through. As if we don’t have enough tech trouble.  Get this:

          Tech assistant: Your username is not going through.

          Me: But I’m typing in jonihilton. (then I spell it for her).

          Tech assistant: That’s not what I have.  What I have is J O N I L hyphen L I L T O N.

          Now I’m trying to imagine how on earth I entered such a ridiculous username.  Was it that my finger hit an adjacent button? Nope—L is nowhere near H.  Plus a hyphen? Who sticks a hyphen into their name?

          Me: I can promise you I would not have chosen that username.

          AND THEN I PICURE IT.  Joni l-lilton. This woman is looking at a screen where the H has separations between each stroke, like this Stencil font:

Hilton

          And suddenly the H has become l hypen l.  

          What happens to B in a font like this—does it turn into the number 13?  

Does St. Bob become Agent 13 0 13? 

                                                        BOB

          And does K become l and then a < symbol?  N would be l slash l.  There’s no end to the confusion.

          So, choose a simple font where each letter has sensible connections.  And hire employees who know that l-lilton would be a ridiculous last name.

          Luckily, you won’t need tech support to visit my website here.  Scroll through my hundreds of YouTube Mom videos, and buy a book or two!