Write On Results | www.writeonresults.com | 301-624-1705
My Word is Bigger than Yours
I was recently browsing another company's website, hoping to learn more about their services. Prior to visiting their site, I thought I had a good idea on what they offered. However, after 10 minutes of browsing, I felt like a maroon and was completely confused. Every five words featured an acronym that I didn't understand or some complex, multi-syllable word. I referred to Wikipedia for guidance on the first couple of words, but after more than three visits to the site, I gave up. The more I read, the more stupid and frustrated I felt.
I don't claim to know or understand everything; however, I think that their site was suffering from Big-Word Syndrome. And, they're not alone. This is a common business disease, of which few of us are immune. Big-Word Syndrome is the use of unnecessarily large words, acronyms or other phrases which often mean nothing to your audience and confuse rather than engage. Instead of taking the time to be concise in our messages, we often rely on these big words to cover up for our lack of preparation, or in some cases, lack of knowledge.
What We Risk when We Overuse Big Words:
- Alienating our Audience. There are few easier ways to make someone else feel uncomfortable, than to talk down to them with jargon and big words. They're smart, we're smart, so there's no need to try to impress anyone with big words.
- Halting Communication. Have you ever been in a conversation with someone where you didn't know what they were talking about? And, rather than ask for clarification, you said nothing - fearing they might discover what you don't know? These kinds of communication barriers occur all the time and make it difficult to build good business relationships.
- Wasting Time. People shouldn't have to consult a dictionary to have a conversation with us or understand our writing. Whether it's marketing literature or a phone conversation, big words can be a big waste of valuable time.
How Can We Prevent Big-word Syndrome?
- Use Original Content. We live in a copy & paste society, where it's easy to "borrow" phrases and content from others. However, we're more likely to use phrases that mean nothing to us (and our audience) if they don't come from us. We need to take the time to write or say what we really mean. It's hard, but worth it.
- Use a Conversational Tone. Do you use big words and acronyms when you're speaking with friends? If you value their friendship, it's likely you don't. This same comfortable tone that we use with our friends is much more welcome in business settings as well. Chances are, if we talk to our business associates as we would a friend, they'll be more impressed with our attitude than with our vocabulary.
- Listen to Yourself. Do you read your writing or listen to what you're saying? Do you ask yourself if your statements are really important or valuable? Do you think of better ways to express yourself? We'll never be perfect and we'll always make mistakes, but mistakes are wonderful lessons for improvement.
Believe me, I too often suffer from Big-Word Syndrome. There've been many times when tossed, large, meaningless words around in phone conversations. Or, I've carelessly dumped empty phrases into my writing. And, I'm sure I'll do it again. But, hopefully, after writing this, I'll do my best to keep my big words to myself and focus on my real message.
Take Care,
Kathy Hrach
Kathy Hrach
A Great Quote...
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication"
Leonardo da Vinci
A Great Read...
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
Someone handed me this book while I was interning at an advertising company. Up until that point, most of my marketing reading was textbook dull. This book was different. It was a quick, interesting read that gave some real-life explanations on why some brands are able to effectively communicate their message in an "overcommunicated society". Although some of the branding examples are old, the main message is still as fresh as it was 20 years ago.
Someone handed me this book while I was interning at an advertising company. Up until that point, most of my marketing reading was textbook dull. This book was different. It was a quick, interesting read that gave some real-life explanations on why some brands are able to effectively communicate their message in an "overcommunicated society". Although some of the branding examples are old, the main message is still as fresh as it was 20 years ago.
About Me, About Us...
I'm Kathy Hrach, Co-founder of Write On Results, a direct marketing firm that uses real pens and real people to hand address mail for increased response rates.
I'm Kathy Hrach, Co-founder of Write On Results, a direct marketing firm that uses real pens and real people to hand address mail for increased response rates.
While I love all of the new technology available for sales and marketing professionals, I believe that sometimes a simpler, old-fashioned approach in working with customers can be most effective. My goal for this newsletter and my business is to keep things simple and personal, keep an open mind and always be learning. Please feel free to email me your thoughts at khrach@writeonresults.com.
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Write On Results
10 North Wisner Street, Suite A Frederick, MD 21701 - USA
Web: www.writeonresults.com Email: info@writeonresults.com
Phone: 301-624-1705 |