Make the Most of Your Reader’s Attention

Despite the time and care you’ve put into your marketing emails (or blog post or even Twitter feed), there’s no guarantee that anyone will read – or value – what you’ve written.

But you can increase the chances of that occurring by avoiding the use of buzzwords and those borrowed from other industries or markets; frequently, they don’t survive the transition and end up confusing or inducing the dreaded “glaze-over” effect which may trigger buyer resistance.

Reading is a solo exercise and all the recipient has are your words. Strive for meaningfulness and originality. Give them something to think about. Whichever words you choose (and it should be a conscious decision), understand that each has its own power, emotional impact and business communications value.

If you’re willing to consider that there may be a better word than the one you’ve typed, use MS Word’s Synonyms (Right click) or Dictionary.com’s Thesaurus and review its definition. What’s at stake? Perhaps your credibility if you’ve used, or are about to use, an inappropriate word.

Ok, let’s get to it.

Integrated Solution
Sounds strong, sounds great but mostly everything in this New Age of Service is “integrated” due to its complexity. Alternatives: “Package A-B-C, a base mode with options, etc.: just tell people what you’re offering in a simple way and they’ll remember it.

Seamless
A darling word the telecommunications industry, this word just sounds good. Dictionary.com defines it as “smoothly continuous or uniform in quality.” This is what every company strives for but it’s difficult to achieve as it involves people, training and day-to-day pressures. By using this word, you may be setting up unrealistic expectations.

Tailored
One of the most overused words in sales and marketing. Borrowed from the clothing trade, its intent is to communicate customization. Why not just say that? Or modified?

Specialized application
Well, what else would it be? An “app” is specialized in of itself because its purpose and coding was written to solve a generally accepted and identified lacking or inadequacy or, in the case of an innovation, a less understood or unaddressed one. Using this phrase positions you as someone trying to impress and often, the listener isn’t.

Productivity
A blanket word which communicates little unless the actions and benefits are defined explicitly.

Flexibility
Another blanket word. See above.

Need
Another of the most overused words. I should make a list. Frequently referred to in emails as “your needs.” Customers don’t have needs: they don’t “need” anything. They have ‘problem areas, things (usually defined) they want to address, things or areas they want to improve upon’ and so on. Using “needs” puts words in their mouth. No one wants to feel they need anything but they might like or seek or wish to consider….

Solution
Another blanket word. See above, above. Too broad. Be specific. And please do not ever combine ‘needs’ and ‘solution’ in a sentence as in “……provide a solution to your needs.” Would that be of interest to you, if you were considering a purchase?

These words came became popular over the last 20 years when computers, telecommunications and the Internet became more of a force. Accelerated automation was the result. However, the speed at which human beings communicate has nothing to do with the actual process of communicating using words.

If words aren’t your thing, it’s worth hiring a professional writer or salesperson who knows how to write (and not all do) because the impression you create, or fail to, will operate against all the money you invest in promotion.