Precise language is one of my joys. It’s exhilarating to find exactly the right word that communicates in the best way possible.
Which is why it pains me to admit that accuracy isn’t all that important if it’s boring. For marketing communications, you must be interesting first and precise second. To catch a customer’s attention, it’s best to spark their curiosity with memorable content.
Words become boring through overuse. When a word is ubiquitous in the culture, customers start to overlook it, like static in the background. Sometimes, these words are useful descriptors of what your company does, but it doesn’t matter if customers have grown accustomed to ignoring them.
Instead, choose words that are easily understood but unique in the context of your business. Compare these two marketing campaign approaches from Mosquito Joe and JH Mosquito Control Services. Mosquito Joe takes a friendly approach that is much more interesting and memorable than JH’s technical description of its service special.
Mosquito Joe – Outside is fun again.
JH Mosquito Control Services – Mosquito Control Special!
Some Terms that Might be Accurate, but are Terribly Boring:
- Solutions
- Collaborative
- Communication
- Service
- Special
- Alignment
- Outside the box
- Cutting edge
- Turnkey
- Innovative
- Expert
Perfection is Illusive, but Keep Working on It!
True marketing magic happens when you find precisely the right words that also perfectly describe what you do and why customers should buy from you. I advocate striving for that goal!
In the meantime, though, you have to keep marketing and selling. “Don’t let perfection become the enemy of good,” is a powerful business adage. As you move forward, infuse more interesting and unique language into your marketing. You’ll attract customers’ attention, and they will allow you more time to explain accurately what you do.
