Because people don't speak in buzzwords. Marketers do.

During my panel presentation at Sun's Startup Camp last May, I was asked a very important question during the Q&A. It's an exchange that has stuck with me and I tell it a good deal off-line to colleagues and clients.

You see, it's a lesson that I encourage. But it's also a lesson that I constantly have to remind myself of in my messaging work--because I have been plenty guilty of it! So I wanted to share the sum and substance of the conversation:

Attendee: "Can you tell me the buzzwords that marketers should avoid using with our audiences and in our communications?"

CK: "Oh dear, I'm sorry but given we only have 5 minutes before this session ends and since this entire conference is only two days long, we don't have enough time to rundown all the buzzwords we marketers abuse...because there are so many." 

(Hey, I needed to be honest!)

"But the good news is that social media gives us a surefire way to avoid using all those words that are confusing, over-hyped or just so overused they've been rendered meaningless: read the comments and conversations of consumers and prospective customers at many blogs that are relevant to your business and target audiences. See what they're talking about, and what's meaningful to them. But mainly look at how they say things. Because now you're afforded to actually "see how they speak". And let that be your barometer.

Because people don't speak in buzzwords. Marketers do."

(so we've found yet another reason why listening is so helpful)

At the same conference, I sat in on a great "cloud computing" panel and learned so much "techie" stuff. But there were so many buzzwords and acronyms that even the moderator apologized. Afterward I went up to congratulate him on a great presentation--and made sure to thank him for also noticing the buzzwords. I told him it made me feel so much better knowing that we marketers weren't the only ones that play Buzzword Bingo ;-)

And on that note, here is a great 30-second commercial; it's all sorts of fun, and true. RSS and email subscribers, please click through to the blog to view.

Comments

[Philippe]

Hi CK,

I hope you are well.

I have the feeling that there are trends in buzzwords: today it's all about "no-nonsense", "drive and passion", "customer centric organisation",...

Even in french, we just take over the english expressions (I often hear words like "closé" or "commité" in Belgian companies)

Overall my theorie is that when businesses tend to limit the vocabulary, most of the words become meaningless (what does "excited" means today since every single presentation starts with "I'm very excited to be here"), they limit the ability to express criticism, creativity or innovative ideas.

[Amber Naslund]

Hi CK,

Oh, you're so right. And it's not just about buzzwords that are lingo, it's about using an everyday word and beating it into such sad little pulp that it doesn't have value or meaning anymore. We communication folk need to be especially aware, don't we? Thanks for the reminder.

Amber

[EH]

Marketers need to be careful when getting involved in social networking to remember who their targeted audience is and to speak accordingly. If they start using technical terms or all of these "buzz words" it quickly turns away potential customers.

[Webconomist]

This is so very true...as a marketer of 20 yrs, buzzwords or Marketing Noise on old Calls to Action drive me crazy...if you sound like everyone else, how do you expect to be heard?

Funny I just blogged on this topic this morning!
http://webconomy.wordpress.com/2008/08/15/will-the-web-kill-marketing-noise/
Thanks!