Corporate buzzwords and business terms tend to come and go. Once a phrase becomes overused, it starts to sound cliché and lose its strength.
Remember these?:
“At the end of the day”
“Information superhighway”
“Cutting edge”
“Game changer”
Over time, these once-original expressions fell by the wayside as new phrases popped up to take their places. In addition to replacement terms, the lexicon continues to grow as even more new terms are coined to accommodate the ever-broadening landscape of corporate America. In particular, the constant addition of new technologies spawns an endlessly evolving list to add to the mix.
The real challenge in all of this is understanding and properly using the right terms for the task at hand. For instance, in a corporate presentation to a business crowd, it’s perfectly acceptable to explain the ways a company can leverage synergies to maximize return on investment. In fact, failing to use the latest phrasing in this forum may cause you to appear behind the times. However, in other settings, this terminology may leave potential clients wondering whether you’re talking about using some sort of engineering equipment. They may not understand the presentation, or even worse, they may feel condescended to. Remember: know your audience.
Especially when creating static web content or mass-produced paper marketing pieces expected to represent your organization for several months at a time, it’s important to strictly limit the use of catch-phrases-of-the-day. This enables the same pieces to appeal to a broader audience over a longer period of time. The key here: web and paper materials remain in circulation long after you release them. Read your content and think, “How will this sound in 6 months? 12 months?”
TribalVision is always on the leading edge, providing messaging content our clients can count on to speak to the moment and stand up to the test of time. Connect with us today and find out how we can put the right words to work for you.