Words have the power to enlighten or confuse.  Choose words which would baffle even Shakespeare, and you’ll switch off readers in seconds!

Unfortunately, there’s a gobbledegook epidemic… It strikes scores of businesses, industries and government bodies.  Worse still, it can be fatal!  Just what is this writing bug?  And, how do you know if you’ve come down with it?

What are the symptoms?

First, if you are writing sales literature and find yourself saying your groundbreaking, cutting edge methodologies effectuate positive ramifications – (Quick – give me oxygen!) – then you have the G bug!  Worry not – it IS curable.  But, you’ll need immediate treatment to get over it.

If you’re prone to obscure, long-winded sentences, you too may have this bug.  Another sign is when you stuff sentences with dramatic adjectives and impressive phrases – which mean nothing to anyone else.

Acute symptoms are excessive use of jargon, inexplicable acronyms and overused concepts. In a word: gibberish!

Curing the G bug

Once you cut out meaningless waffle, your audience will be able to understand you.  They will be more likely to listen to what you have to say and take your sales message seriously.

If you aim to impress readers with loads of puff-speak, you’ll achieve the opposite.  Maybe a spot of poetry will do the trick?

Why?

Why say loquacious when talkative will do?

Why bother with bumptious when pushy is perfect for you?

Why obfuscate when it makes things so unclear?

Why say exorbitant when you can simply say it’s dear?

Saying soporific simply makes your audience sleepy

Instead of being lachrymose, can’t you just be weepy?

Why talk in parameters when guidelines fit the bill?

Why mention inertia when everything is still?

Why say something is inoperative if it simply doesn’t work?

Can something that is perquisite be really just a perk?

Instead of being verbose, just say it like it is

You’ll be understood in seconds and even boost your biz!

10 clear copy tips:

• Cut out elaborate words
• Use plain English
• Use stronger verbs to cut out adjectives
• Avoid a cluster of 3 syllable words
• Don’t change verbs into nouns (‘Decide.’ Don’t ‘make a decision’)
• Shorten sentences to 15 words or less
• Focus on the buyer’s needs, not yours
• Use common words instead of technical or business jargon
• Be yourself, instead of sounding like everyone else
• Always remember ‘you’ is more important than ‘me’

Remember, crystal clear words should be every writer’s aim.  If you want to speak to your customers, without them getting excessive head-scratching syndrome, keep it simple.

And if after all this, words such as ‘inoperative’ or ‘facilitate’ creep into your sales copy, it’s time to get professional help.  Take an asprin and call me in the morning!

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