Not long ago, a 30-year Shaklee vet told our group that she was tired of sounding like a mini-doctor, what with all the the jargon she was using (e.g. natural interferon booster, etc.).
The more scientific and doctor-like she talked, she said, the more her contacts hesitated or wanted to check with their doctors before trying or buying. Others from different nutritional companies agreed.
Then she added,
“You know, it didn’t used to be like that. 30 years ago, everyone pretty much just told their regular product story – their before and after, just like that. It was wonderful. I sold a lot more product then than I do now…”
Shall we agree that on that first date at least, to use no jargon, no scientific techno-babble, no words a normal person wouldn’t understand?
“Speak in a human voice. Smart markets (i.e. people) will find suppliers (you) who speak their own language. To speak with a human voice, companies must share the concerns of their communities (i.e. people like yourself that you’re marketing to, e.g. the achy-knee set, or the overweight-kk.)” – from the brilliant Cluetrain Manifesto.
“Don’t get trapped by your own jargon: think, speak and write like your customers do.” – Download David Scott’s complimentary e-book here, it’s on the right side of his site.
“Use words a 13-year old will understand – picture words.” –If My Product’s So Great, How Come I Can’t Sell It?
