Is Your Communication "A Buzz" With Buzzwords?
Have you seen the new book "The Buzzword Dictionary?"
We used to be cautioned against speaking in slang and then we talked in acronyms. Now it's buzzwords.
Some of the words that were new to me:
EMV "E-mail Voice" It's the tone of voice a speaker has when they are talking with you over the phone and reading their email at the same time. And here I just thought that was rude.
How about "Robust?" Do you refer to your product or service as ROBUST? Is it coffee? If not, you probably aren't communicating an understandable benefit to your prospects.
This one was a surprise: "Actionable"
In the book, actionable is referred to as over used and here I just started using it. Of course, I live in the mid-west and everyone knows by the time mid-westerners are doing something the rest of the country has moved on to the newest trend.
Anyway – the bottom line is, whether you are using slang or acronyms or buzzwords – find something more original. Just like the comedians who speak in swear words – you are showing your lack of vocabulary and originality when you use "over-used" words.
What buzzword really hacks you off? (that was slang, by the way)
Communications | admin | 16 October 2006 |
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By Drew McLellan, October 20, 2006 @ 11:42 pm
It’s an interesting challenge, isn’t it? We use creative language to describe something new but then those words become so overused, it turns into a cliche.
It’s so easy for people to be blind to the fact that they’re using jargon — be it cultural (like the entries in the book you featured) or industry jargon that is native to the speaker but absolutely foreign to the very person they are trying to impress.
When in doubt, we always advise, just be straight shooter in your copy!
Best,
Drew