Establishing A Jargon-Free Zone

Game Changer. Disruptor. Synergy. Leverage. Enable. Utilize. 

They are all buzzwords.

As media critic Steve Buttry recently said, "Buzzwords have always been a part of the public conversation. Every cliche started as something clever."

We all are guilty of using them in one capacity or another. But to really standout from the crowd, we need to make a more concerted effort to NOT use them unless we absolutely need to. And most of the time, if we take the time to think things through, we don't actually need to use them to convey what we mean. 

Many of us just shrug off the jargon but it can cause credibility issues. Employees could start playing Buzzword Bingo during meetings. Reporters could read your press release, roll their eyes and ignore every press release issued moving forward -- or possibly write a snarky article or Tweet. Worst of all, potential customers and partners could read your announcement or website and not understand what you do and choose to go with a competitor. 

You can find article after article focused on the "worst business buzzwords" or "lamest industry jargon." Wikipedia even has a page dedicated to buzzwords. Use these resources to make sure and strike these terms from your marketing collateral, blog posts, press releases and company talking points. Otherwise, you and your executives might be the next victim of the eye roll, a game of buzzword bingo or, even worse, ignored pitches from reporters and lost prospects.

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