Here's something that drives me mad—it's a rant today :) ...
I can't stand brochure speak!
You know that beautifully crafted tidy copy that is full of neat words and clever phrases and lots of 'we': "Jargon jargon jargon 'we' do this and we've been doing this for 1000 years and we are the best and we will use a strap line to tell you what we do that we think is really clever and you'll be so impressed with our blah blah blah you'll buy it instantly - in fact we're surprised you've not left this page and bought it already... We are very good you know..."
That is brochure speak. And you'll find it out and about not just in brochures but it lurks on websites and flyers and adverts and sales & marketing materials across the land. Of course it's not on any of your marketing I know (ahem) but if you spot it anywhere please point the perpetrator at this blog and guide:
- Write as you: and talk about what you can do for me (your reader). I don't actually care about your show-off stuff (although a little bit is OK for reassurance)... I want to know what you can do FOR ME!
- Don't be fancy with your words: Have fun with them, but no jargon please—I might not have a clue what you're on about!
- Show me show show me in a way I want to hear it: If you're a chatty fun person, let me read that. If you're serious and academic, that's fine too. Just be YOU, as I want to see the personality behind the words.
- Don't just tell me what... tell me WHY.
- Who cares what the rules are? I break. Them. All. The. Time. (Did you see what I did there?)
- If you don't like to write then speak instead: Get a great copywriter to capture YOUR words and write them up—as you!
- Educate me. Inspire me. Transform me. Connect with me. Don't speak AT me, speak TO me—let me feel part of the conversation (if you can invoke involuntary head nodding, you're doing a good job).
- Enjoy your words as they are powerful (mightier than the sword, according to legend!).
- Say more if you need to: There are no word limits when you're talking about your Thing.
- Do check your spelling and grammar tho: The care you take with your copy needs to be the same high level you'll take with me when I decide to work with you.
Let brochure speak be banned—replaced only by beautiful copy that connects.
Amen.
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