We’ve all been there. You’re in a meeting. Someone is talking, but you checked out 20 minutes ago. There’s no substance, or if there is, it’s well hidden behind a torrent of mind-numbing sales speak. You wake from your daydream just in time for the big smile and the firm handshake. There goes another hour you’ll never get back. Some things are better left unsaid; whether in person or in your marketing content.
Why not start by retiring these useless expressions:
- “At the end of the day”
This sounded really cool when people first started saying it; sort of a casual reflective way of saying “this is the summary and most important point to remember.” Now it just sounds like your trying to sound cultured and bookish.
- “To be honest with you”
AKA: “In all honesty” or “To tell you the truth” Really? Now you’re being honest with me. How comforting! Should I discount everything else you’ve said as bald face lies?
- “Having said that”
You said it, we all heard it. Let’s move on! This is just more bla, bla, bla, see how “executive” I can talk.
- “It is what it is”
Glad you cleared that up. I wasn’t sure what it was. It sounded like you were making excuses for something that doesn’t meet my expectations.
- “Needless to say”
If it’s needless to say, why are you saying it? Any other needless words for me – because we’ve got lots of extra time on our hands this week…
- “Robust, scalable, world-class”
You and everyone else my friend. Way to un-differentiate yourself. Is it cloud-based too?
Great Customer Engagement Calls for More Intentional Discourse
Customers get enough hot air from their bosses already. Instead, why not ask succinct questions that lead buyers to conclude that you are listening to them, you’re focused on their needs, you are very capable of helping them. Don’t waste their time with lots of extra words. Let’s leave that to the politicians!
What other old business expressions are your customer’s tired of hearing?
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Over at LinkedIn discussion groups, GHIP, there has been a thread about overused phrases. All of yours were identified. Thanks for reaffirming it is time to expand one’s vocabulary and stop being lazy.
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
My least favorite cliche is “take it to the next level”. What level? From where to where? All it really means is “more”…work harder, make more money, do more activity.
“I take full responsibility for … ”
Often said by useless managers and politicans before NOT resigning. Which is what they should do.
To be honest with you, I didn’t find a ton of value in reading this. It was not very robust, scalable, or world-class, but it is what it is. Now, having said that, if at the end of the day I can look back and remember reading it, then it might have made an impact on me. Needless to say, only time will tell.
This post made me laugh out loud for real – 6 times.
Brilliant.
Thanks for the laugh.
Black is the new white or anything meanless like this that says something IS its opposite – shows complete lack of imagination (or, even worse, black is the new black – v pretentious)
Qualifying of unique – most unique, quite unique, totally unique. It’s either unique or it isn’t (and usually it’s not). (Using ‘unique’ as a benefit shows they don’t know the difference between a feature and benefit.)