Do you remember writing your first CV or resume? It was a daunting task, right? As a business owner, it can feel like we’re trapped in this mindset, trying to produce written communication that does our products or services justice.
Why is this process so overwhelming? Why does it still feel like writing that first CV?
The language you use shapes others’ perceptions of you. In the context of business writing, this carries additional weight because, especially in the ever-growing world of online business, your website copy, social media content and marketing emails represent YOU. They’re a virtual ambassador when you may never meet your customers or client face-to-face.
You need to get it spot-on, but how do you do that?
I find it’s always easier to remember what NOT to do, rather than what TO DO so, operating on that principle, let’s talk about three types of language to avoid in business writing.
My name-to-shame list includes three categories of linguistic culprits:
- Overused adverbs
- Hedging language
- Jargon
- Overused adverbs
Stephen King once said that ‘the road to hell is paved with adverbs’. It’s a stark statement, but I get where he was coming from.
First, we’d better briefly recap what adverbs actually are. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or even other adverbs. Their function is to tell you more about the other words you’ve chosen, and they can serve to clarify amounts, locations, and timings (to name a few).
For example, the bold words below are adverbs:
She quickly recalled the email she’d sent to the wrong recipient.
To boldly go where no man has gone before.
The invoices are already paid.
Adverbs sounds like powerful words, right? The right adverbs – used correctly – are powerful and necessary. That’s why I’m picking on the overuse of adverbs here.
By this, I mean when adverbs are used in a lazy attempt to modify a weak word choice. I (and, I would like to think, Stephen King) am thinking specifically about adverbs where they are used to indicate quantity. Often, these adverbs end in ‘ly’.
My challenge to you is to try replacing the adverb and the word it is modifying with a single strong word, as shown in the examples below:
Instead of: My mistake left me feeling very embarrassed.
Try: My mistake left me feeling mortified.
Instead of: We watched an incredibly scary film.
Try: We watched a petrifying film.
Instead of: Working from home would be different in a big house.
Try: Working from home would be different in a mansion.
Moral of the story: Be selective with adverbs and use them purposefully.
2. Hedging language
Hedging language includes cautious words like ‘possibly’, ‘generally’ and ‘try’ (note the crossover with overuse of adverbs!). If, like me, you have a pathological fear of being wrong, avoiding hedging language will be challenging for you. That’s because this linguistic crutch is our way of carefully wording concepts, beliefs or knowledge when we’re not 100% certain about them, or if we’re worried that we might offend someone by being too definitive about our stance.
It’s born of the honourable desire within us not to be pushy, overbearing or presumptuous but, unfortunately, it’s not conducive to business writing, where we need to come across as confident and competent.
I’m not advocating being pushy, aggressive, or untruthful—in fact, I’ve previously written about how to avoid these pitfalls. Being succinct and factual perpetuates trust. Consider the examples below, where the first sentence contains hedging language, whilst the second is direct:
Instead of: I can try my best to send you the quote tomorrow.
Try: I will send you the quote tomorrow.
Instead of: If I remember correctly, your meeting availability is Monday and Tuesday?
Try: Are you still available to meet Monday or Tuesday?
Instead of: I have had significant experience working with coaches on their marketing strategies.
Try: I am a leading expert in marketing for coaches.
This is your permission slip to be bold, succinct and confident in your assertions.
3. Jargon
Ah…jargon. Putting my advice on hedging language above into practice, I’m going to be direct here.
Jargon stifles creativity, belittles authenticity, and hampers trust.
This is my biggest business writing bugbear. Business owners use jargon thinking that it demonstrates their familiarity with their industry or increases their credibility, but instead it alienates them from their customers/clients.
Why?
Firstly, some or all of your audience won’t be familiar with your jargon. You’re the subject matter expert in your field, so they don’t have to be. Emails peppered with industry-specific acronyms come across as officious and robotic, especially when the recipient has to Google their meanings before they can even consider hitting ‘reply’.
Let’s suppose that your customers and client do understand and use all the same jargon as you. Even then, over-exposure leads to jargon fatigue—so even when your audience understands what you’re talking about, using stale, repetitive terminology makes you sound like EVERY OTHER BUSINESS OWNER in your industry.
With a plethora of descriptive and evocative words to choose from, why limit yourself to a few overused ones? Be original.
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Next time you’re writing for business, remember to avoid these three types of language.
Be selective. Be direct. Be original.