Part 2:

A correction dictionary of marketing speak

In the following text, we present common speak examples and their correction into more persuasive messages.

High quality 

And also: focused on quality, concentrating on delivering quality, highest quality, etc...

If you just write a mutation of the slogan 'high quality' and don't explain further, it is empty speak.

Even if you strive for high quality, try to avoid this phrase. Instead, describe the features that prove high quality. Write what your quality consists of. How the customer recognizes and utilizes it. Be specific and don't cut corners. Quality is recognized in greater durability, better performance, or that the product stood up in harsh conditions. For products where quality is hard to discern, certifications help. But those can be tricky. It is better to provide information about the good customer experience of your clients.

• The door mechanism lasts 100,000 openings and closings. That's two human lifespans.
• Tested beyond the Arctic Circle.
• Meets the XYZ quality certificate.

Unfortunately, in the same rank belong: 'highest quality ingredients,' 'quality components,' 'from the best suppliers' and the like. Write which ones: 

• Quality ingredients from controlled agriculture.
• Fresh fish caught this morning in the Bay of Biscay.
• Hard low-carbon steel class 19.

Proven solution 

On its own like this, it is an empty line again. But if your solution is proven, write how, so we can imagine it.

• Our XXXX: Proven by two years of operation and 1,500 installations.
  

That's better. If XXXX is, say, an information system for businesses, I get a fairly clear idea of what league this product plays in.

• Only after 15 thousand calls on the Blabu platform do we dare say that our solution is tested.

Now that's a beautiful example. Perseverance and humility can be felt in it.

• The solution complies with XYZ standards.

Then we no longer need to claim that it is proven, because the XYZ standard confirms it. Provided it is well-known and holds authority. Just beware that many things that met standards later did not suit users. Standards tend to lag behind development. For example, the number of lifeboats on the Titanic exactly matched the standards of the time.

Reliably

As a client, I don't expect unreliable services. How much more credible are you when you write that about yourself? Reliability can be documented concretely. See proven solution or maybe something like this:

• 2 years of continuous 24/7 operation without a breakdown.
• The system undergoes regular daily checks.

Both are admittedly just your claims, but you are already more specific about what you base the promise of reliability on.

Professionally / Professionals / Expertise

From a certain perspective, everyone who practices a profession is a professional. So professionalism is automatically expected. If someone boasts about it, it only arouses suspicion that they are struggling with it. 

But if your customers say it about you in reviews, it's fine. Congratulations.

Design product 

Watch out, there's a trick here! And it depends heavily on who is saying it. Customers use this label for products and brands whose design is at a higher level or are known for their design. Retailers and online stores do exactly the same. But manufacturers who care about design almost essentially never label their products as 'design' items (e.g., Versace, Apple, Tesla).

If you are a manufacturer who cares about design, or who simply does design, don't say it. Show the product so that its design qualities can be recognized. If they are, you don't need the 'design' title. If they aren't, the title won't save it, and an attentive consumer already senses that a game is being played (for example, 'design living near the metro').

But it's a different situation if your product won a design award. Then, by all means, state it with full pride. It's great if your product was recognized by an independent authority.

• Yedoo Wolfer: Winner of the Red Dot Design Award 2016…
  

Short delivery times
Great price

This kind of retro-argumentation has hopefully disappeared by now. So just to be sure: State what price and what deadlines. And customers will decide for themselves whether it is fast enough and at a good price. 

Personal approach

This is a tricky phrase. Even if you do everything to ensure customers get great service and feel good, do not use this turn of phrase. Rather describe what you do so that customers feel your personal approach...

For example:

• Upon arrival, a guide will take care of you, who will be available exclusively to you for the entire day.
  
• Each of our salespeople has a maximum of ten clients to manage to attend to them well.

Or at least put it nicely, like the telecommunications provider WIA does:

• Every customer is different, and we enjoy that; an individual approach is taken for granted by us.

And again: When your customers say it about you in references and ratings, that's good. They have a right to shortcuts.

Many satisfied customers

Thousands of thank-you letters 🙂... That's retro. If you want to showcase the success you've had with existing customers, please be specific (references, case studies, concrete numbers).

With our XXXX you won't have any worries 

That's a dangerous promise. And your customers will throw any eventual worries back in your face with greater force. If you designed a product to relieve users of certain worries, write down which ones and how you accomplish it. Otherwise, we won't believe you.

You can trust our XXXX

Very similar to the previous case. We even dedicated a separate article to it (The one you can trust).

Focus on your business, leave the worries with XXXX to us

Besides being overused, it says nothing about why we should confidently entrust our worries to the authors of this wonderful statement. 

A solution for everyone

What is for everyone suits no one. On the contrary, the customer should feel that your solution is exactly for them. As if you knew them.

And from another angle: How attractive is a girl of whom it is said that she is for everyone?

You deserve our…
You deserve the best

Self-evaluative 'best,' 'great,' 'wonderful' hopefully no longer appear in the marketing communication of a normal company. But occasionally someone tries to convince us that we deserve their wonderful, great whatever. Thank you. I don't.

… different...

'We do things differently!' 'A different solution...' On its own, it's very empty talk. 

If by chance it's true that you do IT in some exceptional, interesting, and effective way, please be specific and explain why it should interest me.

… really...

This is used for emphasis, and in colloquial speech, it serves to highlight the following word. In corporate communication, behind the word 'really,' I sense a lack of arguments and confidence.

Note: Unfortunately, I can find this word even in the past work of our studio. May it never be in the future work :)

XX years on the market

Yes. It gives some signal that you are not newcomers. It has its place in a company presentation. But I wouldn't overestimate it. Realize that for fast-moving consumer goods it doesn't matter (when I go to buy butter, I don't care that Billa has been here for XX years) and in B2B you still have to prove what you can do here and now.

... more than...

(more than a restaurant, more than an insurance company)

A bad habit that has spread like wildfire. Already documented and processed many times...

If you don't want your brand to find itself in this 'wonderful' company, look for what specifically your 'more than…' is.