Get to Know Verano: You have the right to a beautiful, jargon-free brand story
You and your business deserve an equally eloquent brand story, just like we promise in this week’s feature:
“You have the right to a beautiful, jargon-free brand story.”
What makes a brand story beautiful? Your voice!
Your business has a differentiated selling proposition and your team has a unique perspective. Our job is to help you find your voice and then help you share your distinctiveness in a way that will connect you with your customers, peers, and clients.
In most of my initial Clarity Consulting Sessions, I find my clients tempted to stick to dense industry terms that they believe make them sound superior and in-the-know. But nine times out of ten, I’ll encourage them to move away from what everyone else in the industry is already saying because when you claim to do what everyone else is already doing, you’ll get lost in the sea of sameness.
Of course, you may speak with a lot of jargon at the office. That’s a good thing, right? Sure, jargon serves a purpose…sometimes. Your shared vernacular can unite your team, almost like a club that only those with the secret password can join.
But that’s precisely the problem.
If your phrases are only understood by a small and very specific group of people, then your message will never be understood by the masses.
Your brand story must be inclusive or else you’re just going to talk to yourself. Consider this statement from a recent client of mine: “I want to improve our online SEO and in-office POP to help my clients more easily select the right HMO. Confused? The average person would be, too.
Before moving on, let’s align on what “jargon” really means. According to Merriam-Webster, jargon is defined as:
The technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group
Obscure and often pretentious language marked by circumlocutions and long words
Confused unintelligible language
Strange, outlandish, or barbarous language or dialect
Hybrid language or dialect simplified in vocabulary and grammar and used for communication between peoples of different speech
Like the definition says, in some cases, jargon can provide clarity. In others, it can lead to confusion or frustration, and even boredom.
Your story should include terms that communicate your intent without excluding the general population. Like when explaining the common cold, medical professionals probably shouldn’t use the word “rhinovirus” with the Average Joe or risk some major misunderstanding.
So it’s safe to use jargon with peers? Not exactly.
Don’t assume that they’ll understand your intent. Industries and individual companies introduce new jargon on the daily, especially acronyms. And frankly, even well known acronyms like “CEO,” “CFO,” and “CIO” start melting together when used incessantly. Be selective when you sprinkle in jargon and opt for layman’s terms over insider lingo.
Ready to get started? Answer these next two questions:
How would you help your grandmother understand what you do in your business?
How would you explain your brand story to your brother that still doesn’t quite get what you do (even though you’ve been doing it for over a decade)?
Feeling stuck? Schedule a Clarity Consulting Session. My team and I will help you find your voice and create your eloquent brand story.
