Marketing Buzzwords That Feel Icky

If you have ever opened a marketing email, text, or seen an ad on social media, then I am confident you've seen these words. Do your best to avoid these buzzwords- especially in marketing for your business.

Customer-focused

Uhhhh. Shouldn't all marketing be customer-focused? It's as if you called a school education-focused or a laboratory science-focused. Redundant redundancies aside, a marketing team's job is to showcase how you make the consumer the center of attention. "Showing" isn't as impossible as it seems. First, make a list of things your customers say they need or want. Do this as a team, be sure to involve as many customer-facing staff as possible. Next, gather a list of results or outcomes they want, then attach the product or service feature that delivers on that.

Revolutionary

Settle down, Larry Page. We all know that in today's digital world, the sky is the limit. However, the word "revolutionary" is over-used. Using this adjective to describe slight improvements in your business market is not turning any heads. Instead, terms such as "complete" or "fresh" to convey innovation to your customers- or better yet- show them.

Unbelievable

I could say why you need to avoid this spam-induced term, but you wouldn't believe it.

Guarantee

In marketing and sales, "guarantee" has become a verb synonymous with classic open gestures. "Next time you are in town, you all have a place to stay." Okay, whatever you say, Nancy. In the same air, a "guarantee" doesn't mean anything. When backing up a product or service, use a stronger word, "warranty."

Epic

Where are your parents? Seriously, this word wasn't relevant even when it was. Like the Black Eyed Peas, "epic" worked its way into pop culture and advertisements alike throughout the move into the '10s.

Those five words are just a small sample size we desperately to wedge out of marketing circles. Below is a list of more "icky" buzzwords:

Hurry

Unique

Exciting

Money Back

Miracle

Amazing - looking at you, Old Navy.

Great

Best

Experienced

Generally

We would love to hear your ideas for what terms belong in the figurative trashcan. Tweet us!