How to Avoid Jargon in Marketing Copy

Don't try to sound smart. Try to be useful. 3 years ago, I deleted my most "impressive" newsletter. 2,000 words. Multiple frameworks. Industry jargon everywhere. 14 drafts. It felt "professional." It felt "high-level." It felt wrong. That week, a CEO guest spoke to me before our podcast: "You know why I listen to your show? Because you make things simple." Then she paused. "But your newsletter... sometimes I need a dictionary." That changed everything. I opened my analytics that night. The pattern was clear: My "smartest" content performed worst. My simplest advice spread fastest. I had been: • Writing to impress peers • Stacking jargon on jargon • Trying to sound "intellectual" • Hiding behind complexity So I started over. New rules: 1. Write like I talk 2. No words I wouldn't use at dinner 3. Every piece needs a clear "do this" Example: Before: "Contemporary market dynamics necessitate strategic pivots in content optimization." After: "Test what works. Double down on what people love." That decision? It built my entire business: • The podcast grew exponentially • The newsletter became my main lead generator • Sponsorship deals rolled in • Speaking opportunities opened up Best feedback I get: "Used your advice. Landed the client." "Finally, someone who makes this simple." "Implemented this today. It worked." The truth about expertise: • Rookies hide behind jargon • Veterans embrace simplicity • Masters focus on impact This philosophy drives everything: • How I write • How I speak • How I teach • How I coach Because here's what I learned: Value beats vocabulary. Always. 3 questions before publishing: 1. Would my mom get this? 2. Can someone use this today? 3. Did I remove all the fluff? Remember: Your audience's success is your scorecard. Not your vocabulary. Today? That decision to choose simplicity over sophistication was worth millions. But more importantly: It actually helped people. // Agree? Simple or complex content - which actually helps you more? Share below. #ContentCreation #Podcasting #Writing #ValueFirst

No one is waking up at 7am, sipping coffee, thinking, “Wow, I really hope someone explains holistic wealth architecture today.” People want clarity. They want content that feels like a conversation, not a lecture. They want to understand what you’re saying the first time they read it. Write like you're talking to a real person. Not trying to win a Pulitzer. - Use short sentences. - Cut the jargon. - Sound like someone they’d trust with their money, not someone who spends weekends writing whitepapers for fun. Confused clients don’t ask for clarification. They move on. Here’s how to make your content clearer: 1. Ask yourself: Would my mom understand this? If the answer is “probably not,” simplify it until she would. No shade to your mom, she’s just a great clarity filter. 2. Use the “friend test.” Read it out loud. If it sounds weird or overly stiff, imagine explaining it to a friend at lunch. Rewrite it like that. 3. Replace jargon with real words. Say “retirement income you won’t outlive” instead of “longevity risk mitigation strategy.” Your clients are not Googling your vocabulary. 4. Stick to one idea per sentence. If your sentence is doing cartwheels and dragging a comma parade behind it, break it up. 5. Format like you actually want them to read it. Use line breaks. Add white space. Make it skimmable. No one wants to read a block of text the size of a mortgage document. Writing clearly isn’t dumbing it down. It’s respecting your audience enough to make content easy to understand. What’s the worst jargon-filled phrase you’ve seen in the wild? Let’s roast it.

I wish I knew this early in my career "Jargon hides ignorance and carries little knowledge" Frank Herbert I used to nod along. Pretended to understand. Faked my enthusiasm for it. Customer centric Comprehensive Transformation Market leading Paradigm shift Innovation Authentic Empower Quality Agile "Sounds wonderful!" When in fact, I felt nothing. These days, I would gag. 🤢 The truth is: After years of working with executive teams and leaders, I realized that these words don't mean much to them either. They are just an easy solve to a complicated strategy problem. No one has the time to step back and dissect the true meaning behind them. And so everyone nods. Everyone agrees. If you are a leader and wish to stir it up a little, be seen as a courageous and contrarian thinker, a thoughtful, strategic mind, when you hear jargon to describe something: 1/ Ask "why?" multiple times to get to the heart of it 2/ Try to describe it in a short story 3/ Rewrite it in terms your mum can understand 4/ Create a list of actions and behaviors 5/ Put them in a list of "do not use" words Using jargon is lazy and it hides the truth. Uncover the truth behind it and you get something more meaningful and actionable. Agree?

The more "exciting" your homepage copy sounds... ...the shittier I assume your product is. When I (and your customers) have to filter through vague, emotional language, it makes me think you are hiding something. It also makes your product harder to buy. "But, isn't it marketing's job to make the product seem exciting?" - (almost) every CMO In a B2B context, NO! We're not selling vacations, luxury cars, or exclusive experiences. We're selling software and business services. These are not (and will never be) exciting. And that's okay. Good marketing is about meeting your customers where they are, with language they can understand. ——— Here are 4 practical tips founders and marketers can apply right now to fix their overly exciting (and vague messaging). 1. Remove any phrase that sounds like it belongs in a keynote ❌ "Empowering next-gen teams to drive transformation" ✅ "We help HR teams roll out benefits faster, with fewer errors." 2. Make sure your hero section answers these 3 questions immediately: - Who is it for? - What does it help them do? - Why is it better than the way they do it today? If it takes more than 5 seconds to answer these, you're losing people. 3. Test your homepage like a prospect Ask someone unfamiliar with your company: "What do you think we do, and who is it for?" If they hesitate, guess incorrectly, or say "kinda sounds like..." — you've got a clarity problem. (if you are too embarrassed to ask this yourself, give Wynter a try) 4. Don't try to be clever. Try to be obvious. Great positioning doesn't feel clever. It feels like: "Ohhh... yeah, that makes sense." Clarity beats clever. Always.

Have you noticed that certain words and phrases are commonly used by AI-generated content, like with ChatGPT, where you say, "THAT WAS WRITTEN BY AI!!" These buzzwords (Unlock, Unleash) often sound overly polished, overused, or generic! Here are some examples to avoid: Common Overused Buzzwords: *Unlock - Often used in the context of revealing or accessing something valuable. *Unleash - Frequently used to suggest releasing potential or power. *Maximize - Used to indicate increasing something to its fullest potential. *Revolutionize - Commonly used to describe something as game-changing or transformative. *Transform - Often used to indicate a significant change or improvement. *Optimize - Used when talking about improving efficiency or performance. *Disrupt - Frequently used to suggest that something will challenge the status quo. *Cutting-edge - Indicates something is highly advanced or innovative. *Next-level - Often used to describe something as an upgrade or improvement. *Game-changer - Used to describe something that significantly alters the landscape or status quo. *Effortless - Often used to suggest something requires minimal effort. *Secret - Used to imply exclusive or hidden knowledge. *Proven - Frequently used to indicate that something is reliable or has been tested. *Innovative - Used to describe something as new or creative. Why These Buzzwords Can Be Problematic: > Overuse: Because these words are commonly used across many types of marketing content, they can make text feel generic or formulaic. > Lack of Specificity: These words can sometimes be vague or nonspecific, making the content feel less tailored or personal. > AI Familiarity: AI models are trained on large datasets that often contain these phrases, so they might overuse them or use them in ways that sound automated. Alternatives to Consider: # Unlock/Unleash: Try using "discover," "reveal," "access," or "explore." # Maximize: Use "increase," "boost," or "enhance." # Revolutionize/Transform: Opt for "change," "improve," or "elevate." # Optimize: Consider "refine," "streamline," or "fine-tune." # Disrupt: Try "challenge," "reshape," or "redefine." # Cutting-edge: Consider "advanced," "leading," or "innovative" (sparingly). # Next-level: Use "advanced," "enhanced," or "improved." # Game-changer: Try "significant shift," "major improvement," or "breakthrough." # Effortless: Use "simple," "easy," or "straightforward." # Secret: Use "insight," "tip," or "method." # Proven: Consider "trusted," "reliable," or "tested." # Innovative: Use "creative," "fresh," or "novel." How to Avoid Overusing These Buzzwords: -- Be Specific: Tailor your language to the specific context and audience, focusing on clear, concrete details rather than generic phrases. -- Use Varied Language: Mix up your word choices to keep the content feeling fresh and unique. -- Keep It Simple: Sometimes, straightforward language is more effective and feels more authentic.

Turns out... if you put bad messaging into AI, it still drives bad results. The worst culprit? Buzzwords. I use a "jobs to be done" mentality to cut these pesky words out. Buzzwords are simply words that could mean multiple things. While this can be applied to jargon. ex. "Cloud Architecture"... jargon doesn't have multiple meanings. It just doesn't mean anything to outsiders. What are some buzzword examples? Platform Visibility Strategic Flexible Scalable Personalization etc. An example I always use is "visibility". A marketer on our team might want to refer to Lavender as creating "Inbox Visibility"... it sounds cool, but in practice it doesn't mean anything specific. Your prospect isn't sitting around for a Rorschach test. They don't read email. They scan it Average reading time is only 9 seconds. Instead... Make it concrete. Break it down to its root. To the “job to be done”. What exactly do you mean by “personalization” What exactly do you mean by “flexibility” Is “platform” a placeholder… or something real… if so what differentiates it? Let’s apply this to visibility. Inbox visibility. Are we reading your emails. Is it analytics? To make it EASY to understand let’s break visibility down to a simpler term, "see". What does a marketing term like “inbox visibility” mean? It means you can SEE why email is working and who is struggling. You could apply this to cloud architecture (doesn't mean you should) ... what is architecture? It's how something is set up. Let’s break down a few more words: Visibility = See Scalable = works as you grow Flexible, Adaptable = works with different processes Workflow = How you work / process / or even more specifically define the process Platform = tool What's a buzzword that you see? Using this how would you break it down?

5th grade writing gets 176% more replies. WHAT. 💜 🔮 Will Allred dropped this stat the other day about cold emails. Casual writing drives 2x more replies right now. Customer Success leaders, are you listening? Sure, he's talking about outbound and cold email. But I think it goes beyond that. I mean look at all the leaked CEO emails -- they all are shorthand, direct and no fluff. Why? Because your customers are drowning in complexity: --> Complicated products --> Technical documentation --> Jargon-filled QBRs --> Multi-step processes Then we send them 500-word emails filled with "strategic initiatives" and "value realization methodologies" and wonder why engagement is dropping. Taking some ideas from Will, here's how you can simplify things: 1️⃣ Break up those sentences. Your renewal email isn't a doctoral thesis. Short sentences work. They grab attention. They drive action. 2️⃣ Use shorter words. "Usage" beats "utilization." "Help" beats "facilitate." "Start" beats "initiate." Your customers aren't impressed by your vocabulary—they're looking for clarity. 3️⃣ Clear logic trumps brevity. A longer message that flows logically will outperform a cryptic short one. Make sure each point builds naturally to the next. Customer success has become one of the most jargon-heavy functions in business. We've convinced ourselves that sounding sophisticated equals being strategic. Your customers don't want sophisticated. They want simple.

Listen, I know some of you love your jargon, but 45% of adults in the U.S. read below a 6th grade reading level. Using jargon isn't making you look smarter, it's just confusing folks. As someone who came from academia, I recognize there are moments when jargon can be helpful to show your expertise. And some fields need to be specific with their words to ensure meaning, nuance, and accuracy isn't lost. But the vast majority of us can write for the masses. Don't use jargon. Make it concise. Keep it simple. Hot tip: not sure what reading level you're writing for? Use Hemingway Editor (I'm not getting paid to say this, I just love the app). It's got an amazing free version that will help you understand what it takes to write at a specific level. And in case you're curious, this post is written for grade 5 readers.

“We leverage synergy to optimize…” Stop. No one talks like that. Once upon a time, businesses thought sounding smart meant sounding formal. Websites were packed with phrases like: "We leverage cutting-edge solutions to optimize synergy.” ↳ Translation: We do stuff. Please stay awake. Today, the game has changed. Brands that succeed sound human—because people buy from people, not robots. Why conversational copy is taking over: → It builds trust – People relate to real talk, not jargon. → It’s easier to read – Simple, clear messaging converts better. → It feels personal – Like chatting with a friend, not reading a manual. → It stands out – While others overcomplicate, conversational brands connect. Nike doesn’t say, “We facilitate athletic empowerment through optimized footwear.” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺, "Just do it." Slack doesn’t say, “Our platform enhances cross-functional collaboration with streamlined integration.” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺, "Where work happens." The best brands don’t impress with big words—they connect with the right ones. If your website still sounds like a legal contract, it might be time for a rewrite. --- Follow Jeff Gapinski for more content like this. ♻️ Share this to help someone else out with their copy today #marketing #copywriting #jargon

Here's how to simplify your pitch and 10x your sales: 1. Talk less, sell more. Short sentences = more sales. Hemingway once bet he could write a story in 6 words that'd make you feel something: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." Your pitch should pack the same punch. 2. Complexity is for people who want to feel smart, not be effective. The worst salespeople make simple things sound complicated. The best make the complex simple. 3. Complexity says, "I want to feel needed." Simplicity limits to only what is needed. 4. Read your pitch out loud. I remember when I'd asked my COO to read the manuscript of my book. He chose to do it aloud. All 258 pages. Ears catch what eyes miss. The final version reads like butter. 5. "Be good, be seen, be gone." This was the best sales advice I ever got. - Good: Deliver value - Seen: Make an impression - Gone: Don't overstay your welcome People buy from those they remember, not those who linger. 7. Speak like your customer, not a textbook. We like to sound sophisticated. "We create impactful bottom-line solutions." But we like to listen to simple. "We help small businesses explode their sales." Which one would you buy? 8. Every word earns its place. Your pitch should be lean and mean. - Be specific - Avoid cliches - Check for redundancy - If it doesn't add value, cut it out 9. Abstract concepts bore. Concrete examples excite. ❌ "We'll increase your efficiency." ✅ "We'll save you 10 hours a week." Paint a picture. 10. People buy on emotion & justify with logic So tap into their feelings: - Fear of missing out - Desire for success - Need for security Then back it up with facts. 11. The "Grandma Test" never fails. If your grandma wouldn't get your pitch, simplify it. No jargon. No buzzwords. Just plain English. 12. Benefits > features. Dreams > benefits. ❌ "Our group hosts 10+ events per year." ✅ "Our program helps you close deals." 🚀 "Let's take back Main Street through ownership." 13. Use power words: - You - Free - Because - Instantly - New These words grab attention and drive action. Two final things to keep in mind... Simplicity isn't just for sales. Apply these principles to: - your business operations - your thinking processes - your next investment - your relationships - your to do list Sales isn't just for car dealerships. You pitch when you: - Negotiate a raise - Interview for a job - Post on social media - Hire someone for a job - Talk to an owner about buying their biz If you found this useful, feel free to share for others ♻️