Let’s face it. Every industry has its own marketing buzzwords. Buzzwords can start off as useful terms, but they get bandied around so much they start to lose their original meaning. As a result, from a communications perspective, you risk getting lost in the crowd. Just because your competitors use a term, it doesn’t mean that you should! When it comes to overused jargon, arguably some of the biggest offenders are those in the enterprise IT space. ‘Cyber’ this, ‘big data’ that, ‘cloud’ the other; the industry is riddled with terminology we hear time and time again. It’s a case of ‘they’re using it, we need to.’ Missteps are most noticeable at trade shows where ‘marketing speak’ is front and center. Unfortunately, some have taken this to a place where words simply have no meaning. At a crowded event, why use similar messaging to your competitor next door? We talked to IT industry journalists, analysts and companies about the phrases they’re sick and tired of hearing. And here are the biggest offenders...

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Avoiding the buzzword bandwagon
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Let’s face it. Every industry has its own marketing buzzwords.
Buzzwords can start off as useful terms, but they get bandied
around so much they start to lose their original meaning. As a
result, from a communications perspective, you risk getting lost
in the crowd. Just because your competitors use a term, it doesn’t
mean that you should!
When it comes to overused jargon, arguably some of the biggest
offenders are those in the enterprise IT space. ‘Cyber’ this,
‘big data’ that, ‘cloud’ the other; the industry is riddled with
terminology we hear time and time again.
It’s a case of ‘they’re using it, we need to.’ Missteps are most
noticeable at trade shows where ‘marketing speak’ is front and
center. Unfortunately, some have taken this to a place where
words simply have no meaning. At a crowded event, why use
similar messaging to your competitor next door?
We talked to IT industry journalists, analysts and companies about
the phrases they’re sick and tired of hearing. And here are the
biggest offenders…
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BULLSHIT ALERT! THE
TROUBLE WITH IT BUZZWORDS
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OMNICHANNEL1.
Omnichannel is a reheating
of a 17-year-old dotcom
idea that ill-defines
today’s key problems and
requirements.
The number of times omnichannel is still mentioned by IT companies is
beyond ridiculous. It’s 2016 – frankly if you have yet to unify all of your
customer channels, then it’s time to ask yourself what you’ve been doing
for the past 20 years. It’s a term overused by both companies and ‘thought
leaders.’
To quote IT industry analyst Dale Vile (Freeform Dynamics): “Omnichannel is
a reheating of a 17-year-old dotcom idea that ill-defines today’s key problems
and requirements.” If you’re a ‘thought leader’ still using this term, chances
are you’re not really a thought leader.
BULLSHIT ALERT! THE TROUBLE WITH IT BUZZWORDS
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Now don’t get me wrong, big data is absolutely a thing. There are
a handful of IT companies out there that crunch those numbers
and truly have a strong play in big data. But crunching data on
your computer is categorically not the definition of big data.
Neither is using Google Keyword Planner.
The ‘Big D’ is a wonderful thing. When done right by data
scientists, it can help companies save big bucks and understand
more about how they function. But unless your name is Albert
and you’re wearing a lab coat with ’Big D scientist’ on it, stay away
from this one.
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BIG DATA2.
Crunching data on your computer
is categorically not the definition
of big data.
BULLSHIT ALERT! THE TROUBLE WITH IT BUZZWORDS
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Now here is a phrase that no one should use. While perhaps
not the most overused phrase, it’s certainly one of the most
disingenuous. Cyber security expert… what does that even mean?
Julian McMenamin (country manager for Ireland and Scotland
at Radware) hit the nail on the head when we asked him about
it at InfoSecurity this year, stating he doesn’t “believe there is
such a thing.” As a company you can absolutely have employees
with specialist firewall or network management experience, for
example. But please, whatever you do, don’t claim you’re a
“cybersecurity expert.” It’s a vacuous statement at best, and a
deceiving one at worst.
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CYBERSECURITY EXPERT3.
Cyber security expert… what does
that even mean?
BULLSHIT ALERT! THE TROUBLE WITH IT BUZZWORDS
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We thought it best to end on perhaps the biggest offender. Here
it is: ‘Cloud.’ The phrase oozes marketing speak and hyperbole.
It’s a phrase that has been overused to no end. Let’s not forget
that all cloud computing is a network of remote servers on the
internet, allowing people to store and transfer information. Yet the
cloud as it has become known, often appears ethereal and slightly
surreal. It’s everywhere but it’s nowhere. That simply isn’t the
case, as Robert Carolina, executive director of the Institute for
Cyber Security Innovation at Royal Holloway told us: “The cloud
has a physical infrastructure…but the word ‘cloud’ just distracts
people.” We couldn’t agree more, Robert.
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CLOUD4.
Let’s not forget that all cloud
computing is a network of remote
servers on the internet.
BULLSHIT ALERT! THE TROUBLE WITH IT BUZZWORDS
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One of the biggest problems with IT buzzwords is that while they
make sense to the businesses that use them, they’re not always
immediately obvious to customers, who can find them confusing.
This makes it difficult for IT companies to see the problem for
what it is. After all, big data is obviously about data, that’s big and
stuff, right?
Most buzzwords start off as useful descriptions of an idea or
service but tend to evolve into something more complex and
confusing over time. No one sets out to confuse customers or put
them off.
But businesses need to be mindful of how things can change to
make sure they’re not unintentionally creating a barrier between
themselves and customers.
At the lorries, we work with IT businesses from across the world
and creating clear and engaging communications is something
we invest a lot of time and energy in.
Here are our top five tips on how to steer clear of dreaded
buzzwords.
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AVOIDING THE BUZZWORD
BANDWAGON
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Make sure your messaging addresses customer needs, not
confuses them. Be aware of your marketplace. Research what
else is out there, and what other companies are saying. Speak to
key influencers – the media, industry analysts, customers, staff,
etc. to see what they think of your message and story.
For example, if your messaging revolves around big data, which
can mean any number of things, does your audience know what
you’re talking about when you use the phrase? There’s no better
way to find out than by asking them!
AVOIDING THE BUZZWORD BANDWAGON
RESEARCH AND TEST1.
Does your audience know what
you’re talking about when you use
the phrase?
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Buzzwords can be catchy but they’re useless if they leave
customers with more questions than they started with. Being
clever is not enough.
Engaging customers and speaking to them in a language they
understand should be at the core of any business. The market is
more competitive than ever and businesses cannot afford to be
caught in the trap of buzzwords and marketing speak that don’t
yield any results.
AVOIDING THE BUZZWORD BANDWAGON
KEEP IT SIMPLE2.
Engaging customers and speaking
to them in a language they
understand should be at the core
of any business.
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Businesses can’t afford to be seen as just another ‘me too’
offering. Jumping on the buzzword bandwagon means there’s a
much higher risk for your product to be lost in the crowd.
Clear messaging that differentiates your company, product or
service can cut through the noise. Get your senior team in a room
and thrash out your elevator pitch (what you do, who you do it for
and why you’re different) and three simple messages to help you
stand out from the competition.
AVOIDING THE BUZZWORD BANDWAGON
STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD3.
Clear messaging that
differentiates your company,
product or service can cut through
the noise.
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It’s all very well agreeing some crisp messages but can you back
them up – and put your money where your mouth is? Have you
won any awards? Got key customer successes to support your
story and messages? Independent industry analyst reports or
media coverage that adds weight to your story? These ‘proof
points’ will give substance to your style, and add credibility to your
claims.
AVOIDING THE BUZZWORD BANDWAGON
BACK IT UP4.
Proof points will give substance to
your style, and add credibility to
your claims.
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Once you’ve agreed on your inspired yet straightforward
messaging, use it across your communications and platforms.
While you don’t want to hit your customers (and prospects) over
the head with it, everything from press releases to blog posts,
should convey your messages with a similar tone of voice. There’s
nothing like different communication channels sounding like
completely different companies.
AVOIDING THE BUZZWORD BANDWAGON
KEEP IT CONSISTENT5.
Everything should convey your
messages with a similar tone of
voice.
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Instead of adding to the noise, why not cut through it? Tell us your
most hated buzzwords by tweeting @RedLorryComms with the
hashtag #BullshitAlert.
Even better you can have a refreshing, jargon-free chat with the
lorries about how to improve your communications. We promise
no optimizing, synergizing or immersing – just straight talking
about how to make your business better. Period.
Get in touch at hello@rlyl.com
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