The dreaded "S" word
Today's edition of MarketingProfs.com features a fine article, The Most Overused Word in Technical Marketing, about one of my (and perhaps yours too) pet peeves -- the overused "S" word.
I think you know what it is. Whenever I see it, or whenever clients demand that I use it, this "S" word inspires me to mutter another common "S" word.
That first "S" word -- the one that's overused -- is "solution" of course. (The second "S" word might be thought of as a "biological waste evacuation and agricultural fertilization solution.")
The article's author, Wendy Gibson, attributes "solution" abuse to lack of knowledge and understanding, and laziness. She also offers her hypothesis on the origin of the "solution" epidemic. Here's mine:
Way back when, say, oh, fifteen years ago, it finally occurred to the big guys at IBM and comparable companies that no one really wants to buy a computer. Sure, they may have to buy one and are obligated to purchase one, but -- for businesses especially -- computers are necessary evils: they're expensive, unreliable, unpredictable, and they require you to hire additional (often ill-tempered and otherwise socially handicapped) staff to maintain them.
So they had an epiphany: businesses don't want computers, they need computers for the things that computers do. For the the problems that they solve. Yeah, that's it! Businesses really want solutions!
Overnight, a decree was mandated hither and yon. From now on, we're not selling computers, hardware or software ('cause people hate them); we're selling SOLUTIONS.
Oy vey.
Got any pet peeve over-abused words? Send 'em here and we'll beat them with rubber hoses.
I think you know what it is. Whenever I see it, or whenever clients demand that I use it, this "S" word inspires me to mutter another common "S" word.
That first "S" word -- the one that's overused -- is "solution" of course. (The second "S" word might be thought of as a "biological waste evacuation and agricultural fertilization solution.")
The article's author, Wendy Gibson, attributes "solution" abuse to lack of knowledge and understanding, and laziness. She also offers her hypothesis on the origin of the "solution" epidemic. Here's mine:
Way back when, say, oh, fifteen years ago, it finally occurred to the big guys at IBM and comparable companies that no one really wants to buy a computer. Sure, they may have to buy one and are obligated to purchase one, but -- for businesses especially -- computers are necessary evils: they're expensive, unreliable, unpredictable, and they require you to hire additional (often ill-tempered and otherwise socially handicapped) staff to maintain them.
So they had an epiphany: businesses don't want computers, they need computers for the things that computers do. For the the problems that they solve. Yeah, that's it! Businesses really want solutions!
Overnight, a decree was mandated hither and yon. From now on, we're not selling computers, hardware or software ('cause people hate them); we're selling SOLUTIONS.
Oy vey.
Got any pet peeve over-abused words? Send 'em here and we'll beat them with rubber hoses.
8 Comments:
Hey Jonathan,
I am sick and tired of the word "enhanced", which I have been guilty of using quite a bit over the past year (I am new to copywriting, and am still learning).
I have since limited my use of "enhanced" and will continue to try to use viable synonyms. I mean, everytime I hear the word I think of that little blue pill my dad's generation of men are popping to please the lady's.
Nick Wright from Cincy.
Good one, Nick! What's the context for using "enhanced"? I suspect it's for software or some IT gizmo. Correct?
Indeed. The "enhanced" XYZ ERP software is the solution, blah, blah, blah.
I actually got called out on over using the word by a fellow co-worker who has been in the ad industry for years. I couldn't thank him enough for pointing it out.
I write B2B copy (by the way, your book is my copy bible, thanks!) and am starting to improve upon my chosen craft, because I am getting better at researching and doing all of the necessary prep work before each assignment...so I don't have to use words like "solution" or "enhanced".
Nick Wright
Glad you like the book! Yup, doing advance research will help you identify precise, specific qualities you can use instead of generic, exhausted words like "enhanced." Good luck!
Jonathan, I had to pass the following link on to you (although you might already know about it). A co-worker forwarded it on to me, after entering our companies name into the search box. Great stuff!
http://www.andrewdavidson.com/gibberish/?companyname=InfusionB2B
Nick Wright
You guys might enjoy this answer to "Why did the chicken cross the road?" supposedly from an Arthur Andersen consultant:
Deregulation of the chicken's side of the road was threatening its dominant market position. The chicken was faced with significant challenges to create and develop the competencies required for the newly competitive market. Andersen Consulting, in a partnering relationship with the client, helped the chicken by rethinking its physical distribution strategy and implementation processes. Using the Poultry Integration Model (PIM), Andersen helped the chicken use its skills, methodologies, knowledge, capital and experiences to align the chicken's people, processes and technology in support of its overall strategy within a Program Management framework. Andersen Consulting convened a diverse cross spectrum of road analysts and best chickens along with Anderson consultants with deep skills in the transportation industry to engage in a two-day itinerary of meetings in order to leverage their personal knowledge capital, both tacit and explicit, and to enable them to synergize with each other in order to achieve the implicit goals of delivering and successfully architecting and implementing an enterprise-wide value frame work across the continuum of poultry cross-median processes. The meeting was held in a park-like setting, enabling and creating a impactful environment which was strategically based, industry-focused, and built upon a consistent, clear,and unified market message and aligned with the chicken's mission, vision and core values. This was conducive towards the creation of a total business integration solution. Andersen Consulting helped the chicken change to become more successful.
But of course Andersesn would speak this way -- they take a proactive approach to communicatizing value. Wouldn't you? ;)
LSSU released its List of Words and Phrases Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness, on January 1. I blogged about it yesterday.
http://overtonecomm.blogspot.com/2006/01/2006-banned-words-and-phrases-public.html#links
The top word this year was "surreal," followed by "hunker down."
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