Bullshit bingo

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Avoiding the buzzword bandwagonAn eBook from Red Lorry Yellow Lorry


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.


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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.


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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?


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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.


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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!


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.


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.


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.


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.


KEEP IT CONSISTENT 5.

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 [email protected]

WIN £100 WORTH OF BULLSHIT-FREE AMAZON VOUCHERS:

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Bullshit bingo

Technology

Transcript of Bullshit bingo