While studying for my MBA I got thrown into a pit of engineers – a wild detour from my cozy journalism school bubble. As a creative person who skirted math in favor of writing and arts, I might as well have gone down the rabbit hole. I abandoned my cushy cocoon and dove headfirst into unfamiliar terrain, but collaborating shoulder to shoulder with technical professionals offered me a unique perspective on communication.
Unlike creative writers and journalists who sprinkle their communication with feelings and flare – and a dash of the unexpected – engineers tend to use the language of numbers and diagrams without mincing words. During my MBA journey, even I grew comfortable using graphs and some mathematical concepts as vehicles for conveying complex ideas (who would’ve thought?).
My experience at the business school also highlighted for me that engineers often struggle to articulate complex concepts in layman’s terms. I would assume this is because their analytical mindset prioritizes technical details over social nuances. I can see why there’s a stereotype that labels engineers as poor communicators. Unlike salespeople and public relations experts – whose work has greater visibility in the public space – engineers generally lack the expertise of employing language that resonates with diverse groups. For this reason, people can often interpret what they say as confusing or inaccessible. Engineers and developers also tend to fall back on tech speak because it serves as a precise and efficient means of conveying high-level constructs. This tendency is OK when communicating within specialized domains or peer groups but it falls short when communicating with broader demographics.
Working with engineers proved very helpful to me because by the time I transitioned into my role as a technology copywriter for software companies, I was already used to tech speak. Knowing this helped me when crafting copy about commercial aspects of various software solutions, while maintaining clarity and relevance. I learned to balance the intricacies of software in my writing, using technical aspects sparingly without sacrificing the precision valued by the professionals in the tech sector. This duality that I nurtured over the years became my cornerstone in creating copy that resonates with technical and non-technical audiences. What I’m trying to say is that while it’s tempting to fall back on tech speak, employing too much jargon not only doesn’t inspire prospects – it runs the risk of agitating them.
Jargon jail: Tech speak puts ideas in solitary confinement
If you don’t leash your impulse to saturate copy with tech jargon, you may limit the reach of ideas and innovations that you’re promoting. Excessive tech speak is ineffective marketing. It makes your message less appealing and relatable to broader readers, especially non-tech audiences who need to be stirred into engagement.
Written copy that’s too technical can also lead to poorly informed decisions. If stakeholders struggle to understand your message, they’ll also struggle to make educated choices, which is increasingly essential in capturing new business. What’s more, your writing may be misunderstood and lead to a misrepresentation of your service offering, leading to missed opportunities for fresh revenue streams. According to Communications Consultant Adam Singfield, jargon risks confusing the audience through wordiness or the use of obscure terms, at best. At worst, it completely defeats the intent of the writer to communicate with clarity. Unless you define the words for readers who may not understand them – avoid using them altogether.
Fortunately, there’s a range of methods that you can employ when writing to make sure your message reaches prospects and wins business. They include using plain language; telling a story; focusing on the commercial benefits of your solution as opposed to features or functionalities; considering the operating context of your customers; and thinking about the problems your solution is solving.
Use plain language instead of throwing jargon grenades
Think of your sales copy as your first date with prospects – be charming, relatable and avoid tech babble. If your readers have to decode your geeky hieroglyphics, you’ve already lost them. Using plain language is not about dumbing down – it’s the skill of leveling up your communication game. People want solutions, not a linguistic labyrinth.
Here are a few simple tips that you can follow in order to make your marketing collateral sound more human and less intimidating:
- Test it on your non-techy pals.If they nod back in confusion, you better rethink your strategy.
- Banish acronyms.Lose the alphabet soup and spell it out like you’re texting your grandpa.
- Metaphors are your allies.You can use a number of engaging ways to redescribe various concepts. Think of reframing:
- Software bugs as rebellious toddlers.
- Software update as a digital makeover.
- Computer viruses as the online equivalent of catching a digital cold – nobody wants it and it spreads fast.
- Passwords as secret handshakes enabling access to exclusive content.
- Server downtime as the equivalent of a power nap for your website with the exception that your users didn’t’ sign up for a snooze fest.
- Cloud computing as an invisible butler that stores your data, ready to fetch it at your request.
- Cybersecurity as the digital bouncer keeping the online party safe from gatecrashers.
- Dump the buzzwords. Prospects want substance and clarity, not flashy, overused terms or phrases that lack specific meaning.
- Keep it punchy. If you’re writing a tech manifesto you’re just building a wall between you and your audience.
We’re not cyborgs yet – humanize complex products by telling a story
When you lead you sales copy with a human element, you’re making your service offering more relatable and engaging. You can achieve this by telling success stories of clients who have benefited from your technology – including behind-the-scenes anecdotes of development challenges, and even humorous accounts of tech quirks. These kinds of authentic details can captivate and connect with prospects because they showcase the value and personality behind the technology. Besides, adopting a software solution is a seamless, perfect journey without any hiccups – said no one ever. Stories also help users understand real-world applications and benefits of technology, while helping you enhance memorability and distinguish your brand in a crowded market. Here are five rules for humanizing your copy:
- Speak human, not code. If your sales pitch sounds like a robot’s manual, replace it with conversational language that you’d use when meeting someone at a social event.
- Inject personality. By sprinkling your story with a dose of humor and a dash of wit, you’ll let your brand shine without coming across as a marketing cliché or a stuffy corporate entity.
- Tell real stories. Don’t be afraid to share an occasional setbacks – no one will believe a perfect façade anyway. Imperfections add credibility and relatability and resonate with your audience on a personal level.
- Craft a narrative journey. Design your message around a well-paced plot, build anticipation, solve challenges and end with a triumph delivered by your solution.
- Talk about real problems. Give a detailed account of how your tech solution is directly tackling pain points. This will make it sound like a credible fix rather than a fancy gadget.
Focus on the commercial benefits, not features or functionalities
What do your customers stand to gain by adopting your solution? Is it real-time collaboration? Detailed analytics? Fewer repetitive tasks? These are the points that you need to lead with in your copy. By focusing on great outcomes, you’re framing the purchase of your product as a positive experience for your customers. This habit can also yield faster conversions and shorten decision-making time because it empowers customers to assess quickly if your product aligns with their needs.
It’s not that customers don’t care about the functionalities of your product. But remember – your prospects aren’t buying features, they’re investing in solutions to their problems. In the world of marketing, customers care less about your product’s intricate details and more about how it transforms their lives.
They’re interested in results and experiences. By drowning your copy with too much tech babble, you risk coming across as a salesperson of a flashy widget. This approach can also lead to a disconnect with the customer’s needs. For one, it doesn’t leave much room for your customers to see themselves in your narrative. And two, it’s not catering to your customers’ desire for simplicity and understanding. So don’t concentrate on the nuts and bolts of your solution – focus on the concerns of your diverse customers and adapt your message for different audience segments.
Think about the operating context of your client base
Who are your clients’ competitors? What kind of economic policies are affecting their business? How are their customer preferences changing over time? Their business model may be affected by rapid technology advancements, global economy and regulatory changes. Are you staying up-to-date of these developments? These are potent insights that you can integrate in your sales copy for greater impact. When you understand the broader operating environment of your clients you can customize your service offering so it resonates with a range of customer profiles. It also helps you stay attuned to evolving market dynamics that may or may not work in your customers’ favor.
By grasping these factors, you can successfully address specific pain points, preferences and aspirations of your prospects and clients. This kind of personalization will help you adapt your marketing strategy and service offering so it better meets your customers’ expectations. For example, one of your customers may be pivoting their product line in response to growing environmental awareness. You can leverage this knowledge by emphasizing eco-friendly features within your products in your promotional materials. This line of action can set you apart from competitors and possibly make your service offering attractive to other environmentally-conscious clients.
Consider the industry problem that your solution is solving
Before sales copy there’s product development. Defining the specific problem your tech solution is addressing guides your product development efforts. But it should also guide your marketing activities. When startups are brainstorming ideas alongside developing technology they also conduct thorough market research to see if their product aligns with market needs. It helps them define their prospects, assess competition and refine the product to meet customer demands. So, when crafting your marketing message, my advice is this – go back to basics. Review what inspired your product development in the first place, keep it short and put it in plain words. This little audit will act as the blueprint for your sales copy. Once you’ve laid it out, you’ll realize that you’ve also outlined key elements and strategies to communicate your message.
For example, some firms were inspired by the slow and unreliable Internet in remote areas to create lightweight, offline-capable applications and content delivery systems optimized for low bandwidth. Others saw great opportunity in increasingly empty office space that led to the creation of flexible remote work solutions such as virtual collaboration platforms, digital project management tools or ergonomic home office furniture. I realize that things aren’t always so simple and that products change over time, but it’s a good starting point to begin crafting your marketing collateral.
The wrap up: Silencing geek speak for effective communication and marketing wins
Engineers, developers and other professionals with technical background often struggle to convey complex ideas in simple terms due to their analytical mindset. Unfortunately, this leads to the perception of them as ineffective communicators. If startup founders and product developers want to spearhead effective marketing that wins clients and drives growth they must learn to balance tech speak.
Ditching the geek speak isn’t just a suggestion – it’s a marketing survival skill. It’s the difference between captivating a diverse audience and drowning in the sea of confusion. When your message is lost in translation, so are potential clients and revenue opportunities. For this reason:
- Use plain language. Simplify your sales copy by avoiding jargon, using metaphors, banishing acronyms, ditching buzzwords and ensuring clarity. If in doubt, test it with non-techy friends for effectiveness. Keep it relatable and punchy.
- Tell a story. Humanize your tech products by incorporating client success stories, development challenges and tech quirks for authenticity. Speak in relatable language, inject humor, share setbacks and address real problems for credibility.
- Lead with commercial benefits, not features and functionalities. Emphasize what customers gain: real-time collaboration, analytics, efficiency, etc. This approach puts a positive spin on the purchase experience, speeds conversions and aligns with customer needs and desires.
- Understand your clients’ operating context. This includes competitors, economic policies and technological changes. Integrating these insights will help you address specific client needs and enhance your sales copy for a more compelling impact.
- Define the problem your solution is solving. You’ve already pinpointed the challenge your clients face – it’s what’s shaping your product development. Now use that same definition to inform your sales copy.
