Recently, a health care client was reviewing an On Hold Messaging script and sent me an email regarding changes. “Keep the item about ENT from the previous production.” Simple enough, but could I find that in the old script? No. There was no sign of an “ENT” anywhere. So, I confessed my ignorance and asked for clarification.
She apologized in her reply, saying that ENT stands for “Ear, Nose and Throat.” Sure enough, there in the previous script was the item about doctors joining the organization who are “Ear, Nose and Throat specialists.”
There are plenty of mea culpas to go around when it comes to using initials that are less than universally understood. It’s common for writers to use terminology, acronyms and “jargon” that we are completely familiar with, under the false assumption that everyone else knows what we’re talking about. Full disclosure: the BusinessVoice web site recently underwent a cleansing of acronyms like OHM, POP and WAM. And no, those aren’t mantras or cartoon sound effects. In my world, that’s “On Hold Marketing,” “Point-Of-Purchase” and “Web Audio Marketing.”
The lesson here is to remember the “ABC’s” of good writing — Always Be Clear. Don’t assume an acronym will be understood. Avoid any “industry-speak” unless your audience is comprised exclusively of insiders. And while we’re handing out suggestions for clearer composition, why not take it a step further and check to see if the writing is too sophisticated.
Microsoft Word has built-in tools to measure the readability of your writing, measured in terms of school grade level. There are also online tools to measure readability that allow you to cut and paste your copy and get an instant ranking. Or try this aptly-named Gobbledygook Grader from Hub Spot to see if you’re using any of the worst jargon.
What you’re reading here ranks at about an 8th grade level, but you should aim a bit lower. Start by using shorter sentences, and don’t worry about “dumbing-down” the work. It’s an exercise in clarification, and the clearer the marketing message, the easier it is received by your audience, who can then act on it.
Tags: copywriting, focus, marketing