ACBA! Don’t You Agree?

huh  When Acronyms and Other Abbreviations Fail

   Unless you really are a rocket scientist, and you’re discussing the combustible properties of hydrogen with another rocket scientist at the Jet Propulsion Lab, keep this in mind: If you want customers to pay attention to what you’re saying, you must speak their language, not yours. Jargon, slang and techno-speak mean absolutely nothing to people who are not privy to your industry’s vocabulary, abbreviations and acronyms. The military is infamous for its use of acronyms, and few civilians can interpret them with reliable accuracy. Unless your industry carries a fairly universal level of recognition like NASA or PETA, your peers are likely to be the only ones who know what they stand for, and your peers are probably not your customers or prospects.

Example:

At a recent networking event, a woman exchanged business cards with me. Her card was embellished with no fewer than six groups of initials after her name. No doubt they represented her credentials. To an industry peer, the list might have generated respectful recognition. For me, they may as well have been the formula for nuclear fission.

If it’s important that people know you’re an MSM, you should probably tell them what that means. Otherwise, left to speculation, they’ll never be sure if it means Methodist Student Movement, Marine Safety Manual, or Master of Smoke and Mirrors (or a host of other possibilities). The simple facts is, if they don’t know what it means, it means nothing,and people will avoid asking, for fear of sounding ignorant.

It’s not necessary to talk down to your audience – that’s equally insulting. Just be sensitive to the possibility you may be using terminology as foreign to them as Chinese to an Eskimo. (My apologies if this analogy offends Eskimos who speak fluent Chinese, but I think you get the point.)

In marketing and advertising, the most effective content is written to sound like a conversation. The rule of thumb is to keep your marketing message simple enough for a 10-year-old to comprehend. Unless, of course, you really are a rocket scientist at the JPL, discussing the combustible properties of hydrogen with another rocket scientist. In which case, MSM could be a Mission Space Model.

Oh – ACBA? You didn’t know? It stands for “Acronyms Can Be Annoying!”

© 2013 Gelmtree Advertising  All Rights Reserved

Marketing is Not a Spectator Sport

Marketing Strategy Newsletter

Do You Have a Game Plan?

Think of your marketing plan as a Playbook – it outlines all your goals, and lays out the moves you’ll need to execute if you hope to win your game. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just realistic.

Your marketing plan should:

  1. Identify your mission (why does your business exist?)
  2. Outline your goals and expectations
  3. Define your ideal client and where to find them
  4. Articulate what distinguishes you from your competition
  5. Determine your marketing budget
  6. Help you stay focused and avoid detours or distractions
  7. Lay out a timeline for what you need to do and when
  8. Be a reference point for tracking your progress

Remember, this is your business, not a hobby.

Creating a marketing plan is an indication of your commitment to its success.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” ~ Wayne Gretzky

Until next time, give it your best shot!

Carole Holden “The Media Fairy”
Gelmtree Advertising