Readers of Copycation know I hate acronyms. Almost as bad are clichés. The two go together like…peas and carrots.
Since everybody uses clichés, companies think they must use them in their marketing endeavors too. Problem is, since the words are so overused, they’re not effective at messaging your point.
Clichés are useless in business communications unless your business is selling t-shirts
A cliché, perhaps powerful once, gets watered down into a puddle of mushy gruel that for some reason everyone eats. It’s a vicious circle of gruel eating. Before you know it, every company is selling “best of breed” services to address the 800-pound gorilla: value-added synergistic seamless integration.
What?
I recently found this great list, “The Encyclopedia of Business Cliches.” Thankfully, more lists like this exist. But is anyone listening?
Take “content is king.”
It’s a phrase close to my heart, given the business I’m in. But, it’s so overused not enough people pay attention to it.
According to Wikipedia, the phrase, now a cliché, implies that organizations will likely “fail through lack of appealing content, regardless of other design factors.”
In other words, so many organizations, including agencies, spend so much time on design that the content part becomes a last-minute thing. So many organizations now have incredibly-designed websites and collateral and little of consequence to fill them. Sure, they may have a blog. But are they actually using it to say interesting things?
Both good design and engaging content are needed. It’s a “win-win” solution. Good content will “leverage” a “paradigm shift” at your organization.
See how easy–and useless–mindless business clichés are?
Today, I came across this great content is king post from Larry Melnick on Atlanta Marketer’s Forum. In the post, he told how one agency got business due to dynamic content, including a blog. Apparently, the customer had been following the agency’s intelligent musings for a year and a half and was persuaded, in part, by those musings.
I’m here to tell you engaging static content as well as frequent news releases, blogs, case studies, reports, news and social media postings not only get your name out but also lead to business–that’s real ROI.
I’m a bit tired of content is king. I’m going to think of another phrase to replace it–because it’s clearly being said…but not heard. If you have any alternatives, please chime in.
-Justin Rubner
