In the 1980s there was a popular TV programme called Mind Your Language. It was set in an adult education college in London, where English as a second language was taught to people from different countries.
You might be wondering why this is relevant…
Well, since going freelance delivering PR and comms, I see the comparison between the students in the TV programme, and how they struggled with English, and the way many of us in the industry use language outside off comms. The terminology we use can be like a foreign language to many SME business owners. People just aren’t familiar with terms like ‘pitching’ something to the media, or to ‘sell-in’ a piece. They don’t always know what a ‘copywriter’ does and it’s not a given that they get the difference between an ‘advertorial’ and ‘editorial’. And don’t even go there with ‘above the fold’!
How do I know this? Because I was one of those people. When I first started freelancing going to networking and business events, I used words like those above (not ‘above the fold’ though – who uses that in everyday language?!) and noticed the blank looks on people’s faces. I saw how business owners switched off. I’d lost them.
Having worked in comms teams in offices for over a decade where everyone used phrases that we as comms professionals understood, it was second nature for me to speak like this to others. But I could see from the reactions I was getting that I needed to change the way I communicated – change my words. The truth is, for businesses, it’s about sales (customers), bigger margins, and profits. For you, as a PR/comms professional, it’s about how you can make an impact on those things with your work. And be able to say what you can do in a way they understand and believe in. It’s about making a connection with business people in a language they understand which makes sense to them and their business goals.
Understanding jargon isn’t easy if you’re not in the industry, that’s why they hire people like us, right? Wrong. Business owners don’t hire people like us to help them understand these phrases. First and foremost, they’ll only hire people like us who can communicate with them in a language they understand – a language that means something to them and their business. It has to resonate with them first. As a freelancer selling your services, the first step is for a business owner/decision maker to buy into you. It’s critical. And if you’re using a language they don’t understand you’ve lost the battle there and then. Gone.
A few pointers…which may sound obvious, but I wish someone had shared with me!
• Use language they understand that makes sense to them, their business and of course their customers. As comms professionals, we’re all about everyday language, but it’s easy to slip into comms speech when you’re immersed in the work and culture.
• For businesses, it’s all about the bottom line. Think about the kind of words you use to convey your benefit/value to their business. Using phrases like customers, leads and sales are a must.
• Finally…practice. Listen to yourself, say the sentences aloud. If you think you’ve got it, then run it past your mom first (it’s the litmus test for me). If she gets it they probably will. If not, you’ll need to simplify - not dumb-down just simplify - people are smart and know their business. They just don’t know the language of our business.