What are the two biggest purchases you’re ever likely to make in your life? Well unless you’re a billionaire (in which case a Gulfsteam Jet and a 150 foot yacht probably came to mind) you most likely thought of a house and a car. With so much money at stake, and the re-purchase cycle being a relatively long one, you’d think the marketing in the property and automotive fields would be faultless. But it isn’t – far from it. And one of the crucial areas they slip up is in the use of language. Let me give you a couple of examples…
If you’ve ever visited a new housing development, where were you invited to go…where did the signage on site direct you to? Well unless it was different from every other development I’ve seen, you were sent to the Marketing Suite… the bloody Marketing Suite!
As a prospective buyer, who the hell wants to go to the marketing suite? Does that sound customer friendly to you…being sent to a place where somebody is going to market to you? That effectively says “Come into our lair and we will try to sell you something. In fact we have set up this entire facility for that very purpose.”
The words ‘Marketing Suite’ are purely company-focussed. They describe the goal of the company, but say nothing about the wishes or aspirations of the customer. Nobody want to be sold to, so why would you remind them that that’s what’s about to happen by writing it large on the building you’ve invited them to? Surely something like ‘Viewing Suite’ or ‘New Home Information Centre would be better.
I don’t even like the words ‘Show Home’. To my mind – and I suspect a great many others – the words ‘show home’ immediately alert me to the fact that this isn’t a regular home. It has been created and dressed ‘for show’…to create an impression… and that the property I might end up buying will be inferior in some way.
House sellers aren’t the only ones who are careless with words though. Car dealers have their own unique way of using language to make it clear that they’re just after your money.
Based somewhere in the north Midlands, there is a luxury used car dealer who shall remain nameless…mainly because I can’t abide the man and wouldn’t want to afford him the oxygen of publicity. On his website and his twitter account he always talks about taking cars ‘in to stock’, or looking for ‘new stock’. Is that really the best way to describe something which can cost tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of pounds…something that might become their pride and joy for years to come? Stock…a commodity, something to be dispassionately bought and sold for a margin. We all know that’s what’s happening of course, but do we want our noses rubbing in it? I would say that we don’t.
By focussing on what the car is to him – stock – this dealer cheapens and devalues it in the eyes of those who might buy it from him. Wouldn’t it be better if he referred to the cars he’s recently bought as his ‘latest acquisitions’ or even ‘latest purchases’? It’s so much softer and more customer focussed than ‘stock’. A purchase or an acquisition is something that you or I might make for ourselves. Stock is something that a company would buy with the sole intention of turning a profit – usually in bulk Do you really want to make that association in your customers mind when you’re selling individual items at a high price with which people tend to display a high emotional attachment?
Whatever you’re selling, chances are that you’ve slipped into language patterns without giving much thought as to whether these are company or customer focussed. It could be worth examining the words and language you use when talking about your products and services to your customers. You could have your very own ‘marketing suites’ and ‘stock’ creating a negative impression in the eyes of your potential customers.
I think you mean “lair” not “layer”..
Nothing serious, you just used the wrong language.. 🙂
No idea what you mean 🙂
Thanks!
Excellent insightful post. Thank you for your words of wisdom which I will take on board!
I know I should get out more but your work (and indeed some of your products) which I LOVE, would benefit from a little more care in subbing or proofreading. (Steam/Stream and layer/lair)
Best Regards
Two points:-
1. I think you mean ‘lair’ and not ‘layer’ in paragraph 3?
2. The basic point you are making above is that business people need to exercise empathy or the ability to perceive their own business or activity from the perspective of the customer or client. Business people need to develop an ability to put themselves into the shoes or – more appropriately – the minds of their target audience. “How do we look to them?” “Are we making a favourable and encouraging or an unfavourable and discouraging impression?” These are the questions that should be asked at the outset.
I thought your political comments were only too true and it still astonishes me that people seem to have such short memories. The only thing I hate on your site is comments like ‘your Doctor doesn’t want you to know ‘as this is simply not true and does medicine a real dis-service.
Robert.
Hi Robert
This was exactly I was pointing out to John in strong terms admittedly in reply to his political blog pre election. The way he is selling the NHS Book on Streetwise is a disgrace and disservice to people who work in it and also the vast majority of patients (not all admittedly) who benefit from it.
Paul
I don’t think you’ll find too many people who think that there’s nothing wrong with the NHS. Much of the election was fought on the basis that everyone accepted it’s not good enough and the only disagreement is on how it can be put right. As a user of the service, the questions of who’s at fault and what’s to be done aren’t really relevant – not when you have an urgent or current need. The book helps people get the best from the service as it stands. I’m not sure why this does a disservice to the people working in the NHS. They’re doing their best, but as people of all political persuasions accept, for various reasons, they’re nor able to provide a ‘perfect’ service for everyone.
John, I have been receiving your business offers for many years. I have tried the odd one or two. Probably, due to my own inability, I was unable to succeed with any. I never ask for my money to be returned as I feel I am old and ugly enough to realise it is because of my own loss of interest at some point.
Today I have read many of your subscribers’ letters. Some excellent, some not. However, overall I think I see that you are a sincere and genuine business person, and most of those who do not paint a picture of you so positively, are probably chewing on sour grapes.
I am, at this moment, looking at the latest offer you sent to me by post. I find it very interesting:- might sign up as it appears to be a very good proposition.
Please continue sending your offers.
David Fordham
Talking about the use of language, John,I think your ‘layer’ may be a slight error.
Now the pedant is over I agree with you.
Power to your elbow
Dennis
Thank you John, brilliant observation as usual
Just looked at my main websites and they all started with how brilliant my company is
and what wonderful work we do!!
They now start with, “We can do this for you; We are Fast, Efficient and Cost Effective”
Result?
Just had two fresh enquiries within the hour
Please keep your thinking hat on John
Thanks again
Roy – you’re moving in the right direction, John has certainly given us plenty to think about.
If you don’t mind some more constructive (and hopefully helpful) criticism – I’m sure you ARE fast, efficient, and cost effective, but to the man on street (me) those words are so overused, they are almost meaningless.
It’s like saying “we give excellent customer service” – everyone claims to do this so the punter just tunes it out or at best views it with deep suspicion.
What would catch my attention is something specific – like “we respond to all enquiries within 2 business hours” or “April 2015 average response time for new enquiries 67 minutes 32 seconds”
Can you see what I’m getting at here?
Very good point. I shall watch my language in future having already up set someone in an email this week by teasing folk. They were a little thin skinned and did not see the jokey bits till explained later with apologies etc. So yes it taken on board.
I sympathise. We’re all ego-centric – it’s human nature! Trying to see the world from your customer’s point of view isn’t easy, and many don’t even try. Apart from examples you quote, what also irritates the life out of me is advertising which ‘sells’ a lifestyle image to such an extent that making out what is actually being advertised is almost impossible! The current tv ad regarding ‘living life at 4G’ is an example.
in the middle ages stocks were something you were locked into and held prisoner. not a happy picture if you are buying the car on finance.
Bang on again.Client as opposed to customer is a similar example.A “customer” or even worse a “custie” is someone you just want to take money off and don’t give a damn.A client is someone you care for and look after their interests.By the way-how crap was TH’s offer % wise lol ?
I don’t think I mentioned any names! 🙂
But hypothetically, about £4,000 less than he offered on the phone.
Another great post john … reminds me of K.I.S.S. and W.I.I.F.M..
Especially the “Whats In It For Me!!” …