Cold and wooden would be our go to description of the corporate communications of most companies we deal with before we entered the picture. There is this stigma associated with normal conversation in business that we just don't understand. Being real people is the way of the new communicating world and with the digital revolution in full swing, it is time to start treating consumers like humans.
Most people like to be treated as though they are people. Cold corporate communication feels impersonal and doesn't say "We wrote this just for you!" If you want your emails to be read, your blogs to be bookmarked and your flyers to hit the recycling bin only after a good read... Get real. One of the most notable elements of a strong marketing methodology is to create an emotional response in the consumer. That is a tough thing to do when you are knee-deep in industry lingo and tacking huge confidentiality paragraphs to everything you fire out of your inbox. Bad form. In stead, send an email that sounds like how you speak, be clever and memorable in your physical ads and showcase your personality in your blogs.
The thing about industry specific lingo is that only people who are in the trenches get it. I can't read an article about car engines unless it is broken down to be understood by laymen just like me. Ways to get around this are to compare what you do to other things that are more familiar to average people. When you get too heavily invested in the industry specific stuff, you start marketing to only people that are already in your industry. That will not generate a whole lot of new business, in fact, it will probably only enhance the talking points of your team and maybe a few nosey competitors. Not sure how to talk to your consumers? Get in touch with who they are by creating buyer personas for your business (learn about that here.) Once you have invested the time in specifically identifying them you can move forward in making your communications more relatable to them.
Check out the correspondence style of the consumers that you are going after. This is especially helpful in B2B scenarios. Knowing the communicative style of your prospects can add a needed level of comfort as you transition out of your corporate speak habit. Even when you are going after clients that are a business, the person making the decision is exactly that, a person. Be honest, up front, trustworthy and real with them. It will shorten the sales cycle and get your business relationship started on a comfortable level that leads to open and honest communication.
In our experience the more human the dialogue, the more successful the business. We employ this at Hughes & Co. and with our clients. We often feel resistance in the beginning but as the conversations start to take foot and new consumers approach with a whole new attitude toward their business, it is embraced with open arms. Give it a try, leave comments if you have questions and start to enjoy your client base more. You work with so many awesome people that your communicative style is building unnecessary barriers with. We can't wait for you to get to know them!