We’ve all been there. Someone starts to talk shop and then throws out terminology that makes your eyes glaze over. Maybe you’re the kind of person who’s willing to speak up and ask for clarification. Or maybe you do the smile and nod routine. So here’s the question: when you write to your audience, are your prospects and customers smiling and nodding at your content?
You live and breathe your product or service. You have acronyms and jargon and code words to make your internal communication clear and concise. But there’s a good chance you know your area of expertise so well that it hinders your communication with your customers.
Your acronyms don’t translate. Your jargon goes over their head. Your code words make people feel unknowledgeable. A Harvard Business Review article about the curse of knowledge says this:
“Leaders can thwart the curse of knowledge by ‘translating’ their strategies into concrete language.”
Why is it important to “translate” your message?
Whether you’re talking strategy, product or service, it’s important to speak in words your customer understands. You’d never want your potential customers to smile and nod at you and then run away to find someone who’s easier to follow.
It’s easy to think of your audience as a crowd of people who are intensely interested in your product or service. And when you picture that crowd, your jargon fits right in. But zoom in a bit. Think about one person rather than the group. Does that person understand?
The problem is this: even if your audience knows as much as you think they do, they may not use the same words to describe the topic. The terms you use might have an entirely different meaning to them. And if that’s the case, you’ll never truly connect with them. So how can you translate your message as you write for and to your audience?
Before you write to your audience, take these three steps to ensure they’ll understand.
Listen first.
Just like outlining comes before writing, listening comes before outlining. Listen to people discuss your offering. Whether it’s at a conference or on an online forum, in a trade magazine or during an informational phone interview, listen. You probably don’t hear your acronyms. But what do you hear? Listen for:
- Common words and phrases
- Words they use differently than you
- Their acronyms and jargon (read Lingo by Jeffrey Shaw for more on this)
- How they describe their pain points
Make notes about what you hear. See where you might need to translate your message into words they understand.
Write for an audience of one.
You’ve probably heard the “Dear _____” trick of writing. (You choose one specific person from the group you’re writing to, and you start writing as though it’s a letter to that person.) By having that one person in mind, you’ll create a more targeted message and write more conversationally. It will force you to use the word “you” instead of weak, vague words like “companies” or “people.” That’s a great place to start.
Test your language.
Take it to the next level by putting that writing in front of a trusted customer. Warning: This requires humility. Ask these questions, and be willing to hear the answers without interrupting.
- How easy is this for you to understand?
- What sections did you have to reread?
- Are there any words that seem out of place?
- Is this something you would consider sharing?
- Did you find yourself thinking, “so what?” or “that doesn’t seem relevant” at any point?
This conversation will show how well you’ve translated your ideas into words that resonate with your audience. Go back and edit, then share the piece with your trusted customer again. Your effort will be well worth it.
Writing so your reader understands shows empathy.
Empathy creates connection and trust. People appreciate content that makes sense, content that gives a straightforward answer to a question, content that delivers an idea without confusing jargon. When your readers hear themselves in your words, they’ll feel heard and understood. And that’s a great outcome.
