How to cut jargon from your business writing
How do you create engaging copy? Cut the jargon and keep it simple. Here are our top tips for getting rid of business speak.
In our work we come across some shocking jargon – from the nonsensical to the ridiculously over-used. The good news is that it’s easy to cut business-speak from your business writing. Here’s how:
1. Think about your audience
To reach your audience effectively you need to write for them. And that means writing for humans, not business robots. So, for example, instead of writing ‘our deliverables are’ simply say ‘we are going to’.
2. Cut out technical terms
Will your reader understand technical terms, industry references or acronyms? If not, cut them out. Alternatively, you could include technical explanations in a separate fact box, rather than the main text.
3. Remove unnecessary words
Go through your writing and remove unnecessary words. Jargon usually equals waffle. Why say ‘think outside the box’ when you can use ‘be creative’? Four words are rarely better than two.
4. Get feedback
Get someone else to look over your writing and give you feedback. This works best if it’s someone who knows nothing about the subject – they’ll be able to tell you whether it’s easy to follow.
Ask them to highlight any jargon they find. Then re-write the piece to get rid of it. The end result will be effective, engaging copy.