Podcast 55: Stop Confusing People with Jargon and Start Finding Clients
Mar 04, 2021
Whilst researching content for a workshop, I discovered many therapists, coaches and healers confuse their clients with their messaging.
LinkedIn has a sea of practitioners with weird and wonderful profiles. They either focus on their collection of approaches or use jargon that no client would understand. A few examples of the sort of things I mean are:
- Transformational coach helping you achieve authentic confidence
- Energy medicine and sound healing specialist
- Healthpreneur, consultant and speaker
- Holistic therapist helping you find your sparkle
- Intuitive healer
People are busy and don’t want to have to think about what you do. They’re simply looking for a solution to their problems. People just want to know how you’re going to help them and what results to expect. These are the type of descriptions that will stop you from finding clients because they just aren’t clear.
Practitioner training teaches jargon
While training, you’re taught to use language that is specific to the discipline. You use certain words and phrases with your peers and teachers to demonstrate your understanding of the subject.
In this situation, you need to know the appropriate language, but it needs to change when you’re looking for clients.
Outside of training – simple rules!
It’s easy to get caught up in the technical talk, especially if you’re trying to impress clients. Practitioners often find jargon helps them feel confident, maybe makes them sound like an expert – or does it?
You may know what you mean, but do your clients? The introduction of unfamiliar or complicated words puts people off. They may be embarrassed to ask for clarification so, you could be missing out on potential clients.
English was never my strongest subject and the shame of not understanding big words affected my confidence. There were many occasions where I walked away rather than admit I didn’t understand.
Simple language is especially important to remember when you’re marketing your business. Keeping things as simple as possible is by far the best strategy. You need to make it easy for people to understand how you can help them.
Here’s how to avoid the jargon:
Have a simple way to describe what you do
This is especially important when it comes to describing what you do. This is where too many practitioners try to stand out but end up getting lost because people don’t want to have to think about what you do.
Pick words you’d use if you were describing what you do to a child or your grandmother. The importance of this means it is something that can also be repeated easily.
The easier you can make it for people to understand, the more comfortable they will be working with you.
A simple marketing message is a way to communicate who you help and how – here’s an article on creating yours.
Avoid jargon
Ensure you’re not using technical talk to waffle around a topic. To someone who doesn’t speak the same language, jargon can appear like gobbledygook.
Try out different words that are easier to understand. If you struggle, a thesaurus or Google are great places to find alternatives.
If you do have to use technical terms, make sure you spell out the meaning fully so there’s no room for any misunderstanding.
Use stories
Stories and metaphors are a brilliant way to demonstrate ideas and concepts. People are naturally drawn to them so use these to help your potential clients understand what you do.
This is also how information was traditionally passed down through the generations so they are a great way to be remembered.
Get a second opinion
Ask someone (who is not a fellow practitioner) to review your message or copy and see if it makes complete sense to them.
These days, I’m over my fear of long words and spend a lot of time writing but I still someone to read things that are important. It is far too easy to get lost in your own world and not recognise that what appears perfectly clear to you, isn’t to anyone else!
Simple messages are easier to understand, easier to remember, easier to share and are more likely to be acted upon.
If you need help with your marketing messaging, book a discovery call with me and find out how I can help you.
Podcast 55 show notes:
- (04:02) Practitioner training teaches jargon
- (04:45) Outside of training – simple rules
- (06:40) Have a simple way to describe what you do
- (07:33) Avoid jargon
- (08:22) Use stories
- (08:51) Get a second opinion
