I was tempted to include “legalese” in my headline, but I thought it might not sit well with some attorneys. How about you? Are you using language that’s confusing, not easy to understand, superfluous, and supposedly erudite? Well, knock it off!

According to the dictionary, babble means to chatter in a confusing way. It comes from a biblical incident when God confused the communication of men who attempted to build the Tower of Babel to reach heaven. Jabberwocky, meaning nonsensical writing, comes from a comical poem written by Lewis Carroll. Gobbledygook was coined by a Congressman who compared the run-on-prose of his congressional associates to the senseless gobbling of turkeys. Today it means using three or five or ten words when one will do. Example: “older, experienced citizens” in place of seniors. If you want someone to respond to your verbal or written message, brush away the language maze and get to the point!

Successful promotional strategies are built upon your ability to communicate in a clear, concise way - who you are, what you do, and how your product or service will benefit your consumer. If you consistently use words that look like they came from a Mensa dictionary, fuhgeddabout it!

Here are my proven tips for writing right.

1. Use a dynamic benefit headline that grabs the reader’s attention
2. Have photos with captions and copy that supports your headline
3. Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors
4. Post your contact information
5. Include social media, testimonials, endorsements and incentives that will encourage your target audience to find out more about who you are, what you do, and how your product or service will benefit them.
6. Engage your readers with the quality of your words, not the quantity!

Naomi Finkel is the owner of Say It With Words in Westlake Village, California, an agency specializing in Corporate Communications and Marketing Strategies. She is the author of “How to Get Big Business Exposure on a Small Business Budget.”
Website: www.siww.net
Email Address: siww@earthlink.net