Crystal Clear Communications Blog

“Confused clients don’t write checks.”

One of my mentors used to say that sentence often in his workshops.

It’s true. How do you feel when you read confusing marketing content? I’m betting it doesn’t persuade you to purchase from the company that published it.

I asked several marketers why they sometimes publish confusing content, and most answers boiled down to one of these three reasons:

• Leadership thinks it sounds better.
• Leadership wants us to sound smarter/sophisticated.
• Leadership wants us to appear exclusive/valuable/worth the price.

Thankfully none of them said their company purposely engages in confusion marketing, a practice some companies use to deliberately confuse buyers.

Here are some examples of confusing content I’ve seen over the years:

• “Primary modular learning environment” instead of “classroom.”
• “The company has invested a substantial amount of time and effort in laying the groundwork for its unique value proposition to its potential customer base while setting the stage for developing its brand of products” instead of “The company created a marketing plan.”
• And my all-time favorite: “uncontained fragmentation.” I understand the company’s reluctance to simply say, “It exploded,” but it just makes them look like they’re trying to hide the fact that something exploded.

Research shows that even highly educated readers prefer content that is clear and concise. According to research by Nielsen Norman Group, users leave web pages within 10-20 seconds unless there is a clear value proposition.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is another reason to avoid confusing content. You want to use the terms most searchers use.

While most of us want to sound smarter and better, when we confuse our audience, we risk not getting our story heard. That translates to lost revenue.

If your leadership team prefers complicated, confusing content, your first step is to show them research that will persuade them to approve clear, concise content. Nielsen Norman Group is one such resource.

Once you’ve done that, here are four ways to ensure you avoid confusing content:

• Know your audience. Knowing the demographics of your target audience can help you create content that’s clear and relevant – and that won’t confuse them.
• Focus your message. One of the best ways to ensure you deliver a clear, focused message is to make a Message Map and use it to guide all your marketing content.
• Simplify the complex. If you have a complex product or service, explain it as simply as possible. Break down information into smaller segments that are easier to digest. Use real-world examples or analogies to help buyers understand.
• Test your content. I always recommend testing marketing content. If readers outside your company don’t understand it, chances are your buyers won’t either.

Have questions about marketing and communications? Get answers weekly or email me at ariana@crystalclearcomms.com.