News and Insights
The Tech Buzzwords to Leave Behind in 2020
January 9, 2020
“I’d like to introduce you to company X, they’re completely disrupting the industry…”
“My client is transforming the way we…”
“He is a thought-leader in the space…”
Does this sound like a pitch you recently sent to a tech reporter ? Chances are it does. We took an informal poll of our technology practice here at FINN to create a list of the most overused words in technology communications.
Here’s a look at some of the most frequently used phrases:
All of this is to say, if 77% of people are saying their client is innovative – are they really that innovative? How is a reporter to discern those truly shaking up the market from those just using the jargon?
Let’s all make a resolution that in 2020 we ditch the buzzwords and get back to the basics: Accurately capturing what our clients do, why it’s cool, and why a particular reporter, influencer or stakeholder should care. Instead of saying that a company is transforming an industry, cut to the chase and get to the point of what they’re actually doing and how it’s helping consumers or businesses.
A story should be able to speak for itself, without the help of fluff words like “disrupting” or “cutting-edge.” If a product is disrupting an industry, the pitch should be able to convey that to a reporter on its own. Here are a few things that are certain to make your pitch standout in 2020:
- Stats and data that show value
- Compelling visuals
- Dollar figures to support the story
- C-level execs ready and willing to speak
- Analogies that better paint the picture
- Customers to give the story color
- Female execs breaking gender stereotypes
So here’s a challenge: How long can you go in 2020 without using one of these buzzwords? And better yet, do you see better results when you cut through the industry chatter?