MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2023

Plain Language Is Preferred…Even by PhDs

Industry jargon? Big words? Gobbledegook!

Clear and persuasive marketing requires clear and simple language, explains Ahava Liebtag.

Ahava, president of Aha Media Group, works primarily in the Healthcare space.

And even in her highly educated market, she knows that plain language is key to making connections with her clients… and with their clients.

In this video clip—from B2B Forum 2023—Ahava shares insights to writing with simplicity.

Watch this clip now, or read the transcript below.

And for Ahava’s complete presentation, check out B2B Forum On Demand.

With more than 40 sessions on improving your B2B marketing career, B2B Forum On Demand gives you front-row seats to the same career-building sessions attended by more than 2,200 marketers in October.

Don’t let these marketing ideas and insights pass you by. B2B Forum On Demand recordings are only available from MarketingProfs, and only until Dec 15. Details here.

Plain language builds solid relationships. It builds trust.

When somebody starts talking to you and they start using big words, do you ever think to yourself like, “okay, What T.F.” Right?

I want to talk to people who are people.

During the pandemic, I tried to get my kids to clean up the house. This was very unsuccessful. But one of the reasons it was so unsuccessful was because I hung up this sign in my kitchen that said:

  • Did you wash your dishes? 
  • Did you wipe off your place?
  • Did you take your things off of the island? (Not the island on Lost. Like, the island in a kitchen.) And,
  • Did you turn off the lights?

And one day I was sitting in my kitchen looking at the mess, thinking, “what am I missing?”

And I realized I didn’t follow Web Writing Best Practice rules.

Because when they looked at [my sign], they didn’t see the end.

They just saw the beginning.

And so there are a lot of great web writing best practices that you can review that will make your language planar. Easier to read. More white space. Easily scannable. Talking in terms that people understand.

This is Dr. Tom Friedan, who used to run the C D C.

“An mRNA vaccine doesn’t actually contain the virus itself. Think of it as an email sent to your immune system that shows what the virus looks like and instructions to kill it. And then like a Snapchat message, it disappears. Amazing technology.”

When you can explain things using metaphors that people understand it’s very important.

Now, who is he talking to? When he wrote this, he was talking to Gen Z, right? He was talking to millennials. (I mean, I’m Gen X and I use Snapchat.) He knew who he was talking to.

Excellent advice. Also important to note: clear writing doesn’t always come out the first time. That’s why we edit.

If you liked this clip, you’ll love Ahava’s full presentation!

Watch the full 45 minutes of “Plain Language Is Preferred… Even by PhDs” when you register for MPB2B On-Demand.

With 40+ sessions on AI, writing, leadership, strategy, and more, B2B Forum On Demand has actionable insights and lessons that a B2B marketer like you can use today.

But hurry—these exclusive session recordings are only available until Dec 15.

For full access to B2B Forum 2023 recordings, click here now.

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Published 10/18/23

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