It’s time to have a serious talk about Fluffy Words. I think it’s time to call out vague, meaningless words populating so many web sites. You may not even notice them, but for me they’re like fingernails on chalk board.

You see what I did there? Did you feel the shiver run up your spine? Fluffy Words evoke no such emotion. When they appear, you know the writer didn’t have the time to understand what truly makes a business tick. And they didn’t have the energy to write engaging content.

Let’s start with quality. Is there ever a good time to use this word? The answer is yes: In a Scrabble game, where it will earn you 21 points. Otherwise, what does it mean? Do you sell a quality product? Why, of course you do! Do you provide quality service? I hope so. So do your competitors.

Instead of vague and Fluffy Words, use specific words to describe what quality means to your customers. Tell stories about actual service you’ve provided – these are stories your competitor doesn’t have.

I know, you strive for excellence, and you’re passionate about tirelessly meeting the needs of your customers. But stop with the Fluffy Words!

Here’s an exercise: Think about a time your company made a customer happy. This shouldn’t be a hard thing to do. Take yourself back to that day. Now, imagine you just got home from your day at work, and someone asks you, “How was your day?” My guess is you won’t say, “We did our utmost to deliver exceptional service.”

Write down the story of how you made one customer happy, and post it on your web site. Then tell another. And another. When prospective customers visit your web site, they may start to feel all warm and fuzzy. But they won’t be bored into a stupor by Fluffy Words!

Do you need help taking the fluff out of your web site and marketing content? Let’s talk!

Copyright Liz Behlke 2018