Startups have a language problem- Simplify to stand out
Startups have an exaggerated sense of self and it shows in how they speak.
Listen to this…
‘We power the creator economy by disrupting content systems using cloud based technology that allows content scalability on various platforms enabling creators to share content seamlessly’....
Some might ask, what’s wrong with this statement?
But I think the more important question is- what’s not right with this statement.
It sounds fancy, but no useful information was conveyed.
A lot of startups are addicted to important sounding words that mean nothing to ordinary people who actually use their product.
In an effort to attract investors, they resort to jargon and cliches to dress up albeit boring products…
‘Our product is disrupting content ecosystem’
‘Our product is banking the unbanked’ (my favorite)
‘Our product makes cross border payment possible’
and so on…
What do you notice with these words?
In different ways, they are trying to communicate simplicity.
Which begs the question…
If the startup goal is to simplify, why aren’t they simplifying their own languages?
Of course, within the tech ecosystem, the use of such jargons is acceptable, even necessary. But it serves no use outside the confines of that space other than to signal a need to be known as part of the cool club of startups.
Which is rather ironic given that every startup wants to stand out from others. Yet, they end up sounding the same, just like the rest.
~ Minding your language
Language is a potent tool to signal uniqueness but most importantly, to arouse a feeling in your audience or consumer
A popular history quote says
“If you want your audience to say- "What a clever speaker!"—then use catch phrases. But if you want to emulate Demosthenes, whose audience said - “Let’s go!” then your whole effort must be centered on arousing the feeling in them
As a startup, what feelings do you trigger when you communicate?
Do you trigger ‘oh that’s nice, keep talking’, or ‘hell yeah, sign me up!
The former reflects fascination, the latter resonance.
Fascination is a nice to have, but resonance is a must have for every startup.
- Fascinating language
When people are fascinated, they are in awe of the words, the more ‘bourgeois’ the vocabulary, the more fascinated we are.
The problem with fascination is that it’s not intimate.
You are ‘speaking at the audience’, not to them.
Far too much commentary around startups focuses on how great the founders are. How many rounds of funds they’ve raised, AAR, etc
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Of course these are interesting words that signal to investors, VCs and the ecosystem their value. But the audience they serve just look in awe and murmur- must be nice!
Unfortunately, fascination fades and they’d look elsewhere for something new to enchant them.
- Resonant Language
Resonance on the other hand is tuning your message for the audience.
It’s about understanding hearts and minds and sending a message that is tune to needs and desires
Resonant language is persuasive because it moves the audience to act
Movements are started, products are purchased, ideologies are adopted all because a message ‘spoke to them’
In resonance, empathy is key to connection, and that connection is forged with words.
~ Why the right language matters.
When you adopt a certain language, you create the foundation on which customers will build their perceptions.
Building a startup is hard and you’d make a lot of mistakes. Thus, the words you use can either trigger empathy or indifference.
Non resonant language limits your ability to make people love you- a vital element founders need in their startup journey.
Startups can survive without a lot of things, but they cannot survive without resonance.
It is resonance that makes the customer give you another chance despite slip ups
It is resonance that makes the audience show up for you everyday.
It is resonance that builds a defensible territory.
~ Shifting your startup language
Getting the language right is one of startups biggest challenges, but it can be done.
To avoid falling in the trap of fascinating your audience with fancy words, a fundamental shift in attitude is imperative;
Simplified brands stand out
I have a dream by Martin Luther King Jr led the march to Selma because he spoke the language of African Americans.
To the crazy ones by Steve Jobs rallied around creatives at the time because he spoke their minds.
Belong anywhere by Airbnb is a language that speaks to explorers and digital nomads
And so many more examples to learn from.
So the next time you find yourself wondering if you should use that jargon, ask yourself this..
Do I want to hear- that’s nice…
or
Let's go!
Choose your language carefully
I found this interesting. Great read, Ifunanya!
I completely agree. Language is a communication tool and must be used to drive specific intended results. Because the thing is, what happens to a great tool if it is misused? The outcome is never what was intended, no matter how similar it appears. Before using words, we must always consider the outcome, because whether we like it or not, words always have an effect on the audience. Our best hope is to control the narrative as much as possible and make sure that those words, in the long run, yield the intended results.