Every year seems to have its buzzwords and many are overused. I’m sure that as you read this, you’re forming your own list in your head.
I’d just as soon make up words than read these again en masse. So, as we close out the year, can we omit, or at least use the following, super sparingly? Please??
- Storytelling – Humans have told stories since the beginning of time. In an effort to dress up the core of public relations, some have used this word ad nauseam. To this story, I suggest, “THE END.”
- Mastermind — It’s the 2018 and 2019 version of ninja but less cool. If you read it in a subject line and you open the email, plan to scroll sales verbiage for the next half hour.
- Disruptive – I actually liked this word for a while. Then after reading it a few dozen times each day, it began to mess up my anti-bureocratic publicity brain. I’ll go back to ambush marketing and PR.
- Unpack – I’m into unboxing if your product is a fun one, but unpacking? That’s always a pain. There’s no need to complicate a situation – just tell us what’s going on.
- Reach out — This has made me bristle since a journalist friend told me she thought it was overused. That was more than 10 years ago.
- Circle back — I’ll get back to you.
- Drill down — Get to the point.
- I’d add “sorry not sorry” but …
Consider this the New Year’s Eve version of Festivus grievances. It’s a joke with a dose of reality. Please feel free to share your version of most overused words, too. And Happy New Year one and all!
(About all those exclamation points …)
©Gail Sideman, gpublicity.com 2019