So, I’ve been reading this book called Content Rules which was written by Ann Handley (Chief Content Office of MarketingProfs) & C.C. Chapman (Founder of Digital Dads) and they mentioned something interesting that I figured applies to all of us since we’re all writing something at some point during our marketing campaigns.

Ann and C.C. suggested that the following words are basically “bloated, over-complicated” versions that should never be used in business writing because it makes the writing sound less human and the “writer sound like a tool”.

Well, since sounding like a tool is never the goal (at least, not our goal) we figured we should share them with our fellow health & wellness marketers who might be struggling to write awesome content for their clients and patients.

I am guilty of using these and thought by sharing them all with you, I could keep myself accountable to stop using these words and start writing like a human.

1. Impactful

Good alternatives to use instead: influential, substantial, powerful

2. Leverage

Good alternatives to use instead: influence, exploit, enhance, rely on, use

3. Learnings

Good alternatives to use instead: knowledge

4. Synergy

Good alternatives to use instead: cooperation, help, joint, pooled, combined effort

5. Revolutionary

There really are no good alternatives. Just don’t use it because it’s too grandiose. Unless you’ve invented a product that reverses a significant disease or legitimately changes humanity as we know it, it’s really uncalled for.

6. Email blast

Good alternatives to use instead: newsletter, email offer, subscriber update

7. Proactive

Good alternatives to use instead: active, anticipate, foresee

8. Drill down

Good alternatives to use instead: in-depth, detailed

9. 30,000 feet

This is a bit too business/marketing jargon-y. Good alternatives to use instead: overview, executive summary

10. Incenting/incentivizing

Good alternatives to use instead: encourage, provide an incentive

11. Almost any word that ends in “-ize”, such as monetize, utilize, socialize, budgetize (exception: Optimize, in terms of SEO).

12. Solution

Good alternatives to use instead: actually explain what the product or service does and allow customers decide whether it solves their problem.

13. Users

This descriptor is dehumanizing. Good alternatives to use instead: people, customers, or name a specific group of people (your target audience), i.e. dog-lovers, movie buffs, crafters, swimming pool builders, patients.

14. Almost any word rooted in technology but applied to humans (i.e. offline).

Good alternatives to use instead: use words that describe what humans do, not what machines do.

15. Overused words

Don’t use words like robust, granular, strategic, space, traction, etc. They have been used so much in marketing they’ve sort of lost any real meaning or value.

16. Mashed-together words

For example, don’t use buy-in, dial-in, end-to-end, value-add, win-win.

17. Silly phrases

For example, don’t use “touch base”, moving forward, and other clichés. Phrases like “let’s touch base” are unnecessary. No need to put your hands on anything, let’s just talk!

18. Offensive phrases

This one is probably obvious, but don’t describe anyone or anything as “Nazi like” or use phrases such as “drinking the Kool-aid”, which are rooted in real human tragedy. There’s no need unless you’re actually discussing and describing a true historical event.