5 ms·

I think one of the first signs of bad business writing is equating the number of google hits for a term with its real life impact. This was a fun trope in 2000,

I think one of the first signs of bad business writing is equating the number of google hits for a term with its real life impact. This was a fun trope in 2000, but in an age of content farms and repeated links its kind of meaningless. e.g. I just searched for a random term "Gargamel Robot Fan" and got 15,000+ results. That said, I like the products JF mentioned, but I think the universe of customers who like the cheeky tone of the companies he mentioned is fairly small. The Saddleback backs cost hundreds of dollars, Woot plays to an educated techie crowd, the farm he mentions is a super local business. You've got this venn diagram of people with a broad liberal education crossed with folks who have large sums of money for big discretionary purchases. I work in the world of medical devices, specifically diabetes. It is a $130B industry and while some companies try to get conversational, the truth is most don't want a tongue in cheek/casual/authentic tone when it comes to their health. It might be conditioning, but people seem to like the idea of a massive company filled with scientists that seems "robust" if bland. I'm sure its similar in other categories. I love the Saddleback copy, but it is not universally applicable.

pingswept 16y ago
I think you're missing the significance of quotation marks around Google search terms. To replicate Jason Fried's results, you need to search with quotation marks. A search for "Gargamel Robot Fan" with quotation marks returns zero hits. But I think your second point about medical devices marketing not working so well with a cheeky tone is good.
- imp 16y ago
  A search for "Gargamel Robot Fan" with quotation marks returns zero hits. Not anymore... http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=%22Gargamel+Robot+Fan%22 http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#3...
kj12345 16y ago
Exactly, there are so many places where authentic or ironic speech isn't appropriate and wouldn't work. The phrase "Full service solutions provider" sends a lot of signals about being willing to deal with a low level of definition and a high level of bureaucracy on a project. A farmer whose first priority is "stimulating soil biota" sounds passionate but difficult to work with.
- eavc 16y ago
  Great point about, "full-service solutions provider." It's the kind of language I'd try to avoid using, but the alternative is to use 100 words to say something like, "Our company can handle the entire process, from strategy and planning to the execution of the smallest detail, or we can take on only the pieces where our support is most needed." Which is better, the simplicity of sounding like an average joe or the simplicity of using 4 words? Again, just because that language is occasionally left awash in a sea of meaninglessness, doesn't mean it can't be useful and send meaningful information.
absconditus 16y ago
Tone is not the issue. The issue is writing which communicates nothing. Here is how one might write copy for medical software: http://www.epic.com/about-index.php http://www.epic.com/about-index.php If you look around their site you might be pleasantly surprised. You might also notice that they do not write press releases.
- eavc 16y ago
  That's good copy. I think it's very good, actually. But it's use of "global impact," "interoperability," "integrated," and passages like, "The award-winning EpicCare EMR is known for being fast and physician-friendly. Integrated access and revenue systems simplify administration," are the kinds of things that get made fun of unfairly. It's an easy target because so often those terms are over-used, but as someone else commented here in talking about "full service, end-to-end, etc." sometimes you have awkward or niche language because you're describing something awkward or niche. Not all abstract language is empty.
eavc 16y ago
Totally agree and well said. You've hit on my major frustration with both Fried and Seth Godin. It's almost snobbery. Expecting a level of fun and "humanness" from ALL businesses when really that only applies to a scarce few. That's why we see the same few examples over and over again. Cupcake stores, sneaker companies, farms, trendy software firms, design companies, etc. etc. Of course they are going to have interesting language; they're emotional products and services. But that's not applicable to server technology, serious consulting firms, medical, accounting, law, 99% of B2B and a slew of other types of companies.
- jrockway 16y ago
  Why shouldn't "humanness" be a part of all businesses? Last time I checked, humans make up the majority of your business' customers.
  - eavc 16y ago
    I have it in quotes for a reason. If you're going to be that literal about it, all businesses are run by and comprised of humans, so how could they be anything other than human? I'm talking about the idea that everything needs to be friendly, personal, casual, charming, quirky, and the like. The reason that it shouldn't be that way is that it's not always appropriate or useful.
    - jrockway 16y ago
      The reason that it shouldn't be that way is that it's not always appropriate or useful. Why not? I hate dealing with companies that aren't personal and friendly. I am not a robot.
      - ebiester 16y ago
        I can point you to a lot of people who would never go to Woot because they feel uncomfortable with that particular brand of quirky. They are losing out on sales because of it, but they are hoping that the sales they gain will offset the ones they lose. They can do that because they have no aspirations to be amazon.com. Microsoft cannot do that. ERPs shouldn't do this - quirky is not what makes you comfortable when dealing with business-critical software. Heck, personal and friendly may not be! (If you've ever used IFS...)

pingswept 16y ago

I think you're missing the significance of quotation marks around Google search terms. To replicate Jason Fried's results, you need to search with quotation marks. A search for "Gargamel Robot Fan" with quotation marks returns zero hits. But I think your second point about medical devices marketing not working so well with a cheeky tone is good.

imp 16y ago
A search for "Gargamel Robot Fan" with quotation marks returns zero hits. Not anymore... http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=%22Gargamel+Robot+Fan%22 http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#3...

kj12345 16y ago

Exactly, there are so many places where authentic or ironic speech isn't appropriate and wouldn't work. The phrase "Full service solutions provider" sends a lot of signals about being willing to deal with a low level of definition and a high level of bureaucracy on a project. A farmer whose first priority is "stimulating soil biota" sounds passionate but difficult to work with.

eavc 16y ago
Great point about, "full-service solutions provider." It's the kind of language I'd try to avoid using, but the alternative is to use 100 words to say something like, "Our company can handle the entire process, from strategy and planning to the execution of the smallest detail, or we can take on only the pieces where our support is most needed." Which is better, the simplicity of sounding like an average joe or the simplicity of using 4 words? Again, just because that language is occasionally left awash in a sea of meaninglessness, doesn't mean it can't be useful and send meaningful information.

absconditus 16y ago

Tone is not the issue. The issue is writing which communicates nothing. Here is how one might write copy for medical software: http://www.epic.com/about-index.php http://www.epic.com/about-index.php If you look around their site you might be pleasantly surprised. You might also notice that they do not write press releases.

eavc 16y ago
That's good copy. I think it's very good, actually. But it's use of "global impact," "interoperability," "integrated," and passages like, "The award-winning EpicCare EMR is known for being fast and physician-friendly. Integrated access and revenue systems simplify administration," are the kinds of things that get made fun of unfairly. It's an easy target because so often those terms are over-used, but as someone else commented here in talking about "full service, end-to-end, etc." sometimes you have awkward or niche language because you're describing something awkward or niche. Not all abstract language is empty.

eavc 16y ago

Totally agree and well said. You've hit on my major frustration with both Fried and Seth Godin. It's almost snobbery. Expecting a level of fun and "humanness" from ALL businesses when really that only applies to a scarce few. That's why we see the same few examples over and over again. Cupcake stores, sneaker companies, farms, trendy software firms, design companies, etc. etc. Of course they are going to have interesting language; they're emotional products and services. But that's not applicable to server technology, serious consulting firms, medical, accounting, law, 99% of B2B and a slew of other types of companies.

jrockway 16y ago
Why shouldn't "humanness" be a part of all businesses? Last time I checked, humans make up the majority of your business' customers.
- eavc 16y ago
  I have it in quotes for a reason. If you're going to be that literal about it, all businesses are run by and comprised of humans, so how could they be anything other than human? I'm talking about the idea that everything needs to be friendly, personal, casual, charming, quirky, and the like. The reason that it shouldn't be that way is that it's not always appropriate or useful.
  - jrockway 16y ago
    The reason that it shouldn't be that way is that it's not always appropriate or useful. Why not? I hate dealing with companies that aren't personal and friendly. I am not a robot.
    - ebiester 16y ago
      I can point you to a lot of people who would never go to Woot because they feel uncomfortable with that particular brand of quirky. They are losing out on sales because of it, but they are hoping that the sales they gain will offset the ones they lose. They can do that because they have no aspirations to be amazon.com. Microsoft cannot do that. ERPs shouldn't do this - quirky is not what makes you comfortable when dealing with business-critical software. Heck, personal and friendly may not be! (If you've ever used IFS...)