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The title of this post is a little misleading, since it’s not the words I hate but the way they’re used. This is probably (and regrettably) the first of an ongoing series of posts where I discuss instances of wrong wording, bad wording, and stupid wording. If we refer to writers as “wordsmiths,” then here are a few cases where the smith should’ve served a longer apprenticeship.

“Utilize” — A way of spelling “use” with as many letters as possible. Seriously, that’s all it is. So here’s an idea — how about just writing “use?”

“Full-service” — I know I’ve railed against this phrase in the past, but I can’t help myself. “Full service” tells me nothing about your business I wouldn’t have assumed in the first place. In fact, to doesn;t tell me much of anything. (I’m reminded of an old comedy spoof of the game show “What’s My Line?” where the host yells out, “And the prize this week is SIXTY-FOUR!”) Does a full-service auto shop work on the front AND back of the car? Does a full-service insurance agency sell you insurance AND then pay the claim?

Unless your competitors are all “partial service” (whatever THAT means), you’re wasting space. Stop it.

“Thus” and “Therefore” — These terms, while not actually incorrect, are the surest way to identify yourself to your readership as Professor Prissypants. (My apologies to any member of the academic community whose family name might in fact be Prissypants. But frankly, I’m not the only one who owes you an apology.) There are plenty of down-to-earth, real-human-being words and phrases you can use to connect a process to a conclusion — like “so.”

More than one word (where one will do) – I see this a lot when copyediting for clients, especially when their products or services are complex. They feel the need to sound super-professional, so they lard the text with phrase strings that accomplish no more than a single, well-placed word could do. For instance, a client might draft a phrase such as, “So-and-so product facilitates events and processes with the ultimate goal of creating the circumstances that make your life easier.”

The correction? “So-and-so product can make your life easier.”

Which sentence would YOU rather read?

That’s enough badness for now. Back with some goodness next time!

Evan Carmichael has posted an excellent article by Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI, about contact spheres.

A contact sphere is a group of industries or professions that share common or overlapping target markets and who work well together to serve those markets. As a copywriter, for instance, I naturally work with web developers, marketing consultants, graphic designers, and other key players in the advertising/marketing/PR realm. It’s easy for us to pass referrals to each other because we all have a role to play in a client’s overall marketing campaign.

That’s the most obvious contact sphere for my business, but if I use my imagination a little I quickly come up with other spheres of common interest, such as:

Business-to-business. I write for corporate and entrepreneurial clients, so new companies and companies in transition (expanding or changing their product line) are a natural referral for me. These companies need marketing writing, of course — but what else might they need? Office equipment, telecom systems, a new or better shipping resource, a banker, a new piece of real estate? As their writer, I’m now in a position to refer them to all of these professionals, and vice versa.

“Trusted Advisors.” I consult with my clients and advise them on what kind of writing will be most effective for their needs. They don’t shop around for a new writer from project to project because they’ve grown to trust and depend on me. Such clients often prefer to keep a tightly-knit cluster of “go-to” experts close at hand, both in business and in their private lives. An attorney, a chiropractor, a CPA, a loan officer — these professionals develop a trust-based relationship with their clients, so a referral from them can be counted on as good advice. And by helping my clients find such trusted advisors, I’m offering a huge added value as a contact and building my own bond of trust with the client.

Those are just a couple of examples of spheres that pay off for me. What about you? What contact spheres can you construct for yourself that will create tremendous new referral opportunities for your business? Grab a pen, draw some circles and think about it!