Let's face it, the world of SaaS is jam packed with marketing buzzwords.  We've all been there, drowning in a sea of  disruptive innovation and paradigm shifts. It’s unprecedented.

But here's the tea: spewing MBA textbook jargon doesn't make you sound like a visionary leader. Instead, it makes you sound like you haven't spoken to a real customer in weeks (ahem, years even).

The Buzzword Bonfire: Burning Up Meaningless Jargon in SaaS

So, with all that ado about something, here’s several startup phrases I see everywhere that mean nothing. And how - and where - to switch them out for a phrase that says something.

P.S. Have a phrase you hate? Comment on LinkedIn! I’ll be updating this glossary on the regular.

Why Jargon Fails You (and Your Customers)

Marketing buzzwords create a communication disconnect. Your customers don't care about your  synergistic core competencies. They want to know how your product solves their problems. And you need to do it in a way that's clear, concise, and, dare we say, understandable.

Speaking Their Language, Not Just Ours

The biggest mistake SaaS companies make is assuming a one-size-fits-all communication approach. Different demographics, job titles, and target audiences use distinct vocabularies.

Here's why speaking their language matters:

• Using the terms your target audience actually searches for improves your search engine optimization (SEO) and makes your solution more discoverable.
• When you communicate using the language of their pains and challenges, you immediately establish relevance and credibility.
• Jargon creates distance. Speaking their language shows you understand their world and builds trust.

Imagine you offer a project management tool. Talking about agile methodologies might impress other SaaS companies, but it won't resonate with small businesses struggling to meet deadlines.  Instead, focus on terms like save time and money, just add water sound, and do X in minutes.

Bonus tip: pop culture works wonders. When you do your customers interviews (you’re doing customer interviews that are more them talking than you right….?) ask them what their favorite musicians, books, movies, TV shows, and games are! Then use references to the ones that come up most often in your writing.

I, for one, am a LOTR fangirl (there may have been a time in my life where I could speak Elvish…) And you’ll notice a lot of our blog posts have fantasy themes in there, because I know that’s something that our target audience shares.

Don’t Silence Your Brand Voice

But there's another crucial piece to the puzzle: brand voice.

Jargon might be bad, but sounding generic isn't much better. Your brand voice is your unique personality, the way you show up and connect with your audience.

While it's important to adapt your language to resonate with specific demographics, you should never completely abandon your brand voice.

I imagine what I’d do when I’m meeting a potential customer for coffee. I wouldn't suddenly start talking like a stuffy professor, right? I'd use my natural voice, infused with my personality and a touch of professionalism.

That's also the approach you want to take with your SaaS communication.

Finding the Sweet Spot

So, how do you strike the balance between tailoring your language to your audience and staying true to your brand voice?

Here are some tips:

• Identify your brand voice: What are your core values? What kind of personality do you want to project? Are you playful and approachable, or data-driven and authoritative?
• Understand your audience: Research the language your target audience uses to describe their problems and desired solutions. This is where voice of customer research and voice of the customer research come into play—if you don't know how to collect voice of customer feedback or why is voice of the customer important, you will end up guessing instead of using their real words.
• Find the overlap: Look for ways to communicate about your product using both your brand voice and the language of your audience.
• Read it out loud: Does your writing sound natural? Does it sound like you? If not, revise until it does.

Which Words to Set Fire to

Phrases and corporate buzzwords 2024 that often are bandied about in the industry and offer no concrete value are something that I will always strike through.

So, let's ditch the dead weight and slay some startup phrases that mean absolutely nothing:

[Unique] Value Proposition (RIP)

Use it once, so we can define it in practical terms and then never again. VP varies for each use case and ICP. One of the biggest startup mistakes is thinking it's one thing for all time. It’s not the value prop that’s unique. It’s the presentation and consistency of it that makes it stand out

Every business has a unique way of delivering value, but focusing on unique misses the mark. Instead, communicate consistently and effectively across all touchpoints. To keep this focused, use an ideal customer profile template, an ICP template, or an ideal customer profile template B2B framework so you know how to build an ideal customer profile that targets real buyers.

Brand Values and Core Values—Oldies But Not Goldies

These terms hark back to the days of top-down, impersonal branding. Customers want authenticity and connection.

Core Message—Because Apparently Companies Have Hearts Now?

A company has core customers, but core messaging is really their brand positioning and the way they communicate (aka personality). I try not to use core message/messaging because it's so fluffy and doesn't clearly define itself.

Since companies have core customers and not core feelings, it’s better to be clear about who you're  talking to and how you're going to talk to them.

Message—Use Sparingly

Can be okay if you're defining what the message is in the sentence.

Utilize—Ugh, the "Izes" Have It!

Most of the -izes feel corporate. Be more specific about what is being done at this stage in a process. For example, say We use customer survey data to improve user experience, and **not We utilize data to personalize the user experience.

Disrupting Anything (Yawn)

Everyone's disrupting something these days. This is one of those tech buzzwords that have completely lost their punch! Focus on how you improve your industry instead.

Growth Hacking—A Mystery

This term gets thrown around a lot, but is rarely explained. Talk about strategic marketing or user acquisition techniques with concrete examples of what you do.

Future-Proofing—Move it to the Fantasy Section

Nobody knows the future for sure! Instead, highlight how well your product adapts to changing needs or provides a long-lasting solution.

Best Practices—More Like Boring Practices

Another one of those business buzzwords that’s subjective and a bit boring. Focus on data-driven strategies backed by evidence to show your approach is effective. Because “best practices” for one company might be a death nell for another. Playbooks are so pre-COVID. Better yet, actually list out what those best practices are you’re talking about for the specific situation!

Actionable Insights—Show Me the Action!

What actionable steps can customers take based on your insights? Don't just say you have insights. Be specific and provide clear guidance on what they are and how to use them.

The  Bottom Line

Jargon is the enemy of clear communication. Your aim should be towards adding authenticity, clarity, and a healthy dose of your brand’s personality in your SaaS communication. If you're running customer discovery interviews, prepare a clear user interview template or user research interview template so you know how to do customer discovery without resorting to corporate speak.

Feeling Spicy? Share your marketing buzzwords hates in the comments!

I'll be updating this list regularly with your help. Let's work together to build a SaaS landscape free from meaningless jargon and filled with genuine communication.

FAQs

What are buzzwords?

Buzzwords are trendy terms and phrases used to describe concepts, often in business or technology. The problem is even if they sound impressive, they lack clarity and don’t convey meaningful information.

What are vague buzzwords?

Vague buzzwords are ambiguous. So, while they often sound impressive, they fail to provide clear meaning or context, resulting in confusion or misinterpretation.

Are buzzwords good or bad?

Buzzwords can be both good and bad. When good, they can help convey complex ideas concisely or create a sense of excitement. However, when overused, they can obscure meaning or lead to misunderstanding.

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