One Word at a Time

Author Stephen King is famously quoted, "When asked 'How do you write?' I invariably reply, 'One word at a time.'" Known for the shocking story lines and bizarre plot twists that characterize his horror novels, King nevertheless understands that his success comes from building and sustaining suspense over many(!) pages. It's the cumulative effect of his writing, not just provocative concepts, that make him so popular.

And so it is with B2B marketing communications. An eye-catching advertisement with arresting visuals and a delightfully clever headline is great for grabbing the audience's attention...but it's never going to replace clear, concise prose in the essential task of convincing the audience to take specific action. Building a persuasive case for a product is the result of many decisions by the copywriter, right down to word-by-word choices.

For example, many people would say the following phrases are interchangeable (italics added to highlight differences):

• The disk drive's greater capacity and higher throughput allow you to...
• The disk drive's greater capacity and higher throughput let you...
• The disk drive's greater capacity and higher throughput help you...
• The disk drive's greater capacity and higher throughput enable you to...

At first glance, all four versions appear to be making the same positive point about a product. But look below the surface, and the subconscious connotations of the verbs used begin to reveal some noteworthy differences:

Allow...
For most people, the word "allow" is associated (consciously or subconsciously) with needing to get permission to do something. And people naturally dislike that idea, it implies they are not free to do as they please. Negative connotation.

Let...
Very similar permission issues to "allow." Negative connotation.

Help...
This is less troublesome than "allow" or "let" because it's not associated with needing permission. But it can subconsciously connote someone who needs assistance or aid, and hence imply the reader is somehow incapable or not self-sufficient. Somewhat negative connotation.

Enable...
This is the best choice because it connotes adding new capabilities without implying that the audience's current abilities are substandard or deficient. (Some would argue that the term "empower" has similar connotations, but the "New Age" patina of that word makes it less desirable for hard-nosed technical audiences.) Positive connotation.

Skeptical that just a single word can make an appreciable difference in your marketing campaigns? Good, you should be. Because we're not concerned with the influence that each word, in and of itself, will have; in the vast majority of cases that effect is negligible.

It's the collective, cumulative effect of hundreds or thousands of individual words that shapes the tone and tenor of marketing pieces. Are your verbs direct and positive, or do they sound a bit tentative? Does your product "offer," "provide" or "deliver" benefits to your customers? You may not think so, but it makes a difference...because the influence of your words all adds up.