Marketing folks, like those in every industry, often get caught up in their own jargon. But because words are a core component to executing our jobs, it’s somewhat easier to get tangled up. We throw around words and phrases like, “messaging” and “key proposition,” and “positioning statement.” Unfortunately, it’s easy with all this wordplay to lose sight of the one essential element that will make or break your communications efforts.

Your company’s words can’t just have meaning, they must be meaningful. There’s a huge difference. Take, for example, the great use of wording brought to my attention from the most excellent Daniel Pink.

Dan calls it “emotionally intelligent signage.” It’s a great phrase. The same need to stir action applies to marketing and public relations copy. Call it “emotionally intelligent content.” Surprisingly, much of the marketing and PR writing you read today is complete devoid of any emotional intelligence. (Much of it is completely unintelligible, but that’s a whole other blog post.)

The point here is that you can produce all the “messaging” you want, but if it isn’t meaningful in a way that touches your audience’s emotional trigger(s) – pain, fear, comfort, security, joy… whatever – then it’s just blather.

Connecting to your key audiences – prospects, current customers, employees, industry peers – must reach an emotional level to have any true impact — even in an “unemotional” B2B buying cycle.

Related posts:

1. In marketing you need to practice like you play
2. Don’t fear uncontrolled messaging. Tame it.
3. What’s in Your Marketing Fall Line-up?
4. Brand is the shark of the marketing world
5. Does Your Marketing Suck?

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About the author:

Brian Courtney is a Sr. Social Media & PR executive, bringing Schubert more than 15 years of corporate PR and editorial experience. Brian enjoys traveling to exotic locations, creative writing and spending time with his family.