Much like there are buzzwords in the business world—“heads up,” “let’s circle back,” “at the end of the day”—there are also buzz words used in advertising.

How often have you been watching TV and come across a commercial selling some random product “for a limited time only,” or the special promotion is preceded by, “but wait, there’s more!”

If you had a nickel in your pocket for every time you came across a print ad that proclaims that the company can help you with “all your [fill in the company’s product or service] needs,” how much money would you have?

As someone who works in the marketing communications field, these phrases make me cringe. We hear these types of phrases so often that they no longer carry any real value. When someone hears that the “time is now” to replace their tires, it doesn’t even register as a phrase with a sense of urgency; they’re just empty words relegated to the part of the brain that mothers use to tune out a room of screaming children.

My personal list of played-out phrases includes the following, in no particular order:

-        “We offer the best deals in town”

-        “Now more than ever”

-        “Stretch your dollar”

-        “Get more bang for your buck”

-        “We go the extra mile”

-        “Time is money”

-        “Your one-stop shop”

-        “We’re slashing prices!”

I propose a moratorium on these and the scores of others that are out there that have been beaten to death and have nothing left to offer in the marketing world.  Who’s with me?!

So…how do we stop these buzzwords? The key to avoiding these buzzwords is to take a step back and ask some questions. What does it mean in the context of your business to be a “one-stop shop?” What products/services do you offer that allow you to make that claim? What does it mean to your customers—what is important to them and how do your products/services make their lives easier? The answers to these and other similar questions are what truly differentiates your business from the competition. Couple these differentiators with unique copy and messages that speak to your target audience and, presto, the buzzwords disappear and are replaced with substantive statements that will pique your target audience’s interest and compel them to learn more about your business.

What are some overused phrases that you can think of?