Communications 4/25/2012

Just Because You Like a Word…

Doesn’t mean you should use it.

Back when I worked in the marcom department of a computer company, our staff of writers loved the word cornucopia. So much so, we would find a way to use it in the ads just to see which ones would pass through our editor. In any given week that could be 30 to 50 ads. That’s a cornucopia of opportunities!

Only once did the word make it to publication. Oh the glee to have it be my ad. What an award-winning use. So I thought… until I saw it in print. The word cliché doesn’t pay justice to how bad a decision that was.

Tip: We only have a short time to grab someone’s attention and even less time to keep it. Using useless words wastes precious time. Be conscious to make every word count. If a better word (ahem, even shorter one) does the trick, use it.

Seriously, cornucopia?!

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