o_1965j22fimh6uhp2n21rrs1b3ta.pdf

Conversation over automation
Remember that our brand isn’t just about
a technology product and that the people
we deal with are not robots. Avoid overly
corporate or cheesy language and/or phrases.
Instead of saying:
‘Alternative’, we say ‘different’
‘Assistance’, we say ‘help’
‘Notify’, we say ‘tell’
‘Select’, we say ‘choose’
‘Succinct’, we say ‘straightforward’
Speak actively, not passively
Instead of saying…
‘If that doesn’t work, call or email us’, try
‘tell me what the problem is and I’ll see
what I can do to help you.’
‘The functionality of this service offers
improved usability’, write ‘we’ve made it
easy to use’.
This may sound like such a small thing,
but consider how much more positive and
direct it is. Forget business-to-business.
Think human-to-human!
Punchy and direct please
After you’ve written something, try reading
it out loud. Is it a mouthful? Are there too
many commas and not enough full stops?
Did you have to breathe halfway through
your ridiculously long sentence that used
entirely more words than were needed?!
Go through it with a red pen. Always keep
it simple and to the point. Your audience
will thank you.
15
Little Book of Redfern