Startup Tech Companies Buzzwords and Proper Positioning

Startup tech companies sometimes lose their originality to uninspired buzzwords. Focus on unique, concise, refreshing language when establishing and positioning your company.

Eric Markowitz, Inc.com staff writer, Inc. recently identified eight major buzzwords that are all too common, especially in startup tech companies:

Ninja
Value Proposition
Killing It
Productize
Rockstar
Grind
Inflection Point
Stealth

And I’ve noticed a handful of our own popping up so much they’ve become meaningless:

Leverage
Game Changing
Disruptive
Cutting Edge
Groundbreaking

Buzzwords are common in company positioning statements and regularly submitted content, especially in the technology sector where new entrepreneurs try to copy the language and angles that their predecessors found success with. These are words that sound catchy, and hint at some kind of edgy meaning, but over time decrease in value as they flood the marketplace.

Buzzwords aren’t necessarily the bad guys here. But relying on an overabundance of buzzwords to describe your product or service is a death sentence for the uniqueness of your company. Consumers and investors hear these mindlessly regurgitated words and phrases and instantly feel as though they’re being sold to—and that’s definitely a bad thing.

Focus on describing your company as sincerely as possible, rather than stringing together a bunch of words that you think sound cool. Minimalism is a good thing. It’s going to make you look much more professional, and much more human to an audience that is sick of hearing the same old worn-out words.

Fast tips to avoid overly “buzzy” language:

Write as if you were writing to children. Explain concepts very plainly.
Focus on the specific needs you’re addressing, rather than your technology itself.
Review all your materials with a third party to see if there are any words you tend to overuse.
Write as concisely as possible.
Avoid recycling content across multiple mediums.

Follow these tips when developing your brand and minimize the threat of empty buzzwords and flat language. The more powerful and direct your language is, the stronger your authority becomes.

Click on the following link to read Eric’s article, “8 Start-up Buzzwords to Avoid.”

photo credit: aussiegall via photopin cc

Tags: Eric Markowitz, Inc.com, Jose Vasquez, startup tech companies

About the Author

Jose Vasquez is a serial entrepreneur and tech specialist dedicated to helping startup tech companies grow and succeed. As the founder of Build. Brand. Blast., Jose has worked with dozens of enterprises to find direction, gain momentum, and achieve results.