In every industry, plenty of effort goes into how a product is marketed. It's particularly important to carefully choose the words that are used to describe that product. Take, for example, the humble freezer unit. Branding it as a gelato freezer lends a certain degree of elegance and charm.
Word choice will always affect sales. Some words are associated with higher quality while others are simply more pleasing to the ear. Your marketing vocabulary can also speak to certain audiences better than others. Carefully choosing your words is the best way to leverage the power of language and drive sales.
Here's everything you need to know about how to maximize sales using intentional marketing vocabulary.
The Difference Between Gelato & Ice Cream
Gelato is a term that can evoke feelings of luxury and refinement. However, it’s not simply a fancier way to say “ice cream.” These two treats are actually quite different.
While the main ingredients in both are milk and cream, ice cream has a higher cream-to-milk ratio. Gelato, on the other hand, uses more milk than cream. This proportion is what dictates fat content. In general, ice cream is made of upwards of 10% fat whereas gelato is composed of as little as 5%.
Furthermore, the temperatures and textures are distinctly different. While ice cream is stored at around 0°F with a more solid, frozen texture, gelato is stored at a warmer temperature — about 15°F. Those 15 degrees ensure that gelato is not completely frozen and thus is smooth and delicate on your tongue.
Although gelato and ice cream are not synonymous, gelato has several positive connotations that can increase its appeal. So if you have a gelato freezer, capitalize on it! If you don’t, though, don’t worry. There are plenty of other ways to spruce up your marketing vocabulary and boost sales.
Beautiful Language
There are over one million words in the English language. Although many can have similar meanings, each word is unique in its construction and usage. Some words are clunky — like incommodious. Others are much easier on the ear and the tongue.
Try to weave in pleasant, engaging words where you can while avoiding words that are cumbersome. To give you some ideas, here are a few of the most beautiful words in the English language, according to a British Council survey:
- passion
- delicacy
- fantastic
- gorgeous
- sophisticated
Think about the marketing language you use to describe your products. Are the words pleasing to say and hear? Incorporating beautiful vocabulary into your marketing strategy can make your products more appealing to buyers. It may even encourage them to reach into your gorgeous gelato freezer and purchase a frozen delicacy.
Good & Bad Connotations
Is the marketing language you’re using actually saying what you want it to say? There are plenty of words that have clear positive associations. However, there are also words that might appear fine on the surface but carry troublesome connotations that can elicit negative ideas in consumers.
Some words have more ambiguous meanings. Using them in marketing copy has the potential to negatively impact sales. For example, the word "obviously" seems relatively harmless. However, using it can hurt your brand. It will often come across as rude and condescending.
While you may use “obviously” with the intent to mean "let me explain this helpful idea," it may instead come across as "this is obvious, but you're an idiot so I'll explain it anyway." Insulting the consumer is never a good idea if you hope to make a sale, so “obviously” is a word that should be avoided.
There are a few marketing phrases that can also be troublesome. HubSpot highlights seemingly innocent phrases that can negatively impact sales.
Among these phrases are:
- "Customized to fit your needs…"
- "I'm sure you'll agree…"
- "Can I be honest with you?"
Although these phrases don't seem inherently bad, they can easily be misinterpreted. Customers may put their own spin on your intended meaning. Suddenly, a simple comment about honesty has a buyer thinking you’ve been lying to them up to that point.
It's better to be safe and avoid words and phrases with negative or ambiguous meanings. Such language can prevent potential buyers from even getting close to your freezer, even if it does contain delicious gelato.
Expand or Limit Your Audience
Your marketing vocabulary has a significant impact on the audience your brand can attract and maintain. In fact, word choice alone has the power to exclusively define who your audience is and is not.
Choosing your words carefully — and using pleasing words with good connotations — can draw in a broader audience.
Conversely, word choice can be detrimental to your audience. Clunky marketing language can be difficult to read and push potential buyers away. It's also important to be aware of specific cultural nuances. Although they may seem innocent and even beneficial, there are some words and phrases the can alienate certain audience members.
What’s in Your Freezer – Gelato or Ice Cream?
Carefully choosing marketing vocabulary is key when it comes to building and maintaining a strong customer base. The right words can draw people in whereas the wrong words can push them away.
Using a combination of beautiful words and phrases that have good connotations — while avoiding those that can be easily misinterpreted — is crucial for drawing in customers and boosting sales. With the right marketing vocabulary, buyers will be reaching into your freezer again and again.
If you’d like to learn more about how to attract customers and increase your sales, we’d love to help. Contact us today!
