Are you conversing with your potential customers in a language that you aren’t even aware of, or do you think you are? Recently, I had a trip to Montreal, Quebec, and despite the fact that I was only there for a short amount of time, I encountered several difficulties in terms of my ability to communicate. In the event that you are not acquainted with Canada, the predominant language spoken here is English, while French is the secondary language. This is partly attributable to the fact that the province of Quebec is home to a sizable number of French speakers. I had no idea how big this town was until I attempted to visit there as a tourist. Until then, I had no idea how many people lived there. To my utter astonishment, everything was written in French, and the only signs that included any English were those with a subscript in it. Unfortunately, my French language skills from grade 12 many years ago did not serve me well on this trip, and I found myself becoming rather angry with the lack of English in the nation that I call home. Just ask the person working at the gas station who witnessed me attempting to fill up the vehicle while simultaneously reading a whole screen in French. Because of this event, I was reminded of how essential language and communication are to the success of our company. If an entrepreneur or owner of a firm does not have the ability to communicate effectively with current and potential customers, they run the danger of seeing those customers go to a rival. You can believe me when I say that if my gas tank hadn’t been so low, I would have made a beeline for another station that catered to those of us who understand English. The “business jargon” that we use on our website, social media, and in our blog articles is one way that we often do not recognize we are having a detrimental influence on our followers. This is especially true when it comes to social media. The use of certain terms or phrases that are highly frequent in our own profession, but which are not necessarily what the broader public is acquainted with is an example of industrial jargon. Even referring to something as “business jargon” can be enough to throw a reader off in the field of web development and online marketing, where this kind of thing occurs very often. Those who work in our field are familiar with the term, but does everyone else? The language that is exclusive to a sector causes hurdles to communication. I can think of a number of occasions when it would be simple for me to speak over the heads of other people by utilizing website and marketing industry language and acronyms that come naturally to me but are unfamiliar to the person on the receiving end of the conversation. This is particularly important to keep in mind while attempting to explain a technical aspect of a website. The difficulty arises, however, when we fall into the trap of utilizing the jargon of the business with which we are most acquainted. This leaves the other person feeling uncomfortable because they do not understand what a phrase means. Frequently, people do not want to raise questions that might make them seem ignorant for fear of being ridiculed. The person then experiences a disconnect, during which they are unable to feel comfortable, and as a result, they search for the closest escape. When the proprietor of a website uses language specific to their sector to explain what it is they do and how they may assist their customers, this is a common issue that I come across. The major danger here is that if the reader is confused by what is being written, they are far more likely to click the “back” button on their browser and go for a website that is easier for them to grasp. If you use language like this on your website, it won’t make you more personable to the individuals you’re trying to reach since most of them won’t even attempt to figure out what’s being said. They do not feel any loyalty to you, and as a result, they are more than eager to move on. Use words to which your audience can connect when you speak with them. Communicating in a language that is understandable to your potential customers is the greatest method to avoid talking over their heads while you are communicating to them. Use language and phrases that would be usual for them to use and that they would be acquainted with, particularly when discussing the difficulties and obstacles that they are now encountering and need your assistance to address. Therefore, give all of your marketing materials, including your website, advertising materials, and even the posts you’ve made on social media, a close and critical examination. Are you utilizing any acronyms, slang phrases, or industrial jargon that is exclusive to your industry but that others may not understand? Right now is the moment to find out and make any necessary adjustments. During my time in Montreal, I was able to provide some words of wisdom to a number of companies about this subject. notably the place where we leased a vehicle since the display on the center console was in French! A customer who could not speak French required the attendant to spend around half an hour going over all of the options and making the vehicle driveable for them. This should never have come to pass, but for people who live in Montreal, the fact that everything is spoken in French seems perfectly natural to them. However, it certainly created a negative image on how they operate their company from the point of view of their customers. Therefore, you should constantly put yourself in the position of your consumer to determine whether or not what you are giving to them is something that they can comprehend or whether or not you are speaking French to them. Your objective should be to be accessible, approachable, and non-threatening to their intellect. If you can do these things, you will have a far higher chance of keeping them as customers rather than losing them to a rival. Have you ever found yourself in a situation similar to mine, where you had to move on in order to meet someone who could speak your language?
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