Passion is in fashion.
Of course it is. Valentine’s Day is on Sunday.
I’m also talking about the word passion – and its close associate passionate – which now seem ubiquitous in business communications.
How many LinkedIn profiles have you seen saying they have a ‘passion’ for writing, marketing, web design, business services … window cleaning, or whatever?
Or how many business websites do you see that are ‘passionate’ about customer relations, good services, and providing excellence?
Quite a few, I’d say.
And it’s not just trainees, and novice communicators. Large corporations, as well as lawyers, accountants and others, representing what my mother calls ‘the professions’, are also at it. They justify their mind-boggling day rates because they are ‘passionate’ about their clients.
Heartfelt enthusiasm for what you do, and genuine excitement about achieving positive results is all well and good, but the overuse of words such as passion and passionate, are rendering these terms completely meaningless.
Worse still, the passion you have for these terms means that they can have the opposite effect from their intended meaning: by using these words in your business marketing, your audiences might start thinking that you have no passion at all.
Let me explain…
You may want to say that you main motivation in life is the sheer love and enjoyment of what you do, and that your commitment to your work is greater, more significant and more heartfelt than that of any of your competitors.
No one will believe you though.
This is for two reasons.
Firstly, if everyone is using the same terms, then why should the reader think you have the greater claim? After all, if everyone is passionate the term’s currency becomes somewhat devalued.
Secondly, if you really are that passionate about what you do, spend some time, care and effort explaining why.
If you want to convince a prospective employer that they should give you a chance, or a potential customer that they should look at you more seriously, don’t use clichés. And sadly, these days, words like passionate, commitment, and professionalism are just that. Everyone knows what they mean, but no one believes their meaning.
Use language that gives the reader a real idea of what you have to offer, and what makes you tick.
Try to find words to describe exactly what you can do and what makes you special. Your audience will then be able to judge how passionate you are, without you telling them.
If you require help describing why your business is special, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
photo credit: Taki Steve Valentine’s Day: take the passion out of business writing
Passion is in fashion.
Of course it is. Valentine’s Day is on Sunday.
I’m also talking about the word passion – and its close associate passionate – which now seem ubiquitous in business communications.
How many LinkedIn profiles have you seen saying they have a ‘passion’ for writing, marketing, web design, business services … window cleaning, or whatever?
Or how many business websites do you see that are ‘passionate’ about customer relations, good services, and providing excellence?
Quite a few, I’d say.
And it’s not just trainees, and novice communicators. Large corporations, as well as lawyers, accountants and others, representing what my mother calls ‘the professions’, are also at it. They justify their mind-boggling day rates because they are ‘passionate’ about their clients.
Heartfelt enthusiasm for what you do, and genuine excitement about achieving positive results is all well and good, but the overuse of words such as passion and passionate, are rendering these terms completely meaningless.
Worse still, the passion you have for these terms means that they can have the opposite effect from their intended meaning: by using these words in your business marketing, your audiences might start thinking that you have no passion at all.
Let me explain…
You may want to say that you main motivation in life is the sheer love and enjoyment of what you do, and that your commitment to your work is greater, more significant and more heartfelt than that of any of your competitors.
No one will believe you though.
This is for two reasons.
Firstly, if everyone is using the same terms, then why should the reader think you have the greater claim? After all, if everyone is passionate the term’s currency becomes somewhat devalued.
Secondly, if you really are that passionate about what you do, spend some time, care and effort explaining why.
If you want to convince a prospective employer that they should give you a chance, or a potential customer that they should look at you more seriously, don’t use clichés. And sadly, these days, words like passionate, commitment, and professionalism are just that. Everyone knows what they mean, but no one believes their meaning.
Use language that gives the reader a real idea of what you have to offer, and what makes you tick.
Try to find words to describe exactly what you can do and what makes you special. Your audience will then be able to judge how passionate you are, without you telling them.
If you require help describing why your business is special, get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
photo credit: Taki Steve 
