Does your company or your client’s company produce a widget that is absolutely unique, highly unusual, cutting edge, user-friendly or groundbreaking? Well, the product or service in question just may be truly amazing, but the fact that those are the words being used to describe it, make it anything but unusual. In fact, it’s highly usual.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, using “gobbledygook” words and phrases to describe the features of your product or service especially if you are writing business or technology-related marketing and press materials. Now that much of what we produce is on the Web, and accessible by anyone, it has become increasingly important to cut the jargon, or gobbledygook, and use the space and limited time in front of your audience to address the specific problems your product solves in their language. This goes for press releases too. Let your buyers know how your product or service will help them.

David Meerman Scott dubbed the term “gobbledygook” to describe the often overused jargon so many of us use in our communications. As a test, Scott recommends substituting the name of a competitor and its products or services for your own in your written marketing materials. If it still makes sense using your competition’s name, it’s not effective. Your marketing language should never be interchangeable with that of a competitor. Think about it – you’re essentially replaceable by your competition if you use that method. You haven’t clearly defined how you will help your client and why you are the best choice for them.

When writing your marketing or press materials, Scott also suggests starting with your buyer, not the product. Create a buyer persona and figure out what it is they want and need. I would also suggest using the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) method – in other words ditch the technical jargon and write in terms that resonate with your audience, not the select group of company physicists who created the widget.

Remember the time you have in front of your audience is valuable, but fleeting. Engage them by describing what problem you or your organization is going to fix for them. A useful tool to help you get started is the Gobbledygook Grader, created by HubSpot and David Meerman Scott. Also check out Scott’s Gobbledygook Manifesto and blog.

Now go out there and introduce your “next generation,” “cutting edge,” “unique” product to the world.

PHOENIX (March 24, 2009) – Urban Oven, a Tempe, Ariz.-based gourmet cracker company, recently garnered some highly coveted shelf space at Dean & DeLuca, a gourmet and specialty foods retailer with locations throughout the U.S. and abroad. Urban Oven’s five cracker varieties can now be found in the gourmet retailer’s stores nationwide.

Gene Williams, founder of Urban Oven, has grown the company’s distribution to nearly 800 gourmet retail clients nationally and internationally, adding an average of 100 new clients each month since its launch last June. 

“There’s an immediately noticeable difference in the taste and texture of our crackers and we’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response so far,” said Williams. “Our recipe is completely different from anything else in the market today, and we’re continually looking to reach new consumers, especially those who appreciate fine wine, cheese and gourmet foods.”

Urban Oven currently offers five flavors including, Classic White, Olive Oil, Rosemary Parmesan, Asiago and Lemon Black Pepper.

“We’re always in search of new, high-quality products that challenge our customer’s taste buds and Urban Oven crackers fit that bill,” said Michael Scibilia, buyer/merchant for Dean & DeLuca. “The crackers will pair nicely with some of the artisanal spreads, cheeses and fine wine we carry in our stores.”
 
About Urban Oven

Founded in 2008, Urban Oven is a Tempe-based gourmet cracker company that utilizes all natural ingredients, as well as local ingredients when possible. The company, which distributes to gourmet retailers throughout the U.S., Ireland and Canada, has five cracker products, including Classic White, Olive Oil, Rosemary Parmesan, Asiago and Lemon Black Pepper. For more information, visit www.UrbanOven.com.

About Dean & DeLuca

Founded in 1977 by Joel Dean, Giorgio DeLuca and Jack Ceglic with the opening of its flagship store in SoHo, New York, Dean & DeLuca quickly grew into a multi-channel retailer of gourmet and specialty foods, premium wines and high-end kitchenware with operations throughout the United States and abroad. Dean & DeLuca specialty products are sold through its retail stores and cafes in select U.S. markets (New York; Washington, D.C.; Napa Valley; Charlotte; and Kansas City, KS), a consumer catalog, and an e-commerce site, www.deandeluca.com. Dean & DeLuca also markets its private label products to other retailers and wholesalers throughout the world. Additional information concerning Dean & DeLuca can be found at the company’s web site: www.deandeluca.com.

How is your brand using Facebook? While some companies are just figuring out how to navigate the space, some have learned how to tap into it and utilize it as a powerful communications tool. Regardless of where you stand, and your level of knowledge, don’t be afraid to jump in and start using it.

Last month Facebook made it even more vital for companies to be in this space via Pages. The companies leveraging it to its fullest have seen major traffic spikes on their pages. Facebook may not be for every company though. By that I mean, those that are only interested in using it as a one-way form of communication or an information push, and those that don’t make the time to get involved in the discussion on their pages. That said, I do believe almost any organization can and should benefit from it – with creativity, open-mindedness and embracing the idea of two-way communication.
The Advance Guard produced a 25-page white paper, and recently updated it. It’s a living, breathing document, so continually check back for updates. This is an amazing tool for getting started. 

Benefits:

• Community – build a community around your brand. Your updates will be aggregated in your fan’s newsfeeds. This gives you the opportunity to capture friends of your fans who will see their newsfeeds.
• Engage – utilize tabs to post updates, news and press releases; build buzz around events; post photos of fans (and tag them in the photos); upload videos; and start discussions (but be prepared to contribute).
• Google Juice – every post, photo, video, discussion, etc. increases rankings on Google searches and other search engines. Keep your content fresh and relevant, and be sure to link back to your Web site and other social networks you are a part of.

Check out The Advance Guard’s whitepaper and research the brands that are using Facebook and using effectively. See what you like, what you don’t like. Be creative and be open. Just plugin.

A shameless plug for a few Wired PR clients who have Facebook pages: Urban Oven, Skintinu, Big Bob’s Flooring Outlet, BRIDGES Camp and, of course, Wired PR has one (feel free to become a fan of all of these).