Kathy and I were driving home late one night recently listening to the radio when we heard an ad from “the recruitment provider of choice for logistics operatives”.

We kind of looked at each other and grimaced when we heard it.

I think what they really meant was they found better jobs for truck drivers.

No matter how smart your targeting is, no matter what kind of brilliant offer you have, or clever tactics you might be using, if you can't communicate with your target clients in language they'll understand then your marketing is doomed.

I mean really, what makes people write phrases like “the recruitment provider of choice for logistics operatives”?

Who do they think is going to listen to that and go “oh wow, just the people I want to speak to”.

Of course, it's easy to drift into corporate-speak every now and then (though hopefully not as bad as this example). But if you do, your marketing is going to struggle to connect.

So make sure before you send that next email or update your website home page that the language you're using is plain and understandable by your target clients.