The How –

Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash

We’ve all experienced that moment when – somewhere in the middle of a conversation – we realize that the person we’re talking to has a very different understanding of what’s being said than we do. In a comedy TV show it’s primer for the laugh track, but in business it’s not funny. The first step to avoiding it is to know your audience (if you don’t have that information researched and documented, please talk to us about developing your Target Market). But knowing who you’re talking to isn’t the only step, there’s also tremendous nuance in how to reach different segments of the population.
Most people naturally calibrate their word choices for their audience – refraining from swearing when toddlers are present, using jargon at work that’s avoided at home. We do this so subconsciously that it can be jarring when something goes astray. The gender of the accountant you’ve been emailing with about your recent expense report doesn’t matter, but if the conversation moves to the phone and their voice doesn’t match what you’d been hearing in your head, you may take a moment to re-calibrate.
That same jarring feeling could have a more significant affect if the disconnect is between you and your prospects. If your company’s target market includes people outside the gender binary_* but your marketing copy is saturated with masculine pronouns, you risk offending the exact people you want to reach. If you communicate more comfortably in more formal language, your marketing copy may present a business that’s too formal for more casual speakers.
Rather than risk these costly mistakes, we can audit your existing content to look for any missed opportunities or areas of concern.

Contact us today for a consultation

* “Outside the gender binary” describes people who don’t see themselves as being only male or female. They may see themselves as somewhere in between or they may not wish to identify with the idea that there are only 2 genders to choose from.