Writing for your Website: stay away from “hidden” negatives
As Judith Humphrey writes in her blog, “the language you use shapes other’s impressions of you… [even little words can be] damaging to your brand and reputation, even if in subtle ways.
My article below is a summary of her full article.
The word is “but”!
Typically following a positive statement, it can indicate disagreement, opposition or confusion. None of those feelings generates good will, especially talking about your brand!
- “Yes, I get your point, but …” You’re setting yourself up for disagreement and an argument.
- “Yes, I can do this project for you, but …” Adding this caveat, you express an obstacle that really says “I can’t…”
- “Yes, I can do this for the client, but we could also try this approach.” Well, do you know what you’re doing or don’t you? The ‘but’ causes uncertainty in the listener.
- “We sold a lot of boats this quarter, but our profit margin is down this quarter.” Is one of these facts more important than the other. Aren’t the 2 equally important?
The bottom line is that, in order to express yourself in a positive manner and encourage positive feedback, lose the “but.”
You can use the word AND – You can eliminate the word ‘but’ entirely and state your ideas differently.
Try it!
You can read Judith’s full article here.