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.

CeJay Assocaties - Avoid Hidden NegativesMy 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!

  1. “Yes, I get your point, but …” You’re setting yourself up for disagreement and an argument.
  2. “Yes, I can do this project for you, but …” Adding this caveat, you express an obstacle that really says “I can’t…”
  3. “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.
  4. “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.